Here Comes Santa Claus

Well, the Wallaces are in their new digs this Christmas, and lovin' it! Decorations are making it bright..and we are ready for a Santa night! Throughout the house the Christmas Cookie scent reminds us of the calories of the season...and the halos around the lights foretell cataracts! But..the joy and jolly within our hearts is for NOW and for ALL....share with us ours have a wonderful and Merry Christmas, Friends and Family!

Holidays at the Wallaces are always "Full of Heart"...and graciously overflowing with grandchildren! One night, Carter and Logan; second night, Logan, solo; third night, Carter, solo....and the the day after Thanksgiving, Abby joined to make it our lovin' "Grandchildren Trio!" Not sure who had the most smiles...Jim and Jan or the kids! We are so very blessed! Thanksgiving is a time to bring all the blessings home...and for us it was grand. We are so very thankful for our family....our fours wonderful daughters and all the extended blessings that they have brought to us. Hope you and yours had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. Now...on to Christmas.....

Well, the Wallaces might not be Wandering...but the Phillips surely did. They got on a southern course on 11/19 from St. Louis and landed in Sandestin on 11/20....just in time for a trip to Baytowne...with a Roberto's pizza extravaganza (a Kimberly MUST have)... a stop at the the Candymaker for some much needed jelly beans (which Carter could never pass up!)...and even a quartet of skaters at the ice skating rink...a first for Carter and Logan, a "gee it's been a long time" bout for Jeff, and a "if they can do it, I can" sort of prompt for Ppa Doc , alias Jim! Obviously, I was skateless but camera ready! That did it for the first night...The 21st started with a Meeting of the Metal at The Track....followed by a seaside romp and Crab Trap lunch. Evening was a Here Comes Christmas delight at Destin Commons where Disney stole the show lighting the tree...and Frosty and Rudolp greeted Carter with glee! Wow...that was just the beginning....then we were off to a day/night Logan...one with Carter...and then a Trio of Grandkids when Abby and Barbara came into town after the big "T" Day....the holiday beat has just begun....

Heading to Va...for VA Bar Initiation by Kelly....got us there in time to sidetrack us with a Halloween celebration and pumpkin carving....

Pumpkins carved, and we are on the move....Kelly "toured" us around Chalottesville...with Monticello being a main sight as well as Carter's Mountain...where our apple-pickin' expertise gave Kelly what she needed to make, from scratch, the best apple pie...ever! (per Matt!) Disney on Ice floored us with the story of Nemo...which we enjoyed in tasty style! Then it was off to Richmond on 11/4 for the induction ceremony into the VA Bar...passing the test is just the beginning..then you have to be inducted! A fitting ceremony for our newest lawyer in the fam! Nothing less than Melting Pot that night in Charlottesville to celebrate the occasion. After the ceremony (and smelling a bit like old fish...having "moved in" with Matt and Kelly for almost two weeks!)...we headed south. After an overnight of walking, walking and walking in Gatlinburg....Florida looked pretty good. We are staying put through the holidays...with Kimberly and her family her at Thanksgiving; Barbara and Abby post Thanksgiving and back again with Eric on Christmas Day; and Robyn and John coming for time over the Christmas holidays. Who knows where January may take us....Las Vegas is in first place so far, but NYC is running a close second! This is a whirlwind retirement...and we are lovin' it!

The Wandering Wallaces are up-and-running again!  This time we are land-lubbers....off to join the "newlyweds" (Matt and Kelly) in Va for a fun time planned at a Univ. of VA football game, apple picking and pie making, wine tasting, and just plain having fun!  'Course, we are dressin' up for the VA Bar induction that Kelly will be participating in in November.  Now that she has the "Pass" on the Bar exam, she would sure like the "job" on the VA end!  I am sure it will come...PATIENCE is the key, always.  Well, we are off...Never let it be said that retirement tied us down!

Thanks to all you social security participants; you give us the spirit and cash we need to make OUR dreams realities (Hope you day comes soon too!)

