Below is everything (newest at top) with "family OR " in its title or subcategories. For a strict listing (matching all categories and subcats), click here

SATIRE: BROTHER STEVE MISSING
from 2025 in ( family / holmes / humor )

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- My brother Steve went missing. Our brother Doug sounded the alarm via email after not hearing from him for several days. I assumed that knock on the door and brief struggle that Steve's wife was afraid of had finally happened, and he was now being held at a black site in Lodi. Trust me, you never want to stop in Lodi.... read more

PARENTS CAN RELOCATE ON A BUDGET WITH THESE THRIFTY MOVING TIPS
from 2024 in ( family / home-garden / moving )

Embarking on the journey of buying a new home and relocating your family doesn't have to strain your wallet. This article is designed to guide you through efficient strategies to manage your finances during these significant transitions. You'll gain insights on how to approach the home-buying and moving processes in a way that aligns with y... read more

MOVING TO MISSOURI
from 2024 in ( family / holmes / doug / humor )

The adventure begins. A quiet, unassuming young man and his devoted wife and kids set out for parts unknown, unless you count Missouri as known. Not knowing what tomorrow may bring, they laugh in the face of uncertainty. Collectively, they raise their fists and shout, Providence, what hast thou in store?! The people at the neighboring rest stop ... read more

DOG GROOMING
from 2024 in ( family / pets / grooming / humor )

Someone asked, Do you guys do the grooming at your place only, or do you come to the dog's home? We don't do dog grooming or any other real world service. It's just a family/friends website. Thanks for visiting! Bill... read more

GOTCHA DAY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS
from 2021 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

Today we were finally able to celebrate Gotcha Day with our now-16-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. She and I both forgot on the actual day, December 10th. Her mom, Tara, remembered but Elizabeth was working late, Tara knew it would not work out, so said nothing. Elizabeth called that night from work, saying No big deal, but we forgot my Gotcha Day... read more

KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE FROM DOGNAPPING
from 2021 in ( family / pets / dogs / advice )

If you're anything like us here at Breed Advisor, we simply can't imagine life without our four-legged family members. That's why we were horrified to learn that approximately 2 million canines are dognapped each year.Sadly, dog abductions have become increasingly common over the past decade. In fact, American Kennel Club president Tom... read more

COUNTERFEIT SERESTO COLLARS LINKED TO PET DEATHS AND INJURIES
from 2021 in ( family / animals / pets / safety )

...from China, where they can monitor individuals down to the square inch, but cannot enforce safety laws at factories (or germ warfare labs). Go figure.

If we can't depend on the EPA to warn the public about something so thoroughly documented, should we depend on the agency...Read the ... read more

MY OWN GENEALOGY
from 2020 in ( family / genealogy / holmes )

Got my genealogy DNA test results back. I have bits from all over the world: 1% E.Central Africa1% Native American (Chile)5% Middle Eastern91% Europe (Portuguese, Flemish, German, Hungarian, Slovak) That leaves 2%, which I'm guessing is from the extra-terrestrial branch of the family tree. ... read more

GET RID OF DOG URINE SMELL
from 2020 in ( family / pets / dogs / advice )

Does your whole house smell like dog urine? If so, you've come to the right place! If a dog hasn't been trained correctly or is suffering from a health problem, it's likely that it won't be able to control itself in the house. If your dog is peeing in the house, make sure not to scold it, but rather opt for positive reinforcement. ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER
from 2020 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Vol 1 No 1 Vol 1 No 2 Vol 1 No 3 Vol 1 No 4 Vol 1 No 5 Vol 1 No 6 Vol 1 No 7 Vol 1 No 8 Vol 1 No 9 Vol 1 No 10 Vol 2 No 1 Vol 2 No 2 Vol 2 No 3 Vol 2 No 4 Vol 2 No 5 Vol 2 No 6 Vol 2 No 7 Vol 2 No 8 Vol 2 No 9 Vol 2 No 10 Vol 2 No 11 Vol 2 No 12 Vol 2 No 13 Vol 2 No 14 Vol 2 No 15 Vol 3 No 1 Vol 3 No 2 Vol 3 No 3 Vol 3 No 4 Vol 3 No 5 Vol 3 No 6 V... read more

HIKING WITH ELIZABETH, PART 2
from 2019 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

continued from Hiking with ElizabethThe scariest part was when we stopped. Then he stopped. I had my phone in hand, looking at the map. There was a tense moment until he smiled and said, Y'all lost?Just trying to find our way back to the parking lot, I said. He walked on ahead, but not before saying, Turn left at the next trail, then lef... read more

HIKING WITH ELIZABETH
from 2019 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Went hiking with my daughter, Elizabeth, yesterday evening. There's a nice little park in Thompson's Station with fairly extensive walking trails on its south end, near the water tower. We saw an owl, so, with her new birthday-gift SLR camera in hand, Elizabeth shushed and gestured for me to stop while she took pictures. She got some good o... read more

WHEN COYOTES (TRY TO) ATTACK
from 2019 in ( family / animals / pets / dogs )

Well, I had an exciting morning. Who needs coffee to wake up? It was around 5:30 when I let our pug Joey out in the backyard. I'm standing there keeping an eye out for critters (there is no fence) when, sure enough, a couple of coyotes start trotting toward us, all casual-like as if out for a stroll, not down in a hunting crouch like the cat do... read more

MY YOUTUBE VIDEOS
from 2019 in ( family / holmes / bill / movies-tv-video )

Most videos have been moved to Vimeo. Contact us here for the password.Cracking up over Lottery President (Jun 28, 2013). Dad at apartment (93rd birthday) (Apr 15, 2012) It was briefly unavailable due to its TOP SECRET status, but is now viewable again.Dad, from youth to new age, and back (courtesy of my brother Steve)Elizabeth at the Go Carts (Ap... read more

LIONEL ROCHA HOLMES MEMORIAL DNA FUND
from 2017 in ( family / genealogy / holmes )

This is no longer an active donation drive. In honor of my father and his strong support for DNA testing of the Portuguese people, I am awarding a free DNA test each quarter who is announced in each issue of O Progresso, the newsletter of the Portuguese Historical & Cultural Society in Sacramento. If you would like to be considered for a free tes... read more

A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY DAD
from 2017 in ( family / holmes / lionel / obituaries )

I tried to come up with the best word to fill in the blank in the following sentence: He was the most ----- man I have ever known. He was certainly the finest, hands-down, bar none. Most fair-minded, too. With seven kids ready to cry It's not fair! at any moment, he had to be good about that.He always made it clear that none of his kids was h... read more

TAKING ELIZABETH TO SKATING PARTY
from 2017 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Preparing to take Elizabeth to a skating party, I said, Here, take some money. Go ask your mom for more. I thought I had at least a $10, but only had $6. When she returned I asked how much she had now. Forty-six dollars.What?! Yeah, I'll need most of that back.... read more

PARENTING TIP #426
from 2017 in ( family / advice )

Parenting Tip #426: When taking out recycling/trash, check its contents. I almost threw out our daughter's purse and wallet! #parentingtips... read more

DIVERSITY
from 2017 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Me (folding clothes): I need some of your hangers. Elizabeth: Here you go. Me: Wow, a variety of hanger types, thanks. Elizabeth: Well, I am diverse! Her friends are diverse, actually, but it's an inside joke with us about her overbearingly liberal school whose biggest source of pride is its diversity.... read more

YOU SAYING I'M UGLY?
from 2015 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

I was explaining to my 9-year-old daughter what networking is, and that I'm not very good at it. She said, That's because a lot of people judge you by your looks. And you're not ...You trying to say I'm ugly?I don't think so, she said, but other people do, yeah.Don't you just love kids?... read more

ELIZABETH SKIING FOR THE FIRST TIME
from 2015 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / skiing )

It was father-daughter day (for me, my brother, nephew and our daughters) at NorthStar ski resort in Lake Tahoe. See Elizabeth's First Time Skiing... read more

I LOVE MY DAUGHTER
from 2015 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

There's something on the kitchen counter. I'm thinking it's a shriveled, rotting potato. Not that we usually have that sort of thing on the counter, but that's what I'm thinking. I point at it and ask my wife, What is that?Elizabeth's rock, wife deadpans. She's convinced it's a fossilized dinosaur tooth.I just ... read more

