January Recap

I can't believe it's already the last day of January!  The weather has been so mild that it almost doesn't feel like winter.  I think we hit 65 degrees today, and while I love the warm temps, Mary Lawrence and I were discussing last night that there's no way it can last...we're thinking scary weather is lurking around the corner!

We just ended a fun weekend...Lawrence went on his annual "guys" ski trip, and this year they landed in Breckenridge, Colorado.  They had lots of fresh snow, which was a great surprise because the west has had the same mild winter we've had.  There was lots of skiing, despite their aging knees...

Check out that view!

Mike and Lawrence head up the lift

...there was apres ski in the hot tub...

Best part of the day (at least that's what I think when I
go skiing!)

...plus snow angels (these guys never grow up!)...

This is a tradition when we go skiing!

...and a few nice meals out.

Great friends - this is Lawrence's 14th annual ski trip!

The kids and I held down the fort here at home.  On Friday night John and I went out for Chinese food while Sarah went to the 8th grade basketball game.  On Saturday morning Sarah had indoor field hockey, which she's been playing at Bluegrass Premiere.  Lots of girls on her school team are working out there this winter and it's been a fun way to keep up with their skills.

Go Sarah!

On Sunday afternoon John and Bruce played each other in basketball in the St. Matthews league.  Bruce plays on a team with some KCD boys, and John fills in on the St. Margaret Mary team. 

Perfect photo op - they were right next to each other
during a free throw

Bruce's team won, but there were no hard feelings, and we all headed to Tony Boombazz for dinner.  My mom and dad came to the game, and it was the perfect time for us all to get to spend some time together.  We are rarely all together, so this was a fun way to end the weekend.

These boys are both winners!

The grands are almost as tall as Meme and Papa!

I'm nursing a bad cold right now, and I think my family is probably as tired of it as I am.  They've been listening to me cough, sneeze and well, whine, for a few weeks now.  I went to the doctor yesterday so I'm hoping to be better by the weekend.  After all, someone has a 46th birthday coming up!  

Ski Bunnies

Lawrence and Sarah returned on Monday from their Father-Daughter skiing adventure.  Four days in Steamboat, Colorado brought lots of fun (sadly, not a lot of snow!), and they had a great time skiing and hanging out together.  I'm fairly certain Sarah ate pizza for almost all of her meals, but I guess that's the fun part of traveling with Dad.  Lawrence said she was a great travel companion, and even though she beat him down the mountain time and time again (at least that's her version of the story), I know he loved every minute.  

This was a nice, easy week at home.  Not too much going on, and on Thursday night John and I made a birthday cake for his Spanish teacher, Mrs. Wright (his friends and he cooked up the idea they wanted to surprise her with a cake, and he volunteered to bring one).  While he was decorating it he said he wanted it to be so good that she would "Facebook" about it! This made me laugh, what a sign of the times.  

The Next Great Baker works hard on
his piping

I really laughed when I was on Facebook the next afternoon and she had posted a picture of the class with the cake.  His plan worked - it was Facebook worthy!  

So proud!

Lawrence and I went to dinner up at Hurstbourne last night and had some nice, grown up time.  Today he's on sports pick up detail, taking and picking John up for basketball and baseball practices.  He leaves for his "guys" ski trip on Thursday, so he's praying for snow out west.  Me, I'm loving the mild winter we're having here!  

Nice and Quiet

I can't believe it's been two weeks since my last blog post, but honestly, there hasn't been much to blog about!  We've just ended a nice, quiet two weeks, and I must say it's been lovely.  School started back on January 2nd, but my office was closed, so I enjoyed a day off at home with no one around (not that I don't love my family, but some alone time is nice too!).  The Christmas decorations are down, Boot Camp is back in full swing (boy, it was hard to get up after two weeks off!), and the school day/night routine is back on track.  

Neither of the kids have a heavy sports schedule right now.  Sarah is working out two days a week at Bluegrass Premiere Indoor Field Hockey, but they don't play any games, just practice.  John is working out  at FOCUS Basketball Academy two days a week, along with an occasional game with the St. Margaret Mary guys.  He also just started practicing with his new baseball team, the Gladiators.

Leading stretches at FOCUS practice

Lawrence has started calling a few of the girl's varsity games at CAL (you know he loves calling any game!).  He's done a great job, and we've got to see a few exciting games.

Voice of the Lady Centurions!

Sarah and Lawrence left for Steamboat, Colorado on Thursday for a Father-Daughter ski trip.  He picked her up early from school on Thursday to head to the airport, and they'll be gone until Monday afternoon.  I'll have one of them post some pictures and details about their trip when they return.

