Camping Sites

Hi,

Just thought that I would add a note to those of us who are getting older....we will do everything in our power to ensure that we are close to the comfort station (you know restrooms).

We can check in at 1:00pm, but Barb and I plan to get there at least by 12:00 and hopefully they will let us in early. Barb asked them to mark the reservation "GROUP - GIVE SITES TOGETHER" - since the park is on a first come first serve bases.

Love you all

Susan

Hi Nan

Well we know our bladders work Nan. :-)
But the problem is where will they start working at.
Love ya xxx

Camping Trip

Nancy and Dee Dee,

Hey glad to see you are planning an preparing for the trip. Tents - Dad has made sure he has a tent for Dee and Family to use. I believe the only equipment we are lacking is one stove and some lanterns.

We don't have a food list together yet, but suggestions for what you would like to eat is recommended.

The game plan is for everyone to bring with them just what they need to eat and rink during the drive. Once we arrive, some of the group will plan to go shopping for the food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We will get plenty of bottle water and sport drinks, lemonade, etc. The only thing we will not include in the main shopping list is soda beverages, beer and wine. You will need to bring these items if you want them.

The money for the food will be taken out of the monies sent to Barb A.

We are suggesting that everyone bring their own cups with a lid (this will keep the bugs out) plus cut down on paper cups.

Nan, I maybe be wrong, but last I heard, Beth and the kids would not be attending, as Jim has to work.

Beth, if this has changed, please let us know so we can change the reservations.

Counting it down........

Love you all,

Susan

Family Reunion:

Hey everyone:

I was just talking to Dee Dee about camping equipment and let her know I want to share the stuff I have with her and her family. So Dixie and I will need to share a campsite or be very close together.

She mentioned there is a food list of some sort made up by Barbara A. Could you please post this list to the Blog? Dee Dee said with the addition of some folks to those attending the list may need to be updated. Since Dixie and I will be sharing a site and camping equipment it will probably be a good idea to put us on the same cooking team. Just don't let anyone eat what we cook. ;)

Some how some way Dixie and I will make sure that her family has a tent by then. I would love to share my tent with Ava and Jim's daughter Becca but will discuss this with Beth and Jimmy. I will provide the girls with ear plugs because I admit it at long last I do snore. ;)

This is going to be a blast and I am so looking forward to it. I love camping and can't wait to see everyone!

Take care,

Mom, Nancy, Grandma Cookie

Camping Trip

Barb,

Thanks for the information....we are all excited about the gathering.

I spoke with Grandpa and Betty today, they are ready.

You mentioned additional equipment needed. You have your stove and two lanterns, plus your Dad has a stove and two lanterns. What additional equipment do we need?

Well gang we can start the count down....5 months and counting!!!!!

Love,

Susan

Forgot to post this on the blog!!

Hello Everyone,

We are ready to rock and roll for October 25, 26, 27, and 28 (leaving at checkout time on 28th). I made the rsvp’s for 35 people for three nights. I paid the deposit of $120.00 today and I will pay the balance due the day we get there in the amount of $240.00. There is also a $3.00 one time fee per car that is not included with the $240.00. I will have a balance of $152.00 which will cover the car fees and rest can go to food fund.

We have 6 sites, with 6 people per site, I am sure the camping Nazis won’t be checking to make sure there is the correct number. I spoke with Elizabeth at the Georgia State Park Service and she made sure to list us as a group so they would have our sites all together. Any question, please just ask me. Thanks for everyone being so cool about this, I felt like such a tool about the Cumberland rsvp’s. I will cancel them but if anyone wants to come to that too let me know before tomorrow night. The Decker family and The Kissel family are still going there in November.

Love you guys,

Barbara A.

Dear Dixie:

You cracked me up. I almost peed in my seat when I read what you wrote about Eric and Allen and rocking on! LOL

My pain doc has changed my pain medication from Oxycotin which is a synthetic type morphine substance. Now I will be on a time released morphine beginning June 5th when the Oxy runs out. I hope it covers me better. The last several months I have been getting break through pain about 5 and 1/ hours after a does. And the other 2 and 1/2 hours I tried to sleep during the pain.

I also am experiencing something new for the past two or there months; spasms. Jerking movements before falling asleep; no matter if it is the day or evening. My stomach jerks in and out and my arms and legs twitch sometimes violently. They don't know what is happening. I am to go back in a month if it gets worse. The doc thinks it might be a side affect of oxycotin. I am also to call them if it suddenly gets worse and call them if the morphine at the dose doesn't cover the pain.

I would gladly change to smoking pot to cover the pain if it were legal here in NC. I will check if it is legal in Ga. Probably not. As it is if I get caught (the pain clinic does random drug testing) I will be kicked out of pain mgmt. I have to go every two months now. I guess I could smoke pot or use that pill for the month before my next visit being without 30 days before the visit. I am going to check it out.

The pain is certainly controlling my life but like you it can't take away all of my sense of humor. Dear sister; you are just too cute for words! And congrats about learning how to upload photos! Now if we can teach the other posters here how to do it too.

I love you!

Nancy

Pain Meds

Well so many people I know with Multiple Sclerosis use Pot for pain management. In 14 states in the USA its legal.
North Carolina is not one of the 14.
Many people I know use Marinol a pill made from cannabis. They say it works great.
I know a lot of folks in the UK who use an inhailer like the once for asthma, but its made from cannabis and inhaled for pain. With out smoking.
So I say Allen and Eric grow some more and we all become Mid-night tokers, ROCK ON.
looooooool
Love ya
Ok Now every one laugh.
MS can do a lot to our bodies but it can never steal my since of humor.
"We may have MS, but MS does not have me" only sometimes.
Love, Dixie

Valuable New Information About Chronic Pain:

There are several of us in this family who live daily with chronic intractable pain (chronic meaning over six months duration and intractable no cure); Dixie, Rima, Jimmy and myself. If I have forgotten anyone sorry!

Dee Dee, I was pleased that the article discusses new ways of treating chronic pain besides treating with narcotics. I know you are concerned about that. But there is no reason you have to live without treatment for your pain! I love ya Sis!

To those of us who live with chronic pain we are aware of most of the issues in this article. I just wanted to share it with the members of the family who don't understand it and would like to.

