birthday wishes

Card (check)

Chocolate Candy (check)

Dinner for Two (Check) 

Well I should put three checks for the 3rd item above.  We have been taking advantage of the free birthday meals at several restaurants this week.  After going for weeks without eating out, it feels like we are splurging this week. But we have a good reason to do that - it is my dear sweet wife's birthday, and that only happens once a year!  We went to Ruby Tuesday Sunday night after church and she used her birthday coupon for the free $12.95 Triple Prime Cheddar Cheeseburger. I had the salad bar.  Then on Monday night I took her to Moes so she could "Enjoy the MOEMENT" with a free Homewrecker burrito.  I had a taco with a coupon for free drink and side - total spent at Moes was only $3.59 for both of us.  Well, today is the big day and Provino's Italian Restaurant gave her a free $12.95 dinner just for showing her ID  - no coupon needed.  I had the eggplant parmesan dinner and the best sweet tea that I have had in a long time (that was a splurge for me).  They even gave her a free ice cream dessert.  

Family birthdays this week

We have six Baggett and Franklin family birthdays happening this week! Wish we could be there to help you celebrate, but that is impossible. So our thoughts and prayers are with you - may you be blessed by God this year! 

Cindy's cousin Noel Baggett celebrates another birthday on Jan 30th.  Noel is pictured with his wife Lisa and children, Travis and Brooklyn.

Catie Baggett, the wife of Cindy's nephew Jeremiah, celebrates another birthday on Jan 31st. Catie is pictured with Jeremiah and Colin. 

Another birthday on Jan 31st, my dear wife, Cindy Baggett Franklin. We have plans to go out and eat - somewhere. Cindy's picture was taken by Susan Blackstock at the reunion in August

A third family birthday occurs on Jan 31st - my nephew Philip Logan who teachers guitar now at a public school in Florida. He is the son of my sister Debbie and Charlie Logan. Hope you have a great day!

On Saturday, Feb. 4th, Kendra Alexander celebrates her 16th birthday! Hope you have a great day! Kendra is the daughter of Cindy's niece Kim Baggett Alexander.

Also on Feb. 4th, my 2nd cousin Eric Walker celebrates another birthday. Eric is the son of cousin Gloria Dorman Walker and is pictured with his son Luke.

family photo Sunday

Our Wisconsin Grands

Stephen and Leah's children (left to right):  

Sophia, Meredith, Ethan and Natalie 

Dukies having a good season

We are in the middle of the college basketball season and Duke is having a good season.  With only one senior, Miles Plumlee, the Dukies are a young team.  Freshman Austin Rivers (photo at left) is a starter for most games.  I guess being the son of Doc Rivers, the coach of the Celtics, might help :)  He has a lot of great moves for a freshman, but still makes some of freshman mistakes.  If he stays at Duke for a few more years, he will be a great player when he leaves!  Duke plays a noon today - home game against St Johns, so it should be a good one!  The last game was a win at Maryland on Wednesday night.  Maryland is one of the more hostile places for the Dukies to play and the team played well, including those coming off the bench and beat the Terps 74-61.  

Recap of the game at this link.

Check out Duke photos at this link

Preview of Duke - St Johns game at this link

family birthdays for the week

We have one 

"Baggett Family" birthday 

to celebrate this week.  

Tyler Huston, who turns 15 this week on Sunday, January 29th.  

We hope you have a good day! Tyler is the son of Cindy's niece, Brandy.

family photo Sunday

Leah posted pictures of our grandson Ethan when his daddy brought the John Deere snowplow home one morning. Stephen makes extra money plowing parking lots during the night when it snows.  Needless to say Ethan was in "John Deere Heaven" that day.  You can view the rest of the pictures at Leah's blog (Click)

Gators in the news: catching up with Danny Weurffel

Much has been written in the news this past year about Tim Tebow's Christian beliefs and it has been encouraging to see this young man take a stand for God.  Recently our local paper took time to update the story of another Christian quarterback, Danny Weurffel.  Danny was quarterback at Florida under Coach Steve Spurrier and won the Heisman Trophy in 1996.  In June of 2011, Danny was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder that causes your immune system to attack your nerves.  The recovery is a long process, as described in this article "Weurffel's recovery may take another year."  Another very inspiring article was in last Sunday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  In the AJC article "Before Tim Tebow..." the writer discusses in detail how that Weurffel was a role model for a young Tim Tebow and also updates his current ministry, Desire Street Ministries.  

"The refiner’s fire is molding and shaping a deeper and better me." Danny Weurffel

family birthdays for the week

One Franklin family and one Baggett family birthday 

to celebrate this week! 

(Click photos to enlarge)

Kathy Pettit celebrates another birthday on January 17th. Kathy is the wife of my 2nd cousin Jamie Pettit (Dianne's son) and is pictured with her daughter Kayla.

