Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Royalty in the family
We always knew cousin Tim was a prince, good that others are finally acknowledging it! He was crowned prince of his homecoming court at UMC! That's Prince Tim on the left, I wonder if he gets to keep the crown?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Savannah's birthday
Can't believe she's eight!
The party had a dog theme, only stuffed dogs as gifts though!! Mema made this doggie cake specially for Savannah:
Even cute dog themed napkins:
A cute shirt on a cute kid:
A picnic on the living room floor:
Greg always cuts their birthday number in the front lawn:
Opening the presents:
The party had a dog theme, only stuffed dogs as gifts though!! Mema made this doggie cake specially for Savannah:
Even cute dog themed napkins:
A cute shirt on a cute kid:
A picnic on the living room floor:
Greg always cuts their birthday number in the front lawn:
Opening the presents:
Friday, September 26, 2008
A family visit
Ronnie, Julie and Ryan stopped in for a visit to see the new place. It was good to have some time to catch up with one another!! Ryan is now in kindergarten and loving every minute of it! Julie walks him to and from school each day.
They also brought along this great photo of the whole clan. It was taken this spring when they all went to Disneyland for a few days. Good looking group!!
TJ, Billie Jo, Evan, Julie, Ryan and Ronnie
They also brought along this great photo of the whole clan. It was taken this spring when they all went to Disneyland for a few days. Good looking group!!
TJ, Billie Jo, Evan, Julie, Ryan and Ronnie
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Ramona Joy
Let me tell you a bit about our cousin Ramona. Joy was an inspired middle name for her. Wonderful wife, mother of four, daughter, niece, sister, aunt, cousin, daughter of the King of Kings. Valedictorian in high school, got her degree in Fashion Marketing and was fabulous at it, working at local family clothing store. Indispensable employee.
Shall we talk music? Beautiful singer and musician teaching those skills to her children. She served on the board of her local civic music league, played the organ at church, sang in the choir. She taught Sunday school and worked with the youth group. A fine arts booster in her community and also worked with the local fire department and VFW. Too much more to mention.
She really enjoyed cooking and baking, scrap-booking, sewing, gardening, entertaining, helping with fund-raising efforts, and serving as her family’s historian. She was a campaign manager for a local politician.
She was a GREAT letter writer, the only person that I still was writing to, actually putting pen to paper and WRITING. And she wrote back. Wonderful letters filled with community activities, growing children and a loving husband. The kids' various adventures and their own. Visits to their farm for the weekend, the latest from the garden their youngest son planted and harvested all summer long. Something great she'd whipped up in the kitchen. The pride in her family, they had all grown up so well and are such great kids, so accomplished, each one of them. So blessed.
She never got the hang of e-mail, never really wanted to and lately, we'd been talking more than writing, long conversations on the phone once or twice a month. I'm really thankful for those conversations.
Ramona was struck down in the crosswalk in front of the store Friday morning on her way to work. Dead at the scene. The driver of the semi says he never saw her, never felt the impact. He just kept on going. He was stopped several blocks later. The whole thing is under investigation.
As her youngest, Tim, put it: "There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief", quoting Aeschylus, ancient Greek dramatist and playwright. Well said.
To say we are all devastated would be a massive understatement. We are stunned, heart-broken and angry. Add to that we can't be there for the family. We can only call and e-mail. What seemed like a great way to communicate on Thursday has lost its meaning entirely. Doesn't make the grade. We want to be there to dispense hugs and cry with them. But we can't. So, we are staying here, touching base with the west coast cousins, vowing to see one another more often. Life is shorter than we think.
Shall we talk music? Beautiful singer and musician teaching those skills to her children. She served on the board of her local civic music league, played the organ at church, sang in the choir. She taught Sunday school and worked with the youth group. A fine arts booster in her community and also worked with the local fire department and VFW. Too much more to mention.
She really enjoyed cooking and baking, scrap-booking, sewing, gardening, entertaining, helping with fund-raising efforts, and serving as her family’s historian. She was a campaign manager for a local politician.
