A fishin' tale...

After taking care of some business yesterday and while Addison was getting her nails done for prom I went fishing with Joey at the lake and we had a blast! His new fishing boat is great and my was it so relaxing being out on the water. Wish I did have a big fishing tale to tell but well, Joey caught 5 and I caught....well, none this time. It's okay, though, I had so much fun and it sure wasn't because I wasn't trying, I must've cast that rod'n'reel twelve thousand times! Lots of bites but didn't land any...Maybe next time...

P.S. Small fish I'm holding was actually fish #6 for Joseph - this small thing actually ended up on Joey's lure - it was hilarious so I just had to tease him some about the "big one that almost got away!" He's such a fun sport!

Take me out to the ballgame...

It's official - ordered the shirt and everything - don't everyone laugh at once...I am playing on a softball team!!! I'm so excited!!! I haven't picked up a bat or tried on my glove in too many years to remember almost, but I'm going to play on a church ball team through the Rec Dept. and give it my best shot! It will be so fun - it already is! I went to my first practice tonight and Becky came along, too, and she's also going to play! We had a blast and seeing old friends there I don't get to see very often was the icing on the cake. And guess what -- I didn't strike out in the scrimmage practice we had amongst the team - that's saying a lot! Ha! I'm looking so forward to a great time and hey, anyone interested in a pick-up game just for fun one evening or one Saturday afternoon? If so just give me a call -- between Joey, me, Addison, Ethan, and Joey's son and daughter we've got half a team. (Goodness knows I need all the practice I can get - but it's all good!)

Let's play ball!

Can you believe it's mid April already?!!

Wow, time is flying so fast! Didn't Santa just leave a few minutes ago and barely dodged the Easter Bunny? Is it just me or is time passing at record speed? It's been a while since I've posted except for the tag from Alona, which by the way, thanks, Alona, or I wouldn't have taken the time to post anything this week.

April came in with the wind, literally, and we've had bunches going on. The highlights of the last week or so are the following:

Last Tuesday after work we had a "group date" to San Jose's and it was a blast! It was quite a joint effort with a little "matchmaking" and I think it worked out really well--still waiting to hear some details!! :) Great seeing you all - Ginger, Shaun, the boys, Ashley and Rob, Tonya, Christy, Michelle, and Al. That was so fun!! I think we're all curious how it's going to turn out....I bet Michelle's even wondering as she's cruising around only the Hawaiian islands -- what a life, Michelle, I'm so jealous!! Ha! You deserve it and I'm thrilled for you even if I did want to hide away in a huge suitcase and join you and Derek - I promised I'd stay out outa' site! ha! Can't wait to hear all about it when ya'll get back. Hope you're having a blast!

Last Wednesday Addison and I took Joey along with us prom dress shopping and we had a great time! Addison's going to the prom with Wesley and he has a black tux with a camo vest and bowtie and her dress she found is gold and black - very elegant! Joey was a good sport and offered lots of comments about dresses and the sort -- thanks, Joseph, you're the best! After much shopping Joey took us to IHOP where we enjoyed a huge breakfast for late night dinner! (Not too good on my Weight Watchers plan--oops!)

General Conference, which was so good. I missed Saturday's sessions but Sunday I was able to catch both sessions and I really believe several of the talks were for just Valencia...What a great conference! We spent the latter part of the afternoon at Mom's watching it with family and Ethan got a kick out of the talk about a young man named "Ethan." Pretty cool...It was a great day! These are a few pics of the family at Grandmother and Grandaddy's house. The boys were so sweet and payed attention, especially to the prophet, President Monson.

Joey got a new fishing boat!!!! Yay!!!! If all goes well I'll be taking a half day of work tomorrow and we're heading to the lake to catch some fish! I'm so excited! (I also got flowers at work the day he got the boat - it was so sweet! He walked in with a beautiful bouquet of orange-pink flowers -- I felt very special!)

Joey was very sick Tuesday morning and ended up in the ER with a kidney stone. I felt so bad for him. After some good IV meds I drove him home and got him settled, went back to work, then carried dinner over after work. It was sweet - he met me out on his porch and we had a picnic since he was feeling much better. He even picked flowers for the center of the table. (Even Sonic can provide a romantic meal if the atmosphere's just right!)

I found some real treasures yard-saling last Saturday -- even found the same clear cookie jar like I'd bought the week before and broke before I got it home. First yard sale I went to this past Saturday had the same kind for only $2. I felt very lucky!

