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Merry Christmas to all! 2007 has been a good, but hectic year for us. Caroline began her first year at the University of Virginia, and Sarah began her final year at Harvard. Both have done well, and are looking forward to next year. Caroline will be taking a class taught by Larry Sabato - one of those political talking heads you see on TV, and Sarah has begun the job search process.

Nancy is still teaching three year olds, and I am still at the shipyard here in Newport News. We've now been here for twenty years. Hard to believe how fast time flies.

We are going to try to get to Florida this coming summer, and if you ever get up our way please stop in. We'd love to see you. Caroline and Sarah,
Nancy and Mike


From Bernie and family:
Last year was busy, but this year has been a blur. Work and kids activities make schedules obsolete before they are even written.

Nathaniel became a three sport star this year. He played baseball in the spring, leading his team in on-base average. In swimming, he once again qualified for the County swim meet, where his relay team won a ribbon. And to cap it off, he finally got his wish to play football this fall.

Now in the 6th grade, he had the opportunity to join the middle school orchestra. Not afraid to stand out, he chose to play the bass. The orchestra recently performed their first concert, which we enjoyed sharing with Cinda and Ben.

Matthew started high school this fall. One of the biggest adjustments has been the 5:30 a.m. wake-up call … pretty early for a teenager! He continues to amaze us with his guitar skills. This year he and some friends formed a band. They practice every weekend, rotating from house-to-house. A guitarist has a significant advantage in this. It’s much less cumbersome to move a guitar amp than a full drum set.

Jennifer, Matthew and Nathaniel attained the rank of Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do this fall.

Jennifer and Bernie took their fitness kick to the streets, running in the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th. The Peachtree is the worlds largest 10k, with world class runners among the over 55,000 participants. Jennifer followed that up in August by finishing 3rd in the Stonemill 5k in Duluth. She and Bernie enter a different 5k each month and Nathaniel joined the fun in October at the Boo Run in Flowery Branch.

Along with our individual accomplishments, we we’re able to get away as a family to Destin for Spring Beak and to the Petters Family Reunion at Mike and Nancy’s Lake Gaston retreat. Our concert lineup included Blue October, Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park, Queens of the Stone Age and The Foo Fighters, where we were right up front by the stage. Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience for a concert like that!

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2008! Bernie, Jennifer, Matthew and Nathaniel


From Tim and family:
Our family has grown by one very large dog. Bailey was a tiny St. Bernard puppy when we got her last February. As in the movie "Beethoven," she didn't stay small. She has grown to nearly a hundredpounds since, and is still growing. She has graduated puppy training class and minds well, but still thinks she is a lap dog.

Tim is once again working at the Verizon Data Center in Temple Terrace. The commute is half an hour shorter in each direction, giving him more time each day to spend with Debbie and participate in Nicholas' activities.

Nicholas began first grade this fall at Countryside Montessori Elementary. He is doing well in his schoolwork. He played his first season of T-Ball this spring. Tim was one of the assistant coaches and Debbie was a dugout mom. Nicholas is once again practicing karate and will be testing for the next belt level this month.

Debbie's parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in September. Debbie, her sisters, and her brother threw them a surprise party to celebrate. They were able to gather friends and family to Melbourne for the dinner celebration without spoiling the surprise for her parents.


From Susie and family:
Another busy and exciting year for the Davidson’s. It started in Newport, Rhode Island, watching the fireworks over the harbor off Historic Fort Adams. The community there was simply fantastic, everyone was a student at the Naval War College and it was positioned on a National Park site. February I was promoted to COL, and had the honor to have BG Jim Chambers officiate the ceremony. Thanks so much to Aunt Cinda and Aunt Paula for joining us for that event, it was great hosting them for the short time they were there, although we wished it could have been longer. Jennifer got to go to New York City with her band group and got to see “Wicked” on Broadway, she really enjoyed it. Michael continued to play hockey through the year and really got good at it by the end… too bad we moved to Hawaii… I graduated in June with a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Then the fun really began… we left Newport on 19 June, drove to DC that night to pick up Redding. The next morning we traveled south on I95 to see how far we could get … ended up at “South of the Border”…what a hoot! It was such fun sharing the night with Pedro! Although once is probably enough… then onto Atlanta, got there in time to see the Stone Mountain laser show the night of the 21st and spent the next day at Stone Mountain, then met Aunt Cinda and Uncle Ben at the Varsity for a snack before the Braves game on the 22nd. Bernie, Jennifer, Matthew and Nathaniel met us there and it was great to see them all! The 23rd we headed down to Disney’s Key West Resort and visited Disney for four days before heading over to the Disney Cruise at the Cape. Still say it is the best vacation idea ever, we all had a BLAST!! From there we went to visit Tim and Debbie and worked on cleaning the house out, lots got done, but still more to do. It was super seeing Tim and Debbie, and even got to have dinner with Uncle Ralph and Aunt Paula. Then the kids and I returned to Atlanta on the 7th where we were hosted by Aunt Cinda and Uncle Ben, the kids went to their friends place to water ski for a couple days. Really appreciate the hospitality once again in Atlanta. We left there and headed to Moline Illinois to visit Redding’s home. We went out to Dyersville Iowa, to visit the Field of Dreams… another awesome vacation spot, particularly for baseball fans like us! Then, onto Chicago to spend a couple days in the windy city before heading out to Hawaii . We arrived in Hawaii on 16 July, moved in right away, the neighborhood is full of kids the same ages as Jennifer and Michael and they made friends in no time. School started on 1 August and I took command on the fantail of the USS Missouri on 2 August. After taking command, I traveled to Korea, Charleston, (with a quick stop in Atlanta for a game with Aunt Cinda and Uncle Ben… GREAT SEATS!!) and St. Louis. My job certainly keeps me moving. On 11 November, on Eternity Beach in Hawaii, Redding asked me to marry him and I said yes… it was an amazing sunrise that morning… Then on 14 November, I traveled to Kuwait to work for 6 months or so filling a shortfall in a unit here. It’s great professionally, although I miss the kids and Redding tons. They kids adjusting well, keeping their days as routine as possible certainly helps. Ms. Suzette McMahon (a friend’s mother) is staying with them while I am away and she’s the PERFECT choice. They will spend Christmas in Texas and are very excited about that! We are looking forward to 2008, it promises to hold more excitement for our family and we can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion. Please keep our troops in your prayers this holiday season and know that we love you all and our prayers are with you! Happy Holidays! Mele Kalikimaka!
Love, Susie, Jennifer and Michael


From Dean and family:
As the days grow shorter and the sun starts setting before 5 PM, I'm once again reminded that it's time to update everyone on how the North Shore of the US fared this year. While the Cavs and the Indians made strong runs into the playoffs, the real shock here is that the Browns are starting to show life after a decade best compared to the first decade of the Buccaneers. Whether that trend continues remains to be seen, but things are good now...

