Wednesday, August 8 - Wednesday, August 15, 2018
We arrived in Texas via American Airlines on August 8, 2018 and rented a car and drove to Lake Worth to the Holiday Inn Suites where we unpacked and rested before driving to daughter, Lynne Render's home in Azle, Texas. We had a nice visit with her and her friend Wesley and my son, Russ Cromwell. We discussed the logistics of the upcoming party to be held on Saturday, August 11, 2018 and consulted our calendars to allow everyone to know what was happening and when and where.
My first thought was to visit with my kid brother, Wesley Cason, who is quite ill.
Please note there are three Wesley's in the family so it's hard to keep them straight without a program! lol Doug and I drove to his home in White Settlement.
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| Carla with her brother, Wesley Cason |
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| When this picture was printed, I noticed the reflection in Wesley's glass top table! |
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| We checked in with my daughter Lynne, the hostess of the 80th Birthday Party |
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| Carla with Russ Cromwell, host of the birthday party with Lynne Render |
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| Family get-together for dinner at On the Border. L to R: Skip Peterson, grandfather of Brooke and Dakoda Peterson and Kelley Spears Cromwell, "Mimi" grandmother of Brooke and Dakoda. |
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| L to R: Carla tickled about something, Tiffany Peterson carrying Carla's great grandchild #13, Michael Peterson and Skip |
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| Tiffany, Carla's granddaughter and Michael |
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| Carla's grandson Wesley Cromwell with her great grand daughter Alison |
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| Alison and Mimi |
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| Carla's grand daughter-in-law Jennifer Cromwell |
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| Carla took this shot of the group. Front R is Michael's mother, Brenda Peterson |
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Doug took this shot of me after the dinner
On Thursday, August 9, my daughter Lynne took me to her nail salon and treated me to a manicure and a pedicure for my birthday. They did a marvelous job and I felt really special! |
On Friday, August 10 (Carla's actual birthday) Doug and Carla attended the Parker County Women's and Newcomers Club Luncheon in Weatherford, Texas where they lived before moving to Alamogordo, New Mexico. Carla was quite active in the organization and this was a chance to visit and renew old friendships.
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| Anita Sue Coleman, professional photographer, with Carla |
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| Jackie Anderson, member of the book club Carla was in. |
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| The always lovely Alicia Pittman, a sister Octogenarian |
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| Carla with Dottie Mills, a really FUN gal |
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| Linda Bagwell, 2nd Vice President with Carla |
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| Ladies being congratulated on their contributions to the club |
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| Outgoing President Ruth McCandless |
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| Gayle Strangmeyer with Carla |
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| Carla and Doug Kerr |
It was a lovely luncheon and a FUN visit with so many dear friends. It was wonderful to celebrate my 80th Birthday with all of them and to reminisce about the "good ole days".
Next on the agenda was a baby shower for Tiffany and the baby she is expecting right around November 15, 2018. We nor they have any idea whether it is a boy or girl, their decision not to know until this little one arrives. The shower takes place in Russ' home in Springtown, Texas and it is a family affair.
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| L to R: Son Russ, Grandson Taylor Cromwell, his wife, Jennifer, Tiffany with her mother Kelley pinning a sash on her and Grammy Carla (can you believe with no hat?) |
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| GG Alison Cromwell with her mother Mahkayla |
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| L to R: Wesley, GG Son Ashton with his daddy Taylor |
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| Russ "Pops" with Alison and Mahkayla |
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| L to R: Wesley, Grammy Carla and Taylor |
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| L to R: Russ, Dakoda and G Son Drew Spears |
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| GG Son"Big" Landon and Drew |
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| Michael and his mother, Brenda Peterson |
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| It looks like GG Son Camden is helping Brooke give the gifts to Tiffany with Grammy and Wesley looking on |
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| L to R: Taylor, Camden, Brooke, Tiffany admiring the baby quilt with Grammy and Russ |
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| Good question??? |
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| Granddaughter Tiffany, Grammy Carla and Russ - Do you think we look related (3 generations +)? |
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| Another visit with my brother, Wesley, before I go to my party |
It is Saturday afternoon, August 11, 2018 and almost 2:00 PM and I'm ready for this big event. Friends and relatives came from California, all over Texas, New Jersey and Florida. My daughter, Lynne's birthday was August 3 so her friends came to celebrate her as well as me.
