HAVE YOU NOTICED...I'VE BEEN MISSING!

Hi, Blogger Friends.  I've been away for quite some time.  I just seemed to lose steam with my blog and felt I had nothing to say.  I also seem to stay busy with one thing or another and so have really neglected all of you.  I'm so sorryJ  I don't want to give up CHERI'S  CHATTER quite yet, so please hang in there with me and come back to visit when you can.

Needless to say, I (like all of you) have had Christmas on my mind.  I think I somewhat "overdid" it this year with spending, cooking, and rushing from place to place…but I always try to remember to be mindful of the REASON for the SEASON.

The grandkids are growing and, of course, they were very excited about that "special visitor" who brought them lots of new toys…along with two over-indulgent grandparents! 

 

My  SPECIAL  SANTA  was very generous this year, too.  He gave me an

 

ipad and I definitely wasn't expecting that!  It will definitely take me awhile to figure it all out.  I tried reading the MANUAL….but have you ever looked at a manual for any electronic gadget these days?  Those techi-people must not understand that there are technology-challenged people like me that need directions written in plain English versus tech-ese!  I've just started experimenting and clicking on my own and have already learned a few things.  I know I will enjoy it…once I get the hang of it.

Santa also gave me lots of other goodies, including these…..

As some of you may remember, my "grandmother name" is  CHERI.  I wonder if I'm the only  CHERI  with  CHERRY  rainboots? 

Another favorite gift was....



They will be used with some upcoming SCRAPBOOKING projects.  I absolutely
l-o-v-e gel pens!

Just like many of you, I had LOTS of PROJECTS going on during the holidays.  There was our annual  COOKIE BAKING DAY…..

 

and making GOODIE BAGS for classmates & friends…

 

There was decorating, party-going, visiting with our families, and more eating than I want to admit.  All in all it was a wonderful Christmas!  Now it's time to UNDECORATE (which I absolutely hate) and once again get back to "normal" living (whatever that is!)  I am looking forward to 2012 and am hoping it will be a wonderful year for all of us.  One of my GOALS (as you may remember from my last year's post…I don't do RESOLUTIONS) is to definitely get reacquainted with all of you and pay more attention to my blog.  So…..PLEASE come back to visit me

and visit as often as you can.  I hope to have some great posts which I think you might like.  Until then HAVE A VERY BLESSED NEW YEAR!

I'M BACK...AGAIN!

Life continues to be busy...even in retirement!  I have had some friends recently to comment that I haven't been blogging lately…so true.  I have had several projects going on in recent weeks plus a new semester has begun…at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

This semester I will have 27 university juniors and seniors to work with…the huge number is the bad news, but the good news is I have already completed one week and at the end of October I will have two more weeks with them…in these two weeks I will be working fast and furious.  I really enjoy the job so I'm certainly not complaining.  I recently received last semester's evaluations (anonymous) by my student teachers and all but one made me feel really good about what I do.  I guess you can't please everybody!  Interesting though that those who work really hard and do their best are usually the ones who like me as their supervisor:)  

I have tried to finish up several projects recently including cleaning out closets, drawers, and cabinets…mostly done but still working on a few.  I also finally COMPLETED my genealogy work on my mother's family tree. It's been labor-intensive but was a true labor of love for me.   I sent it to Mama just this week and I think she is having herself a high old time reading about her ancestors on both her father's and mother's sides.  I even located a picture of her great-great-great grandfather along with some other old family photos.  Ladies, explain this to me…back in the "old days" many of the men were quite handsome but some of those old gals….well, let's just say they wouldn't have won any beauty pageants!  It was probably due to them having to cook, clean, and be consistently pregnant all without electricity or running water!  I do love genealogy though!

 The "grands" are into full-swing in school.    
"M" is in K and "R" is in 2nd.  They are both progressing very well...making their teacher grandmother very proud!      "R" is about half way through soccer season and has matured so much since last year.  He's already scored some goals making his Daddy Coach very proud!  Here are some recent photos:

Miss M really likes to pose!

Self-Portrait….he loves to take pictures

To my blogger friends, please don't give up on me.  I hope to get more regular with my posts so please come visit often and see if I'm still here!  Hope all is well in your world:)

VALLEY GIRLS...ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

After quite a long break from blogging, I’m finally BACK with something to write aboutJ  I recently returned from my yearly trip with the VALLEY GIRLS…my 8 best friends from high school.  (You can read about each of them HERE.) 

This year we traveled quite a ways to the beautiful and quaint city of ASHEVILLE, NC.  JERRI was our trip planner and found us a lovely old home named LAUREL COTTAGE to rent.  It had 5 bedrooms (each with its own unique name) and 2 ½ baths, 2 of which had CLAW FOOTED TUBS!  It also had two sitting rooms, a great kitchen, and a sweet little porch.  We just loved it and it was perfect for our get-together.  (By the way, our first night before we traveled to Asheville) was actually a slumber party at KAYE’s house…she and husband Chip are wonderful hosts and they have a beautiful home.)

