Welcome Miss Addy!

Happy Birthday to my newest Grand-Friend....

Miss Addyson Grace Michael

July 9, 2009

7 lbs. 20 inches

Proud Parents: Zach & Cheryl Michael

Cheryl, Addy, Grandma Billie (in red shirt), Auntie Martha (in striped shirt)

Another Grand-Friend....Alexis Faye Daniels

Josh and Jessica Daniels' were blessed with a BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY, GORGEOUS, little girl this week! She was born on Wednesday (6/24). Did I tell you she is beautiful?

This is my first look at Miss Alexis! Didn't know if I'd told you yet, but she is beautiful! She's the first grand-daughter for my friends Joe & Kathy Daniels. They have 2 little grandsons, Gibson and Payden. 2 of my favorite guys.

Here's the first official family portrait! Josh, Jessica & Alexis.

Happy Father's Day Pop!

~~There are so many pictures that I'd love to post - but my scanner isn't working. mw

My Pop (Carl McMillan, Sr.) died November 30, 1997. All four of us kids (Martha, Carl Jr., Mary & Molly) stayed with him the night before (Saturday), and talked all night long. After we all went home that Sunday evening, Pop died. I feel that since that day, our family has forever changed. Pop held us all together...LITERALLY.
Pop was 45 years old when I was born, Mommy was 35. I was their little "accident"...or as Pop always called me "The Caboose". (Lots of my friends thought he was my grand-dad.)


Pop was a semi-pro basketball player. Isn't he so handsome...and that curly black hair! (After seeing this picture - you can tell where I get my thighs from! hahah!) Pop was also an incredible golfer. I didn't know about a lot of his golf stories until he got sick, and was in the hospital. One of his friends came to visit and started telling us stories. Back in the late 1920's and 30's, he would be at his job at Stovall Hardware, working on tractors, and men would ask his boss to let him go play golf "with" them. What they would do would be bet on him and make a lot of money. One of the stories this man told was that at a Country Club in Longview, Pop wouldn't just hit the ball to go around a "dog-leg", he would hit it OVER the trees.

This is Pop's team, The Loreco Lions. Check out those shoes and socks they wore...you can sure tell that times were hard.

Pop was the strongest man I knew...not only in the physical body - but spiritually also. He had a Bible that he carried to church.....but he didn't just carry it - he READ it. He led the singing at church.
Farmers and collectors would bring their tractors to Pop. If they couldn't bring them to him, he would go to them....wherever the tractor was, to work on it. A lady once told me that she remembers when I was a baby, Pop brought me with him to her farm to work on her tractor. He brought a diaper and a bottle and put me under a tree and went about his work.

He was called the "Tractor Doctor". He could work on any type of tractor - but his specialty was John Deere. He could take an old "Poppin' Johnny" and restore to where it looked like new. I've seen him take Q-Tips and paint little tiny parts, just perfect.

Pop had lost most of his hearing early in his life, from working on tractors. He ALWAYS wore a hearing aid. (If you've ever known anyone that wore an "old school" hearing aid, you would know that you could run your hand over a certain part of the ear and make it "whistle". That was one of the first things that the grandkids learned about Pop when they were babies...they'd make it whistle and then they'd just laugh and giggle.) When Pop whispered, he did it in his OUT LOUD voice. At night when he would pray, he would think he was saying it quietly, but we could all hear it....and stop what we were doing and listen to him pray his rote prayer... and then at the end of it he would pray for each of us kids.

When I was about 3, he dropped the manifold of a John Deere on his foot. He worked the rest of the morning, never even checked on his foot. Came home for lunch, took off his boot and it was full of blood and his big toe was almost severed. He ended up having to have it completely cut off.

Then, when he was in his 70's, still working on tractors, he got his right thumb popped off on a fly wheel of a tractor. He dipped it in coal-oil, wrapped it in one of those red grease rags, locked up the shop, went in the house and told Mommy he thought that he needed to go to the clinic! Can you believe that? He was just a strong ol' coot! haha!!

Pop wasn't a very vocal man...he wouldn't tell us, but we knew he loved us. But the older he got, he finally started TELLING us. We 3 girls would tease him about who was the favorite. I KNEW I was the favorite...and for some reason, Martha and Mary "thought" they were the favorites.

Pop called me "Baby Doll"....I've not heard those words in almost 12 years and I miss that. I've been told that it "gets easier after a while"....but it hasn't. I was Pop's "Baby Doll" and I'll never be anyone else's......

Birthday Weekend - Part 3

On Monday, I went back out to Roxton to finish cleaning up/out the storage building. My niece Lisa and her 2 girls (Destiny & Isabella) were so precious and came to help me! Thank goodness, I couldn't have done it without them! (I have no pictures of this hot/sweaty/miserable endeavor...sorry there are none of the little girls!)