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| Lynne has a great sense of humor, but the big 80 it is! |
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| Here I am with my great grandsons Ethan and "Big" Landon (Drew's boys) |
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| This is Peggy Millard from New Jersey doing some last minute sprucing up |
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| Dear friend Marci Novak from Dallas, Texas |
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| Great friend Susie Severson from Weatherford, Texas |
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| L to R: Carla with Daleen Maxwell (my Shaklee Distributor), Janet Smith (a member of my Red Hat Chapter when I lived in Dallas) and Marci, a Dallas Community Activist who got citizens to clean up White Rock Lake Park, all dear friends. |
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| Dear friends from North Richland Hills, Texas Shar'rie and Orvil Morris |
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| Great Granddaughter Tawni Newman with Grammy |
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| Tawni, Grammy and Grand Son-in-law Troy Fern |
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| Hostess Lynne with Carla's daughter-in-law Joni Singer and granddaughter Samantha |
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| Joni is a retired Special Ed Teacher from Dallas, Texas and Samantha is a Senior at TCU in Ft. Worth, Texas |
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| Doug's daughter Nancy Kerr |
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| Dear friend and Comanche Artisan Tommye Tonips with Carla. In background is grandson Joshua Singer. |
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| Tawni Newman with her mother Marcia Fern from McKinney, Texas |
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| Time for Carla to make a wish and blow out the candles on the cake Drew is holding |
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| Marcia with my Great Granddaughter Taylor Anne Newman (A Dallas Mavericks Dancer) and Kire Davis, Taylor's friend |
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| Kire, Taylor Anne and Tawni |
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| Taylor Anne, Great Uncle Russ and Tawni |
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| Two dear friends and members of the WOW (Wild Outrageous Women) Club, Shirley Selman and Donna Austin of Dallas, Texas |
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| Great Grandson Micah Fern with Brooke |
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| L to R: Lynne, Carla and Russ |
The 80th Birthday Party was an amazing success and so much FUN! My only regret is that I didn't have enough time to visit with each group as long as I wanted to and I'm not even sure we got everyone's pictures. Doug was doing the best he could to keep up and I am so thankful to him for taking pictures of this week long visit with various venues and many people. I will apologize now for not getting shots of GG son Landon Cromwell, Selma Johnson, Syd Singer, Anna Colley, Connie Licari, Jan Barrow and Barbara Farley with her granddaughter Jessie Hall. I was very much aware of each of you and so happy to see everyone. Sincere thank yous to all who brought birthday cards and those who couldn't come who mailed cards and email greetings. Hugs, Carla Kerr aka C C Crittenden
On Monday, August 13, 2018 Doug went to lunch with his daughter, Linda McCallum and I drove to my son Russ' home to visit.
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| Linda McCallum of Scurry, Texas, Doug's daughter |
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| Wesley with Alison |
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| Eddie Millard from New Jersey and Jerry Kazilefski from Florida |
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| Alison and the outdoor cat had quite a conversation going |
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| Carla, looking her Cherokee best |
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| Carla with Nancy whom we took to lunch |
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| Alison with Pops, her biggest admirer after her Daddy Wesley |
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| Carla with sweet daughter, Lynne. We survived the party! |
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| We have now returned to Lynne's home and these are her babies, Sadie and Rebel. Rebel is Black Lab and Boxer. Sadie is a rescue dog so not sure of her heritage. They are both sweet well behaved dogs. |
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| We are all sitting at Lynne's bar on her patio watching the hummingbirds feed |
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| Penny and Jerry Kazilefski from Ocala, Florida |
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Lynne brought the "80" balloons in from her mailbox to the backyard
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Thanks to Lynne and Wes and Russ for working so hard to make this such a special day. The food was great, the cake was delicious and friends and family made it a perfect 80th Birthday. I am truly blessed!
This is all I have to say for now.