Once again, Anne's had a busy year. In addition to keeping our house running, Anne is now room mom for both Tony's & Carrie's classes and a lunch monitor twice a week. In addition to that busy schedule, Anne was asked to be on the Holy Cross school board, and on the planning committee for “Life on the Lake”, the school's annual fundraising dinner and auction. She's had a busy year, but the next few months should ratchet it up a couple notches. And on top of all this, Anne still enjoys her stamping and card-making hobbies.

Tony is now in 4th grade at Holy Cross. He played baseball over summer and has just started CYO basketball. His favorite subjects are still math and science, and he repeated as spelling bee champion for his class. This summer he really enjoyed going to his Uncle Mike's and loved knee boarding and tubing.

Carrie finished preschool last spring and is now halfway through all-day kindergarten at Holy Cross. She's adjusted very well to being in a much larger class. She's making new friends and really taking well to school. She also thoroughly enjoyed her kneeboarding experiences while on the beautiful Lake Gaston.

I'm still working in the test and verification area for NASA's next manned launch vehicle, Orion. I'm currently working on building a dynamic fluid simulator of the service module propulsion system and should be starting testing by mid-2008. Some of my time at home has opened up now that I've finished my term on the Holy Cross Parish Pastoral Council, but much of that has been claimed back by being on a couple less demanding committees, one at the diocesan level working on new guidelines for Pastoral Councils and also as a member of the Holy Cross Endowment board.

As the year nears an end, these North-Coast residents wish everyone a merry Christmas season and a safe and happy 2008.

Anne, Dean, Tony & Carrie Petters


From Brian and family:
Well, another year has come and gone, and we are left wondering where the time went.
2007 was a pretty quiet year for us. Brian stayed in essentially the same job, writing courseware for the Air Force's Squadron Officer School. He still plays in the local community band and loves every minute of it. He did finally start his Masters degree program by taking courses in adult education at Troy University Montgomery.
Vicki still homeschools Leo and Henry. She enjoys the time she spends making sure they have a firm foundation in their studies.
John is now a Sophomore at Montgomery Catholic High School. He is still in the band and loves it, making the District Honor Band in his first year trying. He served as Senior Patrol Leader in his Boy Scout Troop, the highest responsibility a boy can have. He essentially led the troop as it prepared for and went to summer camp. His leadership helped the troop garner the "Best Campsite" award for an amazing seventh year straight. He is very close to getting his Eagle rank and should do so next year. He turned 16, but has not started really driving yet--that will come soon enough.
Ben started school outside the home this year when he became a Freshman at Montgomery Catholic. He plays trumpet in the marching band and was also chosen for District Honor Band the first year he tried. He was a Patrol Leader and earned the rank of Life Scout. If John doesn't hurry, Ben will make Eagle before him. He and John put up and take down the flag at school each day.
Leo played football again this year and was a starting guard on his team. His coaches really liked his enthusiasm and his attitude, and often commented on his improvement. Leo did get the chance to accompany Brian to the SEC Championship Game and watch the LSU Tigers beat Tennessee. He also is progressing well on his piano lessons, though he is a bit shy about playing in front of people. He and Henry enjoyed the time at Mike's on the water this summer. Thanks, Uncle Mike! Henry isn't shy about playing the piano. He loves it and has shown a true knack for it. He is also getting ready for his Sacraments, having just gone through his first confession. He still is very cuddly and still doesn't like green beans. He just lost one of his front teeth.
Next year promises to be very interesting as Brian will spend most of it in Afghanistan. He is getting hit with a 365-day deployment, arriving in-country by March 24th. Before that, he will attend two months of training with the Army, so he will be leaving in late January. Vicki and the boys are still getting used to the idea, but that's the life of an Airman. Please keep him in your prayers.

We hope you have a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!


From Connie and Thom:
Season’s Greetings to everyone.

Another year has passed. Along with Thanksgiving, so I need to get busy with my newsletter up date for the year.

In January, we lost Jimmy, he will surely be missed. Around the 10th of the month, a lady I had worked with several years ago came by an offered me a part time job, helping her out as she had an employee, walk out on her and she needed help. So I agreed to help her out for a while till she could get a replacement for the position that was empty. So I worked 3 days a week from about 9:00 a.m. till about 4:30 p.m. and the other days I did errands and etc. for Lanny and picked Chris up from school and took him home. (When ever he needed me to) This part time job with my friend lasted about 2 months.

Then in March, toward the end of the month, we had the roof replaced on the house. That had been damaged during the 2004 hurricane season. I changed the color from a dark red/orange to a light green – almost white. Makes the house look somewhat different, it took a while to get use to the lighter roof.

Then Easter came along, April 8th and we had breakfast for all the kids – grand kids. We had a total of 22 people (and 4 Jack Russell boys) then on April 14th when I came home from Church – my garage was flooded, the water holding tank blew out at the bottom. So we had the water tank replaced. Then on the 23rd, I was having flooding in my master bath room. So we called a plumber to see why I was having a slow draining tub. They came out the next day to give me a quote, so I figured while they would be taking up the tub; they found the pipe between the tub and drain pipe to the septic tank had completely disintegrated, maybe they would tile the walls around the tub. Sure enough they would do the tiling, so we had both bathrooms tiled. That was enough repairs for several years. ( I hope- when it rains it pours.)

It was around that time Cinda sent me placemats to bind and they are still in the box. I hope to finish the binding before Christmas. (That’s my GOAL any way.)

Fast forward to July, my military ID was due to expire on the 14th of the month. And around the first of the month, I received a Medicare card in the mail. So I was able to take it to the Base and update my ID card with the Medicare information to be effective October 1st. That’s right – I’m officially an Old Fogy. {The doctors at the base will not care for me any more but the base will still fill my prescriptions, x-rays, and labs, as needed.} So I had to get copies of medical records from my surgeries and tests by doctors outside the base, for my Medicare doctor.

Then on July 31, Rebecca had her baby, on Hunter’s and Bill Z’s birthday, she is in good company.

Jessica Converse and Alan Gaskin were married September 9th. Beautiful Wedding. Good food, thanks to Duane’ cooking talent. Margie did good, a great job of hosting as usual. Love You all.

During the year I’ve been attending a small group Bible Study. Last year we did the Bible Timeline w/ Jeff Cavins. This year we did on Matthew, and Revelations. We are starting the Act of the Apostles all with Jeff Cavins via DVD.

I have been quite busy all year. I’m in reasonable good health- no complaints so far –except I sure do like eating, and don’t get enough exercise. I’m to go back to the Dr. again next week to refill my medications.

Thom has changed jobs this year. Last year he was working with Publix. Now he has enrolled in New Horizon – IT School. In the meantime he is delivering the Tampa Tribune every night/ morning.

Thom is enrolled in a course, which will enable him to receive several certifications in the IT field. Some of the courses are in A+; Network+ , Microsoft MCP 2272, with 2274, 2275, 2276, Security + and CCNA.

