Nothing shaking...

My poor little blog has suffered so far this year. Sorry 'bout that. I just haven't had anything going on earth-shattering enough to put fingers to keys and type out.

Two of the kids ... Beth from Arizona and David (with granddaughter, Jennifer) from Colorado ... were here (separately) for a few days each after visiting with their mom and ill stepdad in West Va. It was so good to see them, just wish we'd had more time.

Beth and Lew

David, Lew and Jennifer

Great-grandson Bryson is growing so, so fast! The child has four teeth, is crawling and is pulling himself up to standing. There's no doubt in my mind he'll be walking by the time he's nine months old!! He's really developing fast.

A toofy little grin
(Candy, the dog, getting into the act!)

Trying to get Uncle Chris to play!

Our purging hasn't gotten as far along as I'd like, but we shall prevail!! My desk is next... I'd really like to be able to enjoy the whole top without having to shuffle aside a bunch of papers. I'm thinking I might just join the 21st century and start scanning stuff for digital record-keeping instead of saving all that damn paper! It really does get out of control sometimes.

Like the rest of the country, we've had our share of winter cold, snow, and ice. The field behind us is still white but we can see most of our yard again. The ailing dogwood had a few dead branches break off under the ice, as well as the oak and maple in the front yard, but for the most part, we've had little winter damage.

So, other than that, and a little of this and that here and there, that's what I've been up to. You know... boring stuff. ;)

This, that, and the other

It being apple season and all, we've been peeling, coring, and slicing a bunch. We're eating and drinking (got some fresh pressed cider too) more than an apple a day and so far, have four bags of sliced apples and six pints of applesauce in the freezer. Since we have an abundance (like the song goes -- a bushel and a peck!) this weekend will find us fixing more of the same, along with several loaves of another favorite, pumpkin-apple bread.

Dogwood Update:

Our ailing tree has received its three treatments but being that it's losing leaves naturally because of the season, it not obvious to me that there's been any improvement. The tree doc seems to think it will recover, but it's pretty much a wait-and-see thing until it starts budding and leafing in the spring. That's also when the dead wood (hopefully not the whole tree!) will be removed. *sigh*

Baby B is 4 months old already! How can that be? I hate that I'm in MD and he's in SC and I'm missing soooo much of his growing. He's in good hands though - his SC grandparents dote on and spoil him rotten -- just as it should be! ;-)

sweet, sweet baby boy!

Got my mammogram done (it was normal,) had our six month check-ups, and got stuck for our flu shots. I have one more doctor's appointment next month and then we're good to go for another six months. Yay! Well, not counting one unpleasant appointment we haven't made yet... we're both due for colonoscopies this year. Ughh!!

Okay, I lied. I just remembered... I also have to make an appointment to get my eyes checked. I'm a bit overdue and my glasses are starting to deteriorate. ♫A chipped lens here, a scratched lens there, here a lens, there a lens, everywhere a lens, lens!♫ lol Anyway, that's another one I'm not looking forward too -- I hate picking out new frames.

Oh yum! Lew came home with a half dozen beets this afternoon, so I'll be roasting and freezing them this weekend too. Loooove roasted beets! We have a devil of a time finding them with any regularity at the grocer's around here, though and the orchards we frequent carry mostly fruits, not veggies. Definitely have to find a better source cuz I know we can't be the only beet-lovers in the area! We may just have to start growing our own (wink, wink, Claudia!)

So, that's what I've been up to. If I don't answer the phone, come looking for me under the apple/beet peels!

Grandma's brag...

Oh joy! My SC crew had family photos taken and they're all so fantastically good! I have such a beautiful family!! Not that I'm biased or anything like that, you know.

Anyway, my girl Tammy made sure that the mommaw got some and my goodness, I got a lot!! These are just a sampling of their wonderful photo shoot...

The whole gang
Christy, Brandon, Jim, Christopher, Michael,
Tammy, and Bryson
My boy and his
Jim, Michael, Christopher

The grands
Christy, Christopher, Michael

The parents
Jim & Tammy

The new parents and Baby B
Bryson, Brandon, Christy

Mommy and son
Baby B, Christy

The dude!!
great-grandson Bryson

And these are just the the southern crew - I have a northern and western crew too!! I am so blessed! :-)

More summer doings...

For about 20 years, when one of us hasn't driven all the way, we've picked up/returned the grandkids about halfway between our house in MD and theirs in SC. Our meeting place has been a Long John Silver's restaurant in Pulaski, VA. Surprisingly, "our" booth and table have almost always been empty, just waiting for us to get there. Kinda like going "home," you know?

So, on a Saturday in mid-July, we drove on down and 4-1/2 hours later, as we neared the restaurant, I could see that, hmmm... something didn't look quite right. No bright yellow sign, no little banners flapping in the breeze, and no cars, little or otherwise, in the parking lot. Oh, no... it was closed!!! I mean, CLOSED, as in Out. Of. Business! How could they do that to us?? This was family tradition they were messing with! I mean, really - a little advance notice would've been nice! Jeez, people!

For sale or rent and closed up tighter than a drum

Gone-zo!!

So, we quick found another place to meet up that day (thank goodness for cell phones!) but bemoaned the fact that we'd have to find a new meeting place for subsequent trips. (More on this further down.)

Jim, Chris, and Tammy at temporary meeting place -
listening intently to something brilliant I'm saying! ;)

me and Michael - not a clue what I'm
reacting to but what a face!

We always enjoy summers with the boys and this year was no exception. We didn't do anything extra special, but spent many hours at the lake picnicking, swimming, and just enjoying.

waiting for the grill to get hot for hamburgers

Chris and Michael honing their scuba skills

Chris practicing floating

Michael practicing swimming

For the return trip to take the boys back, my brother John and lovely sis-in-law Lynne came to the rescue and we met at their place in NC. (This could be the start of a new tradition!) And, we got to see Christy and then-2 month old Baby B as a bonus!

hard to believe my little girl is now a mommy...
and such a good mommy, too!

the little guy just loooves his grandpa...
warms my heart :)

sucking on mommaw's finger -
no milk there, sweetheart

playing with and smiling for his mommy

our wonderful host and hostess, Bro John and Lynne

We had a great summer and I hope you all did too!!

Summer doings...

It was definitely family time for us this summer.



First there was the baby shower in SC ...

Mommy- and Daddy-to-be opening up a boatload of gifts

Then, there was Lewis' 1st birthday party in NJ ...

yummy cake and cupcakes

Lewis enjoying every crumb of his cupcake

raring to go in his very own wheels

Then it was back down to SC to meet our brand-new, beautiful great-grandson ...

Bryson Philip cuddling with his mommy

snoozing on mommaw's lap

listening intently to his grandpa's voice -
isn't he just the most precious child!!?

Then, Susan, Lawrence and the boys came down for the 4th of July weekend...

Winston looooved playing in the sprinkler, clothes and all!

Lewis liked riding different wheels outside

Winston enthralled with mommaw's kaleidoscope collection

getting a kick out of a big ol' high 5 for poppaw!!

More to come tomorrow...