Pics from NC--WOW

What a nice surprise to look in and find blog from John & family--Pics are just great, thank you sooo much The beach house sounds like its calling me there!!I will start saving now to make that trip next year!! Anyone coming with me???
What good reports from Allie and Jacob--so proud of Allie's award on citizenship and grades--whatta gal!! Jacob all A's are special--I'm sure he served his term on Student Council well this year.
These two weeks with Emmy here have flown by of course--she's at Britt's now with Gracen and I will pick up in a few minutes for her to get packed--she does a real number on getting packed--She did me yesterday and I was amazed how much she got in the bag--I didnt have acess to digital camera but Lollie told me I could go toWalgreens & have them domagic so can send a few pics from some of this trip to TX--kinda like old times to have 6 kids--4 girls and 2 boys over at Randi's--Jeremy said if they not crying or bleeding they were fine!!--some chaperone??
A friend is taking us to Airport in AM about 8--plane leaves at 10;50--arrives Montrose 11;45--sure beats driving--Randi will be home Wed late afternoon. I'm sure she will have news and maybe pics to of Italy
Later, my dear family--Love ya, Mom aka Memaw

Pics from Plata's Vacation in the Outer Banks of NC.

Hey,

We just got back from North Carolina - nicely tanned. We didn't do anything except relax all week - we're recharged. I wanted to post these pics while I was thinking about it. We lucked into a great rental directly on the beach at the last minute & liked it so much we reserved it for next year -same week. 6/21-6/28. It sleeps 18 so we have plenty of room for a crowd, if there are any takers at that time next year. The view from the back porch is in the picture above with Allie standing at the bottom of the steps. There is one of us on top of the Corolla Lighthouse. The pic with the flags in the background is at a restaurant at sunset looking over the sound. The pics of us with the really orange sunrise over the Atlantic are on the beach right in front of the rental. We really enjoyed it & the waves were great for body boarders and lots of surfers. Each morning and evening dolphins by the dozens swam right in front of the house. It's a great spot to relax. No massive condo units, hotels or spring break type crowds - It's all rental homes with large family groups just chillin' out. It's 20-30 minutes from Kitty Hawk and the Wright Bros. Museum & there are good seafood and N.C. BBQ restaurants around.

Allie & Jacob got their final grades in the mail while we were gone. Allie got one B and all the rest were A's. Jacob got all A's. We are so thankful that the kids are doing well in school here - we were a little worried at first about the intensity and high level of competition.

Allie was upset that she received a homework assignment for next year already - first week of summer! She has to read some books off of the reading list and have a PowerPoint presentation ready when she goes back with an overview of the reading. I guess whatever keeps their brain working this summer. Allie also received the citizenship award for her 6th grade - it was a big deal - since they only give 5 of those in each grade and she is a new student. The principal said she exemplified what it meant to be a student at Mary Ellen Henderson Jr. High - able to excel in school, extracurricular, and community activities (Allie and her friends (with no parents) organized a fundraising team for the Relay for Life - it was a fundraising project that they worked on all school year).

Talk to you soon,

John

update from Austin

Hi, all. Perras and I can't get over that we've only been out of school for 2 1/2 weeks - it seems longer because we've done so much. When Israel was with us the first week, it was very busy with him around, going swimming or to the park, or to a movie or out to Chuck E Cheese or somewhere to get a hamburger. Just summery things, but something a little different every day.
Perras has a job doing some filing and organizing for Blue Light (Ben's business). She has been spending time here as well as with her cousins Brianna and Brandon.
We had a good time with ME - she's so grown up now! We got totally drenched at Lake Travis - Volente Beach - and our plans to go to the Oasis had to be tabled because we were sopping wet from a huge rainstorm. and no extra clothes. Normally, everything would have dried in the sun right on us in a few minutes and we could just go - (of course I took dry clothes but the girls didn't.) The rain didn't daunt people much - everyone just continued on the water slides unless they were shut down for awhile because of lightning. But after awhile you were just drowning in the rain and most people including us, decided to leave. P and ME also went to the Main Event the day before that - a place with lots of games and activites. And ME went to church with us on Sunday, took a tour of the new children's building which is such a cool place.
Perras is having a good time at her camp, just totally immersed in piano the entire day. She says the other kids are sooo advanced. It is good to be around people who challenge you, right?
Ben and I had a great time in Galveston. (I will post pics of all of this when P gets back with the camera!) We stayed on the Strand in the Tremont Hotel - a beautifully restored old building from the 1800's. It was gorgeous. We found some fun new places to eat, spent time on the beach, visited historical places, all things that we like to do. One highlight was the Juneteenth ceremony at Ashton Villa, one of the oldest of the old mansions on Broadway. That is the exact spot where Gen. Gordon Granger read the emancipation proclamation (two years late) in Texas for the first time. There is a big statue there now commemorating the event. Every year since 1865 or whenever it was, they gather in that same spot to read it aloud again and remember the occasion. So it was cool, with lots of people there, singing, prayers, etc. Sen. Al Edwards, who sponsored the legislation making Juneteenth (19th of June) an official state holiday, was there. He comes every year to read the proclamation.

