Starting the college tours!

Kim, Tom and crew hosted Shannon, Molly and Ford to Berry College for one of many College visits that Ford has been (and will be) making before deciding where to go to school next year.

The perks of this visit was that you could horse around with your cousins instead of working hard to look like you know what your doing!

Ford even tried out the baseball field while the others cheered.

Okay...so this could be an Omen!

Anyway, it was a good experience; Tom and Kim got to go back to where they spent much of their happy youth, Andrew got to start his tours early and practice his driving, Ford broadened his knowledge of how schools can look different, I'm sure William got to run around and the family had a lot of fun together!

Good luck Ford! We know you will do well where ever you land and we'll keep a light on for you.

Kate with Simon in Cornwall, England

Kate at Tintagel, Cornwell

Simon and Kate at Tintagel Castle

Tintagel, Cornwell

Finding her own fairy house.

Luxulyn Valley

Kate and Simon

Just another wonderful day in Neverland. :)

DISCLAIMER:  All of these photographs were stolen off facebook.

Get Ready!

Hey! Over the mountain...A thousand indians are coming for dinner! Don't worry, they are bring Turkey and corn!!!!

Three days at Northcroft

The leaves had mostly fallen, the Hemlocks were still green.

In the cloudless sky, the sun was bright and at night the full moon beamed.

A chill in the air gave a hint of winter, on the ground a carpet of leaves.

Shadows were long and peace was within me as far as I could see.

                                                                                                From the Ma in me-MPC

Now, I'm ready to be Thankful and GO SHOPPING! :)

Ma's salute to the Veteran

My Uncle Kenneth (mother's brother) sent this poem to me this morning. I was touched and thought I would share. On every scrap piece of paper she could find, "Ma" wrote poems all her life, even as a young girl. No one knew until her death the hidden talents of this God fearing, humble home maker and mother. I remember her only as being old, with a loud heavy voice, hard of hearing and picnics on the front room floor...I had just turned nine years old when she died.


"This poem was written by Ethel Mai George Floyd on Armistice [now Veterans] Day, evidently in 1918, since she mentions her son, Elroy, as being 16 years old. Thanks Mama."

1 May 1880 - 22 July 1956

ARMISTICE DAY

I for two reasons celebrate

The lovely great Armistice date

We heard the news - a peaceful sign

Sixteenth birthday of that boy of mine

Each year the glad Armistice Day

Comes first - And then we lay the tray

We think of all the boys that gave

Their lives - and did their country save

And then we think of those that's here

Who also served without a fear

We fall right back then at our own

We must not leave our boy alone.

For on each grand Armistice Day

Our boy he has a glad birthday

We raise our eyes to God in prayer

For Mothers of the war graves there

And always think of what may come

An awful war may claim our own.

Thank you Uncle for sharing and caring about our family history...

Adrienne is recuperating...

Adrienne is recuperating at home following significant surgery to repair an injury to her shoulder which she received while assisting a large, combative patient in the hospital. The surgery went well, but she will have a lengthy recovery period, followed by months of therapy, to regain full use of her shoulder. In the meantime, this Nurse is a patient, and Beth is her caregiver. We all pray for a complete recovery for Adrienne and strength for Beth, as they work together to regain their health and strength.


Get well soon, Adrienne!

And all Chatterbox readers say...

YEAH!

Favorite Book Character Day!

Assignment:  Bring your favorite book to class and dress as your favorite book character.

Kudos to Mom and Dad for making it possible for William so believable.  All it took was a pair of jeans, a yellow t-shirt striped with blue duct tape, lots of gel and black hair spray and William turned into...

  

I'd say he gets an A!!!

For William...
http://www.gocomics.com/printable/bignate/2011/11/04/

Anybody else done any exciting school projects lately?

Opening Night of Pygmalion

Emily (SISTER) and Kimberly (MOM) congratulate ANDREW on his opening night performance as the love sick, Freddy, in Bernard Shaw's, Pygmalion (the original, nonmusical version of "My Fair Lady").  Excellent character acting, Andrew, just flawless!  Hope the show has a great run!  Break-a-leg!!

