2015 actually started for us at a wedding. Our niece Chelsea was married New Years Eve, 2014, so that’s where we were when the clock struck twelve! We managed to sneak in a stop at Lambert’s (home of the ‘throwed rolls’) on our way back home.
Our next trip was to Beth’s parent’s 60th wedding anniversary at their home in Florida. Beth drove down ahead of time and I flew in for the celebration itself. What a blessing and example!
Ed then spent a week in early April working out of his Dad’s house, mainly to hang out and enjoy Ice Dream cones together at Chick-fil-A.
We enjoyed a quiet Bed & Breakfast weekend in the Quad Cities, IL for our 27th anniversary in late April.
May made us grandparents! Eason Bradley Stembridge was born to much fanfare and doting over by his ‘Grammie’ and ‘iPop’ (that’s the last time *I’ll* ever send a list of popular grandpa names to my son!).
July ended with Beth spending the week at Sforzando String Camp (sans Chad or Tyler this year). It’s always one of the major highlights of our year because of the spiritual focus the whole week. Ed drove up for the final concert Friday evening as usual.
August brought another addition (and our second daughter-in-law named Samantha!) to our family when Tyler married Samantha (Mae). They live in Peoria, so we get to see them fairly often.
Beth and her sister Rhonda then drove out to their parent’s (other) house in Idaho, and apparently stopped to have some fun along the way.
Ed drove to his Dad’s again over Labor Day weekend and along with his brothers David and Mike, trenched a new water line from the street for Dad’s house, as well as installed a new water heater. As usual, it took over a half-dozen trips to Lowe’s to finally get all the correct plumbing fittings needed to complete the work.
Beth and Tyler went to Charleston in early October for the wedding of Chad’s good friend Geno.
On our way to Dad’s for Thanksgiving, we stopped at Lookout Mountain for a look-around. The last time I had been to the park was right around 1970.
On our way through Atlanta, we indoctrinated Samantha (Mae) into the culinary delights of The Varsity.
And we couldn’t resist stopping in at Uncle Remus’ Cabin as we rolled through Eatonton, GA.
Our Thanksgiving gathering was a blessing, and Eason pretty much stole the show. He also got to meet his Great-Grandpa for the first time.
Samantha (Mae) was also introduced to the “Hot Brown” at the original Chick-fil-A “Dwarf House” restaurant. Here she is coming through the dwarf door (she’s a touch over 6′ tall, too!).
We stayed home for Christmas, and since Ty & Sam spent Christmas Eve and Day with her folks, Beth and I had an empty house for the first time since Chad was born. As we’ve done the past few years, we enjoyed our traditional Christmas Tree Coffee Cake for Christmas Morn Breakfast, then drove down to the Peoria Rescue Mission where Ed played for Chapel before Christmas Lunch.
Ty & Sam joined us the day after Christmas for Beth’s Big Meal, and we finished out the year with a quiet evening at home.
Between the two of us, we put over 50,000 miles on our cars this year!