She was a GREAT letter writer, the only person that I still was writing to, actually putting pen to paper and WRITING. And she wrote back. Wonderful letters filled with community activities, growing children and a loving husband. The kids' various adventures and their own. Visits to their farm for the weekend, the latest from the garden their youngest son planted and harvested all summer long. Something great she'd whipped up in the kitchen. The pride in her family, they had all grown up so well and are such great kids, so accomplished, each one of them. So blessed.
She never got the hang of e-mail, never really wanted to and lately, we'd been talking more than writing, long conversations on the phone once or twice a month. I'm really thankful for those conversations.
Ramona was struck down in the crosswalk in front of the store Friday morning on her way to work. Dead at the scene. The driver of the semi says he never saw her, never felt the impact. He just kept on going. He was stopped several blocks later. The whole thing is under investigation.
As her youngest, Tim, put it: "There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief", quoting Aeschylus, ancient Greek dramatist and playwright. Well said.
To say we are all devastated would be a massive understatement. We are stunned, heart-broken and angry. Add to that we can't be there for the family. We can only call and e-mail. What seemed like a great way to communicate on Thursday has lost its meaning entirely. Doesn't make the grade. We want to be there to dispense hugs and cry with them. But we can't. So, we are staying here, touching base with the west coast cousins, vowing to see one another more often. Life is shorter than we think.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Our acrobatic grands
The kids came down for a visit and it was the first time Darane' and the kids had seen the house, and also the first time all of them had met Beau. We had a great day together.
The kids took Beau for a walk and played with all their toys here and we just had a great visit over all. Greg also did a bunch of things like install our new doorbell and programmable thermostat! It was just fun to goof the day away.
Nick and Savannah with Darane' in the big chair!!
Nick trying to make his escape after messing grandpa's hair!
The kids took Beau for a walk and played with all their toys here and we just had a great visit over all. Greg also did a bunch of things like install our new doorbell and programmable thermostat! It was just fun to goof the day away.
Nick and Savannah with Darane' in the big chair!!
Nick trying to make his escape after messing grandpa's hair!
Friday, August 29, 2008
We are getting settled finally
Here are a few pictures of the house, this time with our stuff in it!! We are loving living here, having a great time getting to know our neighbors, and so far they are all great!
We've been to a pancake breakfast and an ice cream social, plus Ralph's been going to all the Monday morning coffee and donut gatherings. We go walking every evening after dinner and we meet more people as we get out and about. And our neighbors have a "G" gauge railroad in their garage and yard and invited us to play the other night. What fun!!
Here's a view of the living room from the dining room:
Looking from the front door to the dining room:
Our bedroom (new curtains coming soon, too pink and flowery for me!)
The kitchen:
Ralph absolutely loves our new dog Beau! They go walking at least once every day before I get home, sometimes twice, then we all go after dinner. Beau LOVES his walks!!!
And both Beau and Ralph love their naps!!
We've been to a pancake breakfast and an ice cream social, plus Ralph's been going to all the Monday morning coffee and donut gatherings. We go walking every evening after dinner and we meet more people as we get out and about. And our neighbors have a "G" gauge railroad in their garage and yard and invited us to play the other night. What fun!!
Here's a view of the living room from the dining room:
Looking from the front door to the dining room:
Our bedroom (new curtains coming soon, too pink and flowery for me!)
The kitchen:
Ralph absolutely loves our new dog Beau! They go walking at least once every day before I get home, sometimes twice, then we all go after dinner. Beau LOVES his walks!!!
And both Beau and Ralph love their naps!!
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Summerfields visit!
We were blessed this week by a visit and dinner with the Summerfield family, fresh from their home in Bolivia! We had not seen them since the summer of 2005, so we were thrilled they had the time to come for a meal with us. It was great to catch up with them. Their kids have grown a lot in the past three years! They really enjoy their work and will be happily returning there in January after a bit of furlough to see friends and family. Ralph went to school with Tom and Laurie back in 1996-98! So we've known them a while. Wonderful visit!!
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