Many of us with chronic pain and illnesses spend way too much time trying to convince others that our conditions are real; that the pain we feel is real and dibilitating and can change our lives drastically. What a shame that there is a need to prove ourselves.

It is ironic, that when I had my heart attack one of the first things I thought about after waking up after the angioplasty was "well now they will believe that I am really sick!" That a heart attack is pretty tangible and can be seen on films and other test results.

I am happy that doctors and other health care providers now recognize that chronic pain in of itself is a disease. Rima, I am sure because of your profession; much of this article will be no surprise to you. Especially the pathways of pain and how chronic pain actually produces more pain receptors in the brain. Amazing stuff!

I hope this helps explain to those of you who do not have chronic pain what life is like for us that do. That the way we behave is a normal reaction to living with constant pain.




MSNBC.com

New Research Into Pain Treatment

Millions of aging boomers and the latest generation of wounded soldiers hope the secrets of our most enduring medical foe can finally be unlocked.

By Mary Carmichael
Newsweek
June 4, 2007 issue - Late into the night of May 2, 1863, a few hours after Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson took two bullets in his left arm at the Battle of Chancellorsville, surgeon Hunter Holmes McGuire sawed off the bleeding limb, trying to save the general's life. With the knife came another medical tool, one fairly new to the battlefield—a rag soaked in chloroform. As he awaited amputation, Jackson, who would die a week later, was as stoic as his nickname suggested. But as he slipped into unconsciousness, it's said, he betrayed his vulnerability in the face of pain just once, mumbling that the anesthesia was "an infinite blessing."

For most of the 144 years since then, the military has stuck with similarly crude techniques for treating its soldiers' pain. Morphine, also given to Jackson and many others in the Civil War, is still the Army's most commonly used painkilling drug. It works, but compared with more-modern options, it's one step above chloroform and two above biting the bullet. Now, though, with casualties mounting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military is being forced to change its strategy. More than 90 percent of wounded soldiers have made it off the battlefield—the highest survival rate in American history—only to overwhelm chronic-pain clinics when they come home. "We're seeing the tip of a tidal wave of pain," says Lt. Col. Chester (Trip) Buckenmaier, an anesthesiologist at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, who has emerged as a sort of pain czar for the Army. After decades of "sucking it up," the military has finally started to respond in new and innovative ways to this escalating pain crisis. Even as the VA hospital system has come under fire for poor care, Army doctors haven't just joined up in medicine's larger war against pain—they're leading the charge.

Winning this medical war is crucial, and not just for the sake of the soldiers, who are far from the only burgeoning new group of pain sufferers. Chronic pain is one of the most pervasive and intractable medical conditions in the United States, with one in five Americans afflicted. Aging baby boomers have reported in surveys more aches and pains than any previous generation. Cancer patients have more treatments to choose from than ever, but more pain, too. Even retired NFL players—a suck-it-up group if ever there was one—have started speaking out about the wear and tear on their bodies. Civilian chronic pain already costs the country $61 billion in lost productivity and many more in medical fees. Treating the soldiers in the coming years will add at least $340 billion to the toll.

As the number of patients has grown, though, so has medicine's understanding of what pain is. Scientists once viewed it as merely a symptom of injury, an intuitive idea that resonated with laymen. "The public understanding of pain has been that it's a stubbed toe or a broken bone," says Will Rowe, executive director of the American Pain Foundation. "But that's just one aspect of it. Now there's a growing awareness that pain is a disease of its own."

This is far more than a semantic change, Rowe adds: it's "tectonic." Docs now know that the brain and spinal cord rewire themselves in response to injuries, forming "pain pathways" that can become pathologically overactive years later. They are trying to sever this maladaptive mind-body connection with a host of new drugs and approaches. Some focus on recently discovered chemical receptors in the brain and muscles. Others pack all the punch of narcotics with less of the specter of addiction.

(Patients can still become dependent on a new form of the morphine derivative called Kadian, for instance, but if they crush one of the pills for snorting, its center explodes, releasing a substance that blocks the euphoric high.) New types of electrical stimulators targeting the brain, the spine and the muscles hit the market almost every year. Fentanyl skin patches, first introduced in 1990, have evolved into a patient-controlled, push-button device called IONSYS, available by the end of this year. And complementary and alternative medicine offer a parallel universe of treatments: herbs, yoga, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage and "prolotherapy," which injects various solutions, including cod-liver oil, into ligaments and tendons near the area of pain.

The military is pioneering its own new approaches. Since 2003, a small but growing number of soldiers in Iraq have been treated at the front with high-tech nerve-blocking devices that are effective but not addictive. They are common in civilian life, but their use on the battlefield is unprecedented. Back at home, many VA clinics are offering extensive and elaborate pain treatments, and they're learning how to get tough guys and girls to soften up and admit they need help. At Walter Reed, Buckenmaier's team is conducting groundbreaking research on the link between acute and chronic pain; his findings, due in the next few years, could revolutionize treatment. "The military needs people to be functioning out on the field," says Rollin (Mac) Gallagher, chief of pain medicine at the Philadelphia VA hospital. "What we're now starting to recognize is that if you control people's pain, they're not liabilities—they're assets."

That's not to say pain is all bad. It's unpleasant, of course, but in an evolutionary sense, it has its uses. Acute pain begins in the peripheries of the body, where sensory neurons are constantly on patrol for signs of damage. They are the mechanisms that alert us to one injury so we can avoid a second one. Touch a hot stove for the first time and you won't be happy, but you'll ultimately be better off—because you'll certainly never want to do it again.

By the time it has become a chronic condition, however, pain is no longer useful. It is, as Rowe says, a disease—specifically, an overactivity of the nervous system. The brain keeps a diary of the injuries the body receives, writing each entry by reconfiguring certain neurons into new, interconnected patterns. In healthy people, these neurons stop firing once the initial damage is fixed. But in chronic pain, they keep going long after the injury has healed. "The circuits get turned up, and they stay up. They get stuck," says Gallagher. "Most diseases are physiology gone wrong. Pain is one of them."

Scientists don't know why some people develop chronic problems after injuries while others continue on with no pain. It is nearly impossible to answer the question on a wide scale; pain simply has too many causes. Some patients fully recover from massive trauma. Others, like most of the boomers with aching backs and knees, find themselves debilitated by nothing more than the accumulated, mundane strains put on joints, bones and muscles every day. Even soldiers can fall into this second category—if the bullets don't get them, the back pain brought on by months of jumping out of trucks, burdened with heavy equipment, well may.

