Fun at the Beach

Had a great time with friends at the beach. Some of the highlights were:

Riding our bikes around the military base.

Breaking open a coconut.

Going down water slides.

Seeing Todd's purple tongue from the purple milkshake.

Eating grilled steaks by the ocean.

Watching 4th of July fireworks on the beach.

Touring the Battleship Wisconsin in Norfolk.

Riding the ferry across the river on the way home.

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT 4TH OF JULY!

To Stay or Not to Stay

I gave my resignation letter last week indicating that part-time would work better for me, and my boss counter-offered with a change to working only 30 hours a week. This would enable me to keep my benefits, so I'm seriously considering it.

Stayed busy all week with work, meetings, and functions... so there's really not much exciting to blog about. Kiara is always asking to have a friend over, and usually she gets her way. Today included. She is such a sociable girl-- when she wants to be!

We are heading to the beach this week with friends, so I won't be blogging for a while. Hopefully I'll have some good stories and pics upon our return. Until then........................................... God bless!!!

Roselawn is Hoppin'!

We've had a lot of activity at Roselawn lately. Two doctors have been staying with us long-term.(One of them has been here for over 2 months.) Last night we hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner. It was catered by an outside source, but they used our kitchen for their prep. I've never seen so much food! They did a really cool thing with mashed potatoes by placing a scoop in a baked phyllo shell. Make the ordinary look fancy!

I also loved their fruit bouquet...

The weather was perfect for an outside event...

Yesterday I got a CD in the mail from my very cool nephew's wife, Jenny, of pics from their recent visit to Roselawn. This girl is one of the most thoughtful people I've ever met. She's always sending something to us, spoils Kiara when she visits, and does an awesome job of keeping in touch with people. You can visit her blog on my sidebar. My totally awesome nephew's is on there as well. We always enjoy their visits, as you can see from the pics...

Don't be jealous, Paul... I threw him back.

Cool Nick with one of the kittens we found in our backyard.

Jenny found a treasure of smashed pennies on the tracks.

Oh, the fun Keysville has to offer!!!

I'm Back

Hi, everybody... I'm back from my week of training. Well, actually, I'm at my mom's house b/c we had a meeting out her way... so I am staying overnight and loving her attention! We're about to eat lasagna and last night it was yummy catfish! There's nothing like a home-cooked meal made with love!

Kiara and Paul have been enjoying father-daughter bonding time while I've been away. We did celebrate Father's Day together over the weekend by spending the day at a local state park. We had fun swimming and hanging out with friends.

My new job is okay... not sure how I feel about working full time. Part-time would be better for our life right now, so I'm looking at the options.

Paul has been managing the B&B on his own. He's done a good job of turning over rooms and hosting events. We have a full schedule this summer with lots going on, and we thank God for the fruitfulness of the Bed and Breakfast!

Kiara is loving her summer off. She always wants to have a friend over if she's not at Grandma's. Softball just ended, but she's still busy going to horse camp every Thursday. I've been trying to keep her reading and started her on long division in hopes that she'll have an easy start in 4th grade.

That's about all going one here. No pics to post since I'm at my mom's right now.

Meet Our Friends

We had some friends over recently and thought I'd show you some of the people we hang out with here at Roselawn... Todd and Kim

Lisa and Charles

Matt and Diane

Paul's sister, Chris, and her husband Bob were visited with us all week, but somehow we didn't manage to get one picture of them. How did that happen? Chris helped Kiara make the birthday "cake" for Paul's 47th birthday, which they helped us celebrate.

It was 101 degrees here today, so Kiara has some of her friends over to play in the water. I got this shot of her friends' little sister. It was so cute, I just had to post it...

I love my new camera!!!

I'll be out of town all week for training, so no posts until I get back.

Bridal Bouquet

First pics from my new camera... We had a bridal photo shoot at Roselawn and Paul captured Kiara making her own bouquet.

Love this Pic!

This is one of my very favorite pictures of Kiara. It's from about two years ago, but I just "found" it recently and had to share it. Her love for animals shows so much in this! Paul got me an very nice camera for Mother's Day, but I still haven't downloaded any of my new pictures. It's on my To Do list.

My 40th birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and I must admit that I am not looking forward to it. Where did all the years go?? Does this mean I'm officially middle-aged? Well, I guess I'll start deciding what I want for my "crisis". Any ideas???

Hey Katie, Lizzie, Jenny and Bev... thanks for checking in on and occasionally posting comments on my blog. I think there are a few other family members out there that "look" but just don't post... I appreciate you guys, too-- but maybe just not as much :)

Over 2 Months Later...

I have gotten a few inquiries about my blog being so far behind, so here's my first attempt to get back in the groove! Thanks to those of you who cared enough to check in with me to see if I'd been blogknapped! I'm still around, but busier than I'd like to be. I started working full time again with an agency called Piedmont Healthy Families. Basically what I do it go into the homes of first time at-risk moms and guide them in becoming positive parents. I enjoy my new job, but the adjustment back to working full time has been a bit of a challenge. I've been out of town A LOT for trainings, and when I get home I switch to my other job of being innkeeper, wife and mom.

