Amanda Has a Blog!

After reading Angie's blog yesterday, I saw that Brett and Katie are blogging, WTG! I promptly called Amanda and told her she should start one, too, especially since she was leaving me soon for college.

She did! Check her out at Dream Big.

Flight Lessons

Frank with Greg Collins, the Flight Instructor at Aerolina at the Hendersonville Airport.



The Skyhawk - today's tranportation.



Frank Checking out the Plane. He actually got to do the controls on this trip.



Preparing to take off! It was really cool. We flew over Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, including Joanna's house (but I couldn't get a photo.)



I did get this great shot of the old courthouse (which is now the new Henderson County Historical Museum.)



This is the runway on our way back in:

What's Going On...

Daddy came home from the hospital on Saturday and says he is feeling pretty good, though he is a bit weak and tired. Thank you for all the prayers, please keep them going as he recovers. Also pray for Mama as her headaches come and go so frequently. My sister could use some prayers, too, as she is having some health problems, too. No details yet, but she will have an MRI first of next week and I am sure she is anxious about that as is the rest of her family.

Now for a little happy news ~ Amanda toured Western on Friday and she is SOOOO excited. She will graduate from Blue Ridge with an AAS in Liberal Arts in December and start Western on January 9th. Yesterday she took me on a virtual web tour of the campus, showing me where most of her classes will be and which dorms she would like to be in the most. She says now every time she walks into the Dollar Store or Walmart, she thinks, "Oh, a hamper ... Oh, a lamp ... Oh, XL Twin Sheets ... I am going to need that." There's probably no guessing about what all of her Christmas presents will be this year. I am sure she will get us all a list!

I have to admit when she told me last week she was going, my first reaction was ... "Oh my gosh, what am I going to do without her here. My first baby is leaving for good." And all I could do was cry every time I thought about it. But yesterday, seeing her excitement and knowing she is really going to do it, well I couldn't help but be happy. There were no tears, just instant "Mom goes into Planning" mode. She and I are a lot alike in this mode!

As for Amy, we're still waiting for her decision as to whether or not she might go to South College. It is about $4400 more per year than Amanda will spend at WCU and it doesn't include room or food. While "touring" WCU online last night, I saw the Criminal Forensics degree mentioned. That was one of Amy's original career choices, maybe we can get her interested in it and get her up there with her sister. Let's all talk that up when we see her, you know, talk a lot about those cool CSI shows and how cool a job that would be! LOL! Kidding .. kind of. I want her to do what she wants it's just I don't really think she knows what that is yet.

Matthew was in a tournament in Gainesville, Georgia all weekend and even though he got a brand new phone to use for texting and calling his mama, I haven't heard from him. According to Amanda, who was left at home for the weekend with just Amy and Jordan, NO ONE had heard from any of them all weekend. She said this was strange because usually they at least called home to make sure the house hadn't blown up or burned down. Maybe Gainesville doesn't have cell towers????? Anyway will update on his tournament soon as I know how it went.

On Saturday, Frank finally got to cash in his birthday gift certificate for an Introductory Flight Lesson. I will post pictures soon.

That's all the news that's fit to print ...

Oh, I forgot, Nick got a new car! Check out below the layout I did to celebrate his birthday and "new" car. It is followed by all the layouts I did during a crop the weekend before Daddy's heart attack.




I called this one, "My babies WHEN they were BABIES."

I know I have scrapped this picture before, but it is one of the few of us that we BOTH like!

This is a digital layout for a challenge using the word, "Shine." I took the photo of Amy in the front yard.











These last 6 are for Heather Staton. She and I went to school together and now she is my boss ... and a good friend. Photos are of her little girl Maggie, who will be 2 this fall.


Digital layout of my azalea covered in morning dew and a lilly from an arrangement at work.

The LAST page I needed to do to finish Joanna's wedding album ... now a year and half later.

My friend, Lynelle, posing for a gimmick shot for her real estate business ... her motto, "I'll go out on a limb for you!" Cute!



These last two are photos we took in Jamaica. The first one Frank took underwater of some weird looking sea snail and the second one I took ... it's a boat. Haha! Thanks for looking.

