Keith & Carrie

OK, OK....I know you've all been wringing your hands, waiting for info about the Keith and Carrie concert!! Well, at least Susan and Vicki.....of course, it goes without saying the concert was fantastic. But here are some exciting tidbits that were a little out of the norm......it was the last concert date of this tour which meant it went extra long PLUS it was taped for an upcoming DVD...Alysa was filmed wearing her "Take Me Back Stage" t-shirt so she COULD be on the DVD...we were privileged to see the Keith and Carrie duet of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" that Susan has circulated (it was way better live!)...and we got a spot appearance from Nicole Kidman as she was waiting in the wing. Also, Mark's office assistant once dated John Michael Montgomery and we all bumped into him with his family while in the arena. He was never one of my favorites. But I thought it was kind of cool. Alysa was bummed she wasn't invited back stage. But we had great fun anyway. Plus, if she gets on the DVD, that can be her claim to fame. Even Mark had a great time. He likes Keith way more than he did before. He was impressed with Keith's incredible talent. I think he may be converted!!

Things I LOVE

If you've been reading my blog at all since I started, you have probably noticed that as I am typing a post, I will commonly interject "which I LOVE". This, most likely, will continue. It is a quick and simple way I have of sort of acknowledging Heavenly Father as the provider of these simple gifts and my gratitude to Him for them. Here are some of the things I LOVE....first and foremost, my FAMILY, each one of them bring me joy in different ways....fresh, clean sheets that smell and feel like fabric softener...feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin...just a sunny day in general...the smell and crackle of a cozy fire on a chilly night...electronics and the conveniences they can be in everyday life...the smell of a baby all rubbed down with lotion...fat, squishy baby thighs...food (enough said)...the innocent laughter of children playing...stretching...an occasional nap...the smell of clover...soft, padded socks...the kind of tired you feel after working outside in the yard all day. These are just a few of the things that quickly pop into mind...there are many more still.

Skylar's 3!!!

On April 12, our sweet little Skylar turned 3!! Her party theme was "Mickey Mouse". All you party cake crazies out there, check out this precious cake!! She had a big blow out at a place in Longview, called "Kids Station", where they have lots of indoor climbing and jumping "thingies". I really miss being so far away from her (and her mommy and daddy). But I'm so grateful for digital cameras and computers so we can get pictures fast!! I think she looks like Minnie with that big bow in her hair. Ain't she a
beaut? We love you, Skylar!!

Things I Saw on my Morning Walk

Now that I'm in a nice, safe (or so it feels) neighborhood, I've decided to get out and get some fresh air and exercise. It's so beautiful here it would be a shame to miss out by exercising indoors. Just a few things I saw on my walk this morning.....a jet plane making white streaks across a clear blue sky, birds playing in flight while singing me a beautiful song, dew glistening on the pasture land, rocks and pebbles in my path, just waiting for me to kick them along (which I LOVE to do!), a little yellow butterfly flittering along side me as I made my way, a buckskin colored horse feeding on the delicious green grass of the meadow, the sunlight dancing on the water of a winding brook, a tiny waterfall spilling over the rock wall. These were just a handful of things I saw. It doesn't count all the sounds and smells. Who would want to miss out on all these creations and the experience of de-stressing, filling your lungs with fresh air, unwinding, communing with nature and .....feeling the burn? It was great!!

More Perry News

A few days ago I found out 5 Marines from Perry's batallion had been killed by a car bomb while out on patrol. My heart sank for all the parents and family members of those Marines, as well as their brothers in the corp. Please continue to send up your prayers for our men and women sacrificing so much for our freedom. They need and deserve our support.

Pics By Alysa

Alysa has decided she likes photography! She's starting out by taking pictures of still life (plants, in this case) and she likes taking pictures of her friends and family. I am going to encourage her to develop this talent...you never know where her "work" could end up!!

Perry News

I'm sorry to say I don't have any new pictures. But there some of you who want updates on Perry. He is currently in Iraq, although we are not allowed to know the specific location. He assures me everything is fine and not to worry (knowing all the while that I'm likely to do it anyway). He says the food is the best he's ever eaten anywhere. Funny, that is one of the things all mothers want to make sure of...that their baby is eating well. Some info about where he's living....the building use to be a resort, but the walls are now covered in bullet holes, no indoor plumbing (that's in a separate building) and they've rigged the door to close with a rope and bag of water because there were no workable hinges. He had his guitar shipped over and I sent him "Cranium", a board game to play in whatever spare time he might have. He promises he's going to call and email more often, as soon as they get some things squared away. They're apparently very busy at first. Overall, he sounds good and welcomes mail, goody boxes, prayers, your love, any correspondence at all. I do believe he is becoming more aware of just how blessed we are here in the promised land. Keep praying!

Our Scenic Ferry Ride

We took the scenic "back roads" tour to nearby Lexington on Saturday, just to get out and get a feel for our new surroundings. We'd heard about the Valley View Ferry you have to drive your car on that takes you across the river. This ferry has been in service since 1785, well before the Civil War, and flies 2 flags, Virginia and Kentucky, because when the ferry was established, Kentucky hadn't become an independent state yet. The wall Alysa and Mark are on was hand built and there are walls like this all over the place. They go on forever sometimes. I can just imagine all the hard work it took to build them. They're so beautiful and historical.

