Once the Pagano's left, Bob's sister and her family came in for most of the week. They spent the week taking the grandchildren to Broadway at the Beach and other attractions in the area. I had to leave and run up to Charleston. Hannah was to have a little procedure done on her head, you know, the bump that just grows and grows, but once we got to the doctors they told us they would not do it since she is pregnant! So since we could not take care of that, we went furniture shopping for the baby. Hannah found the crib, dresser and changing table. She was pretty excited about that! I came home Wed. evening and then Kathy and her crew had to leave Thursday morning. I spent the day running errands, taking the dogs to get groomed and all the fun stuff that is just day to day!

On Saturday the 18th the Benton's all started coming in! Bob also made the drive down finally! Stephen, Kristin and Millie got here first. I could not believe how Millie had grown and she is sooooo sweet. She puts her arms right out to you to be picked up. Very serious little girl but so so funny!. Then Taylor, John, little John and Benton got here. The boys have grown so much and are so cute!!! They were ready for the beach and went right down and jumped into the ocean! Nancy, Steve, Griffin and his friend Bobby came in last. You know Murphy's Law, if anything can go wrong it will........Nancy had one of those days! She needed the calm of the ocean! It has been a great week.

Griffin and Bobby have spent the week looking for girls, fishing, looking for girls, fishing and looking for girls! Need I even say they are 16!!!

Stephen and I were standing on the porch watching the ocean when I looked out and you could see a very defined water spout! It was the usual trendel coming down and as we watched that one, another formed and it was very wide. I got the binoculars to look at them and they were kicking up alot of water!!! Very pretty since they were very very far out in the ocean! :) Just another beautiful site at the beach!!!

Millie Benton making her way around the house!!!!

Benton Blevins playing...........where is John??????

Benton and Millie working together!!!!

Nancy, John, Bob and I played golf on Monday. Was very overcast which ended up being great as it was not as hot as it could have been! Spent the rest of the day just enjoying being together! Bob and I played golf again the next day and then I spent the afternoon doing errands and running over to Pawleys as Ann Johnson was down with the girls so I spent a little time with them catching up! Goodness the girls have grown! Wed. Steve, Nancy, Bob and I played golf again. Was a pretty toasty day but great company and great golf! Bob had to head back to Spartanburg in the afternoon and I spent the afternoon catching up on laundry and all the stuff you hate to do! Oh well.............I am leaving to head to Charleston and pick up Hannah and Jenny on Thursday and then we are off to Charlotte to stay with Jessica (yes - I am going to be with THREE pregnant girls!!!!) to do some shopping!!!!! Should be a fun weekend!

Well all, that is it for this posting! Catch up with you all later!!!!

I hate trying to get these pictures in here correctly.  I can't do it but I will figure it out some day!!  The Pagano's left the beach today after being here for the week.  We all had a great time.  Little Addison had us all wrapped around her little finger!  She is so cute and such a good baby.  Poor Annie got down here and then was sick with a cold and fever for several days.  Not the best of vacations for her!  Luke brought his paddle boards down so everyone was on those all week!  

Liz and Rick were here for most of the week but had to run back to Raleigh to see patients.  Anne has to run to Jacksonville, NC for a day for work.  Nunzio flew in early Friday morning and got to spend the weekend!  Maybe next year he can stay a little longer!  

The Pearson's, Bob's sister and her family, came in this afternoon for the week.  I have to run up to Charleston on Tuesday for the day.  Pretty much a quiet week this week!

Hope everyone has a good week!

Clarke

Well, I did not get back to this blog as soon as I thought I would.  Summer is here and is very busy so I have not been on here much to say the least. 

OK, I stopped on the wedding day.  Everything went really well on the wedding day.......Liz, her mother and bridesmaids got ready in their  Cottage at the Belvedere and we had our cottage for overflow and for Bladen and his groomsmen to hang out.  Bladen and Liz decided that they wanted to see each other before the wedding and to also get most of the pictures out of the way before the wedding began.  They were both just very happy and I know Bladen was pretty relaxed and Liz was too.  Once we got out to Boone Hall Plantation, we got most of the pictures taken care of.  Really all we had to do afterwards were group family pictures and the signing of the marriage license ect.  Clay Turner did a great job officiating and really made them feel at ease.  After the wedding most of us walked down to the Cotton Dock which is where the reception was.  Bladen and Liz had a little time to themselves getting down there.  They both managed to make it thru the first dance which they both were not looking forward to!  Once all the dances were out of the way the party began.  The food was delicious, Stacey Fraunfelter did

