Count Dog-ula!

Silly, I know, but I just couldn't resist (hey, it was only $1)! Isn't he cute?

Happy Halloween!

Movin' on up

Eric is now done with Infantry School. He has to stay on base this weekend and clean. He leaves Monday to fly to Washington DC, then on the Virginia Beach. He reports to Security Forces School on Tuesday. Sometime after that, he will learn if he can come home for a period of time as a recruiter's assistant. The rumor is the school will not begin until Jan 4 but I doubt he will be able to stay home that long.
He also has been promoted to Lance Corporal. He said it was because he was in the top 5% of his company.

Laura's 26!!

HaPpY bIrThDaY, LaUrA!!!

the sMoKiEs!

Cades Cove
Abram Falls

Skipping Stones

what's in a number?

That's right.....I laugh @ 40!!!!

Groovy Girl celebrates 40!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARRIE ANN ! ! !

Fall Break in New Orleans

Over-the-top decorations on almost all the homes in the Garden District

Sign in a store window - too funny!

Preservation Hall
Not a great picture, but the best place to hear traditional jazz...we waited in line for an hour just to be sure to have one of the few seats available...had great conversation with a couple from Germany on their first trip to the U.S.

Three fat cats sunning themselves in a store window

Jackson Square

All in all, a great trip so far...we did the usual walk-through of the French Quarter yesterday afternoon and evening...had giant burgers at a tiny spot right across from Preservation Hall (it was ranked as one of the top burger spots in the city), enjoyed classical music and my first Pimm's Cup at Napoleon House (David had an Abita), spent lots of time waiting for street cars, and hiked miles up Magazine Street (known for its eclectic shopping). We're resting back at our inn now...had a wonderful visit with our innkeeper over breakfast this morning and heard first hand about Katrina's effects on the residents of the city (the area where we're staying, Mid-City, was hard hit). More pictures to follow!

Zephyr Cove, Nevada

I walked down towards the water to take this shot,

but from the windows in our room we have this same view .

We left them open all night to hear the waves (luckily, we're on the 3rd floor...they cautioned those on the first floor to refrain from doing this because of BEARS!)

There are piers jutting out over the water, lovely private coves for quiet reflection,

an amphitheater looking out over the lake...just an awesome setting

Tallac Center - one of the many buildings here at Zephry Point, a Presbyterian retreat center...our room is in this building. We have quite a walk to get to the facility where our conference is being held and our dining area...no complaints about the views, but they warn us constantly about being on the lookout for BEARS! Yikes!

This was the view as we traveled from Reno to South Lake Tahoe

Fall Afternoon in Paoli

How often we take the beauty around us for granted...while selling fish on the square today, we noticed a huge tour bus pull over on the southwest corner and loads of young people poured out. They made their way to the courthouse lawn and for at least 20 minutes or so they moved around the courthouse taking pictures and viewing it from different angles. Several of them made their way down to the fish trailer and we asked them about the group with whom they were traveling. They were architecture students from Notre Dame visiting some architectural highlights throughout Indiana. They had been to the West Baden Dome and were en route to Columbus, but our courthouse was on their list of stopping places.

Here I had been standing with my back to the courthouse all morning, not stopping to notice how especially beautiful it looked today under the bright fall sky. I decided I had to snap a picture right then and there. What a gem we have right here in Orange County!

favorite flautist

more pictures

Eric's too busy to smile for the camera

Isn't she lovely

Thanks for not singing Feelings

Mort only has eyes for Lisa

Mitch was observing Sheri's train

young men in training

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Action (where's Greg?)

One More!

Joe & Sheri's Big Day

Couldn't resist...I knew right where the pictures of the cute couple on their big day happened to be. What a fun wedding!

You've been married for H o W m A N y Y e A r S ????

Happy Anniversary, Joe and Sheri!!! Great looking family!!

Tailgating 2009

It's been almost a year since the last Foster-Owen IU tailgate, but we got it all together and had a great time in spite of the cool and windy weather conditions...a fun day with family and friends. The next tailgate will be at the IU-Purdue match-up on Nov. 21st.