Long Time!

Gee, I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted!  It's mostly because life has become rather "ho-hum" lately.  Hubby has been working A LOT, and so I've mostly been left to my own devices.  That usually means trouble (and often a trip to the ER), but really, only one wee bit of trouble has materialized.  This time it isn't me who needs a little patching up, but rather my new car!  I managed to back into a pole at the car wash.  I wasn't there to wash my car, and it's a long, rather stupid story on my part so suffice it to say I'm just a tad bit peeved at myself.  At least it's minor.  It will have to wait until after the family reunion(s) at this point.  We are just hoping that it won't take forever to fix, and if we cross our fingers and toes, maybe the "ding" insurance we have on it will suffice.

It's just so sad because the car is so new.  Hubby was breathing a sigh of relief that I was the one to do it!  

Last Sunday we made another quick trip to Bandera, TX to take kids to camp.  It was a really long day, but so worth it for the kids.  Our son and daughter-in-law saved the day by loaning us some movies.  The kids decided to watch "The Blind Side".  We couldn't watch it, but we could listen to and watch it in our minds so it really helped the time go faster. (Bandera is close to San Antonio, and about a 6 hour trip - one way.)  I did some sewing on the way down, and managed to do some reading on the way back home.  Hubby even let me drive a bit!

I've totally lost track of the days since life has been so topsy-turvy lately.  My days have mostly been spent cleaning, doing laundry, and working out in the yard. You know - exciting stuff!  Oh....and sewing!  There's always a project (or 2...or 3...or....well...MORE) that I'm working on.  I'll let you all in on those at some other time.  Right now I need to go make supper for Hubby.  He's actually home for dinner tonight, and we're eating at home!  How about that!

Gratitude for:
- Radiation treatments are done for my friend Jean!  YIPPEEE!!  Congrats!! You made it.
- Having Hubby home for quiet evening
- Being able to fix Hubby's favoite chair for free!  Thank You, La-Z-Boy.
- Watching baby Andrew start to laugh and coo!  

Bike Ride Anyone?

Someone found this cool web experience on Huffy.com , so I thought I'd share with all of you!  If you type in an address, you can go on a bike ride around the area. If you don't have an address, you can just type in the name of a town.  (Even a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of town!) It moves kind of slow, and sometimes the streets are limited to what direction you can go, but it's still really interesting.   You can zoom in or out so you can determine how you want to see your landscape and of course you're riding a Huffy bike!  I typed in some pretty small town areas and it came right up. Go ahead and click on the link and give it a go.  Have fun!

By the way, on a rather sad note, I am no longer in first place in NASCAR fantasy racing.  Really....all I wanted was to win the first segment (there are three) and I only had one race to go.  I knew the fall was bound to happen, but I could almost hope.  Some snake beat me, he said he was really sorry, but he beat me fair and square.  I know all that, but seriously, does he look sorry to you?

Gratitude for:

- Fun and Laughter

- A great guy in my life!

- Morning walks with a friend

- 

Simplify

Life seems to be getting more and more crazy with meetings (yes, I know, adding city council meetings into the mix is NOT simplifying), work demands, and well....just life.  I am feeling the need to simplify not only the amount of possessions that consume my time, but also my lifestyle in general.  I find myself being drawn towards a lifestyle that affords more time for reading and communing with my God, meeting the needs of those who matter most in my life, and sewing and completing the vast number of unfinished projects that lurk in the shadows of the closets in my house (this alone will take up most of the rest of my life!)

I have made a concerted effort to cut down on my computer time, and Hubby and I have instituted a nightly curfew on electronic use - other than the TV since we almost exclusively get our news at 9:00, and we usually turn it off after the weather anyway.  At least we are watching together! The phone is an exception to that rule also, but only for calls.  Last night I turned off my phone for the ceremony, but turned in on shortly after.  I live a significant distance from my elderly father, and it kind of freaks me out not to have my cell phone on in case he needs me!  Really - the only phone calls that occur after 9:00 in our house are usually those of an urgent nature anyway.  It has only been a short while since the mandate has been made, but I think we both find it somewhat of a relief to end the day on a quieter note.

It always amazes me (although I don't know why it does) that whenever I feel led to do something, things come across my reading list that seem to reinforce the whispers in my heart.  Today I read an article published by the Alban Institute that talked about exactly these issues.  Two of the points that were made really jumped off the page to me.

The first was simply to Breathe!  I am the queen of multitasking - so much so that often something gets lost in the midst of the day - it's usually my brain.  It usually just gets muddled to the point where it doesn't function very well at all.  I have a friend who laughs with me because I am constantly saying that "when this is over, maybe I can breathe a little!"  Trouble is, when that thing is over, something is right behind it to take it's place.  Today's reading rather pointedly suggested that rather than immediately rushing from one activity to another (or constantly having more than one thing going on at once), we (I) should take a moment to breathe deeply between them allowing myself to be open to God's Spirit to lead me through my day.  I have to chuckle because despite the fact that I have painted "Let the Spirit Breathe" above my front door, I rarely actually choose to do so!

The second point was made to walk prayerfully.  The suggestion was made to park away from wherever our destination is to allow time to walk prayerfully and again, allow the Spirit space to work in our lives.  (There are also side physical benefits to this as well as soul benefits!) I really think that instituting these practices can dramatically change anyone's life - and especially my own.  These on top of my daily practice of gratitude and WOW...