Complicating the issue even further is pain's inherently subjective nature—we may say we "feel each other's pain," but really, we can't. Doctors don't have any good way of measuring pain from one person to the next. The best they can do is ask patients to rate it for themselves on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the greatest agony of their lives. This is absurdly imprecise. Patients are usually honest (and fakery is fairly easy to spot), but they can exaggerate. A person feeling a 4 may claim a 7 to get aggressive treatment, and a person feeling a 7 may downplay it as a 4 in hopes of looking tough. Robyn Walker, a psychologist at the Tampa (Fla.) VA, says she's seen the latter dynamic in her clinic. "These patients know what a 10 feels like," she says. "But they are active-duty soldiers, and they minimize their problems. Unless you really ask them about their pain, they may be very hesitant to tell you." Doctors are trying to develop new methods of measuring pain, but their most advanced idea so far is to study facial expressions—which aren't much more standardized than the 10-point scale.

On top of that, one patient's 7 may be another's 4. "Our bodies are not one-size-fits-all," notes Rowe, "and doctors are finding that this is far more true with pain than they ever imagined." Genes may vastly influence how intensely people feel pain and how much they can withstand—although genetic testing for pain susceptibility is probably decades away. Gender matters, too. Women have up to twice as many nerve fibers in the skin as men do, so they feel some types of pain more intensely. (This doesn't mean they're weaker; it means that, all other factors being equal, their 10 is off a man's chart.) Even traits that seem unrelated to pain, like vitamin D deficiency, may increase it for reasons no one fully understands. Trying to untangle all these factors is a scientific nightmare.

Regardless of their injuries, their genes, their gender or their background, though, nearly all chronic-pain patients agree on one thing: the hyperactive neurons can make life near unbearable. The cascade of changes in the nervous system can lead to an equally painful cascade of events in a patient's life: memory loss, job loss, marital strife, depression, suicide. And through it all the body hurts like hell. "Imagine somebody holding a knife in your back and twisting it against your nerves continually, never stopping. That's what chronic pain is," says Dan O'Neal, a contractor who herniated two vertebrae in 2003 while cleaning up a job site. "At first you just shut off totally. It's terrible living like that."

Among chronic-pain patients, O'Neal is actually one of the lucky ones. He, at least, knows why his pain started; some patients are deniedeven that knowledge. Chronic regional pain syndrome, for instance, is a rare disorder that can begin with something as trivial as a skinned knee. The scrape heals, but the nervous system does not. Within a few years the knee that was skinned feels like it is on fire, even though nothing is outwardly wrong. Similarly, fibromyalgia assails the bones, muscles and joints, but has no obvious bodily causes and doesn't show up on X-rays. Growing evidence now suggests that it is in part a brain disorder that sets the pain pathways afire, responding to imaginary wounds—as if the brain's diary of injuries has suddenly filled up with wild, untrue stories. The pain itself is not imaginary. But because it is hard to pinpoint and even harder to treat, for years many doctors used to write it off as such.

Andrea Cooper says that's all doctors did when she first developed fibromyalgia, which afflicts 6 million Americans. "There was a bunch of 'We can't figure out what's wrong with you, therefore there's nothing wrong with you'," she says. "People don't like to hear about symptoms that they can't do anything about."

Some fibromyalgia patients may be helped by standard pain treatments. Others aren't. In that, at least, fibromyalgia patients are just like all other pain patients: relief can come for them, but it is often hard-won. Cooper, who is now on fentanyl and Kadian, compares her current pain to "the roar of the faraway interstate, as opposed to being in traffic." But to get to her current regimen she had to go through nearly everything else—antidepressants, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxers, acupuncture and six operations that probably made the pain worse.

Some of the most promising pain treatments of the past decade have turned out to be disappointments. Studies of some radiofrequency therapies show they work no better than placebos. Spinal-fusion surgery, a recent review found, has "no acceptable evidence" to support it. And if a treatment does work, says Edward Covington, a pain specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, "for most people, the effect is temporary." There is no cure for chronic pain, period.

There's not even any "single drug or technology alone" that can treat all the types of pain, says Eugene Viscusi, director of acute-pain management at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Most people need two or three therapies in combination. Scientists' new understanding of pain's broad effects on many levels of the nervous system explains why: a multipart syndrome requires multipart therapy. Viscusi notes that patients under anesthesia still have elevated levels of the pain enzyme Cox-2 in their spinal fluid following surgery. They may not feel pain, but some parts of their brains still think they're in it. For any treatment to work long term, it will have to address not just the immediate sensation of pain but the other, subtler aspects—and there are surely some of those that scientists don't know about yet.

At the American Pain Society's annual meeting in May, a panel drew attention to what seems like the best option pain medicine currently has to offer: "multidisciplinary pain centers," essentially rehab clinics that employ doctors, nurses and therapists from a variety of fields. They prescribe a tough-love regimen of physical therapy (as well as the psychological kind), and many also make a point of cutting down on drug use. Pain specialists have been singing their praises for the past three decades. Data show why: they help many debilitated patients get back to work. But multidisciplinary clinics are on the wane. There are no statistics, but Covington says he suspects their numbers have dwindled by about 90 percent in the past 30 years. The problem is that a lot of patients just don't like them. "Americans love deep brain stimulation, replacement discs, things that are sexy and magical and frequently hyped," Covington notes. Multidisciplinary clinics are a much harder sell. They're not a quick fix, and their emphasis on exercise strikes fear in some people who are already worried about injuring themselves.
Insurance companies also sometimes balk at multidisciplinary clinics, which are costly. They'll cover them, Covington says, but usually "only enough so they lose just a little bit of money on them every year." Insurers say they sometimes have trouble determining how legitimate the clinics are or how much of a service they'll provide, since there are no national guidelines for what the clinics should encompass.

