The Men of the House...

It isn't rare to catch my two boys in the recliner watching the television. I finally got a picture of them tonight, watching the closing ceremonies to the Olympics. What a pair!

Happy Birthday Wes!

Tomorrow, my cousin, Wesley, will celebrate his 9th birthday. Boy am I feeling old! Tonight we celebrated with an awesome party at the Thornton's pool (pond, pool whatever you want to call it). If you've never heard of this "pool," I would be very surprised! This pool, equipped with waterfalls, a rope swing and tons of rocks to climb on...with Bible verses I might add, is the perfect place for a party. It was a blast! The kids had a great time. I think the adults had just as much fun watching the kids perform their crazy tricks on the rope, and watching the boys wrestle on the floating dock before pushing each other into the water.
Everyone was served pizza, cake, and ice cream, (yummy!) and afterwards Wesley opened tons of gifts from his family and friends. The big gift, a "Rock Band." What this is? I have no clue. Parents help me out here! hehe!! He was very excited about it, so thats all that matters!
Wesley, we hope you have a wonderful birthday tomorrow! You kids have got to stop getting so big! Hope you had a wonderful time at your birthday party. I know I sure did!

Support your Covington-Tipton County Junior Auxiliary!

On Saturday, September 20th. Macy's department stores celebrates a national day of support for local non-profit organizations in our community. Namely, your Covington-Tipton County Junior Auxiliary.

Make a $5 donation and save 20% or 10%* all day with this shopping pass. By donating, you will be helping the Junior Auxiliary meet the needs of families and children in our community. To obtain your pass, contact me or any Junior Auxiliary member.

Hope we can count on your support!

Just another reason i love my laptop

After reading Kate's recent post, I totally agree with her on the fact that there is nothing totally exciting happening right now...to blog about anyway. I am sitting here at Pat Patterson getting my oil changed and am extremely bored! Thank goodness I brought my laptop. Usually I am sitting here chatting with people, watching C-Span, and discussing all of the terrible events that are going on in our country, but after the torrential down-pour, their satellite is out and the television screen looks like a snow storm. Everyone is doing their own thing and the only sound in the room is the "hum" of the Coke machine. Hopefully my car will be done soon. Thank goodness for wireless Internet.

Friday in Oxford

I can't believe that the weekend is over...again! It went by too fast, but we had a great weekend nonetheless.

On Thursday, Justin called Erik and asked him if he and I would want to drive down to Oxford, Ms. for shopping and dinner. Erik taking him up on his offer told me about it on Thursday night and of course the answer was "yes!" What a neat surprise. I no intentions of buying anything, but browsing can be just as fun. So, on Friday afternoon, we headed out.

We ended up getting there around 4:00 which gave us 2 hours for shopping before our 6:00 dinner reservations at City Grocery. We walked around the square and down the side streets. It would rain, then would stop, but didn't spoil the fun.

The square in Oxford is doing some major construction due to the upcoming presidential debate at Ole Miss, but is looking great. As we walked around, Erik commented on how busy it was and how he wished that our square was like that at night. There are people everywhere and tons of stuff to do, but its all in being a college town, and besides most of our stores close at 5:00 or 6:00. Maybe we'll get there one day.

Our dinner at City Grocery was great. Erik and I each ordered a filet, Justin had shrimp & grits, and Amanda had some pretty good looking salmon. The place was packed when we left, heading back to Covington, but not before stopping for ice cream in Memphis. Such fun!

Rub-a-dub, Joeys in the tub!

For years, Erik and I have taken Joey to our favorite groomer in Atoka, Michelle Bittle at Groomindogz. It was always very convenient for me, since I work in Munford. I always dropped him off at 7:30 and picked him up after work. He would always look great with his cute bandanna, not to mention his wonderful smell. Michelle always bragged on Joey, and how good he was for her...so good that she charged me very little to groom him. I had to quit bathing Joey myself, because he got too big! I was always afraid that I wasn't getting all of the soap out. The last thing I wanted was an itchy, scratching, miserable dog. So, Groomindogz was my best bet.

In April, Michelle decided to close-up shop and travel with her husband. I was left with no groomer, but she has since recommended her sister-in-law in Arlington. I plan on calling her next month to make an appointment. We'll see how it goes, but until then...my STINKY dog had to have a bath!
To make things easier, I went to Walmart and bought a detachable shower head and then stopped by Old Town Hall to get some new pet shampoo I have been wanting to try. It smells pretty good! Erik and I tackled the job tonight and now my Joey is squeaky clean and smelling great. He really does love a bath!

