HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

I know its not Mother's Day yet, but Crystal and Daniel went shopping today for my Mother's Day present and she couldn't wait. She gets it honest, I never could wait either. She and Daniel came over here with 3 huge and 1 medium size bags and said Happy Mother's Day. I was in total amazement to see these beautiful dishes with matching salt and pepper shakers in those bags. AWESOME!! I love anything Cherries. Thanks you guys!! You're the BEST!! Love ya, MOM!!!

Vickie

"Me and My Little Man"

Vickie

This was taken about 2 months before we were married. "Oh where, Oh where did that skinny girl go. Oh where, Oh where can she be?"

Vickie

Guess Who!!

Vickie

Diane needed spacers between her teeth.

Vickie

Fat Kats doing what we do best!!

Vickie

Wha' chu' talkin' bout!!

Vickie

Six little Kittens!

Vickie

THE INFALLIBLE 'FAT KATS'

MEEOOOWWWW!!!

Vickie

This is one of my most favorite pictures of me and Bruce Wayne.

Vickie

School Days

I found my siblings and my first grade school pictures. I think we all look so much alike in these. I can even see our own kids in these pictures.

My 1st grade picture

Vickie

Bruce Wayne's 1st grade picture

Vickie

Diane's 1st grade picture

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Renee's 1st grade picture.

Vickie

'PRETTY BABIES'

Renee age 7-8 months and Diane age 18-19 months. Renee is saying, 'Look at that funny man!' and Diane says, 'That one?' Mama made their matching dresses. They were lavender, dotted swiss with white lace. This was their Easter outfits that year. 1959.

Vickie

Me and Bruce Wayne. I'm 3 1/2 and he's 1.

Vickie

Do you know who this sexy woman is?

Vickie

This is Easter 1960. I am 8 1/2 and my outfit was actually a dark royal blue, Bruce Wayne was 6, Diane was 2 1/2 and Renee 1 1/2. The outfits that Diane and Renee had on were actually pink. I don't know where the guy who hand tinted this picture got his information concerning the colors of our outfits.Daddy's pants were suppose to be a soft gray and his shirt was a pretty pale pink, which was very popular at that time for men. The only outfit he got right was Bruce Wayne's.

Vickie

Statistics

• Percentages of what we learn: 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see & hear, 70% of what we discover with others, 89% of what we experience personally, and 98% of what we teach others! COOL HUH!!!

I'm not saying who this is for, but you know who you are!!!!!

Vickie

Danny, Crystal, Cori, Jayson, Makae and I were celebrating Daniel's birthday with a small dinner party Sunday.

Vickie

I think he's had enough for the day. He has already shampooed their living room this morning and now he's out weed-eating. Heck! If I was Crystal I'd milk this sickness just a tad longer. I wonder if she'll rent him out!

Vickie

Well, it's Saturday and D is trying out his new weed-eater. He made sure he put his shin-guards on.

Vickie

Monday, April 25th, is Daniel's 29th Birthday. Danny and I got him a Weed-Eater. Here he is opening it. He's gonna get to play with it tomorrow, Saturday. I think he was actually excited to get it. D doesn't show alot of emotion. He's getting better at it though. Crystal and I are still working on him. Ha-Ha!! Love ya Daniel!!!!!

Vickie

MENOPAUSE

I think I'm gonna have to guit blogging until Diane gets thru Menopause. She's very weepy and emotional and she cries at the drop of a hat. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!!!!!! I just hope she don't take as long as I did. I went thru it for exactly 10 years to the month. It ain't fun and even if you are on hormone therapy, which I do recommend (Natural, not synthetic), you still have hot flashes and major mood swings and you can't do a stinkin' thing about it. The best advice for you if you know somebody going thru it: LEAVE THEM ALONE!! We can all blame 'Mother EVE' for it all.
I think that is gonna be it for tonight. I am too tired to even POOT.
Goodnight!!!

This is Mama with a friend on the hood of somebodies truck. This was probably taken right around her 15th birthday. I love her little crop top and open toe shoes.

Vickie

Where's Diane? She thinks that since her eyes are shut and see can't see you that you couldn't see her. She still has on her Easter outfit except the slip and dress.

Vickie

This is Easter of '59. Diane is 2 1/2 here. I guess you can tell what she's been doing. Yep!! She's been in her Easter Basket.

Vickie

Di-Nane!!

AAWWEEEE!!! It's Di-Nane in her little raa-raas. Ain't she cute. She's 18 months old. This was taken in the front yard of 1441-17th Place SW. The house we lived in where Mamaw passed away. I can remember the year Bruce Wayne, Diane and I had the chicken pox. It was probably around the time this picture was taken. I always got real sick with any childhood diseases, Bruce Wayne never slowed down with anything he got and Diane had guite a few on her. She had one in the palm of her hand and Mama said that Diane woke up from her nap and she stood up in her baby bed and started hollering 'Mee-Maw, Mee-Maawwww!!' Mama went to check on her and Diane stuck her little hand out and said, 'Bai-nad on it'! Mama said, 'well let mama fix it'. Diane said, 'NO!!, Mee-Maw do it!!'