Insurers usually prefer to pay for single therapies, like opioids, the narcotics that block messages in the brain and make patients care less about their pain. The drugs are hugely widespread; almost 200 million opioid prescriptions get written in America each year, most of them for Vicodin, OxyContin and various forms of fentanyl. But "widespread" doesn't mean "effective," nor does it mean "popular." In opioid trials, fewer than a third of patients on average report relief, and more than a third drop out of the same trials rather than deal with the side effects, which include nausea, constipation and trouble breathing. "Most of the soldiers I treat say they don't want to take these strong medications," says Walker, the Tampa VA psychologist. "They say, 'These things make me groggy. I want to get back to my life'."

Opioid users also run two parallel risks: that they will become addicted, and that they will suffer the stigma of addiction even if they're not abusing the drugs. Steven Passik, a pain specialist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, notes that "the issue of addiction doesn't lie in the drugs," but in a complex interaction between the chemicals and biological predispositions. Still, many patients struggle. Brooks Bono, 28, was born with a tumor on his spine and has spent his whole life in pain.

At one point he was on so much OxyContin that "the dosages would have killed someone else," says his mother, Kadie Dempsey. He sees Passik now for counseling, and a few months ago he switched to methadone. It's not as addictive, says Bono, but it does little to dull the pain and it brings its own problems. "I went to about 20 different pharmacies," he says, "and they told me, 'We don't treat drug addicts here'."

No one wants to avoid an epidemic of drug abuse more than the military. Addicted Vietnam vets still wander into VAs, and as Gallagher notes, "if our soldiers can't get pain relief in the medical system, they'll turn to other ways." Many VA clinics make a point of cutting down on soldiers' use of opioids and other drugs. At a congressional hearing on pain in December 2005, Capt. John Pruden said he'd talked with one of his old buddies, who had been wounded in Iraq. "As we were talking, he bragged how he was not using his pain meds," Pruden told the audience. "But unfortunately it turns out he was self-medicating with alcohol to cope with the pain."

The military is now pursuing a new pain strategy: stop the trouble before it starts. Historically, wars have led to medical advances, and this one is no different; the notion of a kind of pre-emption has captured the interest and excitement of the entire pain-medicine community. Treat acute pain early, the thinking goes, and you stop the brain from responding to it. You might just wipe out chronic pain in the process.

This is where Buckenmaier's research comes in. His team is responsible for bringing those high-tech nerve blocks to the battlefield. Since 2003, hundreds of injured soldiers have received anesthetic pumps within hours of their injuries. Buckenmaier and Gallagher are jointly tracking these soldiers over the next year and beyond. If the ones who got pumps quickly have less chronic pain—and animal studies suggest they will—the research will not only point the way to new treatments, says Gallagher: for civilians and soldiers alike, "it will be a revolution." It may mean that injuries will be treated much more aggressively. That sprained ankle that only registered a 4 on the pain scale? If you want to avoid chronic pain later, you might need serious therapy, and right away.

It's too soon to say what will ultimately become of the Walter Reed study, though the hospital believes in Buckenmaier's work: despite being short-staffed and underfunded, it decided two weeks ago to fully finance his vision for a new acute-pain-management service, one that may remain in place after the war is over. There is much else left to do. Buckenmaier's nerve-block program needs to be expanded; thousands of soldiers injured in Iraq still don't get the advanced treatment. And, he says, on the battlefield there's usually "no one in charge" of pain in any given unit. The VA system, like the rest of the country, needs more pain specialists, not to mention mental-health professionals. Indeed, there's call for change at every level of a lumbering bureaucracy that, as has been amply documented in NEWSWEEK and elsewhere, lets too many soldiers fall through the cracks.

But Will Castillo, a 27-year-old Army sergeant, is not one of these soldiers. Like Stonewall Jackson, he is an amputee. Iraqi insurgents shot him in the head—twice—and as he lay on the ground, an IED blew his leg off. It is a horrible story, but sitting in his hospital bed with his leg covered, Castillo shows no sign that it even happened. He is one of the soldiers who have nerve-blocking pain pumps. He feels good, he says, and once he gets a prosthetic leg, he might even consider going back to Iraq for another round. It's hard to believe it, but yes: this is a man who feels infinitely blessed.

With Samantha Henig, Dan Ephron and Julie Scelfo
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18881802/site/newsweek/page/0/

James having fun lol

Cousins, Thomas,Rebekah,Erica,James & Annie

From the last reunion Poor Annie :-)

A Funny to Share:

This came from a member of the art site I belong to and I thought it was hysterical.

HELL EXPLAINED BY CHEMISTRY STUDENT

The following is an actual question given on aUniversity of Washington chemistry mid-term. The answer by one student was so "profound" that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet,which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure ofenjoying it as well. Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) orendothermic (absorbs heat)?Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefsusing Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heatswhen it is compressed) or some variant.

One student, however, wrote the following:First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time.So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving.

As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today.Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially.

Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:

1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.

2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.

So which is it?If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you, and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over.

The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting anymore souls and is therefore, extinct...leaving only Heaven thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting"Oh my God."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A"---

Fanily Gathering

Barb,

I spoke with my Friend's Jean and JoAnn - JoAnn is a go for the date change, Jean will let me know.

Val and I have a sister's weekend this weekend in Ormond Beach, FL - We will go by Grandpa's on Sunday and I will discuss with the entire gang in Florida and will let you know by Tuesday at the the latest.

I am OK with the date change.

Check with Dee, Angie and Nancy....

I noticed that Beth is not on the list, did you have a change to see if she would be willing to attend with the kids, even if Jim can't get the time off? You know Grandpa is going to pay for them to attend.

We would love for them to come, but we understand if she can't.....

I love you all and hope that the date change is not a problem.

Suzie

Date Change!!!

Hello Family,

Scott called Cumberland Island this morning and the dates we had picked are already gone, they were booked solid. So we got the next available time slot which in Wednesday, November 14th thru Saturday, November 17th. It is three weeks later than we had planned. If you can’t change your vacation days we will send you a full refund. I am sorry, this was the best we could do. Please reply as soon as you can to let me know what you would like to do.

Love you all,

Barbara A.

10am Cumberland call

Good Morning Family,

Here is the list I will be calling in this morning (31 adults or kids over 12) and (5 kids under 12). If you name is not on this list you are listed as a NO!!!

Please look over the list and e-mail me or call me with changes before 9:30am.