Adventuring the Seas of the Caribbean

Papa Doc and Grams spent a wonderful week on Adventure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean, of course!)  Flew out of Pensacola into San Juan, and as they say...the rest is history!  Seven days seeing the likes of San Juan, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St Maarten (on the Dutch side; St.. Martin on the French), and St. Croix...seven days and six views of life...wow!  San Juan, a quickie, as we flew in and boarded our ship.  Enjoyed a Day at Sea with a delightful Dinner Theatre presentation at night.  In Barbados we got the "tour of a lifetime"..even into the "private" digs of Tiger Woods (he was married there too)...and tasted the delights of all fruits, including "bread fruit."  Never saw so much fruit just growing...everywhere...on trees, bushes, you name it! The on to St. Lucia...and a trip through the rain forest on a open tram...going into and up and over the levels of the forest.  What a sight!  And what a pack of knowledge; guide was amazing!  Dry on the way up, but as we came through the "ceiling" of the forest on our return, the rains poured!  It was great...rain in the rain forest!  Too novel and exciting for words....Though the downtown had much to be desired, the trip through the forest was definitely a winner!  Then on to Antigua and more sightseeing..until 10/16!!!!when we landed in St. Maarten...and Papa Doc decorated all to wish Gramercy a great birthday!  We spent the day off the ship in Phillipsburg on the Dutch side (the island is split)...but toured the French side too.  Spent some time at the airport's end..watching a jet landing get so close to us it raised hair on our arms.  Talk about a thrill...a terrific high!  We decided to "Do a Day at Sea" when we docked in St. Croix...we stayed on the ship and enjoyed EVERYTHING possible (as we are heading to St. Croix in February, we wanted that to be our "first" land excursion of the island!)

Sunday, back in port at San Juan...Monday, home in Sandestin.  What a whirlwind week...that we would not have had any other way!

Seeing the world cruising has got to be the winner of all times!  Now that we are back on land...we are heading off next weekend to a FANTASTIC reunion with none other than "The BRIDE AND GROOM" in Charlottesville...for some fun times with them (surely is great to be able to hang out now and have fun with "our" kids!  Guess that is what all the late night feedings, confusion and traumas (good and bad) were for!  Wow for that, we would do it again anytime! )  Love being with our clan!  So until we fire up the engines once again...have a great day everyone...we certainly will.

OUR...ADVENTURE on the Caribbean Sea

Okay...witness the slideshow...a FIRST for me...kudos to  Barbara for showing me how!  Course, I have a l-o-n-g way to go...but so did we...2200 miles over about 10 days!  Not bad for an "aging" duo!  We headed to Carmel, Indiana to see Peggy Klimp ( a dear friend from Gadsden that "made the move" closer to family)...then flew out of Midway in Chicago to Denver...to meet Robyn and "The Gang"...John, Marley, Molly and Jax.  Had a great time there shooting, shopping and sloppin' down the chow!  Left with two of the five sick (namely John and Robyn)...so we took our healthy bodies elsewhere...flew back into Midway and drove to Oswego, Illinois.  Shared time with Jim's "Second Mom" (Lucille Felton) and froze our backsides! Were going to do Homecoming with The Panthers at Oswego High, but rain, cold, wind kiboshed that entire prospect. Then, we made the drive home to Sandestin to warm up!  Now, packing for the Caribbean to REALLY warm the bones....

Times' A Flyin'

Wow...time is a'flyin'! Last chat, end of July...and here we are mid-August!  Can't say that we have been sittin' and rockin' of late. We did make the move to Deerwood official, and then the company started coming...course, they were comin' for Matt and Kelly and there W-Day, 8/9!

Did manage to give congrats to Jeff and Kimberly (our eldest) Phillips...celebrating their 10 year anniversary 8/6...kudos to them and their two adorable boys, Logan (5.5) and Carter (3).

With fam and friends here, we did have a "housewarming" on 8/8...with all four of our "girls"...Robyn, Kelly, Barbara and Kimberly (sided by Jan and Jim)...and the female-halves of our dear friends from Gadsden...Fran, Peggy and Karen (can't find house-warming photos...wedding will have to do!)

By 8/9 activities were underway with Kelly and "Her Girls" enjoying a spa morning...and Matt and "His Boys" enjoying morning!  In the evening, under a "perfect sky" at 6:30...Matt and Kelly said their written vows and life as "Mr. and Mrs. Marlow" began!

Now, while they enjoy Disney World and a Carnival Glory Cruise in the Caribbean...we are recouping and regrouping...for more Wallace Wanderings to be announced!