Joey and I had a fun date last weekend which began at Quizno's where we had a really neat employee take our order and make our food -- she looked real familiar! Ha! Just kidding, Addi-Boo! You do a great job - you have wonderful people skills and you did great with our order. Yummy Sammies!

I've had a springtime cold or something going on for a couple days that's driving me nuts! I can't hear very well as it is and now I'm all stuffy and just feel kinda yucky. Hoping it's all gone when I wake up tomorrow and feel better for the weekend!

I really can't believe it's tomorrow is April 11 and we're clear into spring. Maybe I'm just getting older really quickly but it sure seems the weeks and months pass much faster these days. Enjoy the moment - for there is where memories are made and that is what we'll carry into tomorrow. Hope it's a great Friday for everyone tomorrow and the weekend will be a safe and enjoyable one!

I've Been Tagged...

Thanks, Alona, for the tag...Now I've really got to do some thinking about 7 random things people may not know about me...this is tougher than I thought but here goes...

1. My first name is not Valencia but "Tara" so I guess I'm named after houses. There's a place in Ridgeway called "Valencia" and of course, "Tara" from Gone With The Wind, which by the way I LOVE that movie!

2. I am addicted to clearance racks - I can go through Target and hit all the end cap "Clearance" buys in no time flat and I get so excited when it's more than half-price! My kids will tell you my motto for shopping is, "Never pay full price -- EVERYTHING goes on sale!"

3. My favorite vehicle is a Nissan Murano and when I find a winning lottery ticket just lying on the ground I'm going to purchase a brand new pearl white one! (Why not dream big, huh?! Ha!)

4. I have this fear of singing in front of Joey. In fact, besides singing in church along with the congregation with him standing by me he has never heard me sing. Maybe because he's so talented with music, who knows?? Weird I know but I couldn't sing in front of him when we dated 20something years ago and still can't. So my dream is to perform a duet with him someday - somewhere in front of a group of people. If I only had the nerve!!!!

5. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE beach music and shagging! I've been teaching Joey and he's catching on so maybe by the summer we'll be dancing...shagging on the boulevard!

6. I am oh so terrified of spiders - the thought of them makes me cringe in every direction!

7. My greatest fear about growing old is losing my memory and because of this fear I write notes constantly. I have one journal in particular that I kept during my late teenage years that is more than 200 pages long almost entirely devoted to my dear sweetheart, Joey. It's almost like I was writing a letter to myself everyday and on almost every single entry I closed it with "I will always love you, Joseph..." On our first official "date" after more than 20 years I had him take me to see "The Notebook" and afterwards we came back to my house and I got my journal down from the attic and showed it to him after all those years. It was so neat because we'd broken up long before the end of that journal and I wrote so many feelings and told of how much I loved him. Then he wrote me a letter inside the back cover saying we were back together and "just wait and see what happens!" I told him he was very lucky to have another chance to have written that because otherwise my grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have really disliked him for breaking their grandmother's heart so many years ago!" I love to write and have lots of different calendars and journals that someday I'm going to collate all into one big masterpiece -- it will probably be a major comedy packed full of real-life drama with a little bit of mystery built right in!

Fast Sunday at Grandmother's...

Today was Fast and Testimony Meeting at church. The first Sunday of the month is set aside for the purpose of fasting for two meals and our service is dedicated to the bearing of testimonies by those who'd like to volunteer to share their testimonies. Because of General Conference next week we had testimony meeting today. It was a great meeting and the spirit was so strong. I shared my testimony today for the first time in a while and I was so glad I did since Ethan was at home and at church with us today. Our Relief Society class was combined with the Priesthood and was focused on Emergency Preparedness and very informative. I have a lot of work to do but we're getting there. I appreciate the inspiration of our bishopric and those helping to put this plan together and encouraging our ward and our neighborhoods to prepare in the event of an emergency. We don't know when or where disaster may strike but the Lord has told us that "if we are prepared we have no need to fear" (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30).



The week and Sunday just would not be complete without Sunday lunch at Mom's ("Lana's Cafe") and out visit with the family. How excited I am that Erika and Jack will soon be close by for the summer to make our Sundays totally complete at Grandmother and Grandaddy's house. Here are just a few glimpses of the day:

GG and Mic-Mic -- No matter how old I get or how grown-up my nieces and nephews get I hope I always stay "Mic Mic". This is the name Ginger gave me when she learned to talk and I am grateful for this name. She was my real life baby doll born when I was 13 and I learned all about love and taking care of someone. She will always be Mic Mic's doll. I love you, GG!

Mom, Sister Oakley, and Mrs. Maria - they have a great time!