1.Grandpa
2. Betty
3. Nancy
4. Barbara A.
5. Scott
6. Morgan
7. Zoe
8. John
9. Shelley
10.Brian
11.Dixie
12. Joe
13.Angie
14.Bekka
15.Eric
16.Rima
17.Barbara J.
18.Ralphie
19.Allie
20.Evan
21.Rita
22.Erin
23. Allen
24. Eric
25.Thomas
26.Teresa
27. Cathy
28. Val
29. James
30. Erica
31. Annie
32. Susan
33. Joann
34. Matt
35. Jean
36. Sarah

Okay, that is all I have. The five kids under 12 I have listed as Erin, Allie, Evan, Eric, and Zoe. Please send corrections asap.

Love you guys.
Barbara

Hi Again Barb:

Well that won't work either. If I could just pick up and drive from Atlanta to Albemarle, I would have been to Atlanta in the last year. I think you have missed something. I will be living with Beth and Jimmy or close by in October. I can't drive to Dee Dee's house.

Darn why does this have to be so difficult?

Love,

Mom

Mom, got it!!

Hey,

I e-mail Dixie about something else and then asked her how they were getting to Cumberland. She said they are renting a car and coming down. She offered to let you ride with them. You would just need to drive to her house. That was so nice of her to offer. Thanks Dixie, love you.

Love,
Barbara A.

Hi Barb:

Thanks about the photo but I didn't appreciate having my butt photographed. LOL It is funny though.

I have an idea if it is okay with your Dad, Shelly and Brian. Brian could ride with them and I can ride with ya'll. That could work out fine.

I am getting excited about the reunion too. This will be the first time I have been able to attend.

I got to go. I have a regular check up with the family doctor today and have to get washed up. Ick.

Love,

Mom

Camping

Hey All,

Mom,love the photo of you setting up camp! I had already told Brian he could ride with us (because he doesn't have a car), and all our gear we are not going to have the room. Does anybody have some ideas about getting Mom, Dixie, Joe and the girls down to Cumberland?? Help!!!

I will change your maybe to a yes on my master list. I will be sending out a camping list out this week so everyone will get an idea on what to pack. Please make sure you pack by your list, because if you forget something then you will have to do without. There are no stores on the island and it is costly to leave the island and get what you need at St. Mary's and then come back. It would be an all day affair.

I am getting so excited about the reunion, it will be so much fun.

Love to everyone,

Barbara A

Thanks Barb for the update!

This is me trying to set up my tent in the Blue Ridge a few years ago!

Wow 30 that is a big group? Cool!

Barb, you have been busy lately and perhaps did not notice that I am not a Maybe afterall. Over a month ago I became a Yes when Susan offered to treat me to the costs of the reunion. Dixie and her family too. Thanks again Susan. Didn't want you to be shocked when you get the check from Susan and she paid too much. That is what the extra is for; moi. :)

Beth, I am disappointed that you and your family will not be able to attend. I was so looking forward to sharing my tent with Ava and Becca! But I understand.

By October, I will be living in Atlanta and had planned on driving to the reunion with Beth and gang as I will be living under their roof. So Barb, may I ride with you and your gang to the reunion?

It is sad that the rules on Cumberland Island about reservations are so strict that it doesn't allow people to change their minds about coming. I understand the reasons. But still maybe something could have come up to allow Beth and gang to be there. Oh well. :(

This weekend it is supposed to be nice out without any chance of rain. So I am going to get my tent out of the box and begin practicing setting it up. While I am at it I will also give it a good shampoo, let it air dry, pack it up and put it in the house rather than the shed. I don't want to accidentally carry any spideys with me. Ick!

Will I need to bring my coleman stove? Or are there grills there at the campsite? Or other coleman stoves? I do like to make expresso on the stove in the morning while on camping trips. Hot, strong and sweet! Kick starts my aching back. LOL

The only thing I need to buy is an air mattress and I think I can pull that off before October.

Eric a few years ago taught me a neat thing to do with those outdoor solar lights. I have two actually lanterns on stakes along the sidewalk. I will be bringing them and do not have to worry about propane lantern in the tent. They are bright enough to read by at night. Eric, thanks again for that neat idea.

Okay it is late and I am pooped. I spent the last three days cutting my front yard; it was 18 inches high and takes awhile with the lightweight weed wacker. Tomorrow I start on the back yard and the grass is even higher. Darn it.

Hugs to all and I am so excited about this reunion!

Love,

Nancy/Mom/Grandma Cookie

PS Congrats on learning how to upload photos Dee Dee. Becca sure is beautiful!

Head count for the family reunion

Hello Family,

Here is my current head count for the reunion. Please send me anyone’s e-mail address that I have missed and I will forward this to them. I need to know this is correct asap. If you are not on my list by Wednesday as yes or no then I will not make an rsvp for you. Thanks for your help everyone.

Yes: Grandpa, Betty, Allen, Eric, Thomas, Teresa, Cathy, Joe, Dixie, Becka, Susan, Val, Erica, James, Annie, Rita, Erin, Barbara J, Ralphie, Allie, Evan, Eric, Rema, Barbara A., Scott, Morgan, Zoe, John, Shelley, and Brian Jon. I have gotten checks from Grandpa. Susan, Val and Rema’s checks are on the way.

No: Beth, Jim, Sarah, Becca, Ava, Nick and Jimmy.

Nancy: maybe

My total is 30 people, if this is not correct please let me know before Thursday. I will be on the horn with Cumberland on Friday morning!!

Love to all,

Barbara A.

Hey Sis

Hi Posted a pic yeah.
Well summer is almost here. Hard to believe just 2 weeks left of school. And I survived Bekah's first year of high school.
After college Rebekah wants to go to law school to become a Lawyer. She is in pre-law now cause she has the arguing her case down pat.
I love you my youngest kiddo.
@->----

Rebekah may 07

Happy Birthday Ava Marie

Dear Ava:

I wanted to post a birthday thread for you on your birthday but I was in a not too good place; a bad pain flare. I did nothing that day but feed me and the pets and slept and slept and slept. I am so sorry sweetheart dear grand-daughter of mine.

I have painted you a watercolor painting. I hope you like it. It is comprised solely of watercolor paints. I have been practicing a lot lately and it is beginning to show. I even like it! I will mail it as soon as I can. I even have a mat and frame for it and will do this for you. All you have to do is hang it up.

Have I told you lately how much I love you? Well I love you!