ONE TOO MANY CATS
from 2014 in ( family / holmes / pets / cats )

I was up a little earlier than usual this morning, which apparently surprised one of the cats in our house. The thing is, we only have one cat. Any more than that is too many. This one -- either a stray or just one of the neighbor's cats, I don't know; either way, it's apparently our cat's buddy -- was just coming out of the guest b... read more

TARA THE HERO CAT ATTEMPTS TO THROW A CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH
from 2014 in ( family / pets / cats / dogs )

'... read more

SUNDAY RIDE
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Elizabeth dragged me onto another one of her outings this morning. If nothing else, she keeps me in shape. This time, she was on her motorized scooter (the kind you stand on), while I rode my bicycle. No fair making the new man use pedal power while she rides a scooter, giving only her throttle hand a workout. But first, I had to fix my flat. I had... read more

FATHER'S DAY
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / holidays )

I'm just writing this post to get something new on the blog other than that free ad for Windows 7. :)We drove up to be with my wife's side of the family today for Father's Day. An extra special treat upon returning home was to discover that our 8-year-old, Elizabeth, had decided to trim her hair -- to give herself bangs -- on the driv... read more

HOLIDAY WORLD (2013)
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

I rode a rollercoaster for the first time in I don't know how long. It was a blast! The Raven has been voted most awesome or whatever wooden coaster several times in the past ten years. The Voyage, now the reigning champ of wooden coasters, was temporarily unavailable. Surprisingly, it was good therapy for my back. When the bottom falls out... read more

BIRTHDAY CARD FROM GRANDPA
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / birthdays )

Elizabeth received a birthday card from Grandpa today with $20 inside! She said, I love your dad! Tell him thank you very much! Your dad is rich! I wouldn't have thought such an old person would have so much money!... read more

DAD'S 94TH BIRTHDAY, PART 3
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / lionel / birthdays )

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3Old SacramentoOnce Bijou and her people hooked up with Elizabeth and her people, our first stop was a candy store called Candy Heaven (do not go to candyheaven.com!). As Michael noticed, there's almost nothing but candy stores there. And they were making money hand over fist. Michael was, as usual, smarter and more disci... read more

DAD'S 94TH BIRTHDAY, PART 2
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / lionel / birthdays )

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3The ZooThe next morning, I was up before Elizabeth. I couldn't wait for her to wake up, so I snuck downstairs for some free coffee. She would have freaked out to wake up and find me gone. Passing through the lobby, I said good morning to an elderly male resident. He was pleasant, but mostly ignored me in favor of his morni... read more

DAD'S 94TH BIRTHDAY, PART 1
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / lionel / birthdays )

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3Going to CaliforniaA couple weeks ago for my Dad's 94th birthday, I brought my (almost) 8-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. A couple of family members would finally get to meet her. Her mom, Tara, had no vacation days available and so stayed behind. She was probably happy to have me and Elizabeth gone a few days. Tara dropped... read more

CONTENTMENT IS...
from 2013 in ( family / holmes / pets )

...lying in bed, social networking on my laptop, listening to my wife and daughter fight/tease each other in the other room, while I've got the cat cuddled up on my left and two out of three pugs cuddled up on my right.... read more

FRANKLIN HAS BEEN ADOPTED
from 2012 in ( family / adoption / pets / dogs )

Franklin has been adopted!Our daughter was sad to see him go, but he's now in a good home. And they're close to us, so she might get to visit sometimes.... read more

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
from 2012 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / holidays )

My daughter just made my day. Here's her card to me.... read more

CHANDLER'S A GOOD DOG
from 2012 in ( family / holmes / pets / dogs )

Chandler's a good dog. He's been through a lot in this life (before we adopted him) and will probably never fully recover. Never fully trust anyone again. I know the feeling. Maybe that's what we have in common. Whatever it is, I just love the heck out of that dog. And now he's getting new, like me. Blind in one eye. Mostly blind, a... read more

WHAT CRICKETS EAT
from 2011 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / insects )

After catching a cricket and putting it into her bug cage (yes, she has a bug cage), my six-year-old daughter Elizabeth asked, Can you ... um ... look on the Internet and see what crickets eat?I just laughed and said, Yes, I can actually do that. So, excuse me while I go do that.And here's the link: whatdocricketseat... read more

LESSON LEARNED
from 2011 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

I'll be spending all week (Spring Break) with my almost-6-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. Woo hoo! Yesterday was supposed to be my only day off, as she was supposed to be in school (snow make-up day). But she's come down with the flu, so she stayed home with me.I took her to the doctor, and they confirmed she has type A flu. It's been g... read more

MONKEY JOE'S AGAIN
from 2011 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

This could get expensive coming here on a regular basis at $9-$10 every time, but Tara had a coupon that made it half price. We're at the new one in Brentwood/Cool Springs. Much better than the one north of town near Rivergate. Much more professional-looking. For one thing, all the bouncy houses have the Monkey Joe name, etc., all over them. Ev... read more

YESTERDAY AT HOME
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Tara had a busy day off. Her basic schedule consisted of: 1) taking our pug Chandler back to the vet (for the fifth or sixth time the past month) to check on his ulcerated cornea; 2) awaiting delivery of our new used clothes washer; and, 3) picking up Elizabeth from school. Underlying all of this, she's been sick with a cold ... or whatever... read more

SUNNY CAME HOME
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / pets / cats )

I spent all day today wondering how I was going to tell our 5-year-old that our cat, Sunny, was no longer with us. Literally. After being awakened last night at 2:30 a.m. by the sound of a VERY close coyote, and then not finding Sunny asleep somewhere in the house later that morning -- and she's ALWAYS sleeping it off by that time -- I was just... read more

ELIZABETH'S FIRST PLAY
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / plays )

Elizabeth, 5, came up with the following play just as we were finishing dinner the other day. Dinner theater, if you will. :) We were in Sacramento visiting my Dad, joined by my brother Greg and his wife June.MOM (Tara): Where is the prince? There he is. Will he join me for dinner? DAD : Will my mother stop making me work all day? Can I be a prince... read more

SATURDAY WITH ELIZABETH
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

As Elizabeth likes to say, she and I were hanging out today while Tara had a girls' day out with Ronica. I think Tara's was a belated birthday thing. Hers was on the 10th. Anyway, once Ronica finally called -- after Tara had started to worry -- I was left alone with Elizabeth. We went to the animal shelter and donated several bags of cat ... read more

FIRST FULL WEEK
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

... of kindergarten! Tara's getting Elizabeth ready now. Elizabeth has been ready to go, already jumping into bed with us, then jumping out almost immediately, I guess because she couldn't sleep. Tara will usually be taking her in the morning and I'll be picking her up after. Yes, she could take the bus, but hell no we're not going ... read more

SISTER'S BIRTHDAY
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / birthdays )

Today's my sister's birthday. She must be having a good one, because she has not replied to anyone's email birthday greeting. The previous weekend was our nephew's 2nd birthday party in Smyrna. That kid partied until it was almost dark!In other birthday news, we drove all the way to Smyrna again (10 miles away) to get a free birthda... read more

A WARNING TO PET OWNERS WITH KIDS
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / pets / dogs )

I had to take our dog Chandler (my best puppy, the big man, or Chanva as our daughter Elizabeth used to call him) to the vet Thursday. I had discovered while giving him a bath what looked like a bloody gash on his throat. I was horrified. I literally gasped in shock (I'm such a girl sometimes, I know) :) as drops of blood dripped into th... read more

OUR ADOPTION STORY
from 2010 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

My wife Tara has written up our adoption story in response to that woman (not far from us, unfortunately) who returned that boy to Russia a couple weeks ago. With the recent headline news about the Russian adoption that went very very wrong, I have been asked by many friends and family about my opinion of the situation. I've not been able to re... read more

AN ENTIRE WEEK WITH ELIZABETH
from 2010 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

You will not believe what I've been through! :) Okay, maybe it's not been that bad. You single parents out there are laughing at me, I'm sure. But I went an entire week taking care of Elizabeth, our 4-year-old, while Tara not only had to work all week, but also came down with a cold. So, I've had to start her baths -- Elizabeth'... read more

ELEVEN ROTTWEILER PUPPIES
from 2010 in ( family / pets / dogs )

Help her come up with names starting with the letter B by leaving comments below! comments closed... read more

