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...

Roselawn in Earlier Times

Came across some old pictures we had scanned. The top one was taken in early 1900's and the bottom one in the 1950's. It's amazing to think this house has seen so much history! It was built in 1857... wow, 150 years old!

Semester Coming to an End

My first semester of teaching at the college level has been a great experience. It's a lot of work, but I really do enjoy it! My students have one more week of classes and then their exam. I'm scheduled to teach the same 4 classes during the spring semester (if we have enough register). It is unlikely that all 4 will get the minimum number enrolled, but I hope to have at least one to make. Actually, teaching more than 2 evenings a week would be challenging for our schedule since Paul works in the evenings sometimes as well.

Kiara has been working hard in school and is very proud of her successes. She knows her multiplication facts and has a good start on division. Spelling comes easy to her, and she has a natural interest in science. Her reading comprehension is improving, however, she still does not enjoy books as I hoped she would. I think that all the pressure to read for a purpose sometimes robs children of their desire to read just for fun. So much for my pedagogical banter...

Paul has been working on the house we started flipping almost 2 years ago. It's getting there, but still needs a kitchen. He's also hoping to buy a building downtown with a few partners as an investment. I admire his enthusiasm to dive into new things, but at the same time it scares me. Takes me a while to get used to a new idea, and I like to think things through a little more before making a move.

Well, Little Miss Kiara is still not asleep and it's 10:20 p.m., so I guess I better help her close her eyes...

Goodnight, all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's a picture of "Reverend Paul" marrying his first couple at Roselawn.

Since then, we've been busy running around between our part time jobs, Kiara's karate classes, school, church activities, and turning rooms over at the B&B. We just got another long-term student in today. He will be here for 4 weeks. The other two rooms are booked for Thanksgiving-- but I'm not cooking a turkey! Thought it would be too much with doing the breakfasts for guests and freshening rooms up later that day. Mom is coming over and we are going out for "the big dinner". I hope everyone remembers to thank God for their many blessings. It's so easy to take things for granted, and sometimes we need a reminder to be thankful. So here's your reminder...

Reverend Paul

We went to New Jersey over the weekend for our niece's wedding. Paul had the honor of marrying them. It was his first time, and he really did a great job! (For those of you who didn't know, Paul got his license to marry people over the internet. It took a whole 44 dollars and a few signatures at the courthouse, and now he can legally officiate weddings!... He's doing one this weekend at Roselawn!!!)

The wedding at Princeton was absolutely beautiful, and the photographer was very creative in his technique. I'm not sure if copyright regs will allowed me to post his pictures on my blog, so go to his website to see a few of his shots. http://www.sparepixels.net The first 4 on his site are from Diane and Damian's wedding.

Here for your immediate viewing pleasure (but with much less professional quality) are a few shots from our own camera:


The bride, groom and bride's family.


Pose set up by the photographer.



Dancin' with Daddy at the reception.

It's Been a Year

This past Saturday marked the one year anniversary of my father's passing. I made a slideshow to give just a tiny glimpse of a guy who meant the world to me. Here's to you, Dad. I miss you so much.

Kiara's 9th birthday

Kiara's birthday was last Monday. I have been so busy all week that I haven't had a chance to blog. Here's a slideshow of the highlights. We held her party at the Keysville playground and were blessed with great weather!

Over-bellied

Just had to share one of Kiara's quotes...

Yesterday she said, "Daddy, you are over-bellied." That was her nice way of suggesting that maybe he loose a little weight!

Camping Pictures

Catching minnows.


Evening canoe trip with owl calling after dark.


We walked about 20 feet of the Appalachian Trail.
(Looks like that was about all Paul could handle!!)


Went to a store that had these cute little child-sized shopping carts. What a neat idea, huh?


Mid October and 90+ degrees outside... so we
played in the water before leaving for home.