A Little More of Alabama

During our trip to Alabama we were able to spend time visiting with Buddy (Sherman) and Deanna. Buddy hasn't changed one iota, he's still the same, fun-loving guy with a great sense of humor. Deanna is really sweet and I really enjoyed being with both of them. I snapped a few pics and will include them here.

Jackie seemed to be doing really well. Although she is in pain from the scar tissue/hernia in her tummy, it doesn't keep her from playing hearts. Since I don't remember playing it, she taught me the game and we stayed up late, nights to try to have me understand it. I will say, I'll probably never be able to play like she does. I don't know how she can keep track of how many hearts were played, not to mention how many spades above the queen are out to catch someone higher than you when you have the queen.

Michelle came over twice and she hasn't changed much either. She's still very pretty and as sweet as can be. Randy is still a hoot, still has that dry humour. I catch myself watching the expression on his face to see if he's teasing or not.

We drove up to Mike's new place and went out to eat Mexican food with them, YUM! They are such a neat couple, I'm so happy that they found each other. Mike really deserves to be happy and he and Crissa have such a neat family. Grant warmed up to Steve and I right away, it took Evan a little longer to even talk in front of us. We had a wonderful time with them and, though they tried to talk us into spending the night at their place, we opted to drive back to our timeshare in Tennessee so we'd have two nights there before heading home.

Remember the good old days when Heather and I took piano lessons? That was a great time! Too bad I didn't have as much talent as she did! Halfmoon

Time With Abbernathy

After my doctor's appointment, Steve and I went to Abby's to see her and Mikayla (Justin was at work). We played with Mikayla for a while and she is really getting to be fun to be around since she can sit up and play.

She has a cute little train set and one of those toys that you have shapes you can push into the correct shaped holes (which makes music go off). She was really starting to get the hang of it (besides, I loved playing with it too!)

After that we drove Abby to Ankeny to get her license renewed as she had let it lapse in February (oops!) She was nervous that she would have to take a driving or written test because it had expired. She actually called her brother (Steve) to see if she'd be put in jail if she was caught driving with it expired (what a hoot!)

She didn't have to take any test at all which made us all happy. After having her pic taken, we all went out the 'do not exit' line as we couldn't see the exit door. Once we were on the interstate I asked where the closest Taco Bell was. We used to go to Taco Bell every Saturday after getting allergy shots so she loves them as much as I do.

We're at Josh's now so I'd best sign off here for a little while. Have a great night! I'll probably need to search around to find the best diet pill
after eating with Josh, Tay, and Carter (salmon patties -- YUM!) Halfmoon

Appointment Time Again

I went to see the specialist this morning regarding the tingling in my left arm and pain in shoulder to elbow area. I have a bone spur in my neck where my bulging disk is. Great, huh? She is referring me to my Pain Control physician to have a steroid shot in the cervical area.

If that doesn't work, she will go in surgically and cut that out. Not a big deal, she said. Seems like a big deal when it is happening to you. Oh, brother, what else can happen? I really shouldn't say that because when I do, it seems like something else occurs.

I'm at Abby's right now and she's letting me use her computer. I wish I could use my computer here so I could have access to my pictures. Oh, well. I'll write more later. Have a great one! Halfmoon

P.S. I'm still thinking about checking into the best diet pills available.

A Little Bit of Washington

Larry Joe, Terry, Aunt Helen, Trina, Ellie, Eddie, and Linda

Back to Washington, we go. I finally uploaded my pics from my camera to the laptop so thought I'd try and get a few in my blog to share with you. Forgive me if I don't know all of my cousin's spouses and kids names. I'm hoping Sheila will send me a list soon.

We had a really great time seeing everyone. I had to push myself sometimes to go sit with people I didn't really know to find out how we were related. I could not believe how much Mike Moon looked like his Dad, Uncle Jim.

Mike's wife's name is Barb and their daughter is Mikayla. Jim's son is David w/wife Crystal and their baby is Malee.


I'm not very good with remembering names but at least I think I have all of my cousin's names down. This pic is of the three Adams girls. The back row shows Tammy, Connie, and Cindy. I believe (and so do they) Tammy and Connie look a lot like Aunt Muriel. Cindy looks like her mom, my Aunt Evie. I was disappointed that Aunt Evie couldn't come to the reunion, but it was understandable since she has Alzheimers and cancer.

This is Linda and Bills family. Sorry, I left the list of the daughters names at home, but I don't know which one is which. I'll have to sit with the camcorder and write them down as I have me computer on so I can get them straight. I know she has five daughters (I'm not sure, at this point, if they have any sons).

This pic shows Jim and Mike Moon in the back row with Karen Moon in the front row. The next pic is Jim Moon's family. I think his son's name is David, David's wife is Crystal, and their baby is Mia.

The next pic is Eddie's family, again, I don't have their names, sorry. I do know that the pic shows his wife, her mother, Aunt Helen, Eddie's son, and granddaughter.

This is Ellie's family with Aunt Helen. Ellie's husband's name is Mike. That's it for now. Halfmoon

P.S. Press here for the best acne treatment around.

