Ward Ward Weblog

We have been pondering the move to an HDTV for some time now, and finally bought a 42″ LCD.  We now can’t stop watching TV, as long as it is in HD.  We spent an hour watching water polo!  Yes, water polo.  The Olympics have been very exciting to watch on our new TV.

Here is a quick shot:

So, registration went well.  The paperwork has been filed.  The fundraising packets have been sent home.  I’m ready for some sleep. Mary Beth did a great job with the back to school luncheon for the teachers.   I’m so glad to be almost back to normal.  I am NOT going to the school tomorrow.  I’ll have to get my room together next week.  I just can’t do it.  I want to enjoy the last couple of days of summer with my girl.  I’m so tired but, it feels good to be doing something to make others lives easier.  The paperwork has been all over the dining room table and I’m happy to say it’s all alphabetized and back at school.  Steve has been a tremendous help this week.  I thank God everyday for this good man.  He’s cooked, clean up and even mopped the kitchen floor.  I know he thinks I don’t notice everything he does but, I do.

A few months ago, I joined facebook to see some photos of a friends family.  I didn’t do much with it.  I just looked at her page and never wrote anything.  To be honest, I couldn’t see what the big deal was.  Well, this week…all of a sudden…all these people started contacting me.  So, I put a picture up, updated my profile and started writing to people.  Catching up with old friends.  One is one of the first friends I had when I moved to Birmngham in 6th grade.  Amazing how it all works.  So, I’ve contacted some people, added them to my friends list and look forward to hearing from people.  It’s like a little class reunion with out the diet and wearing the spanx that I end up taking off after a couple of hours because I’m laughing so hard I just hurt and don’t care anymore.  I’ve even found some of Steve’s friends through my friends.  What a small world it really is, after all.

My summer is over.  Well, almost.  Let me tell you about it.  Last Spring I got talked into taking a position on the PTO Board as Third Vice-President.  I must have been in a good mood that morning.  Maybe it was the endorphins from my morning run with Steve, maybe it was Spring fever.  What ever it was, I’m now paying for it. The main job of the 3rd VP is to organize and implement school registration.  Registration is this Tuesday and I have to spend the afternoon on Monday setting up.  Somewhere in there I have to get my gray hair covered Tuesday afternoon between sessions of registration.  You know, I have my priorities.  Thursday I have to help with a luncheon for the teachers and staff.  Help and attend.  How do I do two jobs at once?  Oh well, I’ll manage.  Friday afternoon I get to sit in a Child Protection Class so I can keep my job.  Oh, and somewhere in there I’ve got to get supplies for my room, first aid kits and set it all up ready to go for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 13th.  At least Elizabeth has a new backpack and new shoes to start school with.  It was a good summer.  Not long enough, though.  Maybe Wednesday we’ll hit the pool and enjoy the last days of summer vacation.

P.S. If you need kids shoes for school, check out Kicks Shoes For Kids in Patton Creek.  Tell John I sent you!!

Last Wednesday I left for my girls weekend on Kiawah Island.  Six of us piled in a van and made the 8 hour trek to the island.  Four had left on Monday and got everything set up.  Those four were lucky and spent some time at the spa before the six of us got there.  I guess they needed it for all the “work” they did.  We spent two days on the beach and one day in Charleston.  The setting was lovely, the company couldn’t be beat and the food was delicious.  We stayed up late, acted like kids and laughed the whole time.  I don’t think I have laughed that much in…well, I don’t know when.  We all came home stuffed, happy and rested.  Thanks to all the men, babysitters, family and friends who made it possible for us to go.  Oh, and thank you so much to the hostess for planning a great weekend.  I think I just came down from my high, so it’s back to reality for now.  Oh, and next time you’re in South Carolina stop by a liquor store and grab a bottle of Firefly Sweet Tea vodka.  It’s made right outside Charleston and it’s yummy!!!

