My Mom

Things my mother has taught me:
Take time to smell the flowers
Phillip, Me, Mom at Easter

Family is important
MeMe, me, Mom

Celebrate Everything! Nothing is too small!
Phillip, Me, Mom
(notice the "lickable" Willy Wonka wallpaper?!)

Enjoy what life brings you
Phillip, Me, Mom

You're never too old for fun!
Me, Mom, Phillip
(every year at Halloween, mom would go through the dress
up bags and "dress up" for her students)

Mother's Day Weekend

Friday afternoon, Pattie and I drove home to see my parents for the weekend. I thought mom might want to see her granddog for Mother's Day weekend! Good friends of ours were having a yard sale starting Friday, so mom went shopping for me. They always have great clothes, so it was like Christmas when I got home! Saturday morning, mom and I walked back over to the yard sale and returned the things that didn't work for me. From there, Pattie and I went on our first jog. She did well and I think she could have gone for 5 miles longer! We met up with mom and finished walking. We showered, then headed out to breakfast with friends and whatever else came our way!

After breakfast, we decided to hit up downtown Winston-Salem. We walked down the Avenue of the Arts. Many of the stores reminded me of shops found in downtown Asheville. After finishing up, we headed to another store before enjoying a late lunch. That evening we were too full from lunch, so we watched a movie and ate popcorn and ice cream for dinner. Actually, ice cream came first...the only way to eat dessert right?!

Sunday we went to church and had Sunday Lunch with the "family" at "Grandmother Gen's". Unfortunately the tennis court at her house is old and hasn't been used in years. Good for Pattie b/c that's were she stayed while we had lunch. Audrey brought over Woody, a big black lab. They had a ball in the court. Pattie was pooped! She laid right down and slept the whole ride back!

TOY Luncheon

Today was the TOY luncheon at Hendersonville Country Club. Mr. Pressley announced last week that he would finally be retiring. So, since this would be his last lunch I had to make it memorable!
Many years ago, he dressed as a farmer (complete with a spit cup) and went to "pick up" the teacher to go to the lunch. In a way I was helping this teacher get revenge! So, I went to Goodwill and picked out my favorite sluty outfit. Since we were painting this week I told him that I was sure a 5 year old would find my dress. So, I would just change before we went. There were several other people in on the surprise and helped play it up. They announced to him I was ready. The first picture of us is when he was still unsure if I was joking. Right after this picture is when no one else could keep it a secret any longer. He squirmed which was the whole point! I eventually got dressed for real and we enjoyed a wonderful lunch! (The man taking our picture at the lunch said just as he was snapping the picture "How does it feel to take a picture with your grandpa?!" We both laughed out loud!!!)

Pattie Update

Thursday afternoon Pattie and I went to the vet again. Remember, that the last time we went was not fun! It was the first time I had taken a puppy to the vet and we were running very late. She cried the entire 20 minutes we sat in the waiting room, the first 10 minutes we were waiting in the room, and as I was trying to pay. I was glad to get out of there! So, Thursday went much better. She only cried once or twice...and we were early this time! They gave her another round of shots and we'll see them again in a month.
Here's what she's been up to:
1. She now weighs 22.4 pounds; gaining 10 pounds since the last visit
2. Can do these on command: sit, drop, out, stay
3. Has learned/still learning heal
4. Learning to "shake"
5. Learning "down"
6. Has not pottied in her crate in 3 weeks!
7. Might have an accident in the house once a week, if that
8. Went on her first real hike to a waterfall!
9. Doesn't cry in her crate at night anymore
10. Sleeps as long as I want to!
11. So far, she has only chewed her toys. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
12. Had her nails trimmed by me! First time I've ever clipped a dog's nails. It went pretty well too!

Spring Hike

I was originally thinking about making a trip home this weekend for the Jaycees Rummage sale with Kathryn. However, Friday afternoon I decided I would skip out on it this year. After reading Kathryn's e-mail this morning about all the great finds, I was kicking myself a bit for not going. There's always next year!

I was hoping to catch a Tourist baseball game today at 2. With the beautiful weather we are having, I wanted to do something outside! I called a few friends and left messages hoping someone would have the same idea. Around 12:30 I got a hold of my friends Maggie and Justin. They were loading up the van to take the boys on a hike. I invited myself and Pattie along for the ride and told them about some easier hikes in the Pisgah. I immediately called Brad and Ann (newlyweds!) and told them about the hike. About 45 minutes later, we were all meeting up in the Pisgah for an afternoon hike! We went on the Moores Cove trail. It's .7 miles to a waterfall that you can walk up behind. It was just long enough for Justin who was carrying Miles, Maggie who was carrying Liam, and Pattie who was so excited to be in the woods somewhere besides the one trail we've gone on! Ann and Brad left us and went on a beautiful hike (Looking Glass Falls) which I hope to go on in the near future! It turned out to be a beautiful day filled with a good hike, good friends, and plenty of sunshine!

