Steph's birthday & sibling night.

**UPDATE: I FORGOT THE MOST EXCITING NEWS...

STEPHIE GOT A JOB AND STARTS AT THE CREDIT UNION ON FRIDAY, 12/12!

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THIS ANSWERED PRAYER!**

My Stephie turned 24 years old on the 13th of November! Where has the time gone? Stephanie Dawn With all of our crazy schedules we couldn't seem to all get together at one time so she celebrated with each of us at a different time. Here are a couple of my favorite pictures that I have scanned in. The first one was taken after I caught her playing in the powder for the hundredth or so time. She saw me and said, "I not playin' in the powder, Mommy!"

This is one of the few pictures I have of my stepdad, Joe. Stephie was pretending to blow dry his hair and he was being a very good sport.

It's hard to believe he's been gone 12 years in February.

Ashley and Rob took her to the Olive Garden on Wednesday before Thanksgiving for a belated b-day celebration. Here are some pictures from that night.

Rob & Steph

Ashley & Steph Rob & Ashley

Steph took this great shot of Rob

Steph was struck by the "blue-dot-pool-cue bandit!"

I guess Ashley won this game!

It was just the 5 of us for Thanksgiving. I can't tell you the last time it was just the 5 of us. I love to have LOTS of people for holidays but it just didn't work out this year. Steph and I are going to do a show on the 6th of November (less than a week!) so we've been painting a lot. I will probably post on my new blog soon. If I don't get a chance to work on it I may post a few here.

~

Our friends from Tennessee, Paul, Tracy & Katie, visited her Mom during Thanksgiving. Since mine and Paul's birthday are about 7 weeks apart, we got to hang out a bit on Friday night to celebrate Paul & I turning 50 since we weren't able to get together before now.

~

Wayne and Rob attended their last "home" game in Tallahassee on Saturday. When they left it was raining...they traveled in the rain...it rained the whole game...they traveled back in the rain...and it was still raining when they got home! On top of that, FSU lost also, but they pretty much expected as much so it wasn't too disappointing. ~

We lost a dear friend this month, Henry Burroughs. He and his wife, Alice, were like parents to me and grandparents to our children. "Mrs. Alice" was our children's babysitter from the time Stephanie was 9 months old. Mr. Henry was a sport and one of the happiest people I ever met. He will be missed so much. His funeral was followed by 2 more within a week. They were both fathers of friends. One was very unexpected and is still a shock.

~

Rob got a new dog, Zoe. She is part boxer and as sweet as she can be. They believe she is 1-2 years old and was found and rescued in downtown Macon. She has an ulcer on her right eye and though it has improved with the vet and Rob's care, she may be blind in that eye.

She and Rob adore each other as you can see.

I'm sure there is more that I forgot to add, but this will have to do for now.

Hugs ~ Kim

Father's Day Celebration 2007...

Here is the second post for the day...

~

Let me add here that our upstairs air conditioner went out of Thursday night. We were able to get the repair company out here on Friday afternoon, however it was the compressor and it didn't get fixed until TODAY! Yes, that is 5.5 days and 5 nights without air in Georgia in June! Monday it was 97 degrees and nearly that inside as well. It has been miserable. I guess we are just spoiled!

~

I'd like to wish all of the Daddies out there a belated but heartfelt Happy Father's Day. We had a great day here, although, as I said in an earlier post, we missed Wayne's Dad and Brother. We started the day off in the most wonderful way imaginable ~ we worshipped! Oh boy did we worship!!!! Stephanie & Brian and Rob & Heather joined Wayne and I at church. :o) Ashley had to work :o( and we'll just say that Brandon didn't make it. ;o) It was the most awesome message. I wish all of our children, family and friends could have been there. The message revolved around Psalm 139:1-18. Brother Joe reminded us that we are each a special, unique creation by God. He reminded us that when we want to be an inch taller or have blue eyes instead of brown we diminish the value of God's creation. He made us the way we are for a reason and we should glorify Him by loving ourselves as He made us. He brought to light that God knows our thoughts before we speak them therefore He knows our prayers before we pray them. He challenged us to make quiet time to pray each day and instead of talking to God, listen to Him. He already knows what we are going to pray so just be still, and listen to God. He added that of course we need to continue to pray but not to forget to listen to God also. At the end of the service Gwen handed out the printed scripture verses on colored card stock paper. Wayne asked me to put ribbon on his so he can hang it from the rear-view mirror in his truck. I thought it was such a good idea that I did it to all of the copies we received for each family member. I bet I've heard Wayne explain the message to others about 5-6 times since Sunday.

Since Ashley had to work and Brian & Heather needed to visit their Dads too we decided to meet back at our house for a BBQ & family swim late that afternoon. After we ate (great BBQing Wayne!) we had Wayne open his gifts. I gave him a manual "reel mower" that he asked for. Talk about a workout! WOW!

