July 31st....Mom and Dad's 60th Anniversary Event

Saturday, July 31st 1:00pm Lake Storey Park, Galesburg, IL

Hope everyone can make it for a chance to all get together and celebrate a wonderful couple and their extraordinary relationship! Food, fun and family...are you ready for a great time?

Introducing Abigail Ruth McMillion!!!!!

Hey Everybody. Just wanted to hop on and share a few pictures of our brand new baby girl. We got a call Saturday morning about a baby in Florida that needed to be adopted. James and I hopped on a plane and headed down. We arived at our hotel at about 11:45 and met Abigail Ruth (AbbyRu for short) in the hotel lobby. Haven't taken our eyes off her since. She was born April 1, 2010 ~ 6lb 8oz ~ 19 in long. Can't wait for you all to meet her this summer at Grandma and Grandpa's 60th!!!!! Keep an eye on facebook we'll post many pictures and updates there.

Mom and Dads 60th Anniversary Event

Saturday, July 31st - Lake Storey....mark your calendars now.

More details to come soon!

Mom and Dad dancing the night away in Ft. Lauderdale

MARATHON RUNNER

Lindsey started running over 18 years ago around a small track at Chiddix Jr. High and on the Constitution Trail. So 18 years later up in Chi Town Lindsey runs the 2009 Chicago Marathon which is on her bucket list. What a great accomplishment and what a long, long road you have come to still be running! I hope you never give up your love of running and you have many more races ahead of you. Great job LINDSEY!! LOVE MOM

MORE Chicago Marathon Pictures!!!

Lindsey in the Pack with all the 4 minute mile runners. Lindsey was catching these guys. 45,000 people ran the Chicago Marathon this year.

LindSEY runs the 2009 CHICAGO Marathon !!!

Lindsey running by at the 7 mile mark of 24.5 miles ( I think) did not even look tired! She wasn't even breathing heavy! It was freezing cold this day in Chi Town. Freezing todeath and we aren't even wearing little running outfits. Lindsey with her marathon metal and the aluminum foil wrap!

Darcie's trip to Alexis, IL for the 10 year High School reunion

Alexis Graduating Class of 1999 Reunion


It was a beautiful day on my 28th birthday on the farm.



I wanted Maid-Rite for my birthday lunch before I headed back to Texas.




Grandma, Grandpa, & me in front of the Darcie tree.

Inside the old farm house, same wallpaper, same everything. Even Grandpa Flatt has the same old couch that he has had for over my 28 years.

Darcie's trip to Alexis, IL

Grandma thought it was neat that I could use the timer to get all of us in 1 picture.

Grandma & Coz

Grandpa Jones next to his pretty patio that we had a nice cookout on & he grilled up some bratwursts.

Grandpa Jones color coordinated with his chair.

Grandpa Flatt got a 4-wheeler to ride around on the farm.

Summer 09

Group,

Well, the visit from Patrick has come and gone (so very, very fast). We hardly got to know Katelan before she was "gone with the wind". What a nice person! She really is a funeral director who picks up (and I mean literally) deceased clients and she is little! Patrick says California is really having it hard and his industry is hurting. Emily is learning how to swim under the water. When she surprised "Grandma" with her new skill, she proclaimed as she came out of the water sputtering, "No more water wings for me!!" Well, hope all is well with all of you. Bird

Megan turned 21 on July 5th

I think many of us remember the 4th of July at Lake Warren. Mom went to the hospital a couple times, I think, & I remember being upset because I thought we were going to miss the fireworks. I'm not exactly sure which aunt or uncle or both stayed with us that night, but I remember I was playing out on the swing set at the old Alexis house when I was told that Megan had been born & I had a new little sister. It was definitely an exciting couple of days. Who remembers this day? Who stayed with the rest of us kiddos while mom was in labor? Help me remember. Geez, I was only 6 yrs old!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad - July 29th

click link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4I-vAMExuo

THE BIRDS 09

We have baby birds in our backyard and they picked a really low tree to build the nest. Here one thinks the camera is the mom feeding them a worm......They are so cute but today I went to look at them and scared one and they jumped out of the nest.....the mom was divebombing me trying to hit me ...it was really scary.....and we still don't know where the one bird is that jumped out of the nest.....hopefully Paco won't get him!!!!
Here they are sleeping before I scared them to death. They were so cute growing up in the nest. We watched them from when they were baby eggs and kept the killer cat Paco away from the nest everytime he would walk over to the tree i would shoo him away with a broom......but he knew they were there....