Scenes from Our New Home

OK, most of you probably don't know that I LOOOOOOOVE old barns! And I am absolutely in heaven here in Kentucky because they are EVERYWHERE! I can barely get Alysa to school safely every morning because I'm drinking in all the rolling hills with these gigantic barns plopped down everywhere I look. I may have to start a photo journal! Mark says this use to be tobacco growing country so they had barns to cure the tobacco and barns for the cattle and farm supplies. That's why there's so many. Just sharing a very few that I was able to photograph on our drive Saturday. Aren't they beautiful?

Fishin' in the Holler

This past weekend we had some absolutely gorgeous weather. Naturally we had to take advantage. Right across the road from our pod is a gigantic recreational park with a beautiful little lake (Lake Reba). Alysa has been pleading to go fishing since we got here and this seemed like the perfect day. She was the only one to actually make a catch. So, of course, we've got to show it off!! It's a big 'un!

2nd First Day

Well, today was Alysa's 2nd first day of school!! Of course I mean her first day of school in Kentucky. Her day was "GREAT!!!" She met a classroom full of new kids....all the girls wanted her to sit by them at lunch and play with them at recess. Thank heavens she is still at the age where "the new girl" is exciting and everyone wants to be her friend. Everyone at the new school was sooooo kind and welcomed her very warmly. They have a full-sized gym and Friday they will be playing volleyball during gym class. Volleyball just happens to be the one sport she is totally interested in playing! How lucky is that?! OH!! And, this school doesn't require uniforms until middle school. So this fashion diva had to go shopping for a new wardrobe! Here she is showing off her "First Day" ensemble.

These People Make Me a Ya-Ya

You might be thinking it's impossible for someone
as young-looking as myself to really be a grandmother. And you'd be right. I AM NOT a grandmother. I am a Ya-Ya and darned proud to be so! Meet my son Wes, his wife Wendy and their soon-to-be 3-year-old, Skylar. These are those responsible for making me a Ya-Ya. Apparently, they think I am so good at it, they are going to increase my following this coming summer by adding a boy....Briley. He is due in early August and I plan on setting up housekeeping in their apartment to welcome the little critter into the world. Life just keeps getting better!

Update on Our Marine

Well, as most of you know, Perry is now in Iraq. Or, at least, he was in Kuwait earlier today and heading for Iraq. He arrived in Maine, only to receive a call from.....someone back in North Carolina....that he'd been assigned to the wrong unit!! The unit he's supposed to be with was not to deploy until later this year. After some batting back and forth over whether to bring him back to NC or send him on, they decided to go ahead and send him with the unit he was with to Iraq. He was a bit disappointed, to say the least. But he said he knows everything happens for a reason and he's hanging tough. That's our guy. We're so proud. Please keep him in your prayers.

Alysa's Tribute

This post is on Alysa's behalf, to her beloved teacher, Mrs. Lori Comeaux, and her classroom buddies back in Louisiana. While she is anxious to start school here in Kentucky, she sorely misses all her friends in LA. We have settled in quite nicely here and she has won the hearts of almost everyone she has come in contact with. It's like a whole new planet of people for her to charm and believe me, SHE IS LOVIN' IT!!! The lady at the bank wanted to adopt her as a grandchild, since she didn't have any of her own. She's received compliments and admiring stares everywhere we go. But it hasn't changed her a bit. She's still the same sweet girl you've always know. You know what they say, "A Louisiana Girl Don't Change Her Ways".

3 Peas in a POD

Greetings, earthlings.....we are the pod dwellers. Sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, huh? Nevertheless, we ARE the pod dwellers. At least, that's what they call this place we live in. More common terms would be "townhouse" or "condo". But, when in Rome.......or, Kentucky.......you know the rest. Mark, all by himself, picked this place out. He kept saying how I was gonna' like it. But I was skeptical, I have to say. However, he did quite well. Quite well indeed. Our "pod" has 2 decent-sized bedrooms and a 2nd floor loft, dining room, eat-in-kitchen (all stainless appliances), 2.5 bathrooms, garage, utility room, walk-in pantry and a large living room area. It is beautiful, but I'll be ready for our very own house very soon.

Blog Name Explanation

Ok, I have to say Alysa HATES the name of our blog. But here's why I stood my ground...."Jamestown" was actually a suggestion from a dear friend, whom I highly respect. However, it just seemed too "refined" and "snooty" to me. So I added "Holler" to represent the other side of us you are more likely to see. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. But, that's the way it is. The "I am who I am" mentality, I suppose. I know. I know. Everybody can change, it's never too late to change, life is a continual state of change, etc., etc. All true. But at our core, WE have hillbilly roots. So......" Jamestown", for the more polished side of us and "Holler", for the more relaxed side.........Jamestown Holler.....that's us.