Ranes gets Philly Cheese Steak ready for Oven

I was in on this action, was having an incredible fit of laughter on the inside as both Mamoo and Ranes are trying to be the kitchen Boss! It is Mamoo's Kitchen, but Ranes is cooking! Need I say more??

Then it got interesting! Jamie even had to send for the recipe after seeing this shot, had no clue what Ranes was doing (since ye scribe had not entered text yet)

Off it goes in the oven, just for us to enjoy as the Fabulous Five prepare to pull off.

After they were gone, the kitchen began to fill up with the aroma of baking break and melting cheese. We we SO sad to see them leave, but Ranes left behind quiet a treat!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE

We have to type this one FAST as Jamie's Birthday is almost done in England!

This picture is fabulous in that it gives me a chance to wish Jamie a HAPPY BIRTHDAY as well as to show you how far off base I was about Alison's shoes in Ashdown Forest. You are LOOKING at Ashdown Forest, Allison appears well shod, Jamie's feet are mostly muddy, not sure if the stains came out or not.

At any rate, from all of our Southern US Hearts, we wish our friend Jamie

a Huge Happy Birthday which was once shared here in the US with our Matriarch, Thelma!!

Even as I speak, we are STILL celebrating her arrival of 8 decades, how cool to be 80 in 08.

MORE TO COME! Promise!

ROSE CITY RED HATTERS

Ranes named the group! This is the Thomasville Charter Red Hat Society!

We happened to be having our quarterly Monday Luncheon! Our Queen Mother (right behind Ranes) was SO delighted to see Ranes and family as Ranes was one of her Nursury School Students at some point of her 30 years career of pre-school teaching!

John is the only *Red Cap* present this meeting, he gets to assist with out bags etc, we LOVE him and all of our *Red Caps*

The Queen Mother has just appointed the great grandaughter of the VICE Queen (Mamoo, she says she is the Queen of Vice) as the newest Red Hat Society member! Since she is not 50 yet, she can only wear a pink hat now, so she was given these dazzling pink and crystal ear rings that I imagine she will never forget! Since the Vice Queen is touched, dhe allows Kayleigh to wear her Red hat for her Pink Lady coronation!

And of course, Kayleigh gave us a show! Is this too adorable or what!

A personal favorite as Kayleigh made this exact same facial expresion the last time she visited. She was just 10 months old, and stood up for the first time!!

The REAL Birthday!

As luck would have it, our Church just happened to be having our annual Homecoming this particular Sunday, the day of Mamoo's Birthday. What could be great, all of the company, all of the food, a feast with a special cake just for Mamoo! It is Hummingbird Cake on the bottom, Italian Creme on top. Yum!

On the right side of Mamoo's special seat, we filled with pictures of she and Daddy when first married, then she, Daddy and her Mother *Lil Mema*, Mamoo wsa in her 50's, and lastly, a recent picture of Mamoo in her *Red Hat Lady* outfit, was a parade shot!

There was a long rectangle table to accomodate children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and any other folks that wanted to join us. We were in FEAST mode!

Whoever you are, you HAVE to know how special this picture is to me. My son, my daughter, my mother and me. Does it get any better? It's not even my Birthday! I personally think we are all gorgeous, especially our spirits!

Dekle Fish Fry

We pulled up at Carolyn to see all sorts of BIRTHDAY signs!

Mamoo was in heaven, in shock, and loved every minute!

Braydon and Kayleigh added some TiKi Hut paraphanalia to their clotes, grass skirts, leis, and helped cousins Erin and Lauren make drinks for all at the Tiki Bar. Thye were all having such a good time, lemonade was better than good!

Cousin Christopher was in from North Carolina. This picture is signifigant as we have another just like it from another event 3 years ago, they were 6, 5 and 4, now 9, 8 and 7. What is the exact same is the happy looks on their faces!!

Lady Kayleigh located the glasses that were on the Pinata! She kept them on from that point on, and took them back to Utah with her!

~MAKE A WISH MAMOO~

Amazingly enough the *08* says *80* on the other side.

How often would that work, being 80 in 08?

Mamoo gave us instructions that she was aware it was her Birthday and wanted NO presents, just our presence! SO, we all got cards, and Kayleigh is in on opening every one of them. (had to lift those glasses a few times to see as the sun was going down) We were all enjoying watching Kayleigh as much as watching Mamoo, and so was Mamoo!!

Aunt Carolyn with the still intact Pinata as Braydon, Christopher, Tyson, Kayleigh and my brother Charles looks on.

~AWWWWWWW~

Five Generations

Generation four escaped to Generation three's back porch (just next door to Mamoo)

It may LOOK like they are relaxing, and I hope so, but then again, they be performing for the perpetual camera. (Didn't I say I was retiring the camera at the next family gathering?)

So the generations gather, Braydon makes Mamoo *cool* by giving her a headband to wear, then posing for this *look* signifying that great-grandmothers and great-grandsons CAN have fun together. (The headband became a permanent fixture, Mamoo loves it!)

Father sits with son at the piano of Lil Mema, Mamoo's Mother who is not with us physically, but no doubt loves hearing this piano rock. Jam session in progress! As children (my generation) we would all gather around the piano on special occasions or occasions that ought to be special, singing song after song, mostly hymnals, well, actually ALL hymnals or Christian songs. Mema and Papa were a team for years once they became grand and great grandparents, spending a LOT of time going from Nursing Home to Nursing Home singing to those that just waited for their arrival. Mema played and sang, Papa sang! His favorite song was *How Great Thou Art*. I think every member of our family knows every word and every part, mine was alto! Papa would lean his head back for the high parts, Mema would just GLOW while she played and watched him sing at the same time. (How'd she do that?)

