Lunar Eclipse

We checked on the lunar eclipse about four different times during the course of the hour it lasted. It was very cool to see...figuratively and literally. The temperature was LOW. Dwayne only ventured out once to take a picture. We really needed a tripod, but it was just too cold to mess with all of that equipment.

Basement Progress

Dwayne gave new meaning to the word "dusty". It's a wonder his lungs still function after breathing all of that awful stuff. Happily, the sheetrock is finished and he has moved on to putting on a coat of primer. The boys helped him with that this afternoon.

Paintball

The words on Devin's hoodie says "Can you see me?"

He hopes not, so he doesn't come home with welts from being hit with paintballs. This is the army, minus Dwayne who was taking the photo.
Barry West, Trey Holladay, Derrik Holladay, Katelyn Holladay, Kelsey Spicer & Michael Stark. Usually they are very sweet kids (okay, technically Michael is an adult), but they're pretty fierce and you don't want to get to close to them during a paintball game.

Reunion

We hadn't seen Andy & Barbara for over ten years. He used to be my boss when I worked for Signature Systems. They now live in an awesome retirement community in Gainesville with their energetic labradoodle Maggie.

Visiting the Georgia Holladay's

Our first day in Georgia was absolutely gorgeous, with temps in the 60s. The boys took full advantage and played outside almost all day. They jumped on the trampoline, played basketball, skateboarded, tossed a football, fished, dug trenches and played fetch with the three dogs.

This little bedraggled pup is Sunshine. She is about 8 weeks old. She had great fun swimming in the pond with the big dogs.
The adults had a "date night" and left all the boys home alone with takeout from the Varsity. We went to Olive Garden and sat by a redneck family that gave us lots to laugh about.
The weather turned much cooler, but it didn't prevent us from another fun day. We went to the town of Helen, in the mountains. It was made to look like an alpine village. We ate German food, strolled the quaint streets and then bought some yummy fudge.

After we left Helen, we went a little farther up the mountain side and hiked a trail to Anna Ruby Falls. It was absolutely beautiful.

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Dwayne

Dwayne asked for tacos and strawberry shortcake. It was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself.

We all pitched in and bought him a new gun. It's a Walther P-22.

I'm sure he's looking forward to shooting it. He got some new motorcycle gear. Don't know if you'd want to run into this fellow in a dark alley if he wasn't smiling.

We love you lots!!

Special Visitors

I was delighted to make the acquaintance of dainty, little Madison Jean. She seems to be a very quiet, easy baby and her new parents are doing a lovely job figuring out what to do with her. Grandpa & Grandma Brist (Glen & Tanya) were all smiles. I guess they have good reason.

I'm so happy to hear that Madison is going to take her parents to visit Aunt Laura in California VERY soon.

Circus

We got three free tickets to the Barnum & Bailey Circus down in Richmond and that was too good of a deal to pass up. We even sat down in the lower level where we could see the action quite well. The boys were most impressed with the dirt bikes inside the round steel cage. I was fascinated with the contortionists. Since Dwayne has spent considerable time on stilts in the basement, he got a kick out of the springy stilts that the "lady bugs" and "praying mantis" were wearing. They are a bit difficult to describe but fun to watch.

Spelling Bee

Devin won the school spelling bee again this year with the word PUMPERNICKEL. That means we have LOTS of dictionaries around here. (I think they should give the dictionaries to the losers.) Anyway, we have been practicing words before bed, driving around town and all the way to Georgia and back. If you hadn't seen it in writing, could you spell klompen, verboten, kishke, malihini, demotic, mnemonic or contrapuntal?

Valentine's Day

We had a low budget dinner at home and lots of scrumptious chocolates afterward. Poor Derrik had to endure a hug & kiss from his mom. He actually doesn't mind it as much as this photo makes it seem.

Grandpa is Growing Older (67!)

We went to Sakura's Japanese Steakhouse for Farley's birthday lunch after Sunday morning meeting. Afterwards, we came to our house for strawberry icecream cake and gifts. His big gift is a wood planer. That was a bit out of our budget, but Dwayne got him some woodworking magazine subscriptions and hopes to be the recipient of some of his dad's projects. :)

Guitar Lessons

Derrik is enjoying his lessons. He pays out of his own pocket the $20 per half hour lesson. His instructor's name is Wayne and he is a jazz guitarist. Wayne was sick last week and our family was gone to Georgia this week, so there has been a lapse in lessons but not in learning. Derrik has been practicing and also, Austin in Georgia, had jam sessions with him.