We send our Love to everyone
God Bless each of you an hope you each have a prosperous New Year


From Mary and family:
Hello to all and Happy Holiday's to All. Hope everyone has a blessed year to come.
This pasted year has just flew past so fast. Here we are once again sending uncle Dan our information for the year and we love him for all he does to make this for us.
Well I am Still with Publix just a different Store.
Joe well is a different story unfortunately the company he worked for ALCOA the one in plant city got sold to another company and they laid off alot of people including Joe around the October. So things are a little tough but with the lord things will work out.
Well with Chris this is his last year at Saint Leo University, and he is still doing a great job and making me proud. And I know he is doing a lot of studying and some times gets mad and fluster. But I have Faith it will all work out.
And for Tiffany well she has started High School ( oh boy) And yes she has a boyfriend, and don't know if we like that thought yet but we will have to see what happens. She is doing good so far all A's and one B. So can't complain yet.
Other then that not to much of any thing is going on we are going Thu the normal daily work and home and school and all that. And of course I pray every day that we keep having good days with nothing major to worry about to stress over and so far so good.
Well I send my prey's and Love to all and a special prayer for Susie to have a safe trip and return back to home and family.
Love you all
Mary, Joe, Chris & Tiffany


Happy Holidays to all from the Joe Carr Family:
Happy Holidays to all!

Well, let’s see what happened in the Carr/Felts household in 2007…
In late December of 2006 we sold our house and moved to Bridgewater Subdivision in Wesley Chapel. In March Joe was promoted to Deli Assistant Manager for Publix. He had an opportunity very rare to newly promoted employees. He was given the opportunity to open a brand new Publix at Connerton in Land O Lakes. Where he is currently still managing. In November of this year he is testing for Deli Manager. Once that is done he just has to wait for a position to open up. As for me I’m still at the same job I’ve been at for 19 years.

Now for the girls….
Amy graduated from Wesley Chapel High School in May of this year. In August she started college classes at PHCC. Believe it or not she has already changed her mind on her major. So she is working part time and going to school full time. If you are ever up in Land O Lakes at the Connerton Publix say hi to her as well. She has been with Publix for a little over a year now.

Baylee started the 4th grade. She made AB Honor Roll for the very first time. She is still taking tumbling lessons. She finally got moved up to intermediate classes. She is in her second year of Girl Scouts. She just started her 4th year of Odyssey of the Mind.

Nichole started the 9th grade at Brunswick High School. She decided this summer that she wanted to give living with her mom a try. So in August she moved to Ohio to live with Cheri and her new husband Mike.

Well I think that is about it for us. We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2008.

Joe, Amy, Baylee, Nichole and Amy (plus the pups)


From Jerry and family:
Hello all I hope everyone has had a wonderful year. Not much has really happened this year with the exception of the housing market taking a dive resulting in me having to go back to doing electrical (I am getting to old for this line of work). I joined a hunting club up in Alabama and have had a wonderful time going up there and enjoying the woods. Kelly is doing well and received a promotion at work and has moved in to Contacting. Jessica is in the 8th grade and is still swimming and started playing basketball. Noah is in the 6th grade now, he played baseball and determined it moves to slow for him he would rather ball soccer, football or basketball. Both kids are doing well in school and enjoying it a lot. We bought a new camper this year and have really enjoyed being able to go camping and not work at setting everything up.

Mary Christmas and happy New Year to all
Love
Jerry, Kelly, Jessica, and Noah


From Kathy and family:
Hello All,

We have all been so busy, it seems like this year has just slipped by. Justin graduated from high school this year. He is now attending HCC and working for his dad part time. Kelly and Justin just got back from hunting in Missouri. They did very well and had a great time. Hunter was on the sixth grade Math team last school year and they placed first in the county. Hunter placed fourth overall for sixth graders in the county. He is now in the seventh grade attending a brand new middle school "Charles S Rushe". It is a very nice school and he is making all A's. Sierra is in the third grade now. She was bery excited about going to third grade because they actually get ABC grades. She is also doing very well and loves her teacher. Sierra is still dancing. She is taking Tap and Ballet and is on a Tap Team that performs at various functions around the area. I am still working at St. Josephs Hospital in Tampa and still love my job. My work is sending me to Colorado the week before christmas for some training on a navigation system. It should be exciting. Although I haven't seen snow for many years and am not sure what to expect with the cold weather. In closing I would just like to wish you all a Happy Holiday and Healthy New Year.
Love, Kelly, Kathy, Justin, Hunter and Sierra Himes


From Dan and Barbara:
Greetings from Dan and Barbara,
Like all of our family the year 2007 began with sadness as we had to say goodbye to Jimmy. We are truly sorry that we couldn’t physically be there for the celebration of his life but please know we were there in our hearts. A close personal note is that Dan and I not only lost a brother-in-law but a good friend of many years. From the first time I (Barb) met Jimmy he warmly welcomed me into the family with his wonderful smile and offered his friendship. Jimmy was always there along with Margie to help us in any way they could when we began our endeavor to settle in St. Joe and begin a new career as dairy farmers. We had a tough time but Jimmy was always willing to lend a hand and if anything else, just to listen. Even though we ended up selling the dairy and moving away we never forgot the kindness Jimmy always showed. He is missed by all who knew him.
Dan and I have continued to travel the USA, coast to coast and feel very fortunate to be free enough to do so. Thanks to all of our Military to give us the freedom we have in the “Good Ole USA!”
Our travels brought us to many states to be able to see many of our old friends from High School Days to Navy Days and had a wonderful time visiting with each and every one of them. Of course the main highlight of traveling is that we spent loving times with our immediate family and enjoying every minute of being Grandparents. We were excited about being able to baby sit again this year while Laurie traveled with JR to Colorado. It keeps you young and in shape when you chase around the little ones and try and keep up with a teenager. We have wonderful Grandchildren and are always thrilled to see them and at times have them travel with us. They grow up so fast and we thank God everyday for all the times we get to spend with our children and grandchildren. God has blessed us with many family members that we were able to visit in our travels. It was wonderful being able to spend long visits and sightseeing trips with Ben and Cinda. We felt fortunate to be neighbors for a while and we had a great time. We haven’t been able to spend much time with them before now and it was quite a treat having family close enough to visit often. Our timing to be in Atlanta was perfect for we had the bonus of seeing Paula as she had work related travel to Atlanta. We sure were excited to see her even for a short period of time. Of course we always enjoy staying in Ralph and Paula’s backyard (in our RV) when we are in Florida. Just to walk up the path and see them whenever we want is heartwarming. They always welcome us with lots of love and they are wonderful to be around. We were sorry about Ralph’s ladder escapade but we are glad he is healing quickly although we are sure he feels like it’s taking a lifetime!!
This year for the first time in many years we will be in Florida for Christmas. It will be wonderful to get to spend some time with some of the family even for a short period of time. What a nice Christmas present for both of us being with family after living so far away for so many years.
Some very special friends of ours of 40 years are now living in Ocala area and we are excited about being able to visit with them over the holidays too. We usually try and stop to see them in Pennsylvania each time we are back east and now they aren’t far away at all.
Dan and I will continue to travel the USA and we do enjoy seeing all the beautiful areas we have visited and doing all the touristy things. There is so much to see and so many places to go, we feel blessed to live in this wonderful country. We also hope to get to visit with more family along the way. You never know when we will be in your neighborhood!!
We want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year and look forward to seeing you over the Holidays.