Addison sang "He Lifts Me Up" along with Ginger for everyone with the CD and it was amazing how the little ones quieted and sat so reverently as they sang this beautiful song that Grandmother requested they sing. Music truly calms the soul and uplifts the spirit.

Brandon said this was me and Tiawanna on TV - Thanks, Bran! I think we look pretty hot, huh?! Ha! I'm not sure which I am but probably the one with the big mouth wide open but either case I think we're pretty cool. Whatcha think, Tiawanna?! Love ya!

Line dancing, raking, anniversary...oh my!

What a week but yahoo I was off today for my personal spring break! I'd hoped to spend the day doing something fun with Addison but you know teenagers, I didn't book an appointment with her quick enough and she had a lunch date with Chase at Moe's @ Sandhills. My neighbors were off today, too, so Michelle, Becky, and I put on our swimsuits and sat out by the pool catching some rays for a couple hours. Wow, what a life! It was magnificent outside today! There was just enough breeze to keep you cool and the sun was hot enough to tan and just felt heavenly! It was probably the most relaxed I've been in a while - and we all got alot of sun. Addison eventually joined us along with Carley and Kayla and Addison announced she'd been asked to the prom by Wesley, a good friend of hers. Yay, more shopping and getting ready for prom time!
This week has been a funny kind of week. Addison spent two nights in Lexington with some friends and I picked her up Tuesday night after getting lost a couple times missing my turn and having a meltdown in the Kangaroo station restroom. Tears and all...but all is well and 125 miles later (roundtrip) we were home safe and sound. You'd a thought I'd never been to this area - our friends only live in Addison's daddy's neighborhood - I really am grateful for my eye appointment next week - I seriously cannot see at night or something!!!







So, my mom started this post on my laptop but it died so I figured that I might would post it for her.

-Addison

Happy Easter!

From our family to yours - Happy Easter!

We had wonderful day from beginning to end. When we woke up the Easter Bunny had visited and left goodies for the kids (never too old for an Easter basket!) and then got ready for church. The talks in Sacrament Meeting by Reid and Foye were wonderful -- I love Easter and the reflections especially on this day of the Savior and what he has and continues to do for us, his children. Then Ethan and I attended another church at 11 because several of my co-workers sing in the choir and since I missed their Easter concert last week we went to hear them sing "How Great Thou Art" today. It was truly the most beautiful I've ever heard that song performed -- just incredible. My boss, Paula, and another dear friend of mine, Glenn, from work are in the choir and wow, it was so good. The sermon there called "He is Risen" was also a great sermon. I do believe my testimony of Jesus Christ and what he went through before his death and resurrection was really strengthened this day and I hope to do a much better job showing my love for Him and being a better example and servant of Thee.

Following the church services we went to Mom's for the most delicious Easter dinner with family, friends, and loved ones. It was SO FUN! We ate, hid and found eggs, talked and visited outside in the beautiful spring weather and just had a fabulous day. We talked to Erika and Jack in Idaho and they were having a good day and both had to work this evening. We miss them but will be so thrilled to have them closer this summer!!! (Wilmington's only a couple hours away!!!) I got to visit with Joey's family after leaving Mom's then to Lexington to take Addison to spend the night and first day of spring break with her dear friends, The Gilbert's. They are an incredible family and they took Ivy (Erika, Ethan, and Addi's 4 year old half sister at their dad's) to church today at the Lexington Ward! Ethan and I had a nice visit on the way home tonight from Lexington and he's just left to head back to Florence. It's been a great Easter day. The following are photos from today's events:

Abby and Alex enjoying lunch.

Ginger - I love your outfit! She always looks good in any pink!

Daddy and Ethan talking and enjoying lunch together!

Yummy! "Lana's Cafe" is the greatest!

Oh how wonderful it felt outside today! Beautiful South Carolina Springtime!

Enjoying time with my sweetheart...

Brandon had a "mishap" with the ball and Jenny was after him! It was so funny and Tiawanna got it on video of her chasing Brandon - even Spencer got in on the excitement. Sorry you scratched your leg on the shrub in the process, Jenny. You and Brandon are so fun!

Sister Oakley - isn't she beautiful?!

The boys so enjoyed finding eggs -- and loved when a surprise was inside!

Looks like Ethan enjoyed a nice nap after a big Sunday dinner at Grandmother's!

Maddie and Will - Will's hiding under the chair!

Shaun and Carson (aka "Little Shaun" - he looks so much like his daddy!)

Chloe seems to like Easter pretty well, too. She loved all the attention from Spencer and the kids.

Easter was a very nice day for our family -

I hope to carry this feeling in my heart for a very long time.