That was for the Birds!

This past week we had a very unusual experience! I was putting the Thanksgiving wreath on the front door and had it open while I was doing it. Suddenly something flew past me. Garrett called out, "Grandma, a bird flew in!" "No, no," I said. "It was only a little butterfly." I kept on working and when I was done, I came in to the family room to indeed find a bird flying around in the room. "Yikes!!!"

Then when I got excited about trying to get it cornered, there were lots of shouts and screams by the kids as well as their mother, while the poor little bird was much more scared than we were! But finally, we got him to fly into the laundry room where Papa George saved the day! He got a net and caught the little bird and released him outside--much to both the little bird and all of our happiness!

Work made Fun!

On Saturday, we all went to Gainesville to help Craig and Cassie with some projects around their house. Seriously, we ended up having such a good time working together! The little boys thought it was great fun to burn all the old leaves and sticks lying around.

And watching Craig climbing a tree was very exciting!

Oh, yes, Cassie and I planted some flowers. Why didn't I get a picture of that?

The guys put up new boards on the back porch which had become a little water damaged. Now Craig and Cassie will just have to paint them.

But the most interesting part of all was watching George, Craig, and Jeff move the one ton tree stump to the big pile off the yard. It even flattened the tire on the wheelbarrow!




And where was Isaac most of the time? Why, finding dirt to eat! Crazy kid!

Craig and Cassie fixed us a wonderful cook-out dinner before we left for home. When you can make work fun, it just doesn't get any better than that!

All Treats--No Tricks!

What a great weekend we've had! Halloween night, Craig and Cassie came to stay. We hardly had any trick-or-treaters, but the cutest ones we had were these:
On Saturday, we were invited to a most fantastic Gator-Dawg tailgating/birthday party for little Georgia Grace, who is the daughter of Brad & Wimberly Brackett--Wimberly works at the district with George. As you can tell by the invitation, they are Georgia Bulldog fans through and through!

But Wimberly was kind enough to have blue plates along with the red, and put one or two blue and orange balloons outside so that we would know where to go.

Lots of friends came by who certainly showed their true colors--one guy didn't want to look for or against either team--although I think he was truly a Gator beneath it all.

Even the little kids got into the big game spirit! Here is Isaac with a little Bulldog fan.

The guys enjoyed a little football out on the lawn and were joined by Wimberly and Cassie.

Then Jeff and Amy and Craig and Cassie went downtown Jacksonville to the bigggggg game! Yes, like I said, no tricks--just a great treat when the score was Gators - 49 Dawgs - 10!!!!

We also heard that BYU won. What a great day!

After going to a wedding reception, George and I and the kids met Jeff and Amy and Craig and Cassie at a barbecue place and had a little pre-birthday dinner for George--his ?????? birthday. Craig and Cassie gave George a new Gator shirt. He certainly needed one!

Sunday, November 2nd, is actually George's birthday. After church, Amy and I fixed a big birthday dinner for George--his favorite, a roast beef dinner. Then we had the birthday cake. Believe it or not--this is only a third of the candles that should have been on the cake! But he's not getting older, he's just getting better! What a great weekend!

Mark and Natalie Come to Visit!

What a special day it was when Mark and Natalie (my sister who is 20 years younger that I) took a day off from Mark's medical convention in Orlando and came to Green Cove Springs to visit this past week. We had such great fun!
We went to World of Golf and had lunch at the Murray Brother's Caddy Shack, then went to the Crab Shack dock to see if any gators were out sunning themselves--unfortunately there weren't any. But they got to see plenty of Florida scenery and some "stuffed" gators! We all took a walk around our neighborhood so they could see Magnolia Point golf course, and then we took them to Ponte Vedre to see where the TPC is played. But the best part was just mingling and laughing together. Thanks, Mark and Natalie, for coming! It was so much fun--please do it again!