Fall Break

After we walked around Hinton, WV, for 3 hrs. at their fall festival, this is me getting back to the train for our ride back to Huntington (a 4 hr. ride). Nice ride!

These guys came through a few times playing harmonica, guitars, and singing "New River Bridge" and songs.

A view from the train of the New River Bridge at a distance.

Celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary with this trip on the New River train.

On our New River train excursion, we passed by this bridge. These people were repelling from it into the river. They close the bridge once a year for them to do this. Whoa!

This & That

Last week, after school on Monday, Oct. 3rd (I think), Becky, two students & their dads went to San Francisco on a fully paid trip. They came back home on Thursday, flew in at 6:30. Clyde and I went to pick up MJ from Aprile (who brought her home from London) and we had the boys at this time. We kept them for the time Becky was away. When they came back together, the photo above was typical. They were so happy to see each other. Austin said "I missed you Maggie, and she said I missed you Austin....then he said "I missed you more" They were all so sweet.

Summer has gone by although not according to the calendar, but when school begins, cool weather rolls in, trees turn red & gold.....summer ends. My favorite thing in the summer is that I'm not tired at night. I love the heat, being outside, and staying up late! My favorite!! When I go back to work, I go back to bed early! I get up early as well. I am very happy that I love my job. That helps. Although there are days I stand up long hours and I am tired when I get home. The students at school are super. They are so sweet. I enjoy them and most of the classes:) There are times when it's not quite so easy, but they are willing to learn and kind to me! Well, I certainly don't know where that came from! I didn't log on to blog anything particular. Wish I had more to note! I will add a few photos of my favorite subject....Austin, Matthew & Maggie!

We had a big family night on September 30th. This was the day that the adoption was made final. Matthew has been with Jason & Becky for three years but it has taken awhile for the adoption to be binding. On Friday, the 30th, the family met in the Chase Bank Bldg. where their lawyer is housed. They then walked with a lawyer, Kent & I to meet up with Kim, two social workers, and the judge in the courthouse. We had Judge Shrader. He was very good. He had a Beanie Baby for each child and talked on Matthew's level. He had Matthew walk up to his seat with him, and Matthew actually took his seat! He asked Matthew several questions about who everyone was, and did he want to live with this family. He then asked him what he wanted his name to be. Matthew said "Matthew Colby Keith forever". He also bowed to the judge. Funny. Judge Shrader said "well let's just name you Matthew Colby Keith, Matthew Forever would be funny".

That night Kim's family (Ralph, Elaine, Christopher, Laurie, Brittni & James) came. Along with Jason Keith's family (Jackie, Greene, Aprile, Amy, Caleb, Anna, Jessie, Aunt Christine, & Uncle Fred) all were there. Mom, Kent, Martha (Dana, Randy & Juliette as well as Stephanie & Ben), Beverly & Larry were all in attendance to help celebrate Matthew. Jason, Cassie, Thomas, pap and nana rounded out the group. We ate dinner, the kids played and we just chatted.

More Photos

Maggie 3, Austin 6, Thomas 5, Matthew 6

While we were at Olive Garden, Maggie, Austin & Matthew went to church at Immanuel and Aunt Amy brought them home. She started taking them last year on Sunday nights.

Thanks, Thomas, for my pumpkin!

At Olive Garden celebrating Cassie's birthday. Thomas, age 5, sat by me! He liked my phone....we played tic tac toe. He ate cheesy ravioli very well.

Family News

Since we have not been having breakfast on Sat. mornings at Atlanta Bread (which is out of business), my blogging has suffered. Since everyone posts photos on FB and leaves comments there, blogging seems to be on the back burner. However, I like writing to the few that read my blog things I wouldn't want to write on FB. Also, I like keeping this in the way of a journal...something to look back on.

