Ice Skating in Atlanta

We had a great time tonight ice skating in downtown Atlanta. We went with our friends the Campbells, and had a great time. We all got out on the ice, and their boys helped Stephen and Kevin figure out how to skate and get going. Everyone went around the rink many, many times and no one fell down. It was great! Afterwards we enjoyed hot chocolate and walking around the park enjoying the Christmas lights. It was cool doing all this in the shadow of CNN Center, the Georgia Aquarium, and the various hotels in the area. What fun!

Merry Christma!

We enjoyed the morning and evening church services at our church on Christmas Eve, and spent the evening at home after the service. Then we spent Christmas morning at home opening presents and relaxing, which was a lot of fun! The rain kind of prevented us from playing with the big toy the family got - a trampoline! Well, we'll get to it soon enough.

We hope you are having a great Christmas celebration, and wish you a happy and prosperous new year!

Return to Bethlehem

We are involved as a family in the "Return to Bethlehem" project at our church. It's a "walk-through nativity" where our church has recreated the village of Bethlehem, and we have a cast that makes up the people of the village. There are fires, roasting food, shopkeepers trying to get people to buy their wares, Roman soldiers pushing people around, and of course Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. Tonight was the first night, and even though it was cold with a strong wind (windchill around 20!) everyone did a great job with their parts. Many thanks to the Buttril and Fields families for all their hard work, and to everyone else that worked so hard to make this a reality. It was a lot of fun! (And thanks, Mom, for making the outfits for us!) Now we get to do it Friday night and Saturday night...

You can learn more about "Return to Bethlehem" at http://www.returntobethlehem.com.

Decorating for Cmas

Sue couldn't wait any longer, so we broke out the Christmas tree and
decorations and started decorating! Whee! The kids did a lot of the
work, and Stephen and Kevin had lots of fun pulling stuff out and asking
lots of questions. We had a great time getting in the holiday spirit!

Stone Mtn at Christmas time

Now that Thanksgiving is over the Christmas season has begun! We took the whole family out to Stone Mountain to walk around, see the lights, and watch the laser show. The crowds were huge, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're celebrating Thanksgiving at our house again this year. Originally it was due to my having to work Thanksgiving Day and all weekend following it, but now it's to stay close to my doctor's office in case something strange happens. My parents and Sue's mother are here, and my brother and his family will be here sometime today. Woohoo!

We hope you are having a great time doing whatever you're doing for the holiday, and wish you all the best! Happy Thanksgiving!

Trip to the Georgia Aquarium

We had a great visit to the Georgia Aquarium with Mom and Dad today. It wasn't crowded at all, so we were able to visit each of the sections without any trouble. The food wasn't too outrageously priced, but we didn't eat a whole lot, either :-) They did the whole thing right, and we really enjoyed the experience. We ended the day with a dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory, which was delicious. It was a good day!

Happy Birthday, Megan!

Today is Megan's 13th birthday! Now she's officially a teenager! And we now have two of them in our house! We had a party Saturday night where a bunch of her friends came and played volleyball and other games with us, and Megan's grandparents MiiMii and PopPop came up in a surprise visit, which made the actual day special. We had a nice dinner to celebrate and opened gifts after dinner - it was fun! Happy birthday, baby!

Happy Halloween!

We had a good time at church this evening doing the "Trunk or Treat"
thing - basically trick-or-treating in a safe environment :-) It was
fun - all 6 or us dressed up this time: Kevin was a cowboy, Stephen was
an indian, Megan was a girl in pajamas and face mask, Jacob was a
wizard, Sue was the Queen of Hearts, and I was me from an alternate
universe (long hair, tatoos, and earrings). It was fun - nobody
recognized Sue or me until we turned around or spoke! Everyone had a
good time with the night, so it was good. Whee!

Fun at the Henry County Fair

We went to the local fair here in Henry County tonight and had a good time. It was good to see all the police and fire department people out supporting the effort, and all the local Kiwanis people and 4H clubs with their presentations. Jacob missed it because of a football game (the band had to go), but Megan and the little boys had a blast on all the rides. Sue even got me to go up on the ferris wheel so we could smooch a little and see things from the top! We saw Hy and MaryAnn Yamasaki there, and left around 8:00pm so I could go to bed. What a fun night!

Fall in McDonough

It sure has been a nice week - after the rain went through over the
weekend it's beautiful here. It's fun sitting on the deck and the front
porch and just enjoying being outside! The kids are all doing good in
school, Sue is busier than ever keeping up with everyone's activities
with me helping as much as I can. Life is good!

