I'm trying!

I just don't have anything to say. I could tell you that Shelly went riding with Reece and me yesterday, but I've already told you that. I could tell you that it has rained all day today, sometimes in downpours, but you know rain better than I. Let me tell you about the mud at the barn! It is deep and thick and each hole is full of water, very nasty and no fun at all. Right around the barn is not too bad, but you have to walk through a river of water and mud to get to the gate and the dry lot. The geldings pushed Fancy through the fence last week and skinned her up pretty good. We haven't decided how she got into the dry lot with them but she is pretty clever. She ended up breaking two fence post and the barbed wire. Those devils!!

Baby Ryan

It snowed last night and all of the schools around here were closed. I had promised myself that the first snow day I would continue to organize some of my pictures. I found this picture of Ryan taken by the hospital when he was two days old. I scanned it but I didn't know how to crop just the picture. I thought you might enjoy seeing how beautiful he was even though he looks like they startled him to get his picture with his eyes open. I will send more later. Can you give me some cropping instructions?

Ok Ok Gloria, I'm posting

Hello from Melber. Everything is fine here. I thought I would add Cecil's Christmas picture even though I know you and Jess have both already seen it. I know he is not as cute as Mabry but maybe you'll enjoy seeing him again. By the way Jess, I love checking out your blogspot and seeing Mabry every chance I get!!!

David entertained everyone during the announcements last night when he announced that Gloria and Ryan were expecting. Kay came up to us right before class and asked us if we knew it before David's announcement, we laughed. After church several of the ladies wanted to know what I want to be called. Granny is out, that is my mother. MawMaw is out, never wanted that. Grandmother is all right, that is what I called my grandmother Benifield. Mama Bruce was my other grandmother, but if I'm Mama Mabry that is what Randy's grandmother was, I can't picture that. So here's my idea, what about Nay Nee, or Ne'Nee, not sure how to spell it, but it comes from my name Renee. What do you think ladies? Randy doesn't care what he's called, he says he'll let the baby decide, but let's face it, we are so far away and we'll see the child only after months of intervals our names and who we are will have to be reinforced by Gloria and Ryan. Granddaddy is a great name and I kinda lot Pop. What do you think Ryan? What fits your dad best? Randy says everyone at Coke has been teasing him and acting quite goofy about Randy finally becoming a grandfather. Same with me at school, after I sent a school wide email to all of my colleagues they have been emailing back with their best wishes. Lots of the ones I have taught with for years are already grandmothers so they are especially excited. They are worried too, they want to know how I'm going to stand living so far away from my first grandchild. I have told them, "who says I am going to live from away, I might move." That's the truth!

I saw a great piece on the Today show this morning. It showed a school that had challenged its students to cancel all their unwanted sales catalogs. It told of the countless trees that were sacrificed each year to supply these sales papers that end up mostly in the trash not even looked at. Go to www.catalogchoice.org and see the clip. Then sign up and have all your catalogs canceled. I even cancelled my beloved State Line Tack catalog. I thought that anytime I wanted something I could go to the website and place an order just as easy. It took me about 10 minutes to sign up and cancel several catalogs. On another note, I ordered something over the phone today. Gloria, I went ahead and ordered those insulated riding boots, I think I showed them to you over Christmas. Anyway, while I was talking to the sales person I asked her if I could have my name removed from the list that gets sold to other companies and she took care of that for me. Now I won't be inundated by a multitude of western supply catalogs just because I have placed an order with one. (If I were a true blogger, I might be able to figure out how to send that clip from the Today show on my blog. Since I am a novice, you'll just have to go to the website and see it from there.)

By the way ladies, I saw on the news yesterday about the dangers of putting too much personal information on blogs and my space type websites. It said it was not uncommon for employers and potential employers to check you out. I know you all would not post anything controversial but..... I'm a mother, so sue me!

I hope this short message satisfies you two but seriously I will try to do better about sending messages more often.

Halloween Fun - Trunk or Treat

This Halloween was our first "Trunk or Treat" in the parking lot of the church building. Fun was had by all! Even Lucy, Jasper, and Simon got into the spirit of things. Jasper loved showing everyone what a "Super Dog" he is. Lucy had to be coaxed to stay out of the car because she was embarrassed to be "Bat Dog". I guess she wanted to be "Bat Girl". Simon didn't have a costume, so he was just his lovable self. Enjoy the pictures!

Pictures from our trip to visit Ryan and Gloria

Ryan, Gloria, me and Randy at one of the falls on Mt. Rainier. Very funny story about this picture. Randy had the camera and using lots of sign language and pointing "asked" an oriental man to take our family's picture. The guy took the camera and said "oh, ok!"

I thought this was a nice picture at the beach. Notice the silhouette of the seagull.

My favorite soldier!

Ryan and Gloria on the trail on the mountain. Ryan is "posing" for the camera!

I have discovered that when I load a picture it always goes to the top of the posting. Is there a way I can load the pictures in order? Anyway, this is my favorite picture from the aquarium. Gloria, my picture of the octopus is not a good as yours, it turned out dark.

Ryan and Gloria buying fish from the fiendish, screaming fish mongers at the market place.

Reece the "shotgun" exhibitionist

Reece was watching the history channel at our house a couple of weeks ago and he got this idea from a famous gun exhibitionist. I think his name was Hugh Parsons and he was awesome at his sport. Reece was inspired so he took his shotgun to the front yard and kept practicing throwing up clay targets and trying to shoot them before they fell to the ground. I think Hugh Parsons could shoot 7 or 8 before they hit the ground, but Reece only has 3 shots so that was what he practiced. He finally got it and I got it on video. Forgive me that you have to watch this video sideways, I don't know what I was thinking when I filmed it.

Labor Day Weekend

Friday night Randy and I left for Bay Creek to camp for only one night. It was a lot of work for one night, but it was the first time we had camped since Missouri in June. Vana called right before we left and told us they might be later getting there because Danny had a fire call. Luckily, the fire was small and contained to a corn field that had already be combined. They got there about 9:00 and camped right beside us. I had the potatoes baked and put the chicken on the grill as they were unloading. We had a nice campfire and even though the campground was almost full it was a very quiet night. Saturday morning we got up and after breakfast decided we would ride to soldier's grave. I started out on Fancy but she was excited and I lost my nerve and Randy and I swapped horses after only a short distance. I didn't want to be a baby but I wanted to enjoy the ride and talk to Vana and not deal with a cranky horse. Of course, after Randy got on her she was perfect! I have included a picture of soldier's grave. The name and information on the stone is John C.B. Ramsey, Co. A, 17th Ky Inf. I do wish I knew the history behind the grave. Someone occasionally decorates the grave site. There is evidence around the site that it was once enclosed with an American wire fence.

Today was our annual family reunion. There were approximately 54 people at the civic center to eat and visit together. That number is not as many as we usually have. It is harder for us to get together like we once did. Someone had on a t-shirt that we had printed several years ago and it said "Benifield Family Reunion 1975-1999." I am pretty sure we had our reunions on 4th of July before 1975 and of course we've had one every year since 1999 except the year Grandmother died. She died September 2, 2003, the day after Labor Day. No one felt like celebrating anything that year.
As usual, there was lots of good food. I took roast beef and pepper gravy, corn, iced tea, and homemade strawberry ice cream. We also had pineapple ice cream (Vana) and butterpecan ice cream (Reva). We laughed, talked and gossiped for a few hours after dinner. Not like in the olden days when we played volleyball all afternoon.