Would you please put the camera away?

Smiling for the camera...yeah right!

Loving the hairdryer!

A clean dog is a happy dog

The Many Travels of Mary Kate & Barbara

I don't care who you are...this is interesting!

This morning, on my Grandmother's birthday I received another email from my cousin, Barbara Hannis. She was my Grandmother's traveling buddy. I think they have seen every corner and niche in the world! Really, no kidding. When I was a child. I met some of the neatest people of all, Martin and Gerry Min, from Holland. Fortunately, they became like family to us (The Wilsons). They would come over to visit with us for months at a time, and Barbara along with my Grandmother made several trips over there as well. At the age of 9, I began writing to Martin and Gerry's grandchildren, Nicole and Jeanine Schlautmann, mostly Nicole (GERMANY) just as my grandmother and Barbara had done with Martin & Gerry. At 15, Mom, Grandmother, and myself went to Holland for 2 weeks to visit them. I went to Munster, Germany via train for the weekend to stay with the Schlautmanns.

Martin and Gerry Min at our home in Garland (Thanksgiving) year unknown


Below, you will find the email I received this morning from Barbara. Please read and enjoy!!!!!

APRIL 1982, MEMPHIS WAS HONORING THE NETHERLANDS. I WAS PICKED TO GO AS AN AMBASSADOR FROM MEMPHIS TO ENSCHEDE, THE CITY THAT MEMPHIS ADOPTED AFTER WORLD WAR II. SINCE, I HAD BEEN WRITING GERRY BERENDS (MIN) FROM MY 7 TH GRADE, JUST AFTER WORLD WAR II. AT THAT TIME WE WERE SENDING CIGAR BOXES FILLED TO ENSCHEDE WITH NEEDED THINGS... THE GERMANS HAD CLEANED OUT THE NETHERLANDS DURING THE WAR, SOME LIVING ON TULIPS BULBS AND TAKING THE DUTCH MEN OFF TO WORK IN THEIR PLANTS IN GERMANY AND THINGS WERE BAD THERE. MY CIGAR BOXES CONTAINED NYLON HOSE FOR GERRY,(AT THE TIME YOU GOT COUPONS TO GET SUGAR AND NYLONS AND MOTHER GAVE UP A LOT OF HERS FOR ME TO SEND TO GERRY) SHAVING ARTICLES FOR HENK, (HER BROTHER) , CHEWING GUM FOR ANNIE, HER SMALL SISTER, AND FOR HER MOTHER (OMA) A HANDKERCHIEF AND FATHER SOME SHAVING TOLIETRIES. GERRY MARRIED MARTIN IN 1951 AND WE LOST CONTACT AS SHE MOVED FROM ENSCHEDE TO LOSSER. ON BEING NOTIFIED THAT I WOULD GO TO HOLLAND AND TAKE A LETTER AND CERTIFICATE MAKING GERRY A HONORARY CITIZEN OF MEMPHIS, FROM MAYOR WYETH CHANDLER, I WROTE TO THE ENSCHEDE NEWSPAPER AND THEY PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE IN THEIR PAPER THAT I WAS COMING AND WAS TRYING TO FIND GERRY BERENDS. A WEEK AND AHALF LATER, I RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING BARRY,(WHICH WAS WHAT SHE CALLED ME) I HEAR YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ME AND TOLD ME WHERE THEY LIVED. I CALLED AUNT MARY AND ASKED IF SHE WOULD WANT TO GO WITH ME TO HOLLAND AND SHE QUICKLY ANNOUNCED SHE WOULD LOVE TO GO. THIS BEGAN AUNT MARY AND MY TRIPS WHICH LASTED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND MANY CRUISES . WE LEFT MEMPHIS ON APRIL 25 TH 1982. WITH 80 DEGREES TEMPERATURE HERE, WE ARRIVED IN AMSTERDAM, IN 42 DEGREE TEMPERATURE AND RAINING. AT THIS POINT WE WERE READY TO RETURN HOME. BEING AMBASSADORS, WE HAD TO DRESS NICELY AND AUNT MARY WORE A PAIR OF HIGH HEEL SHOES, TAKING THEM OFF FOR THE 7 HOURS FLIGHT ON KLM, AND ARRIVING HER FEET HAD SWOLLEN AND SHE COULDN'T GET THEM ON, SHE JUST CARRIED THEM IN HER HANDS AND WALKED TO THE BUS TO BE CARRIED TO A BIG EVENT...WELCOMING THE AMBASSADORS WHICH INCLUDED A NICE LUNCH AND OF COURSE WINE AND CHEESE. BILL E. BURK OF THE MEMPHIS PRESS SCIMITAR WAS OUR COMPANION ON THE TRIP, AND ALWAYS MAKING PICTURES WHEN HE