itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny...

Summer doesn't start until Tuesday around here but Evan thought otherwise!  Hey E, where are the guys...you devil you! Thanks Tom for sneakin' up and snappin' a pix for me!

a weekend of firsts

This past memorial day weekend was the first time that I saw Paps headstone.  I thought that it turned out really well.  The front has Mom and Dad's wedding picture etched on it.  I love this because when my boys take their families there their great-grandchildren and beyond will be able to see what their Mammy and Paps looked like.

Mom and Dad's stone sits in front of her sister's husband and grandson's stones.  You can see Evan looking Derrick's stone in the background.  Derrick was Evan's age when he died.  He was driving on a country road and swerved to miss a dog and hit a tree.  It still doesn't seem real.

This is the back of the stone.  The picture of Christ was put on there because Todd's dad always carried this same picture in his wallet...my boys do the same:)  Todd's mom always says, "Take God with you", when we part and I have peace knowing that they do in more ways than one.  Thanks Pappaw:)

It was also the first time that I experienced dining in a suite at Hoosier Park.  Tom and Karen are part owners of Wayne the Lefty.  Their horse made the cut to race in the Hoosier Cup race at Hoosier Park!  We dined in the suite, walked to the holding area to see the horses before they raced, and experienced the thrill of winning (Todd won a trifecta...Paps would've loved it!).  When you are with owners you are treated like royalty.  Free food and drinks...really, anything your little heart desires.

Then it was off to a more familiar Indiana track for yet another first.  The tennis team earned money by picking up trash at the Indy 500 track the day after the race.  In the above picture you can see the grand stand section of the bleachers.  We were responsible for cleaning up four sections which is about the last 1/4 section under the over hang to the track fence and to the track road (back side of bleachers) to where the overhang stops.  I am waiting on some pictures of that great fun filled beer smellin' chicken pickin' up day! When I get them I will post. 

We picked up aluminum cans first and then raked, and swept all of the chicken, newspapers, diapers, peanut shells etc. to the isles and bagged it.  Our last sweep up and down the rows was with a leaf blower to assure we got all trash up. We arrived there at 7:00am and left at 12:30 pm.  We hope to raise around $1,200!

I guess it was worth the beer can full of pee that spilled on my leg and shoes...Hey Tom, could you be part owner of an Indy car so I can just chuck my chicken leg on the ground and leave?

happy memorial day weekend!

The roses this spring have been gorgeous! 

Ahhhhh...look what's open! I just love this time of year! 

So glad that the chaise lounges aren't filled with snow.  Can't wait to use them...hopefully this weekend!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  I am mindful that I can enjoy all of this because of those who fight to keep us safe and keep our country free...something that I am afraid a lot of people can't grasp which saddens me.  My prayers are with those men and women (and their families) serving in the mission to keep us free, those who have served and those who are about to serve (again).  GOD BLESS AMERICA!

look what i got...

Tom, our neighbor/friend made me some window boxes!!!  I just love them and love him for making them for me:)  Now I just have to clean my windows since people will be looking at the beautiful craftsmanship and

flowers!!

Thanks Tom!  I don't know how I will ever repay you for your hard work and kindness!!

pictures of family

I just wanted to share some beautiful pictures of my family. These were taken at a wedding a few weeks ago.   I just love the colors...so "springy"!

Here are my sweet girls (nieces) Kiely and Becky

Kiely and Chad:)

My sister would be sooo proud of them...I know that I am!

Kiley, Dad, Mom, and Chad

We are all trying to get as much "Chad time" as possible before he ships off in September.

he won!!!!

Evan McMullen is Pendleton Heights High School's Senior Class President for the 2010-11 class!  We are so proud of you Evan...especially for running a clean and honest campaign! 

Congratulation hug from friend Ashley

Curt, Evan, Ashley and "Chili" (Evan's campaign manager)

such a blessing!

I couldn't wait another minute to post a painting that I received today.  My neighbor/friend Karen painted me this picture for our Fripp home.  I am so touched and wanted to share her talent with all of you.  Thank you Karen for giving me/us such a gift...I will treasure it always:)  You are such a blessing!