ON VIMEO
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

In chronological order (I think): Bill in Europe, 1996Holmes Russian Adoption, part 1Holmes Russian Adoption, part 2Holmes Russian Adoption, Part 1 (updated)Holmes Russian Adoption, Part 2 (updatedElizabeth's 3rd BirthdayElizabeth's Baby ShowerElizabeth, Star in the MakingElizabeth's First VideoElizabeth DancingElizabeth's First Hal... read more

AN ENTIRE DAY WITH ELIZABETH
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

I can't believe I made it. Of course, it's not over yet. It's only dinner time. It's been a LONG day. I'm at McDonald's as I write this. I tried to get online with their free wi-fi, but you have to have an account already before you can use it. Now I know. For some reason, this McDonald's reminded me of the one in Moscow... read more

DOWN BY THE CREEK
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / bicycles )

Elizabeth and I went down to the creek this cold fall morning. With all the recent rain, Indian and Mill Creeks both had a lot of rushing water. We walked along the edge of Mill Creek. Usually, we stick to the closer Indian Creek. Elizabeth went as far as she could (or wanted to), then I had to carry her. At one point while carrying her, I slipped ... read more

ELIZABETH CUT OFF ALL HER HAIR
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

In the twenty minutes that Tara and I left Elizabeth alone, she found some (child-safe) scissors and cut off all her hair. At first I thought it was just wet. Then I realized she'd cut it all off. I laughed and said I was just glad she hadn't hurt herself. A few seconds later, Tara came into the room and I told her what Elizabeth had done b... read more

ONE HOUR WITH ELIZABETH
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

We had a list of stops to make. First came Ace Hardware for a clothes line and a no-pest-strip. Elizabeth had rediscovered her Barbie electric guitar earlier that day and brought it with her on this trip. She wanted to bring it into the store, she said, so everyone can hear my music. I said OK. Sure enough, as soon as we walked in, an newer woman... read more

HOLIDAY WORLD (2009)
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Tara just brought me back from the pharmacy where I'm having a prescription filled. We used CVS because Tara had a coupon. She is the coupon queen. Doesn't buy anything without a coupon these days. It's a hobby. You should check out her blog at tarasfavorites.blogspot.com. Anyway, the reason for the prescription is because my back went ... read more

ELIZABETH'S HOUSE
from 2009 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

The other day at the house, we had this conversation:Elizabeth: This is my house.Bill: Your house? I thought it was my and mom's house.Elizabeth: No. It's mine. I'm sharing it with you. Tara and I cracked up.... read more

ADOPTION VIDEOS UPDATED
from 2009 in ( family / adoption / holmes / movies-tv-video )

You can watch them here:Holmes Russian Adoption, Part 1 (updated)Holmes Russian Adoption, Part 2 (updated)To download the songs from the videos, click on any or all of the following:Raúl Di Blasio -- Andino -- Dima Bilan -- Eto bila Liubov -- Django Reinhardt -- Russian Songs Medley -- Stevie Wonder -- Isn't She Lovely -- Amy Grant -- Chil... read more

A FEW MORE VIDEOS
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / movies-tv-video )

I finally edited these a little bit and uploaded them:Chandler hanging outElizabeth's baby shower in FebruaryElizabeth's b-day party in AprilAll videos listed, belowvimeo.com/Elizabeth's First Halloweenvimeo.com/user767842vimeo.com/Chandler Hanging Outvimeo.com/Holmes Russian Adoption, part 1vimeo.com/Holmes Russian Adoption, part 2vime... read more

WALKING THE DOGS
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / pets / dogs )

It's something I do every night. I actually stopped for several months starting in May, I guess, when my back problems flared up. Then came my knee surgery, which kept me from walking much. Then I got to where I enjoyed not having to walk the dogs every freakin' night of my life. :) But then they started doing their business in the house wa... read more

ELIZABETH'S FIRST VIDEO
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / movies-tv-video )

Elizabeth's directorial debut. A probing, provocative, sometimes introspective look at a typical weekend around the house with Mama and Papa and the pugs. : vimeo.com/Elizabeth's First Video... read more

MORE PICTURES OF ELIZABETH IN CALIFORNIA
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

See below.... read more

HAD A SCARE
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

We had a scare a couple of Wednesdays back with Elizabeth. She was at pre-school/daycare when she tripped and fell head-first onto the pavement outside as everyone was told to get in line to go back inside. We figure, being so competitive, she was racing to get in the front of the line when she tripped. She lost consciousness for a second or two an... read more

HOLMES RUSSIAN ADOPTION VIDEOS
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / movies-tv-video )

The links to both 1 and 2 are here. Part 1 has been updated slightly, in case you want to watch it again. Part 2 might be updated eventually, too, if more pictures come in. Here are the links: Part 1 Part 2Note: The adoption videos have been made private. Fill out this adoption video permission form if you want to see them.... read more

CALIFORNIA TRIP (2008)
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / travel )

Tara, Elizabeth and I just returned from a trip to California. We went for my nephew Thomas's wedding (to bride Heather at Lake Tahoe), but it was also a convenient excuse to let everyone on my side of the family, especially her Grandma and Grandpa, finally meet Elizabeth. Tara's side are already well familiar with our little girl. My bro... read more

A VERY ARTSY PICTURE OF ELIZABETH
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / photography )

Just because I liked it, I'm posting it here! :) ... read more

BIRTHDAY PARTY (2008)
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth / birthdays )

Well, Elizabeth's birthday party is this Saturday. She'll be 3, and it'll be her first real party. It'll be outside at a covered table next to a playground in a nearby park. I can't tell you here on the Internet exactly where this park is because you might be a murderer or child molester. You know who you are. Anyway, let'... read more

GOOD FRIDAY
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

It WAS a good Friday. There was nothing religious about it. If you know me at all, that wouldn't surprise you. I was just reading my previous post and wanted to have something more positive this time. We're all still adjusting to each other and getting better at it every day. That last post was three weeks ago and feels like months ago. She... read more

FAMILY NEWSLETTER
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Old stuff, but some of it's still funny ... It's basically the precursor to this website. Click the links in the table of contents, above. Otherwise, just do a search in the home page's search box for newsletter (without quotes).... read more

FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF DAYCARE
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Elizabeth spent her first official full day at daycare yesterday. The teacher went on and on about how wonderful and good and helpful she was. I say first official day because Tara took her to a free trial day last week. Daycare is probably a lot like the orphanage, which is why she flourishes there. It's what she's used to. I can't w... read more

RECENT PHOTOS OF ELIZABETH
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / elizabeth )

Elizabeth around the house...... read more

DOCTORS SAY SHE'S NORMAL
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

Tara took Elizabeth to the international adoption specialist doctors today for a psychological evaluation and another physical exam. They say she is perfectly average/normal for a girl her age. Of course, that puts her well above average for a foreign orphan.We think she's better than any other girl her age, but we might be biased. The psycho... read more

LUNCHEON FOR ELIZABETH
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / lunch )

I can't believe how nice my coworkers at Franklin are. On Friday, they had a luncheon at work for Elizabeth and Tara. They invited me, too. :) Great food, several gifts, and the biggest surprise: a money tree. Tara and I were speechless at that. It's not like my coworkers have any more 'spare' money than we do. Don't worry, we&#... read more

BABY SHOWER
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

Tara's female family and friends threw Elizabeth a baby shower last weekend. I was the only man there. The only reason I went was so that any other men showing up wouldn't be the only man. Oh well. I was able to get a lot on video, and Tara took pictures. Elizabeth received her Certificate of Naturalization the other day. She was alr... read more

PETS PAGE
from 2008 in ( family / pets )

Cool toys here!Pet-related postsCottonwood Creek Pet Spa (Facebook page)Animal Rescue SiteThe fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures, but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot. -Mark TwainPETA not so good at protecting animals?Another pet food re... read more

SETTLING IN
from 2008 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

I just thought I'd mention that Elizabeth is settling into her new life pretty well. Tara is her full-time parent, I just appear after work and on weekends. :) Even then, it's Tara who does most of the work. Elizabeth's biggest hurdle so far has been getting used to our pets, three pugs and a cat. She's ALMOST completely used to the... read more