Hope you have a wonderful day! 

Roger Williams will be celebrating another birthday on January 18th.  Roger is married to Cindy's 2nd cousin Christina.  Hope you have a great day! 

family photo Sunday

Stephen and Leah in the Hurricane Simulator 

at Monkey Joe's

Civil War sub finally unveiled

One of the most fascinating tidbits of the Civil War was that the very first submarine was built during this war by the South.  The Hunley was effective in sinking one Union warship in 1864 before it disappeared with all 8 sailors aboard.  Click to read more as this article gives more details at msn.com.  The sub actually sank twice during sea trials, killing all 13 sailors including the man who built the sub in 1863, Horace Hunley.  On February 17, 1864 the Confederate Navy sent the sub to battle once again with 8 sailors aboard.  This was a hand-powered sub and was successful in sinking the Union warship Housatonic right before the sub disappeared from sight.  In 2000, an expedition was successful in raising the Hunley and the restoration has been an ongoing process since then in Charleston, SC.  The last time we were in Charleston, the Hunley exhibit was not open that day.  One of my goals is to visit again and see the Hunley in person, especially now that it has been restored. As the article states, "It is looking like a sub for the first time." 
Click to view photoblog of the Hunley

family birthdays for the week

We have one family birthday to celebrate this week:  Pam Krank Baggett's birthday is Wednesday Jan. 11th. Pam is married to Cindy's uncle Leslie Mark Baggett of Sheridan, Arkansas.  Hope you have a great day.  Pam is pictured with her daughter Allison. The photo was taken at the reunion in August. (click photo to enlarge)  

family photo Sunday

I love this picture that I took on the spur of the moment 

just before Mom and Dad left to head home for SC.

Haley Grace was leaving the same day to go home to Florida.   

They both have a sweet smile on their faces! 

enjoyed the parade

We really had a good time watching the Chick Fil A Bowl Parade last Saturday downtown Atlanta. We were able to get there early and get a good spot for the grand kids to watch.  They really enjoyed all the Chick Fil A cows that marched, walked and rode on vehicles - even the balloon!  Not to mention all the free goodies that were handed out - each one of the kids got a small stuffed Chick Fil A cow! (Click on the photos to enlarge)

Welcome to the world Andi Jo

"Welcome to the world" to Andi Jo who was born on Thursday Jan 5th at 7:43 am.  She was 18.5 inches long and 6.77 lbs at birth. (click photo to enlarge)

Congrats to mom and dad -  cousin Lori and Craig and sister Charlee Ann; and of course, congrats to grandparents David and Jo Ann Baggett! 








Aunt Jo Ann with grandbaby #5

"Make Way for the Big Guy!"

I am working on a photo album of my favorite photos of our grandkids from 2011, and this is one of my favorites.  I took this photo on New Year's Eve while helping our Wisconsin grands burn sparklers.  I did not even notice the "John Deere" slogan on Ethan's coat until I had downloaded the picture to my computer - obviously I am not very observant! But I like the "play on words" and I know my friend, and John Deere fanatic, Bob Benn will like this John Deere picture, too.  So here's for you Bob...

New for 2012: Joyful Meditations.org

Several people from our church (Berean Baptist) have been developing a new internet radio site which will feature conservative Christian programming.  

Joyful Meditations is up and running as of Jan. 1, 2012...Check out the new site at this link.  (or see the link on the sidebar under "Christian Links for the journey") 

If you have children, you will really enjoy the kids channel.  In the future there will be sermons available at this site, and a Spanish channel is in the works also.

This is a listener supported ministry with Sacred, Conservative and Christ honoring programming featuring music, devotionals, Bible studies, and live recordings from concerts, cantata's and choirs of local churches.

family birthdays for the week

New for 2012!  
I will be posting a weekly "family" birthday blog each Monday and plan to include both the relatives of the Baggetts and the Franklins all on one post.  

The first birthday of the year was yesterday, On Jan. 1st - Victoria Spurlin (R).  Victoria turned 14 this week!   

Standing next to her, Victoria's mother,  Debra Spurlin Mitchell also has a birthday this week On Jan. 5th.   Debra is married to my cousin Tony Mitchell.

On Jan. 3rd 
Robbie Kay Blackstock, Cindy's aunt, will celebrate another birthday. Robbie Kay is pictured with her husband Joel Blackstock in a photo taken at the family reunion.

On Jan 8th
Colin Baggett will be turning 9 years old.
Colin is the son of Cindy's nephew Jeremiah and Catie Baggett.


 

famly photo Sunday

We ended 2011 by watching the Chick Fil A Bowl Parade downtown and then a picnic at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Marietta.  What a beautiful day and fun times with temps in the mid-60's.  

Happy New Year!