Now I am working on budgets and financial records for our businesses and family, trying to get everything re-organized, better organized, etc. Bought a new computer program for that and it is killing me trying to get it all set up and learn how to do it. I will persevere and get it done though. It is drudge work to me, but it must be done. It is only possible now because I don't have any distractions for awhile - and don't want any!! God willing, I will get everything in a better system before school resumes. Visit our site - KleenShave.com - it is growing little by little and showing good potential. The Smooth and Tight product is for everyone, and is very popular.

Mark is away at training. He will return for about 20 days from July 4th through the 2osomethingth. Then he leaves for another year in Iraq. So please gear up for lots of prayers again. I still can't think about it much - some kind of denial I guess. He has been doing so well here with his college classes, and his work with the National Guard, and spending time being a Dad. It hardly seems possible that he has been here over 2 years. We will miss him so much.

Jeff is living in Buda with his cousin J.R. (Travis). He is doing well, working full-time at Hertz and selling real estate on the side. He and JR bought a little sport boat - a Sea-Doo that seats 5 or 6. They hosted a great Father's Day picnic at Lake Travis and took everyone for rides and tubing. It was very fun.

okay - that's alot from one family but I'll stop. Love you all -

Lollie

Greetings from Corolla

Right now we are in North Carolina on the Outer Banks , the beach is Corolla. It is beautiful!!! Our house is right on the beach and their is a long walkway that connects our house to the beach. We came here on Saturday, and we will return to D.C. on Saturday as well. Huckleberry came with us and about two hours ago he ate a live crab! Huck just loves it, but he is getting older and it is harder for him to move around (get up, and go up stairs). This summer has been great so far Jacob and I go to swimming everyday. Mine starts at 7:45 and Jacobs starts at 8:45. So sleeping in this summer isnt going as I planned... I will be turning thirteen this summer, but it turns out I wont be going to Lawton with my Dad. Well I am going to go body boarding, the waves are looking pretty big. Their is a wave with my name on it.......... Love, Allie and Jacob

Goof--

ME and I wrote this on Tues 19th and it got posted in wrong place--We've been running fast since then so just now trying to get it on and its out of date now so----trip successful in Waco and Austin--ME got slots of TU Longhorn stuff--easy to find in Austin--hope she gets to go to UT--Yeah--She's spedning nite w/ Brit Wed and sometime during week-end--Brandi is going to take me to view another Retirment place in N.Richland Hills on Thurs--they're having a Rat Pack Tribute--sounds like fun--Chris has plans and Randi is taking off as we write, I think--She had 2 good interviews w/Co. in Dallas!!! Really wants it, so pray that is the way to go!!!
Gues that brings me up to date now--Later, in CO, yeah!! Love Ya, Mom, Memaw