Sue and the kids have a good fall break

The made a quick run to see Sue's mother down in FL the last half of the week, which was nice. I had a terrible scare, though: I got a phone call from the Florida Highway Patrol telling me that there was some "found property" (Sue's purse) at the Citgo on I-10 where she had filled up with gas! I thought the officer was calling to tell me they had been in an accident or something; I was relieved when he said it was her purse, but it was still nerve-wracking =:-o Sue's mother is doing well - her arm has healed nicely and she is able to move about a little more. Sue was disappointed she didn't get to go see her friend Cathleen, but maybe she'll get the chance next time.

Soccer underway again!

Today Stephen and Kevin started soccer again. It should be a fun
season, with all the stuff we've got going on :-) Whee!

Jacob enjoyed first home game

We got to see Jacob in the halftime show at UGHS last night. It was his
first marching band halftime show, and they did a great job!

Happy Birthday, Kevin!

Today is Kevin's 5th birthday! We get to celebrate tomorrow by going to Chuck E. Cheese with two or three of his friends, which should be lots of fun. Woohoo!

Good visit with Michael and Claudia

We had a good visit with Michael and Claudia last night. They stopped at our house on their way home from Florida to Maryland. The kids all had a good time playing, and it was great getting to catch up with what's been happening with them since they moved up there. Thank you, Michael and Claudia!

Happy Birthday, David!

Today is my birthday! We're celebrating by just relaxing at home - I'm fixing pan-roasted chicken and Sue and the kids are going to make a cake. Hope you're having a great day!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday! He's in Maryland at my brother's house celebrating, but I wanted to let everyone know that he is celebrating with his grandchildren and having fun! If you see him tell him "Happy Birthday!"

First day of school

Well, today is the first day of school for the kids. We bouight a lot of supplies yesterday, and packed them all into the kids' backpacks last night. Sue was sad this morning because she was going to miss the kids, but everyone was ready on time and got to school just fine. Now we get back to the old grind...

Good day at Indian Springs

We went to Indian Springs in Jackson, GA, today to swim and picninc. It was nice, though we were concerned when we got there and there was no parking and people everywhere. They were having some community meeting with the electric company and everyone from that cleared out around noon.




We met Marion Lawson and her sons there, and everyone had a good time catching up on what's been happening over the summer. She had forgoten about swimming, so the boys had to wear their jeans in the water, but they did it. The lake was nice, with warm water and a sandy beach. The kids enjoyed swimming and playing, and being outside.

Before we left we stopped at the spring and had a glass of water. It's supposed to be ultra-healthy sulphur water, and tasted like boiled eggs. None of the kids liked it, and it was even a little strong for me, even though I grew up drinking water that had a hint of sulphur in it.

It was a good day, and a great way to end the summer.

Fun at Six Flags over Georgia

We went to Six Flags today so Stephen could use his "Book It" free
ticket for reading for over 600 minutes this past school year. He did a
great job, and we all enjoyed celebrating with him :-) We had Kevin
spend the day and night with one of his friends so we could ride more
rides, which worked out pretty well (thank you, Margaret!). What a fun
way to spend a summer day!

Picking peaches in FL

My grandmother loved her flowers and fruit trees, and at some point years ago she planted several peach trees in her front yard. Well,
those trees were loaded down with peaches, so we helped my Dad pick them today. It was fun remembering her and all the things she did; the peaches tasted good, too!

Mom Emery broke her arm

Please pray for Sue's mother - she tripped over her hassock (sp?) and
fell in her room. Apparently it's just a fracture in her upper right
arm, but she's in a lot of pain and can't do the normal things she has
to do day-to-day. She's relying on her friends where she lives to help
her through the first couple of weeks, but pray that she stays strong
and doesn't get sick or infected.

Disney World was great!

We went to Disney World in Orlando today and had a great time! This was
Kevin's first time ever and Stephen's first time being old enough to
remember it :-) Both of them thouroughly enjoyed the day, even though
it rained like crazy in the afternoon. We were disappointed that the
Pirates of thr Caribbean ride was being renovated, but got to ride the
Jungle Boat, the Magic Carpet ride, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain,
the PhilharMagic 3D show, the Hall of Presidents (when the rain
started), the Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain (all but Kevin), Stitch's
Great Escape, Buzz Lightyear's Zerg Attack (I got the highest score out
of all of us borh times :-), the People Mover, and probably a couple of
others I don't remember. We saw a couple of parades, a bunch of
fireworks, a bunch of characters, and even got our picture taken with
Mickey Mouse! It was a great day!

