March Madness 2011

May 2010

Another month, another time. We here in Mississippi are surrounded with OIL.Yes, an oil spill that has made world news. Maybe the biggest yet. And they can't find a way to cap it off. The biggest man made disaster yet. First, Katrina and now this spill. Wow, what is the Gulf Coast coming to? Well, we still have our gambling!

April was busy with Birthdays. Mainly, Katie turned 2. The kids grow so fast. I can't wait to see her in July. She looks like such an active and inquisitive young lady.
Her mother says she remembers everything that she is told(and things she shouldn't remember) Such a cutie.

Maleah quietly turned 9. She is growing up very fast. Her Dad rented a movie for her and a friend and they had a quiet evening at home while it tormented them with rain. The next day Nashville was flooded. Bobby just made it home to Portland with Maleah so she could have a family party. In the meantime it rained more and they almost closed all of Nashville while the rivers flooded the city.

This month we have Randy's birthday and a few other relatives...Bob, Monica, Mike C and more important...William Putnam Smith will be born at the end of the month. That's right, Randy will be a Grandpa again. Finally, a boy will appear. We hope that things go well with Becky. Not sure how Ella Grace will react to a baby, especially a brother.

Randy is just home from spending a couple weeks in Louin with family business. He was missed by me and his friendly birds. Glad to have you home Randy.

All for now, I will try to post a few more pics.

March 14, 2010 Louin

Yes, we spent another day in Louin and then went to Newton to see Mama and Daddy(Randy's parents). We finally got to see Ella Grace, Randy's Granddaughter.

It was a real nice day together. Brad and Becky brought Ella Grace to the house and we talked and entertained Ella Grace for a while. She kept herself entertained picking wild flowers and weed flowers. Then she went across the street to see the cows. She did want to pet them, but they we not the petting kind.

We stopped at Palestine Cemetery to take a few pictures for my Smith family tree.

On to Newton to visit Mama and Daddy. They were sleeping in a chair when we arrived. Ella Grace was a bit scared when we got there, but then she relaxed and put some puzzles together while we visited. They did recognize Brad, but not so much Becky.
We had a nice visit and Ella Grace was great. She even let Mama give her a kiss. Betty is her Great Grandmother.

2010 New Year New Surprises...

Wow, does time fly. I almost forgot I had this blog. As you can see, you would think nothing new has happened. Well, last year was really busy and a lot happened. I will come back to that...

We are only a month and a half into 2010 and it has brought us a few surprises already.
I hope most of you watched the Super Bowl. What a game it was. You would have to have believed in the Saints to think they would have won, but win they did, and big time.
We are still celebrating a week later! This was a proud moment for us down on the Coast. Geaux Saints.

I can't say the year started out great. On January 1, Randy and I and his sister, Cheryl and her husband Bill, moved Mama and Daddy from Florence, Mississippi to Newton, Mississippi. It is closer to where they did live and I think they feel a bit closer to home and in an area they know well. On our way home we got a call from Cheryl and a cousin, Kathy McCall had died that morning in Oshoner's, a New Orleans hospital. She was a couple years younger than me. Randy had been very close to her in his younger days. We attended her Memorial and she is at rest now. She had been waiting for a liver transplant and something went wrong and she passed away.Kathy was a really smart and talented person. We will miss her.

Now, we have snow days as it has been really cold, at least for the Coast, and they declared today a snow day. Schools and some businesses closed. Might as well close until next week, as it is also Mardi Gras. Another reason for celebrations and parades. Seems like it is never ending. If only it would warm up a little.

I did get a new computer and I am back working on my Family Tree. Trying to get use to this 23" screen and Windows 7. Then I had to get a printer to go with my computer. Just breaking it in and I am already out of ink!
Family Tree was bought out by Ancestory.com and I bought a new version. It is so different and so much more info now. I am trying to recreate what I lost in Katrina. Maybe this time I will print it out before I lose it again! Better get some more ink.

Before I forget, Randy is going to be a Grandpa again in May. There will be another Smith to carry on the name. This time Brad and Becky are expecting a boy. We can't wait to see this little guy...
I am going to post a few pictures, as our grandchildren are getting so big. Happy New Year everyone.

April in CA

April was a nice time to visit Calif. I went this time to give Amy a Bridal Shower as she is getting married to Mike Cousineau August 15, 2009. They have been together 10 years. They have decided to get married up at LaPorte, Ca, where we have had a cabin in the family a long time. It is a beautiful, quiet place where you can forget everything and be a t peace for a short time.

Anyway, the shower was nice and I think Amy was pleased.
Next was my granddaughter, Katie's first birthday. We had it at Carole and Tom's with a great turnout. I can't say Katie enjoyed it much, but she got a lot of nice things and I am sure she was able to play with all her toys.

Well, back to Mississippi for now, only to return in July to babysit and attend Amy's wedding.

January 2009

Well, here we are again. Another year gone by and another to experience. Can't say the end of 2008 was too prosperous, but we did have a lot of fun. Besides losing part of my retirement, well the rest of my retirement, Randy and I were able to do some traveling to see his parents and all of our Grandchildren.

As for 2009, that's another story. I was lucky enough to make it to the big 60, but I was really fortunate to have my sister come from California to spend it with me. I just love when she comes, because I can have her all to myself. No husbands to tend to, no real cooking, no babies to google at, just Carole and I.Well there is Randy, but he is so good that he just sort of leaves us to do as we please, as he works or plays golf. When we were younger we had so much to do just to keep the family happy that we never spent time together, doing what we want. In the past few years, Carole and I have been lucky enough to go on a few trips, just the two of us. Anyway, back to my big 60 and just Carole and I.

First of all, the three of us went to The Tuscany, for a birthday dinner. I had enough credits at the Hollywood, to get us a delicious steak dinner. Perfect filet's for all three of us and Strawberry Cheesecake for desert. It was just perfect.
On Monday, Carole and I took a little side trip to Natchez, which turned out to be 3 hours away, but we didn't care, because we talked the whole way. We were there by noon, in time for lunch at the Carriage House Restaurant, a cute Southern dining room, located at Stanton Hall-1857. Although, we each had a spinach salad, served in what I call a perfect Southern way, (Southerner's just don't know how to do salad's), the tiny biscuits were delicious though. We then visited the Stanton Hall-1857. It was one of the most magnificent of the Antebellum homes. Stanton Hall is a preservation project of the Pilgrimage Garden Club, furnished with Natchez antiques and some original furnishings of the Stanton family.
We then went on to check into our hotel, The Eola. The Eola is a Grand old Hotel, built in 1927 and renovated in 1998. Arches, chandeliers and marble contribute to this Grand ole Southern Charm. It is located in the middle of old town. There were only three couples staying there, including Carole and I.
We went on to visit other Mansions, my favorite is still Longwood. An octagonal house, never finished, as the owner died. The basement, where the family lived during the building, is still furnished with the original furnishings. Construction took place 1860-1861. Amazing, but it still stands after the Civil War.
Well, Carole and I had a good time visiting and shopping and looking for places to eat and the weather was a little cool, but otherwise a perfect way to keep celebrating my birthday.
We then spent the last night in New Orleans, at Harrah's beautiful new hotel, right across from the Riverwalk. We had fun shopping and we enjoyed the beautiful room. Then Saturday I took Carole to the Airport where she returned to her busy life of work and running around in California, while I went home to our quiet life in Diamondhead, Mississippi.