So, on Monday night, I called my boss...."Please can I have one more day off, so I can recover from my day off?" She graciously agreed.....WoooHOOO!

My next phone call was to my sister Mary. (She'd given me a "gift certificate" for Christmas that was good for a pot of chicken and dumplin's...and a batch of my favorite cookies.) I told her that I wanted to "cash in" on my certificate! I called my other sister Martha, and my niece Melody also to join us for a "girl party". Just to make it all EVEN more perfect, Tuesday (6/16) was Melody's 48th birthday! What a way to celebrate!

Here's Mary rollin' out the dumplin's:

She also made her "skillet" cornbread! HOLY COW it's good! She "plops" it out on a plate upside down, because almost everyone in my family likes the crunchy part of the cornbread.....not me - give me the middle where it's good and moist! (Any time I've EVER taken anything out of a pan - it NEVER looks like this - most of mine stays stuck to the pan! Which is another good reason that SHE cooks and I DON'T!)

Then.....there was THIS! This is the top of a sugar-free chocolate pie. Now you want to talk about something that will finish you off...this'll do it! YUMMMMMY!

Here's the birthday girl cutting into the pie!!!!

This is my sister Martha and her birthday girl, Melody. She officially turned 48 while we were eating lunch! Melody has given me 2 of my precious "greats"....Nathan and Natalie...who she has always shared with her aunty! (I think she's probably gonna beat me at grandbabies....think she'll share those too?)

Birthday Weekend - Part 2

Sunday - FLAG DAY - was proof of my 53rd year of existence! Do NOT know how I got to this point....but TAH-DAH, here I am!

I went to church Sunday...on the way there and back home I was just blown away by the number of flags that businesses and homes had out. It makes you feel so proud. You KNOW I loved it!

Larry took me to Applebee's to eat lunch. We came home and tackled the yard.....he mowed for me, and even was sweet enough to mow the nice couple across the streets yard too! He also did some cleaning in the backyard from where we'd had storms lately! (Aren't I blessed with such a precious son?)

The Secret Sister Revealing Tea was next on the agenda for the day! It was a patriotic theme and the ladies had it decorated so cute! Jessica Daniels was my S.S. She gave me the coolest red, white & blue Texas table, a star bowl with sugar free candy and a SONIC card! WoooHOOOO!

I had my friend Loretta's name....I'd had her fooled this entire time.

My friend Kathy Daniels received a VERY special gift from her S.S., Kristi Garrett. Kathy's daughter-in-law, Jessica, is about to present her with her first GRANDAUGHTER! Miss Alexis is due at any moment! And we can't wait to see her!

Then....Me, Webber & Larry were off to Roxton to clean out the storage building. It only took two trips and about 3 hours! There's no way I can explain how much I appreciate Larry's help on that one!

Birthday Weekend - Part 1

What a wonderful birthday weekend had!

Larry came in on Saturday...our first stop - BURGERLAND!

They may have new owners, but they still have the good ol' greasy hamburgers though.

The new menu has a QUADBURGER...

If you eat it, you get your name on the QUADBURGER Hall of Fame!

Larry ordered one...and consumed the whole thing!

So, he's now forever emblazened on the QHOF!

He then took me to see "Hangover"! I honestly don't know when I have laughed so much!

On Saturday night, my friend Loretta and I went to Katie Shields & Kyle Fonville's wedding & reception. It was the sweetest....most fun wedding I've EVER been too! (Wish I'd have taken my camera...but I forgot, so I "scammed" one from a facebook page.) They didn't have a wedding cake...they had wedding cupcakes...YUMMY! A sundae bar...a candy bar....root beer...creme soda....Parrott Ice...just to give you an idea of the different ideas they had! It was SO Katie! Many good wishes and love to the happy couple!

Polk Street Crime Watch

Lucy (the dog) and Ricky (the cat) have become quite the detectives.

I love keeping the front door open, but Lucy sits at the door and barks at EVERYTHING ... people, cats, dogs, birds, bugs, blowing trees, grass, you get the idea!

So, I have to end up shutting the door to shut her up.

Ricky has always sat on the back of the couch and watched out the window...

Lucy never caught on till this weekend....yeah, I know, she's a little slow.

This is her "stance" when she's on the lookout.....

And this is her stance when SOMETHING needs to be barked at...

Ricky is SO lazy...he only gets up long enough to see what all the fuss is about,

then goes back and lays down.


So, things are being guarded on Polk Street...you need not worry!

Grand-Friends Abby, Kaitlyn & Sophia

A few Sundays ago, Abby & Kaitlyn came home with me, after church. There was NON-STOP talking! It was awesome! (Yes, I let them talk too!)