IT'S TIME4

498 days...and no more counting...it's official...it's real...it's time!

Today the Wandering Wallaces take up residence in Deerwood!

Life-altering...life-changing...life-renewing.

The days have brought tremendous changes in our lives, most for the positive; as we retired and left one life behind in Gadsden, the doors have open a new and blessed life for us in Sandestin.

Today, as always, God has blessed us with a place to call "home" again, and we are happy.

May you all share this awesome experience with us, as our friends and acquaintances.

We are blessed.

Queen Abby, et al

Since Mother Bee left on Sat.,

the Queen has been working her Court night and day!First she has us on the lookout for monsters of the deep that go beep...then she begs to sit upon her "throne" and check the day's written word...and yet she persist to have her "eye" upon all even when encased in the terrainean-sliding machine!  Will the toiling never cease?  Certainly not until the Queen returns to her Ville de Dale this weekend.  Until then..it is non-stop catering...and the Court is loving it! 

Ahhh...what a wonderful kingdom I rule!

Red-White-Blue Ado

The day was the Fourth of July...the celebration was AWESOME!  Though we await Kelly and Matt's wedding on the wood deck, Hilton DOES use it for other activities also...in this case buffet seating over all outdoor deck and inside for over 700 theat enjoyed a dinner extravaganza followed by fireworks, music and song to celebrate the 4th!  Wow!  What a wonderful time had by all...and especially these Wandering Wallace. We moseyed over in the "LSV" (low speed vehicle to some...electric golf cart to others!) to the Hilton....enjoyed dinner and music on the deck y the Gulf from about 8-9PM...then the TRUE colors came out at 9PM..and lasted, and lasted, and lasted for a l-o-n-g time!  Best fireworks EVER...and over the Gulf.  After the lighting celebration, we "jumped in" the HIlton pool for a bit of a dip and swim...delightful.  Headed back home well after 10PM...Did we enjoy the Fourth?  You bet your "Red-White-Blue" we did!  Hats off to this year...awaiting next!

The NEW HOME

Well, now that we've been monitoring the activities at the new house, we can finally report to everyone else how things are going....  Today, at the request of many, I finally was able to take some very CLOSE-UP pics of the finished work....  Photo 1 is the guest bedroom with the furniture and handmade head-board.....  Photo 2 is the tiling of the bathroom along with the glass sheeting and tub....  Photo 3 is the finished kitchen with the fantastic granite countertop and the brick splash back....  Photo 4 is or our recently completed Lanai room....  It looks great with all of the potted plants that we were able to transport and transplant to Florida....  I hope that these pics will help you to visualize our new home...  maybe when you get here you will have a better appreciation espceially since the photos do the acutal outcome such a poor injustice....  Well, until later folks....

Jim

Must be some truth to having "hired help" come a-knockin'...'cause we have been blessed!  All rolled into one we have had chef, musician, toter, entertainer, and engineer at our beck and call for the past few days and nights.  Now, have to admit, she is a bit on the "pint-size," but it hasn't stopped her Herculean efforts on our behalf!  She works vigorously through the AM until she needs afternoon to rebuild her energy levels...so from about noonish to 3, she is "resting and rejuvenating."  Then the powers that be get her going again...until bedtime hails at 8PM.  She doesn't ask for much in return...only limited meals, potty breaks, and octopus hugs...and laughter.  Wow! We give it gladly to our "hired help"...the one-and-only Ms. Abby Lee Wade...our two years old powerhouse of love and energy!  She is "ours" until "Mommy" gets her Monday... and then we will just have to try to make things "do" on our own.

Home Again...Home Again

WOW...cannot believe it...2000 plus miles on our  bug and we are in Florida..and "scheduled" to be here for more than three days!  Fact is, we don't have a lot of traveling on our calendar before the "move in" of the future!  Got to admit, we wondered if the key would still open the door, the truck would still be in the parking lot, the cat would still know who we were when we picked him up at the vets...well, all went well!  

Jim is now "officially" CAPTAIN of a sailboat, making me the first mate come January when we plan on a Caribbean run of our own!  I am home from the Valleys of Virginia after spending a delightful time with Kelly at her new townhouse...and some great time with Matt too! It was terrific being there; she is such a role model for my physique (just wish my physique would realize it!)