Vickie

This was Bruce Wayne's first Christmas. Here in Mamaw's lap holding his new Dennis the Menace doll. That same year I got a Humpty Dumpty Doll. He was such a fat beautiful baby!!

Vickie

Your right Diane. The picture of me and Bruce Wayne was taken at Elmwood Cemetery on the seat. This is me on the bridge that stands by the seat and you can see the Mushroom Tree behind me. This was a favorite place for our family when we were young. I have alot of memories of going to the cemetery with Mama and Mamaw picking mushrooms. Mamaw could tell which ones were edible.

Vickie

This is me, age 2 1/2 holding my new baby brother, Bruce Wayne Vance, age 2 weeks.

Vickie

My family has a long line of pretty babies. This is my Mom, Betty Joyce Shackelford Vance, age 1 yr. Born Aug. 4, 1932.

Vickie

Hey Leigh-Leigh!! You still got this beautimous jacket? Here also is one of Mama's famous Christmas Trees.

Vickie

My most favorite picture of myself. I am not photogenic and I hate having my picture made. This was made at the church before Danny and I were married. I had left Egypt and had found my Canaan. I was very happy here and I think it shows .

Vickie

My Little Man!! Ain't he PURDY!! This was taken several years ago. Danny was best-man in a friends wedding. He's not too happy about having to wear the penguin suit though.

Vickie

Its Be-Bo and Lu-Lu. How sweet!!

Vickie

AWE!!! Kissin' Cuzzins'!!

Vickie

Praise Report

NO LUPUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"MY AMAZING FAMILY"

This is a great big M-E-O-W out to the 'Fat Kats'. You gals are the BEST!! You ROCK!!!!!! LOVE YA!!!!!!

Crystal

As you all know, Crystal has been pretty sick. When Crystal doen't BLOG you know she's not herself. She does go to her PC a couple times a day long enough to read her email. Her fingers and joints hurt her too bad to type. How about pepping her up with a email, e-card, flowers or heck even a casserole or a bag of burgers and fries. D loves to eat (he can cook but, you ought to see some of the concoctions he comes up with. You would have to be starving). Crystal can't cook and I'm making sure they don't go hungry.
Heck, everybody loves surprises. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!

Christmas 1953

Here's I am, Christmas 1953. I am 2 yrs. and 3 months old. Santa brought me this really cool cowboy/girl suit, boots, guns & holster, scarf and hat. He also brought me a pretty pink rocky horse. How cool!!

Vickie

Santa was really good to me this year. At the time I was an only child. Mama was pregnant with Bruce Wayne and he wouldn't be born for another 3 months. This year, not only did I get that awesome Cowboy/girl suit, I also got this baby buggy and baby, a piano, a chalkboard/desk, a red fire truck those cute little pajamas and house shoes that I am wearing, pink rocky horse and who knows what all else. I think I was ADORABLE!!!!

Vickie

Here I am on my pretty pink pony. I think the 50's were the best years.

Vickie

Mamaw and me in my little red fire truck. Mama said that I found it 2 weeks before Christmas hid in my Aunt Bernice's closet. She said that they were all in the kitchen and I was off in another room playing when all of a sudden they heard a ding-ding-ding and then me giggling. They turned around and I came riding my fire truck up the hall-way. Santa should have found a better place to hide it.

Vickie

Continue Praying

I got Crystal to go back to the Doctor today because she still has a fever, a bad cough, swollen aching joints, weakness, shortness of breath and her hands were swelling. I knew she needed to have some more meds and tests also. After examining her and taking blood he told her that she still has Scarlet Fever and on top of that she has Bronchitis and she has all the classic symptoms of Lupus. They will know the results of the blood-work come Monday.
Please be in agreement with me that there is no Lupus and that there will be no lasting permanent complications from the Scarlet Fever. She will be totally healed and better than before she got sick. THANKS!!!!

Prayer Request

Please keep Crystal in your prayers. As you may know she has been sick for the past week or so, running a fever and not feeling good at all. I sent her to the doctor yesterday after she formed a rash over her body and a fever of over 100 and they diagnosed her with Scarlet Fever. He told her that she no longer had Strep that it had progressed past that into Scarlet Fever and if she had waited much longer that it could get into her organs and she would have some major prblems then. They gave her a shot of penicilin and a Z-pak. If she's not feeling better in 3 -4 days she is to go back to the doctor.

Whoops!!

I have no idea what happened to the script on the next post. Don't pay any attention to it. Just read and enjoy. Take a visual trip back to the 1800's.