Oh! I forgot Dan is really happy again this year; “He doesn’t have to hang any Christmas Lights”!!! I will have to find some just for Motorhomes!!!!!!!
Love to All,
Dan and Barbara


From Laurie and family:
I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I’ve heard the older you get, the faster the year goes by. I know for sure that if you have kids this is definitely true! As some of you know I have been selling Avon. I am entering my 5th year of selling! This past year I reached the first sales level of President’s Club. I’ve been busy canvassing the area around my town and recruiting new representatives reaching the level of Unit Leader. I’m getting ready to wrap up a fundraiser for a local cheerleading group. I will be selling Avon products again this year at the elementary school’s Holiday Bazaar. I was able to do a really big event in early October, the 11th Annual Grape Harvest Festival at our local “Brotherhood Winery.” There were buses that came up from the City. I was able to hand out 300 brochures with flyers and samples. I am planning to be there again next year. I really enjoyed meeting new people. I still get together with my neighbors and friends on Friday nights and we stamp. It is a nice ending to a busy week for me.

JR, Group VP of IP Services for Mediacom, is still working very hard and long hours at his job. Being in charge of the Mediacom Lab (located in Goshen, not Chester, as I stated last year…oops!) has added extra work, but at least he is in the same location as his employees that report to him. Mediacom is the 8th largest cable company in the country. His job takes him out on the road a few times a year. He has visited Iowa a couple of times and the southern states as well. He has had to make a few day trips to the City for various meetings. He and a guest (that would be me) were invited to the City for the US Tennis Open. It was great, we got to see Maria Sharapova and Andy Rodick both play (not each other of course!). He was also invited to dinner and a Broadway show “Spring Awakenings!” It was great! Nick is a super baby sitter!

Nick, what a great young man he is turning into. His summer was spent in summer school. He missed out on a few activities this summer so I don’t think he will do that again! He is a junior this year, Yikes!!! He is doing well in school now. I still have to keep in touch with his teachers to make sure though. I like the email thing, he misses an assignment and his teachers email me same day! He still likes the 4 block scheduling. The classes are 90 min long so he will complete a whole years’ class in half a year. He is attending BOCES, a local technical college campus for half of his school day. He is in Computer Assisted Design (CAD). He is doing very well in that class! He enjoys playing games on the computer and console games. This year he has gone to a football game at the high school. He also likes to spend time with his friends at a place called Gamerz Net, an inter/intranet computer gaming place. I am hoping that he will get a part-time job and maybe his driver’s license this year.

Rhapsody is my little miss helper! We bake brownies and cookies for bake sales for Nick’s school. I signed her up for gymnastics at a place called The Little Gym. I just love their program. I take her once a week for one hour. She enjoys going and is learning to follow direction very well. She started preschool this year: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for 2½ hours. One of my friend’s daughters from my stamping group is in her class. She has also made some new friends and loves going to school. She is learning so much, the things she comes home with…it is great!

Samantha is my little animated drama star! She interacts with TV shows like The Little Einstein’s and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I catch her singing and dancing all the time. She is becoming very independent also, wants to do everything herself. On Monday mornings while Rhapsody is in preschool, we have a mommy and me class at the same preschool, for 1½ hours. She really likes to go. Everyday we drop Rhapsody off she wants to know if we can go downstairs to her class. Then on Friday we have a mommy and me gymnastics class at The Little Gym, again while Rhapsody is in preschool.

This summer, before we had a house full of parents; we took the girls to the Bronx Zoo. They had a great time seeing all the different animals. My folks along with JR’s folks came to visit. JR’s parents flew in from California. My parents drove their brand new motor coach from the west coast. They were all here in time to celebrate Samantha’s 2nd birthday. We had a luau. It was great fun! We bought a super water slide this summer. Our kids plus a few of the neighbor kids (those under 100lbs) enjoyed it as well. Glenn and Shirley, JR’s parents, built a teeter totter that turns in a circle like a merry go round for the kids. The kids all sing ring a round the rosy while playing on it. Shirley, Mom, the girls and I went to the NY Aquarium in Brooklyn. The girls seemed to like seeing all the underwater fish and animals. It was a little smaller than I had imagined it would be but we had a great time. While my parents were still here, I was able to take the trip to Key Stone, CO again with JR, for his Cable Lab Conference. To avoid the altitude sickness, this year I drank lots of water and did not try to over do it the first day. I drove to another ski town called Breckenridge and wondered around in the morning then had lunch at Bubba Gump’s. If you get a chance to eat there, I think the food is great! I was also able to meet up with Amy, Evan and Josh in Georgetown for lunch, a train ride and a silver mine tour. The train broke down and we had to wait 1½ hrs for the rescue train to come get us! I had a great time visiting with them. I sure miss having family around to hang out with. Mom and Dad then left for vacation at Lake George, they took Nick with them, and he was keeper of the fire! He took his job very seriously. Then we, JR, the girls and I, went up to vacation for a few days as well. We stayed in a small cabin at the same campground. We all went to the Magic Forest Amusement Park. That is where the famous diving horse is. Unfortunately it had just rained, so the ramp was too wet for the horse to dive. The girls really enjoyed riding the kiddy rides, Nick, not so much! We also took a paddle boat ride on the lake. It was a drizzly day but it was beautiful. The girls got to go on pony rides, they really enjoyed that. Come to think of it they pretty much like to do everything!

I think that is all we could jam into this year, let’s see what we can do next. Looking forward to hearing all about all your adventures! I hope all is well with everyone during this joyous season and throughout the year. Love to all!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!


From Briana and family:
Jason, Halli, and I have had a great year and are looking forward to another. My husband Jason is an apprentice plumber and enjoys his job very much. It requires alot of lifting, mathmatical knowledge, and big muscles! (ha ha) He was suppose to be going to college to get his journeymans license but he didn't get enrolled for the classes in time. He is looking forward to starting that next year.

Nick, what can I say, he is doing quite a bit better in school this year. He is a sophomore. He likes the 4 block scheduling much better than taking 7 classes. He only has 4 classes each day. The classes are 90 min long. He will complete a full year of Math, Science, English, Science Lab, and PE (Lab and PE rotate days) in only half a year. The second half of the year, he will take 4 new classes. He enjoys playing games on the computer and console games. This year he has gone to a dance and a basketball game at the high school. I like that he is getting out more with his friends.

Halli is just growing and growing. It's amazing all the new and different things that she does every week. It's very exciting to be a mom and rewarding as well. She is starting to talk sooo much and it's great, I can understand her, yeah! I have learned that you end up understanding them regardless. She had her second birthday in August and it was alot of fun. At her party we had three red headed little girls in one spot, it was great!!! (Halli has copper red hair) We gave her a puppy as an early Christmas present and she loves him so much. His name is Willis. He is a border collie and austrailian sheppard mix. Jason calls him a mutt but I beg to differ (ha ha). He is just so cute!