P.S.  Freddy looked a lot like Grandad in his three piece suite...:)

More Halloween Treats!

This is Felly...our sweet friend, brought to us by Rob and endeared to us at Judy/Louis' home and at Nana's on special occasions and holidays. Felly had her first American Halloween last year and just loved it. She wanted to dress up and go for the treat, so Rob drove her around (after all she was as small as most of the children) and let her enjoy the experience!  She couldn't wait this year to do the same!!

 Felly is from Thailand and has been here on a work program, as a nanny, for two and a half years. She has fulfilled her obligation and is required to go back to Thailand next month.   There she will joyfully be reunited with her family but also have to face with them the devastation of the resent floods. Her family has yet to be able to return to their home to assess damage. I can only pray that all has not been lost and more can be salvaged.

Thank you Felly, for letting us into your life and becoming part of ours. You have been a joy to know and love. I wish you nothing but the best.  We will miss you a lot...Auntie Merry

You can keep up with Felly on her blog at:  http://teetinietime.blogspot.com/

More Treats on Halloween Night...

William, as the Knight in Shinning Armor and Emily, as the Color Green!

The bewitching hour is approaching ...

Vamp

Pirate and his mate

Lady Gaga

From facebook postings I'm beginning to see that the spooks are starting to emerge!  Have a safe exciting Halloween everyone...and send me your pictures!

G-O-O-O-O ISSY!

“Isabelle tried out and made the 2011-2012 Atlanta Colts Competitive Squad today, she is so excited!  She had worked so hard on her back handsprings and it paid off!”…

This girl is a ball of enthusiasm and I love watching her cheer.  I also witnessed her giving her all doing that perfect back handsprings and I could see the excitement on her face at the accomplishment.  YEA ISSY!  You and the rest of the magnificent nine are giving us so much to cheer about!

William WINS for the second year!

I would like to say that Mimi's photography camp at Northcroft this past summer prepared him for his school's photo competition, where he recently won 1st place, but since this is William's second year in a row to win; I  think he is just a natural!   The theme this year was diversity and from my experience in the North GA apple houses and Mrs. Oliver's kitchen, I'd say he hit the nail on the head!  


Congratulations William!

News Flash!

Emily and friends had an early  Halloween party tonight and these creative (BFF) geniuses put their heads together, turned them into  crayola points and are going to be the Belles of the ball!

Check out the feather eyelashes and the color coordinated fingernail polish and hair ribbons.  They also made their shirts!

Have fun girls and color your world beautiful.

Got me all excited about Halloween.  Please, please send me pictures of yourselves in costumes.  Chatterbox needs a little creativity!

What's a Kalu Yala?

It surely has been nice having Kate home for the last several weeks, but she left yesterday morning for yet another adventure. Behind this venture is a company (with progressive ideas) called Kalu Yala, http://www.kaluyala.com/wiky/anewtown/. She will be working with its CEO and former Westminster classmate.  The project involves seeking investors, as well as lifestyle ideas and creating an ecco- friendly, self sustaining community, at the edge of the Panamanian rain forest.  The land has been purchased, many interns are working their magic and they are now well into the next phase of the project...taking their ideas to investors and contributors all over the world.

Good luck Kate, I know Kalu Yala is lucky to have you on its team.

Tidbits

Emily is playing this week in a production of Alice In Wonderland. She is playing the part of the Mock Turtle, and sings a lovely but sad solo about soup. :)

Issy ran for and won a seat on the St. Martin's School Student Council.

William has become a trendsetter and has designated Fridays "Tie Day Friday" at his school.

Kate is preparing for an investment campaign with the CEO of a super-sustainable Panamanian development called Kalu Yala. (Read about it here!) It has been in the planning stages for a couple of years and is now ready to take off! With all the research and preparation she has been doing I am sure she will be an asset to the company. Good Luck, Kate and Kalu Yala!!

Joe was recently featured in Atlanta Magazine in an ad for St. Martin School.

Beth and Adrienne's wedding photos are in! They can be viewed here.

Birthday Note

Happy Birthday to son-in-law, Tom!

October 3, 1964