Family Arrives & Thomas & Haley go to the Beach

Friday
May 22, 2009

Well same kind of morning get up and go to work. I left Thomas & Haley sleeping. I called Gina and she was bathing Angel & Zoey before they got on the road to head south. I spoke to Thomas around ten o’clock and they were just waking up. They were going to go something to eat for breakfast and then drive to Port Aransas and spend the day on the beach. Here are a few pictures of Thomas & Haley on the beach.

The Beach in Port Aransas


Haley & Thomas at the Beach

I don’t know what happened but it took an hour and a half for Parker, Ashley, Gina and Shane to get through Baton Rouge which put them getting to Lafayette around 5:15. They were meeting Nicole in Lafayette since she worked the day. Well they didn’t get on the road heading toward South Texas until 5:30. This was going to put them arriving late. But they seemed like they were having a good drive. Here are a few pictures of their drive down.

Nicole & Ashley Enjoying the Ride


Hey you're Driving Turn Around


Gina and Our Babies


Are We There Yet??


Aren't they so cute??

I got home around five o’clock and Thomas was cooking. We had fried pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes for dinner. After dinner he & Haley went to Wal-mart to pick up some items that Gina wanted and I moved the truck to a site directly behind our home so I could connect the electrical up and turn on the AC so the truck would be cool for when they all arrived. I was going to stay up until they arrived but decided against it since they wouldn’t be getting in until one o’clock in the morning. I had a few items to do at work Saturday morning and I figured with them getting in so late that they would sleep in anyway so I went to bed. Sure enough they arrived at one and they tried to wake me up but I wasn’t getting up. Anyway I guess they all got settled in since Gina said she took some pictures of them in the truck so here they are.

Nicole & Shane in the Truck's Bottom Bed


Parker & Ashley in the Truck's Top Bed

I’m not sure what is planned for Saturday but stay tuned it should be exciting with all eight of us here. I’m sure crabbing will be in the agenda somewhere.

Until tomorrow, Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

Trying to Catch Up & Preparing for Memorial Day Weekend

Not much has happened so to speak but it has still been busy so I’ll try to catch you up to date. There are no pictures today but I promise to have some tomorrow. I have been trying to adjust to working in the field once again. Working in the field is very different than working out of an office in Houston. However, I’m adjusting and trying to figure out a routine that allows me to write an entry in our blog while still getting my job done and spending time with Gina.

Gina has been busy also. She still has a lot to do in order for Nicole and Shane to move into our house. She has been working on that along with trying to keep up her garden outside. My days here so far this week have been the same. Thomas & Haley (his girlfriend) drove down here to Rockport yesterday and arrived here at four o’clock. Thomas wanted fired shrimp so he went and bought three pounds of fresh shrimp and then I peeled them and fried them along with French fries for him and Haley. Gina’s day was consumed with taking Uncle Jim to the orthopedic doctor. He has been in a lot of pain and was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff. At least now he knows what is causing all the pain. He’s considering what his best path forward will be. Once Gina got home she had to go to Wal-mart and pick up a few things. We have a busy weekend planned. Thomas and Haley are already here in south Texas and Nicole, Shane, Ashley, Parker and Gina are leaving today, Friday to drive down here to South Texas to spend Memorial Day weekend. So we’ll all be together.

After we ate shrimp last night we went to Wal-mart to buy some chicken so we could put out a crab trap. I want to make sure I’ll have crabs ready to eat so when Gina gets here I’ll have her favorite seafood ready to eat. To her there is nothing like fresh boiled blue crabs. JB & Brenda got to see her in action last month when we met up with them while they were down here in Rockport. After that it was getting late and I called Gina and told her good night. It was already past my bedtime so I went to bed and Thomas & Haley were still up watching a movie.

Gina & I wish everyone safe travels if you’re going to be on the road this weekend. But more importantly while you all are enjoying this weekend please remember our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen as they are all out there protecting our country and the freedoms that we are able to enjoy as the result of their sacrifices.

Until tomorrow, Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

Thomas' Graduation Weekend

This will be a big entry and I apologize for so many pictures but this was a big picture taking weekend. Gina and I have been going non-stop since we got up Friday morning. Gina had some grocery shopping to do for Thomas’ crawfish boil on Saturday and I had to get some work done for my job. Anyway, Thomas graduated Friday night and afterwards we had a small party at the house for him with just family. We got up early Saturday morning to pick up 300 pounds of crawfish by eight o'clock in the morning and get ready for Thomas’ crawfish boil which was scheduled for 11:00 o’clock. Gina, Nicole and Ashley got everything prepared outside and Paw Paw Jack, Parker and I got things started in boiling crawfish. We dumped the first pot of crawfish at 11:05 right on time when people started showing up. I’m not sure how many people showed up but there seemed like a lot and we only had about 25 pounds leftover. Everyone had left by 4:30 and then my dad and I wanted to finish up the AC unit install in the big truck so we got started on that and by six o’clock we had it working. He left and went home and then I joined in the “After Party” with our family and my sister’s family. We had a great time.