I'm off to breathe little now.  Want to join me?

Gratitude for:
- The time to breathe and appreciate God's blessings
- Life stories shared by those around me
- Getting some projects finished!

Swearing In

Tonight's festivities were held in the city council chambers.  It's now official!  The kids were able to join us for the swearing in ceremony.  Councilman Newby took his seat, seconded a motion, and cast a vote. I'm not sure whether he's most proud of his council seat or our new grandson.  Either way, he's a winner with me!

Gratitude for:
- Celebrating special life events with family!
- New adventures
- Supportive friends

And the Winner Is......

It has been a jam packed week around our household.

I was able to spend some Nana time with our new little wonder on Wednesday while Grandpa spent some quality time on the golf course.  Although Hubby loves his weekly outing, he was a little jealous of my cuddle hour.  (Never fear, he'll get his cuddle time in too.) It was my favorite time of the week though.

Most of the week was spent winding down the campaign of my favorite candidate.  Some interesting turn of events occurred as election day approached and reached a fevered pitch.  One of the current city council members decided to run an add endorsing my candidate without his permission.  Although an endorsement is always a positive, he was not too happy about the content promising something he was not at all sure he could deliver on.  Fortunately, he was notified of the ad in time to make a change - namely taking his name off the ad!  I am proud that he is a man of integrity!!  Most of the rest of the week was spent making calls, getting people to the polls, talking to people about their vision for the city, and listening, listening, and more listening.    We have a new city newspaper that we are enjoying, and they did a great job covering the pre-election day forum and candidate platforms.

Election day arrived in conjunction with the dreariest rainy day that we have had for awhile.  It was much needed rain, and while my rain barrels are full again, I had hopes for a sunny day that would bring people to the polls.  Hubby got up and went to an early breakfast, and then drove to City Hall to see what was happening.  What was happening was that the candidates were setting up tables and the voters were arriving in record numbers despite the rain!  Hubby decided he should stay and do some campaigning and ended up spending the entire day there.  (And yes, he managed to do some baby kissing before the polls closed!)  It was a tense day with so many candidates and so many voters.  The great news is that our community wins!  It's wonderful that there is so much interest in our city and it's leaders.  The more people who are involved, the more we can accomplish!

The polls closed at 7:00pm.  We had a steady stream of people stopping by the house, as well as calling in for their support.  Sometime around 9:45 a neighbor rang the doorbell, and excitedly offered his congratulations.  Although we had not been able to get the results yet, his diligence paid off and he was able to be the one to announce the big WIN! - Not only a win, but the candidate with the most votes out of the three who won places on the council.  It was a late night of congratulatory phone calls and house calls. Now the REAL work begins.

During the day Saturday, I got a call from our next door neighbor excitedly telling me to get outside quick!  There was no other information, so I anxiously ran out the door.  As I headed for their house, they yelled at me to "TURN AROUND!!"  This is what all the excitement was about:

If you look really carefully, you can see the double rainbow.

 There was the brightest double rainbow I have ever seen!  It was the talk of the entire town.  So incredible.  The entire "lens" of the earth could be seen - end to end.  It lasted that way for almost 20 minutes!

All in all.....a day to remember!

Gratitude for:

- Baby cuddles

- Amazing rainbows that come with amazing promises from God.

- Great new leadership for our city.

Miracles

Yesterday was a day of Miracles. We started the day by welcoming our newest grandchild into the world.  He is a miraculous, perfect baby boy.  He was the only baby in the nursery! (Well, technically he had company, but we only had eyes for one.)  His facial features are those of his mother, and the hair color of his father.  Mommy had wished for Daddy's hair, so she is thrilled. He was taking in his new world with intent yesterday.  He opted to just lie back and absorb everything.  He has bright eyes that seem eager to learn everything around him.  He wasn't wasting much time on sleep, and although we know he can cry, he only expressed himself once that we heard.  Maybe he has his father's temperament - Daddy was a laid back little guy himself.

One of the hardest things about a blog is conveying the emotions and thoughts to the readers.  I find this particularly hard this morning.  How do you to tell people of the love you have for such a family?!  How you can't take your eyes of that precious boy because you want to memorize every minute part of him and keep it close to your heart!  How you want to scoop them all up, love and protect them, and never let go.  How you watch your son, in an instant, become a parent so full of love and concern. (The second miracle.  You know it's going to happen, but it's such a miracle to watch it unfold so quickly!)  How you watch the three of them grow into a family before your eyes and how you can see the love that burns so deeply for that little child.

I have to confess that it is during this birthing process that I miss having a daughter.  Mothers and daughters have such a bond that I will never be able to experience and I'm a tad bit jealous.  They get to share the intimacies and quiet moments that we mothers of sons miss. I find myself missing my own mother(s) so much.  I wish he could be cradled in his grandmother's arms as much as my own.

The third miracle of the day was actually the miracle of technology.  My father lives hundreds of miles away, but by yesterday evening was proudly holding baby pictures in his hands.  He was so overjoyed.  He doesn't own a computer, but I was able to email pictures to family and friends.  My aunt had prints made and took them to him.  What a wonderful blessing!

Welcome to the world, little guy!  We love you!!

Gratitude for:
- Happy, healthy Mommy and Baby!
- Watching miracles unfold, and knowing that this new family are nestled in God's hands.
- Being able to share pictures and the good news to friends and family in an instant!