I have had a pretty good year too. There is always the ups and downs and all arounds but I think that I am doing pretty well as a young mother and wife. One of these years I will be able to go to one of the family reunions and meet some of you that haven't met me and my family. It would be nice to see everyone that I know too. If any of you would like to write me, my email address is: briana_banana182@hotmail.com.

We have had a pretty great year and Jason and I are looking forward to year number three as a married couple!!!

I hope that you all have a great year. Happy holidays!!!


From Cinda and Ben:
Merry Christmas to all from Atlanta!

January 2007 started off sadly with Jimmy’s “graduation” during the first week. He has been so missed this year, but will continue to be always in our hearts.

We had a couple of happier events in Florida later that month with Margie’s and Paula’s “big” birthday celebrations.

In early February, Paula and I flew to Rhode Island to attend Susie’s promotion to Colonel. What a wonderful ceremony! We’re so proud of Susie and Jen and Michael. (There is a separate trip report elsewhere in the newsletter with more details.)

In March, Rebecca’s mom, her sister, and I hosted a baby shower for Rebecca (Ben’s daughter). Ben and I made her a lime green and hot pink log cabin quilt with a Rosie Bear medallion in the center (colors and pattern per her request…. to be used as a wall-hanging for the baby’s room.) Yes, she was expecting a girl!

In April, Ben and I started volunteering as ushers for Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre. We’ve had a great time working many fun events (ballets, musicals, and concerts). Among our favorites were Dreamgirls, Celtic Woman, STOMP, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, and West Side Story.

In May, Camille Skye Long (Millie) was born. She has stolen our hearts, needless to say!

In June, I headed back to Florida to attend Rebecca True’s baby shower in Orlando. Since our high school Reunion of the Decades was scheduled for the following weekend, I decided to hang around Florida for the week. So I scheduled lunches with my sisters (including Paula). Ben flew down on Friday in time to have dinner with our former Smyrna neighbor who had moved into Melda and Jack’s neighborhood in New Tampa! Melda chaired the committee that sponsored this Reunion of the Decades on Saturday, and what an amazing time we all had. Thanks, Melda, for you and your class hosting the best party yet!

Later in June, we were invited to a baseball game with Redding, Susie & family and Bernie &family. How fun…we even had fireworks after the game! Go Braves! Speaking of Redding, we’re so glad that you and Susie found each other, and that she’ll be sharing you with us!

In July, Susie, Jen and Michael stopped over in ATL again for a few days on the end of their summer Florida vacation, as they would soon depart for their new domicile in Hawaii.

Then we were treated to a very special (long-weekend) visit from Margie. We not only got to spend time showing off our quilt machine, we actually, accomplished some quilting with it! Thanks, Margie, for coming to spend time with us. Every moment was delightful! (The only glitch in the weekend was Margie’s non-stop drive home due to a nearly dead car battery!)

In early September, I had the privilege to be a stand-in nanny for beautiful little 5-week old Leah True. What a total joy that was! And then, as if I wasn’t having more fun that anyone should be allowed to have, I got to attend dear Jessica and Allen’s beautiful wedding and reception.

One of the great things about September is that college football season brings Alexa, Chris and Ryan to ATL more often. This year, Ryan is old enough to attend “day” games. We understand he has become one of Georgia Tech’s biggest and loudest fans! He is such fun for us!

In October, we attended Ryan’s 4th birthday party. This year’s theme was dinosaurs. There are no words to describe how cute a dozen four year olds look in jungle vests and pith helmets “on safari” looking for dinosaurs.

Though I wouldn’t wish work on anyone, we were so pleased that Paula had two trips to Atlanta this fall. She even got to see a bit of the fall color while here. In spite of the lack of rain, Georgia’s trees did make a beautiful showing.

October and November also brought several “day” visits with Dan and Barbara, as they made their way south in their motor coach from New York to Florida. It was great having them as “neighbors” off and on for two months! And thanks so much for getting us out to see some of our own local “attractions”, esp. the Civil War and Locomotive Museum at Kennesaw, Ga and the Microcar Museum in Madison, Ga.

Ben and I got to spend a long weekend in Orlando in mid-November with Leah True while her parents took a long-overdue and much-deserved weekend trip. We took advantage of that time to have Thursday lunch with Ralph and Paula. (Thanks, Ralph, for breaking your arm, so you’d have the time off!) Melda and Jack came over on Friday evening, so we (and Leah) basically got to “party” most of the weekend!

Rebecca and Jacade hosted us for Thanksgiving this year. What a great family event that was! Jacade your fried turkey is THE BEST! We’ll be spoiled forever.

We wish all of you a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2008. Thanks to each of you for your love. A special thanks to Susie, Brian and all those who serve and have served in the military. We appreciate you for giving so much to preserve the freedom in this great land. Thanks also to those who work behind the scenes to support our wonderful nation and/or our military.

Love, Cinda and Ben


From Alexa and family:
Hello everyone!

We hope this Christmas season finds everyone joyous and well! It’s hard to believe another year has passed so quickly.

A highlight for us this year was taking Ryan to Walt Disney World for the first time. What a joy to see everything through the eyes of a (then) three-year-old! He was a little unsure about Goofy – he seemed to think that you can’t trust a dog in gloves! – but otherwise, LOVED everything!

We were also fortunate to take a driving tour through the northeast this summer. We started by visiting the Crayola Museum, Dutch Wonderland, and the Hershey Museum in Pennsylvania. We then spent some time at the beach on Long Island with Chris’ aunt before going into Manhattan and exploring the Natural History Museum and Central Park. Ryan found a new love of dinosaurs after seeing them at the Natural History Museum – both he & I now know much more about dinosaurs than I ever thought I would! We finished the trip by visiting Baltimore and showing Ryan the house where we lived when he was born.

Another exciting event this year was welcoming Ryan’s cousin Millie! He adores her, and wants to know when she’s going to start walking and talking so they can play together!

We wish everyone a joyous holiday season and a wonderful year!

Love,
Chris, Alexa & Ryan Lupfer


From Rebecca and Jacade:
Greetings from Griffin, GA?

Hope all is well with everyone. Our biggest news of the year is our daughter, Camille Skye ’Millie’ Long was born Monday, May 7, 2007. She weighed 8 lbs., 6 oz. and was 20 inches long. Ben and Cinda came to the hospital to celebrate and help out. She is now 7 months old and has two teeth and weighs about 18 pounds. It’s amazing how fast they grow! She is sitting up well and almost sleeping through the whole night. She has really been a joy and we’re so thankful to God for her.

I’m still working at the newspaper, back to full-time, but only having to work 4 days a week. Millie stays with a good friend of ours from church and that has worked out really well so far. Jacade is still in business for himself. He now has a business partner and they are in the process of buying a large development of homes in Griffin to redevelop. And he also purchased Pete’s Pool Room in Griffin and is trying to decide what to do with it. So, needless to say, he’s very busy.

Hope everyone is doing well and we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Rebecca, Jacade and Millie Long


From Melda and Jack:
Dear family,

Now we are again counting the days ‘til Christmas.  It’s been quite a year.  Of course, losing Jimmy was a sad way to start off 2007. 