COULD FIND US DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE AMUSING AND HE MADE MANY. AFTER THE WELCOMING LUNCHEON, WE PACKED OUR LUGGAGE IN MARTIN'S SMALL CAR AND TRAVELLED TO LOSSER, WHERE WE ARRIVED AT 4 P.M. - HOUR OF WINE AND CHEESE, AFTER UNPACKING , HAD DINNER WHICH WAS A BROTH WITH A SMALL PIECE OF MEAT THE SIZE OF A MARBLE AND A BOILED BAKE POTATO. DO I NEED TO SAY MORE???? AT 8 P.M., IT WAS AGAIN WINE AND CHEESE TIME. THE NEXT MORNING, GERRY ANNOUNCED WE WERE GOING TO THE FLOWER NURSERY. WE ARRIVED AND SHE BEGAN TO TELL US SHE LIKE THIS ONE AND THAT ONE. AUNT MARY LOOKED AT ME AND I AT HER, AND FINALLY IT DAWNED ON ME, THAT WE SHOULD BUY THE PLANTS FOR HER. I TOLD AUNT MARY AND WE EACH PURCHASED HER A LARGE PLANT FOR HER GARDEN. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE HAD TO GO TO CITY HALL AND BE HONORED BY THE PEOPLE THERE AND SEE SIGHTS AROUND ENSCHEDE. THAT NIGHT WE HAD THE SAME MEAL AND THE NEXT DAY, MARTIN WAS GOING TO TAKE US TO DO A LITTLE SHOPPING AND WE DROVE INTO GERMANY. I SAW A LARGE GERMAN RESTAURANT AND I TOLD MARTIN STOP! STOP! AND EAT. HE SAID OH! NO!! GERRY WILL FIX THE MEAL WHEN WE GET HOME. SHE HAD STAYED HOME, PROBABLY KNOWING HOW AMERICANS LOVED TO SHOP. I FINALLY PRESUADED HIM TO STOP AND WE WOULD BUY HIS LUNCH AND HE DID. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE 2 STAVING PEOPLE. AUNT MARY AND I ORDER A PORK CHOP (LARGE AS A SAUCER) WITH PURPLE CABBAGE AND POTATOES. WE THOUGHT WE HAD DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN, AND ALSO WHILE SHOPPING WE STOCKED UP ON GETTING A LOT OF SNACKS TO KEEP IN OUR ROOM. IN THE TWO WEEKS WE WERE THERE, WE WENT TO OVERDINKEL, ENSCHEDE, LOSSER, HAARLEN, AMSTERDAM, KENKENHOF' BEAUTIFUL GARDEN OF FLOWERS, THE HAGUE, BERGEN ON THE SEA, GLANERBRUG, ISLAND OF MAARTEN NEAR ZUIDER ZEE, AND BRODENBACK AND MUNSTER GERMANY ON THE FRIENDSHIP FORCE BUS, AND SPENT 2 NIGHTS IN GERMANY WHICH THE HOTEL HAD A COMMUNITY BATH ROOM ON THE FLOOR AND THAT WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE. IT WAS A LOVELY TRIP MEETING GERRY AND HER ENTIRE FAMILY AND RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING OCTOBER, SHE AND MARTIN VISITED ME FOR 6 WEEKS AND WE WENT TO MANY PLACES AND BILL BURK HELPING, AND ESPECIALLY AS GERRY ATE TOO MUCH SOUTHERN COOKING, RESULTING IN HER BLOOD PRESSURE GOING UP AND BEING RUSHED TO THE BAPTIST HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK, WHICH AGAIN BILL BURK CAME TO MY AID AS HE KNEW ABOUT HOSPITALIZATION AS FOR HER BEING FROM HOLLAND. THEY RETURNED HOME HEALTHY AND SAFELY, AND THIS TRIP BEGAN THE TRAVELS OF AUNT MARY AND I. SHE WOULD CALL ME AND SAY, "BARBARA WHEN ARE WE GOING TO TAKE A TRIP?" SOON AFTER THAT WE BEGAN OUR CRUISING.... NO WORRIES, NO FOOD TO BUY AND A LOT OF GOOD LOOKING ITALIANS AROUND AND ALWAYS ON THE PACIFIC PRINCESS. OUR CRUISES INCLUDED MEXICO TWICE. SOUTHERN CARRIBEAN, EASTERN CARRIBEAN, MEDITERREAN AND ALASKA. SHE WAS THE BEST TRAVELING BUDDY ONE COULD HAVE, NEVER COMPLAINED, ALWAYS READY TO GO AND COULD OUT WALK ME AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF OUR TRIPS.
IN THE CARIBBEAN WE WENT TO SAN JUAN, ST. THOMAS, ST. MAARTEN, BARBADOUS, PRINCESS CAYS AND FREEPORT. ALAKSA WITH A 2 DAY STOP AT THE WORLD'S FAIR IN VANCOUVER, THEN ON TO KETCHIKAN, SKAGWAY, INSIDE PASSAGE , VICTORIA BRITISH COLUMBIA AND SEATTLE. OUR MEXICO CRUISE WAS TO ACAPULCO, PUERTO VALLARTA, MATZATLAN, OXATA, AND CABO SAN LUIS. AND ON OUR MEDITERREAN CRUISE WE WENT TO ENGLAND, NAPLES, VENICE, DUBROVNIK, GREECE, PISA, ROME, MONTECARLO AND MONACO, CAROL WAS ON THIS TRIP.