It's That Time Again!

No one will ever accuse me of being overly patriotic or of being especially politically savvy, but I can tell you that I feel strongly that it is important for us each to exercise our right to vote.  It is truly a privilege afforded to us in this country.  Men and women have died, and continue to die, because of such freedoms.  It seems everywhere we turn that people are discontent with life in America.  The voices are raised on our televisions, on  the bumpers of our cars, and throughout the social media that so many of us enjoy.  Yes, there is much that can be addressed, and much that needs to be "fixed" in the good old USA, but if you don't vote, can you really complain?  There are other countries who pretend to hold elections, but often they are held with threats (some at gunpoint).  We take soooooo much for granted.  We give in too easily when we are discontent.  It is easier to complain than to actively participate in the process for change. We become cynical about our political system choosing to believe our votes can't make a difference. Our votes can make a difference however - especially at the local polls.

Early voting for municipalities here in Texas began today. Election day is May 12th.  In our little burg, there are 7 people running for 3 city council seats. Believe me, voters have the opportunity to significantly impact the future of our city!  I doubt that we are in the minority!  Wherever you are - when your community is holding local elections - GO VOTE!  You can make a difference!

Gratitude for:
-Freedom to vote!
-People who are willing to step up and work for our communities to make them great places to live
-Good friends who stop just to chat
-Dinner with Hubby - even if it has to be fast!

CPR

OH...Don't worry!  No human cardiac arrest going on here.  It's just my Kindle.  It's been feeling rather neglected lately as I have opted for other electronic means to access my vast (and mostly free) library of books. Really, I've had precious little time to read lately other than my penchant for not sleeping lately.  Reading really does help with that issue as it clears my mind from the other thousand things swirling around in that small space.   I must confess that some of my inability to find time to read comes from two sources: 1) Zuma and 2) Words With Friends.  (Mostly Words with Friends)  That's another issue.

Anyway.......my Kindle died.  Completely.  The screen displayed these ominious words: Critical Battery!  Charge at Once!  I tried.  I failed.  The little yellow light would come on and then flick off immediately.  I charged it for several hours.  Still those words glared at me.  I was ready to toss it into the trash and say a few words of regret over it - none of which were exactly pleasant.  Although I have alternate ways to read, I really like being able to toss my Kindle into my purse or the console in my car and having access to lots of options when I'm sitting in a Dr.'s office or waiting on a train.  (Both of which I do on a regular basis.)  Instead of "filing" it away a couple of days ago (I just couldn't make myself), I wrapped the cord around it and tucked it into a small space under a basket....with a face that added more wrinkles around my mouth.

Today, I saw it peeking out.  Again, I just couldn't bear the thought of it sitting in some landfill or on some stranger's desk all nekked and spilled guts everywhere.  In desperation I got online and and clicked the live chat help button at Amazon.  Amar...(really, that was his name - probably in the real Amazon.......sitting in the rainforest somewhere chatting with all us monkeys).... is now my friend.  He told me that since the warranty had expired they could replace it for half price.  Nope!  I pretty much confessed that if I had to toss it, I was heading to Barnes and Noble. I know, shameless.  As a last ditch effort he told me I might be able to "hard shut down" the device, plug it in, say a few Hail Marys and miraculously bring it back from it's near death experience.  He wished me well, and pretty much told me that he'd be waiting for me to contact him for a new device.  Big sigh from both of us.

Well..............IT WORKED!  IT REALLY WORKED!!  I have a new respect for not only my trooper of a Kindle, but for Amazon customer service.  Thanks Amar, but I won't be talking to you anytime soon! (I hope.)


Gratitude for:
- A spouse who can sleep just about anywhere with just about any level of artificial illumination!
- Amazon Customer Service
- A working Kindle

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

For Hubby's birthday (or was it Christmas??) I gifted him with tickets to some Ranger's games this season. I really like this venue.  It's not steeped in tradition like Wrigley Field is, and it's not brand new anymore, but I still enjoy going there.  I love the architecture, and the fact that there are escalators doesn't hurt either!!!   

Lights on the perimeter of the second deck

I think that part of the reason I enjoy going there has nothing to do with the game. There are lots of great memories.  We used to go to the ballpark quite often when our boys were still children.  Occasionally, we would get to view the game from the suite that Hubby's company provided.  Those were also the days when our kids went to school, and played little league, with some of the Ranger's kids.  You could also count on us being there on July 4th.  Aside from the game, the fireworks there are always spectacular.  A couple of years we shared season tickets with friends and the seats were really close to the field by first base.  It was during this time that our younger son and I met George W. Bush and got his autograph.  (George was part of the Ranger's organization at the time and his seats where just a few rows down from ours.)  Those were the days!

Our seats this year are behind Home Plate!  They are a few .... several .... many ....

OK...at the very top of the stadium!  This is the view behind us.  Our car is parked over in the Sheridan Hotel parking lot. (it's that tall building in the background.)

In all fairness, it wasn't really such a bad walk over, but the prices for parking are obscene!  There are bicycle taxis that can peddle you right up to the entrance, but add that into the price for parking....well....it could really make a person cranky.  We needed the exercise anyway!

It was a great night to be at a baseball game though.  It was still 82 degrees when we left, and there was a nice breeze blowing up there.  The Rangers batted in several home runs and won the game.  Can't do better than that!