Back to the newest generation, Tyson and Kayleigh have found what they refer to as *cleaners*. They use them to walk all over Mamoo's house to pick up, retreive, place, toss, move or remove anything that is not tied down or otherwise unmovable. Tyson appears intent on litter control, just not sure why his recyclable is over his sister's head. She is either enjoying it or running from it, with a *cleaner* in her own hand. Mamoo busted them eventually, one *cleaner* is in reality a *picker upper* and must go back to the correct location before he sun comes up as it is used to retreive the morning paper!!

It is fun that over the years all of the children see these devices as different things. When Honey was with us, great grandson Christopher used it to pinch Honey's toes (it was a toss up of who enjoyed the game more, Honey or Christopher)

Perhaps the funniest part is after all the grands and greats have gone home, Mamoo and Honey had to conduct treasure hunts to locate the *pinchers*, aka *picker uppers*, aka *cleaners*

Central High School Football!

Ranes and Blace both were Thomas County Central High School graduates!

Tonight is the perfect opportunity for Braydon, Tyson and Kayleigh to go to the game.

In my best Grandma fashion, I had already prepared with school memorabilia, Blace found some face paint crayons and did GREAT jobs decorating all!

Mamoo didn't want to go, so we got pics with her before we left.

Actually she said the only reason she EVER went was to watch her daughter play in the high school band! I think I did much the same with Ranes and Blace.

Central Wins 20-19

Ranes and Heather relax?

Well Ranes looks pretty chilled,

Heather appears to be working, but in the South
Georgia temperatures outside.
Does that count as relaxing though?

72 degrees

~~~and I mean the water, not the air

Blace appears to be willing to blow up the floats

Kayleigh plans to go down the slide

Tyson and Kayleigh fish out Nemo and Lady Friend

So next thing I know, they are IN that cold water!

I think my heart would stop!

Truth is, they are having a wonderful time, have spent little time out of the pool!

Mamoo's Birthday Week

Mamoo (Thelma Dekle Blow) will be 80 this week!

We have all sorts of fun planned for her,

all sorts of family coming from all over to visit.

She was 77 and waiting for heaven,

then 78 and doing great,

then 79, just doing fine,

NOW SHE"S 80 AND ONE SPECIAL LADY

We say she is a good lady, Mother, daughter, sister, special one,

cause that's all that matters when it's all said and done!

THEY HAVE ARRIVED!!!!!!!

No visuals this moring, only mental pics. Our Utah babies made the trip safely, ending up in Jacksonville Florida and driving a huge van to Georgia! As they rounded the bend to the homeplace (Mamoo's, where we were all sitting on the back porch waiting with the most excitement of the year) we heard 4 horn toots, then 3, then 2, then the van pulled up in the backyard and the fabulous five unloaded! You can forget a lot in this life, but that moment will not be on the list. ALL got a lion's share of hugs, kisses, greetings, *look how tall you've grown*, *how handsome you are in your new glasses*, *what is the password* (a skill Braydon and Tyson developed when they were 3 and 5, last visit).... it is the same *where's my chicken nuggets*, or *I love you*. Aunt Blace met Kayleigh for the first time, love at first sight on both accounts, Bears were brought in, names were explained, Capri Sun's distribited and we relaxed just long enough for Braydon and Tyson to grab their things and move next door to Grandma and Papa John's house. In the DARK, they had to go (with flashlights) to check out the pool, it is still there, then to see there names on there respective hooks in the Cabana for any new toys (none, they get to pick today) and off we go on to inspect the house for *changes*.
Naturally, Gromit, Gabby and Cissy felt invaded, but they tolerated well, seem to undersatnd that these are our grandchildren and in a short while all will be back to normal when they are the everyday canine babies.

At bedtime, things have changed. I donned the same flannel nightgown I have worn since their births, got out their favorite book that they like me to read from..... and they had other toys in their backpacks already in action! What happened??? Do I not get to fall asleep in the middle of a story anymore?? Will I have to pack the book away?? (we have been working on the same book for a long time)

Anyways, they are sound asleep still, sausage are sending sweet signals that they may be accompanied by pancakes and syrup!!!

The truth will hit home when they step outside into the 63 degree air, we will see how fast bathing suits happen then.

I am loving this, relish being a better word. Just imagine how bad it will be when I get the camera. Where is that camera??

THOMASVILLE FLY IN

This is my Uncle James, my mother's older brother (82) and the pilot of the family.

As long as I have known Uncle James, he has been interested in planes, anything to do with planes, and actually took me for a ride when I was younger. His story is a long one. Here is a link to his life's work ~ http://www.powerofthepast.org/

You can see what he has been doing all these years, what his goal is, and how it has developed thus far. He is on our local TV everyday, telling his story, is one of wonder for sure!

Anyway, yesterday was the 2008 fly in, Mother, Blace and I went together, saw many relatives, cousins John, Janice, Randall and Linda running in the background, taking nursing home groups on tours in a special cart pulled by a tractor. (Yes, we thought of Mr Meacham, the first fly in he has missed since he joined the flying angels, an avid aviator imself) Uncle Waymon and Uncle CL (other brothers of my Mother) were boiling large vats of peanuts and distrubiting to all who can't eat them fast enough!! While we were there, another bother, Billy, was at my house visiting John who was too sick to go this year. THANKS for the company Billy!