SUMMARY OF OUR RUSSIAN ADOPTION EXPERIENCE
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

To sum it all up: We love our daughter. Elizabeth is a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent little girl. We thank Russia for giving her to us. Otherwise, we did not enjoy Russia. In their defense, we weren't there under normal circumstances. It was not a vacation. We felt under pressure and stressed-out as we spent most of our time dealing with th... read more

STAY TUNED
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I hope to get the rest of the photos and videos on here, at least in raw form, over the next few days. I think I'm getting over my post traumatic stress disorder from the trip and can now face looking at the video again. :)Regarding Comments, I had to set those to require approval before showing up on the site because spammers have discovered t... read more

AIRPORT ARRIVAL
from 2008 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Some pictures as we arrived in the airport. There was a great welcoming party there! We've never had an airport welcoming party before!... read more

MORE PICS (12/28/2007)
from 2007 in ( family / holmes / elizabeth )

Elizabeth likes bows in her hair Red Square... read more

A FEW PICTURES
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

Finally, some pictures of Elizabeth. They're not even the latest, but it should hold you over if you've never seen her before. ... read more

WE'RE HOME! (FOR GOOD, THIS TIME)
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

And now I'm going to bed! :) I'll blog tomorrow.... read more

STILL IN MOSCOW
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We're in a different hotel, the Holiday Inn -- Moscow Sokolniki, for the rest of our stay. This is the one that was originally reserved for our return from Astrakhan. It has a reliable internet connection, costs less per night than yesterday's, and provides a great FREE (not $60) breakfast. The only drawback (if that, given that the Metro s... read more

RIDING THE METRO
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We're going to attempt to ride the Metro subway to Red Square today. Wish us luck. The exits aren't numbered, they are listed by name ... in Cyrillic. Of course, the overhead announcements are in Russian. One helpful thing is that the announcements are in a male voice if you're going toward the center of town, and in a female voice head... read more

TO THE EMBASSY
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Our last stop before the airport on the magical mystery tour is the US Embassy. They will make Elizabeth a US citizen and a registered Republican. Just kidding about that last part. I wonder if the Children's Hope people will give us that promised tour of Moscow today, finally. I don't really care if they do, quite frankly. For the sake of ... read more

CAN'T LEAVE EARLY...
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

... but at least it's all over. The Embassy visit went fine. Delta said that the only way we could take the available seats on earlier flights was to pay $2800 extra FOR EACH ticket. We said no. Unless someone wants to donate that to us, then we'll call them back. :) As it is, we can't leave until Sunday as originally planned.... read more

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE'S UPDATE
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I went ahead and paid for the 24-hour internet connection from the room. It wasn't even double the cost of one hour. I also swapped out the flaky cable and that seems to have fixed the connection problem. Wrong. I had to call the techs back to fix it. The hotel sure did send up some techs quickly to check it out. Tara and Elizabeth are asleep... read more

RIDING THE METRO, PART DEUX
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

All three of us went to Red Square this time. I'm glad Tara was able to see it. Elizabeth was fascinated, too, but probably won't remember a thing. We then had lunch at Sbarro in the underground mall, where Tara bought some more souvenirs. One more night, then we leave! We'll see some of you Sunday night at the airport. Some of you othe... read more

JUST ANOTHER WEEK TO GO...
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

... maybe less! That cheers me up. That's assuming everything goes as planned ... and it WILL. I believe in positive thinking (when I'm desperate, anyway, because it leads to positive actions, which lead to positive results, or at least your chances are better). I don't always practice it, but I try. It doesn't always work, but it n... read more

PICTURES OF OUR LIFE IN ASTRAKHAN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Tonight is our last night in Astrakhan. So, I thought I'd post some pictures of where we've been living for the past 19 days. We've had many battles over clothing. She thinks I put too much clothes on her. In the hotel room, she wears her thermals. But, she loves her boots. So, she often walks around in her thermals with her snow boots.... read more

BACK IN MOSCOW (12/18/2007)
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We made it this far! The plane ride was terrible for several minutes when we had to fasten our seat belts, which Elizabeth did not want to do. She SCREAMED loudly for quite a while, ticking off everyone nearby. Luckily, part of it was drowned out by the sound of the jet engines revving up and taking off. After that, she pooped her pants (I think fo... read more

51-1/2 HOURS
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

That's how long before we leave Astrakhan for Moscow. Not that we're counting or anything. The bad thing about these in-country flights is that they don't use jetways, those expandable tubes that protect you from the weather as you get on and off the plane. You are out there exposed on the tarmac, which is no fun in bad weather. Once ... read more

SLEEP, WHAT A CONCEPT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I slept on the floor most of last night. It's a little after 7 a.m. here. Elizabeth refuses to sleep in her crib, even though we're told that's what she slept in at the orphanage. So, she sleeps with us in our bed. That bed is barely big enough for just me and Tara. Anyway, Elizabeth can go to sleep in the bed, but whenever she wakes up... read more

NOTHING MUCH TO UPDATE ABOUT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

She's just driving us crazy. Luckily, Tara is taking the brunt of it. I had to get out and walk around town in the freezing cold, just for the sake of getting out. I was at least useful, coming back with some groceries. Elizabeth's sweet as can be and very playful most of the time, but she turns on a dime. The main problem is just keeping h... read more

BOWEL MOVEMENT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I like a headline that demands attention!It's official, I'm a parent. Elizabeth had her first bowel movement since we've had her, and it was on my watch! Tara was unable to put Elizabeth down for a nap while I was out walking around town looking for groceries and sundry items. Once I returned, Tara decided to take a nap herself. We had ... read more

MORE PICTURES (12-09-2007)
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Here are some photos from today of the hotel and the closest major street to us. We didn't get very far on our walk because it was too cold.Tomorrow (Monday) will be a busy day. We file some paperwork at a couple different places and pick up Elizabeth from the orphanage!... read more

THE FIRST HOURS OF PARENTHOOD
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Oh my gosh! She's a handful!Well, we left the orphanage without much incident. She told the orphanage staff that she wanted to leave in the car. But, she refused to let me or Bill hold her hand or touch her other than put her snowsuit and boots on. The orphanage director walked her out and then Vika, our interpreter took her from there. She wou... read more

SHE'S OURS
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We have her in the hotel now. I tried typing that sentence earlier but she shut the computer down as I was typing! I don't know how. But just a few keystrokes and it was shutting down. Now she keeps trying to run away from Tara down the hall. So far, she hasn't cried, just the occasional I don't want to do that sound that kids make. S... read more

PICTURE OF US BEFORE COURT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

From several days ago, the morning of our court appearance. Taken by the other adoptive family in town for their first trip, the Mees. We have one more visit today before we pick her up Monday. Our ten-day wait is over tomorrow, but because that's Sunday, we wait until Monday. Then we start the process of getting her passport and visa, then wai... read more

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We visited Elizabeth again today. We caught her when she was in the music room with all the other kids in her age group. She smiled wide when she saw us, but by the time she reached us, she tried to keep it cool. Like, Oh, it's you. I thought you were somebody else. Just kidding about that quote. I hope I'm kidding. :) After the crowd o... read more

SHE'S WARMING UP TO US
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We had her laughing, smiling and giggling today. I pushed her around on the three-wheeler, then flew her around the room. She even let us chase her around, and it didn't scare her when I chased her!She seemed more comfortable with Tara than she was with me today, so that's good. They can do girlie things together, you know.I forgot to m... read more

IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD WEEK
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

That's all I wanted to say. :)We had a shortened visit with Elizabeth today because we had to first stop by the pharmacy and get some Ben-Gay and ibuprofen for my sore neck. Ben-Gay actually sounds (and smells) the same in Russian, it just looks funny on the box. Then when we got to the orphanage, we had to wait 20 minutes before they brought E... read more

SATURDAY MORNING
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Tara made a good guess earlier. She thinks the orphanage caretakers are telling Elizabeth that we will be taking her away soon. They think they're doing us a favor, trying to prepare her. But now, every time we come to visit and they leave the room, she freaks out because she thinks it's happening now. I would have preferred that they just ... read more

THE DAY AFTER
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Well, we're much more relaxed now that we've gotten past the court appearance. The problem now is getting Elizabeth to like us again. Today, she cried for the first time. She let me hold her, but my Russian words were not much consolation. She calmed down once our interpreter Liena returned to the room. Liena then commented that she was sor... read more