If you look at the bottom right you will see this abandoned shack...it's my favorite part of the painting.  I did a close up of it so you could see it better.  I had to shoot down onto the painting because it can't be moved, due to drying, for a couple weeks.  I also love the waves in the ocean.  Karen has never been to Fripp but she definitely captured its beauty. 

What a talent!  I will love looking at this forever and I so appreciate the hands that made it and the heart that went into it:)

senior class president?

Evan is running for Senior Class President and elections are tomorrow.  He passed out some t-shirts that he made his friends to wear to school tomorrow to remind everyone to vote.  They all were black shirts with different colored lettering. I wish that I would have gotten a picture of them all but I couldn't find my camera card (I know, my heart stopped too!)  Hopefully, Evan will get a group shot tomorrow. Good luck Evan! Oh, and congratulations on being elected Student Council President for 2010-11 (can anyone say "over achiever")!

evan's junior prom 2010

college graduation!

Last Sunday we finally celebrated Chad's graduation from college!  While he was in the Air Force he earned his degree in criminal justice. 

I couldn't be more proud of my nephew!!!!  What a role model he has always been for my boys.

Now, he is off to the Navy as an officer and a pilot!!!  What a dream come true for him:)  His mother would be so proud of him.  I cannot wait to go to his graduation from naval training.  I love you "Datch"!

Kiely, I am soooo proud of you too!  She is working a full time job, pursuing her MBA (and making straight A's at it I might add), volunteers for the Lucky Lab program that helps to place orphaned Labrador Retrievers, and Habitat for Humanity.  She recently met Alan, who is an answer to her prayers (and her grandmother's and mine).  What a sweet couple:)  Last Sunday was filled with so much fun and so many blessings!

spring break on fripp!!!

My boys and Fripp...nothing better!  We had such a good time and this pix was taken on the last night of spring break.  We went to the beach to see the cross that they always put up the night before Easter.

Isn't it beautiful!  The skyline was breathtaking.  It reminded me of the verse in the song There Is A Green Hill Far Away that says, "There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin.  He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in."  

Well, this was our first night meal...shrimp night!!!  I took this picture for my friend Tina:)  She loves shrimp night on Fripp!  Honestly, it looks like a mess, but I have to admit it was the best shrimp night yet!

The before picture of the swing didn't come out so well...but it really needed to be cleaned.  We had to use Googone and it took forever but it was worth it...

...see...

This is the view from the guest room.  I am glad that we didn't get this hung until near the end of all the hard work because every time I sat in it I did not want to move...right Mammy!!

Well, before we were able to hang the swing poor Todd had to clean the ceiling boards...with bleach and water!  His shirt, shorts...you name it and it was bleached out.  He had bleach burns on his skin when he finished.  But...

...this is the result!  We have electric sources on both ends and someday we will have some ceiling fans.

In between working on spraying benches, cleaning the swing (and getting high from it might add) and helping Todd bleach the ceiling, I found time to do some weeding, trimming grass, planting flowers and laying pine needles.  I just hope that the deer don't eat my pretty flowers.  They didn't last year but we'll see...

We didn't work the whole vacation.  The guys went to Hilton Head to play the Berkley Hall course.  Troy and Evan were against Todd and Graham.  The stories that night were great and I am still confused on who won the traveling trophy?!*

The boys had a great time playing "pong" on the drive.  In this picture Graham didn't want his picture taken so he dove under the table when I came out of the door.

On the last night we went to the Boathouse to eat at the Marina. 

Yes, they just had to do it!  Too funny!

Evan had crab legs and ate them all!

This is one of the views out of the windows where we were eating.  I always love going to the Boathouse at sunset.  There are windows all the way around the room with ocean and marsh veiws.

Here are some after picutres of the final product.  

I added these tiles that are supposed to look like slate.  Todd wanted to protect the wooden floors.

These buckets are ready for some empty crab leg shells!

Thanks Tom for all of your help on this project.  Hopefully you and Karen can come down and enjoy it with us!

Time to pack up and head back to Indiana.  The next time we go to

Fripp it will be for FIVE weeks...yippie!!!!!!!!  Good times, good times!