Gratitude for:
- Escalators!
- Great memories with our kids.
- My wonderful hubby who will battle the jungle to get me popcorn.

Happenings

Now you can see the angel in my garden!

Wow!  Has it really been this long since I've posted?  I guess so, seeing as when I opened it up this afternoon to write this post, things have really changed in Blogger.  It took me a few clicks to figure out how to actually write a new post.  I guess I'm going to have to take the time to look around and see what alllllll the changes are.  Hmm......maybe tomorrow!

Hubby is working from home today and tomorrow.  He loves it!  While I don't despise it, I don't relish it either.  It kind of cramps my style as his schedule significantly impacts my schedule.  He is constantly on the phone with someone, so I have to maintain a certain level of quiet.  Once in a while I enjoy this because it "forces" me to retreat either outdoors or into my sewing room.  Such terrible options!  We are supposed to have record high temperatures today, so I'm retreating into my sewing room at any moment now.  He looks really stressed out doesn't he??

Last night we finally finished the firepit pad.  We really like it!  (I'm glad, because it was a lot of work for both of us.)  The pit has a grate that swings over to cook on if we ever want to do that.  We can take it off too, but I'm thinking it might be fun to cook hotdogs on - or some other "interesting" idea I might come up with.  (I am my mother's daughter!)  Thanks Jean and Bill for the bricks.  We're going to enjoy them!!

I used the few left over bricks to make a place for stacking wood.

We saved a few pieces of the tree stump for the grandkids to use as chairs.  I can see them toasting marshmallows already!

The flowerbeds are finally all cleaned out now, so all there is left is the upkeep.  My daddy taught me that if I will just go out a few mornings a week and pull a few weeds and do some dead heading, that I can keep them up pretty easily. (That is until we go on vacation!)  It looks as if it's shaping up to be another scorching summer, so I'm thinking that I'm going to have to pull myself out of bed a little early on those weed pulling days.

I'm off to my sewing room now.

 

Gratitude for:

- Jobs competed!

- My shoulder is slowly getting better, but getting better none-the-less!  (I pulled something while playing bricklayer.)

- Having a brother who I can call for "Do I really have to have someone look at this?" advice - free of charge.

The weather has been sooooo nice out lately that I've been hard pressed to get anything done inside the house.  I just want to be outside all the time!  With temperatures in the 70s and 80s as highs, and cooler mornings and evenings, it's perfect to get my hands (and toes) dirty. Yes, it's been hard work, but I'm seeing the fruits of my efforts now so it's been satisfying.

The garden/firepit patio is starting to take real form.  My trip yesterday included purchasing sand and the large pavers to make it larger as well as ......ummmm.....artistic? (That's important you know!) I would have brought home everything I needed, but there wasn't a guy to be seen to help us girls get the sand down from a high place. I can't believe Home Depot has shifts without buffed up male personnel available in the garden area.  What's a princess to do?? Oh well, that just means that I can't work as hard today!  This is what it looks like right now.
That speck of red in the center of the garden is a red ripe strawberry.  I would be more excited if there was more than three of them.  The seeds are starting to sprout, and the rest of the plants seem to be growing contentedly.  We're looking forward to some fresh veggies this summer!

I took some other pictures around the yard this morning (after I charged the battery!)


The butterflies love the yellow flowers in the front bed.  These flowers actually lived through the winter since it was so mild.  I can't remember what they're called.  Anyone know?

 The roses love the east side of the house.  I actually took this picture after I trimmed them a bit.  It might rain this afternoon, so I wanted to bring some in the house for us to enjoy too.  Seeing as it's race weekend, I'm sure it really will rain at some point.  It always does.

The daisies are about to pop open. 

Just a planted pot by the driveway.

Oops!  How did that get in there?

 And then there is this corner......****sigh****  Still have a little work to do!  That poor angel is probably praying that I'll get down there and rescue it from it's ocean of weeds.  There are some actual flowers in there somewhere.  I can see them because I know they're there.  Soon....very soon........

Gratitude for:
- Butterflies and Blooms
- Clean, cold water!
- Pedicures that include massages......wonderful.

P1?

Anyone who is a real sports fan knows what a P1 is.  (It has something to do with a radio station. At least that is what I've been told.) I am not one.  My husband is.  He has loved everything sports from the moment he took his first breath.  At least that's how I see it.  I didn't know anything about sports until I  met him, and then I had to start learning fast if I was going to be a part of his life.  I thought I had learned a lot ....until I gave birth to two sons who happen to also be P1s.  It's not that I dislike sports, it's more that I don't have the time for it and I'm just not a very competitive person.  Also, it seems that a lot of sports are just down right brutal and I have a lack of understanding why anyone would want to subject themselves to that.  Voluntarily.  Yeah, yeah, I know- they make lots of money.  That is, if they survive long enough.

Back to P1.  If you could take a look at my life recently, you'd think I was one.  I've watched basketball finals (a good friend of mine is a basketball fan, so we watched some during our last neighborhood gossip session bunco night and even at a party she hosted recently.)

 I have attended my first professional hockey game.  See...I took these with my trusty phone!

 Our daughter-in-law won tickets on a radio station call in contest and invited us to join them!  They were great seats too.  It really wasn't as bloody as I imagined it might be.  (As it became apparent that the home team was going to lose, I did hear Hubby say something like, "maybe, at least, there will be a good fight!"  Sadly for him, it didn't happen.) And ....I'm still not sure why a hockey team needs "Ice Girls".  They're on a platform.... see.... up there.  I looked around to see who really watched them.  There weren't many.  Plus....well.....it's cold!  Those are teeny little outfits.  Yeah, I know, I'm old.