MUCH BETTER VISIT TODAY
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Elizabeth (a.k.a. Masha) was much happier today. We were told that the orphanage caretakers probably were not telling her that we would be taking her away, but who knows? She let me fly her around the room again, which made her laugh. We played piano. Yesterday, she wanted up on my lap to play piano, but she batted my hand away so that only s... read more

SUCCESS!
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

As you probably read below in Tara's post, our court appearance went very well. Ten days from now we will officially be the proud parents of Elizabeth! And now Vika tells us that we get to visit her not just a few times, but every day except Sunday. I don't know what Elizabeth has on her schedule for Sundays, but apparently she's busy. ... read more

WENT FOR A WALK
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

... in the freezing cold, we were THAT bored. I'm starting to hate this place. There's just nothing to do when we're not visiting Elizabeth or going shopping, and both of those require a driver, and usually a translator. I can't wait until we're out of here, but we've got two weeks to go. I'll see if I can't download... read more

AND THE JUDGE SAYS
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

She's ours!It's official! Elizabeth is ours. The court hearing went very smooth. It took about an hour and a half. There was a judge, prosecutor, a rep from the Child protective services, and the Minister of Education. They had a lot of questions about our parenting style, our finances and guardianship of her in the event of both our deaths... read more

RUSSIAN BUREAUCRACY
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Oh... my... God. Do not EVER lose that document they have you fill out on the plane before you land! Stapling it to your forehead would be less painful than what Galina, Liena and I went through today. Vika was tending to the other couple, Nancy and Joel. Anyway, we just spent ALL afternoon standing and sitting in line at the Immigration department... read more

IT'S SHOWTIME
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We leave in an hour for Court. I just got back from breakfast. Tara did not join me because she can't eat, she's so nervous. Gotta go get dressed. Wish us luck!... read more

COMMENTS WELCOME
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I set this blog so that you can now add your comments anonymously without logging in. So, comment away! I was afraid that the requirement for a login was keeping people from participating. Now you can go crazy because you're anonymous. Just watch your language! Elizabeth is reading this, too ... some day. :) Email me if you have a problem using... read more

RUSSIAN ADOPTION CONSULTANT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I've taken a job here as a Russian adoption consultant. The hours are long, and the pay is in barter, but you gotta do what you gotta do, seein' as how I can't leave the country. :)But seriously, the Children's Hope office in Brentwood, TN has an opening for such a job. The hours are still long, but I'm pretty sure they pay in U... read more

BACK IN ASTRAKHAN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We made it to Astrakhan, but I've lost my immigration form that goes with the passport and visa. It's just a little sheet that they have you fill out on the airplane before you land. If I'd known it was so important, I would have stapled it into the passport instead of just sliding it in there. It's not the end of the world, but I c... read more

IN THE AIR AGAIN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Sunday, November 25, 2007, 5:00pm CSTWe're in the air on our way back to Moscow. Delta Flight 46. The current in-flight movie is Evan Almighty, which we saw on one of our other flights to or from Moscow last time. You know, when you jet back and forth like we do, you forget exactly which flight it was. :) I guess it's rentable, but don... read more

BEET SALAD
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

The time stamp on these blog posts are in US Central Time, not Russia time. It's 6am Sunday morning here. We had lunch the other day with Nancy, Joel, Vika and Liena at a Western-themed restaurant called The Horseshoe down the street from the hotel. I ordered some sort of goulash and a salad that Vika said was a traditional Russian dish. I shou... read more

MWEH YEDDUM V AEROPORT ETA OOTRA
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

You probably guessed what that means: We are going to the aiport this morning. It's probably not grammatically correct, but I ain't got no time for linguistic correctitude. :)Unlike last time when the cat kept waking me up, this time I was able to get a good night's sleep. I was up at 5:30, but I got a good seven hours. It helped that I... read more

TUESDAY (11/27/2007)
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Time flies when you lose nine hours. We fly to Astrakhan this afternoon. This morning, we'll be having the free breakfast that the hotel offers. Then we'll exchange our dollars for rubles (before the dollar devalues even more). I could've done that yesterday, but I ... just ... didn't ... feel like it. :)They don't get a lot of ... read more

BACK IN MOSCOW (11/26/2007)
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We made it. The flight was horrible. I think I slept about 30 seconds out of the 11 hour flight. It was not a full flight, and half the people around us were able to take up two or three seats, but we weren't quick enough. The other movie on the flight was Next with Nicholas Cage and Julianne Moore. It's about a guy who can see two minutes ... read more

INTERNET ACCESS
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I'm wondering about internet access now that we've tentatively planned to stay in a weekly apartment in Astrakhan instead of the hotel the entire time. We'll probably want/need that internet access for the sake of something to do. Normally, we could go sightseeing, but when it's below-freezing outside, that doesn't sound fun. An... read more

ELIZABETH'S ROOM
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

The plaque, if you can't read it, says: To My Adopted Child I gazed upon your tiny faceand knew right from the startthat you were sent to filla special place within my heart --bedtime stories, games and laughter --Days of tears and fun--Giving joy in so many ways,your smile still brings the sun--Love entered my life foreverwhen you came to b... read more

SKORA MWEH TAM BOOJUM
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Translation: We'll be there soon. This time next week, actually. I really want to be able to communicate with our daughter Elizabeth when we get there. I've been playing those language MP3's (other ones here and/or here) relentlessly for the past several weeks. Sometimes those phrases will just pop into my head. Ne dyela bolna koshka... read more

ROUND TWO
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We've received our court date. We're haggling with the airlines now. One round-trip ticket for one adult costs a little over $800. One one-way ticket for our daughter's flight home with us costs $1,600!! I suggested just buying our daughter a round-trip ticket (which would be only $900) and not using the return portion of it, but Tara... read more

BACK IN ATLANTA
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We're in the Atlanta airport now! Good to be on US soil, except that they keep mentioning George Bush (... as in the Houston Airport). :) It's 1:45a.m. Moscow time right now (5:45p.m. EDT), but I'm not tired. I'm anxious to catch the flight to Nashville. Customs and security here in Atlanta is sooo much smoother than Russia, thoug... read more

WE'RE HOME
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

OK, now we're home! I'll try and do a trip summary tomorrow after a good night's sleep ... in my own bed. Tara says she feels like Dorothy, There's no place like home!... read more

ANOTHER GREAT VISIT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We're feeling closer and closer to our child, especially after today. And I think we passed the test of having the psychologist there, observing. She was pretty cool, actually. She didn't stay the entire visit. I think she could see that Tara, the child and I are all getting along well. She'll be observing again tomorrow, but we'r... read more

THURSDAY IN ASTRAKHAN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

First things first: Our little girl is warming up to Tara. She gave her a kiss yesterday, I think without even being asked. Now, for some more random thoughts:Before I forget to mention it, I need to tell you what happened Tuesday. I think it was Tuesday. My whole sense of time is pretty messed up. Anyway, it was a momentous day. Yeah, yeah, there&... read more

LAST VISIT FOR A WHILE
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We'll be leaving in a few minutes for our last visit to the orphanage this trip. I'm practicing asking for my baggage back from the hotel baggage room. Baggage actually sounds like boggage. Please is pa-ZHAL-sta. Fascinating, I know. I thought about getting a parting video shot of the lobby as we sit here waiting for our ride. But then ... read more

WEDNESDAY IN ASTRAKHAN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We just got back from today's first visit with the child (we're not supposed to mention her name online). We'll be going back this afternoon. In the meantime, Tara's trying to catch up on her sleep. She had woken up around 5 this morning. I was able to sleep until almost 8. The girl (hopefully soon to be known as our daughter) is ... read more

SIGHTS OF ASTRAKHAN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

I'm attaching pictures we made of Astrakhan and our room. We are staying at the Hotel Azimut in Astrakhan. They are going through major renovations right now. It's kind of funny to see the interior design mix. The lobby is decorated in Art Deco while the rooms are decorated in traditional Russian decor like lace curtains, handblown glass ch... read more

GREAT VISIT
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We had a great visit with our little girl this morning. There were no observers. That happens this afternoon. Vika mentioned we should think about showing more affection in front of the observers. It's more in line with how Russians treat their kids. We're fine with that. We like kids so much, we flew half way around the world to have one. ... read more