The B&B has been doing really well lately. We have had several long-termers stay with us. We we have one of our rental houses rented out, but the other one has run into some problems and the renters just moved out, so we are in the process of trying to decide whether to find other renters or just sell it. Paul is also still working on buying that commercial building I mentioned several months ago.

Kiara is finally done with school- as of last Wednesday... Yay! It was a long, hard year but she got through it. She has been busy with softball and is just getting back into horse riding lessons.

We have had lots of family visit over the past several months and are looking forward to Paul's sister, Chris, and her husband who are coming next week.

As you can tell, we have been very busy at Roselawn... but I will try to do better at keeping up with my blog... so don't give up on me yet!!!

Update

I see it has been over a month since my last post. My, how time flies! There has been a lot going on lately. Here's an update on our family activities...

1. We lost Bambi to a urinary tract infection. Apparently this is something that goats have a hard time fighting, and in his case is was fatal despite our attempts to save him. He died early in the morning on February 29th. It was very heartbreaking, and I can even say anymore without getting upset. We will miss him terribly.

2. Kiara has earned her purple belt in karate and just started softball today. That means we will now be busy with something after school every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and sometimes Wednesdays (Girl Scouts). Then I'm sure there will be games on the weekends. Not sure how long we can all keep this up. We might have to drop karate for a while... we'll see. Here she is getting her certificate.

3. Paul and I have been working hard this past month getting our rental ready. They are moving in one week. We are down to the final touches and, I must say, it has turned out to be a pretty nice place. I almost hate to have someone else come in and make it lived-in after we worked so hard to flip it! We are both glad it's almost over and it can finally start bringing in a little bit of income!!

4. We have had a lot of Paul's family visit lately. His one sister and friend came back for a visit a few weeks ago, and his other sister, husband and two friends stayed this past week. It was nice to see them all and look forward to the next group to visit Roselawn. Next on our reservation list is his other sister, Chris (and her husband, Bob)... then our nephew, Nick, and his wife are planning a visit.

5. We just got back from my mom's house. Yesterday was her 61st birthday. (She doesn't look that old, does she?) Happy, Birthday, Mom!!!

P.S. I tried get pictures of Phil, Eileen and their friends off of my camera to post here, but for some reason my computer isn't recognizing the device right now. So, maybe next time.

One Spoiled Goat!

We've gotten attached to this cutie, and our cat is even getting jealous! Here's Ellie tried to squeeze her way back in to the spot she's always held laying on my chest...

He's even had the honor of helping me tuck Kiara in at night...

And now we are even starting to dress alike!!...

**Note: You may have missed my most recent post because I started it a while back and finished it last week, but I couldn't figure out how to change the date. So if you want to read about a few of my favorite things, go down to January 9th.

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately (Kerry- I'm speaking mainly to you because now I know you look forward to living vicariously through us! We really enjoyed our night out recently with you guys and hope you're still planning to come visit next weekend!!)

My brother came for a visit from Florida and stayed a week. It was nice to see him again, but after about the 5th day, we reverted back to our sibling bickering. I still love you, Scott-- even though you are a pain!

Kiara has been working hard at school and in karate. She's really a natural at it and will be testing for her purple belt next week. (Of course, I'm all excited because then it will match her purple sparring gear. She doesn't care one bit about what it matches and is focused on her ultimate goal... the black belt!)

Paul and I have been busy working on renovating the Church Street house. We have renters moving in next week, so the pressure it on. We have a Gala for Meals-on-Wheels this Saturday and are working a Wedding Expo in Farmville to represent Roselawn on Sunday. Needless to say, I will probably be too busy to blog for a while, but I'll get back to it at soon as I can. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!!!

Been Busy with Bambi

Paul and I went to the Mid-Atlantic Bed and Breakfast Conference in Natural Bridge, Virginia last week. It was a nice little get-away, and we met a lot of fellow B&B owners-- some of whom we hope to keep in touch with! Kiara missed some school because she was with my mom while we were away, then when we got home she missed the next two days because of weather. On top of having her at home unexpectedly, we have also been busy fostering a baby goat that lost his home to a fire. (We agreed to help out a friend whose barn burned and left Bambi without a shelter or siblings.) He's just adorable. Here are some pics...







Kiara had the weekend off and Monday (holiday) and today she went in two hours late because of ice on the roads. Needless to say, I am still trying to get back in the groove as our routine has been off since we left for the conference.

I did get to enjoy having lunch today with my mom and grandmother, which was a treat!

A Few of My Favorite Things

A friend named Adele inspired me to make a list of my favorite things.... I started this several weeks ago and just finished to post. Here they are:

Since I'm somewhat of a minimalist, it's hard for me to think of many THINGS that I like. The only nicknacks I guess you could say I collect are Willowtree angels. They are like the Precious Moments figurines of the new millinium. Each handcarved angel is so simple yet says so much. The have a "theme" that the figure symbolizes. Hmmm, guess I never thought of it before, but the reason I probably like them so much is because they are so simple! My minimalist side shows through!

