Still playing catch-up!

I'm trying to remember all that's happened in the last month. Let's see...we all (family) went to the Braves game on September 22nd and had a great time.

I decorated for fall...

I don't really do Halloween decorating, although we do love to have all of the neighborhood kids come over for candy.

Jody and I attended our nephew's wedding in N.C. earlier this month.

Aren't the falls beautiful!

Sheri & Logan

My MIL & SIL (mother of the groom) by the falls.

Yes, Jody did attend. She stayed in the car but she did go to the wedding and reception and everywhere else we went. She was a GREAT doggie!

I just had to take a picture of the One Stroke mailbox by the chapel. After the reception, my MIL, Jody and I went to Black Mountain Veteran Cemetery to visit my FIL's grave. Is that an incredible view or what????? The leaves were just starting to change when we were there.

I bet it is absolutely gorgeous now! Look what I found when I went into my MIL's bathroom. She has a Dewberry Designs One Stroke shower curtain and didn't even know it!!! :o) Yes, I guess I've got the fever.

I was tagged by Sandy several weeks ago to post 7 things that you might not know about me and I'm FINALLY getting around to it. Here goes...

1) I LOVE ANIMALS...okay, okay, EVERYONE knows that one...I grew up in Miami and my Mom worked for the Miami Dolphin franchise so we had season tickets during the 1972 super season of the Dolphins! (I'm not really a big football fan so I didn't appreciate it back then.)

2) I used to decorate cakes as a side business. I took classes when Wayne was in boot camp in 1977 and made cakes off and on until the mid-1990s when I got completely sick of it!

3) I was the only grandchild on my Dad's side of the family until I was 6 and on my Mom's side of the family until I was 12 years old!

4) Wayne and I went to Europe with a church group about a year before we were married. We bicycled over 500 miles through 5 different countries in 3 weeks! What wonderful memories!

5) My Mom and I saw Tom Jones in concert in the late sixties. We tried to get tickets to see Elvis but they were sold out. I have to say Tom was pretty dang cute himself!

6) Thanksgiving is one of my very FAVORITE holidays and I like LOTS of family and friends to share our HUGE homemade dinner. If you don't have a place to go for Thanksgiving, come on over . . . the more the merrier.

7) I always include "XXOO" when I sign my e-mails and letters to my family.

I'll use my next update to show you all of the beautiful things I've been painting!

Hugs ~ Kim

WRALL wins World Series Championship!!!!

Okay, if you live in Georgia or anywhere in the southeast United States you've probably heard by now that for the second year in a row, a Georgia team has won the Little League World Series. For our not so big town, this is REALLY, REALLY big! These 11 & 12 year old boys not only played an amazing defensive and offensive game, they are a class act. If you didn't get to watch them play, you missed a blessing! They showed sportsmanship that would make any parent and coach proud. We know many of these boys and their families and it was an honor to watch them play and even more enjoyable when they won and did it so graciously!

This is a beautiful photo of Dalton Carriker praying before he got up to bat when he hit his walk-off homerun to win the game. The team manager and two of the boys on the team attend our church. I'm telling you they are all just GREAT young men.

One of the most impressive things they did was after they won and celebrated a moment or two some of our boys noticed the Japanese team members crying on the field. Our boys tapped each other on the shoulder and they all ran out to the boys from Japan (who lost for the 2nd year in a row at the championship game level) and hugged them. It was so touching and I was so proud I couldn't stand it.

The boys flew in to Atlanta tonight and as you can see from the picture I took below, we were all there to greet our home-town heros. They even had a police escort from Atlanta all the way home! It was a hot and extremely humid, muggy night but the rain held out for us and it was an honor to be part of the community support for these great athletes! They set a wonderful example for others to follow and they should be proud. I KNOW I AM!

I have lots to post but had to dedicate a post to our boys! Go WRALL!!! ~ Hugs ~ Kim

Weddings, Playfulness, Mullets and Flowers

I can't believe it's been a whole week since I posted anything. I have lots of pictures to share so let's get started!

Wayne, Steph and I attended Jacquelyn's wedding (Jessica's twin sister) today. She was a beautiful bride. Stephanie and I served the cake and were asked to sit with the family during the wedding. It was a very nice.

Here is a picture of Bryant and Jessica. Jessica looks so pretty here and of course Bryant is cute as a button. We were really glad Bryant was feeling better so he could attend the wedding. He was a sick little guy this week. He tested positive for A & B Flu. The Tamaflu they gave him worked like a miracle!

Stephie and Jessica with their big smiles. I know Stephanie is smiling because if all goes according to plan, 1 year from today, March 10th, 2008, she will be marrying Brian aboard the cruise ship in Tampa!

~

In case you were wondering about Ashley...she was disappointed that she couldn't get anyone to cover her shift so she couldn't be with us.

Jody and Jasmine play all of the time but this time Teddy decided to join in though he doesn't play near as rough as they do. Every once in a while he'll pounce near them make a little growl and run. We think he's part "chicken"!

He's probably going to kill me but I had to post this picuture of Stephanie's fiance', Brian, in his mullet wig he got at the Thrasher's game. He was a good sport to let me take his picture.

I have painted a few times this week although I've yet to finish my birdhouse. (Sandy, I will...I promise!) They're my first attempt at all of these and I didn't have Sandy there to encourage me and help me along but not bad.

...my Tiger Lilly...

...my Hibiscus...

...my Trumpet Flowers...

...and this is a very large butterly! It's not exactly symetrical but pretty anyway.

Now for some real flowers blooming in our yard. Spring is coming and it is so strange since I've been painting that I really examine all of the flowers that I see and marvel at their beauty. I've always known that God is amazing but each day as I see the things of nature that He's created it reminds me that He is an AWESOME God! I'm merely trying to paint His exquisite works of art and He's created billions of wonderous works of art that we overlook every day.

Be sure to take time to examine His wonderous works today!

Oh, I need to share with you that Ashley was selected as a "paid math tutor" at the college for next quarter. That will be great experience for her since she is going to be a high school math teacher. She has actually been tutoring students since she was in 8th grade. She takes after her Dad and is amazing in math. This quarter was over for her on Thursday. She hasn't gotten all of her grades yet but so far has 2 A's.

Also, please keep Ashley in your prayers on Monday. She will have her yearly upper endoscopy to check on the healing of her ulcers. They are also going to take a biopsy to check for the H-Pylori bacteria since he had it last year.

I'll try not to wait so long between posts. Take care and don't forget to enjoy the beautiful flowers as you are out this week. Love to all - Kim