LAUREL  COTTAGE, Asheville, NC

While in Asheville we played tourist  one day and rode the trolley  all over the city.  Our guides were great and we saw beautiful homes and buildings with interesting architecture.  We also learned a lot of the history of Asheville and visited the GROVE PARK INN where we stood inside a huge fireplace for a photo op!

The next day we toured the magnificent and beautiful BILTMORE HOUSE .  If you’ve never been there, you should put it on your bucket list.  It was built by George W. Vanderbilt in the 1890’s and is definitely beyond the imagination!  I knew it was going to be HUGE, but I still was not prepared for the size of it.  I had a difficult time wrapping my brain around how anyone (especially in those days) could have the foresight to design such a home, much less build it.  In fact, a railroad had to be built to carry the building supplies to the site.  In addition to the opulent home, there are exquisite gardens and beautiful mountain scenery all around.  You will never regret the decision to visit it for yourself.  (You can go HERE to learn more about it.)

Because I’m just a south GA girl who loves her grits and fried chicken, I wasn’t too excited about Asheville’s food.  Most of the other VALLEY GIRLS, however, loved it.  I had my first experience with INDIAN FOOD…one I don’t want to repeat.  However, the service at MELA was great and, as I said, all of the other girls (except for JACKIE & me) really enjoyed it.  I ate the very best FRENCH ONION SOUP  I’ve ever had at THE BISTRO  in the BILTMORE VILLAGE.  We also ate at TUPELO HONEY, one of the most popular restaurants in Asheville.

One of my favorite places (thanks to BEANIE, sister of VG NANCY who took us there) was the CHOCOLATE LOUNGE.  If you love chocolate (as I do!) you have to go there on your next trip to Asheville.  I had a delicious latte while others had Mexican hot chocolate. 

Our trip did have a little bit of unwanted excitement…CHRISTY had car trouble.  Long story short…we ended up at  ASHEVILLE FORD LINCOLN where the folks were just as nice and helpful as they could possibly be…especially when it was the weekend!  It ended up that CHRISTY & JACKIE had to stay an extra day to have the car repaired while 6 of us (along with luggage…as usual I packed w-a-y too much) piled into JERRI’s van for the return trip home.  We dropped KAYE off at her house, took OLIVIA to the airport to catch her plane to Texas, and JOAN and I hopped on a shuttle bus and traveled an extra hour to where Joan lives and where my sweet hubby picked me up.  What a long…but fun…day!    Funny story….we got to the shuttle bus right when we thought  it was going to leave and I HAD to go to the bathroom.  I took off running through the Atlanta Airport…and I did make it.  However, JERRI was worried I’d get lost due to my very poor sense of direction.  Thankfully I found my way back only to have to wait about another 20 minutes for the shuttle!

As usual when the VALLEY GIRLS go off together, we had an absolutely fabulous time.  Lots of laughing, talking, eating, laughing, talking, eating…and not much sleeping.  (You haven’t laughed until you laugh with EVELYN…she has the most distinctive and delightful laughter.) 

We continue to be in wonder at how close we all still are after so many years.  I couldn’t ask for better friends…or more fun ones!

After a few days of fun and fellowship we all made our way back home once again with wonderful memories.  I always look forward to getting back home to my family, but at the same time I always come home just a little sad that it will be awhile before I’m back together again with the 8 best friends I could ever imagine having. 

We think our next trip might be to New York so…look out BROADWAY, here come the VGs!

THIS & THAT

It’s been about a month since my last blog post…can’t believe it’s been that long!  It’s been a busy summer with lots of grandmother duties plus I just haven’t had anything interesting to write about!  I’m sure I’ve lost some of my followers by now but hopefully a few friends will drop by to visit.

It’s not been a great summer.  Two of my best friends fell (in separate accidents) and each broke a leg.  A third friend fell and scraped herself all up…all three fell in June.  I’m beginning to think it’s bad luck to be my friend!

I am now in line for a root canal and I fear dentists like the plague.

 Plus the weather here has been hotter than a cat in heat and drier than a thirsty camel. 

Anyway….here are a few pictures to share.  Hopefully soon I’ll have something more exciting to write about!

Yes, this is our grandson!  It was WACKY WEDNESDAY at Soccer Camp!

Granddaughter M loves to color, paint, & draw.  She really has become a budding artist.  Give her a box of crayons and she's happy for the day!

Fun with AlkaSeltzer!

Put a little warm water in a film canister (Fuji works best); add 1/4 to 1/3 of an AlkaSeltzer.  Quickly replace top, turn upside down, & place on ground.  Wait a few seconds....and it shoots into the air.  Tons of fun for very little money:)  Grandson R loved this!

Dress Up Day!

Magician in training!

This was his wizard outfit.

Recent projects...I love bird cages.

Yes, I do have a life outside of grandkids...well, sort of!

I’ve really missed blogging, both writing them and reading them.  I hope to be able to give it more time soon.  Hope everyone is having a great summer and that all is well with everyone you love.