Sunday morning was clean up time which took us all morning and then we went over to Jack and Sue’s house for lunch. She took the leftovers and made crawfish etouffee, potato salad, and took the corn off the cob. It was all delicious. We didn’t stay long since I needed to get on the road back toward Houston. Gina stayed in Louisiana to relax and visit with Ashley. I made it back home just a little after nine o’clock at night. I had a lot of work to do to get our home ready to travel. I mentioned that I had to work some Friday morning and I got the word that the client wanted me to move to Rockport on Monday.

Monday Morning I got up at four o’clock and got to work at five. I had to get my office packed up and back up 16 months of email and documents. I do this regularly but when I leave a computer behind I do a complete back up of everything I have done since I received that specific computer. I got it all done and loaded into my truck by 9:45 and was heading back home by ten o’clock. All I had to do now was flush my tanks, pull in the slides and hitch up. I had it all done and checked out by noon and on the interstate heading south by 12:15. I spoke to Gina and somehow when she woke up this morning she had lost her voice. I arrived at Ransom Road RV Park at 3:45 and picked my site. It’s not the best site here but I can stay at this site until February 2010 without moving. I got backed in on the second try. Let’s just say that I rubbed the side of our home along the side of a palm tree on the first try. I didn’t have my sweetheart to stop me before I got that close. Oh well, the only damage was a peeled a two inch piece off my stripe on one side. It could have been much worse. Of course Gina hasn’t seen it yet but it’s not bad.

Tuesday morning was going to be a busy day for me at work and Gina was working in her garden today. I got home this evening at six o’clock and ate then I wanted to upload all the pictures from this weekend. I am putting a few here in the blog but if you really want to see all of them (236 pictures) just click on any of them and that will bring you to our picasa web album.

Everyone loaded into the truck

(as you can see they were still getting ready)


Thomas Driving the Big Truck to his Graduation


Proud Parents


It took three women to get him dressed


Ashley, Thomas, and Nicole


We're all in the bleachers waiting


Thomas walking in to take his seat


2009 Graduating Class of Denham Springs High School


Thomas & his sisters with his diploma


Parker & Ashley playing around with Thomas


A Very Happy Family


Mickey, Jack, and Kelly Jones with Thomas

There's a story here. Mickey & I have been best friends since we were 3 years old. His brother, Kelly Jones is the principle of the high school. This was his first year as the principle. I can still remember the day he was born. There mom & dad was like my second mom & dad. He lived next door but that was about a half mile down the road. Jack and Thomas have become friends and they like to cut up and play around. Mickey and Jack are country music singers and songwriters. They have numerous gold albums for there songwriting. There is a lot more to this story here about Mickey and I (44 years worth) but that will be for another day when I need something to write about.

Gina & Nicole arranged this table for Thomas' Crawfish boil/party


Don't let any get away!!!

Getting Setup to Boil them Mudbugs


Crawfish anyone??

Thomas enjoying his crawfish

I finally get to enjoy some


Thomas and Haley (his girlfriend)


Ms. Jan (longtime friend of the family) and Ashely


Jimmy and Peggy (my brother & his wife)


Thomas and his Aunt Dana (aka my sister)


Nicole, Chris & Dave (Nicole's in-laws)


We asked Thomas give a little speech


Of course we had a few words to say too


Thomas cutting his Cookie Cake


He just wanted his Name to Eat


Wanda and Phil (our son-in-law's parents)


My dad and Paw Paw Jack still eating crawfish


Thomas and Brandy (Rollie Joseph's last girlfriend)


The "After Party" commences


Rickey Craig and Lacy (they'll get married one day)


Rickey and Steven


Congratulations Thomas and Welcome to Adulthood

We had a wonderful weekend and we are so proud of Thomas and his decision to serve his country by becoming a United States Marine. Your Mom and I love you and wish you the very best in all your endeavors.

As you can see we had a very busy weekend but a wonderful one. We have been so blessed and we’re glad you all can see a glimpse of those blessings in these pictures posted here.

Until tomorrow, Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.