The springtime was very busy for me coordinating the Pasco High School Reunion of the Decades which was held in June.  It was fun catching up with so many people and all the hard work paid off as the event was a great success.  A record number attended and a record amount of donations to college scholarships for PHS alumni were made.

Later on in the summer we were blessed with another grand-daughter, Leah.  She is as precious as can be.  Rebecca and Travis are doing a great job combining parenting with their careers. 

Since Rob’s wife, Casey, is still teaching and coaching high school varsity girls basketball–Jack and I get to spend lots of time with Laney and Landon . . . Laney is quite the young lady at 3-1/2 and Landon, who is almost two, is all-boy.  His vocabulary is expanding every day.  He calls me Dora–either I remind him of Dora The Explorer–or it’s short for “aDORAble” ole lady!

Jack’s mother, Katherine, continues residing at the memory care unit at Lake Shore Villa Assisted Living in Tampa.   She still greets us with a smile and a kiss–even though she doesn’t always remember where we fit into her life.

Jack and I enjoyed following the USF Bulls all the way to #2 in the national football rankings even though it only lasted for a week, like most other teams that made their way to #2 this season.

We continue to keep all our military personnel and their families who sacrifice so much for our freedom in our prayers, especially Susie and Brian.  Thanks to Dan and Barbara for all their effort in putting the family news together.  We’re truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Hope each of you has a wonderful Christmas and a new year filled with good health and happiness.

Love to all,
Melda and Jack


From Rebecca and Travis:
2007 has gone by so quickly and we are looking forward to everything that’s in store for 2008! We’ve had so many wonderful changes for the True family this year --- the most important being the arrival of our daughter, Leah Kaitlyn on July 31st. She’s happy and healthy and growing faster than we can believe. Reagan (our dog) has adjusted well to being a big “sister”.
We completed the construction of our new home and moved into it in May. Just in time to get a few boxes unpacked and somewhat settled for Leah. We are still learning to manage the routine of limited sleep and so unpacking the rest has landed on the proverbial back burner.
In June, it was really nice to catch up with Monica, Ralph and Paula, Connie, Margie and Cinda, and my Mom and Dad who ventured over to Orlando for a day trip. Dan and Barbara, we missed you, but hope we will see you over the holidays before you head back West.
Travis made several business trips to New York City and Ireland this year, a trip to Budapest, and a two week long trip to India. My passport went completely unused in 2007 as I’ve stayed home and held down the fort. Barcelona is on Travis’ agenda for the spring, and I’m hoping Leah and I can tag along.
I didn’t take much time off from work when Leah was born, and we had a lot of difficulty working out the right childcare arrangement. We were so fortunate that Cinda was able to pack her bags on a moment’s notice and come down to help out for a number of weeks. She made several trips from Atlanta and we are incredibly grateful for her spending time with us and for everything she did to help us with Leah.
We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year! Love, Rebecca, Travis, and Leah


From Rob and family:
It's hard to believe it has been another year already. They seem to continue to go by quicker and quicker. We were fortunate to have another great year. In January, we celebrated Landon's first birthday. He's a growing boy with a great personality and like his parents he loves basketball. In February, Casey's basketball team made the State Final Four for the second time in three years. She was named Coach of the Year by the St. Pete Times and Tampa Tribune. Laney turned three years old in May. Laney is a terrific young girl that never ceases to amaze us.

In July, we were pleased to help welcome Baby Leah into the world. Her cousins are constantly asking about Leah and you can tell they will have a tight bond growing up. Laney successfully completed swim lessons in August. In October, Casey and I took a cruise to Cozumel with Casey's brother Matt and his wife Brooke. While we are fortunate to have my parents to be able to help significantly on a daily basis with the kids, having them watch Laney and Landon for a brief respite from the real world was especially nice. We celebrated Thanksgiving in Arkansas with Casey's family. The kids handled flying on a plane better than expected and they loved hanging out with the Pruitt family. Now we're just getting ready for the holiday season and all that it entails.

We wish everyone a happy holiday season and the best of New Years!

Sincerely,
Rob, Casey, Laney, and Landon


From Monica and Herman:
Greetings to all! Hope you are all well and safe!

This year started out with surgery for Herman. Just before he had surgery, his nephew, Jerry Schrader, passed away. Jerry was not only Herman’s nephew, but also a wonderful friend and Herman’s attorney. He will always be missed, and fondly remembered. After a difficult time, Herman is doing very well now. He is still working full-time, and often works harder than he should, but occasionally he can take it a little easier and sometimes can even come home for a little rest during the day. I’m grateful when his day is a little easier. It would be nice if he could retire, but he doesn’t just “DO” citrus farming, he “IS” a citrus farmer…He really doesn’t know how to stop, and doesn’t know what he would do if he chose to stop. So I think about what Mom used to say, “It’s ok to wear out, but it would be a sin to rust out!” Herman will never rust out!

My work is full of opportunities to grow! I’m growing in patience, and learning more every day. Of course, I have to, because I don’t know enough about anything!! I’ve started laughing more though, and lightening up about it and asking God for help with programming problems, writing queries, and everything else, and He never fails.

We thoroughly enjoyed our family reunion again this year! It is so good to see everyone that has the opportunity to come! The time just passes so quickly!

I spent some time with Shelley and her family this year . I’ve been working with Luke for a while, and his reading has improved so much! When Shelley went in the hospital, I had the opportunity to spend more time with Hunter, and got to know him a little better, too. He’s a very bright and funny child. He’s also very interested in art work at the moment. Then there’s precious little Sarah! She is such a blessing!

Natalie has been burning the candle at both ends, and I’ve had more opportunities to spend with her, too. Sometimes I take my lunch by her house and eat and talk and run. It’s nice just to get away for a little while, and Natalie is always upbeat and has lots of great ideas!

I go visit Mandi and her family every year for a week in September, and this year I went just after they moved into their new place in Virginia. Chase and I spent a lot of time together playing with dinosaurs (he kept explaining to me that they couldn’t go to the “Mysterious Beyond”, and I kept calling it the “Great Beyond”), and I also followed him around the yard while he caught grasshoppers. I got so tickled at him when he would say, “I got it! I got it! I definitely don’t got it!” Made me think of work!! Lane has grown so much and is doing really good work in school, and has mastered some video games (Nascar and a Mustang car racing game). I’m amazed at his skill! I always enjoy our time together and it always passes too quickly!

Joe popped in for a few visits this year. I always love seeing him, and getting a hug, and hearing about his latest projects. Anne is doing well and studying hard.

Bill is in his final year at USF and doing well. He and Andrea usually make it home for a visit at least once or twice a month, and we thoroughly enjoy seeing them!

Our sweet little dog, Pepper, passed away in October. He was such a blessing to us, and we really miss him. When I come home I still expect to see him coming to greet me, and when I’m outside, I listen for the jingle of his collar.