Then there's NASCAR.  It's that time of year around here.  (I was going to take a picture of Texas Motor Speedway with all the campers, tents, and motor homes, but it seems my new camera needs to have it's battery charged once in a while. OOPs!)  This is the annual event that keeps me at home as much as possible.  Walmart is impossible. (Although very entertaining!)  Every venture out is really an ADventure.  Today I went to Home Depot to pick up landscaping supplies.  Home Depot is (if you stay in the nursery section) pretty safe.  As I was leaving though, I spotted an intersection filled with fire trucks and police cars.  As I was thinking about what poor soul pushed the light too much, (nicer translation of  "What did some drunk redneck do?")  my heart made it's way up to my throat upon realizing that my son would have been passing through that same intersection not too long before.  Thank goodness for cell phones (and blue tooth)!  He was safely home by that time, and he informed me, via my husband, that it was for the Medal of Honor winner caravan.  Really!  They shouldn't scare us like that!

In a couple of weeks, Hubby and I will be attending the first of our four game package of Ranger's baseball.  If the weather is good, it's a great place to people watch, and there's something about hot dogs and popcorn at the ballpark.  Oh..... there's a game going on down on the field too.  (Hubby is really hoping that we'll get to watch Yu pitch.)

Nope, I'm not a P1, and I think that finally after 41 years of our relationship Hubby has given up on me ever becoming an avid fan.  That being said, he asked me last night who he should be watching for me on Friday during qualifying from my NASCAR fantasy team.  I told him that I would be checking on that before the race on Saturday.  What was really going through my mind was, "Are you crazy?  I'm NOT going to tell you who my drivers are!! I'm in first place!"

Gratitude for:
- Safe driving!
- Good humored Hubby and NASCAR family.
- Spending time with our son and daughter-in-law.

Enjoying the Views

The weather has been so nice this week.  I've enjoyed being out and about.  I bought myself a new camera yesterday, so I took a little time today to try it out.  I have two weeks to take it back if I don't like it, but I think I'm in love with it.  It's just what I was looking for.

Last year sometime, a friend asked me if I would like to have some free bricks.  They had a pile at the back of their lot that needed a new home.  When I asked how many there were, there was a pause, and then uhmmmm.... well a good number.  Last fall I declined the offer because I really didn't know what I would do with an undisclosed number of bricks.  Then this spring I came along this post to Pinterest:

                               Frugal Kiwi
 Suddenly those bricks became much more valuable to me!  Yikes!  Did she still have them?  Yes, oh yes she did!  All 350+ of them - plus a very scared little gecko who made it across the miles to my house in the heart of one of those bricks. He's still here, but not so scared anymore.  He was hanging out with me yesterday, but I didn't have my camera with me.
Darn!  He's pretty ADHD too.  I doubt he would pose for a portrait.

This was my initial plan.  The spiral garden and enough bricks for a fire pit.  When we had the tree cut down, I saved four pieces of the stump to make little stools for the grandkids.  I found some marshmallow sticks in Corpus Christi when I was there last time.  It just sounds like great Nana and Grandpa fun!  That, and just some mellow chats around a fire with friends.

Those of you who know me well know that it probably morphed a wee bit.  It's not finished.  Hubby and I need to work on the brick decking, but the garden is finished and planted for this spring.  Now to see if anything grows!  I discovered a long forgotten firepit while shopping today that they gave me for a very reasonable price, so we're almost set!

I took my new camera (just a small thing that will fit nicely in my purse and yet take great pictures) out this morning to visit a roadside where the Bluebonnets are showing off.  They really are beautiful.

Crimson Clover

Bluebonnet

Gratitude for:

- A new camera that takes sharp pictures and fits in my purse!

- Garden soil planted with hope for fresh veggies this summer.

- Time to pick out fresh plants for the flower beds, and running into friends.

- Looking forward to special times with family.

The Letter of the Day

B

Birthday - It's been an action packed few days.  Hubby and I went to our older son's house for the weekend.  I would say it was the baby of the family's birthday, but seeing as he turned three, I think he would loudly proclaim that he is "NOT A BABY!"  LJ's birthday necessitated a trip to Chuck E. Cheese on Saturday.  Our allotted time for the party was at 9:30 (yes, a.m.).  It was Pizza brunch.  Actually, it was quite nice.  The pizza is better when you are the only people there, and the kids could just do whatever they wanted without the eyes of paranoid grandparents watching every move.  I think it was worse for poor Chuck, as LJ declined some of the prescribed birthday activities.  I imagine it's rather hard for the kid stuck in the mouse suit to get to excited about performing for seven people when four of them are adults. Being the only people in the place did have definite token perks for the kids too.  Even the adults were kept busy spending them.

Bikes - It was warm  there, so we enjoyed spending a lot of time outdoors with the kids.  We gave LJ a scooter (3-year-old style) for his birthday.  He loved it, and he looked soooo cute in his little helmet scooting away!  Daddy took the training wheels of the Big Kid's bikes too, so there was lots of street activity in the cul-de-sac!  After some frustration, a few tears, and much concern over possible bruise and bandaid opportunities, they both pretty much had the hang of it before we left on Sunday afternoon.  They were all pretty excited over the new transportation!

