Visitors in June

The first of June my two granddaughters, Amanda and Ashley flew in to visit me! What a fun week--(plus)...we had. I will be sharing some photos so you can see some of the places we went and things we did!

Ashley started this drawing as soon as she arrived! And finished it the day-day they left!  Soon you will understand why I put "day-day"! She drew something for everyday they were here, I love how she dated every drawing!

Sunday we went out to eat with my son Randy, Vicky and the twins, Eden and Ivy! That was so enjoyable. Everyone got to catch up on what was going on in each other's lives! And the twins got to color!!!

Then the girls and I went to the Queen of Peace, here in the city. It is an amazing place to visit.

The girls are walking up to the statue of 

Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace. (Constructed of stainless steel and 30 feet tall.)

Have you ever seen something for the first time and are so moved that it brings you to tears?? That is what happened when I walked in this room and saw this sculpture.  Since it is life sized it was almost like being in this room with Jesus and the apostles. Just seeing this sculpture of The Last Supper was very moving for me. (This Life Size sculpture of the Twelve Apostles was carved by Jerry Traufler of LeMars, Iowa. It is made from Pine and Basswood, and was completed in 1993 after 7 years of work.) 

There were so many gorgeous flowers in the gardens as we walked along the way. 

This was the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes.  So beautiful ! Luckily the sun was shining just enough to light up the stain glass window.

This beautiful gold-tone bronze statue of St. Francis of Assisi stands at the pond near the entrance to the Outdoor Cathedral. As we stood on a bridge Ashley got into just the right position and snapped this photo! It was so moving...

Monday we got out and went to lunch at Table 32! Their Mom and I went there when she was home in March. She must have been impressed as the girls wanted to go there too. The food and service were both absolutely wonderful!

Wednesday we made it to the Farmers Market! It was a treat for me to get down there again. Tom and I used to go every Wednesday and Saturday. We knew all the vendors and absolutely loved it! Being the day and time of the year, there weren't as many vendors or fresh vegetables available. But we did get a few things. The girls got some jellys to take home. 

That evening we went to my monthly potluck! Amanda made a big pan of her famous macaroni and cheese. Ashley made Snicker salad. Have you ever made it? It's with apples and snicker candy bars, Cool Whip and pudding, I believe..there was nothing left of that! Plus the mac and cheese went over really good too. Amanda froze only a couple little servings for me. When I ate the last one the other day, I told her she had to come back and make me some more....ha...ha!

The next afternoon, on Thursday, we went over to see their cousin Lacey and her girls, Lorelei and Maggie. I told them the drive (which was beautiful, by the way) was about a 45 minute one. Ashley laughed and said she drives that to work everyday!! The visit was so enjoyable! A funny thing....Lorelei ordered a root beer float off of the  "childrens menu", when it came...it was huge! When Lacey asked about it, the waitress said you should see the one off the regular menu!! Ha! That is why Ashley drew Lorelai with her BIG float!

The next afternoon we went to visit the kids aunt and uncle. They had made a nice lunch for us...and just being with them was so memorable ..for everyone.

Then Saturday came...the day of doom- for me. They were flying out in the afternoon. Ashley and Amanda made lunch for everyone. Their cousins Lacey and Wendy along with the girls. Randy and Vicky took them to the airport. Ashley said I wish we could stay another week, we are having such a good time. And oh, how I wished for that too.. well.....sometimes a persons wishes do come true...lol They left for the airport about 2:30 and were back here by 5 pm. Their flight to Chicago was cancelled due to weather ! So I got them one more night...smile...I loved it! Sunday they left the house  again at 1:30 to go to Dallas...to make a long story short...they got home in Atlanta at 4:30 Monday morning...ugggg (again due to weather!) Those poor girls... I still miss them and their Mom everyday, and hate that they live so far away. But we defiantly had a great time!!! 

Can you believe tomorrow is the last day of July? Where did the summer go? "Winter" is yawning and stretching...she's ready for bed, as am I.. I hope you enjoyed this adventurous week with me.

Blessings and good night...or good morning wherever you are.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 Here is my grandson playing and singing Silent Night last evening. What a beautiful memory he made for me. (I hope it shows up. First time I’ve tried to link a video on my blog. If not here is the link https://youtu.be/S26verCUMEc

Today I gathered my greats around me for a photo op!!! First is sweet Maggie, then beautiful Lorelai, & adorable Eden and Ivy!!!

 

This was so cute! Maggie heard Eden refer to Randy as Papa! So she said to Eden -“is he your Papa too????” LOL It was so funny!!!

It was really foggy today. So glad we didn’t have to travel very far!! Lorelai and Maggie’s dad was telling us this morning they were at their cabin along the river and it was so foggy they couldn’t see the river. So he told them that the river had disappeared. (Later when the fog lifted) he said “look, the rivers back!!! It’s magic!!” We love those babies don’t we???

I hope you all had a wonderful day, as we thanked Our Father for the birth of his Son. 

Good night!!!

Bye for now...

A Day at the River

Yesterday was a gorgeous one, with high temperatures of 66 degrees!! No wind, as you can see, the river is smooth as glass.

 

As we came up the road to granddaughter Lacey and Matt's cabin...guess who was driving ahead of us?? Miss Lorelai of course! (I think Miss Maggie knew her Papa was behind us!..lol)

 

Yep, it was her Papa!!! (Adorable--LOVE)

Meme, had helped her slide down the slide...but she spotted her Papa again...lol (Look at those cute little muddy boots... sweet...)