We are very thankful for the many blessings we’ve shared this year. . .visits with friends and family, good weather, good news, .and the love of a wonderful family . We love you all, and thank you for all your prayers!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May God bless you and keep you!
Love,
Herman and Monica


From Shelley and family:
Okey Dokey so 2006 has been a humdinger I’ll give you that… Let me start by saying that you can tell that Uncle Dan is a Saint because I am typing this just after Midnight on December 13th and he has not sent out the knee breakers only a polite email to send him something (yup that was 2 days ago and I just got a chance to check my email for the first time in who knows how long… Sorry Uncle Dan :0 ) I really do try to be good it just never seems to workout… LOL!!!

Well let’s start with Hunter. At the beginning of 2006 Hunter got to play T-Ball for the first time this year. He plays a mean first base. He is so athletic!!! He excels at every sport he tries. He loves to play golf with Darrell, Darrell’s friend Scott, and Scott’s 5 year old son, Logan. They play at golf, no pro’s here but you are guaranteed a millions laughs just looking at the pictures and listening to the stories. I REFUSE TO PLAY!!! No offense intended to all of you golfers out there, it’s just the only way I know of to get 4 hours of peace and quite for myself. See I don’t even play and I LOVE GOLF!!! He rides a bike like Kevin Harvick on crack (GO # 29) and only has two speeds wide open and fast sleep (Ask my mom!!! LOL!!!) He graduated from Sacred Heart and started Kindergarten at San Antonio Elementary in August with a few bumps in the road. He had a substitute teacher for the first five weeks of school as his permanent teacher Ms Leidy was out on Maternity Leave. However, since she started it’s been smooth sailing, did I tell you that she’s my nominee for Angel of the Week almost every week. Hunter LOVES Ms Leidy and I’m fairly sure she has a crush on him too. LOL!!! Hunter is sure to bring a smile to your face any time you see him and we are very proud of him and all his hard work in Kindergarten. Just don’t ask him about all his girlfriends, it’ll take an hour to figure out which one you want to know about he has so many. Hannah, Abby, Cassie… LOL!!!

Luke finished the 7th grade with his usual smile and “Oh thank goodness that’s over” as every year. He has spent every spare minute during the year working any where he could; Diversified, Pete’s Garage with Gene Ullrich, mowing a number of neighborhood lawns, H&H Spreader Service, B&B Hog Farm, His Papa Herman, Etc., at one point he was trying to juggle four pretty regular jobs and I had to tell him I couldn’t handle his schedule anymore so something had to give. He did however earn a nice chunk of change that mostly went in savings. We did allow him to pull out enough to by himself an Apple I pod, a new Rifle and a new Shotgun. He is now in the 8th grade at Pasco Middle and working mostly just for B&B Farms after school and on weekends. Because of his connection with the hog farm he finally has a place to keep a hog. So he is really excited to finally be able to show a hog at the Pasco County Fair this year. He has also been elected as an FFA Officer in the position of Sentinel. His friends said they didn’t even know why they had to vote he won by a landslide. He also is now a certified Chicken Flipper for the Rattlesnake Festival with his Papa Herman and Mr. Gene Ullrich. He shot a huge doe Thanksgiving Day out at Papa’s property. Luke also plays golf occasionally but generally passes it up to work and bank the money. He is dreaming of a 4x4 with big mud tires and he’s not even 15 yet. Oh well, at least he knows how to work for what he wants. If only he didn’t have to show me a different truck every day!!! He is really growing up to be such a Great Young Man we are so proud of him. He is always such a huge help and has an amazing attitude of generosity.

Darrell and I have had a busy and crazy year. I spent most of the year working my tail off at Diversified Drilling as Office Administrator. Darrell spent the year working his tail off at Ring Power in the position of Commercial/Industrial Air Compressor Technician. Around late April early May we realized that with Hunter going to Kindergarten that we would have no childcare expenses for the first time in 14 years. WHOOO HOOOOOO!!! We were so excited. We love Sacred Heart but with that extra money we could do a lot. About a week after we made our exciting realization, Hunter announced to his teacher Ms Kathy (Barthle) and his entire Pre-K class that we were pregnant. When Ms Kathy told us what he said we just laughed it off. For about a week we laughed then the morning sickness kicked in. UGH O!!!!!! Then he tells Ms Kathy we are having twins. I went to see my regular doctor for a blood test. They tell me that if the results are less than 60 the test is negative I’m not pregnant. My test came back at 23,000!!! Okay then, so we have now confirmed that yes we are definitely pregnant and about now I am scared to death that my five year old has a connection to higher powers and that I am pregnant with two more just like him. So I call my OB/GYN to schedule an appointment. To which I am told that as of January 2006 they no longer deliver babies and I will have to find a new doctor. With my high risk history this wound up being quite a challenge. Once we found an MD to take my case they scheduled an appointment and decided to schedule a sonogram for my first visit. I was both sad and relieved when the doctor said that the sonogram revealed that it was in fact twins but one of the fetuses had not made it and was being reabsorbed by my body. After that we went through a relatively uneventful period until we hit the half way point. My blood pressure issues started at 20 weeks, biweekly fetal stress testing in Tampa started at 32 weeks, premature labor and high blood pressure at 35 weeks got me slammed with Magnesium Sulfate and landed my behind in the hospital for over two weeks until I was finally delivered by an induction of Pitocin and Magnesium Sulfate (EVIL EVIL DRUG COMBO I TELL YOU!!!) at 37 weeks. Sarah Audrey Oliver was born on Nov 6th at 11:58am at St Joseph’s Women’s Hospital in Tampa. She weighed 6lbs 3ozs, 19 ¾ inches long. She was perfect!!! We thought finally we can get home and things can calm down some. Life is so funny… Since then I have developed Bell’s Palsy which is a temporary paralysis of the left side of my face, continued blood pressure issues and because of all the medications I was on I had to give up breast feeding which still makes me sad. The Bell’s is resolving which is AWESOME!!! However, now we all have colds and I have developed Laryngitis, which you would think Darrell and the Kids would like but is really just a pain in the rear end. And to top it all off before I have even returned from Maternity Leave, I was informed that Ben Huss bought back the old Huss Drilling portion of Diversified Drilling effective December 1st and I am now unemployed. Sarah is such a good baby and a wonderful addition to our family. Believe it or not I feel like all the craziness has been worth it. We continue to love our beagle boys Rascal and Scout as well as Buddy the turtle and I think God willing our family is now complete. We are glad that we have Sarah, Hunter and Luke and they are healthy and perfect. But, in someway I am looking forward to a fresh and less dramatic start to 2007.