Bluebonnets - It must be spring in Texas!  We enjoyed seeing the hills covered with bluebonnets on our trip back home.  Because of the drought last year, there weren't many bluebonnets.  Rather disappointing.  I think they all must have been storing up all their splendor for this year though.  With all the rain and the warmer than normal temperatures, the flowers are not only plentiful, the blossoms are huge!

Boating?  Yesterday was a pretty gray day around here.  The weather man kept assuring us that storms were on the way, but it seemed that maybe it wasn't really going to happen.  We shouldn't have worried.  The winds were horrible.  Our next door neighbor was really worried that our new trees would become uprooted!   Fortunately that didn't happen, but the rain definitely did.  We got about 4" of rain in less than 24 hours.  If that sounds like a lot, there were other places close to us that got more than 6".  We had a goose this evening that was enjoying splashing around in the water from the creek.

Beating the odds - Remember me telling you about my NASCAR team?  Well, guess who is in first place??  Yep..Seriously...First place!  Who would have guessed?  What can I say.  My system works.  At least for now.  It's early in the season.

Blessings:
- Watching your grandchildren play.
- Safety from the storm.
- Homemade strawberry jam.
- A Son and Daughter-In-Law who live close enough to take care of the cat while we are gone.

Joy In Heaven

My Aunt Helen passed from this earth into the loving arms of her Father in heaven last night.  Helen was the last remaining sibling of my mother's family.  She and my mother were very close, and I know that she has missed my mother since her passing just last year.  They were the two youngest of a rather large family, and shared everything from the memory of being present at the passing of their father at very young ages, to sharing a hospital room at the time of my brother and my cousin's births, to secrets that I'm sure were never told. My aunt and my mother shared many physical characteristics, were both strong women (each in their own way), were very devout, and loved cats.  Although I don't share any physical characteristics, I like to think that some of the other descriptors have been passed on to me by them.   Aunt Helen and I shared a bond of our hearts, and her passing is like losing a big part of my mother all over again. From the time I was a little girl, Aunt Helen was one of my favorite people.  I always made a point to spend some moments with her each time I made the trek north to visit my family.  She is one of the first of my family I introduced my sister to when we discovered our own sisterhood.  I will miss our precious times together.

As I have thought about her throughout the day, I have been consoled by the thought of the two sisters reunited once again.  I imagine that there was great rejoicing in heaven when Helen arrived and was greeted by her siblings and the husband she missed for so many years.  Helen loved to bake, and my mom loved sweets.  Although I know it doesn't quite happen this way, I have a mental picture of them sharing a piece of pie together and catching up on time passed.

My mother and her sister both loved the hymn, "The Old, Old Path".  I can't ever remember a time when I didn't know the words by heart.

There's an old, old path Where the sun shines through
Life's dark storm clouds From its home of blue,
In this old, old path made strangely sweet By the touch divine of his blessed feet.

Find the old, old path, 'Twill be ever new,
For the Savior walks All the way with you,
In this old, old path made strangely sweet By the touch divine of his blessed feet.

In this old, old path Are my friends most dear,
And I walk with them, With the angels near,
In this old, old path made strangely sweet By the touch divine of his blessed feet.

'Tis an old, old path, Shadowed vales between,
Yet I fearless walk With the Nazarene,
In this old, old path made strangely sweet By the touch divine of his blessed feet.

Mom and Helen are walking the path together with their Savior.  I can't imagine a happier place for them to be.

Blessings of:
- Being loved by Helen and sharing the path.
- Love of my family.
- Blessed Assurance of a loving Father in Heaven!

My Week Off

No, I haven't abandoned my blog.  I took a few days off.

 Last weekend, my son and daughter-in-law had their first baby shower.  It was a small one, but they got some really nice things.  I spent the week before preparing.  I was asked to make the cake.  It only took all of one day.  My neighbor (aka "the cake lady") was out of town.  How could she abandon me in my day of need?  Actually, it wouldn't have taken me the whole day if I could have actually baked the cake with the standard addition of oil the first time. Realizing that I had forgotten to put in the oil after I discovered the bottle sitting unopened on the counter during clean up, I texted her.  (What would I do without texting?)  "What happens when you forget to put oil in the cake?"  My phone quickly made the fairy wand sound notifying me that I had my answer.  It wasn't exactly the answer I had wished for.  After a few more texts weighing my options, I decided to start over.  Considering I was out of eggs, I made a hasty, unplanned trip to the grocery store.  ****sigh****  OK....maybe a little more than a sigh. It turned out cute, but I don't have any pictures.  My daughter-in-law brought her camera to the shower, so I took pictures for them with her camera - neglecting my own.  It was more important that they have pictures anyway.  I haven't seen them, so I hope I was at least a halfway decent photographer substitute!  I also made little Andrew some diaper covers.  They are planning on using cloth diapers, so Nana decided to get busy sewing.  (Nope, no pictures of them either.  What was I thinking?  Maybe later.)  We also used cloth diapers for our babies, mostly because money was tight. For them, part of the reasoning is not wanting to contribute lots of not-so-earth-friendly diapers to the landfill.  Who can argue with that??  Thank goodness they have a new washer and dryer!

