We are WORKING!!!!!!!

Yea!!!! We are finally working on the laundry room. Jim is on vacation and has "promised" to get things going. Today was our first day to Home Depot and returned with a trailer full of supplies. Of course it rained all day today so nothing was accomplished. Well, I say nothing, but that's not quite true...we had a wonderful afternoon with all the kids. When we got back from Home Depot, Jenny & Jerry were here, then in walks Jon & JR. The guys had a good time watching Ultimate Fighting Championships, but the girls and I had to leave the testosterone laden living room and moved to the kitchen where we fixed a late lunch/early dinner and had a good time talking and singing trashy songs. Later the kids played games at the dining room table while Dad vegged on the couch and I, of course, cleaned the kitchen. But I didn't mind, because while I was cleaning, I was also listening and enjoying the sounds of my grown and almost grown children having a ball. Life goes by fast....don't blink.

Restarting

OK, guess it's time to start the blog again. Have had many complaints thinking we dropped off the earth after the family reunion last year. Let me assure you that this is NOT true. We are alive and well and busy as bees. Lots has happened since last year...we have moved my parents back to Alabama, lots of trips and kids getting their own lives. We also have accomplished a lot on the house and are now working toward finishing the laundry room (which didn't exist at all last year).

So what's happening now? Grandchildren are growing!!!!! Jenny has moved out (again), Rachel is waiting for word on whether she will be able to "dual enroll" in high school and college this year, and Jake and Emily are getting ready to start their new school year...8th grade!!!!! Jim is busy working and I am busy canning and freezing. So far we have 21 qts strawberries, 9 jars strawberry jam, 15 bags english peas, 20 bags green beans, 22 jars peaches, 20 jars dill pickles, and we have only just begun. Jim just stares at the jars and grins. He gets this look every year and wants to eat everything immediately. He's happiest when his freezer and pantry are full.

I will try my best to keep the blog up to date and fill you in on the latest happening in the Holcomb household.

Reunion

As most everyone knows, we went to the Holcomb Family reunion over Labor Day weekend. Poor Jennifer had to stay home due to work and school. She was heartbroken and lamenting the sorrows of being an "adult". The trip in itself was exciting. After dealing with kids and luggage, husband wanting to get on the road, daughter not wanting us to leave, and dog whinning wanting to go with us, we finally pulled out of the driveway and into adventure. The first day was really noneventful. We took our time and stopped along the way for everyone to stretch out. Day 2 was more exciting. As we come out of a mountain tunnel in VA---Virginia's State finest was waiting for Jim on the other side. He didn't see the speed limit signs and was nabbed!!! We finally make to our Inn in WV only to find out we have no cell phone coverage and no internet. This would have been fine and dandy if we hadn't left Jennifer at home. She was in a panic when she found out she couldn't reach Mommy. We finally told her to call Rachel, who was staying with John and Sandy, and relay messages and she would be fine. Reunion was wonderful and we loved seeing everyone again. Had lots of fun. Lots of late nights and early mornings, but it was worth it. I don't think I've laughed as much in a long time. On our way to check out Monday morning, I noticed my sister-in-law Kim sitting in the lobby of the Inn. I asked what she was up to and to my surprise she was surfing the internet!!!!!! They neglected to tell us that they had wireless in the lobby. Of course it didn't reach our 3rd story walk-up room. Well, we left John and Sandy's Monday evening after having a great time with everyone all day. First, we leave the wrong way, turn around and head in the right direction. about 20 minutes down the road I remember I left my purse sitting on their porch. Wouldn't have given it much thought but it had my license, Kindle and of course it is a COACH!!!! So, we turn around and go back, grab my purse then leave again. Another 20 minutes down the road, Rachel remembers she left her makeup bag with her medication in it...so....we turn around again. Finally after everyone has all their possessions together, we leave 2 lane mountain roads and hit interstate!!!! We stop for the night and crash. Up the next day and at it again. We wanted to take our time and ride the Blue Ridge Parkway part of the way home. When the kids found out that it was more mountain roads and no amusement parks, they begged out of it. We stop for the last night, unload the car into our hotel room and head out to dinner. This is only after we swap rooms to adjoining rooms and leave the room with smoking TV behind. After a nice dinner and shopping at Cracker Barrel, we head back to the hotel only to find our key cards don't work. After 3 trips down to the desk, and still no entry, the clerk comes up with the master key, and a computer box to unlock the door...of course it doesn't work. We have to wait for the maintenance guy to show up, of course it's a holiday weekend and 3 HOURS later, he shows up, finally gets the door opened and tell us the lock is broken....DURH!!!!! Jim says he doesn't care, he's not opening it again until we leave!!! After a few hours of sleep, we decide straight home is our new destination. I've never been so happy to see a house under construction in my life. It may be messy and unfinished, but it's home and mine. I think this gave us the motivation we needed to get moving on finishing it again.

She's 17

OK - I know I'm behind on posting, but give me a break!!! Blog posting is way down on the list of priorities. Anyway, Rachel is officially 17. She almost cried when she saw her "Winnie-the-Pooh" cake. She thought for sure that mom would consider her "too old" for that but....SURPRISE!!!! She forgot she has the mom who still wears her bear slippers and watches Looney Tunes...who am I to say she's too old for anything??? She also got her new cell phone, oreos, and Mountain Dew which prompted Screams of joy. And for all who know Rachel, those screams can be excruciating. But she was a happy girl and that's all that matters.

Update

Been busy. New floors are in upstairs, this weekend it's time for baseboards and window trim. Then I get to paint...oh what joy. Friends and family finally convinced me to join facebook, so I have been having a ball with that. Talked to people I haven't seen in years!!!! Today I'm busy cleaning so I can become Jim's slave for the weekend. "Hold this, I need some more tea, hand me my nail gun, etc, etc, etc...." Oh well, it's worth it.

Not much to tell. Work on the house and being a mom keeps me busy. Will post more later.

Update

Christopher with B'day Cake!!!!

Jake & Christopher

Eating cookies from Grandma!!!!

Too much happening at home to blog about it. Let's start with the kids...Jake and Emily are working hard in school. Emily is spending all of her free time on the computer. She has fallen in love with web and movie designing. Jake is helping Dad put down new floors upstairs (slowly) and working with a new electronics kit that I bought for him. Who would have thought that would be his "thing". Rachel is busy trying to do school, physical therapy for her back (scoliosis), and being the typical teenager trying to stay on the road and at the mall every waking hour. Jenny is working and getting herself ready for her first year of college.

We took a trip to Ozark, AL this weekend for Christopher's first birthday. Visited with family and relaxed. Glad to be back home. Now it's time to begin working again. Have installed new wood floor in Jake's room and will do Rachel's this weekend. Hopefully it won't be long before they will be able to move back into their rooms and give me the downstairs back. Still a lot of work to be done and hopefully we can get most of it done in the next 3 weeks before it's time for me to become a football widow.