Names for Next Christmas!

Aunt Debbie and I just drew names for next year, here's the list!

Ben has Danielle
Deb has Livi
Emily has Lynn
Katie has Pace
George has Jennie
Mike has Kevin
Pace has Adam
Jean has Kelly
Keith has Katie
Danielle has Danny
Danny has Keith
Vicki has George
Livi has Emily
Adam has Debbie
Lynn has Jean
Brian has Mike
Kelly has Ben
Kevin has Vicki
Jennie has Brian

I Am Thankful For Thanksgiving!

I'm not sure anyone except Debbie is still reading this blog - the rest of us kind of took a break from it, but thanks, Deb, for your very thoughtful birthday video-cards!

We really missed all the Sneads on Thanksgiving day, but luckily they returned safely from Santa Fe (we miss you, Emily and George and tiny baby) and were able to come to the 2nd Gingerbread House Decorating Extravaganza on Saturday! All the houses were so unique and interesting and detailed and just darn good! Unfortunately, they were all left at my house.....and (the background music changes to "Pink Panther" with Peter Sellers himself singing "Dead Ant, Dead Ant .....") yep, I had a rip-roaring ant banquet when I got up Sunday morning! I got disgusted, got a revulsion-shiver, and then got out 2 cans of RAID and went nuts on the poor infested houses. Kevin would have been proud! Needless to say, all the houses (except Debbie's 2-year old house, go figure, not even one ant on it) went into the trash - outside! I still haven't even "glued" my gingerbread house together and was tempted to throw it away, but I remember how much time I spent on it and until I see an ant, I'll keep it. It is in another room and hopefully it will be safe. If not, out it goes!

Danielle and I have emailed and she is arriving in Roanoke December 23rd at 4pm. I am hapy to pick her up unless someone else would like to. She has been invited to stay at her Grandmother Jean's house, and is welcome to stay here for a while too. I am ashamed to admit I still haven't called Keith to find out his plans, but Danielle assured me she would let Keith know we'll, of course, gladly pick him up from the airport too. With other family (our children, mostly!) coming in for Christmas, we will all get a chance to be host to Keith and Danielle. Keith, if you read this blog, your best bet is to just leave me a message telling me when to get you at the airport. I love you but I have a problem.......the phone!

I'm not sure if we actually made plans for Christmas Eve. Do we even WANT to eat together - it would have to be lunch so that we can all make it to church on time - or is it just too complicated? You're all welcome to come here if we decide to try. I love you all soooo much, I just want to be with you all the time. We need to play some games! Leave a comment! Love you, Vicki

Happy Birthday, Caleb - 13!!

Caleb, if you don't recognize these 3 stooges, ask your Dad! I'm sure your cake was delicious. Love, The Clan

Happy Birthday Pacie & Livi!!

Hope you have (or had) a wonderful birthday, regardless of the "zoo" you live in! Love, the clan.

Happy Birthday, Katie, Superstar!

Keep on keeping on...never give up. You are a superstar! Have fun!

Notes from Jeannie

Went to Yeocomico for Homecoming last weekend, and driving home I wondered what the hell I was doing living in Rocky Mount when your Daddy's and my roots are all in Tidewater.
I felt desolate so far from kin and without him to comfort me. He was such a warm place to turn to when things were bleak. I haven't forgotten that I have three wonderful daughters close by, but it is also nice to share memories with your own generation who knew you as a child and as a young person. Anyway, I am so grateful for my kids and please know it and trust that it is true.

I saw ,in addition to those I have kept up with, some dear cousins I have not seen for more than 40 years, but who I saw all the time as a child and teen and young adult. We got remembering my grandparents and our parents and what characters they could be. It was such fun. We were sitting on Tayloe's terrace looking at the Potomac on a sparkling day. Maryland across the way, of course. He has about a mile of waterfront there. The farm has been put in the nature conservancy and other than two homes, cannot ever be further developed. My cousin, Lloyd Griffith, who owns the adjoining farm with almost as much waterfront, has also put his place in the conservancy. It is so wonderful to know that something will not be destroyed by development and populated by DC retirees with no connections to the Northern Neck. Danny will know the area - it is right near Sandy Point. As far as I am concerned, Williamsburg has been absolutely ruined by development.

Have started another weight loss regime. One can only hope I will be as disciplined as Vicki.
Another reason not to eat out.

Has anyone heard from Danielle? Keith? I keep feeling we are losing Danielle.

Love to and for our family. Jeannie

THE BIRTHDAY MONTH!

We are getting slower & slower about posted birthday congrats to dear loved ones. So: Happy Birthday to DANIELLE, KEVIN, KEITH, KATIE & PACIE! Hope your special day is wonderful. The whole clan is thinking of you! Especially the "old ladies"!

Belated Good Wishes

So...I am late with birthday greetings for Kelly & Danny and with anniversary congrats to Lynn & Brian! Hope everyone enjoyed fabulous celebrations! {I hope to post family update (including Carolyn's visit, Emily's engagement + pictures) soon.}If I have missed another momentous occasion, please accept my congratulations and apologies! Love to all!

2nd Anniversary Already?

Gee, I can't believe it's been 2 years since Lynn and Brian's wedding on August 4th.
I still want to take a vacation at Mariner's Landing because it is such a gorgeous spot. And it would be such fun to stay there and be very lazy (which I have gotten so good at) and just drink and read and nap. THAT is a true vacation! Brian and Lynn, I hope you had a nice celebration - even though I know Brian had to work that day, and I hope to see you two in Roanoke soon. Love you both!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KELLY!!!