~

Bryant and Jessica gave Papa this t-shirt. He LOVED it!!!

Ashley and Brandon gave him this FUNNY Homer Simpson talking figure. My favorite saying on there is,"Red light turn green! Red light turn green! N-n-n-n-n-o-w. (Pause) N-n-n-n-n-o-w. (Pause) N-n-n-n-n-o-w. (Pause) IT WORKED!" They also gave him a gun cleaning kit in a nice wooden box and a slingshot, which he asked for. Rob and Heather gave Wayne this REALLY cute frame with a picture of a VERY young Wayne in his USMC dress uniform with Rob @ 3 weeks old and a beautiful baby blue IZOD polo-style shirt.

Steph and Brian gave Wayne this cute t-shirt and a yellow striped soft polo-style shirt.

It was so-o-o-o-o-o hot in the house we went straight out to the pool after Wayne opened his gifts. We were in there until our skin pruned! Here are some cute shots I took at the pool with the kids. All 6 of the kids with Jasmine in her "boat" in the background!

Rob & Heather

Steph and Brian

Ashley and Brandon

Brandon and Brian hangin' out at the diving board.

The following are shots from the goober Olympics held in our pool each time we get together!

First we have, Brandon the flying squirrel...

Dancing Brandon...

Sitting Rob...

Hangin' Wayne...

Brian also dove off the board a few times. Here he is "saving" Jasmine who had just jumped from her boat in the deep end.

Jody may be an inside dog and a bit of a Diva, but she sure does love to be outside with us at the pool. She doesn't necessarily like to get in further than the top step but loves to be right beside us while we are in there.

Captain Jasmine commanding her ship, I mean float! She is so funny in the pool. She LOVES it!

And then there's Annie...

...and Teddy. They HATE the water. We like to take them in with us to remind them how to get out, at the steps, in case they fall in the pool. However, they are not real happy about it!

Is it obvious?!?! ;o)

And then there is faithful Jack. Wayne fell on Saturday and Jack is licking his wound. He follows Wayne everywhere. I didn't get any shots of Cam this time. I'll have to take double of him next family swim...July 4th!

Well I guess that sums up the day. Take care and I'll post again this weekend or sooner. Hugs to all and try to stay cool in this unbelievable heat! FYI - half of the 9 (added one to the original plan of 8) pine trees have come down. I'm hoping they'll finish by the end of the week. I'll post a before and after picture.

Hugs ~ Kim

Memorial Day Weekend

Happy Memorial Day!

~

"Greater love hath no man than this,that a man lay down his life for his friends."John 15:13

~

~ "Your silent tents of green

We deck with fragrant flowers;

Yours has the suffering been,

The memory shall be ours."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow -

~

It has been a great weekend full of family activities, BBQing, swimming, and relaxing. I have lots to share with you so I hope you have time to visit for a while.

~

I hope you've not only enjoyed your long weekend but that you've taken time to proudly fly "Old Glory" and honor those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom with their lives.

~

Wayne and I wanted Bryant to understand that Memorial Day is not just a day off of work or school. He loves the Military Channel and it was a perfect way to explain the importance of Memorial Day to him.

~

Bryant helped Wayne put up the flag and explained to him why we did it and what it means...

~

Wayne also displayed the United States Marine Corps flag and medallion. Wayne, his Dad and brother Byron served in the US Marine Corps and

our son Rob, currently serves in the Air National Guard.

I had this picture made after Wayne's brother passed away last December.

Stephanie and I did some painting this weekend.

I painted 2 galvanized watering cans for Bryant's teachers.

Stephanie has been painting beautiful lighthouses/seascapes. She painted these 2 (different sizes) this weekend. They are so pretty and serene-looking.

I painted this plastic beverage container (Hibiscus on one side and palm tree on the other) for our friend Dee who graduated from Macon state a couple of weeks ago.

Stephanie painted this container (wine holder, vase, etc.) for Dee.

Though I'm not exactly thrilled to share these pics with me in them I thought the shots were too cute not to include.

~

Here's me with Jody. She's not really thrilled to be in the pool but she's a sweetheart. She got a nice warm bath when we finished.

Here are my silly children with their beverages. Ashley's is just for show so she wasn't left out!

Steph snapped this cute shot of Bryant at the edge of the pool.

Here is Jasmine LOVING getting splashed by Rob. She tries to EAT the water. It is so-o-o funny to watch here!

Here are Annie and Teddy relaxing on the swing (that needs to be recovered) hoping they are invisible so they won't have to join the family swim.

We decided to use this old plastic bin as a boat for the little doggies. Steph and I decided we needed to paint it like a boat!

Yes, if it is around the house, it eventually get painted!

Mimi and Bryant!

Wayne and Steph!

Kim and Steph!

Well, I guess that's about it.

We are going to New Mexico this week for our friend's wedding so I'll have lots to share when we get back.

Hugs to all ~ Kim