We ate lunch, went to take bluebonnet pictures, made cards for the nursing home, went to Petco to look at everything, then to a baby shower for our soon to be newest friend Alexis Daniels! (Jessica is her Mommy).
We went to the nursing home here in Paris to visit with Mary Kay Glaspie (from Cooper). They sang songs, turned cartwheels, did sign language and recited poems for Mary Kay and all her friends at Heritage!

Kaitlyn, Mary Kay & Abby
You see the smile on Mary Kay's face? That is there ALL the time!

We also visited with Foy, who goes to church with us.

Sadly, we had our last visit with Miss Durline. But, sadly, Miss Durline passed away on Thursday of that week. (Abby's Daddy, Patrick, did her graveside service and it was so sweet!)
Then, we came back home and I was given the show of ALL shows! The girls performed and modeled for me...using the sidewalk as the stage/catwalk! I can't believe how they memorize songs AND the dances that go WITH the songs!

Kaitlyn McCarter & Abby Cannon
April 2009
Which is prettier....the bluebonnets or these girls?

A couple of weeks ago, Abby and Sophia came home with me after church. MORE TALKING! WooHOOOO!
We had lunch, watched some Zack & Cody...some Hannah...then to the makeup and nails! I asked if they wanted to do some hair stuff. DUH! Of course they did! They put on every piece of my jewelry they could push on their little fingers and wrists...the earrings...necklaces...the whole she-bang!
We then, while they were all dolled up, went to Legends to visit with our little friends, Mary Kay, Foy and our sweet Miss Durline's room-mate, who is SO very lonely now. Once again, the girls entertained by singing, sign language, cartwheels, and reciting poems! Those folks LOVE the little ones so much! (There's one little lady that was scooting her wheelchair along, to come to the front, and was singing very VERY loudly...every single word of all of the kids songs. The nurse told me that she is a "grump" and never has a nice thing to say to anyone...but she loved those girls!)

Sophia Johnson & Abby Cannon
These 2 have got it goin' on!

Then, today, Abby and I had some girl time...we had the USUAL McDonald's lunch....Then we went to the house and "bejeweled" some sandals for her, we accomplished some scrapbooking...then we had our nail and makeup time.

Abby, in the middle of the scrapping!

I was thinking this afternoon...."You People" who have girls, you are so blessed!
Boys will tell you what you need/want to know! (I love you Larry!)
But, those little girls....they will tell you who - what - when - where - why - wherefore...etc, etc. It is AMAZING to me how fast their little minds work!

I LOVE IT!

If I haven't told you lately...thank you to the Mommy's and Daddy's that give up their little girls on Sunday afternoons! I have so much fun and KNOW how blessed I am to have such GREAT little Grand-Friends!

All in One Day

Yesterday, I was about to go to lunch at 11. One of the girls I work with said I needed to wait just a minute...I thought that was kinda strange, because there was plenty of people to answer the phone.

In walks this lady, with these HUGE sunglasses and a even BIGGER hat, right up to me and said "I need to open a checking account".

I sat there...just STARED at her thinking....I KNOW THAT VOICE....I KNOW THAT VOICE!

I look right at her and it was my friend LAURA MILLER!

Laura (Red) and I worked together at KVIL in Dallas in the late 80's. The instant we met, we clicked! She's loud and boisterous...just like me! We both had boys about the same age. She and I went through divorces together...the empty nest syndrome...we e-mail and talk on the phone, but this was the first time we'd seen each other in about 8 years.
(Do you remember, a few years back, when Dallas had a mayor named Laura Miller? The Dallas News did a special on some of the women in the Dallas area that were name Laura Miller...and Red was one of them! It was so cute!)
She was on vacation this week and had conspired with my co-workers to surprise me. (And boy, did she ever!) We went to eat lunch and didn't even take a breath...we talked non-stop.
I know....I should have gotten a picture of her with her "costume" on!

Same day....my friend/hair magician, Lacy Nabors passed out at work, quit breathing, and had to have CPR performed on her. After an afternoon in the ER...and part of the night...they determine that they can't find anything wrong with her. But, the heart doctor is going to have her wear a heart monitor for a week and see if they can find anything amiss. She's home now. Thank you LORD!

Still the same day....my friend, Peggy Robinson's Dad, David Buster, passed away on Thursday night. He was 78 and had lived a long life. He will be missed by SO many! God bless you David/Pa.