Happy Birthday, Brett

I can't believe they have put this cute little boy to work, oh yea, he's grown now. Another WOW! Happy Birthday, Brett, maybe they will take you to Chik Fila (however you spell it) to celebrate! Haha!

Daddy Update

Things are going as well as expected. They hope to have Daddy ready to go home on Saturday. He will have a long recovery as one of the main arteries was completely blocked, causing damage to 1/3 of his heart. He will be on blood thinner for a while so he will have to make a lot of adjustments just to keep safe from excessive bleeding. One of his biggest challenges will be finding a good razor that will cut through his thick sandpaper beard (which comes back every night) without cutting him. Mama is doing okay, too, she is being smart enough to go home and stay rested, knowing that he could be a handful once she gets him home. I know I shouldn't say it again, but darn it, I sure wish they lived closer, especially in times like these.

Thank you for all your prayers. I will continue to update.

Happy Birthday, Nick

Watch out world, Nick is 16 and ready to trade this pony in for something with a bit more horsepower! Have a great birthday!

Please Pray for my Daddy

Daddy had a heart attack this afternoon and after being stabilized at the local hospital was taken to Memorial Mission where they sent him straight in to have a stint put in. His artery was completely blocked and the next 24 hours are critical to his recovery. I would really be grateful for everyone's prayers for Daddy and for Mama who was pretty tired from the ordeal, too. Will update tomorrow after I go see him again.

Backyard Vacation

The "official" birdwatching layout. I am going to have to buy some of those bird feeder bags!

Just wanted to share the scrapbook page I made for my strawberry jam day with Mama.

Happy Birthday, Katie

Wow! Katie, I can't believe you are 13 and so grown up now. Thanks for looking after your mom for me! Hope you have a great birthday!

Happy Mother's Day

M is for Manager ~ everything from meals to the check book to the laundry ~ it took my mom a lot less than four years to earn her BA in Management

O is for Optimist ~ let's face it, there are a lot of jobs that are easier than motherhood, but none that will leave you as happy! (Right, Mama?)

T is for Time ~ or more appropriately, the lack thereof! Somehow mothers tend to get at least 36 hours worth of work done in 24 hours.

H is for Heart ~ I don't know about you, but my mom's heart is worn out from giving so much of it away!

E is for Effort ~ as in "despite all her efforts" I still turned out this way! Haha!

R is for Remember ~ My mother taught me that it was important to remember other people's birthdays, anniversaries, and most importantly, their names. It has made a big difference in my success.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in our family!

Check out NEW Posts on Matter's Blog

Some news things to read at Matt's Blog - Click HERE

Mother's Day with my Mama

Today I went to Clyde to spend time with Mama for Mother's Day. I decided it was time she taught me to make her delicious strawberry freezer jam. My day started at McConnell's Farm off Dana Road - just look at the pictures of their beautiful strawberries:



Got to Mama's house about 10:15 and she had a wonderful breakfast for me. It was so good and it was served in THE BOWL! The bowl is so old and so protected! I remember Daddy always got it and sometimes Mama .... but very rarely did me or Angie get it. Needless to say, my day already seemed extra special ...



Okay so after I ate it was time to get started on the jam, see the measuring cup in my hand? Mama said it belonged to her mother and that it was as old as she is ... I thought that was cool ... they're both over 60 and still shining! :)



Making the jelly was a lot easier than I thought. We made 4 runs - 24 jars. Can't wait to taste 'em. Here are the first three of my 24 pretty jelly jars:



After we were through making jelly, we decided to do a little bird watching ~



The birds were really pretty ... until Daddy scared them ... and me ... by shooting at water snakes in the backyard pond. KA-POW! Scared me to death!



(LOL - after cropping this picture, I realize it kind of looks like he is shooting at the birdhouse ... it's all about perspective ... I assure you his gun is pointed at the water!)

Watching the birds eat must have made us hungry, we went to Shoney's for a burger and on the drive back Daddy showed me the Lake Junaluska Dam ... it was really cool and pretty, but I didn't have my camera. That's okay when I left I went back by it ...



I also stopped to get this picture of the beautiful roadside wildflowers ~


And that was my day with my mama! I love you, Mama! Happy Mother's Day!