This week, miraculously, was a week without appointments and an unrelenting to do list!  That doesn't happen very often around here, and even when it does it seems that things just pop up that need to be tended to.  I actually had four whole days of blank calendar space!!  I decided that I would just take it easy this week and enjoy them.  I have read a book - a just for fun romance.  I've sewn a little.  I've worked on some projects that have been on the list for quite some time.  I've slept in.  I've chatted with neighbors.  I've plotted - ahhhh yes, the to do list again!  I've even had dinner waiting when Hubby walked in the door after a day battling the dragons.

Tomorrow I will start the busyness again.  At least it will be fun busyness.  I need to start slowly! LOL

Gratitude for:
- A few days of much needed rest.
- New wheels....an early anniversary gift from my Hubby.
- Completing some of those projects that have been on my to do list "forever"
- Moving up to 2nd place in the NASCAR fantasy racing league.  Maybe my tactics aren't so bad after all!

NASCAR

Hubby and friends have just begun a NASCAR fantasy league for 2012.  As it turned out, some of the veteran players had to recruit some....well.....newbies! As the deadline date approached rather quickly for closing the league, Hubby (who is the league "commissioner") was forced to make the decision to add me to the roster.  UGH...imagine me the owner of a NASCAR league team.  First of all, I'm really not much into sports.  Period.  Secondly, NASCAR just doesn't appeal to me.  Spending hours watching cars go around in a circle hoping for some real action (aka - crashes) just seems like a waste of precious time!  I'd much rather be sewing, or gardening, or changing a flat tire in the rain in the middle of rush hour.  No problem.  I was assured that he would handle everything.  I would be a member in name only.  Then he proceeded with the questions.  "Team name?"  "What do you want your screen name to be?" "Got a password to get into the league website?"   Ummmmm.....I thought you were going to do all that!

Not to worry, he would take it from there.  Now consider....he also has a team in this league.  I'm thinking that maybe he will just run my good name into the ground.  Really!  He doesn't want to lose driver standings to my team.  He's only going to fill my team with tin can drivers.  (Those who have lots of good labels, but could be really an inferior product.) Wait a minute. Maybe I should manage my own team.   Soooooo.... I now have a full fledged NASCAR fantasy team.  After all, one of my girlfriends and one guy's mother has one too. There are exactly the same number of women in the league as there are men.  I have to confess that I'm the least "sportsy" though.

I keep chanting to myself, "I can do this,"  "I can do this,"  "I can do this"!  I'm using a highly scientific, time honored method for choosing drivers.  Let's see.....There's Danica Patrick, she's the chick in the pack so of course she is on my roster.  Then there is Cole Whitt, he's a rookie.  Gotta root for the new kid on the block.  Then there is the cute guy.....I like the color of that guy's car.....I love M&Ms!  I think you get my method.  Maybe I WILL win the league!  You never know, but I kind of doubt it.  At least I will ruin my own reputation as a NASCAR fantasy league player.  Will I watch the races now?  Only if Hubby calls me from NASCAR central - also known a our family room - to tell me there's something exciting going on.  Like a wreck.

BLESSINGS - Quote from J. P. de Caussade, "The present moment is always full of infinite treasures, it contains far more than you have the capacity to hold.  Faith is the measure; what you find in the present moment will be according to the measure of your faith."

- Morning coffee.
- Time to read a little.
- Time to sew.

On The Road Again

It's been a long time since I've actually posted anything.  I have a good excuse!  I've been travelling.  An aunt from Illinois came for a visit, and we took off to visit my sister for an extended weekend.  Whew!  It was busy.  We went to an art museum, the aquarium, and a craft show.  That  doesn't include a days drive each way.  I'm not complaining, mind you.  My aunt had to add two days driving on each end of that!  My sister has two dogs, and my aunt brought hers, so we had twelve feet of dogs (4 paws X 3 dogs = 12 feet) and 6 feet of women. (2 feet X 3 women....you get the idea.) The bed contained 8 feet of dogs and 4 feet of women, so it was pretty full, but we were so tired it didn't matter.  Even the dogs slept soundly!

"Whatcha gonna buy me at PetSmart?

 

"Move over!  I can't see!"

"Oh how I love the wind in my face!"

My sister has recently downsized considerably following her divorce.  I hadn't been there yet, but after our visit, I have definitely decided she is in good place both mentally and physically. She has good neighbors who keep one... hmmm.. maybe more...eyes on her.  One evening while my sister was cooking supper, the neighbor lady hollered over the fence in a rather panicky voice.  She thought the house was on fire.  There was salmon cooking on a wood plank in the grill and it became pretty smokey.  We deduced it was just an excuse to learn what the heck was going on next door. Either that, or she wanted a taste of the salmon.  (It WAS pretty tasty.)

We had a great time, but we were all pretty exhausted by the time the weekend came to a close.  As soon as my aunt was safely on her way, I spent some time relaxing in a bubble bath.  That pretty much totally did me in.  Hubby said I was  snoring  sleeping pretty good that night.

Yesterday and today I spent all day in the yard. Can you believe it was almost 80 today? Sadly, I discovered that we had some thistles that were up to my thigh. (and beyond!) Thank goodness the ground is soft from a recent rain.  I have a lot more work to do out there, but at least I'm making progress.  It's been a wonderfully mild winter, but all that wonderfulness means nothing died over the winter.  The weeds just kept on growing.  UGH!  The good news is that with the temperatures so perfect I just can't stay inside.  The farm girl in me just wants to go out and play in the dirt. I've heard rumors that winter isn't over quite yet though, so I'm not going to get too carried away with my outdoor adventures quite yet.  