SINCE AUGUST 8 TH IS HER BIRTHDAY, I WANTED TO REMEMBER HER WITH LOVE AND LET YOU SEE SOME OF HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR TRIPS TOGETHER. I REALLY MISS HER SO MUCH.
LOVE YOU ALL,
BARBARA

Photos for slide show courtesy of Barbara Hannis

Families are Special!

Today I received an email from my cousin, Barbara. She sent pictures of my Grandmother's (Mary Kate Wilson) 80th birthday. They are too neat!! I don't remember having copies of them so I was glad to get the email. Tomorrow would have been our Grandmother's/Mother's birthday. I haven't forgotten it, nor do I forget my Granddaddy's birthday on February 28th. We were all so close to them. Living next door to my grandparents and cousins my whole life was nothing but special. We always had the best times and always had a playmate, babysitter, or a partner in crime to get in trouble with. I feel blessed, because not everyone gets to be so close to their family, and I was lucky enough to have them all a few steps away. Today I managed to find a few pictures in a box upstairs and decided to put a slide show together. Hope you enjoy. Oh, and NO laughing at hairstyles and clothing! hehe! Anyway, Happy Birthday Grandmother!

Kudos to Erik

While I was on my way home from work today, I called Erik...the normal routine. "Hi honey, I'm on my way home, how was your day...yadda yadda yadda. He tells me that he is at Chris and Sherri's taking a dip in the pool and not to panic when I get home, he "will clean up the patio tomorrow." So I come home to this...

Yes, those are what used to be our newly mulched and manicured flower beds with huge trenches, okay maybe not huge, but big enough for me...with hoses running through them. Okay, so I trust Erik, but i have to admit that I did gasp. He is in the middle of installing an irrigation system! YAY!! What a neat surprise! I know it sounds lazy, but I have too many beds and too many plants to be standing out in 100 degree weather and watering for hours, and if you'll notice, my spirea are just about dead. Not for me folks! We'll see how it goes. Hopefully this new "project" will be completed tomorrow. He's been a busy bee! Not to mention that he cleaned all of the windows too! Kudos Kudos and more Kudos!

28 Days and Counting!

I can't believe its already August! I was sitting in Erik's chair this morning reading my emails and suddenly I realized that its almost Football Time in TENNESSEE!!! The time of the year that we look forward to the most. On any given Saturday in the fall, you will find us in our living room glued to the television. I would be at every game if possible, but with gas prices who can afford to do that every weekend? Don't answer. To be honest with you we'd probably go broke if we had season tickets this year, because of gas. I tend to be an addict and will turn down any plans to do anything else if the game is on. I sometimes think I'm worse than a man! I love it! So, the countdown is on until Sept 1. Can't wait!