You were my first grand-daughter and such a happy event in our family the first girl grandchild. I remember when you were born; you gave us all a big scare. Your mommy had to come home a few days before you did because you had jaundice. Not too serious but something that has to be watched closely.

The first time I held you I felt such motherly love. You were so tiny, beautiful and your hair felt like silk. I loved kissing you on the top of your sweet head. I think you liked it too.

Your first bath, your mom, Auntie Barb and me were there doing it all together and it was such a fun time. You were very quiet and it seemed like you were trying to figure out what all the fuss was about. You were just getting a bath for Pete's Sake and there was all this grown up women chattering around you.

Your parents had to keep a special light over you for a few days after you came home from the hospital. And a very nice nurse came over to check you out everyday. She had to take blood from your little foot and we all almost cried for you. Thank goodness you were well in just a few days.

I remember when you were in your little chair, it was parked under the living room window for the light. You had your little blue glow light on too. Morgan was a cute littel bald haired baby then and he was fascinated by you! He could not keep his eyes off you for a second. Or his hands either. He kept trying to pat you on the head and a swarm of women descended on him keeping his hands off your head.

I think he got ticked off at us because he started rocking you in your chair and got to going way too fast looking at us a bit defiantly "Gonna stop me from doing this too? " We had too. He almost ejected you out of the chair!

But he loved his baby cousin so much!

I got to give you a bath the next day by myself and was scared so much. It had been a long time since I bathed a newborn. I brought with me a yellow infant girl's dress that my grandfather (your great great grandfather) bought for your momma when she was born. I remember putting that cute little dress and booties on you and coming your hair. Then I sat you up on the sofa so we could all ohh and ahh at how adorable you were. Still are too!

Another time at Christmas, you had not been walking very long. I think you were a year and a half that year. Morgan had gotten a tiny tike bicycle and he loved it. But he got off it and wandered off to play with something else. It took you one second to get up on his bike. Morgan spotted you and came back over to try to get you off his bike, He was about 2 and 1/2.

I was on the floor video taping the entire thing. Morgan was frustrated. You were busy with the pedals and paid no attention to him. And he looked over at me to help him out. I just smiled. Finally he spoke. "Dad can I hit Ava?" I heard Scott in the background saying "Better not son!" That was very cute and I have it on tape still.

I called you last night but perhaps all of you were at karate class. Give me a call so I can say Happy Birthday in person. I want to talk to you about Jeremy too.

Is he adorable or what? To get him used to being handled; you should start now by touching his paws front and back, his tummy, etc. Be gentle with him and he will never learn to be afraid of touch. Get him used to people too as much as possible. Boy cats don't care for their bellies touched. But if you start when they are very young they will accept it. That is what I did with Frankie. He does not fear anyone touching paws or belly.

Okay sweetheart. I imagine your party will be this weekend. I hope you had a wonderful birthday. And please know that even if I wasn't feeling well I was thinking about you and your birthday all day (when I was awake)!

I love you Ava!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grandma Cookie

New Family Member

I finally did it! I wore Jimmy down and got a kitten for mother's day. It took much sweet talking and fancy manuevering on my part but I got my way in the end. Just kidding!

Our new baby is named Jeffrey. He has the sweetest little temperment. He was playing 5 minutes after we got him home. He has already picked out his nemesis and that is little Jimmy. He knows to steer clear of the little person. Jeffrey is dark brown with black tiger stripes and big brown eyes. He is a little cutie.

I will let you all know how things are going with him soon.

Love to you all!

Beth

Happy Mother's Day to My Daughters, Sisters and Sister IN Laws:

Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

To my girls; thank you so much for giving me seven very bright, intelligent and beautiful grandchildren all of whom I adore. Every one of them are so different and unique in a very special way. When Barbara was expecting Morgan; I was unprepared for the maternal feelings that emerged with his birth. It was a pleasant surprise to feel for them like I feel for my own kids.

I know first hand how difficult it can be between mothers and daughters at times. My Mom and I butted heads for years. Suddenly she became a super intelligent woman when my first child was born. Did anyone catch Oprah's show Friday honoring Mothers? It was an awesome show; especially the interviews with Demi Moore and Vanessa Williams.

I have asked myself a million times what is it between mothers and daughters that gets in the way sometimes. I don't have the answers. Sure wish I did. I can remember being frustrated with my own mother because I felt she didn't listen to me and what I felt was important to me and important for her to hear. I never took in consideration that she had so many kids to care for and found it impossible at times to give us one on one time. We did work through our issues; spent a lot of one on one time and talking a lot and we became the best of friends many years before she died. I am grateful for that.

The only advice I can give to the women in my family with issues with their daughters is to listen more. Try hard to make the time for one on one time together. Be honest with your children. And hopefully they feel they can be honest with you too.

I want to thank my sisters for giving me such wonderful neices and nephews and great neices and nephews. And to Susan who mothered our children so much. She started mothering my kids when she was only five years old too. I smile at the memories of her taking care of her "baby sister Barbie". Susan and I taking almost daily walks with Barbie in the carriage and Susan helping to push and steer and peeking at the baby to make sure she was not too cold or too hot. None of us had the heart to tell her Barbie was her neice not a sister. :)

I called Eric's house today to wish Rima, Barbara and Rita a Happy Mother's Day. I called his cell and apparently he was not home. He said he would pass along my wishes for them.

I asked him how close the fires were to them. Too darned close one is only three miles away and everyone around there is suffering from all the smoke. I also asked him if he had ever read this blog. His answer was "I don't do blogs." Susan or anyone the next time you talk to him will you tell him this is less about being a blog and more about being a family newsletter.

He told me Rita finished massage school and will graduate within a few days. She will have to take the state boards before she can go to work with her mother at the same hospital. Congrats Rita! Way to go! I am proud of you girl!

I love you all and wish tomorrow to be a very special day for the "Mommies" in the family.

Love,

Nancy

Happy Mother's Day Momma!

There is not a day that goes by that I do not miss you or remember your many words about life and life's lessons. You were famous for your quotes and borrowed often from Ben Franklin. I think some of your kids inherited this fun trait.

Things you taught me Mom that have not been forgotten and always appreicated:

Don't judge a book by its cover. That is a no brainer to figure out what she meant by that. She also said the most beautiful book in the world often after being opened will find blank pages. How true.