Memorial Weekend (Sunday)

As you know, we generally get together with our kids the day before the holiday if possible so the adults don't have to get up to go to work the next morning. We followed that same tradition for Memorial Day.

Abby was unable to come out because she worked both Sunday and Monday so we will be getting together with her Wednesday. Steve came with Angie and Jadah, but it wasn't his weekend for Syd so she wasn't there and we all missed her. (I really love it when my WHOLE family can be there.)

We took a few pics of the grandkids, but never could get everyone to look at the camera at the same time. I'm sure Heather's pics are better than mine but here is the best one. The only one I caught Alyce looking at the camera in, she was sticking her tongue out.

As you can see, Christian is really growing. He's within a pound of Mikayla and he is three months old now, she is seven months old. I'll have to remember to take my camera tomorrow to get current pics of Abby's family.

We had a really good time Sunday, grilled brats and hotdogs, had salad, chips, and a wrap that Shelley made (burrito wrapped around creamed cheese and meat?) that were really yummy. Afterwards we had watermelon that was so sweet......it was wonderful. Of course, we had a campfire which is always the treat about getting together at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Here's hoping you all had a great holiday, one we need to remember is in honor of our men and women who died so we could live in freedom. Yesterday Steve asked me where we were going to vacation next. His rotator cuff surgery is Friday so I doubt we'll be travelling any time soon. Doesn't hurt to look for great travel deals anyway. You never know when you might win the Powerball and then have cash to go wherever you want.

We're Back!

We're home in Iowa again! Josh picked us up at the airport late last night. It was supposed to be a 9:45 landing. The weather at the Denver airport had other ideas. We sat in the plane on the runway between 45 minutes to an hour waiting for the all clear to take off.

With no way to contact Josh at that point, all we could do was sit and fret! Steve and I worked cross-word puzzles during that time and the flight home. We've really started enjoying doing that together since seeing Jackie and Randy do it at their house.

The trip was wonderful (except that my back really paid for it). Saturday was the big family reunion. It was neat to see cousins that looked like relatives not in their immediate family. Cindy (Aunt Evie's daughter) did look a lot like her mom, but her sisters (Tammy and Connie) looked like our Aunt Muriel. Mike Moon looked just like his dad, Jim, and a little like my brother, Denny (not as much as his dad did, though).

Sunday there was a brunch at Sheila's and a lot of the relatives were there again. Saturday night Jim (Jr) gave me a hug before he left and it brought tears to my eyes when he said how great it was to see me. Most of these cousins I remember, but they don't remember meeting me.

Trina, Linda, and Ellie (Aunt Helen's) were so sweet and I really enjoyed having time to really talk to them. Of course, Sheila is the greatest and hasn't changed one iota since she was young. She took me to a place and paid for both of us to have acrylic nails done and our toenails to be painted.

Dave hasn't changed much either (except maybe the hair color, but heck, whose hasn't changed, huh?) We stayed with Dave the first three nights. Since he had just had hip surgery (quad landed on top of him the week before), he wasn't up and at 'em like he normally would be but we really enjoyed our time with him. Also, Dave had a barbecue in his back yard for us and Sheila, Tim, and Terry's families were all there.

Terry took us home from the fourth night on. He and Julie were awesome. We stayed in their RV (as it was cat-free), so we had our own little space. Then we sat in his hot tub and relaxed a lot. That really helped my back. The ride to Portland showed the true essence of Terry. He is sooooo funny. When we were on the plane, a steward was giving a lady on the plane sarcastic remarks as her purse strap was in the aisle. Steve said, "Imagine Terry and what he would say to that guy!" We both started laughing as we thought about it.

There is so much to tell, all the stories would take forever. I did feel overwhelmed by all the relatives who I somewhat knew and those I didn't know at all. I am still a little shy and it took me a while to get courage to go sit by someone new and start conversations.

I'll tell more about our saga in Washington later, after I recoup from being in planes all day and my back is better. I did gain 3 1/2 pounds while I was gone, looks like I need to check into fat burner pills soon! Halfmoon

P.S. I'll upload pics later.

Sheila will be 50

May 12 is my cousin's birthday and she is having a big bash to celebrate it. She knew it would be hard for me to come attend since it is in Washington and I am off work, so she and my aunt said they would help me be able to attend.

I am excited. Almost everyone on my mother's side will be there. I haven't been there since 1998 (I think), when Sue, Abby, and I went together during a cheap fair ($100 a ticket) event. I wish it were that cheap now.

I also wish my whole family could go with me, but no one can take time off work, let alone be able to afford tickets for their families. Steve and I will be leaving on the 5/12 and flying into Portland. Between the time in the plane and then in a car, I'm sure I'll be paying for it (my back, neck, etc.)

Steve will be having shoulder surgery after we return so we won't be going anywhere for quite a while after that (4 - 6 months off work). We're not looking forward to that, but he cannot continue working with a rotator cuff tear. Here's hoping you are being treated well and the economy isn't getting you down. Halfmoon

P.S. I just may check in to cell towers when I get back!