Taste of Chicago, The Wallflowers and Gay Pride Parade

Well all of us went to Chicago to the taste to see the Wallflowers and before that we were at the Gay Pride Parade. Lindsey's boyfriend lives right by where they have the parade. It was alot of fun.....I put these pictures in out of order but this first one is Jim at the end of the day...looking crazy.......It was a fun weekend!!!

Happy 4th!

Family,

well we survived another hair-raising and HOT 4th of July here! Chuck and I just got back from 3 days in Houston to see the Space Center (his vacation destination, oh well). It actually was pretty interesting and took us all day. It stormed just after we finished the outdoors tours. The indoors exhibits were many and were well thought out. Seems like a little of Disueyland for the kids though.

.hen we went to the beach at Galveston (the Gulf that is). Meanwhile, it remained 100+ back here. Big news! Patrick and Katelan are coming for a visit July 24-28th. Haven't seen him since last June 8th. and never have met her. Beth came and swam on the 4th and stayed to watch the neighborhood fireworks. It was too HOT to go to a bigger display. Even the pool water was warm. Angie got a scare of ehr life a couple days ago. A SNAKE barred her way to her car on her way to work and she had to get the help of some public employees working down the street. I told her I would have been numb. Haven't seen too many snakes but now that it's hot and humid I'm afraid . . . .

Good luck, Mom and Dad, on the "no Land Line" telephone set up. Mom, you have to turn it on to get a call! which means you have to plug it in at night and take it with you when you leave. Just make it a habit and maybe. Dad, you can remind her!

Happy Birthday this month to Kathy, Megan, Marissa, Roger!

Happy Anniversary to Kathy and Lennie, Mom and Dad!

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In case some of you didn't see my NC pictures. . there's a couple at the top:

Perhaps a couple of you in Bloomington can double up and share a web cam (start at $29) and on skype.com.

Miss you all terribly and sorry about my voice when I call because I'm having a little trouble exhaling my air and it sounds frail, Bird

My Dad....My Friend

Here is a picture of Dad on Bird's farm...one with the animals...a regular Dr. Doolittle!

Lets dance! Mom and Dad in front of my house about to go out on the town and dance!

At a Mexican restuarant in Atlanta enjoying each others company (Mom had her margarita you know).

Dad and I in Monmouth. Cheez!

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Happy Fathers Day Dad! You have always been an inspiration to me. You only want the best for your family and friends. You are full of interesting stories and always with a positive outlook! You do not have a judgemental bone in your body and your sense of humor is unforgettable. You desire to be the best man you can be and because of you I am the man I am today. Thanks for being you and always being there for me. I love you and only want the best for you! Wish I was there to go to the library, take a walk around the college or just talk. Your youngest...John.

DAD's Day CONTINUED!!

I found a few more photos that represent what our dad means to me.......here Dad is walking me down the aisle looking sharp in his blue shirt!
And here Dad is getting ready to give his great speech at my wedding! How can we forget his great oratory talents! I always looked up to dad for making a great speech and to be able to wing it in front of people and to entertain them at a moments notice!
This is ONE of my FAVORITE photos of Dad...as a GRANDPA with Marranda. Dad is fun and funny and kids know it!Dad always has a way of making kids laugh and giggle and you can just see Marranda giggling here. I'm sure he is saying "Smile Marranda for your funny Grandma"!
SO I've covered some parts of dads INCREDIBLE life....as my father and of course as a DAD.

Happy Fathers Day Dad!!!

THanks DAD!! Happy Fathers Day 2009!

Tomorrow is Fathers Day 2009 and I thought I would post pictures that represent our dad and what he stands for:

here he is being a good sport after hours of shopping.....and drinking coffee with Beth.
How many times is dad there to hand out presents on Christmas Day and to give us that nice complement about what we get Dad would say "That hat looks nice Katie".....hahaha
AND EVERYONE KNOWS: Dad loves his dogs....and mom...not in that order by the way. I'm sure tomorrow Dad will be sitting there with little Coz by him waiting for phone calls...Dad and his dogs!Here is dad with Coz and with Lindseys dog....Ziggy when it was little and not so Barky....and annoying....just kidding Linz!
I'm glad to have had a dad.....as great as mine! A great teacher, cheerleader and historical figure and my life and always there for his kids! No matter how old they get or how many mistakes they make in life.

Thanks Dad.....you're the best!!!....Chris