 a bang up job coordinating the wedding/reception and turned the "barn" into a beautiful reception area!  There was a fantastic breeze the entire night so all you had to do was walk out onto the dock and get cooled off!  Liz's mother Blye, looked beautiful and she did a bang up job on this wedding!  I was just happy that it was all off my back the previous night!  It was so good to have so many family and friends attend.  This time around I actually got to visit with some friends.    It was definitely a big weekend for the Brannon family as not only did we have a fantastic time with the wedding but Hannah and Jason told us they were expecting!  For some strange reason Hannah decided to do a pregnancy test the night of the rehearsal dinner and she was very surprised to say the least when it popped up positive!!!  I must say that when they pulled Bob and I to the side that night I was in shock!  But more about that later.....  Bladen and Liz left under the twinkling of sparklers and jumped into the Bentley and off they went to their hotel down town.  It was a great weekend and one that we will always remember!

Once we got home things of course did not go back to normal ...... I don't think I know what "normal" is anymore!  lol  We had decided to removed all the carpet in the bedrooms and lay hardwoods.  Let me tell you something, that is like moving out all over again!  You have to move everything!  I had set this up so the work would be done while I was at the be

ach!  Bob and I moved a good bit of the stuff ourselves and we moved on down to the guest house, see Bob .... we did need that guest house!, to get out of the way!    What a nightmare!

I finally made it to the beach the first week of June and all the "high school" girls were starting to arrive on the 6th.  We had a great week!  The best part of maintaining these relationships, they already know the skeletons, the uglies and anything else we don't want "other" people to know!  lol  We sat on the beach ...... we hit the knitting store a couple times ..... did some shopping on and off during the week ..... had some great dinners out and in ...... and we must not forget .....  the spa day!  There is nothing like hitting the spa with your friends!  Terri and Holly went two days!  I should have joined them that second day.  I don't know what the heck I was thinking!!!  Barrie and I did manage to get out on the golf course and play.  We managed to hold our own and not embarrass ourselves!  The big accomplishment of the week .... Laurie read an entire book in one day!  Hard to find what she likes to read but she grabbed one and that was all we heard from her that day!  It has been a great year as I have gotten to see my friends several times this year ..... Holly, Terri, Laurie, Betty, Patty all made it to Hannah's wedding ..... Holly, Terri and Betty made it to Bladen's wedding and Barrie joined us at the beach and sad to say Patty could not!

Terri found out she is going to be a grandmother, yes Kristen is expecting I believe the first of November and then Hannah will be due in January.  Soooo of course we had to start knitting!  I have done several hats and I have started a sweater, we will see how that goes!  Terri, how are you coming on your piece????  Terri asked if she could do a shower for Hannah and I was so touched and appreciative.  Terri has been with us from day 1 with Hannah's wedding and right on to Bladen's wedding with Liz.  She has been a godsend and doing this baby shower is icing on the cake!  Thanks Ter!!!!!!!

As you can expect, the beach house has been just about under siege!  After my friends came down we had a small break here at the house.  A friend of ours was down at Ocean Lakes for the week and Bob and I met up with her to play golf a couple days and then Jamie Rowland and his family were down so Bob and I played golf with Jamie and Todd Turner!  Very humbling I must say!  :)  

Then is was back to Spartanburg to deal with the mess that I left!  The hardwoods look beautiful but it sure took an entire day to get all the furniture moved back to where it belongs.  I did move my office and I am setting up a nursery for the baby(s), hint hint Bladen!  Got some rooms painted and most of the ceilings painted so things are looking fresh again!  Let me tell you though, I was exhausted and don't want to move furniture ever again!!!

Hannah, Jason and his parents came on down to the beach the last week of June.  They got some fishing in, Hannah got some good sleep and the weather was great.  We went up to Garden City one night for dinner at a friend of the Bodies and we were treated to a "beauty pagent" by the men!  I will post a picture but I will not name names!!!!  They all headed home that weekend and the Pagano's came into town!

My sister Anne, Liz and Rick, Sunita (Nunzio's girlfriend) Annie, Luke and little 

Addison have been down here for the 4th.  Addison is such a little doll.  She is 6 months old and I find it hard to keep my hands off of her.  Practice, practice, practice!  Bob made it down here for a few days before he had to head back to Spartanburg but he will be back sometime next week!

I think that all this should catch me up!  I hope that everyone is doing well!

Clarke