All packed and ready to go before
school on Thursday morning

John and I have been having fun while they are gone, watching lots of movies and just hanging out.  Today we have lots of sports to watch...basketball games start at noon, and we'll catch the Saints/49ers game at 4:30 and the Broncos/Patriots game at 8:00.  Can you say LAZY???  It's nice to have a day like that sometimes, because tomorrow after church we have two hours of basketball practice followed by an hour and a half of baseball. 

This slow time has had me thinking about my new year's "intentions"...I don't really have any solid resolutions, but I do have a few things I "intend" to do this year.  I'm so wanting to complete my Heritage/Family history album (of course, first I need to start it).  I've been doing better about not talking on the phone in my car (it's such a terrible habit!), and I have some home projects that I'd love to get done (our storage room is frightening, and I don't even know where to begin!).  Nothing major, but the days go by fast, and I need to be intentional about setting some goals and breaking them down into manageable tasks.  Will any of these happen?  Check back with me soon, maybe I'll have some updates!

Happy Saturday everyone - have a wonderful weekend!

A Happy New Year Surprise

Happy New Year!  We spent the end of 2011 with the exact same people we started it with...the Psimer, Bunting and Evans families.  The Buntings hosted their annual new year's sleepover, and we all had a ball hanging out, playing lots of ping pong and Rummikube, eating (and then eating some more!), and just catching up with one another.  We had a such a great year in 2011, and I can't wait to see what 2012 will bring.

One thing I know it will bring is my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, and on New Year's Day we all met over at Shannon and Joe's and surprised them with the news that we are taking them to the Atlantis to celebrate!  We have all been talking about going there together for a while, and what better reason than to celebrate such a tremendous milestone.  When my sister and Joe were there back in November they picked up lots of swag for our surprise gift bag.  We put it in a new beach bag that was embroidered with "Meda and Louis, 50 years."

Ta-da!  All ready for the beach!

After sitting them down and getting them situated, I brought in their gift and gave them a poem to read before they opened it.  

Here is what it said:

On a September day in ‘62

Louis Jordan and Meda said, “I do”

Two Russell County sweethearts, barely grown

Soon headed to Florida, now all on their own

Though their quarters were cramped and the money was tight

Days on the beach with their daughter became their delight

The Air Force provided a nice, new career

And soon Jordy was headed to Greenland for a year

Back in Kentucky, Meda passed the time

Taking care of Shannon and praying her sweetheart was fine

A few years passed, with college and newlywed life

And there had never been a happier husband and wife

Back to Florida the young family went

Where wonderful days together were spent

When six years had passed, in what seemed like a whirl

They welcomed another baby girl

Soon Jordy set his sights on the FBI

And thought, what the heck, I’ll give it a try!

Of course the Feds knew this Eagle Scout would be a good hire

Someone trustworthy and dependable, who they would never have to fire

To Dallas they moved, this sweet family of four

In their two-story townhouse, they couldn’t ask for more

Soon the call came to head to D.C.

A long way away from their beloved Kentucky

But that didn’t stop them from turning the page

And opening their hearts to a new life stage

Hanover Avenue brought many good years

Lots of laughter and fun, and no doubt a few tears

But the Bluegrass is where they still longed to be

Near their home and extended family

  

To Virginia they finally said good-bye

It was time to give Louisville, Kentucky a try

This was where the family permanently took root

And over the years, their lives bore much fruit

Their two girls grew up and moved out of the house

And the once messy rooms were now quiet as a mouse

Still young and in love, they had lots of time

To enjoy being alone, and life was sublime

The days went by at a nice, easy pace

And when they became grandparents, there were smiles on their face!

As “Meme” and “Papa” they now became known

With four grandchildren to call their own

Babysitting, home projects and more filled their days

And family life is where their hearts always stayed

For their daughters and grandkids they are always around

Their love and support keeps them all on solid ground

50 years have now passed since they said “I do”

But each day together, their love feels brand new

There have been hard times, that’s for sure

But through the toughest of days they’ve helped one another endure

Now the time has come to pack their bags

With sunglasses, swim suits and Atlantis luggage tags

To celebrate 50 years of wedded bliss

Their family is taking them on a trip they won’t want to miss

Some bright, sunny days they’ll spend in the sand

And do lots of fun things the family has planned

Their kids can’t wait to spoil them for all that they do

And for how they’ve shown them to keep a marriage true

50 years of marriage – what a joy

For a Russell Springs beauty and her Jamestown boy!

