More Than Turkey Day

In addition to Thanksgiving - today is also Michele's big 4-Oh. It's Wade's birthday too but he is much, much older than 40.

Here's a picture of Tatum sending birthday love her way. Or rather Mutat. Tot is a lefty and apparently its SOP for left handed kids to write their name backwards. Backwards or not, it is pretty impressive to watch a three year old spell her name all on her own.

Happy Turkey Day To You

It's difficult to know what to say about facing the first holiday with out Dad. He was so much about family that it's not going to be easy. I guess it will be a lot like every day has been so far. I have moments where I am laughing and joking around, then like a mack truck I am hit with an unbelievable emptiness cause I cannot believe how much I just want to hug him. I am not the only one going through this - everyone who knew Dad will feel the loss today, my friends who have lost their loved ones, and then there are my friends who are putting on a brave face as they have loved ones who are sick.

I have been trying not to wallow too much - some days I don't do as well as others. Some nights, well, the nights are not good. But I am very lucky to have my wonderful family, my amazing friends and especially my Greg. Greg and I are getting ready to go spend the day with Tim, Jenel and Tatum. Nothing like that little pistol Tatum to make me smile. And I know Dad's looking down smiling at his family - especially his Grandkids that gave him so much joy.

I have already spend some time talking, texting, emailing and webcaming with our family and friends and for that I am truly thankful. If I don't catch up with you today, I hope you know I have smiled thinking about you. And you fools know who you are. Pretty much if you take the time to click on this site, you are in my heart today and everyday.

Give those you can a big hug. And a big hug and thanks from me for everything.

LTSOY
- K

The Wrath of Time

I make an appearance in a few of the pictures of Michele over the years - I had to pull these out cause dang I was a Cute Kid!

Shell was a cutie too.
Rockin a half shirt old school style.

Speaking of looking good - This is one of my favorite pictures of my Mom.

From Shell 40th

MeShell, My Bell

Don't believe me that my sister Michele is 40? You are Right - she is not - at least she isn't 40 until next Thursday. After Thursday, Shell is officially old.

Wade, Mike & Chris went above and beyond and threw her a surprise party tonight at their church. Lots of family and friends came to celebrate - even Gerda & Gill and John & Nancy came down from Philly.

Tim, Greg and I put together a BUNCH of pictures of Shell over the years.

She seemed to like it, but I thing she liked the Vera bag we all chipped in on better. There were lots of pictures taken at the party - but I am going to have to get them from Shell because when I uploaded the pictures Greg took, they were all 0f us having fun with the church band equipment.

This lovely picture didn't make it into the slide show last night - not cause I am embarrassed of my awesome perm or the flower vest. OK, so I am kinda embarrassed but for the 80's I was actually lookin pretty rad. It didn't make it because I couldn't get it to scan well. Otherwise it would have made the cut - equally embarassing for all three of us. Well, not so much Tim.

From Shell 40th

It kinda sucked going through all the photo albums for pictures of Shell - So many pics of Dad over the years and we all missed him at the party. This one sums up in a picture how Dad was pretty awesome - I wish I came across it earlier to put it into the slide show - but I have a feeling I will think that many more times to come.

Also had to scan this picture of Jadyn as a baby - She was so flippin' cute! Still is.

Sophia's Halloween party at school

Amanda & Ally

Apparently there is a name for me - Careful now - its not what you are probably thinking. The term the gays would use for me is Ally - Straight but not narrow. I found that out today at the protest against Prop 8 in DC. There were protests all around the states today.

Aside from the irony that I had to inform Amanda about the protest and the fact that it dropped buckets of rain on us for a few minutes - it was a pretty cool march. Some of my favorite signs were - You have 8 wives, I just want 1 husband - Single and bitter but still for gay marriage - and Amanda's favorite was
1st class tax payer, 2nd class citizen.

From Equal Rights March DC

From Equal Rights March DC

Protest or not - its always fun to spend some time with Amanda. Then came home and spent some time with Ransom who came home for the weekend to spend some time with Greg and me - oh yeah, and her Mom. All and all a good weekend.

From Equal Rights March DC

Good Kittie

Tatum Loves Benny - A lot - what's not to love?! Good thing Benny is so easy going.

remind you of anything?

Tour de Lee

crossing Van Dorn, Edison on the left across the street

the police stopped traffic all along the route we rode.

Rose Hill Elementary, Mo's other school






Karen and I also rode the Tour de Lee a few weeks ago. It wasn't too bad, we had fun. Karen made friends with the new district supervisor, Jeff McKay, in the red shirt. When we got back to the starting point Karen learned how to load her bike onto the front of the county bus from one of the hardcore bikers from the bike club. Luckily, Amanda let me use her helmet for the ride too.

Picking Pumpkins with the girls after school...

 
 
 
 



after Mom and Soph picked us up at the airport, we went straight to pick up Em and Paiger and bought some pumpkins from the church ladies downtown...

Halloween Florida Trip

some shots of our visit with the girls. Captions to be added later.

Awoooooo....Where was the money?

Day Bow Bow

Now Gregory just has to find the clip of Taters doing the same song.

good riddance

 

Marack Obama

 

Love Lives Here

I love working the fair shows helping sell jewelry for The Perfect Buddha - one reason is because their jewelry is excellent - very well made, unique styles and the prices are excellent - especially for pearls. Another other reason is I get to check out all the other booths and buy some early Christmas presents. Over the years I have met some very nice, very talented people. This year I met P. Carter Carpin - not only is she a sweet person and gushing mother - but she paints these amazing pictures. I am not sure if its the colors or the pictures themselves but they make me happy just looking at them.

I bought one of an elephant for my sister-in-law, Mrs. Eagney's new 4th grade classroom, but I was looking for one for me. I mentioned I liked the Love Lives Here one, but it reminded me too much of Dad so I opted not to get it.

When Carter asked me why, I mentioned how Dad passed and I couldn't help but cry. That's when she told me how she came about drawing again. On New Years Day in Richmond, the Harvey family was murdered - she was friends with the family - and she just started drawing birds and writing Love Lives over and over. She found comfort in painting and with the thought that the Harvey's would want love to live on as they were an outgoing family full of love for friends, family and life. Carter gave me one of the Love Lives Here prints as a gift, which was beyond kind for one stranger to do for another. I will hang it proudly and think of Carter and how nice people in this world can be. I will also think of my Dad and how much I will always love him.

for my #1 girl

Thanks Babe - Happy Anniversary to you too - and also a very Happy Birthday to our handsome nephew - MICHAEL. Can you believe he is SIXTEEN?!?!?!?!?!