I want to take a minute to say a few Thank You’s!!! I have to say that my Mother has absolutely been sent from God’s right hand to help my family, which we knew, but her love and dedication in the past months has been more than anyone would expect. She has been awesome; from picking up and dropping off the boys; to covering for me while I was in the hospital and Luke developed Mono at the same time that Hunter had a Severe Sinus infection; to showing up at 5:30AM to wash bottles while I cried because I couldn’t breastfeed my baby anymore. MOM WE LOVE YOU!!! You and Darrell have earned yet again my love and respect for everything you two did to work as a team while I was in the hospital incubating for two weeks and throughout all the adventures since then. Thanks to Natalie for the baby sprinkle and flying in Mandi and Jen in for it. Also, for walking Hunter to and from the Bus Stop everyday and helping him feel at least halfway safe and normal while we flipped his world upside down. I Love You!!! Hunter thinks Sarah should grow up to be just like his Jaydeepoo. Luke, thank you son for all the sacrifices you made while I was out of commission I appreciate everything that you did to help both Nana and your Dad. Darrell, 11 years ago I met a guy that everyone thought I was crazy to fall for. I thank God for you every single day. You make me mad, you make me smile, you make me beautiful babies (although I really think with all this drama this Mama is done!), you give me headaches and heartaches and hope and happiness every single day. Thanks for hanging in there with me and encouraging me even when I wanted to checkout of my runaway body. You are my best friend and I would marry you again in a minute. Thanks for taking me hunting for that is where this all started J

Okay everybody, I know I was very talkative this year but you should have expected it after I only had one paragraph last year… LOL!!! I am so glad to be a part of this family. May God Bless each and every one of you, touching your lives in a positive way. 2007 Here We Come!!!
All Our Love from San Antonio, The Oliver’s; Darrell, Shelley, Luke, Hunter, Sarah, Rascal, Scout and Buddy the Turtle.


From Natalie and family:
Greetings from the Parsons household!

Well as usual this year was packed with non stop excitement. January kicked off my second semester back in school. I have been taking at least nine credit hours a semester. This means I am gone four nights a week usually from 4:30 or 5 until at least 8:00pm. Jon and I had decided last year to buy his Dad’s business when he was ready to leave. He had told us it would probably be at the end of this year. Then in February he told us he was leaving in two weeks. After the shock wore off, I asked myself how I would run the business, stay in school full time and take care of the kids. Well wouldn’t you know God laughed and said “did you forget what house you grew up in?” Being the second of five was training in multitasking! I have made it through this year and hope to be finished with my degree in January ’08. Unless I go for my masters (which I can’t say too loud, Jon already thinks it’s crazy around here.) With me being gone so much I bought a second car for me to take back and forth to school. I bought a 2007 Pontiac G5, which Dylan refers to as “Mom’s race car.”

Jon has been working like crazy now that his Dad isn’t here. He’s only gotten to go hunting a few times this year. No luck on any of the trips but at least he got to get out there. He took Ty for the first time this year. They both enjoyed that! On our trip to Virginia, Jon and Ty both saw the biggest buck that they had EVER seen. Ty shot at him but the deer is still at large!

Ty is in the 5th grade this year. It’s his last year in Elementary School. He is playing the drums and is in instrumental in school again this year. He is still a straight A student. He thinks he might want to be a surgeon…Mom is proud! He is growing so fast and such a wonderful young man. He is such a big help around the house.

Dylan is in the 1st grade and having a great time. He is interested in playing the guitar and hasn’t stopped talking about wanting one ALL YEAR! Hopefully Santa will bring one. He has really done wonderful with his reading this year. He made his Accelerated Readers goal and read 63 books in the first semester of school.

Jayden is growing like a weed and still believes she is Cinderella. (Don’t tell her she’s not) We went horse back riding up at Mandi’s and now Jayden is all about horses. She still stays with me during the day while I work, which has proved to be interesting. She is always ready to go get the boys. She loves her brothers and misses them when they are not here.

Well I have some thank you’s to send out: To Mandi’s family for putting up with us for 10 days and giving us some place to get away. IT FINALLY SNOWED! We love you guys! Jessie Converse for providing much needed chocolate in between classes. Much appreciated! To my wonderful Husband for putting up with me during finals and homework hell. I really couldn’t do this without you!!
Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas and New Year!!
Love you guys!
Natalie, Jon, Ty, Dylan, and Jayden


From Mandi and family:
Greetings from coal country....Pocahontas, VA

First off I would like to thank all of you who lent your support at the beginning of the year when Herman needed it (when we all needed it). Herman is such an extraordinary person and a special Dad to me, it really meant a lot to see us pull together as a family to support him. In early Spring, my father-in-law started having health issues. We started driving to Virginia (2.5 hours away) as often as possible to help him, plus Billy was making a couple trips during the week to help out when he was off work. In June we decided to sell our home and move to VA to be closer to his family. We did some research and went the For Sale By Owner route. We sold our home within two weeks. Next was the job situation. When I told my boss our situation and turned in my notice, she cried and then ripped it up. In a frantic voice she asked "You can work from home, right?" So I am enjoying the advantages of telecommuting to work. It is nice to know your work is appreciated. Billy is still doing an amazing job at John-Deere in Kernersville and drives back and forth a few times a week. He is looking for a job closer to home, any extra prayers will be appreciated.

Lane continues to amaze us. He is so smart and listens to every word you say. Lane was at the dentist for his 6 month cleaning (which all kids love right?) and the hygienist asked him "What flavor fluoride do we want to try?" To which Lane responded "Strawberry and you go first." Barbara (the hygienist) was laughing so hard she had to stop what she was doing and come out and tell me what he had said. He had the whole office laughing. Special thanks to Aunt Cinda/Uncle Ben and my mom/Herman for helping Flat Stanley make Lane's geography lesson so much fun.

Chase isn't my baby anymore, but a full fledged dinosaur loving little boy. Chase is a never-ending burst of joy and his enthusiasm for life is contagious Chase got to spend an entire week with Nana playing dinosaurs. Thanks mom for all your help getting us settled into our new home.

May all your dreams come true this CHRISTmas season and may you continue to be blessed in 2007.
All our love and prayers, Mandi, Billy, Lane and Chase Milam


From Ralph and Paula:
Season’s Greetings,

Another fast year. All in all, a good one

Paula is still working for the accounting software/training company. She averages traveling twice a month for 2 ­ 4 days at a time. Overall she likes the work, and spending a day or two with Ben and Cinda when she’s near Atlanta. I hear their new place is very nice, and we all know they are gracious hosts! I’ve been with the Lottery for over 19 years now, and am still covering the north Plant City/Lakeland area. We haven’t been moved in several years, so we could get re-assigned some time soon.

In May we traveled to New Orleans to attend Sarah Petters’ graduation from Tulane University (you know, big school on a small road.) We had a blast, thanks to the Petters family for inviting us. I’m guessing you’ve already read about some of the highlights.

New Orleans still has a big job ahead!!

The big project here this year was painting the outside of our house. In case you haven’t seen it yet, it’s _not_ white! The barn and pump house are next, though there is no “schedule”.

It was another great family reunion in July. Thanks to Herman and Monica for hosting it again. Good to see everyone.

In late July we spent a few days at Mike and Nancy’s lake house with their family. Always a lot of fun

We also really enjoy Barbara and Dan’s visits to Florida. Having Nick and Evan here this year was a lot of fun; it helps us try to stay current with what’s happening with the young crowd.

Paula’s parents, George and Margie Tubbs, are doing well. George had a big garden this spring (there is nothing better to eat than fresh corn, peas, tomatoes, etc.) and a smaller one for the fall (fresh greens.)
Our cats are monkeys, or at least they act like monkeys. They are lots of fun and quite entertaining as well as good companions