April 17, 1992

"17 years, 9 months, and 6 days" he says with a grin. My sweetie can always tell you how long it has been since our first date. I hear "Happy Anniversary" once a month not once a year. Lucky girl, huh? That date was the beginning of it all. One date, now one family (okay, one HUGE family).
When we went on that date, almost eighteen years ago, we were both single parents with three kids, all under the age of 12! People thought we were crazy and they were right, we were crazy.......about each other. So crazy about each other that we added one more to the mix. Yep...yours, mine, and ours....the Brady Bunch plus one....we've heard them all. And I'll let you in on a little secret, there is a certain feeling of pride when you hear it that I think comes from what you have to go through to blend into such a large family. The youngest LOVES to tell people he is the youngest of seven.
I am posting tonight, technically this morning, because I am busting with gratitude lately. So grateful that we are a family. Each always there for the other, one for all and all for one! There were times I would have said it could never happen, but it did. It was hard work at times for all of us but what we went through together is, I believe, what makes us so close.
Our family of nine has expanded through the years to included 5 spouses, and four (soon to be six) grand babies. They visit each other and the cousins get to play together, too sweet. It tickles me no end when they visit each other. We are a close family.....all of us, and I am grateful for that daily.
It is a wonderful thing to really enjoy spending time with your grown children. Not because they are your children but because you like them. I am proud of each and every one of them. I take great delight in them individually but the crowd of us, all together, is.........glorious chaos! As good as it gets.
I realized as I started this post that I only have one picture of the nine of us. It is 15 years old and not digital so no picture this time but you can be sure, at the next gathering, I will get one of the nine of us and one with all eighteen.

With gratitude for family,
Jody
xox

Christmas craft collaboration

I had so much fun crafting and shopping for the grands this year!
I did a set of felt ornaments from a kit for each of them. Ballerina bears for the girls and a Christmas train for the boys. Very cute but WAY too labor intensive. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started but they were so cute I couldn't put them down.
They each got a few pieces of felt food too, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach when I started and I just did not get finished. Fried eggs, cheese,and bow tie pasta (soooo cute!) will work for a start though.
The favorite, hands down, was Lauryn's present. It was one of those few (for me anyway) things that actually came out better than I imagined, due in no small part to the help from my sweetie. Poppa really kicked it up a notch! I had been waiting, yes and planning, for the day the girls would be big enough for dress up. When I found out that is what Lauryn wanted for Christmas I was so excited!
I started shopping right after Halloween and got some great deals on costumes. I found a fireman, a pirate, a vampire, a witch, a princess, and of course the requisite Disney gals. Got a great deal on some dress up shoes and tiaras after Thanksgiving, throw in a few necklaces and earrings and what little girl would not be thrilled!
But wait......
"how bout a wardrobe packing box to make her a dress up closet?" said MamMaw "I could cut doors to make it a closet."
"I could cover it in fabric if you have a piece" volunteered Poppa. "We could also add a spot for her shoes and a shelf for her jewelry" he said.
"YAY! That's a great idea honey." says MamMaw running for the fabric stash.
Two days, four yards of fabric, a box cutter, antibiotic ointment, band-aids, and three cans of spray adhesive later......
Ta DA!!!!! Lauryn's dress up closet.

And open.....

I can't wait to do one for Kyleigh next year!

I love collaborating with my sweetie,
Jody
xox

New Beginnings in 2010

I know, I know, its been a long time. It had been so long I just stayed away. The last half of 2009 was a bit of a struggle for us on too many fronts and I let it overwhelm me. I've spent the first few weeks of the new year reflecting, re-grouping, and re-organizing. I did not make any resolutions but did decide I need to work on habits. All of the best and worst things about me are habits, good or bad. Need to drop some of the bad ones and develop a few more good ones. We'll see how that works, but I am back and ready for a new year.

The biggest news since I've been away.........
Grand #6
Tristan and Jason are expecting!
We are all so excited! It is a little girl and they have picked a name that I love. Miss Stella Laine is due April 19 and we can't wait to meet her.
She will be our second grand daughter born this year. We found out that Daniel and Alicia are also having a girl! Miss Katherin is due March 17.
Blessings abound!
Random Odd Thought.... our seven were two girls then the five boys, grands are two boys then four girls. We need one more girl huh?
We had a very nice low key Christmas. Focus was on the babies. I did a good bit of crafting and was happy with most everything, and thrilled with a few things. Michael and I collaborated on one project that I will share as soon as I dig up some pictures. The favorite gift this year for MamMaw and Poppa was a picture of all four grands! The moms (thank you girls I know that wasn't easy) all met up and had a portrait made. Priceless! We just love it.
I have been working on a few UFOs lately and finished several projects that were hanging over my head. Needed to clear my to do list as much as I needed to clear my head. Both are still pretty cluttered but.....
To New Beginnings!
Jody

Jones Creek Pt.1 The early years

I have been going to Jones Creek since I was a very little girl. It is a big part of the flavor and texture of my childhood. We spent a lot of time camping in those woods. I am now, and always have been, perfectly at peace when I am there. Playing in the creek, learning to clean the rainbow trout my father caught......such pride when I could do it myself, roasting endless pounds of marshmallows, learning to peel a potato "the navy way" from my "Uncle" Tommy ("Uncle" because I am from the south and all close family friends were ...actually still are, "Aunt" & "Uncle" so-n-so), I learned about snakes...it is the north Georgia mountains after all....and how to build a fire, yellow jackets and how to build s'mores....so many memories!
Just turning on the gravel road that leads to this paradise relaxes me. It is remote and what is considered primitive camping (that means no toilets or showers) and I love it.....not the no toilet or showers silly, the remoteness.
I am very lucky that I found a sweetie who loves this kind of camping as well. He was as enchanted as I by Jones Creek and we have been taking our family there since I took him for his first visit. This time we had our grand babies (well, two of them) join us for a few days. I can't explain to you how surreal it was to have my grands in the woods that I grew up in...happy, happy, joy, joy!
Sorry for the brief post but it has been hectic since we got back and...I am off to Alabama for a few days. I need to dust and sweep!
Jones Creek Part 2 Always an adventure! when I get back.
Jody
p.s. I still peel my potatos "the navy way"!

Happy Camper!

We are off to the woods!
A week camping in the north Georgia mountains. YAY!
I will be back middle of next week with lots of pics and campfire stories.
Happy Camping,
Jody

A New Grand!

#5 is on the way!


Just found out last night that Daniel & Alicia are expecting again!

Brodie is going to be a big brother!

So excited,

Jody

Happy, Happy, Happy

It was a weekend full of Happys here.
We got up Saturday and headed to Cleveland, Georgia. Home of Babyland General.

It is also home to my Dear In-Laws. We were there to celebrate all three of our Happys.
First was Happy Birthday to Poppa!
And since they got married on his birthday, Happy Anniversary to Nanna & Poppa.
And...since his Birthday is July 3rd.....Happy Fourth of July......work with me.

Poppa got lots of Birthday love.

Nanna got Anniversary hugs.

We had an even dozen for the cook out celebration. It was another HOT but beautiful summer day in Georgia.

The kids had a go at the sprinkler while they waited for lunch.

Kodi climbed a tree.

Brodie climbed a Kris!

And boys will be boys no matter what their age.......note the horns.

It was a really nice day and the perfect opportunity to snap a four generation picture.

Like I said, Happy, Happy, Happy!

Jody