40 years ago...

Wow, has it been 40 years ago since I donned on my cap and gown and said good bye to Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, TEXAS? Apparently so! It is amazing what 40 years will do to a fella....This group of gals were my closest friends through it all....Have known most of them all my life. Texans are like that....We find a place, and stay put. So I just got back from the Reunion. We drove around Baytown, went to the old familiar places, saw houses we haven't seen in years, told stories on each other, which I will gladly NOT repeat, thank you very much! They told me I use to imitate Flip Wilson....in fact, they said I was awesome and they wanted me to do a little of it for them.....I looked like a deer in the headlights! I have NO RECOLLECTION of it at all....other than the fact, I am sure I was GOOD, no doubt.....When I was telling Stacy(my middle child) about it....she said...."Who is Flip Wilson?" HA! So, there ya have it.... I would like to say after 40 years I am much more sure of myself, have this great wisdom, more self control, but I would be fooling myself! I am, however, in the prime of my life....Love my family like crazy....Love those grandkids.....Still have my health, my parents are still alive, AND God has showered me with blessings beyond measure! So here is to Caroline, Danna, Ann, Lanelle, & Gail....You are still lookin' good and see ya in 10 years!

Memorial Day Weekend 5-26-12

Here is the lovely couple with their exceptionally beautiful and brilliant Claire!

BIG FOOT, or Sasquash, as we lovingly referred to her, enjoyed the day out on the town!

Claire is meeting Adam & Stacy for the first time.....gotta love family kodak moments!

I give up Officer....I am guilty of over sleeping!

Here is Papa Joe and Claire hanging out....

A busy week!

Emily LOVES her Red Solo Cup.....Makes me wanna sing....

Baby Bears can climb fast up them there trees!

Mama and baby frolicking in the forest!

Mr. Peacock returns 3 weeks later....Now where do you think you have been Mister?

"Please Daddy, make her stop poking me!"

Daddy's Little Girl! How sweet is that!

Let the party begin!

Is that a smile I see...or just gas?

THERE THERE Little one....Majo's got ya!

Wow...just when you think you have seen it all!

We are adding additional creatures to Sherwood Forest! This is a first....a dad gum peacock! Remind me again why we went to Africa!

Another Easter....another hunt....

Gotta love hunting for eggs!

Emily Jo...I love you so!

Out of Africa!

Joe and I are back in the good ol’ USA! Africa was so amazing, wonderful, wild, crazy, & we loved every minute of it. Except for the 89 hour trip home. Man, that is a fur piece away for sure!

Our tent living conditions were awesome! Five Star all the way! Nothing but the best for us! We had to make sure to zip it up tight to keep the monkeys out of our room. And you don’t want monkeys jumping on your bed. I was doing enough of that myself!

The game excursions were nothing short of exciting, adventurous, and way too much fun. We saw it all! Elephants, zebras, lions, rhinos. hippos, crocs, hyenas, water buffalos, and stuff I had no idea what we were seeing! A memorable sight was a huge croc with a baby hippo in it’s jaws....gross!

Going to see how the village people lived was enlightening....I thought they would know “YMCA”, but none of them did! Apparently these were different Village People! I danced with them....in fact, I am not sure, but I think I may have married one of ‘em! He was sure cute in his red dress. I think we would make a lovely couple, but living in a stick house covered in cow dung was a bit much for me. The women have to build the huts, and once I had to make a home repair or two, the honeymoon would be quickly over!

The hot air balloon ride was so cool! I have never done that. There are no words to describe the awesomeness of it all. And then we landed out in the middle of the plains and a champagne breakfast was prepared that was out of this world...the wild animals were just right there grazing. CRAZY!

But I will tell you Dorothy, there is no place like home and my pillow and my bed! God is so good!