Blessings of:
- Hot baths with lots of bubbles!
- Soft dirt to shovel the thistles out of.
- Sleeping in my own bed.

Saying Goodbye

Too few years ago, I had a brief encounter with a woman at a gathering of people whose lives are consumed with all things fabric.  I had not been attending these get together's for very long, and she was a visitor from out of town who was there for just that day.  Everyone in attendance met each other through an on-line group for fabriholics and machine embroiderers.  We are an eclectic group who share the love of all things thread (and Texan!).

Later that fall, she invited a few of us to come and share her home and fellowship during the Houston Quilt Festival.  Although we didn't know her well - actually, hardly at all - we put on our Big Girl Panties and went.  After all, how else were we going to get to go to the quilt show??  We were excited, but the closer we got, the more apprehensive we became.  Looking at each other, we wondered whatever had possessed us to drive so far to spend several nights at the home of someone we didn't really know anything about.....But, she loved fabric and so did we.  We needn't have worried.  The "Green Carlton" - as her home became to be called - was opened to us for the long weekend, and she stepped right into our hearts.

She became our mother hen of sorts, and we became her brood.  She introduced us to others in her flock who, in turn, have come to occupy special places in our hearts.  She was a strong, opinionated, and out-spoken woman.  She was also giving, accepting, and a collector of people whom others might consider outcasts in some way.  She believed in the value of people, and if you didn't feel the same way - well then - too bad for you!  She enriched our lives with her love and her laughter.

We have swapped fabric and furniture.  We have been terrified by her driving skills. We have been slobbered on and gassed out by her four-footed family, (of which there could be anywhere from three to six of them keeping residence with her).  We have endured scoldings, and we have been enfolded in her arms.

Jeanne Green passed from this earth on Friday night.  I was fortunate enough to be able to say good-bye to her, and to be enfolded in her arms one last time just a week before her passing.  When I suggested that I could have just driven by and not stopped for my hug, she shook her fist at me and said, "Yeah, right!"  That was Jeanne.  Feisty to the end.

Hubby and I went to see the movie "The Descendants" this past weekend.  It reminds us that there are times for letting go, and times for holding on.  For Jeanne's sake, it was time to let go.  She was ready.  As for me, I think I will always hold on. I will hold on to the memories, and hold on to the love that she extended to me, and to the people she shared with me who were important to her and are now important to me.  Thank you, Jeanne. You made a difference in people's lives, and isn't that what it's really all about?  You will be missed.

Gratitude for:
- The love and friendship of Jeanne.
- That our last visit together was a good one.
- The love and support of friends "in the nest" with me.
- My husband, who took me to see her one last time and allowed me to stay as long as I needed.

To Peel or Not to Peel

I've recently joined the Pinterest social network.  I have to admit its "Pin interesting!"  I suspect that most of the world can be found in there if one has the notion to look.  The menu consists of music, art, sewing, foods of all things imaginable, humor, design, some...umm...shall we say, interesting clothing whists, crafts, child rearing tips, ....need I continue??  While one can become rather absorbed in the pinning world, I find myself wondering if some of these things really work.  Today I put myself out on a limb for all you pinners of natural beauty tips.  After all, if I'm going to happily pin away, I really want to know if these things are worth the whittling away of my time. 


Today's lab experiment was definitely..."Pin interesting!"  This one came from this blog post   http://petitelefant.com/how-to-pore-strips/  I'm not quite sure why she refers to it as pore strips, because there aren't any strips involved, unless she was referring to the strips of skin that are peeled off.  The treatment only uses two ingredients:  unflavored gelatin and milk.  How bad can it be?  


I just jumped off the cliff with this one.  After several seconds of microwaving, (and I suggest here that although she says to work quickly, one might want to wait a nano-second for it cool off a tad) I worked to cover most of my face with the stuff.  She put it all over her face, so why shouldn't I follow the instructions.  (I CAN do that occassionally.  Well....almost.  I didn't exactly measure the ingredients - I have a pretty accurate eyeball.)

Lovely isn't it?

I learned that:
- Perhaps working with a smaller area would have been wiser.
- When she says "you’ll know it’s time when you can’t talk for fear of breaking something,"  she means your face.
- Do not use a eyebrow brush to get it out of the crease between your nose and your cheek.  It hurts.  There is not a single brush in your makeup bag or drawer that will be appropriate.  Trust me, I tried.
- Don't  - DO NOT - get it in your eyebrows.  It hurts.  Do not pull.  Get a warm wet washcloth and soak your face in it.
- Maybe if you wait longer, it peels of in larger strips like her picture.  Mine was reminiscent of peeling sunburned skin.  After awhile, I decided that the washcloth idea was genius. 
- Use plain water to wash your face.  Soap stings.  Yes, even something mild like Neutrogena.  You have just peeled off a complete layer of your skin.  Refer to the sunburn remark.


Would I do it again?  Maybe.  A smaller area.  If my pores are screaming, "Please, oh please, clean me!"  Like that's going to happen!


Gratitude for:
- The Italian Pasta Bake from Pinterest that we had for supper tonight was easy and yummy.  AND... it made enough that I was able to freeze two smaller containers for future nights!
- My vacuum cleaner is back home, and repaired.
- Any day I get to sew a little is a good day.  Today was a good day.