Celebrating with a Dr. Seuss-themed party

Two sweet little girls turned one here on Baldwin Dairy Road this past Friday, Feb. 8th.  I can't believe a year has gone by!  Bob and Danielle Bruces’ twin girls, Rylee and Harper celebrated their first birthday with a party for close friends and family on Sunday afternoon.  The theme of the party was taken from Dr. Seuss and they each had their own little cake with "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" wrote on the top of them.  The girls also had on Thing 1 and Thing 2 outfits to match the characters from the book.  Danielle said it was the first time that the girls had tasted sugar in anything and Rylee dived into hers but Harper just looked at hers, wanting nothing to do with it!  Everyone else loved their cupcakes and other refreshments!  Grandma Connie and William Zachary gave the girls their first tricycle, which they loved.  The only set of great-grandparents, Melvin and Ruth Stapp, also got to come and enjoy seeing the little ones.  Happy Birthday, Rylee and Harper!

We all extend our sympathy to the Duvall family of Greshamville in the death of Lorraine Duvall last Monday.  Lorraine was the daughter of the late Herman and Eva Duvall and the sister of Tim and Danny Duvall also of Greshamville.  Back when our Uncle Bryson was married to his first wife, Faye Duvall, whenever we would have our Cronic get-togethers all or some of the Duvalls would come, too.  Everyone would bring covered dishes that would be put out buffet style and you would eat wherever you could; outside or inside.  So, we all came to know all the Duvalls pretty well.  Lorraine was born deaf and dumb and the only way to communicate was by sign language.  She went to school over at Cave Springs, at the  Georgia School for the Deaf.  She was a sweet, sweet person and a hard worker at whatever she attempted to do.  She had some hard times in her life, but always kept a good and sweet attitude.  She will be missed.

We also extend our sympathy to the family of Juana Abarca in the Fairview community after a lengthy illness.  Juana was the wife of Jay Abarca who has helped some with yard work in the area as well as milking cows for Ben Bruce until he sold out.  Services were held at the Catholic Church here in Madison on Saturday and then the family gathered at their home on Halls Lane afterward for a private memorial and meal.

Mama and Daddy have heard from their Korean friends and they have made it back to their homeland, South Korea!  They had quite an adventure.

I left out Sandra Brown's name last week in the 1963 class get-together, which she and Harriette Young attended.
I enjoyed going to see Maggie Harper square dance this past Thursday night in the Morgan County Primary School gym.  It was so cute and fun.  Maggie had the cutest little partner and they swung their partner and do-si-doed!  Marty and Connie Wilson were there to watch Peyton Fortson and Sally and John Hensley were there to watch Christopher Morgan square dance also.  Good times!

Bruce and I, Harriette Young, and Luke and Thrasher Wilkins attended the Valentine Invitational Gymnastics meet in Tucker on Saturday.  Raegan won first in all her events and had the highest overall score for her age group and level (Level 5) and her team from Georgia Elite Gymnastics took first place also.  Our girl just keeps on going!
Jack and Karen Lindsey spent a long weekend in Cherokee and Maggie Valley, NC this past weekend.  I think they got in a little skiing as well as seeing all the sights.

Joanie and Ben Bruce traveled to Greenville, SC on Friday to pick up her brand new novel, "Alana Chandler; Marked for Murder," hot off the press.  She had her first book signing up at their church, Belmont Baptist Church at Conyers, on Saturday afternoon.  I believe she is planning one here in Madison also, which we will have to look for.  Congratulations, Joanie!
Gertrude Pugh has been a patient in the hospital in Athens.

John and Mary Ellen Shannon have returned home after spending two weeks down in Florida visiting and spending time with their children and grandchildren.

Will Porter, son of Chip and Shannon Porter, and Constance Johnson, daughter of Cuyler and Christy Johnson, participated in the Charles Bell Memorial Farm Bureau Dairy Show on this past Thursday at the Morgan County Ag Center.  Will won Reserve Grand Champion and Constance won Grand Champion.  Congratulations to these two young people for a job well done.  The 4-H Show team will now get ready for the UGA Show to be held the last week in February.
Stephanie, Peyton, Elise, and Meri Kenny of Acworth came for a visit to Grammy and PaPa's, (Steve and Sarah Nell Craig) on Porter Road this past Saturday.  This was Elise and Meri's first visit to their grandparents.  Nell Porter, Janice and Chuck Philippi, Dan, Sally, and Madelyn Porter all ate lunch at the Craig's on Saturday.

The Buckhead Station Restaurant in Buckhead is now offering a big salad bar during their lunch hour as well as everyday plate specials and grill items to order.  There is always homemade desserts also.

There will also be a circus coming to the Rockin' S Arena barn at 1110 Reids Ferry Road, right off of Parks Mill Road past Buckhead.  It will be next Wednesday, February 20 with shows being at 5 and 7:30 p.m.  There are free children's tickets at most of the stores and convenience stores and I think they are passing them out at the schools.  You can also order adult tickets at www.walkerinternationalevents.com.  If this one is as good as the one we went to over at Bishop last year, you are in for a treat!  Rockin' S Arena is owned by the Flagers who live over on Barrows Grove Road.

Esther Bruce along with the Antioch Baptist Church family in Godfrey wants to invite all the ladies to a Ladies Mission Extravaganza to be held on Monday, March 11, from 7-9 p.m. to be held at Madison Baptist Church.  The special speaker will be Judy Shafer, a missionary to Southeast Asia.  For more info you may contact Esther at esthercurry@gmail.com or 706-474-5963

Printed in the February 14, 2013 edition