hi y'all

i first off want to say im sorry rita and i didnt make it for pasta dinner but she wasn't feeling very well and didnt want to give everyone her cold. she does want to meet everyone so i was talking to her about easter when almost everyone will be there so she can meet everyone and all that jazz. i knoe all of you will realy like her. she is my better half and i meen that. i love her to death. im hoping everyone will be home for easter but if not maybe she can meet more of the fam some time. she has already meet sam, nat,logan,and jenn. but again im very sorry for missing dinner and christy. i miss and love all of you as you all must know by now. i will post again soon. peace love and pancakes.

Grama's Sketti Dinner

It was a small crowd that gathered at Grama and Scott's house last Sunday afternoon for the annual Pasta "Orgy". A huge pot of sauce simmered on the stove. I immediately got a spoon and tasted it when I arrived. YUM!!!!!!

Christie flew from Virginia just for the occasion. (what a fun weekend we had together!) Beth came with Sam and Logan. Jenn arrived with Nate Blake. With the addition to the family, it's hard to bring everyone in one car!

We all sat around Grama's big dining room table as Scott served up a big bowl of garlic bread to sop up the extra sauce. We all had our fill of spaghetti goodness. What a treat that Cindy called and talked to all of us. Next time there is a "pasta holiday" we hope she can be there!


Since I am writing this post, I am including the pottery photo observation. Mom has a growing collection of cool pottery. These pieces are on a shelf Scott built in the kitchen.

After dinner we played a round of Yahtzee. I hate to tell about it because I was last place out of seven players. It was neat though. When Mom opened up the box, there were score cards with Christie and Kyle's names on them--Grama's too. She was sharing a scoresheet with Karen who could barely write her own name at the time they were used. There was also a scoresheet that said "Jimbo" written at the top. I know he would have loved to play a round of Yahtzee with us all--not to mention eat plenty of pasta!

It was a fun afternoon. I looked up President's Day for 2010. Based on my calculations, next year's pasta dinner will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010. I hope everyone can make it!

Part of a journal entry...

Ruth brought home her school journal to do some homework in. On Friday, she wrote, along these lines, as I was not bright enough to copy before she brought it back to school:

I think we are going to my Grama's for dinner. We will have spaghetti. In our family, spaghetti dinner is like a holiday at Grama's. She makes the best spaghetti in the world. I love going to eat it.

Again, I am writing the gist of it, and fully expect Ruth to correct me. If she does, then I will have her post again.

By the way, were there any stories to go along with day that can be shared?

When Life Gives You Lemons.........

Had a bad day? Try not to smile while looking at this photograph of baby Logan,

courtesy of Christie.

Big Night!

So, last night was the grand reopening of Ford's Theatre and it was kind of a big deal.  There were oodles of celebrities and very important peoples running around.  A few on the guest list included Kelsey Grammer, James Earl Jones, Richard Thomas, George Lucas and Sidney Poitier.  Oh, and Mister President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle.  Yes indeedy.  If you want to see more about the program: http://www.fordstheatre.org/home/media-center/fords-theatre-grand-reopening-celebration.  I had to dress up and found an amazing dress and even more amazing earrings and i looked gooooood (for real cheap too!)  Here are some pictures!  Sorry they're so big, I'm having some issues with the uploader and stuff...

On the red carpet.  Practicing for my Oscar appearances.

The front of house team! Allison, me, Shade', Amanda

George Lucas!

SIDNEY POITIER!!! There were tears...I mean, holy crap.

I guess those are the best of the pictures I took.  Erica took some really good ones of me in my dress, not from the night, but the day I got my dress.  So as soon as I have access to those I will post them. In particular, there are some close-ups of my earrings, which were so great. Anyway, I don't know what to say about the night other than it was incredible.  My feet were killing me because I stupidly wore huge heels, but I survived and it was a great night.  YAY! 

Just to let everyone know that on Monday Josh and I broke up and he moved out. Things weren't going that well and he was doing drugs behind my back. I'm sad, but I've had alot of support from Mom, and friends. We'll see what happens, maybe things will work out, but for now he's out of the house and we'll focus on ourselves for a bit.

Happy Birthday, Chelle!

I just wanted to give a quick hug and wish you the best!

 

Love, Cindy P J

 

"Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God."

 

Don't forget! *edited

(I changed the photo because Ruth, Darrell, and I were there when they brought this awesome desk piece in. We thought it was for the younger son, but it was for the older one. Go figure. In any case, it was cool to watch in real life, and again on the tube. )

Makeover night is tonight!

If you are not lame like me, and checked out the blog early in the day on Sunday (therefore missing this late notice), you can go here to watch: http://abc.go.com/player/index?pn=index.

I, of course, will have to catch a bit later. I have Statistics at 8. :(

Boil, Boil, Toil and.............OH!

Oh, that Spaghetti goodness!

Perfect for a mid-winter's day! Grama/Mom has asked me to post the invitation to the

Annual Pasta "Orgy"

Sunday, February 15

Let's eat 1-1:30

Second setting for those who have to work or get hungry again.

Bring a game if you would like.

Come if you can! We'll miss you if you can't.

P.S. Monday night Mom was using Mammie's Bible and found an invitation to U.J.'s 40th Birthday Party and Pasta "ORGY"--dated October, 1988!!

The Tree

For those that are wondering....


The last time I went by the house with the tree, it was still up. It appears to still have the same blue decorations it had before Ruth was born. That was last summer.

When we first saw the tree, the Gulf War was going on. I imagined that maybe the parents that lived there had a loved one they were waiting to arrive at home.

The boys and I would go by there, year after year, and consider the possibilities. Did they lose a loved one? Maybe they were dumb? Maybe, just maybe, they loved Christmas more than Grama... If that was possible. :)

I have spent time pondering the reasons. A few years ago, Ruth and I discussed writing a note and asking for an answer to the question we have been asking since before her birth. I decided against it.

It is a simple reminder to me that there is always hope in the world. Hope for the return of a loved one. Hope for getting past grief. Hope for the world in general.

Couldn't we all use a little hope in life?


Man, I need to get back to school work. :)