We certainly enjoyed being with Kelly, Livi, Mary Fowler, Davis, Dan, the father, and Vicki last night at Montano's. Yummy food (I think all the girls had flounder stuffed with crabmeat - mmmmmmm) and Dan finally got his steak after 2 tries from the chef.... And the chocolate desserts were heavenly! Kelly, I hope this is your best year so far! But I think any time we get together is heavenly, which brings me to the subject of Thanksgiving.(Imagine that) Just so everyone knows, at this moment, the Cullathers of Roanoke are planning to stay in Roanoke for Thanksgiving. We are ALMOST sure we are going on a cruise the week prior to Thnksgvng so we will be tired of traveling and Danny will need to go back to work to make some money for Christmas. (Hahahahaha) Hope to hear from you others soon. Love you!!

Summer Time, When the Living is Easy.....?

Hello, Wonderful Waltrip Family! No one has posted their exciting summer adventures yet, and I'm not either, since I haven't really done anything exciting. But Danny and I have had some lovely lake times. Long boat rides (of course that's because once we get the darn thing started we are afraid to turn it off - it doesn't always start right back up....)and we had the most excellent thunder storm at the lake yesterday (July 11th) with torrents of rain. We stayed on the porch until the rain started hitting us. Our next lake week is August 2-9, I'm just reminding you all.

The Sneads are back from their beach trip and Jeannie is back from visiting Natalie, I think. Busy summer!

Kevin is hopefully still recovering "nicely" from his surgery. What an ordeal for you, Kevin! And your family! I'm very glad it's pretty much over with (right?) and we can all take a lesson from this?,blah blah eat better blah, fiber blah...whatever! We all did worry about you (What? You didn't get my phone call?) We love you, Man!

Well, I hope to hear some news from someone, anyone, in the family. And see, it doesn't even have to be interesting - just let us know you're there. Keith, are you still in FL? Has anyone heard from Keith lately? I should swallow my phone phobia for 10 minutes and call him! Okay, I'll get right on that...soon....

Love you all, Vicki

Happy Birthday, Brian!

Sorry that we didn't get to see you on your special day, but I'm sure we'll be together soon, if you want Baxter back!! He was "coughing" this morning, so I believe his present is ready for you...
Just kidding! Hope you had a great day, and had a great time at the beach last week. We love you! Happy, happy birthday to you!!




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Vicki, on your birthday:

We love you and know we are really blessed to share the same family!
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Davis is 3 today!

Lots of love to Davis on his birthday!
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Happy Birthday, Jennie! (a little late)

Happy Birthday and Happy Highways! Love, the Clan
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A Sentimental Journey

Today is the one year anniversary of the passing of our dear dad, grandfather,father-in-law, husband. Time has helped some with the sadness, but will never relieve the "missing" - his eternal optimism, those twinkling eyes, and that smile that lit up his face (and ours!). I find myself saying "Gotta tell Dad" (dirty jokes), or "Dad would love this" (WWII movies), or "Dad should hear this" (big band music). In his memory, then, I submit this cute video of Glenn Miller's String of Pearls (you know Dad would have loved seeing all the hollywood "vixens"!) Love you, Dad!

Happy Birthday, Jeannie!

Hope you have something fun planned for today. We are planning to celebrate the March and April birthdays in April, but I can't remember the date....this Friday? Somebody remind me!!!
Anyway, have a great day! We love you!!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail!

You are all cordially invited to the Cullather house for Easter Dinner. We plan to eat at about 2pm, but since we'll be home from church by 12:30, you're welcome to come any time after that! You do not need to bring anything. I will warn you that I have some fun new recipes I'll be trying out (on you! haha) but there will be a few items that you WILL recognize...Let me know if you can make it or not, or just show up - I mainly want to be with you all. Can't wait to see you! :-)

Lynn's Special Birthday Song!

Belated birthday wishes to our sweet Lynnie! Hope you enjoy your special song!! (especially the doo-wop harmony!). Love you!

Birthday Girl Turns 6!!

We just couldn't forget to wish our sweet Mary Fowler happy birthday. Hope you had a wonderful day and that you saved us some cake!

Me, too!

Didn't want to let these momentous birthdays (one of these birthday people turned 60!) pass without a significant acknowledgement. So...more birthday greetings to Ben, Emily and Adam!

Belated (But Loving) Birthday Wishes

Happy belated birthday wishes to Emily, Adam and Ben! We hope your birthdays were made special by someone you love, but if you haven't celebrated enough, I could always organize........drumroll..... you got it! A "Get Together"! Maybe you spent too much family time last month, but if not, call me! Love you, ~V~

Christmas 2009!!!

Danielle was kind enough to draw names for next Christmas!! Please let us know if there are any additions!!

Jean has Keith

Pace has Katie

Mike has Debbie

Kevin has Kelly

Jennie has Emily

Olivia has Danielle

Adam has Pace

Vicki has Jean

Danny has Mike

Lynn has Ben

Brian has Kevin

Kelly has Jennie

Debbie has Lynn

Ben has Danny

Emily has Brian

Katie has Vicki

Keith has Adam

Danielle has Olivia