I haven't blogged this week for a couple of reasons.
1. The whole gas shortage thing has caused us to carpool to Black Mountain with Seth where I have spent the day without a computer.
2. Any free time that I haven't been using to play the guitar or shower or something else, I have spent stressing and working on my lesson for our co-op geography class. (mainly stressing and thinking, "I will not blog until I get this stuff done.") I was supposed to be the teacher today but they canceled class because of the gas situation. whew!

It would have been really helpful to know yesterday, however, Seth deleted the email notifying us about the cancellation! Instead, I spent the day feeling like I was in school again myself with this big project due in the morning that I had procrastinated on until that night. I have serious procrastination issues.

I guess it is all good now because I am almost done preparing and I have a few more weeks until I teach now.

Anyhow, for the journal aspect of keeping a record for life: This has been the week of the infamous gas shortage in Asheville. Wednesday we carpooled with Seth to Black Mountain and then walked from the gym to my parent's rental house (which is empty because Lorie and Kiah just moved to Boone) where Annabelle took a a nap and we did our schoolwork. It was actually a lovely day, nice weather, quiet. During school breaks, the boys had a blast playing in the woods behind the house while I watched and played the guitar a bit. The many fallen trees made great forts and war trenches. After Annabelle woke up, we all walked down the road to McDonalds for lunch and then Seth came to get us. It was a really good day though I am so glad that we have two vehicles normally. Walking could get old pretty quickly.

When we were at the house, Caleb looked up at me with big ol' tears in his eyes and said, "Moma, being here just makes me miss Kiah more." Yeah, we are missing those two gals more than I had expected. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal when they moved to Boone because they'd be home a lot and they were up there most of the time anyways. But, we miss them......especially Caleb. It is not the same to just talk on the phone.

My camera is messed up and I am in the process of getting up the nerve to tell Seth that we need a new one. so no new pictures. just words.

Yea for the first day of Fall tomorrow! I plan on celebrating by doing school with the boys, practicing my finger-picking skills (taught to me by the oh-so-talented Becky Swann) and hopefully (if no other child gets sick) teaching kickboxing class.

Yep, Becky and I are starting ourselves a new little music endeavor and I am stoked about it. Becky is really good on the guitar and I am hoping to learn lots from her. It will be heaven for all of you chick-folk music lovers (think Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, Indigo Girls, The Weepies, or Be Good Tanyas). I told Seth that he might not really think it is all that great because he finds my favorite music pretty boring. However he said, "You know Julie, it's kinda like this: I don't really like to watch womens basketball, but if you were playing I would come and watch anyways." I suppose that is sweet but I can't get past the fact that he compared my music to womens basketball.

I am pretty sure the sickness has passed over the house now and we are all germ-free. Adam had a low fever today but seems to be alright now. He is so sweet when he is sick unlike his brother who lays around and moans loudly.

Caleb is up and running and Annabelle seems just fine (aside from attitude problem here and there).

I found the memory card. She usually shoves it in the disc opening to the right of the memory card slot and I just tip the hard drive forward and it falls out. After searching the house over, I tipped it up one more time and banged on the top just in case and, low and behold, it fell out. So then we had a little (overdue) "training session" on how Annabelle does not touch the memory card. So far so good and I am going to try to take it out asap and put it back in the camera after using it. All that said, here are a couple of pictures for ya:


Annabelle has taken to wearing the boys' shirts as pajamas lately. She gets a huge kick out of wearing shirts with snakes or bugs on them. She is also wearing one of my headbands in these pictures.

Adam got a army helmet to wear with his Halloween costume next month.

I also forgot to say a bit about last weekend. Seth and the boys were planning to go down to Bear Creek for a work weekend, but ended up going to Nana and Papa's house instead. No one else could make it Bear Creek so they changed routes mid drive. The trip sounded like lots of fun as usual with lots of bike riding, Wii playing, and even some time out on the lake in Uncle Johnny's boat. Annabelle and I were pretty sad to miss out, but I did get a lot of cleaning done while they were away. I scrubbed base boards and bathrooms and tile and hardwood floors. Not as much fun as tubing down in Georgia, but it has to be done. And what a great feeling when it is done!


Anyhow, here we are a week later. Caleb threw up all of last night. I had to get a sub for kickboxing. I hope the others don't get sick.

Thanks for reading. Check out the new video.

If you were Annabelle, where would you put the camera memory card after swiping it from the computer?

That is the question for the day. I have looked everywhere and, though it has no outstanding pictures on it, I am unable to take any new ones right now without that pricey little card! I am dying to change the blurry title picture but really need something recent. So I shall keep looking and you will have to go without the latest images of the Harrisons until it shows up.

Until then, here are a few pictures from the Cheshire Shindig the other night that Amie took for me. It was a delightful evening with good friends, lots of kids, nice weather and a lovely time all around. Thanks so much to all of you that came out. It really meant a lot to me. There were quite a few people that I didn't even get to speak to, so if it was you, I am truly sorry.


I was naturally in heaven as I got to live my dream of being a rock......no.... folk star.