WE'RE IN ASTRAKHAN
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

After a nerve-wracking trip to the airport and getting through the airport security we finally made it to our plane. We were told that our Rep, Galina, would be flying with us. We never saw her until we were already on the plane. She was one of the last passengers on the plane, she saw us and gestured to Bill. He figured it was Galina. Her seat was... read more

CHECK-OUT TIME
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We check out in an hour. We got a nice free breakfast this morning, then went back to that grocery store and managed to pay the right amount for the right kind of water (still, not sparkling, which is hard to find). Security guard work is apparently a large part of the workforce here, because every single business establishment we've been to ha... read more

IT'S ONLY MONDAY?
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Monday -- 1 Oct 07 -- 6:37PMzzzDRAHST-vueet-ya, DRAHST-ya, BREEV-yet ee DO-bree-dyen from Astrakhan! I just (phonetically) said Hello, hey, hi and good afternoon (even though it's now evening here) in Russian. I couldn't remember how to say evening.We visited the Ministry of Education today, the people who decide who lives and dies, I m... read more

FIRST TIME IN MOSCOW
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Well, we made it to Moscow!After a long plane trip, we managed to get through passport control and customs with no problems. And all of our luggage made it!Our CHI Rep and driver were late getting to the airport and we were worried, but they did eventually show up. We got our first taste of traffic, and let me go on record to say -- I will never co... read more

ADOPTION VIDEOS
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / movies-tv-video )

OK, so it took a year, but here they are, finally: Part 1 Part 2You'll see all of our videos of Elizabeth, including the updated versions of these, on the right side on the above linked page.To download the songs from the videos, click on any or all of the following:Raúl Di Blasio -- Andino -- Dima Bilan -- Eto bila Liubov -- Django Reinh... read more

LINKS TO ALL HOLMES FAMILY ADOPTION POSTS
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

This Time Next Week -- I'm happy to say that this time next week, we will be in Astrakhan, Russia! We leave the States on Friday, September 28 and arrive in Moscow on the 29th. Depending upon the schedule of the flights to Astrakhan, we may have to stay in Moscow one night or we will board another plane on Saturday... Preparation for Our First... read more

WE'RE IN MOSCOW
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

We'll be spending the night in Moscow, after all, and flying down to Astrakhan tomorrow afternoon. I was stressed out without an internet or even a usable power connection. But I'm obviously connected now. I had the power converters, but not the three-prong-to-two-prong adapter that I have plenty of at home. We ran into another couple from ... read more

TUESDAY (10/2/2007)
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Just some random notes this morning. There's a real stray dog problem in Russian cities; or, at least Moscow and Astrakhan. A lot of people even apparently let their dogs run loose. They're almost all large dogs. The small ones don't survive. There's a real man purse problem, too. Many men have what amounts to a small purse that ... read more

THE DAY BEFORE
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

Sounds like a movie title. Anyway, it's Thursday morning. Grey's Anatomy season premier tonight. Tara says woo-hoo!Flying halfway around the world tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I think I figured out that I can take the SD memory card out of the video camera, pop it into the still camera, and download its data to the computer that way i... read more

TRAVEL DAY
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes )

We fly out today. It would've been nice to have gotten one last good night's sleep, but the cat made sure that didn't happen. Stupid cat. Anyone want one? Seriously. She's very pretty; and sweet when she's not keeping you from sleeping. I'll miss the pugs while we're gone, but if one of our pet sitters happens to lose ... read more

PREPARATION FOR OUR FIRST TRIP TO RUSSIA
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

Tuesday morning. Everyone's still asleep except for me, the pug Joey and the cat Sunny. In preparation for our trip, I'm trying to reacquaint myself with the digital cameras, video and still. I would've put Joey's and Sunny's pictures here, but the camera is connected to Tara's computer, which is off, and I don't feel li... read more

IN THE AIR
from 2007 in ( family / adoption / holmes / travel )

28 Sept -- 3:55pm CDT -- We're in the air on our way to Moscow. A little bit of good news is that it's only a 10 hour flight instead of 12 as we had thought.... read more

OUR FIRST (AND BEST-EVER) DOG, DAISY
from 2006 in ( family / holmes / pets )

Daisy, in various glamor poses. And don't miss the puppy versus kitty (Sunny) death match video!... read more

DOUG AND FAMILY PAGE
from 2003 in ( family / holmes / doug )

Doug sells power toolsDoug's genealogy servicesJana & Doug's baby girl, Natália Irén An entire page devoted to Milanko!... read more

ELEANOR AND LIONEL
from 2001 in ( family / holmes / lionel / obituaries )

Eleanor's back surgery was a success!Everyone warned me against back surgery, she says. But, I'd be in a wheelchair now if I hadn't had surgery!O Progresso newsletterNew book! Portuguese Pioneers of the Sacramento Area by Lionel Holmes and Joseph D'AlessandroMini-Bio Graduated from St. Mary's College (in Moraga, CA) with a ... read more

ENGAGED... FINALLY
from 2001 in ( family / holmes / bill )

Engaged... finally!Tara and I are finally getting married. We've felt married, but now we're making it official, just for the sake of making it official. :) The actual wedding will be August 22, which we've always celebrated as our anniversary because that was the day of our first date. It'll be a very small, quick ceremony to whi... read more

AN EMAIL EXCHANGE
from 2001 in ( family / holmes / bill / humor )

Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001, 2:59 PMTara McKinneySubject: rescheduled againBetter not bring any boyfriends home tonight. I'll be here, after all. It's been rescheduled for tomorrow. Got a call from TekSystems-Huntsville. They've got a contract-to-perm job possibility. I told them that you would LOVE to relocate there! :)Her rep... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 8 NO 1
from 1997 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Once in a Blue MoonVol. 8 No. 1, February 1997A lot has happened since our last newsletter, so let's just jump right in with the news... Mike and Evelyn get married Almost two years ago now (June 21, 1995, actually), Mike married his longtime friend, Evelyn. Only a select few of the newsletter staff were invited: Lionel (PopPop), Eleanor, G... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 7 NO 1
from 1995 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Wandering Eye Vol. 7 No. 1, March 19, 1995We're back! Sorry it took so long between issues, but the entire staff was frozen solid in a block of ice the past three months. We just now thawed out. You know how it is. We should have known better than to visit Antarctica in winter. We figured, hey, it's south, it must be warm. Oh well, liv... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 7
from 1995 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Yee-Haw The only newsletter we do!Vol. 6, No. 7, December 29, 1994Belinda Has Puppies!Another one of Lucy's dogs has gone and had a litter of pups. This time the mother is Belinda, a Rottweiler, and she gave birth to a litter of ten, nine of which were boys. This is Lucy's Nightshadow Kennels' seventh, or G litter. Pursuant to contrac... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 6
from 1994 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Coyote BreathVol. 6 No. 6, October 26, 1994 Don rides to DenverIn August, Don rode his motorcycle from Nashville to Denver. He wouldn't say why or what he did while in Denver. All we know is that he returned to Nashville a week later, but only stopped for a quick chiropractic adjustment before continuing south to Florida.I want to be there whe... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 5
from 1994 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Behind the Eight Ball Who is that behind the eight ball, anyway?Vol. 6 No. 5, August 21, 1994 Jeannie Breaks HandJeannie, a DMV employee in Tracy, CA, broke her hand after falling off her bicycle on the way to work recently. The DMV doesn't allow its workers to drive cars. Luckily, she was wearing her helmet. If not for that, she might have b... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 4
from 1994 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Fish Stories Best when lightly buttered, with just a pinch of lemon.Vol. 6 No. 4June 28, 1994 Tiffany wins awardsTiffany and her horse, Rocky, of Tracy, CA, competed in a local horse show a couple of months ago. See how current this newsletter is? The duo ended up winning a couple of blue ribbons and a few other ribbons. Anyway, congratulations T... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 3
from 1994 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Obtuse Moose Vol. 6, No. 3, April 21, 1994 Jeannie finds dog Jeannie and John have a ranch in Tracy, California. To help pay the bills, they board a few horses. One of those horses, a fat new gray Arabian mare, had been particularly irritable recently. She would swish her tale in agitation whenever someone tried to saddle her, for instance, and... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 2
from 1994 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Falling Down a Manhole (can be quite painful and should be avoided)Vol. 6, No. 2, March 1, 1994 Michael moves!Michael has moved out of his mother, Lucy's, house. It's the first time I've been able to afford it, he says. Believe me, it would've happened sooner if it could have been helped.Sharing a house with three friends now, ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 6 NO 1
from 1994 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Itchy Trigger FingerVol. 6, No. 1, February 6, 1994Earthquake in Southern California!We're sure you've heard all about it on the news, but we just wanted to mention it in case you've just recently emerged from a cave. It happened at 4:31 a.m. PST, January 17, 1994. Centered in the northern San Fernando Valley city of Northridge, 15 or 2... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 8
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Happy Hairball(something we keep coughing up) Volume 5, Number 8 December 20, 1993 Publisher: This guy ->> Editor: Same guy Distributor: Brave little delivery boys and girls worldwide Address: Nashville, TN 37215 A Thanksgiving Feast(an appropriate headline following the above title, eh?)It was a huge gathering. Three generations of the ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 7
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Rotten Apple Journalism with visible holesVol. 5 No. 7, December 1, 1993 Mike Rolls Car!LIVINGSTON, CA -- Remember we told you about Mike's new car in the previous issue? Well, he totalled it a couple of days after we sent that issue out. We're pretty sure he did it just to make us look bad. How it happened was, he was on his way ho... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 6
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Hoot and a HollerVol. 5, No. 6, September 28, 1993 -- Nashville editionJournalism at its finest! -- Yearly subscription rate: $135 Brouns family buys propertyLATHROP, CA -- John, Jeannie, their kids, Tiffany and Thomas, John's sister and Tiffany and Thomas's aunt, Anna, and Anna and John's parents and Jeannie and John's kids' gr... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 5
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