Old Pictures

I love old pictures and the first two you will see coming up will be Danny's ancesters. The first one is of his grand-mother (his Dad's mother) and her family. All of her children, grand-children and great-grand-children called her Monnie.
The second picture is of his grand-daddy (his Dad's father) and his family. All of his children, grand-children and great-grand children called him 'Big Daddy'.
I think they are amazing and wanted to share them with you.
I think a traveling photographer use to travel around taking family portraits like this back then. I bet they probably charged maybe a dollar or so, maybe more maybe less. Maybe sometimes they may have done it for a good hot meal and someplace to spend the night.
If anyone has any knowledge of this please comment. I love to know these kind of things. It is so fascinating to hear about our country , heritage, ancestry and how things were done in those days.
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Danny's ancestors, the Carroll's

Left to Right: William Henry Carroll, Lena Carroll, Belle Carroll (Danny's grand-mother, whom the kids called 'Monnie'), Viola Carroll (great-grand-mother), Eason Harmon Carroll (great-grand-father), Payton Lola Bryant Carroll (great-great-grand-mother), Elisha Carroll (great-great-grand father), and Hughey Carroll on the horse. They had it better than Danny's other side of the family. Notice the way the women stand with one arm behind them . They had a nice big house with rocking chairs on the big front porch and a breeze-way that was in the middle of the house which was called a 'Dog-Trot'.

Vickie

The Culver's

This is Danny's Great-Grand Parents and Great-great-grand Mother.
Front Row: Left to right is Walter Lee Culver, Waldo Roy Culver ( Danny's grand-father,whom the grand kids called 'Big Daddy'), Arthur Virge Culver and Beatrice Culver.
Back Row: L to R is Dollie Culver, Mary Morrison Culver (great-grand-mother), Henry Evans Culver (great-grand-father), and Mary A. "Tinsy" Culver (great-great-grand-mother).
This house still stands in Clanton. You can tell that they were dirt poor. These were their best clothes. Notice the little boy in the front row, the one I said was Danny's grand-daddy. He has on a dress because maybe that's all they had . The 3 little boys are all bare-foot. Notice the shawl the great-great-grand-mother has on, how frayed it is. This was took in the winter after a rain.

Vickie

Shackelford's

I don't have any pictures of my great-grand-parents on the Shackelford side, but I do have some history. Mama's grand-father's name was Robert Lee Shackelford. Born 10/14/1866, died 7/7/1934. His first wife was Susan Canzady Sellers Shackelford. Born 2/19/1870, died 4/24/1908. She was only 38 yrs. old when she passed away. They were married on 12/2/1888 in B'ham, Ala. They had 7 children. Lee, Skyler known as Moon, Jesse Issac, Nan, Eva, Theodore and Julia.
After Susan passed away he was widowed 13 months when he married Barbara Hamilton on 5/27/1909. She was born in 1867 and died 2/3/1932. They had no children between them but she loved and raised his children as if they were her own. They lovingly called her 'Ms. Bob'.

Top picture: William Lake Sr., Mamaw Shack's Daddy. He was born in Winnipeg, Canada in 1852. Died 10/02/1036 B'ham. His parents died when he was very young and so he went to live with a very wealthy Uncle. His uncle was mean to him so he ran away and came to America. He lived and worked in logging camps and while there he made friends with the Cherokee Indians. He ate with them and even smoked their peace-pipe. He had one sister by the name of Alice who never saw again after leaving Canada. The picture below: To the far right is Emma Smith Lake, Mamaw Shack's Mother, wife to William. She was born in Ohio on 8/31/1865 but raised in Chicago,Illinois. Died 12/07/1935 B'ham. Next to her (behind tree) is Emma, her daughter, then her daughter Margaret and Margaret's son, Jim. William and Emma had 7 children: William, Margaret, Emma, Estelle, Nellie Mae, Charles Edward and Annie Viola who passed away at the age of 8 yrs.old.

Vickie

My Mamaw

The picture below is of my Mother's Mother. 'Estelle Elizabeth Lake Shackelford'. She was known as Mamaw Shack. She was my most favorite person in the whole world. She gave birth to 7 children. I think I remember being told that she even suffered a couple miscarriages in between some of those. Mama was next to the youngest, # 6. There was 2 girls and seven boys. Hey Bon-Bon!! See where we gets our build and looks, HUH?

Vickie

Mama & me the same day.

Vickie

Daddy holding me at George Ward Park on Greensprings Hwy.

Vickie

Whoops!!

You'll have to be patient with little ole' me. I'm just learning how to work this bloggin' thing and several of my pictures are posted more than once. but the captions are different because I was writting and when I wanted to start a new paragraph I would hit enter and it would publish my picture. Well I didn't know that until I went to check out my blog and saw what I was doing. My teacher, Crystal, is trying to teach me, but its hard to teach an Old Dog new tricks. So, just GRIN and BARE!!

I woke up. Here I am with my Teddy Bear. Ain't I was SSSOOOOO CUTE!

Vickie

Us' Fat Kats' need to get together oneday and go look up all the places I can remember that we lived. I think it would be fun. If they're still standing that is.

Vickie

I love this picture. It looks like a Calvin Kline Ad. This is the house they lived in when I was born. It is in West End. I have the address down somewhere.

Vickie

Look at the finger. You will be seeing alot of that. Not with just me, but down thru the generations.

Vickie