Now, we are making final preps for our new home...the landscaping should finalize in July...and the house probably before.  So, now we are like the newlyweds "buying" for our tomorrow.  Have to admit..this part is really fun! (even tho prices are a tad bit higher than they were in '69!)

Hope all are able to enjoy the wonderful weather as we are.  Also hope some (not all) of you guys are putting a visit to us in Florida on your calendars!  Have a good one...we are!

500 miles...500 miles

Well, I cannot tell a lie...we have covered well over the PPM designation of 500 miles...we are well into the thousands (and summer is not even here yet!)  We "raced" to Birmingham...as you can see by Jim's speed, accuracy and "blind faith" in direction...to attend the "pomp of decorum" (as witnessed by Kelly Jane) at her law school graduation.  Let it never be said that the Wallaces are void of emotion and smiles! A break  in Sandestin only to "head for kisses" again...we navigated through the eastern rains to gain a small reprieve in Charlottesville...now Jan is "hangin out" with Kelly and Matt in VA...Jim headed to Bermuda under clear skies and a full sail Wednesday afternoon.  His final sailing "class" (yet to be the future catalyst to many sailing outings with first mate Jan...look out seas...here we come!)  He sails there and back...won't be VA grounded for a week and a half...so Jan has time to read and relax and enjoy the company and surroundings here in VA.  The miles apparently never seem to stop...isn't that what "retirement" is all about!

On the Road Again...

Wow, checked it out yesterday on the odometer!  We have chalked up more than 1600 miles in the last week...to Saint Louis to "see" the Phillips and play with Logan and Carter...but primarily to celebrate the BIG 3 that Carter turned!  He is "three and thensome!  What a cutie!  After a pirate story and craft time, the "three mateys" smile for the camera!  While Mommy and Gramercy enjoyed a "Mothers' Day Tea" with Logan at his prescool, Papa Doc enjoyed watching "Chef Carter" create his masterpieces...Hell's Kitchen Here I come!  Then there was baseball ala Logan's team...and some serious "wheelbarrowing" by Carter and Mommie on the sidelines!  What a week!  We headed "out" on Tuesday before storms headed "in" on Wednesday..to Birminham...to celebrate our 3L "Genius" Kelly...who graduates this Saturday from Cumberland School of Law.  What an accomplishment!  The doctorates are plentiful in this fam, to be sure!  SUnday...homeward bound...after a pre-summer Family Celebration!

Footless and Carefree

Well, we certainly are getting the "lovin'" anyway we can!  Had to go to great lengths and expense to capture these "hugs and kisses"....It's a whole new world "under the sea"...and apparently the creatures of the deep love us too!  We will long remember Cozumel!

Operation SCUBA

OK, Operation S.C.U.B.A:  Save Cratures Under Backed-up Aguas !!!!!!!!!  Jan and I decided it was time to really see if there was any "life" in the recently formed front yard and backyard golf course "ponds".... We donned our equipment and "dove in" just to see what was there and VOILA (notice that slight introduction of the "civilized" French lingo....) there were all of the "Creatures" that had retired/relocated from the "Black Lagoon" (notice the smartly introduced effort at "cinne verite passado" and moved to "sunny Florida"...  Well, suffice it to state, we had a delightful dinner of chargrilled fish...  Adieu, until the next episode in our Wanderings....

kids,kids,and more kids...

When Humpty Dumpty overheard Ole King Cole conversing with Jack Sprat....he surmised that while "the gander was a- home-watching"..."the goose was frolickin'" with "kids!"  And that, my friends, is how this past weekend played out.... Jim was home tending to renovations..while I headed to Birmingham to "enjoy" kids!  Thursday Kelly and I shopped for both wedding and some interior decor for our new home too.  Then Barbara and Abby came to town...checking out Embassy Suites pool privileges.. Kelly checked out Playhouse Disney LIVE on Saturday with niece, sister and mom...while Matt, who ventured in from VA, took some sleep time of his own!  Sunday I ventured to "Thomas-ville" in Chelsea, AL to see Thomas in all his glory with  Barbara and Abby who was really enjoying the venture.  What a go-getting weekend!  Jeez...no wonder I am sick this week...it was definitely a "kids,kids,kids" of all ages weekend...and this Gramercy is now pooped...but smilin'