the rabblerouser Vol. 5, No. 5, August 8, 1993Bill moving to NashvilleBill is moving to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue his boyhood dream of being a country singing star! Oh wait, that's Don's boyhood dream. Bill's just moving there for the hell of it. What did you expect? says Bill. To celebrate the fact that Bill is moving two thousa... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 4
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Not Just Another NewsletterMONDAY, JULY 19, 1993CIRCULATION: From 8 to 15 (depending on our mood and how many stamps we have)Copyright 1993 / Enterprises / 2 pages BILL ARRESTEDThat's right. Bill, this newsletter's editor, was arrested -- twice! -- last month and released on his own recognizance by the almighty California Highway Patrol. H... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 3
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

A Face in the CrowdVol. 5, No. 3, May 25, 1993Eleanor Gets LicenseAfter taking the DMV driving test every year since the age of 16, Eleanor has finally passed and been given her drivers license!It just goes to show that perseverance pays off, said Eleanor. Bill MovesIn keeping with his religious belief of moving once a year or so, Bill has done j... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 2
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Sacred CowVol. 5, No. 2, March 15, 1993 Dad sucked from plane!Well, almost. And it was 41 years ago. Hey, nobody can accuse us of being accurate or current (or relevant, for that matter)!Anyway, as a big corporate executive for McGraw Hill Publishers in 1952, Dad was flown 1st class from New York to Rio de Janeiro to join the rest of his fami... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 5 NO 1
from 1993 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Stupid Kangaroo Vol. 5, No. 1, February 1, 1993 Editor's Note: This newsletter welcomes the New Year (kicking and screaming, but that's to be expected) and we wish all our readers (and a few others) a happy, healthy New Year (Boldog uj ev! in Hungarian, but you probably knew that). Did you notice the Vol. 5, No. 1 above? Yeah, we c... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 8
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaping Lizard Vol. 4, No. 8, October 20, 1992 EDITOR'S NOTE ...After Grandma's recent birthday party (see article below), this newsletter was swamped with requests from people wanting to be added to our mailing list. (Someone had apparently smuggled in a copy of the latest issue.) Anyway, our phones have been ringing off the hook ever ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 7
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Belching Frog Vol. 4, No. 7, September 16, 1992Thomas should like this name. Doug returns again On August 26, Doug returned from Europe for the second time in as many months. Of course, his first thought upon returning to the U.S. was to arrange for a stopover in Los Angeles so he could visit with The Belching Frog staff and file his report. ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 6
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Barking Dog ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 5
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Broken Record Vol. 4, No. 5, June 25, 1992Predictable, irritating. Really, no redeeming qualities whatsoever.L.A. riots: The aftermath In the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots, religious and community leaders speak of healing, rebuilding, minority empowerment ... Enough already!!! If I hear the words aftermath, healing, or rebuilding o... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 4
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Squeaky Sprocket Vol. 4, No. 4, May 11, 1992 The intelligent person's newsletter of choice. Riots in L.A., earthquakes in So. Cal and Eureka!Is the world coming to an end? Probably. And did you notice that all these things happened at a time when this newsletter was conspicuously missing from your mailbox? Think about it. Okay, that's... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 3
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 3, March 18, 1992More of the same, basically. Doug elected presidentWith this nation in the throes of its quadrennial tradition of political rhetoric and b.s., one name has gone relatively unnoticed: Douglas Phillip redacted. Never heard of him? That will soon change. You see, Mr. redacted has been elected Preside... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 2
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 2, February 13, 1992 The quintessential newsletter. Warning: May not be suitable for the humor impaired. Elvis lives!Yes, all your prayers have been answered! The King is alive and well! We know this for a fact because we saw it on a t.v. special hosted by Bill Bixby, The Elvis Conspiracy. Elvis is now apparently... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 4 NO 1
from 1992 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 4, No. 1, January 4, 1992Everything you've ever wanted to know about anything. Diane has surgery On December 3, Diane of Hayward, CA had back surgery done on her back (always a good place to have back surgery). And, apparently, everything went well and she is now convalescing at home. Candy and flowers are now being acce... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 8
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 3, No. 8, December 10, 1991 Steve & Denise host ThanksgivingTurkey was served and everybody ate it. What else is there to say? Okay, so it was an excellent meal thanks to the efforts of Denise and those who brought side dishes. And the dinner rolls were especially good.Doug provided before-dinner entertainment with the obligat... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 7
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 3, No. 7, October 14, 1991 Mike lands great job!Michael has been named Executive Producer of Cal State Stanislaus' new bi-weekly cable television show. It will basically be a show focusing on happenings on campus, and Mike is in charge! We asked Mike how he got such a great job, and he said, I don't know, really. They... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 6
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Leaky FaucetIrritating, yet soothing. Obnoxious, yet hypnoticVol. 3, No. 6, July 30, 1991Sapphire dispute settled out of courtSteve of Sacramento, CA, invested in a sapphire venture a few solar eclipses back. He was to be guaranteed 25% profit, with the possibility of 100% profit. Well, the deal went sour. Steve's partners lost most of ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 5
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

NEWS Vol. 3, No. 5, July 6, 1991Northern California's leading newsletter since 1989 (except for those few months when we were Southern California's leading newsletter) Record heat melts Sacto!Molten steel and rubber cover cityThe mercury has topped the century mark every single day of this past week in Sacramento (and several other central ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 4
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

the Evening Star Post-Tribune Dispatch (we couldn't decide on a name) Vol. 3, No. 4, June 4, 1991 Bikers ride to YosemiteOn Mother's Day, John, Jeannie, Don and Diane (collectively known as Hell On Wheels) rode their motorcycles to Yosemite. We had a great time, Jeannie, the club spokesperson, said afterward. On their return trip they s... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 3
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

and now...THE NEWS Vol. 3, No. 3 (yes, only No. 3)April 26, 1991Doug returns from Hungary On March 21, Doug left Sacramento for Budapest (pronounced booda-pesht), Hungary. Taking advantage of a tickets-for-mugs trade with American Airlines (no kidding!), he flew from Sacramento to Chicago and then to Munich, where he caught a train to Budapest.... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 2
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

the NEWSLETTER Vol. 3, No. 2 February 10, 1991 It's a girl... and a boy and a girl and a boy... Chance, a dog, has given birth to seven little dogs. Three boys and four girls! Hasn't she ever heard of birth control? The puppies' names (though Jeannie will never admit it) are: Delta Dawg, Delta King, Delta Queen, Desert Shield, Desert S... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 3 NO 1
from 1991 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

news from La-La Land HAPPY NEW YEAR!!Vol. 3, No. 1, January 4, 1991 Newsletter editor murdered!The editor of this newsletter was apparently murdered some time over the weekend according to police. We think it was our editor, anyway. Nobody's actually ever seen him, so we couldn't identify the body. This edition was quickly put togeth... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 15
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