After they read the poem they opened their gift and loved going through all their Atlantis goodies.  Shannon and Joe had gotten so much - mugs, shirts, jackets, hats, ornaments, pens, magnets, and more!  

Mom and Dad were so surprised and there were lots of hugs to go around.  

Their anniversary isn't until September, but we wanted to give them this early in the year so that we all have plenty of time to synch our calendars and find the perfect date.  And as we told them...it's such a momentous occasion, we think it should be celebrated for an entire year! We are so excited to take them on this trip - hope they love it! 

And That's Not All!

When my mom and dad returned from Russell County after Christmas, they brought back several goodies for the kids.  Along with generous gifts from their Great Grandmother Lacy and Nila, they delivered a gift from their Great Aunt Nancy (Papa's sister).  Nancy had told me at Thanksgiving that she was working on something special for the kids (although she said they wouldn't appreciate it until they were older).  

She made each of her great grand nieces and nephews a quilted animal made from my grandmother Dorothy's (her mother's) quilts.  Also, around each animal's neck is an embroidered quilted ornament made from Dorothy's bedspread and Pop's ties.  So priceless!  She named each animal after a family member, and she included a letter to each child.  

Meet Sarah Margaret and Louie Wayne

Here is Sarah's letter:

Merry Christmas Sarah!
     My name is Sarah Margaret.  I am named after your great-great-grandmother, Sarah Margaret Bernard Foley, most often referred to as "Sally" or "Granny Foley." 
     From all accounts, Sally Foley was a true pioneer woman, raising her family without running water or electricity!  She always had a huge garden in order to feed her children.  She was the mother to 10 children - Dorothy (your great grandmother), Isabell, Izora, Creola, Carsie, Eldora, Daris, Velmer, Louie and Silas!
     It is also remembered that Granny Foley often read her Bible or devotionals (maybe with 10 kids she had to read her Bible a lot!).  Your Papa says she made the best sugar cookies he's ever eaten!
     I am made from a quilt that was used in your Papa's childhood home, with his mom and dad.  I am actually quite old and maybe a little fragile.  My rough places, paint stains, and coffee freckles are gotten through years of good living in the Antle household.  I hope I can hang around for many years and watch you grow into the beautiful young lady I know you'll be.

And here is John's letter:


Merry Christmas John!
     My name is Louie Wayne.  I am named after your great-great-uncle, Louie Wayne Foley, as was your Papa, Louis Jordan Antle.  Louie was the older brother of your great-grandmother, Dorothy Foley Antle.  Louie Wayne Foley was a man of many talents, mostly remembered as the owner of Foley's Grocery in Jamestown.
     Your Papa, Louis Jordan, remembers that Uncle Louie taught him to drive in a "round about" manner.  Uncle Louie would take Louis J. to Bethel Cemetery to help him mow and trim around the gravestones.  When they were finished, Louis J.'s payment was to drive home from the cemetery!  What a treat!  After Louis J. got his license, Uncle Louie also let him borrow his car to take your Meme on dates!
     Ask your Papa about the "fishing tale!"
     An interesting fact, John, is that your great-great-great-grandfather was also named John - John Antle, born in 1806!
     I am made from a quilt that was used in your Papa's childhood home, with his mom and dad.  I am actually quite old and maybe a little fragile.  My rough places, paint stains, and coffee freckles are gotten through years of good living in the Antle household.  I hope I can hang around for many years and watch you grow into the fine young man I know you'll be.

Well, regardless of whether or not the kids appreciate these gifts yet (and truly, I think they do), I can tell you that I appreciate them so much!  Nancy has always given the best presents...when I was growing up I always looked so forward to her gifts because they were always so thoughtful and creative, and again, she did not disappoint!

Sarah Margaret and Louie Wayne will join their fellow quilted bears that John and Sarah's Nana made them before they were born.  What a precious collection of family history.

A Very Beachy Christmas

On Christmas night we went over to Dick's for more gift exchanging and celebrating.  Dick and MT have been busy the last few months making "beaten biscuits", even using Florencie's biscuit brake (what is that, you ask?)...here's what Wikipedia says about beaten biscuits:  

"Beaten biscuits were once so popular that special machines, called biscuits brakes, were manufactured to knead the dough in home kitchens. A biscuit brake typically consists of a pair of steel rollers geared together and operated by a crank, mounted on a small table with a marble top and cast iron legs."

We took Florencie's biscuit brake out of her basement when she moved (I think it actually belonged to her mother?), and Dick and MT used it to make some delicious beaten biscuits for our Christmas celebration.  MT made a ham spread that I actually liked better than using pieces of country ham - they were all gone in about 2 minutes!