Walk a mile in someone else's shoes. If we came home from school carrying tales of bullys remarks and hurtful things said by other students about someone that didn't fit the mold of beauty and/or intelligence. She stopped us short with that quote. We did not get away with making fun of others as it should be.

If you feel insecure for whatever reason; imagine everyone around you as a naked sheep. It surely will make you feel better about yourself and more confident. I remember her telling me this the night before my first speech in front of the class. I could hardly stop giggling from the visualizations.

She taught me how to love my children unconditionally no matter what. And that I should tell them how much I love them every time I see or speak to them. That are departing words should always be of love. One never knows what could happen.

She also taught me it is so good if you show your children that it is okay to display affection with each other. She was so into touching, kissing and hugging all of us.

I started "mothering" my siblings around my fifth birthday when Eric was born. So by the time I was almost ready to give birth to Barbara I felt pretty confident I could handle being a mother from the experience of my childhood. I was so wrong.

I remember that day at the door saying good bye to John and six- day old Barbara was in my arms. I walked back into the bedroom with her and almost paniced. What the heck am I supposed to do if she wakes up? LOL Having your own child and the responsibilites motherhood brings is a whole lot difference than taking care of siblings.

I suppose the thought of Barbara's complete dependence on me for life was a scarey thought to a barely 19 year old girl. We made it though. She was a tough little baby and we did it together. By the time Beth came along I was a pro with Momma's help.

I remember the day Momma saw her namesake for the first time and the loving expression on her face like it was yesterday. I spent many months there living with Momma and she really taught me so much about taking care of a baby. She did it with loving advice and gentle nudges. And how to bathe a baby Momma was an expert. Bath time isn't just for getting a baby clean. It is all about the comfort and touch a mother brings to her baby during bath time. And the special massages afterwards. Those were the best times.

Believe it or not I miss those times very very much! All three of my kids loved bath time because they knew they were in for a treat with massage, sweet tickles and loving kisses from head to toe.

Momma taught me the importance of complimenting your children often. And with much more words about intelligence, strength of character, loyalty, etc. vs just telling a child how pretty or handsome they are. Compliment and encourage them in the things that really count. And I have tried to do this most of my life as a mother. And to tell them how proud you are of them too and keeping this up even when they are no longer kids. And really this hasn't been difficult at all to do for my kids.

Momma had some hard times when we were children. But considering everything she did the best she knew how and she shared her best with us; her children.

Momma told me that my biggest job in the world was to teach parenting to my own kids and that my goal in life should be to teach them to be a better parent than I was. She was right so right about that.

Momma taught me patience too no matter how tough it was in life if you worked hard you would succeed. Maybe we didn't get everything we wanted but if we were patient we would enjoy the journey.

She always tried to show us how to look on the bright side of life. When we were small she tried to make us believe the new state we were being transferred to was a new and very magical place that awaited us. She taught us how to make friends and keep them too. And it wasn't all about how many friends you have but how close you were to the friends you have.

I miss my mother terribly. Every day. She was a good woman with a kind heart and a great ability to love. Unconditionally. Yes, I even miss her quotes from Ben Franklin too. I am so sorry there are so many members of this family that never had the honor and the fun of meeting my Momma.

Happy Mother's Day to all the women in our family and I hope the day is special for you.

To all the teenagers; how about fixin' your mother breakfast in bed on Sunday with a flower in a small vase on the tray. Those are special moments Mothers cherish.

I love you Mom!

Nancy

Is anyone home? Hellloooooo

Hello,

Sure is quite around here this week. Hope everyone is safe and sound.

Couple of things to say, I want to say Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms, Aunties, Sisters,Cousins and Friends out there. If you are a woman you have been a Mom to someone one way or another, even if you don't have "kids of your own".

The second thing is that we have a new furry addition to our family. A little girl kitten we got from the Animal shelter. Her name is Karma, she is sooo cute. She is a bit on the fluffy side, with grey stripes and lots of white and blue eyes.
We went in there to get another Calico but Zoe and I both saw her at the same time and said "There's Karma". I will try to get some photos of her (when she will stay still for more than a second).

Love to everyone,

Barbara A.

Susan

Suzie when I read your post about this reunion being the first time all 6 of us have been together since Nan's wedding to Cesar I cried and still am. Your so right. I was 3 weeks away from giving birth to Bekah then so that was 15 yr.s ago. far too long for the 6 of us rug rats to reunite! 2007 is it one way or another we will be together.
I love you my family. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear Susan

How kind and generous you are dear sister! We all appreciate it very very much that you have offered us help to be at the Reunion!

Oh my! I had forgotten totally about that wedding. Too bad it was so crazy that I didn't get alone time with you all. That was 2/14/1992! 15 years and much too long. Well we are fixing that now.

Thank you Sue for understanding and volunteering my services as the phtographer. LOL. It will be my pleasure.

I am so relieved that the bomb scare at Bekka's school was a hoax. I was home though and answering my phone. Dee Dee must have dialed the wrong number. I understand completely. My mind has gone blank when trying to place a call in an emergency. Thank goodness for speed dial!

We are having a lot of this activity around the Charlotte area too. One student threatened to kill two other students; thought better of it and drove off and committed suicide. He was 16 and it was over a girl he was in love with. How sad. His parents were summoned and they knew where he would go and arrived in time to witness this act. How terrible for the parents and the entire family as well as the police who were there.

Dear teenagers: there is nothing so terrible that you cannot discuss it with your parents! Please remember this. And I think everyone in the family feels like we are all there for you too. If this is not acceptable please talk to someone; preferrably a professional counselor or minister. If you are feeling dark, sad, lonely and are thinking dark thoughts get help right away. We love you unconditionally. This goes for anyone in the family too!

I am working my butt off right now. Trying to get the house totally cleaned while decluttering at the same time. Tomorrow; health and weather permitting I am having a yard sale. As I am cleaning I am finding things I no longer use. They are going up for sale; if they do not sell to the trash or Freecycle. I have to lighten my load around here as much as possible and make some money. I need to get that water heater replaced as soon as possible. I miss my theraputic hot bath in the jazcussi each night and I can feel a big difference in the pain levels.

The anti-depressant Celexa is working wonders. My mental state has improved so much. I am not eating as much junk food either and have lost about 15 pounds. I gained about 20 after the heart attack; post HA depression is pretty common. So this is good to get the weight off.

