Christmas in Greenville 2022

                                                                  My FAVORITE people!!!!!

 

 

A new twist on a family reunion!!

 One probably doesn't think of costumes when you think about a family reunion........but this year our gathering took place on Halloween weekend so we decided to go with that theme.  Everyone was asked to dress like another family member!!  And everyone did!  It was lots of fun to see and experience the interpretations of each other!  Enough said.....enjoy the photos!!

Time with the girls!!!

 What a treat it was to go with Elissa, Celia and Lily (Krista was there for just a bit) on a get away weekend to New Bern, NC!! It is a cute little town, lots of interesting shops and wonderful seafood!

Of course it is always fun to spend time with my girls!!

Then we did get another quick get away camping trip with Celia and Lily!!!We camped in the Durham area so that we could make the most of our time with them.  First stop was the Duke Lemur Center at Duke University!   Very interesting little critters!  Then on to try to escape from a Bull City Escape Room and John and I failed miserably!  Celia and Lily knew it "was NOT their fault" but I for one had fun trying to solve a puzzle with these two smarties!!

                         I brought watercolor supplies with me and they tried their skills at a painting!!

I think the highlight of the trip was a day at Wet and Wild in Greensboro!  Not many pictures to prove it but we had the most wonderful time, perfect weather especially for August, no crowds, almost no lines for the rides so they could repeat their favorites over and over again!  Sometimes you just get lucky!!!

 

 And we definitely got "lucky" when God blessed us with these two very special young ladies!!!!  Very grateful to have a get away with you this year!!!

Time with the boys

 In July we got to take Jack and Sam camping at Jellystone Park Campground and Resort at Golden Valley in the North Carolina mountains.  As one might imagine the wibit was a huge hit, the favorite thing to do while we were there!!  Hours and hours on the lake!!

                                                    Sam really does like just hanging around!!

                                                Campfires and smores and smores and smores!!

                                And whenever there is free time we pull out the lacrosse sticks!

                                    I think this will be my favorite Jack and Sam picture of all time!!

                                 Packing up, our time is done here and we prepare to return to technology!!!!!!!!

                                                            Love, love, love these boys!!!!

April birthdays

 

I love being able to check in with Krista and Elissa in April when we return from Florida and celebrate a few birthdays but this year was especially fun!  

 Krista requested stained glass and I had so much fun making it!  Abstract is so much more fun than I realized and I just love the colors that she chose!!  So beautiful in her front window!

Elissa turned 45 and although I had created books for her sisters at 40 this just seemed like the right time to surprise her with her book.  I loved putting together this keepsake book with 100+ photos and letters written by all of the important people in her life.  She was clearly surprised and I hope it holds memories of all that is good in life now and for years to come!!

Love you two!!!

Florida Winter 2022

 

  This winter in Florida was a fun, creative year for me!  I took a class on taking pictures on your phone, tried a watercolor class for the first time, created a few things in sculpture and completed a piece of stained glass.  Watercolor was much more fun than I expected and I was actually very surprised that I am better at it than I would have ever thought and got more compliments than I would have ever expected.  I guess my take away is......try new things and be open to new experiences anyway!

It was also a monumental year for John because he sold his much loved '70 GTO.  We had enjoyed the many visits to Old Town with friends, waving to the crowd during the parade, tiara and all and the attention that she got on the road.  But alas "The Other Woman" became a bit high maintenance so it was time for her to go.  All good things eventually come to an end and it was a little sad to see her go but now she will bring many years of delight to another couple. 

 

  It was also a time of much fun and gratitude as we were able to once again see old friends we had been denied access to for 3 years.....Covid was an unwelcome visitor!!  We met Tom and Tris, Maureen and Ed, Char and Carmello and had a wonderful gathering.  It felt like old times with long time connections that were so welcome and heartfelt!

We also loved our time in Naples with Julie Wang, then visited Don and JoAnn Cundy with welcome news of Caitlyn's wedding, we had a long lunch with Ruth and Gary Swetnam (and are so grateful that the car accident behind us didn't get us too), hosted Brian Trask for an evening, met and loved my time with Shell and Louise, finally played cards with Denis and Denise, lots of dinners and lunches out with Mike and Carol, dinners with Candy and Darryl, several outings with Bernadette and Brian and even ran into John Reiter at First Pres/Winter Haven.  

We really do have an incredible life and are both so very grateful!!

70 years.....I can hardly believe it!!

 I knew it was coming!  It is hard to ignore a BIG birthday and John had prepared me for the fact that we would be CELEBRATING in Greenville this year but I had no idea what the plans were.  When I walked into the Fellowship Hall at St. Giles thinking that I was taking care of Huck and Finch for a bit for Adam and Meg I had NO IDEA what was waiting for me! The room was filled with church friends, neighborhood friends, camping friends, friends from long ago and lots of family. (some that I had just seen the previous weekend for Thanksgiving)  And we even went to Raleigh for Thanksgiving as a part of the plan so that the Raleigh crowd could come to Greenville the next weekend for this big bash!  This party had been in the works since early summer, gathering letters from so many to put in my book, collecting video from friends that live far way, and numerous phone calls from Jenna to John because of "car questions!" wink, wink!!

I am so incredibly blessed and grateful for family and and so many friends over the span of my 70 years!  The video was incredible and brought friends who could not attend in person to join in the day!  As Jenna said, " It was a good day!"  How did I get so lucky but I am indeed one LUCKY Nana! 

Thanks so much to all who came and especially John for celebrating my life with such love!!

Love to all...... Krista, Malcolm, Elissa, Celia, Lily, Jenna, Jonn, Jack and Sam!!