Webber's Induction to the GHS Hall of Fame

WEBBER WOODALL INDUCTED INTO THE

GHS BAND & FLASH HALL OF FAME

Webber Woodall has been involved with the Greenville High School Floor Show for the last 36 years…4 of those years as a sax player for the Lion Pride Band.
Webber began his love of “all things music” in the 6th grade, playing alto saxophone under the direction of Mr. Hutchings.
At GHS he played alto, tenor and baritone sax in the concert, jazz and marching bands, under the direction of Mr. Bob Cartwright.
After graduation from GHS in 1977, he then entered ETSU (now Texas A&M/Commerce), for 3 years as a music major, playing in the symphonic, jazz and marching bands. He then changed career paths and became an electronics engineer…a change that he always regretted!
Webber loves music…he loves marching bands…but more importantly, he loves the tradition of the GHS Floor Show. He loves all that it means, not only to the band and the Flashes, but, to the alumni that come back for the shows.
For 32 years, he has dropped what he was doing, to come back to Greenville to see the 73-year tradition continue.
When he and Molly met, and were planning their wedding, she was told; “You know about the Floor Show, right? You know that it will have to be part of your wedding vows…for better, for worse...the floor show must go on!” She also knows her place during the week of the Floor Show...outta the way…Webber is here for Flash Director Lori Butler and Band Director Kyle Treadwell.
Webber works in the Electronics Department at Wal-Mart in Paris. He and Molly have been married for 15 years and he has a step-son, Larry Sprinkle.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Webber was inducted along with Miss Gussie Nell Davis (the originator of the Flashes in 1928 and the Kilgore Rangerettes in 1939), Mr. Ed Bernard (the first band director at GHS), Jewel Gibson (a former flash and wife of a former asst. principal and coach at GHS), and Hal Wright (former GHS student and Webber's assistant for the last 15 years).

Rain, Wedding, Rain, Mother's Day, Rain, Floor Show, Rain

RAIN...RAIN...RAIN....We have had so much rain, I think everyone is waterlogged! It is unreal! Tonight on the weather, it showed that it was 87 degrees and sunshiny in Dallas! HOLY COW BATMAN....it's unreal! Did I say it's unreal?

My great-nephew Nathan Price got married to Robyn Hollis on May 2. It had been raining quite a bit...still has....and they were getting married at the Big Tex Conference Center in Mt. Pleasant. So it continued to rain...and rain....and rain. The road to the BTCC flooded over AFTER the wedding party assembled earlier in the afternoon. Those of us that came closer to time to the ceremony were needing paddle boats! (I rode with sweet nephew Clint and his friend Carol, since I'm the blind one, they took good care of me.) It stopped raining right as we got there & were there in time to see the bridesmaids walk down the aisle! When we left the wedding, it started raining AGAIN! It was quite scary!

This is were the wedding was SUPPOSED to be!

My great-nephew Nathan & his wife Robyn.

My beautiful niece Melody and her son Nathan, at his wedding.

This past Sunday was Mother's Day! My sweet Larry came down from Plano and we went to nephew Shane's house in Roxton for lunch.

Me and my Larry

There was lots of food and lots of laughing. The creek behind Shane & Karen's house was really rolling ... so all the "kids" rolled up their pants legs and put on their mud boots and went to the creek!

Can you even imagine having this beautiful creek right behind your house? It sounds so good!

On Saturday, Webber and I went to Greenville for him to start work on the Greenville High School "Floor Show" that the band and drill team put on each year (for the last 72 years) for a fundraiser!
Webber doesn't know...but they are planning a HUGE surprise, on Saturday night (5/16) he will be inducted to the GHS Hall of Fame! He's worked (the electrical stuff) on the "Floor Show" for the last 32 years...that doesn't even include the years he did it while he was in school. He loves music, he loves marching bands, but more importantly he loves the tradition of the "Floor Show". I'm realy proud of him!


The BEST thing about the last couple of weeks has been the hugs....I have nieces and nephews, and great n&n, that range in age from 48 years old (Melody, in the picture at the top) to 2 years old...so I got hugs....LOTS of hugs

I know, I know...it's been too long!

I haven't posted a thing since NOVEMBER!

How on earth did that happen?

Oh, I know, I discovered facebook and have been totally engrossed in finding old friends and relatives! I get on it - start looking for people or reading their pages and an hour as passed by.


Ok...here's a little update on what's been going on:


I am still at First Federal (8 years), but I am now downtown in the Customer Support Center. I love it and I'm close to home. I don't miss those goofy schedules changing constantly, I don't miss counting that nasty money...I don't miss balancing...well, you get the idea.


Webber is still at Wal-Mart - nothing new there. He will work on the Greenville I.S.D. Band and Flash Floor Show again this next month. This makes 32 years that he's worked for them on this. It's a lot of hard work and late nights for 8 days - but he loves it and that's what matters.


Larry is now working at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. He LOVES it. It's a very positive working environment and good benefits. It is a longer drive for him, but he doesn't mind it. (He comes to visit once a month or so - not enough for his Mommy!)

Lucy, our chiweenigie (cute as a button and WILD) and Ricky the cat are both in the house and keep me entertained. They run and wrestle with each other like kids.

Oreo, my grand-dog, had puppies in October.....5 of them! We gave 3 away at Christmas. So, Fred and Ethel are with us - but if anyone needs a good guard dog - they are available for employment!