My friend Gayle is cleaning out her closet too. She has gained a lot of weight and there are some cute clothing (mostly summer stuff) that she has given me. Clothing that is very soft; lightweight, loose and colorful. Nice clothing of good quality. I have not been able to afford anything in the way of clothes in three years; bought nothing new. So I am a happy camper. I need to hem the pants though. They are very nice and I love the soft light fabric. With fibro, some materials irritate the skin and muscles. And tight clothing is a thing of the past. All these new pants all have pockets too!

Congrats Morgan on the excellent grades!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If ya'll have not talked to Zoe in awhile please put this on your To Do List. This child is a hoot! Some how she and I have worked out this Tell Grandma Cookie about your Boo Boos relationship! The other day she made me laugh so hard. She was telling me her butt was bleeding. She scratched herself. You just had to be there to hear this conversation. Warning: She talks real fast! LOL What a little doll!

So while I am doing all this work around the house; my pain levels have increased dramatically. But I want to finish it. So I keep on keeping on. I know for sure after almost 8 years I am not doing any more damage; that once I am done and rest it will go back to "normal" terrible pain. LOL

I am sure we can figure out some transportation for Dixie and family. I think Angie is coming so that may be the answer! I will be riding along with one of my daughters; who ever has the room for my big butt.

Dear Beth, I know first hand how much work and how hetic life can be when taking care of five kids. You two girls and Brian (who counted at three boys in one). So don't worry about it. Come in here when you can. Hubby and kids come first we understand this.

Okay I need to get back to work. I love you all and I am truly looking forward to this reunion!

Love you all very very much,

Nancy, Mom, Grandma Cookie

Hey Everyone

Nancy, you are NOT to worry, you will be the person who will sit back and capture the memories on film and enjoy yourself by watching the rest of us make fools of our self. And yes are correct the money part for Dee and family will be taken care. Now we need to figure how to get them there, cause her poor little car may not be able to make the trip and we all know they need it for work and school. But between all of us, I am sure this will be figured out before October.

You want to know some...this will be first time since Nancy and Caesar got married in Atlanta that all Six of us kids will be together at the same time.

Dee and Beth, I am glad the kids are safe and sound, it is scary all the stuff happening.

Barbara, did you get alot of smoke from the fires in Waycross while camping? There are days when the winds shifts that we get a lot of smoke even up here in Savannah.

Well, gotta run...pressure washing guys is here to clean the outside of the house, Bo and Savanna are having a fits and barking.

Love you all.....Suzie

Mom

BY THE WAY----MOM YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ON IN A WHILE. WHAT GIVES?

Hello Again

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't posted lately, it has been busy around here lately. Dixie, I am glad everyone is okay at the school. The girls had a similar incident not quite so drastic though. It is pretty bad when you are scared to send your kids to school.

Nothing much going on around here, business as usual. The main change is Becca going to live at her moms house. I won't get into why except to say "rules", she doesn't like ours. Whatever makes her happy though.

We are thinking of selling our home though. We do not need this 5 bedroom house now and we do need a lower mortgage payment. This will not happen for about 6 months though. We have to get mom here and then settled into her own place before we can move.

Jimmy is starting to say a lot of words. His favorite expression is "Uh Oh". It is funny to hear him saying it over the monitor as he dumps his blankets and bear over the side of the crib. He is all over the place and into everything. My house is constantly in a state of "dumpville". It is hard to get anything done with that little man all over the place. Yesterday I am trying to fold clothes and he is taking the plant soil and dumping it on the carpet as fast as his little hands would go. I told him no and started toward him and he just started moving faster. I hope I survive this, LOL.

Well, that is all for now. I love everyone and pray for you all.

Beth

Hi Family

Ok The Police ok'ed for the students to return to class, I live 7 miles from The High School but I could have sworn I heard the big MOANING when the Cops told them its safe to go to classes again. looooooooool
Seems it was just someone playing a joke, strange ways to have fun. Scare the crap outta everyone.
But they are SAFE.

Hi Guys

You know guys we must be strong women in this family.
I'm siting here blogging cause my sister Nancy won't answer her phone lol. Probally a good thing too cause I'm crying and a nervous wreck.
After I dropped Bekah off at school and went to get Joe at Michelin Air Craft Tire Plant where he works. I Heard the Police and Fire Dept. Go over to the High School. Everyone was coming out of the school, students and staff everyone out.
The fire Dept made all the cars another direction from the school. So I get on my Cell phone and call the Non Emergency Police number.
A bomb threat was called into Rebekah's School. arggggggggggggggggg Talk about scared Mommy here.
The School has called everyone to let us know whats going on and will call back when everythings ok.
The School did ask for the parents to not all rush to the school, I can see that could be a big mess. 700 cars full of upset parents show in front of a school that has cop cars every where and the bomb squad folks.
Across the street from the High School is Michelin thats a big plant and the traffic gets a mess any way.
I know the students are ok and probally having a ball sitting around the lake in front of the high School. They got to miss class. lol
Thats why Beth wants us all to Pray for our school kids and this family sure has a lot of school kids.

We're back!!

Hello Everyone,

Scott and I just got back from Cumberland Island. It was awesome, the weather was perfect! Low 80's in the day and Low 60's at night. We got to see alot of wild life, sun sets, and sun rises.

We are both tired and sore. We did lots of walking and bike riding. I think the only draw back about the island is hiking in your gear on and off the boat and then pulling the wagons to the camp sites. It is only 1/4 mile to camp sites, but if feel long with gear. It is so worth it when you see the horse, turkey, sun sets, birds, tree, flowers. Well I could go on and on. Now I am even more excited about this up coming family reunion. This is going to rock having my family on my favorite place on earth.

Glad to see so many post now. I am back now so I can get in the loop.

Morgan's grades for midterm rocked!!! He got 4 A's and 2 B's. He is very proud of himself as he should be.

Angie great to hear your weight loss, keep up the good work. I would love to see some of your art work. I wish I had that gift like you and Mom do. I hope you will post them.

Okay I am off to get the kids to bed and get to bed early myself.

Mom please take it easy on yourself!!! I am going to call you in the morning after I get Morgan off to school. I am just to beat to chat tonight.

Love to everyone,

Barbara A.