What you have sounds like Gaura 'Pink Fountain'...mine is variegated green/with burgundy. I can't remember what my Joe Pye seedlings looked like, but if the seeds had flights, they are most likely.

Thanks beachlily, we have some pretty spoiled furbabies. And yes, we are lucky to live in the south, even though we are under a winter storm warning, but nothing like up north. I am ready for the flowers to start growing too. Baby Nudger with Radar in the back ground: Grown-up Nudger getting in touch with his feminine side: Sharon

OH, Tracy! That is SO SWEET!!! Thank you! I've been cookin' up a storm! Enough complaining about making all the fudge for that vendor, as Dave called and told me that someone up there wanted to order 3 pounds of it from me!!! Yippee! So, had to make more fudge, plus that which my hubby wants to put in the "care packages" that we are giving to all the families on my side. And cookies... I had to run the fudge up to Des Moines today, but I had alterior motives for offering to do that - I wanted to badly to go to Michaels and get William some good art stuff. He is such a drawer! I got him a good sketch book, a set of oil pastels, a set of chalk pastels, and some good pencils and an artist eraser. It was all on the cheaper side - each of the pastel sets was $4.99 - no biggy compared to the sets I saw that were upwards of $80!! Anyway, last year I got him one of the cheap artist kid sets, and he has loved that thing! So, this year we decided to get him some "real" artist things. I still want to get some charcoal pencils for him, as I forgot to get those today - Lily was a bit distracting. Oh, and then I got Elizabeth one of the art sets that I got William last year, because she was so envious of that! She'll love it! I am getting so frustrated on waiting on packages!!! I waited until the last minute, but paid the crazy prices people wanted to get it shipped Priority, and figured if it was sent on Monday or Tuesday, I should get it in time! Only one of the 5 packages has made it yet! Then, the stuff I ordered from Amazon for my nieces and nephews - one of the boxes arrived as planned today, but there was one box that was supposed to arrive yesterday, and was in Indianapolis as of this morning. Later today is said leaving Des Moines and out for delivery. So, I watched and watched and watched - finally I looked again around 7 this evening, and it said "Checked back into Des Moines due to external prolems" I'm like, WHAT???? Ugh! Anyway, hopefully it will get here tomorrow or Monday!!! It has the stuff for all my nephews!! Would you believe I have 7 neices and nephews, and not one is over the age of 3??!! Crazy, huh? And here I am with my oldest being 14, and even having stepsons 22 and 23 (or something like that - my brain's not all here this evening!) Anyway, I am hoping my packages arrive, as they are ALL the video games I ordered for my boys!!! If not, I'll be having to go out and buy them new! Oh, then today I got an email with some really good deals for Lily at Amazon, plus William mentioned on other Bionicle he wanted (and I wanted to get, as all the other stuff he put on his list were video games) - but of course to get it shipped now for Chirstmas is $26!! So, we decided to order the goodies, and save the ones for Lily and put a note in William's stocking, saying that he has one more gift coming that's a surprise. That will keep him suspenceful! Okay, the boys have to be asleep by now, so it's safe to go down and get their stuff! Oh, Tracy, the supper sounds so nice! I'm happy you and Ed got to go out!!! My kids have that habit of trying to lick their plates - we always say, "You are NOT a dog!!" : ) (But it makes me feel good that they liked their food so much!) Okay, did I write enough to make up for my absence?? Becki

Thank you all for listening! For those who don't know my DH (Matt), some months back he decided to get a job through Dyncorp. He is a police Officer and thought teaching Afphganistan Police would be a wonderful experience for him. He would work a year then get back on with the Police Force but instead he reinlisted in the Army because he felt he always had the Military in his blood. I suppose he will now retire from this career. I support him 100% but also have been through this before and know what is involved. He will be back at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri August 18th. But can't come (our) home to NC until Oct.9th. I am hoping I can drive (long distance drives, scare me) up there with my two sons to see him when he is back. It seems the closer to this date the more he would feel better but he seems to think the days are getting longer and it will never come. His morale is very low right now. He is also worried because we WERE going to be stationed in Texas so I was preparing to sell the house but found out last month that we would not know for sure until the end of Sept. Now we are stuck waiting and wondering what to do. He could be stationed here at Ft Bragg and we wouldnt have to move, which would be great since we live about 30 minutes from the base. We just don't know yet. I am already tired of the Army motto "Hurry up and wait". If I may ask anyone that has been through this, how do you go about moving in a short amount of time having owning a home. The first time around we didn't own a house. I know we can't sell our home in a month ( if we have to move). Homes are not selling at all around here. And we cannot afford to keep paying payments here in NC while living somewhere else. Susan