Memorial Day

"Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (in 2008 on May 26). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action." Wikipedia
May we remember those who have served and lost their lives in name of freedom. May we also remember those who continue to live with the scars of war to preserve our freedom. To those who have perished, have served and continue to serve I give my heartfelt gratitude and praise. THANK YOU.

How cute are my girls???

A friend is trying to start up a photography business and she took some incredible pictures of Ashley and the girls (I was not there). The pictures are adorable. Just click on slideshow to see the photos... I feel vain saying how cute they are, but I AM their mama-- I am supposed to think that they are the greatest thing since slice bread!
http://chrys-tell-clearphotography.instaproofs.com/category.php?id=124405&event=51989&pageSize=20&pageNumber=2

Our week at the beach

Almost every year since I can remember I have gone down to Carolina Beach (about 20 minutes southeast of Wilmington) with my family. My great-grandfather loved the beach and bought some oceanfront beach property back in the early 30’s. In 1939 he built the first beach house that was demolished by Hurricane Hazel in 1954—the year my mother was born. A couple of years later he rebuilt the house and other than some minor modifications it is the house that we still visit today. When the house was built in 1955 there was no air conditioning, no modern kitchen conveniences (other than an oven and a refrigerator) and only one bathroom. My great-grandfather passed away in the 60’s and my great-grandmother lived until 1994. I remember going to the beach house in the summers as a child and listening to her stories and hearing her laugh. I didn’t speak with her much because her hearing was bad and she couldn’t understand me, but it taught me that it is better to listen to the lessons of the older generation. Her room was across the hall from my grandmother’s room, and she was the only person in the house with air conditioning (a little wall unit). By the time I was about 10 years old my great-grandmother was too feeble to come to the beach anymore, so it was rented out some to pay for up keep. Each of my great-grandparents 6 children were given one week each summer to come to the beach. So, we would come each summer with my uncles to the beach house. They added a couple of upstairs bathrooms (when I was young the only showers were under the house with the water bugs and spiders) and air conditioning in the early 90’s. I have so many wonderful family memories of the beach house with my family. It is rustic and made of pine boards—floor, walls and ceiling, but I love the place. I remember running with my brothers there as a child, building sandcastles, watching my mom bury watermelon in the sand, going to find the sea turtles, sunburns, crabbing, Britt’s doughnuts (the BEST doughnuts in the world!!!—Ask anyone that has had them), snow cones, thunderstorms over the ocean and ferry rides. I hope that many of those wonderful memories are being passed on to my girls and that they find wonder in the beauty of the ocean. Here are some of our pictures from this past week…
Courtney and I comparing notes... Ellie dancing the hula on the gazebo above the dunes.

Riley looking at the sea life at the NC Aquarium.

Hannah and Ellie enjoying the fish at the NC Aquarium.

The front of the beach house that faces the ocean.

My grandfather with his 5 great-granddaughters (3 are mine!!!!).
Our annual family photo-- Amy (Shane's girlfriend), Shane, Ashley, Courtney, Jordan, George, Shannon, Riley, George (Granddaddy), Hannah, Pandora (Buela) and Ellie...

Just a plug

A plug in behalf of my "little" brother. He is starting a computer business to repair and build computers. He is very good at it and has built several of his own computers. The company is called Advanced Computers and the link is George's computer. So, if you are in need of a new computer or just a repair please let him know. You will not be disappointed!

No child should live this way

This is a link to story about child trafficking in Africa. No child should have to live this way. It breaks my heart to see and read about how many little ones live in this world. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080420/ap_on_re_af/begging_for_islam
As Ashley always says, 'there, but for the grace of God, go I.'

Ethanol and all that jazz

I have wanted to blog about ethanol for a VERY long time, but I just haven't had the time and I don't really have the time today, but I feel compelled to find the time. In an article by Walter E. Williams, a professor of economics at George Mason University, published in the Charlotte Observer on March 12, 2008, Mr.Williams gives some revealing facts about the use of ethanol. I give him full credit for my facts-- no plagiarism here!! Here are some outrageous facts about ethanol:
1. Ethanol contains some water from the distillation process that can do major damage
to your car engine unless it is designed specifically for ethanol use.
2. Because of the water in ethanol it cannot be moved via pipeline, but must be
shipped by truck, boat or rail thus making it much more costly to move than
gasoline.
3. It is 20%-30% less effective than gasoline-- more expensive for every highway
mile
4. It takes 450 pounds of corn to fill ONE tank of gasoline-- enough to feed one
person for a YEAR.
5. It takes one gallon of natural gas to produce one gallon of ethanol (there we
go for saving the environment).
6. It takes 1700 gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol (there we go
helping Mother Earth again).
7. Congress handed out $9.5 billion of subsidies in 2005 ALONE to corn farmers!
(Talk about wasteful spending.)

So, as the price of gas skyrockets we also pay huge amounts of money for ethanol subsidies that are useless and a ridiculous hoax. Where is the outrage in the American public? There is another side effect of all this ethanol production-- food shortages. My brother sent me a link to this article that discusses the biggest unplanned side effect of ethanol as a biofuel-- hunger-- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/04/14/ccview114.xml.
The US is still one of the largest global producers of corn and if that corn is not going all over the world to feed people then where does the corn (used in so many food products) come from? Have you ever gone without food? Have you ever had to watch your children go hungry? Corn is a staple food in many Third World countries all over the world--for example-- tortillas in Mexico. I have been blessed beyond words to have been born at a time where food is readily avaliable on almost every corner (at least where I live) and in the richest nation on Earth. We have billions of barrels of oil and natural gas in Alaska and hundreds of miles off our coasts, yet we don't drill. We don't build refineries (we haven't built one in this country since the 70's), because they "ruin the environment." Yet, we spend billions on the "ethanol solution" that uses more natural resources than it saves and takes corn away from what it primarily is--food. We wouldn't have to spend billions upon billions of dollars for drilling and building refineries-- the oil companies would spend the money themselves and rake in the profits. We could buy stock in the companies and rake in the profits-- it's called capitalism. I know that this isn't a popular opinion. I want to take care of the environment and leave beautiful places for my children, but I think this whole "green" thing has gone way overboard. The US could easily be energy independent if we would just take a step back and use what we have in our own back yard! Man, it feels good to get that out. Thanks for the venting!

Family and some fun

We went to Raleigh last weekend to attend a party that my youngest brother, Shane, planned for his girlfriend Amy (30th birthday-- man, is she old!) Here are the pics...


George, Shane (my "little" brothers) and Brian, a childhood friend we have recently reconnected with...

Ellie, Shannon, Jordan (my baby sister), Hannah, Riley and a random kid I don't know. Jordan is always hanging out with the little ones-- she likes kids and they are closer to her height and weight, so she feels more comfortable.

Riley is reaching for Daddy, but Buela (Pandora-- my mom), won't give her up...

I am losing on my bracket. This is the first time that it appears that Ashley will beat me in 2 years... That's right-- I have won the March Madness bracket thing for the past 2 years. I know so little about sports, including basketball, so I guess it is pretty bad to lose to me. I guess Ashley should get use to it!!! I think he feels pretty vindicated this year. He brags about it quite a bit, but I know I can take him again next year.