Busy Summer

So glad to hear from some of you all--John, the personal record set is just disgusting--I'm kidding--WOW how wonderful, that's a definite perk of working in DC -- The strenuous(sp)workout Allie & Jacob have so early is a real positive health issue. I'm proud I go to exercise 4-5 X's week atAC Fieldhouse. Then inCO will go 3X's week in the Hot Springs with Seniors at 8AM. Emmy and I leave July 1st so July 4th will be a Hoot in Ouray--that little town puts on a show that goes on into the night. So that's where I'll be--hope the fireworks Room in front of house will go well and no problem as Randi will not be back from Italy until the 2ndMaddi and Emmy made cup cakes just now-real good--next will make cookies--and a VidioI think. Randi & I will take Emmy to Waco tomorrow, time still up in air so Emmy can have some time with Perras and Benfords--will pick up Sunday as Perras goes to Music camp in Baylor. Gracen and Emmy havepicked up where they left off as good friends--good times together.Hope the trip to OK goes well John, sorry wont be here or would love to meet you--will pas on to Jeremy--Randi will be in Calif I think--maybe Chris & family??Brit, you might as well be in Timbuktoo as I never hear from you??Grip, grip!!Glad you got the job at the Vets thats so handy & a fun job for you to do. Will you plant sit for me while I'm gone--at least the Mint you painted the pot so cute!!Thanks to all contributors--it is really fun to read whats going on--I really love you all-Mom aka Memaw

This week in Ouray

Hi family, I am so glad to see the news and photos! It's great. Caleb, awesome grades! I am also so proud of all the nieces, nephews and grands. You are a great bunch of kids!

Brittany, the new job sounds wonderful, I remember you wanting to be a vet in middle school and thinking all middle school girls want to be a vet. But I think you will really enjoy this job even though it may have it's tragic moments, the joyful ones will also come around (this is life).

Well, while Mary Emily has been gone we have been enjoying Kieran's "new" jeep. He has wanted one since our first move here 14 years ago so we finally found a great deal on a used one and bought it for father's day. (photo's following).

We have also been very busy working. I am getting ready for VBS which is not until July but we really do it up big here. It is move like day camp for our town and we work with the Baptist Church taking turns hosting, I am the Director. This years theme is SonWorld Adventure Park and the setting is an amusment park with areas decorated in western, pirates, future, and castle kingdom. I am busy painting murals and making items to be hung from the ceilings and walls and also planning for the float where I am going to make the jeep into a roller coaster car and pull the trailer showing the various themes and our 4 characters. (Last year our float won first place ($1,000) which we gave to a mission couple from our church). This in the midst of directing the teams handling crafts, snacks, lessons, games, music, preschool etc and still doing bookkeeping for 4 clients.

Kieran is also swamped, trying to work on three remodel jobs at the same time. One finishing, one pouring concrete today and one going into the next phase meeting with them on Sunday to finalize numbers and move on concrete work over there. Bill Weeks is up here working with him on the excavation and concrete and may stay to help on some of the framing.

Mary Emily is going to Lake Travis with Perras and Lollie today. I am sure she will be busy when she gets home as well. She has been working a few days at "Maggie's kitchen" a restaurant in town owned by a friends parents. She also sleeps late and goofs off as much as possible. She has 2 funds raisers when she gets home to finish raising money for her youth group to go to camp in northern California end of July first of Aug. And then .... high school.... Wow, that came quick, even quicker for this one.

Enjoy the lives God has given you. The years just go by faster and faster the older you get. Makes your head spin.

THE PHOTOS

Any of you who have been here can see how high the river is from the snow melt that fell this winter. Thank God it has not rained in weeks because we all know that would not be a good thing. Waterfalls are every where and things have greened up nicely.

Roses blooming down the street. Many of the wild flowers are just starting. I am sure we will see lots of them now that we have our own jeep and can go up in the mountain when ever we want.

This is Box Canyon Falls. It is at the end of our street. The amount of water coming down is deafening in this rock canyon. Really amazing.

This is my favorite tree. It doesn't look like much but it grows out of a rock overlooking Box Canyon. It hangs over the edge and flourishes each spring. It is inspiring.

So here is Kieran standing on the back bumper of the jeep to show how high the snow still is on the jeeps trails. This is in Yankee Boy Basin. Very close to town. We have taken a couple of trips up there after work this week. We didn't go much farther that this, they are still trying to clear the road for July when we get the most tourist.

Last one. This photo does not do this scene justice. The water falls here is about 25 feet wide and because the snow had some how covered the river, the water is rushing over the rock and then disapears under the snow. It was really cool.

Well, thats all for now, Can't wait for Memaw to get here in just a few days. Any of you are welcome we have plenty of room (as long as you don't all come at once). Love to all, Mom, Billie, the youngest sister.