Earth Day

On Saturday, I went with Maggie, Justin, and their boys to the Asheville Earth Day Festival. We got there just as things were getting started. There was great smelling food, music playing, beer, and face painting! As the day went on, more people began to arrive. There were even lots of dogs out there. Maybe I should have taken Pattie!
We heard 2 bands, almost three as we were walking back to the car. We were able to get good food, walk around to see the vendors, enjoy the sunshine, and watch Miles get his face painted. Actually, he decided to get his arm painted. He was great and sat really still as the lady painted his arm. When we returned back to our stuff, the three of us noticed that Miles' face was black! He had smeared and/or licked the black spider painted on his arm. He now looked like he had a beard! Pretty soon after that, we decided to call it a day at the festival. Liam was already asleep in the stroller, but Miles was losing steam fast!
Maggie and I headed out after getting everyone home for some girl time. We checked out REI (my fav!) and got some Marble Slab ice cream! Yummy! When I got home, I scooped Pattie and we went into the Pisgah for an early evening walk. She did great! She got excited when she would see other people coming her way! I let her get into the river for a drink. She wasn't quite sure what to think about the water this time. Of course, she was still attached to the leash and me and I wasn't jumping in that cold water after her!

"Chaos at 6:30"

I got back into town Wednesday night. Thursday and Friday were gorgeous! I enjoyed being outside and taking it easy on Thursday. Friday I decided it was time to get down to business! So, I did things like drank coffee leisurely, ate lunch outside in the sun, read a magazine..you know all the important things to do on break! Then, it really was time to get things done. Just as I finished mowing the grass, I talked to my friend Maggie. We were going out to dinner, but it was decided that she would come over with her family and Crystal would come over with her family. So, I had to get myself inside to clean! I think it had been at least 3 weeks since I had done any cleaning. I can certainly get lazy living by myself!
Around 6:30, the chaos began! (Or so Crystal said!) Just picture 5 adults, 2 2 1/2 year old boys, 2 6-9 month old boys, and one puppy! Maggie, Justin, and their two boys Miles and Liam along with Crystal, Danny, and their two boys Owen and Ben came over with Marco's pizza in hand! Pattie was left outside on the leash while we ate until I looked outside and she was digging holes! She had to be put in her crate until everyone finished eating. The boys were having a picnic on the kitchen floor and I just saw disaster written all over if Pattie had been out in the house. For dessert, I bought 2 different kinds of ice cream, strawberries, and squirt cool whip. It was wonderful! Good friends. Good food. Good times! I love surprise visits with friends!!!

Dinner with Friends

Tuesday afternoon, I left Heather's house and headed back to get ready for dinner with everyone. We were going to Tyler's for dinner and then a girls night out! We had to get a table for 10! How did that happen?! Our circle has certainly grown and is now filled with kids! Heather and Mark have 3 boys while Jessica and William have 2 girls. If Ben andVictoria had been there with their little one, we would have needed a table for 13!!!

This was my first time at this place, even though they all swore I had been to the one in Carrboro! The beer list was extensive and had one of my favorites..Fat Tire! I went to the "winderful brewery" out in Colorodo 6 years ago! They said then that the way it's processed/packaged, they couldn't get it shipped past the Mississippi. Luckily, they have figured it out because it's popping up on the East Coast now! So, that's what I enjoyed as my beverage for the evening!

After dinner, the guys took all the kiddos home and we stayed for a girls night out! It was great to catch up with them and they enjoyed their time away from putting kids to bed duty! We called our dear friend Victoria since she couldn't be with us. So, it was almost like old times! I wish I had thought about taking a picture of everyone before they had left! I'll just have to go back to visit!

Pattie and friends

On Easter Monday, I went to Cary/Apex to visit old friends. Monday afternoon, I got to visit with Jill, Eddie, and their 3 month old baby Holly. I can't believe how much she has grown up! She has such a sweet smile!

Tuesday morning, Pattie and I called dad to wish him a Happy Birthday!!! Since Jessica and William were working all day, I waited until Heather finished up some errands before heading over to her house. I spent the late morning until late afternoon with her and one of her boys. I took Pattie over hoping she would love their backyard. Instead, she sat by the door and whined most of the time!

Just a little side note: Eliza (Jessica and William's oldest daughter) LOVED Pattie! Pattie was lovin the fact that she could get up on the couch with her! I think Eliza would have kept her if I had mentioned it. Anna (their youngest) liked Pattie, but was more interested in the crate. I found her crawling in numerous times!

Rockin'

Last summer when I went up to Ohio awaiting the arrival of my new niece or nephew; I spent a few days in Michigan with my dear friends Ben, Victoria, and their daughter Liliana. The girls went downtown one day and walked into this cute boutique. I found this onesie that says "My Aunt Rocks". Not knowing at the time if the baby was going to be a boy or girl; I opted for the color choice in the picture versus the yellow with red lettering. I decided I could just buy a cute pair of girlie pants if in fact they did have a girl. Keep in mind, I bought the onesie in size 6-12 month (sized weird I know) and pants for 6-9 or maybe 9-12 months. Either way, Caroline has almost outgrown the onesie and the pants no longer fit her! So, instead of waiting until the summer like I had orginially thought, Jammie brought down the onesie at Easter so I could take a picture with her!