Dick spoiled the kids with even more gifts and stockings!

Pink and black zebra patterned luggage for Syd

Madden '12 for John

A letterman's jacket for Tanner, who earned his
JV letter this year.  This is really cool, because
Dick was the football coach at Eastern High School
for many years, and now his grandson is the QB there - I
love that!

And from one Eastern Eagle to another, Tanner spread a little Eagle love to his Badoo too...

2011 District 6 Champions

And THEN, as if we all hadn't received enough this Christmas, Dick gave us all a very special gift...a week in Wild Dunes in a beach front house!

We are all so excited!  We had so much fun in Wild Dunes last summer, and by the looks of the house that Dick has rented, we're in for an even bigger time this summer!  So generous!

We had a delicious meal of ham sandwiches, cheese grits and creamed peas (John must have eaten nine helpings of peas!), and we spent the rest of the night visiting, goofiing around, playing the Wii and relaxing.  

Sarah wrestles with Aunt TT

Syd and John get ready to eat 

Taylor's friend Ashley and Rich visit

By 9:00pm, we were officially ready for bed.  We had had such a great last couple of days of celebrating, but with the end of Christmas comes physical and emotional exhaustion (it's tough work writing all those letters to Santa!).  We all collapsed in bed that night, so grateful for another wonderful year together.  

Merry Christmas!

When I was a child, most Christmas Eves were spent in Jamestown at Pop and Gran's house (my dad's parents).  Except for a few Christmas Eves spent in Virginia, my main memory is of Pop and Dad getting everyone up at around 5:30 in the morning (I think there may have even been a year or two where we were up before 5:00).  Note, it was not the KIDS getting up at 5:00 am, but the ADULTS!  I always remember waiting outside the living room while my dad went in to check to see if Santa had come...there were always five "kids - me and my sister, and the three Schureman cousins.  When the time was finally right, he would pull open the door and we'd rush in to find five piles of gifts (our Santa gifts were always wrapped).  Well, John definitely has some "Pop" in him, because he woke up for the first time on Christmas at about 3:00 am.  He asked if it would be okay if he played on his iTouch until 7:00, which is the earliest I told him we would get up (I know, my dad and Pop would be sorely disappointed in me!), and we of course told him, "NO!"  At 7:05, he came rushing to our bed to show us what Santa had left under the tree in his room (a UK baseball hat), and I knew there was no going back to sleep.  He went and dragged Sarah out of bed and within minutes we were downstairs experiencing another year of Christmas morning magic.  

There was a new field hockey stick, Kindle Fire and shoes for Sarah, and an airsoft gun, baseball bat and Randall Cobb Packers jersey for John.  Throw in a few fun filled stockings, and you had two happy, excited kids.

She's ready to play! 

Yes, that's a Justin Bieber toothbrush!

Ready for the NFL

After seeing what Santa brought we exchanged gifts with one another.  Sarah gave John a new batting helmet, and he gave her a bottle of Wonderstruck perfume (Taylor Swift's scent!).  This is what he had gone to Macy's for at midnight on Black Friday, and it's been waiting under the tree for her since that very day.  We gave Lawrence a new set of golf clubs, and we surprised the kids with a trip to Copper Mountain over President's Day weekend.  Oh, and I got a Kindle Fire too!  So excited about that...I never am without my Kindle, and now the Fire gives me access to the web and other apps too - love it!  I also got a new camera lens which I can't wait to play with.  

It was so warm on Christmas he actually thought
about playing that afternoon! 

Batter up!

Someone's excited about the ski trip

Copper Mountain, here we come!

New perfume!

After gifts, I cooked our traditional Christmas morning breakfast, which consists of breakfast casserole (using the Joy Class recipe from my Jamestown Christian Church cookbook), potato casserole (also the Joy Class recipe), and cinnamon rolls (the Pillsbury recipe - Sarah's favorite!).  I made some pretty Christmas punch and we sat down to a yummy breakfast.

Breakfast is served

After breakfast we went back to sleep for a while (all of us except John, who trolled the house with his airsoft gun for about two hours), and then Lawrence and I watched "White Christmas".  I had never seen it, and whenever I mention this to people they are shocked, so I rented it that afternoon and Lawrence and I laughed at the movie set and the old fashionedness of it all.  But I have to admit, I cried at the end, and then put on Bing Crosby that afternoon while I was getting ready to go over to Dick's for dinner.  

We had a lovely Christmas day - peace, joy, love, health, and a Savior.  How could I ask for more?