My new little friend!

Colton Gray Gibson

Awww.....ain't he cute???

Colton and his mommy, Britt

Colton and his dada, Cass!

I have a new little friend that I haven't met yet, but I knew he was on the way!! His name is Colton Gray and his mommy and dada are Cass and Brittany Gibson. They are our friends that we always spend a week with at the beach every year and they live in Lancaster, SC. I can't wait to see him and I hope we become friends and stay that way for a long time! I know he will be loved so much because he has such a great family. Welcome to my world, Colton!

Happy Birthday Papa Hall

Papa letting me stick my finger in his cake!

Me and Papa blowing out his candles

Sunday was my papa Hall's 80th birthday. We celebrated his birthday after church with good food, family and friends. I helped decorate papa's cake. I put one of my tractor trailer trucks on it and nana wrote "Keep on truckin' Daddy". It wasn't the prettiest cake, but it sure did taste good!

Here are a few interesting facts my nana read about my papa at his party.

Papa was born on a Thursday, August 22, 1929 in Elliston, VA to Clyde Harley and Dorothy Craighead Hall. He is the 3rd oldest of 12 children. He married Margaret Evelyn South on September 9, 1951 and is the father of 7 children, grandfather of 14 and great grandfather of 19.

Here are some interesting facts that happened in1929. This was the year the stock market crashed. Herbert Hoover was President and 13 million people were unemployed. Farms were being foreclosed and people were without homes. 25% of all school aged children were mal-nourished and in some states such as Illinois, Kentucky and West Virginia 90% of school aged children were mal-nourished. The unforgettable St. Valentine's Massacre happened this year in Chicago. Over 200,000 people died from influenza, Popeye the Sailor came alive, the soft drink 7-UP was invented and so was the Duncan Yo-Yo. There were 2 kinds of people trying to make it during the worst economic downturn to date and they were the "poor" and the "poor".

There was no money when papa was a boy and times were tight. Maybe that is why papa is so free-hearted now. He is always doing for someone else or his family. He works hard and doesn't have to and gives most of what he makes away. Thank you papa for all that you do for me and for others and I wish you many, many, many more happy birthdays!

Guess How Much I Love You

"Guess How Much I Love You" happens to be me and nana's favorite book. Aunt M bought the book for me when I was born and nana, mommy or poppie would read it to me everyday! You can count on my nana singing, "You are my sunshine" every morning and telling me how much I am loved, "all the way to the moon.......and back" every night at bedtime. That's alot of love!

Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed, held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare's very long ears. He wanted to be sure that Big Nutbrown Hare was listening.
"Guess how much I love you," he said.
"Oh, I don't think I could guess that," said Big Nutbrown Hare.
"This much," said Little Nutbrown Hare, stretching out his arms as wide as they could go.Big Nutbrown Hare had even longer arms. "But I love YOU this much," he said.
Hmm, that is a lot, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.
"I love you as high as I can reach." said Little Nutbrown Hare."I love you as high as I can reach," said Big Nutbrown Hare.
That is quite high, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. I wish I had arms like that.Then Little Nutbrown Hare had a good idea. He tumbled upside down and reached up the tree trunk with his feet.
"I love you all the way up to my toes!" he said."And I love you all the way up to your toes," said Big Nutbrown Hare, swinging him up over his head.
"I love you as high as I can HOP!" laughed Little Nutbrown Hare, bouncing up and down."But I love you as high as I can hop," smiled Big Nutbrown Hare - and he hopped so high that his ears touched the branches above.
That's good hopping, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. I wish I could hop like that.
"I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river," cried Little Nutbrown Hare."I love you across the river and over the hills," said Big Nutbrown Hare.
That's very far, thought Little Nutbrown Hare. He was almost too sleepy to think any more. Then he looked beyond the thorn bushes, out into the big dark night. Nothing could be further than the sky.
"I love you right up to the MOON," he said, and closed his eyes."Oh, that's far," said Big Nutbrown Hare. "That is very, very far."
Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into his bed of leaves. He leaned over and kissed him good night.
Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile, "I love you right up to the moon - AND BACK."

Reading my favorite book!

The "Kid" Marks

Lucas: "Mommy change me peaz, I have poop."

Mommy: "OK. Well......... you didn't poop Lucas. You just have a little skid mark."

Lucas: "I don't wike widdle "kid" marks."

Mommy: "Well, that's ok, mommy has you all cleaned up."

Lucas: (heading towards the garbage can)"Mommy, I frow that widdle "kid" mark in tha crashcan."

Mommy: (laughing hysterically) "Good boy Lucas."

Meany Pants!!!!!!!!

Walking in Papa's shoes

Usually, I write this blog from Lucas' perspective, but today it is from mine. I can remember being a little girl and always wanting to wear my mama's heels, just like all other little girls love to do. Occassionally, I would slip on daddy's old dirty work boots that sat next to the back door and clonk around. They were heavy for my small feet and worn. Last night Lucas put on daddy's shoes and away he went. They were much too heavy and he struggled as he tried to make his way across the floor. I looked at those shoes and what Lucas was doing and it brought back memories. Our life was busy when I was a child and work was hard. I can remember daddy coming home after a long day and having to put up with 6 unruly kids! Daddy's hand was firm and we often got to experience what a good ole fashioned whooping was. But......I know daddy loved us! He was a hard worker and a great provider. As I look at him now I see how the years have humbled him and it is apparent in the way he treats his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. (We wouldn't have gotten by with half of the things they do!!!) I find daddy letting Lucas do things he would have never allowed his children to do. Lucas jumps on the bed, never picks up toys, eats away from the table, skips naps and more often than not, cries to get his way! My prayer is that Lucas and daddy will grow old together and that Lucas will someday remember all the good times and all the memories he and papa made together. I wondered last night how many miles those shoes had been, the roads they had traveled and the people they had met. Most of all, I pray that those shoes will be sitting at the back door for a long, long time!

I like to walk with Papa, his steps are short like mine

He doesn't say, "Now hurry up." He always takes his time

I like to walk with Papa, his eyes see things like mine;

A birdie bright, a funny cloud, a penny that really shines

Most people are in a hurry, they do not stop and see;

I'm glad that God made my papa unrushed, and almost as young as me!

Shave and a Haircut

Thanks to Papa Hall, I got to experience my first big boy haircut at a old fashioned barber shop. I've had my hair cut at a salon several times, but it was time for a "real" haircut. Papa took me to a local barber, "Minnie Powell". His name is really Kenny Powell, but I can't say it! Of course you can tell by the pictures I didn't like it, but I was so cute when it was over! To me, baths and haircuts are a waste of time!!! Thanks papa!!