The biggest news our family has celebrated is Jason's engagement to Cassie. I didn't have pictures on my iphone so I didn't post a status update on it. Jason doesn't do FB so I am never sure how much to write there. I do have some photos and I will download a few from my camera. We had supper at Olive Garden last Sunday, Sept. 18th, to celebrate Cassie's birthday (29). After we ate, we went back to Becky's house for cake and icecream. They hadn't seen Bec & Jason's new house so they had a tour there, then we sat out on the deck for dessert.

Thomas sat by me at supper and I enjoyed getting to talk to him. He is so sweet and learning so much. He had good questions & comments. I really liked being with him. He brought each cousin to be a small pumpkin he picked out for them at Evan's Orchard. He told me "I have a special one for Austin, cause he's a special boy". So cute. He actually doesn't like one boy over the other as far as I can see.

The engagement was on Sat. night at a birthday party Cassie's friends at Greens threw for her and one other birthday girl from work (I believe is the way it was). There was a live band and a big smoker with beef brisket. Jason said it was melt in your mouth good. There were lights, dancing, and just a great party. While there, when the band was taking a break, they were dancing to nice music, he dropped to one knee and asked her. Their close friends and cousins were there to help celebrate. All in all, from what they told us, it seemed very well thought out and it was very romantic. Sweet!

Late Summer

My sweet girl!

Too much fun for Maggie Jane!

A good night for all. Becky & Jason in need of a fun night out with old friends. Kay & Don Blevins have been friends since GT college days had them over to dinner tonight. We got the kids! They have watched movies and eaten! Fun night.

I LOVE to sit out back and watch the hummers & butterflies. I don't take my camera, but always have my phone!

A little girl I don't want to forget. Emily Hoover was at Tot's Landing with Austin where they became "fast friends". She has come to the last two birthday parties and he has attended her last two. Then it was my pleasure to have her at CME as a Kindergartener and then first grader. Last week they sold their beautiful home in Copperfield and moved to London. I will miss her!

Too Long

Since starting Face Book a couple of years ago, and the fact my laptop doesn't blog easily (formatting, stopping IE in the middle of blogging, not able to leave comments on other blogs now???) I have just not been a faithful blogger or follower! I do love catching up in the lives of friends and co-workers through blog, but my sanity and peace of mind is more important! Oh well, saying that, I will try yet another entry:)

I do like that in the blog I can jot down more thoughts than I ever would write on FB. I feel that anyone that is interested enough in my life to read my blog, is someone I want to "talk to" through the blog.

Words read sometimes take on a very different meaning than what the writer intends! At least my words do. I want to say how wonderful and blessed I am to have Clyde...then I think that it sounds very "sugary" or too hard to swallow for some. So, I just leave posts about the things he buys me or places he takes me, all the while not saying how very thoughtful he is. He is always trying to please me and make me happy (not that that's where happiness comes from, but you know what I mean). He works so hard in trying to invest our meager funds wisely. He sweats, prays, gets overwrought, and sometimes just plain sick to his stomach when stocks fall.....just decisions that he takes on "himself" for us. Anyway, that is something I don't write about and wanted to say. I am blessed by him.

I will post a few flower garden photos at Arboretum, some of Maggie (haven't taken many of the boys lately) and try to publish this....fingers crossed:)

Late Summer Garden

Hanging basket hay rake tree. Late in summer so some look better than others.
Dark pink Crape Mrytle (spelling?) Beautiful at this time.

My favorite hanging basket. I put this together and added new coconut liner this year. This purple plant took over the other edging plant, but it's been nice and trouble free.

I bought this orchid for a bridal shower early in the year and this is it's second blooming. It was a surprise and treat to me! It is just beautiful at this time.

This picture doesn't show this plant well. The purple sweet potato vine is huge. I sprayed Sevin on it so that there were no "holes" and it has been beautiful.

To the right is a Cleome. I have great luck each year with these volunteer flowers that reseed and bloom the next year. This year, however, this is the only one that came back to full size. It actually is so big and nice, I was OK with adding the red salvia that bloomed all summer and added so much color. However, I am planning to drop the seeds this year so hopefully they will continue to come back.