I have this love for storage items. I love all kinds of containers that help me stay organized and keep things in their place. I know that sounds a little obsessive-compulsive, but I didn't say I was great at using them. My stuff still piles up in my little organizing baskets... but I love them nonetheless! (BTW, this is not my closet!!!-- I wish is was!!!)

I love the music of Wes King. He's a Pop-Christian artist with so much talent! He was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is a young father of 3. His determination to live and serve God inspires me.

I just adore baby animals. Any kind. (Well, except infant insects and reptiles!) Little lambs, puppies, kittens... they're all so cute! See post above for pics of our recent addition-- Bambi the baby goat (we are fostering him for a few months)!

I also love moonlight reflecting on an ocean, cozy fires, pink skies at dusk, fireflies on a summer night, rays of sun beaming through trees, flickering candles, and the anticipation of a sunrise (when I'm up early enough to catch it!) Most people don't realize the effect lighting has on our emotions and moods. I just love the calmness and peace it can create.

So, those are a few of my favorite things. Have any you'd like to share? Put them in my comments section. I'd love to hear them!

First Post of 2008

Wow! It has been about 2 weeks since my last post--Guess we've been busier than I even realized. Paul, Kiara and I welcomed in 2008 at our friends' house where we ate, watched fireworks, stayed warm by a bonfire and counted down to midnight! (One of the daughters of this family is pictured below with Kiara looking at the trains.) I recently discovered that a very good friend of mine from college is closely related to them. That's life in small-town America!

Paul's sister, Joan, and a friend of hers is here visiting us now. We are having a great time just hangin' out! Joan stayed at Roselawn for a few months when we first bought the place, so she has seen it since the visionary stage. She actually had her hand in transforming a lot of the areas in the house. Thanks, Joan!

Guess I'd better be a good hostess and get back to visiting!

Merry Christmas to All

We had a busy Christmas starting with our extended-family party at my cousin's house where Kiara got to play with lots of second cousins...


Had Christmas Eve dinner at a friend's house, which was delicious! (Didn't get any good pictures, though.) Then went home to "get ready" for the next morning. Here's how the tree looked after Santa visited late that night...


Christmas morning... Kiara changed into her new camo pj's she got as a gift and happily opened her next present - karate sparring gear.


Later that day, we had lots of visitors. My mom and Kiara's aunt and uncle came over for dinner, then some good friends of ours stopped by for an evening of fun! We just got back from hanging out with these same friends tonight. Had homemade pizza and watched "Underdog" at their house. Cute movie!

Next celebration... New Year's Eve! Hmmm... what will we do?

Happy Birthday, Scott!

Today is my brother's 38th birthday. He is a year-and-a-half younger than me, but he looks much, much older. Just kidding, Scott-- (but the hat I got you for a gift did serve a purpose... to hide your thinning hair! Ha, ha.) Hope you had a wonderful day!

All Aboard!

Yesterday we took Kiara and her friend, Caroline, to a nearby small town called Blackstone. There's a hardware store that sets up a huge train display every Christmas. We had always heard about it and finally decided to check it out for ourselves. It WAS really COOL. It looked so realistic and had a lot of special effects. There was a drive in theater with the movie Happy Feet actually playing (created by a small portable dvd player). Even the roller coaster worked! (see bottom right hand corner of picture)




My favorite was the house that would "catch on fire"... smoke and all! The alarm would sound and the firestation next door sends a fireman down the pole. A firetruck then comes out of the station with its hook-and-ladder to put out the fire. They had real water shoot out of the hose to "put out" the fire!


The girls had a great time, and so did we! Think we'll make this trip a yearly holiday tradition.

Oh, Christmas Tree

Kiara's class Christmas party was today, and her teacher asked me to come in and do an activity with the kids. I chose to have them make this adorable pinecone tree. This is Kiara's finished product:

Here are two of my friends' kids helping to decorate the tree in our house...

Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad would've been 62 years old today. Mom and I spent the day in Richmond running errands and shopping. We are back at her house now getting ready to settle in for the evening. It was our tradition to have shrimp for dinner on his birthday, but we opted for leftovers from our lunch at Panera's. Happy birthday, Dad... I miss you!

What Happened to Winter???

It's like 75 degrees outside now! Hard to believe Christmas is only 2 weeks away! Our Christmas parade Friday night went well. Tried to take a few pics of our Roselawn float, but it was too dark out.

Well, I think I'll slab on some sunscreen and go out on the front porch to enjoy the sunshine... It is a beautiful day. Unseasonable, but beautiful.

No School Today

Kiara woke up this morning to a surprise day off of school. Apparently, the weather was bad somewhere in this rural county. I checked outside to find no snow, no ice... nothing. We even had to convince Kiara that school really was closed. She was off yesterday because of a bad cough, so this makes an extended weekend for her!

Our Keysville parade is tonight. Roselawn B&B will be in it with several of our animals. We re also involved in setting up our church "float". This parade is one of the highlights of life in the country.

Paul is working to purchase this building in town with his sister and brother-in-law as partners. The plan is to rent out the 5 offices upstairs and two 2 storefronts downstairs. The back part of the building will be a vendors' mall. So, we'll see what happens...