Every year Terri and I say it.  We always want to but never get around to it.  This year we finally made it!  We drove over to Lincoln, AL and picked bluberries at the Malones.  Wayne and Marie were so nice to invite us out.  Beth and I have been friends since college and she grew up on a lovely patch of land.  They have all kinds of fruit trees and bushes and a vegetable garden.  They even have chickens.  We arrived in Lincoln around 8:30 this morning and we left around 1:00.  Terri and I picked most of the time with a little help from Elizabeth, Beth and Marie.  We can’t believe how many blueberries we came home with and we didn’t make much a dent in the crop.  Marie even took Elizabeth over to see the chickens and they picked a few apples in the process.  Beth’s nephews were visiting so Elizabeth got lucky and had some kids to play with.  We can’t thank the Malones enough for allowing us to come over and spend the morning.  It was so fun and very threrapeutic.  And thanks to Parker and James (the nephews) for letting us have Aunt Beth for a while.  We’re sorry we barged in on your time with her.  Take a look at what we came home with!

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Today is our anniversary.  It’s been 16 lovely and fun years of a roller coaster ride we like to call marriage.  We’ve had our ups and downs, we’ve been through some crazy turns and our lives have been turned upside down at a time or two.  But most of all it’s been fun!!!  And like many a thrill ride, I’d do it all over again!! 

After our run this morning, I went to the coffee maker to pour us a cup o’ joe as I usually do (Steve’s with a bunch of sugar, mine black).  Steve had put my card by the maker last night so I’d see it.  I opened it and read it.  It’s a sweet card not a funny one as he usually gets, but I couldn’t help but laugh.  I quickly told Steve to open his card that was sitting next to his chair.  He laughed as well.  We had bought the same card!  Take a look at the pictures if you don’t believe me.  I’m sure it means something on some psychological level, I’ll have to ask Terri.  I’m sure she will have something to say on the topic.  She will probably even leave a comment, go read it if she has.  I’m sure it will be amusing.  I’m just thinking we made the right choice!!!!  That and we’ll be dressing alike when we’re old.

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Every family has one.  No, it’s not the relative who opens their mouth and says something embarrassing at family gatherings from partaking too much of the drink (although, that’s usually me)  or the relative who thinks they’re hilarious and aren’t (me, also).  It’s the month that the checkbook takes a hit and it’s not December.  For us, it’s birthdays in July.  My sister, Terri, celebrates the whole week of her birthday.  We celebrate everything, all month long.  Just wanted to give a shout out to all celebrating birthdays this month (with an anniversary thrown in there, as well).

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Here we go!!!!  Happy Birthday Blake (July 6), Terri (July 7), Johnny (July 9), Walt (July 12), Fran (July 25), and Aunt Shirley.  Hope it’s a good one.  Happy Anniversary to us.  It’s been 16 years (gosh, it seems longer!) and still going and going and going. 

Oh, and Happy Birthday to my friend, Raine, and Elizabeth’s friend, Ben, both born on July 7th.  Didn’t want to leave the exteded family out!!!!

We made it to another 4th of July festival at Our Lady of Sorrows.  We do the same thing year after year but, it’s never the same.  Elizabeth worked the horse race booth and we were sorry to see it outside this year.  This is one we like to do because it’s usually in Mrs. Westbrooks’ kindergarten classroom that is AIR CONDITIONED!!!  Instead, God was good and made the day not quite as hot like it usually is.  He really looks after us, doesn’t He?  Steve and I headed to the cake booth to win a cake.  We won in less that $10.  I think that’s a record for us.  Then, we spent the afternoon playing bingo (Steve won $15, I won $0) in the FLC while Elizabeth hung out with her friends playing games.  She won a doll and a cake.  So, we came home with two cakes.

That night, we made it back to the parking deck for our annual “party” to watch “Thunder on the Mountain” at Vulcan Park.  The parking deck at church is a great place to watch them.  Thanks Father Muller for allowing us to block off the top, the kids enjoyed it!!  My annual tradition of making homemade ice cream was enjoyed by most and the maker came home empty.  If you didn’t get any, then I guess we need to have another party this summer.  Let me know if you need to be invited!  It was a late, but fun night.  We, of course, were some of the last to leave.

Here are some pictures of Elizabeth and some of her friends.  The first picture is of some of my girls I’ll miss next year at school.  Enjoy!!!

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Here are some more pictures from our final day in SGI.  Included are a sampling of shells we found (including Phillips favorite the olive shell) and one of the last pictures ever taken of the umbrella before the unfortunate drowning.  Hope you enjoy!!!

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Steve gave me a very good lesson tonight about adding pictures to a post.  Here are some pics from the beach.  Now that I have the hang of it, I’ll include more next time.  There are some good pics to see, so keep checking back!

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