Fairy Tale Story with a little sidenote at the top

by Caroline Grace Gill

• I lost a tooth and it is gone! Now I talk silly. And now I look silly. And people say "Wow, wow, wow!" ha ha hee hee

• Once upon a time, there was a princess and her name was Caroline. Everybody said, "She looks pretty and gorgeous." She had a magical car. It flied and flied and flied. She could go anywhere with it. One day, she went outside, sitting on a bench. Right then a dragon flew by and she ran inside to tell the King and Queen. She lost her shoe, just like Cinderella! "Oh no!", the Queen and King said. She found a knight and she told the knight to kill the dragon. Then she found more knights and told all of them to kill the dragon. The dragon said, "I was just trying to be nice!" She found a prince and they lived happily ever after. THE END

Mama Missing Some Someones

by Diane


Today I am missing my two boy-os. This one, so sweet and smiley,


and this one, so stern and serious. The ones in charge of p--p duty. Man, I miss 'em.





This is all the new news of what they have been missing while they are gone on their getaway-and-get-spoiled grandparents' stay....



ALERT!! ALERT!! ALERT!!


Sam is not wearing his muscle shirt lately. Glad he doesn't observe No Undie Sunday. Or No Undie Monday, for that matter.













Scooter looks at all the trampoline nonsense going on and asks us What the...?













The tiling is go-go-going slowly.






Gary had a case of the dropsy** all weekend, justifyably I guess, having to be all Boeing-y all week long. This is with the 80's wallpaper removed--woo-hoo!:







and this is with the first row of tiles lined up. The upper rows will be on the diagonal with lots of wet saw cutting required. Darn, says Gary.









The bottom row is actually glued on now, but that's about all the progress made over the whole weekend. I could tell this a.m. when I came downstairs, oh no! it is going to make the kitchen darker. But I love the rugged natural slate and hope that my sunny attitude of having a backsplash once again will light up the whole kitchen. So, when you look to the West and see a glow over Glen Carbon, that's Diane beaming about her kitchen. When it's finished. Oh, someday, someday!









**I don't think I have ever uttered the phrase a case of the dropsy outloud in my life but lately all these things I grew up hearing are popping out of me. Anybody else heard of dropsy as: not feeling like doing much, no energy? Or am I the weirdest on Earth?

Boating at Sam Dale Lake

by Caroline

The day that we were coming home from Grandma and Grandpa's, we went boating at Sam Dale Lake! And everything that looked like an alligator or crocodile was just a log. And my Grandma and Grandpa Harrell was there, but they didn't go boating. My dad was the paddler. The boys maybe paddled, too.

And we went to the park there and we ate lunch there.

And we went to see a mule! And my Grandma knowed its name, but she forgot. I fed her and she almost bit my hand off! I mean, it just slobbered on me.

Scooter had fun at Grandma and Grandpa Harrell's, too!

(a little out of sequence)

And when we got to my Grandma and Grandpa Gill's we saw my Uncle Bob and Aunt Vicki and we saw Aunt Debra and Aunt Karen came. And my Uncle Joe. And he works at a button factory! He really does! He makes paint for buttons and he's like Joe that worked at the button factory. ha ha ha

And my Aunt Julia and Uncle Neil came. And at The Depot, we had the Anniversary! My mom already did those pictures.

The End.

50th Wedding Anniversary

Once upon a time, this beautiful girl and this handsome boy went out on a July 4th date in 1959, and then the next day they got married. Well, kinda like that.



They lived in Illinois and then moved to California and then Illinois and then California and I'm getting dizzy, but in the meantime, they had these four wonderful children, minus the young children, no offense.

The couple moved back to Illinois (sistermercy, what if they hadn't?!) and lived in at least 32 more houses before settling in on the Gill Farm, the place that will always be "home base." Over the years, their four children accomplished much educationally, got married a few times, and produced nieces and nephews for the original children to enjoy, which could also be known as the grandchildren. The original couple seemed pleased that their first date had grown into this big mess of a family and by mess, I mean as in fish.

That brings us to the present when family and friends coming from near and far celebrated the happy occasion of true love lasting 50 years and beyond, and this became a day at The Depot to remember for our lifetimes.














This family-- there's nothing like it! Well, except for the other millions of family units on this Earth, but ours, well, I personally think it is this one that is really special.




And while I have you all here, saves some postage you know, you are cordially invited to Diane and Gary's 50th in 2046. Mark your calendars now!









(Um, Karen, by then maybe a new dress? But Joe, the pilgrim shoes are ok.)

All kidding aside, it was a most wonderful day and so meaningful to me, and I assume I can say it was so meaningful for all of us. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being together through thick and thin, supporting all of us, sharing your love, and creating this

family.

Happy Anniversary!!

and can we do it again on August 28??

Oh, what a weekend!!

There's so much to say about our past weekend and the fabulous time we had. We'll give you a hint. It involves these two and a whole bunch of others. More to come......

Grant Gill's 9th Birthday

By Grant

One week ago, June 29 was my birthday!

Two nights before, my best friend Chris spent the night but he couldn't go to the City Museum like I wanted for my party. The City Museum is really fun.

At our party at home, I got Lego sets. And I got cool cards and money in the mail. Thank you to everyone who sent me money. I think I will use it for an airsoft gun.

We think Sam misunderstood the invitation since he showed up in his birthday suit!