Brielle Michala

Brielle Michala, our 2nd grandchld, enjoyed the animals at the Yellow River Game Ranch.  Well, at least until this one tried to bite her in the tummy. 

Meredith Joan

Vacation with our third grandchild - Meredith Joan - She is pictured at the Babyland General Hospital when we visited Cleveland, GA, 

during vacation.  The kids really enjoyed all the hands on 

toys and dolls to play with. 

Sophia Martha

Our 4th grandchild, Sophia Martha at the McDaniel Farm Park on vacation in Georgia.  Sweet little Sophie just turned 4 on April 2nd. 

Stephen Ethan

Our 5th grandchild Ethan is hard to capture in photos, but I like this one because he was on the couch playing with baby Hudson one moment and then slid onto the floor to pose for papaw!  Can we say "all boy"? :)

family birthdays for the week of Aug 30-Sept 2nd

Celebrating three family birthdays this week in the Franklin side of the family! 

My cousin Barabara Dorman Wilkie will be celebrating another birthday on Tuesday, Aug 28th.  Pictured at left with her sisters, Gloria and Dianne, at the family reunion Aug 10th.   

Hope you have a great day!

Our daughter(in law) Rachel Doan Franklin will be celebrating #34 this week on Thursday, August 30th. 

Rachel is pictured with her family at this year's family reunion - Brandon and children Haley Grace and Charlie.

Hope you have a wonderful day! 

My cousin Ray Pettit, Jr. will be celebrating his 47th birthday this Thursday, August 30th.  Ray is pictured with his wife Bernadette and they have five children: Andrew, Benjamin, Daniel, Jacob and Rachel.  

Hope you have a great day! 

family photo Sunday

Celebrated mom's 79th birthday today at Cracker Barrel!  Happy Birthday! 

Layton Andrew

Grandson Layton Andrew playing with toys while on vacation at our home in Georgia.  The grandsons are especially difficult to catch with a camera as they are always on the move.  This picture highlights Layton's beautiful blue eyes! 

Charles Timothy

Grandson Charlie T is "talking to the animals" at the Yellow River Game Ranch near Stone Mountain, GA.  We visited the ranch on Wednesday of vacation week.  Charlie will be three in October. 

Haley Grace Elisabeth

             Haley Grace Elisabeth is our 2nd youngest grandchild and the youngest child of Brandon and Rachel.  She enjoyed the visit to see the Cabbage Patch Kids at Babyland during our vacation week.  Haley Grace is now over 16 months old.   

Hudson Noah

 Our youngest grandson is Hudson Noah, who just turned 9 months old while on vacation with us in Georgia.  He smiled at the camera for papaw (me) :)  We really enjoyed our family vacation week!  It definitely went by too fast!  Hudson is pictured above with his mommy (Janelle)

family birthdays for the week of Aug 20-26

Celebrating four birthdays in the family 

this week -

 3 Franklin family and 1 Baggett family

My cousin Greg Brown will be celebrating #38 this Wednesday, August 22nd.  Greg is pictured with his two daughters, Emilee and Lydia.

Hope you have a great day! 

Patrick McDonald will be celebrating #40 this week on Friday, August 24th. 

Patrick is married to Cindy's niece Brandy.

Hope you have great day! 

Daniel Pettit will be celebrating his 14th birthday this week on Friday, August 24th.  Daniel (standing left - in the picture with his brother Andrew)  is the son of my cousin Ray Pettit, Jr. and grandson of Dianne Pettit.   Hope you have a wonderful day! 

Martha Franklin, my mother, is pictured below with Dad on a recent visit to Chimney Rock. Mom will be celebrating #79 this Sunday, August 26th.  Wishing you a very Happy Birthday this year!   

family photo Sunday

 With all the family at Babyland General Hospital (Cleveland, GA)

 the home of the Cabbage Patch Kids!

Sunlight - new CD from the Dalrymple Strings

I am glad to plug/announce/ share the new CD from a family at our church.  We are blessed to hear them play together at church (and weddings) and now you can be blessed too!   

The Dalrymple Strings are four siblings - pictured from left to right on the CD cover are Mark, Hannah, John and Rachel Dalrymple.  

You can view their website and order online at this link to Dalrymple Strings.  

Also, the photographer for the CD cover and photos inside also has a nice blog post and photos at this link to Evangeline Renee: Sunlight CD Shoot

vacation fun with grandkids

FUN WITH THE GRANDKIDS AT THE TOWN GREEN IN DULUTH, GA LAST WEEK.
   Natalie (top) Meredith above left, Ethan above right, Charlie, Natalie and Sophie at left.

 Haley Grace likes her "freedom" to walk at the park! 

Big brother Charlie with Haley Grace 

Online version of the Stroller Cookbook

The 2012 Stoller Cookbook is now available online at goupstate.com, the website of the Spartanburg Herald-Journal newspaper.  The annual cookbook has been a favorite of my familes for years.  This is a great new way to view, read and use the cookbook.  

click this link to read

family birthdays for the week of Aug 13-19th

Celebrating three birthdays in our families this week - 

2 Baggett birthdays and 1 Franklin birthday

Carl Baggett, Cindy's brother, turns 41 this week on Weds, August 15th.  Hope you have a happy birthday and wishing some cooler weather for you that day!   

 

Josie Marie Baggett turns 5 this week on Thursday, August 16th, Josie is the daughter of Cindy's brother Sam Baggett and granddaughter of Winnie Baggett.  Hope you enjoy your birthday this year and have a fun time celebrating. 

Trey Daly will be turning 19 this Thursday, August 16th. Trey is the son of my 2nd cousin Donna Daly and the grandson of cousin Pat Brown.  He is pictured in the black shirt with some friends and his brother Logan (on the right).  Hope you have a great birthday this year!

family photo Sunday

At the Franklin-Keeter Family Reunion in SC Friday with all of our family! 

all about the grandkids week

Our family vacation began this past Sunday with all three sons and their families.  Yes, this week we are all about the grandkids! Today we took the kids to Babyland General Hospital where they make and sell Cabbage Patch Kids.  One of the free things to do in the area, if you don't spend money on the dolls or accessories, etc. :) 

 Hudson Noah just turned 9 months!

 Layton Andrew will be three in October

 Brielle is almost 6 years old, with brother Hudson

 Layton and Charlie watching a video one morning - both will be 3 in October.

 Meredith will be 6 in December, and enjoyed the dolls at Babyland General Hospital today.

 Sophie is 4 and Ethan is 3

 Layton checking out the Cabbage Patch Kids

Charlie, Sophie, Natalie and Haley Grace at Babyland (Natalie is 8 years old and Haley Grace is 16 months old)

 Little Hudson in the cabbage patch today! 

 Haley Grace is a big CPK! 

 Janelle and Brandon taking photos of the kids at Babyland today

 Stephen helped Hudson sit in the cabbage patch so Janelle could take his pic

Meredith checks out a CPK friend!

family photo Sunday

Since we are having our family reunion this week I have been working on a slideshow of family photos from the 1940s - today.  This family photo of the Gene and Martha Franklin family - that's little ol' me on the left there -  was taken in 1959. 

let the games begin

Our family begins arriving today for a week of vacation in Georgia!  This is our favorite family photo so far - taken at the Baggett Family Reunion in Arkansas last August.  Now we have one more grandchild = #9 was  born in November - he is hiding behind Brielle in Janelle's tummy :)  He was there in the womb!