Easter

The Easter bunny found Sawyer and Caroline in NC! They were really excited; especially to see the bunny had eaten some of the carrots they had left out the night before! I guess really Sawyer was excited...Caroline loved the basket itself and the grass in it. As did Pattie!

We only used Phillip's camera to take the Gribble family Easter picture. So, I'll have to wait for him to send those to me before I can post them. I did take a picture of GG and PaPa with the kids. Mom borrowed Caroline's ears and put them on Pattie! Happy Easter!

50 Nifty!

Uncle Dave-o turned 50 on April 8th. The entire family was getting together for dinner Saturday night. So, someone had the brilliant idea to surprise David and turn the dinner into a surprise birthday party!

Decorations were thrown up by the men, food was prepared by the women, and drinks were had all around! Kathryn had a stash of stuff for us to dress up with including party hats and flowers! The party came complete with the chocolate fountain! You just can't go wrong dipping a strawberry, pineapple, banana, or Krispy Kreme doughnut into pouring chocolate!

I didn't get too many good pictures from the night. Look closely at the table beside Jammie and Oliver and you'll see the famous fountain! However, you can't let a 50th birthday go without being noticed! So, Happy 50th Birthday Dave-o! I would have to say his expression in the picture might just say it all!

Egg Hunt

This has become a tradition...well, it's two years old at least! The Washington Petty's have made the trip down the best two years at Easter. Last year, we threw mom and dad the surprise 60th party. We got them over to the house by telling them there was going to be an egg hunt for the kids. Since it all went so well last year, we had another one at Kathryn's house. The kiddos loved finding the eggs thanks to the great hiding skills of Uncle Kyle

Sawyer, Zoe, and Tommy enjoyed finding the eggs along with some family friends. They are neighbors of Kyle and Marie that have joined us for Thanksgiving the past few years. Caroline was just a spectator this year. She'll be right in the mix next year though!

My cousins brought down their dog Kirby, so Pattie had a blast running around the yard with him. Pattie discovered she likes plastic eggs at mom and dad's kitchen that morning. Thankfully, she didn't mess with any of the eggs for the hunt!

Getting Ready

Thursday night, Pattie and I drove to my parents house. Shortly following us was the Ohio Gribbles! Pattie was EXCITED to meet her "cousins"! It took Sawyer some time to warm up to her. In attempts to get him warmed up, I asked if he thought I could fit into Pattie's crate. I successfully made it in and out; then asked if he thought he could do it. This was the beginning of a beautiful relationship! ;) Throughout the weekend, he wanted to "rub her back" and throw her toys. Anytime she even looked at his toys, he was quick to respond "Not your toy Pattie!"

We enjoyed playing with toys, watching Pattie, and talking that first evening. On Friday, Grandma Gribble came over to see everyone. Well, mostly just the kids; but we can always pretend right?! Pattie got to met her "great grandma" and was pretty well behaved! It was a rainy afternoon and evening, so we just around the house. We did go over before dinner to see the other family that had arrived at Kathryn's. We had a wonderful dinner at mom and dad's; then got ready for a busy Saturday.



The video of Sawyer is him saying his "Superman blessing" that he learned at school. Thank you God for giving us food. Thank you God for giving us food. For the food we eat, for the friends we meet. Thank you God for giving us food. Amen. (Just in case you couldn't hear all the words.)

Charleston!

Friday after school, I rode down to Charleston with Mandi and Ryan. We were all running in the Cooper River Bridge Run; which is a 10K. Our friend Becca and her brother were also running, but we never got to see them. We stayed in downtown Charleston and they were staying at the Isle Of Palms. With all the traffic and road closing, we never made it over there until Sunday for lunch when they were already gone. Plus, I didn't have a car. So while Becca was calling me Saturday to say how beautiful the beach was, I was walking around downtown Charleston enjoying the sites! I did have a good time and enjoyed making new memories of Charleston.

I was able to cut about 3 minutes off my time from the 10K I ran in January! I'm thinking about finding another 10K for the summer so I can continue improving my time! The run was beautiful especially when we crested the bridge. I was able to "run" the whole time minus less than 30 seconds for one water stop. I'm still working on that running while you're drinking from a cup thing! We enjoyed some celebration beers, walked around downtown, and went back out to watch the Tarheels make it to the final game! All in all, it was an awesome weekend!

The pictures: Mandi and I were just having fun as cougars under the sign. The picture of the three of us is where the finish line was for the race. Since I didn't get any pictures from the race, this one will have to do! Finally, we took a cab back after the game. It looked like the car that Super Nanny drives...Super "Manny" drove us home! :)

Where did Pattie stay you ask? With her sister of course! I dropped her off Thursday night. She and Lucy barely stopped long enough for me to tell Pattie bye. Apparently, they played the entire weekend together. They ate at the same time, slept at the same time, pottied at the same time, and each had hold of the same toy at the same time. She did wag her tail and gave me lots of kisses once she saw me! I'm pretty sure she misses her sister though. Hopefully we can have a play date soon!