NEWS, ETC. Vol. 2, No. 15, December 18, 1990Christmas Issue Lucy to Host ChristmasLucy will be having Christmas at her house this year. It's a potluck affair. Only those with food will be allowed in. Says Lucy, It'll be very informal. No dinner table. If you have someplace else to go, feel free. Well, she sounds excited, doesn't she... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 14
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Daily Gargoyle Vol. 2, No. 14, November 16, 1990 Just when you thought it was safe to open the mailbox!Editor's note: For those of you who actually believed, or hoped, that there wouldn't be any more newsletters, well, all we can say is... sorry! These things won't stop until somebody blows up our office... which could happen any... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 13
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Hometown NewsVol. 2, No. 13, October 20, 1990Editor's Note: This is most definitely the last issue. Bill graduates!After seven months, Bill has finally completed his computer programming course! The school, MTI Business College (a school Bill recommends, though not for computer programming) had a graduation ceremony and everything; complete w... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 12
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Newsletter Vol. 2 No. 12, September 17, 1990Your Only News Source It's a girl!!We asked Denise if she could hurry up and have the baby because we wanted to put out this issue. And, sure enough, she had the baby two weeks early! Wasn't that nice? The bouncing baby girl, Kristen, was born sometime after midnight, September 9, and Denise... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 11
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

the NEWSLETTER Vol. 2, No. 11, August 13, 1990 Doug makes pilgrimageDoug, aka Sluggo, made a pilgrimage to the Mormon church's genealogical library in Salt Lake City over a week ago and hasn't been seen since! Several theories have been put forward in an effort to explain his missingness, but we think ... Update: He's just called th... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 10
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Things You Need To Know Vol. 2, No. 10, July 16, 1990 Pioneer Portuguese now availableWorld famous Portuguese historian Lionel Holmes's latest work is now available at a store near you. Don't be surprised if they're sold out. Sales have been brisk. Quick, order one today! Dad had his picture taken and will be interviewed today, Monda... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 9
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

WORLD NEWS Award-Winning JournalismVol. 2, No. 9, June 14, 1990 Dad kills rattler! Special to the NewsBack from a week in the wilds of Arizona, Dad and Eleanor told of battles with man-eating coyotes and vicious attack-rattlesnakes which Dad wrestled barehanded to save countless maidens in distress from fates worse than death. Baloney aside, Dad ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 8
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 8 Anniversary IssueMay 25, 1990Editor's Note: This is the big one! The big enchilada. The killer tomato. It's the anniversary issue! (Aren't you excited?) It was one year ago today that a young man with a dream founded The Holmes Family Newsletter, only to be arrested and declared criminally... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 7
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

the NEWS Vol. 2, No. 7, May 1, 1990Editor's Note: We would like to apologize for that last issue, but we won't. We'd like to say it'll never happen again, but hey... Mike gets jobMike has taken a job as a process server for a Modesto private investigation firm. He had job offers coming in from everywhere, of course, but Mike chose... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 6
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

the NEWS Vol. 2, No. 6, April 16, 1990Back in spite of popular demand. WORLD NEWS Mike is back from Germany and looking very European. (Fancy haircut, pale complexion, but otherwise healthy.) He's having trouble getting used to speaking English again. But then, he always did have trouble with that. Greg visited Sacramento last week to report ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 5
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Big News & Other Stuff Vol. 2, No. 5 Yeah, another new name. March 19, 1990 Mike to return earlyMike has had a change of plans and expects to return from Germany at the end of March, assuming his mom can afford the return airfare. Otherwise, Mike runs the risk of being stuck in Germany and getting drafted into the German Army! Or maybe being forc... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 4
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Billy ClubNews That Hits You Over The HeadVol. 2, No. 4, February 26, 1990Coyote has puppies!Lucy's dog, Coyote, had four little shepherdy things on Friday, the 23rd. Yeah, only four. But they're big puppies, says Lucy. This is the third litter for Lucy's Nightshadow Kennels. And, pursuant to AKC Rule 60609, the names of these puppi... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 3
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Billy Club Vol. 2, No. 3, February 8, 1990 aka Bullseye, Hard Copy, The Holmes Family Newsletter A newsletter for the 90s and beyond!Diane now a doctorCall her Dr. Holmes now. Diane Holmes, D.C., to be exact. She passed her exams last month and is now officially a chiropractor! Diane stated,It wasn't easy. There were hardly any multiple ch... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 2
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

Bullseye Vol. 2, No. 2, January 26, 1990formerly known as Hard Copy; before that, The Holmes Family Newsletter Denise expecting!Taking her cue from Lucy's dog, Coyote, Denise is also expecting puppies, er, that is, a child sometime mid to late September. Congratulations, Denise (and Steve)! Steve to undergo surgerySteve is set to undergo doub... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 2 NO 1
from 1990 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

HARD COPY Vol. 2, No. 1 Hard-Hitting JournalismJanuary 3, 1990 formerly known as The Holmes Family Newsletter Predictions for 1990 Elvis Presley will still be dead. Vice-President Quayle will be kicked out of office and reassigned as Ambassador to Libya. Los Angeles will secede from the Union and nobody will care. The Raiders will move to Sacr... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 10
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 10 -- Worldwide Circulation -- December 6, 1989 Newsletter sold! The Holmes Family Newsletter was involved in a hostile takeover. A group of Japanese investors have taken control of the Newsletter by means of a leveraged buy-out. Luckily, they're letting Bill keep his job as editor. However, they insist ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 9
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter A Newsletter With A Mission In Life! Vol. 1, No. 9 Worldwide Circulation November 21, 1989 The Environmental Issue Only 34 days 'til Christmas And where will this year's celebration be? Well, Lucy has offered to sacrifice her house for the cause. But, if you want to host A Holmes Family Christmas at your house, ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 8
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 8, October 23, 1989 earthquake! Where were you when it hit?Don was just leaving his office on the 15th floor in downtown San Francisco when the whole building started to shake. I survived, said Don. But it definitely wasn't fun. It was the scariest 15 seconds in my life. Diane was at a conference in... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 7
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 7, October 5, 1989Let's face it, these things are going to just keep coming. Steve arrested... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 6
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 6a, September 17, 1989Everyone seems to be on a diet these days. Lucy and Jeannie are trying a low carbohydrate/high protein diet. Don's trying good new reliable starvation. Eleanor is on the NutriSystem plan. Bill is on a junk food diet. And Steve, of course, is always on a diet due to his lifelong weig... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 5
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 5, September 5, 1989 Jeannie breaks elbow Placed on Disabled ListLathrop -- While attempting a sling-shot maneuver during a roller derby match last month with teammates Tiffany and Thomas, Jeannie went over the railing and broke her elbow. Jeannie stated, You should see the other guy! Tiffany and Thomas... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 4
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 4, August 1, 1989 Largest Tri-Weekly Newsletter Circulation in the West! tri-weekly (tri-week'lee) 1. we TRY to get it out weekly) Editor's Note: This will probably be the last issue. See article below. Newsletter Held For Ransom!The Newsletter's religious advisor, Oral Hershiser, received a ... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 3
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1 No. 3, July, 1989Editor's Note: Due to profanity, nudity, and the mature theme of this issue, parental discretion is advised.Mike made the Cal State Stanislaus Dean's List for the '88-'89 school year! There was a BIG write-up on him in the Chronicle -- the Livingston Chronicle. Well, it wasn'... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 2
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family newsletter June 23, 1989 -- Vol. 1, No. 2 -- Since 1989Editor's Note: This may be the last issue. NEWSJeannie's dog, Chance, finally had her puppies. Ten of twelve survived, eight of which are female. And they're on sale this week! Jeannie was quoted as saying Our prices are so low, it's INSANE! SPORTSDad and E... read more

HOLMES FAMILY NEWSLETTER VOL 1 NO 1
from 1989 in ( family / holmes / newsletter )

The Holmes Family Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 1, Since 1989May 25, 1989Editor's Note: This may be the only issue, so pay attention! AnnouncementsWell, the big news, of course, is Steve and Denise's engagement. The wedding is set for the weekend before Thanksgiving, I think, so be sure and make plans accordingly.Lost & FoundYes, Doug is still ... read more

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