View from the condo

678.464.5055 Mobile 770.957.4334 Home

Amelia Island yesterday, chilling today

Sue and I are having a good time together - my parents took the kids for
3 days so Sue and I are celebrating our anniversary a little early. We
went to Amelia Island yesterday (where we were planning on having our
honeymoon before the FAA called :-) where we shopped and ate dinner. I
surprised her with her anniversary gift (she was mad that she didn't one
for me :-), and then we drove back to the condo and walked on the beach
at night. The stars were magnificent, and we even got to see some
shooting stars!

The kids had a good time at Wild Waters with my parents yesterday, and
it sounds like they're just relaxing in Moss Bluff today. What a great
trip!

Sunrise on the beach

Today the whole family got up to see the sun rise over the ocean. It
was beautiful! The clouds turned pink and orange as it got closer, and
then it broke through! Very pretty!

Afternoon with parents

We had a good afternoon just hanging out with my parents and Sue's mom
at the condo. It was nice and relaxing - we talked, ate burritos (sp?),
and then sat around and talked into the evening.

Walking in St. Augustine

We're having a good day in St. Augustine today. We got up and hit the
beach by 8:30am, played there until 9:30am, then met Mom Emery in St.
Augustine for an afternoon of walking and shopping. What fun!

A Really Busy Week

We've been on the run all week, with Stephen and Megan at Art Camp every
day, Jacob going to different activities with church and friends, and
helping at VBS every night. I spent last week doing everything I could
to get stuff done before I took two weeks off, and Sue and I plan out
the next few hours when we get a few minutes with each other. Whew!
I'll be glad when we slow down a little next week!

Good Time at Stone Mountain

We had a good time at Stone Mountain yesterday. We walked up the
mountain (even Kevin!), and enjoyed the breeze and the view up there.
We rode the cable car down, and then went to the water flumes for a
couple of slides and dunks, then ate a picnic dinner on the lawn and
watched the laser show. It was different going on a Tuesday, but it was
much less crowded and we all had a great time. What fun!

Sue and the kids home from AR

They had a good time camping with Libby and Taylor, but Sue and the kids
were really glad to be home. They did well driving so far, and they had
a really good time visiting Mason and Shannon Booth near Huntsville. I
was really glad to have everyone home, too - the house seems so big
without them around (but definately not quiet :-)

Now we get to gear up for the rest of the summer.

Working the Gernium Festival

Jacob and I went to help fry vegetables with his Boy Scout troop today.
This is their only fundraiser throughout the year, and they make enough
to fund the troop's activities for the whole year. We fried green
tomatoes, cauliflour, sweet potatoes, and onion rings. It was hot work,
but everyone did a good job.

Happy Birthday, Jacob!

Today is Jacob's 14th birthday! We're celebrating it on the run, doing
soccer this morning, working with the Scouts at the Geranium Festival in
McDonouigh, and then a basketball party with his friends at the church.
What a day!

Visit from Dan

We had a special treat this evening - Sue's brother Dan dropped by for a
quick visit! It was a good surprise - he called around 5:30pm and said
he had a little while and could come by. We had some pizza and caught
up on all the things happening in our families' lives. It was very nice
of him to take some time out to see us!

Happy Birthday, Stephen!

Today is Stephen's 7th birthday! We had a good party for him the other
day, and today he's taking cookies for his class. Tonight we'll have a
nice family celebration at home and he'll open presents. Woohoo!

Stephen's Star Wars Birthday Party

We had a Star Wars birthday party for Stephen tonight! It was fun -
everyone got a foam lightsaber and had to go a Jedi training adventure
to the planet Dagobah (our woods in the back yard), then fight Darth
Vader (Jacob). We had personal pizzas, cake, and candy for the kids,
and everyone had a good time!

Good visit with Mom Emery

Well, Mom Emery headed home from our house today. She drove all the way from our house to her home outside of Jacksonville today, a 6 hour
drive! At 77!

She got a full dose of our lives over the past 2 weeks, which was good. The kids enjoyed spending some time with her, reading and being read to, and listening to her play the piano and sing. Sue got to go to the mall with her, take her to the Atlanta Passion Play, and all kinds of other
fun stuff. And I enjoyed her sharing of wisdom and knowledge in the
early morning and late night before and after my shift at work. And
best of all, we all got to celebrate her 77th birthday and Easter at our
house!

