Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Lovin' this CRAZY Life!

Phew!  The last few months have been intense.  When I looked at the summer schedule in May, I had no idea how we would get to September.  Well, we made it after some really fun events, lots of travel, and some worrisome crazy times.  We had five birthdays, two class reunions, visitors from Fresno (Jeremy's Gang for two weeks), Fourth of July celebration, another surgery for Rich, a new baby, a family reunion, moving Mom to another assisted living center and three trips to Nags Head!  Now you see what I mean.  We have been on the GO!  And it has been intense.  We made it home from Nags Head on Saturday, Sept 15th and guess what?  We are no worse for wear.  I just can't figure out where summer has gone.

The pictures I have will have to tell the story.

Matt's Birthday - March 9th - celebration at Red Robin and cake at Melanie and Andrew's.


Jocelyn's Birthday - April 20th  Jocelyn turns two with a Micky Mouse party.
 
Our beautiful little Jocelyn turns two.

May 4th  - weekend
Fun Trip to Nags Head to "paint"  Leslie's door at the beach house

The door got painted and fun times with the girls! Betty Lott, Leslie Bradley and Andrea.   I don't get to see these fun friends very often.  We had a great few days.  What happens at the beach stays at the beach.  Don't ya know!

May 18th - Rich's birthday party

This wonderful group of Fairfax friends came to Culpeper to celebrate Rich's birthday.  We had such a fun time catching up.  Love all of these dear friends.

 Back row:  scott Hanson, Fran and Shauna Dougherty, Cari Miller, Lance Hancock, Rich Crowley, Madonna Taylor, Rich Bradley, Leslie Bradley, John Haddow
Front Row:  Don Weber, Marie France Weber, Lynn Hancock, Andrea Crowley, Audrey Hanson, Barbara Dunn, Kathleen Haddow, Claudia Calissie.

First week of June

That brings us to a fun week in Nags Head with Matt and Gabe's beautiful family.  We picked up Lauren at Dulles and headed to the beach the next day. We had a fun filled week with the kids.  Lots of good eats, hanging out at the beach, swimming in the pool and a beautiful view of the Sound. 

Matt and Gabe with their cute family at Jockey's Ridge.  (The largest sand dunes in the East.  It's a beautiful view of the ocean and sound.  It's worth the climb.)

Rich's 50th high school reunion - June 25th

We headed to Boise, Idaho for the reunion.  we had a fabulous time in Boise.  We stayed at the Grove Hotel and had a great view of the Capitol.  Rich and his Band were the entertainment for the reunion. 
(The Fabulous Chancellors) so while he practiced I was left to my own devices.  Yes, I shopped in downtown Boise and wow!  Two days of bliss! 

                            Rich outside of our hotel with the Capitol in the background.

The Saturday night dinner party was atop Boise State University Football Stadium.  With glass on three sides we had a beautiful view of the Boise Valley.

Here is Rich singing away.  I found out this guy I married is a Rock Star in this town.  And yes, the crowd went wild as they say.  It was an amazing evening of fun and good times.  The Fab Chancellors played rock and roll as it was in the '60s.  Once they started playing the crowd was up dancing like teenagers.  They loved it.
 
Here's the guys rockin away!  "Take Good Care of My Baby!"  Rock It!
What a great time everyone had.  Most of the guys that started the band were from the Class of '62.
So all of the classmates were thrilled to have their Fab Chancellors perform. 
 
 
Andrea with her own Rock Star!
 
After the reunion we spent some time with Steve and Judy Eaton.  Great people and such good friends.  Steve played at the Botanical Gardens in Boise and that was really fun to enjoy his music while lounging on the lawn.  Darn I don't have a picture of this. 
 
Here's three of the Fabulous Guys the next day.  Steve Eaton, Rich and Tom Lowe.
 
Terry Call and Rich
 
We left Boise, and spent about a week in Salt Lake City.  I stayed with Mom and Rich stayed with Darryl and Anna Marie.  Mom's health has been goiing steadily down hill and at the end of May she moved back to her home in Murray.  It's so hard to see her decline.  She is not able to walk unassisted and likes the wheelchair over the walker, but she is working on it.
 
Mark and Renee came through SLC on their way to Cadlifornia.  We had a fun dinner and laughed it up as siblings do when we get together.
 
Here are two of my beautiful sisters-in-law, Anna Marrie and Renee.
 
                                
                                         Mark and Rich enjoying some good times.

 
Mark, Rich and Darryl
 
Renee, Rich and Anna Marie with Mom.
 
Brother Darryl and Andrea with Mom.
 
Siblings, Mark, Andrea and Darryl
 
After some pretty fun adventures we flew home on June 30th with great excitment.  Jeremy and his family were flying in from Fresno on July 1.   We had to hurry and unpack to be ready.

                                             Shelly, Tanner and Carsen ready to board the plane for Virginia.


More summer fun to  follow.