It has been an exciting few weeks. We went to the Outer Banks for Thanksgiving. We had a great time. The weather was beautiful!! 50 or so degrees, sunny - too cold to swim but we enjoyed the beach just the same. My brother, sister and their families came and my Dad and Mom rented a house. We had lots of good food and fun. On Friday the 28th my firstborn turned 20. I can't believe how fast 20 years have gone. I am NOT old enough to have a 20 year old (am I)!!! What a joy and a blessing she has been. I love you Katibug!!!

Our family "fall" beach pic.

All the cousins at the Outer Banks

Emily being goofy with my camera, isn't she cute?!!

Kati's birthday celebration - 2 days late. She had to work on her birthday so she left the beach early and we celebrated on Sunday.

Kati looks so cute in her Christmas scrubs I had to take a pic. Emily got them for her for her birthday. What a trooper, she smiles pretty for her mama at 7 am.

Where did the time go?

Kati & Timmy

Emily's birthday

Yummy candles

Kati's godbaby Layla

An awesome tree in our neighborhood, the fall

color was spectacular this year. Isn't God good!!

In two weeks my firstborn will turn 20!!! How is that possible, where did the time go. Parents enjoy your children while they're young. It passes way too quickly, you wonder if you instilled everything in them that you wanted to and then you have to trust God and let them go (I'm still working on that, the letting go that is). There is no greater joy than being a Mom, staying home and raising your children. There are so many days that I have felt like what I do is trivial, that I should be out there working in the world, accomplishing something and then I have to remind myself that I have the most important job in the world.

Pictures from my October trip to the Beach(es)

This is the house in the movie "Nights in Rodanthe" It is really neat.

Rodanthe Beach - beautiful!!

Sunset off the ferry we took over to Hatteras.

Restaurant in Carolina Beach. Of course we had breakfast there.

Carolina Beach: View from the hotel.

I got to travel with Richard a few days a couple weeks ago. We started out in Holden Beach and ended up on the Outer Banks of NC. I had never been to Hatteras and Rodanthe, they were beautiful beaches. We took a ferry to Okracoke then drove up the length of the Outer Banks, ended up in Nags Head. It was very warm, even put my feet in the Ocean.

Time flies

It's been 2 weeks since my last post. I really need to get better. Yesterday I decided to create a Facebook. I now know why kids spend so much time on the compter. It is fun, connecting with friends, seeing what everyones doing. TOO MUCH FUN!! It also helps keep up with family that is out of town. I'm learning alot and having fun in the process. I am also trying to set up a Photobucket account so it's easier to post pictures on my blog and facebook. Alot of learning for one weekend.

Alot of quiet time

Things have been quiet around the Jones house this weekend. Meghan, Luke, and Emily are on a youth retreat and Kati worked most of Saturday. It is a glimpse of how it will be one day when they are all gone. Hopefully, though, on a Saturday afternoon we will have a few grandchildren to entertain, but that is not for quite a while (it better be!!). I for one enjoyed the peace and quiet, but I will be glad to see them come home. Quiet is good but I enjoy the activity. Everyone goes their separate ways during the day but it is a wonderful feeling when we are all back together under one roof.

Cherry Grove may be my new favorite east coast beach. It was so beautiful. Huge beach, cool sandbars at low tide. The guys even caught some fish. The sand was soft and almost white. Not much wave action but Luke, Kati, and Timmy tried their hand at skim boarding. I mostly "lazed" on the beach. I read a little but mostly just zoned out and soaked up the sun.


A house on the inlet at the point.

Beautiful Sunset!

Football on the beach - Life is Good!

A view to the left from our balcony.

Ramblings

View from our balcony
Sweet little Emily
kati and timmy

These last few weeks have been crazy, the economy, the election (or the leading up to). I have to daily remind myself (as the stock market continues to rollercoaster, banks being bought out and merging) that Jehovah Jireh is my provider, not Wall Street not the government. As times may get tough I know in whom I have believed and I know that He is able to keep me from falling. God may be getting ready to do a work in our country, I just have to remember it is my responsibility to pray for my leaders and to pray for men and women of character to get elected. I can only pray that God will have mercy on us, that the men and women of this country who claim that they belong to the one true God will not just talk the talk but walk the walk and on Election Day vote for John McCain. In truth Obama scares me, I believe that he has many questionable associations and talkls very eloquently but is empty, he has nothing to offer us and is a very dangerous man. I hope and pray America wakes up before it is too late!!

On a lighter note here is some more beach pictures.

Blog Slacker

I am not a great blogger as you can tell from my lack of recent posts. I never have been much of a writer and since my children are older I take fewer pictures. I will back track and try to catch up. First I will post some pictures from our vacation to Cherry Grove, SC in August. It was a wonderful beach, I loved it. I was sooo lazy!! We stayed in a wonderful condo Sea Marsh II right on the beach.

Meg's New Do

Here is Meghan with her new haircut. Isn't she cute!!

A few final photos from Martha's Vineyard

Edgartown Light at sunset - how beautiful!
Splash!!!!

A t the risk of overdoing it, I will post a few more photo's from our trip to Martha's Vineyard.

More from our Mass. trip

Since the older girls didn't come with us, Emily was my main photo subject.



















Here is Emily peering down from the loft where she slept.




Emily with her 2nd(?) cousin, my cousins daughter Kayla at Menemsha while we waited for the guys to come back from fishing.











A proud papa!















Who are these characters?

A few shots of my new rose bush.
Blooming pretty despite the hot, dry weather.

This is my favority lilly. My other colors are dull compared
to this one. I can't wait for it to multiply like the others.
Roses and lillies are the only two plants that I don't kill.

Finally got a good shot of Fred. He's afraid of the camera
but outside it didn't seem to bother him.

Martha's VIneyard Vacation

Mom, Emily & me at our "proper" English tea party.


Luke contemplating the meaning of life at the beach at Gayhead.


Getting ready for the tea party. Who's the cutie in the hat?


Emily & Grammy before heading off for the tea party

On Friday Mom, Emily & I headed off to an English tea party in Edgartown. It was alot of fun. The treats were delicious; scones with clotted cream & preserves, little pastries and of course tea.

Luke's Big Fish

Here is Luke's 35 pound striped bass that he caught off a boat while fishing off the coast of Martha's Vineyard Island, Mass. We had a great time, more pics and details to follow

The final pose for Emily's ballet dance at recital.

The final Jazz pose
Emily's new "doo". She donated her "locks" to Locks of love.
Goofy Mom & Dad!!!




I have had a bit of trouble with my posts lately, hence the few words. I have not been very faithful about posting I will try to do better. The school year is winding down. These last few weeks are always the hardest, it is tough to finish well for all of us. I am sick of school books as I know the kids are. The weather has turned beautiful, the pool is open and who wants to work!!! Oh well, we shall press on until May 22-23, then it is sweet Summertime!!!!!!!!!

Lukes Birthday and Emily's masterpiece

Another driver!! Here are a few pictures of Luke's 16th birthday. It's hard to believe I have 3 drivers, scary!





























"Let's get this over with so we can EAT"

Emily's Masterpiece - another spaghetti cake. I think she is ready to learn how to make my famous (or infamous) triple layer fudge cake with white choclate filling.































Are we playing basketball or goofing around?





























Defense hound!!!