It was a good visit, and we hope she comes back soon.

Coloring eggs for Easter

We had a good time this evening. We went for dinner at Shane's Rib
Shack, one of our favorite places for barbecue, and then came home and
colored eggs. Jacob and Megan argued a little about some mistakes, but
otherwise it was a fun night!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Mom Emery is celebrating her 77th birthday today! She came up with us
on our way home from Florida to spend some time visiting and celebrate
Easter with us. We took her to lunch at the Chik-Fil-A Dwarf House in
Stockbridge today and had a great time. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Fun in FL

My parents' house is next a field with a lake in it, so we get to put
the boat in sometimes and paddle around the lake fishing and having fun
it was beautiful weather today, and we had a grat time on the lake.
Thanks, Pop!

At the beach!

We took a part of the day to run over and play on the beach at Ormond
today. It was beautiful weather, sunny with a cool breeze. What fun!

Sue won tickets to the Hawks game!

Sue was the correct caller to 104.7 The Fish this past Monday and won
tickets to tonight's Atlanta Hawks basketball game. Jacob was ecstatic
that she won and looked forward to the game all week. Sue even
convinced me to go! When we got there they gave the kids free Hawks
basketballs, and we got a lot of freebies from the radio station's
booth. There's a Natalie Grant concert after the game is over, which
should be a lot of fun. Tune in to the game and see if you see us!

Sue won tickets to the Hawks game!

Sue was the correct caller to 104.7 The Fish this past Monday and won
tickets to tonight's Atlanta Hawks basketball game. Jacob was ecstatic
that she won and looked forward to the game all week. Sue even
convinced me to go! When we got there they gave the kids free Hawks
basketballs, and we got a lot of freebies from the radio station's
booth. There's a Natalie Grant concert after the game is over, which
should be a lot of fun. Tune in to the game and see if you see us!

Busy spring weekend

Well, spring is here and we're off to an exciting start. It's a little chilly this weekend (55/32), so Jacob is camping with the Boy Scouts, soccer has started, so Kevin and Stephen had games today. (Sue has become the Assistant Coach of Stephen's team by default!) And the rest of the day will involve Sue and the kids at church for the "ServeFest" they're having, handing out candy, preparing food care packages, and giving free car washes. I'll be at work helping keep the system safe :-)

We hope you're having as much fun as we are! Drop us a line if you get the chance...

Sue and kids home safe and sound

They had a really good time with Michael and Claudia out in California -
the kids really enjoyed getting to be with and play with Austin and
Nicholas! On the way home they had a layover in Dallas again, and Dan
and Lori took them to their house and fed them dinner, which was nice.
Everyone was tired when I picked them up at the airport after midnight
last night - they all slept in this morning, which is a rare treat at
our house :-)

I'm glad they're home - I missed them a lot, and welcome the noise and excitement of having my family at home!

Sue and kids in California

Sue and the kids flew to California this past Thursday to visit my brother and his family in San Ramon. They had a good flight out, and have gotten to see Mt. Diablo and Sacramento. They didn't get to see the governor, but enjoyed the visit anyways :-)

On the way they got to eat dinner with Sue's sister-in-law Lori and her kids Alex and Andrea during their layover in DFW. They all had a good time visitng for a couple of hours and then Sue and the kids got back on the plane and finished the flight.

It was fun to watch them from work. I worked the entire evening, so after I dropped them off at the airport I went to work and put them up on the big screen in our area. I got to watch them all the way to DFW, and then from DFW to Arizona; I had to go home at that point.

Hopefully they'll have better weather until they come home. Me and the dog miss them and look forward to seeing them Tuesday night!

Happy Birthday, Sue!

Today is Sue's birthday! She is ?? Years old, and is doing great! We
had a good time hanging out today, having a picnic at the Monastery and
having fun with the kids when they got home from school. I took leave
from work and am grilling salmon for dinner. All in all a pretty good
day (though a little quiet for Sue :-)

Skate Night in McDonough

We had a good time skating tonight. It was Stephen's school's skate
night at the local rink, and we were actually able to go this time. All
six of us skated, with only a few falls :-) It was fun!

Happy New Year!

We had a great time ringing in 2006 with my parents in Florida tonight.
My brother and his family joined us to eat tacos, shot fireworks, watch
Dick Clark, and then bang pans in the driveway to celebrate the new
year. It was great to have them - they live in California and we don't
get to see them very often.

We hope 2006 finds you well and ready for the exciting times ahead.
Happy New Year!