Happy Birthday Mom

Today was Mom's 79th birthday.  Greg, Sharlene, Lauren and Micah came in to surprise her.  When we got home from church, they were here hiding in the house.  I left the door unlocked for them and they hid their car.  When Mom walked into the living room they were sitting at the dining room table.  The first picture is the shot Gary got when she saw them.  It was hard keeping this a secret since she lives here and goes with me when I go out to shop.  I had to suggest she stay with Ben so that Anna Kate and I could pick up her cake without her knowing it.  We had a great time.  Chris and his family and Jennifer and her family were here.  Also, Darlene, Sharlene's sister was here.  We were so glad she was able to share the day with us.  I put a few of the 300 or so pictures Gary took of everyone and everything.  I also added a couple of pictures of the most recent events that took place during May and, of course, it involved grandchildren.  

Greg had my vote for the best "adult" kid for the day.

Micah was voted "the best bubble maker" of the day.

The Duncans are finally moved.  The "truck day" was last Friday.  I will let Jennifer add more info about the move on her blog.  I'm just very thankful to have Scott, Jen, Ben & Anna Kate so close.  If I stand on my front porch and Jen stands on her front porch, we can wave and we could talk but then the whole neighborhood would hear everything we say.  
Justin's Spring Band Concert was last week.  He plays percussion and he does a good job.  The top picture is one of the music awards he received.  I believe this one was the award for having made a participated in all county band.  The picture below is of most of the group.  Justin is in the back in the percussion row.  He enjoys band and is looking forward to starting high school and the marching band.

Anna Kate was in a Mother's Day program at church.  She was a type of daisy - one of her mother's favorite flowers.  She loves to perform in front of people.  

Jennifer took a break from painting at the new house to scrub her kitchen floor.  She and her Dad were the only ones doing any painting.  The two of them are good at it and not messy at all.  I, on the other hand, am the worst painter and messy...oh my!  Of course, they haven't figured out yet that I only pretend to be that messy so they won't ask me to help.  The actual moving day is next Friday (truck day).

Scott got to put together the cabinets, shelves, etc. ...you know the kind - bad instructions, not enough screws, holes not matching, and on and on.  He also got to do plumbing, hanging window treatments and all those other little chores that go with moving to a new place.
This is Anna Kate's idea of moving.  She managed to find packed in a box my wedding veil that I had given her to play in, a bridesmaid bouquet that her mother carried in Chris and Marisa's wedding and then, of course, she needed her wedding dress from Kim and Nathaniel's wedding and she married every male in the house, i.e., Daddy, Papaw and her brother.

This was Ben's idea of moving....that PS2 Game got a workout.
This is Erin on third base getting ready to score.

This is Erin - she is on the "big girl's" softball team and she puts it - they pitch FAST!  She is one of the few new ones to graduate to the bigger team.  They are really good this year and have won all their games so far...and not by a few points but by as many as 10+ points.  Of course, if they keep winning that means they will be in all the finals and ball will continue until almost time for school to start next year.

Since my last entry, we've had a birthday party (Happy Birthday Marisa).  I won't post ages but if you look real close you will see just how old she is.....

This is my first attempt at blogging, and I'm not sure what I'm doing.  My sister-in-law, Sharlene, her sister, Marlene, and my daughter, Jennifer, all said that it is easy and that I can do it...so for you three girls, here I go.

In an effort to introduce my family, I am going to post some random pictures to introduce them to you.  Please don't expect too much excitement at my blogspot because all I do is go to work, come home, play with the grandkids, visit with my children, go to church, etc., but with all that activity that some would say is boring and ho-hum, I enjoy the things that make up my life because God is the one who gave all of it to me.

This is my mother, Aldena Trout.  This picture was taken at my nephew's (Nathaniel) wedding in April of this year.  She is now living with Gary and me, and we are blessed to have her with us, especially me because she can't sit still a minute and has become my "live-in maid" - I call her "Hazel".  She has her own little "mini one-room apartment".  At night when she gets tired of Gary and I as she goes to her room she states.."I'm going home - see you tomorrow".  I'm thankful we are able to spend as much time together as we do...so many miss out because they are separated from their parent or parents and can't visit with them very often.  Oh...and she likes to shop and enjoys a good sale - just like Jennifer and me (see below) - I guess Jennifer and my shopping fettish is inherited.  :)

This is our daughter, Jennifer.  She is a stay-at-home Wife and Mother and thinks she has the best job in the world.  God has blessed her with a wonderful husband and two great children.  As she has gotten older, she has become not only my daughter but also my friend.  The thing we love to do the most even though we don't have time to do it all the time is to shop.  We love a good sale!  She is a blessing to Gary and I and we are thankful for her.

This is Jennifer's husband, Scott Duncan.  He is the associate pastor at River Cities Community Church.  He began there in February of this year.  He was the pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Minford, Ohio for five years.  We are so thankful for such a wonderful son-in-law who is the best thing that ever happened to Jennifer besides those two beautiful little munchkins.

This is Jennifer's son, Benjamin Scott.  He is 5 years old.  He is our little "superhero".  He loves to pretend and role play and most usually is not Ben but Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Sonic or Crash.  He is a great little boy and is very smart.  He will be starting Kindergarten this Fall.  Jennifer will be home schooling him and he has already read his first school book.  He is taking guitar lessons and is progressing quickly.

This is Jennifer's daughter, Anna Kate.  She is 3-1/2 years old and my little ballerina.  She loves to dance and is attending a dance class.  She is a sweet, loving little girl and loves to stay with her Nana and Papaw. 

This is Christopher Allen - my son and the one responsible for bringing all those below into my life and for that I'm very thankful - what a blessing.  Chris works at M&P Distributing and his Dad and I are very proud of him.

This is Chris' wife, Marisa, and Gary and I are very thankful that she is a part of our family.  She teaches elementary school in Cabell County, West Virginia.

This is Taylor Shae'.  She is 12 years old and is in the 7th Grade at Boyd County Middle School.  She lives in Cannonsburg, Kentucky. She is our little artist.  She has always had a natural ability to draw especially animals which she loves.  When she was little she wanted to be an animal instead of a girl.  She comes to my house with her sister nearly every Friday and stays with us and then goes to her Daddy's on Saturday and Sunday.  She is definitely a "Papaw's girl".

This is Erin Nicole.  She is 11 years old and lives in Cannonsburg, Kentucky.  She is in the 5th grade and is our little softball player.  She is a real go-getter when it comes to that little round ball.  She comes to my house most Fridays to stay all night and then goes to her Daddy's on Saturday and Sunday.  We love having her.

This is Justin Tyler.  He is our official "teenager".  He is 13 years old and attends Beverly Hills Middle School in Huntington.  He will be starting high school next year at Huntington High.  He plays percussion in the school band and of course I think he is very good. Gary is waiting for him to get a little older to play percussion in the Brass Band - Gary is the director of the band.

This is Karley Abigail.  She is our little "preemie" but you would never know it.  She is so active and a smart little girl.  We think she's is going to be our little gymnist.

This is Colton James.  He is Chris' youngest and is the sweetest little fella.  He is a bundle of energy and keeps everyone "hopping".