Smokey Mountain High

For the first time in 39 years, George and I went away together ALONE for a week. We did not take any children, grandchildren, friends or pets with us. This wonderful opportunity was a gift from my parents who own a time share in Gatlinburg Tennessee. They are no longer well enough to make the trip, so they let us go.


At first I was worried about what we would talk about and do with so much free time, but it turned out to be great fun and very relaxing.

We slept until 10, each read an entire book, worked two 500 piece puzzles, watched movies, sat in the outside hot tub in 35 degree weather, soaked in the inside tub, ate Krispy Kreem and other assorted junk food, and slept some more.
We also managed to go on an outing everyday too. Here are some of our side trips.


Oh Yeah, Polish sausage and watching all the people go by in downtown Gatlinburg. What could be better?









How about the Forbidden Caverns? An Indian princess once got lost in the caves and was never found. After that, the Indians were "forbidden" to go there.








Melting and dripping. George, don't forget to watch your head. George, watch out!

Yep, George banged his head and smashed his shoulder into a formation. No blood though.







After the Indians left, the bootleggers used the caverns to make whiskey and the old stills were left behind 300 ft. below the surface.




The next day, I picked a real live magic show and I was not disappointed. We saw the floating lady, metamorphosis, great slight of hand and lots more. It was two hours long and the last act was an empty cage that was suddenly filled with a 500 pound white tiger. Awesome!

We went to Dollywood on Wednesday and saw two wonderful shows, Smokey Mountain Christmas and Babes in Toyland. We ate at Aunt Granny's. Strange name and the food was not near as good as my granny's or my aunt's. George spent the whole time looking for Dolly Parton but had no luck finding her.

We stayed in our apartment on Thanksgiving Day and I cooked a small turkey and heated up Bob Evans sides. George said, "It sure is quiet" so we called home and asked the kids to put the phone on speaker and sit it in the middle of the table so we could hear all the noise and fun that we were missing. (Seriously, it was just George...I wasn't missing a thing!)

The Big Bounce Theory

When the grown up world is getting you down...

BE A KID AGAIN AND JUST JUMP!!!!


Amy---former high school cheerleader



Bo---former high school basketball player



Brandon---former high school pole vaulter





Bryan---former high school swim team diver


The adults were all so happy that Eliza had her 4th birthday party at the Big Bounce Fun Zone.

Caillou Mystery Solved

Did you ever wonder what happened to Caillou's hair?





Maybe....................



He tried................














to cut it himself!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Dad

My Dad celebrated his 85th birthday on July 7. Amy, Amanda and I put together a memory box with some of his WWII pictures and souvenirs. In the center of the box is a picture of him when he was 19 years old. It was taken at Marine boot camp in San Diego California. It was the first time he had ever been away from his home in Texas. He was so young. I think about how young 19 is and how I've worried and missed my 19 year old sons who have left home to serve missions so far from home. My grandmother had to say good bye to all three of her sons at the same time and they were gone for more than two years. They volunteered to fight until the war was over. For my Dad, that was almost four years. They all served in different places and they all came home. My Dad was the only one who was wounded. Even when he was shot in the shoulder, he was not sent home. He was sent to a hospital in Hawaii and when he recovered, he was sent back into battle.


Here is a picture of him on deck of a warship cleaning his weapon in preparation for the landing on the Japanese held island of Tarawa. He came ashore in an amphibious tractor like the ones in "Saving Private Ryan". He made it to shore alone after most of the men on his boat were killed getting out and into the water. A sniper fired at him, but the bullet hit his rifle and shattered. The pieces of metal peppered his shoulder. He couldn't feel his arm. The shrapnel is still in his arm today.The rest of the day and night he hid,wounded, in a hole on the beach. He was barely 20 years old. He received the Purple Heart from Admiral Chester Nimitz (yes, the same one they named an aircraft carrier after) who just happened to be in Hawaii the same time as my Dad was in the hospital there. Other items in the memory box are a silver Japanese cigarette case found on the island of Sipan and a statue of three monkeys found in the ashes of Nagasaki .
My Dad was training off the coast of Tokoyo in preparation for the invasion of Japan when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. His Marine unit was the first to enter the city after the blast. He was also given a signed paper fan from one of the survivors outside the city. This is also in the memory box.

Making this box has given me an increased appreciation for my father and all the young men who volunteered to serve during the second World War. My favorite war story that my Dad tells is about the time he stood on board a warship one evening and prayed. He asked God to please let him live so that he could some day father a child. He didn't want to die without having the experience of being a father. I am proud and thankful to say I am the answer to that prayer.

You Might Be A Redneck..........

If you sleep with a squirrel.

If you find a squirrel nesting behind your computer

and using your printer for a bathroom.

If you have ever kissed a squirrel

If you share your milk first with your squirrel

and then your dog.

I Can't Wait Until I'm Eight

During the Easter Lesson in Nursery, I showed the children a series of pictures showing events in the life of Jesus. When I showed them the picture of Jesus getting baptized, I asked, "What's Jesus doing in this picture?" Brady was the first to answer, "He's playing in the lake." Guess what Brady was doing the day before.

Epidural, What Is It Good For?

Absolutely Nothing

Amy arrives at the hospital with the idea that this labor would be as simple and easy as her first two.


Four hours later they break water and begin pitocin.

After three stabs, the epidural is put in, but never works. Panic sets in.


Help me! (scream, scream) I'm dying! (scream, scream) I don't want to do this. (scream) I can't do this! I'm not doing this any more! (scream). I can't breath. I like to scream.


Oh, my sweet baby. I love you. You are beautiful. I'm so happy


Amy collapses into a drug induced post traumatic shock sleep.

Who's Your Daddy?

My daddy is Bo and I am 100% Widmann. Brett Widmann, 9lbs. 11oz., 21 and half inches.

I'm not a real alien, I just play one on TV

Emily (5 yrs.) and Brady(2 yrs.) getting to know their new baby brother.

Having my baby

Amy is having her baby tomorrow, March 27. The baby now weighs 8lbs 14oz (we know through the miracle of ultra sound) and Amy's blood pressure is rising to a dangerous height, SO dear Dr. Courtney decided to induce 2 weeks before her due date. The only problem is that March 27 is Amy's alternate birthday. Her real birthday, December 27, was taken over by her daughter, Emily. Now this baby will take over her alternate birthday. Poor Amy...the things we sacrafice for our children.

Easter Egg Hunt at Grandma's

I wanted to show this bunnie cake that Gavyn made. He is very creative as you can see and he told me the Fruity Pebbles cereal that he sprinkled on last were "freckles". This was supposed to be the last picture, not the first. I hope some of you expert bloggers out there can help me figure out how to move around pictures and text so that they are in the right order.

I haven't figured out how to make the first picture and text I enter show up first on the post. Anyway here is a great picture of my Mom (age 78) and my Dad (age 84). I think they both look much younger.

The day before Easter 11 of my grandchildren and their parents gathered at our house for an egg hunt, bunnie cake decorating(thanks Aunt Melanie), and boat rides with Uncle Brandon. G.G. and Papa gave everyone bubbles and candy necklaces.

Beginning Blogging

Hi everybody,

I have finally entered the world of blogging. It's the day before Easter and Amanda is over here helping me get started. You all know how I am with computers, but I'm trying. I will now try to add my picture holding my newest grandbaby, Cayd, age 9 weeks. yeaaaa, I did it!!!!!

I'M NOT DEAD YET