Tim setting up the drum set. He and his wife, Jaime, and little girl, Aubrey came over the next day for dinner. Then he and Seth went fishing while I got hang out with the girls. It was nice to get to know Jaime.....she is really great.

Peter was our fabulous sound guy.

We hope to do it again in October so I will let you know as plans are finalized.

My friend, Kelly, said that they neighborhood folks really liked it and were excited to do it again.

My friends, Jen and Carrie, came over afterward to hang out.

Tea Party

This morning Mimi hosted a sweet tea party for the girl grandchildren. (The boys had other plans.) Kiah and Lorie are in town for the weekend and so Lanie, and Lucie had a sleepover at Mimi's last night with them. Annabelle and I joined the festivities this morning. It was just about the cutest, sweetest thing ever. I wish i had better pictures but my camera lens was jammed, Amie's battery was dead and we couldn't find Mom's. So these were all taken with our phones.





Annabelle insisted on wearing this old bonnet as her hat. She was getting tired and a tiny bit cranky so i didn't push the issue of a more tea-appropriate one.






















Mimi let them put the sprinkles on the little tea cakes and dip the strawberries into the chocolate. Yummy.






Kiah reads on a 5th or 6th grade level! She wanted to read the 100th Psalm to the girls before tea time. I was floored by her abilities and the other little ones were ready for sweets!













We enjoyed using Mimi and Grandaddy's brand new screened in porch for the party. Oh yeah, and Mom let them use her VERY special china. Amie and I were pretty scared of it breaking but she just said, "you can't enjoy it if you don't use it." The girls were very careful.....even Annabelle.

Thank you Mimi for such a lovely memory!

Let me think........ What has been going on here at our house lately? We had our gig at Cheshire Friday and it was super fun and all but I don't want to officially blog about it until I find some pictures from someone. None of the videos turned out for various reasons (one being that it got dark really quickly and you could see anything) so you'll have to wait til next time to see some.




On the kiddo front, we started our Co-op geography class on Friday in Black Mountain. There are almost 20 kids in the class and each mom is taking a week to teach about a different country throughout the semester. Thank the Lord that most of the other moms are there in the class to help out. I don't know how regular teachers can get things done with that many kids. I guess they don't do the same types of things. Anyhow, the boys love it. Annabelle actually sat in on the class too and enjoyed it all herself. We had the class then all ate a picnic lunch in the church yard afterward. There is an art and PE class offered after the Geography but I am pretty sure we are going to skip out on those since Annabelle needs to get home for a nap. Maybe next time around. School here at the house is still going well. The boys are loving this book that is a journal of a Vietnam soilder called My Name is America: The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty. Why is war so interesting to them? I guess cause they are males. That book only makes me pray harder each night that I will never have to send either on of them off to fight in a war one day.

We start each day with our least favorite subject: HANDWRITING! The boys are working through the Handwriting Without Tears workbooks. Someone needs to come up with a series called Handwriting Without Anger for Caleb.




Annabelle is talking more and more each day. Can you believe she will be two years old in less than a month!!!!!!? I will try to get a good video up soon for you of all of her jabbering. (she has a lot more to say than the boys ever did!)

Yesterday was a lovely break from motherhood for me. After church Seth was off to his baseball game and the boys went with Grandaddy and Mimi to a Bartlett family gathering in Swannanoa. Annabelle and I were supposed to meet up with them after her nap, but it just so happened that Annabelle set a nap time record and slept for almost four hours in our silent house. The child was so tired! So there I was feeling so odd with little to do on a Sunday afternoon all alone. I read some, and played my guitar, and just rested.... nice and appropriate for a Sunday. Then Grandaddy took Caleb and Adam to a church picnic at Camp Rockmont and extended my break time even longer.

Happy Birthday Aunt Leslie! I did my figuring this morning and came up with her turning 27 although I was so sure it was 28. I am always off a year when I figure her age.
We miss you so come home..........

Sooooo, whatcha doing this Friday, September the 5th?

Well, if you are not busy, I would love for you ALL to come out to our GIG that evening! Yep, our band got another gig thanks to my lovely friend Kelly (you know, the one who makes the sweet jewelry) She lives in Cheshire Village and just so happens to be on the committee that organises neighborhood events and gatherings. Kelly thought it would be fun to have our little family band play out on their ampitheatre some Friday evening for everyone. I was delighted at the idea, of course, and lined up for us to be there with bells on.

Here are the details:


FRIDAY, SEPT. 5TH @ 7:00 PM
bring a blanket, snacks, beverages, and friends
be ready to enjoy some sweet old time country and bluegrass music!
located in the center of Cheshire Village of Route 9 in Black Mountain

Will you come? It would make me ever so happy!

By the way, one of our band's greatest struggles has been to agree upon a name. I never realised what a hard task this would be! Really, try to come up with a name for a band sometime that is catchy, not dorky, not too serious, and not already taken. Oh yes, and seven people have to agree on it too! Anyway, we are the Black Mountain Scramblers for the time being......or at least for the Cheshire gig. I like "scramblin" (like instead of "ramblin" cause we are always scramblin' around to find picks or remember chords and lyrics.....at least I am) So the Scramblin' somethings. Let me know if you have any suggestions.