Randy and Lacey heard a noise...was it a bird? a boat?? or a plane?? Yep, it was a plane. You can barely see the spot in the sky.. But sure enough there it was!! Oh yes and Miss Maggie put some more lovin on her Papa!!!! While myself and Grandma Sue sat on the patio watching all the activities going on, and visiting. The weather was so gorgeous--didn't need a coat or anything!!

And here is Meme pushing Miss Lorelai and the swing thing...ha..ha..It looked like fun..but had never seen one like it before. Lorelai would lay in the saucer?? and Meme would push her, higher and higher!!!

 

As the day ended and we headed home, Randy spotted this swarm of birds... and said they'd be landing soon. (We heard and saw geese flying north all day.)

And sure enough....look at them...the sky was full of these beautiful snow geese!! I had my window open as we speeded down the highway...I'm thinking I probably froze Vicky and her Mom out...lol But look at this beautiful photo. And it only shows a few of the geese that were landing!!!

 

It was one of the best days I've had in a long time. Being with friends and family...loving on those great grandbabies...beautiful weather...watching the river run by...ahhhhh.. Thank you Father for giving me this beautiful day...amen...

 

"May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you...."



Lots of Birds in the Yard

 What would spring be without robins?? Nothing in my option!! smile... Do you remember drawing them in grade school?? Seems we drew them and daffodils. Actually I was surprised when I saw them up on the feeder. Normally they always seem to be 'ground feeders'. But as I watched him, he would peck at the suet, some would fall to the ground and down he would fly to eat it off the ground. Smart...huh?? 

 



Normally, this guy is at the suet, but he just seems to like being in the tree these days. Of course, I'm not looking out the window all the time, so he may just hop over there too.

We were so excited to see and hear the turtle doves. They are so pretty and seem so gentle. However, they will chase some of the other birds away at times.

This little female was eating away at the suet feeder lately.. I just love seeing all of them. Tom's sister, fills it for us. She is really into bird watching also. They all do hold a captive audience!!!

And then of course it is always wonderful and heart warming to see the Cardinal! They enjoy the seed that we put out. I still have a feeder I need to make using a coffee can and pan. It's very simple, a friend over at The Run A-Round Ranch has one, also using an old birdbath pedestal. That one will really take care of lots of birds and (squirrels...ha)

And of course we had some red headed finches too.

 

I told you I'd share what all I've been doing.. I've had my Granddaughter, with the Greats come visit (always love--love-- love that!!) My cousin stopped by one day too. We had a nice visit! She lost her husband awhile back also.  I've had others come  by, business as well as personal ones. My days seem to be full. Also, am working on getting donations for the upcoming MS Walk. Our granddaughter is flying in from Georgia for it. So, that will be fun, later this month. And of course my son stopped over every few days. I'm so blessed.

 

Good night...

Checking In

Photo out the hospital window

 

It seems life does spiral downward and we can not do anything about it, just go along for the ride and pray. Yes, that's when we trust in our Lord and pray for His help and guidance. On the 6th of this month, Tom went into the hospitals ICU with heart failure. sad... His surgery was due on the following Thursday, however, his health and some Medicare rules were the reason for him not to have it. After 10 days he went into a new nursing facility. We went out to see him today, he seems a little better. He does have a long way to go, but with prayer I'm sure we will get through this.

Last Saturday our little Maggie Sue (who is now 4 old) came to visit her Papa Tom. Course I got lots of hugs and kisses too!! Isn't she adorable??

Here they are making over him! He just loved it!!! Babies are such a blessing aren't they??

Then last Sunday after church, the twins Ivy and Eden came to visit!! That again just gave him a boost of much needed energy. (I gave them a ride on my scooter up and down the hospital hallways...lol) First one and then the other....zoom..zoom...zoom away we went!

My daughter from Georgia flew up to be with me when he had his surgery. Well, as I said, things changed, but she was great support for me. (We kept talking about taking a picture, finally the day she left, I snapped this one of her..--cute p.j.'s huh??) I missed her before she even left...sad...

 

Tom's son has been here too, he will be heading back to Texas tonight. I hope Tom doesn't miss him too much.

 

I hope you're having a wonderful fall or is it winter?? (since we just had a major snow storm!!) Ugggg...

 

Blessings....... 

Hallowen Party

Yesterday there was a Halloween Party at the Rehab Center! I got there just in time to have lunch with my hubby! It was so fun to see him again... ha...ha.. The day before was so rainy and cold that I stayed home and tended to busy. My first appointment was cancelled, but I was surprised that I had another one decided to come by and work on the my computer. I decided to get a hospital bed (or at least rent one for awhile) and those people came by at the same time. I did get the bed but realized I didn't have any bedding for a twin bed. I called a friend to see if she had some, which she didn't, but said she'd have something here by evening. And she did...bless her heart...she went to a secondhand shop, and found a pretty set for a dollar!! Then later her and her husband went to the Goodwill and found a nice blanket for the bed. She washed and dried all of this bedding, the blanket was still warm when she got here!! Unbelievable what a true friend she really is. I feel this reading totally fits her:
Matthew 25:31-40
³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

 

There were lots and lots of people and children at the party. They had games for them to play, and a haunted house to go into. It was a blast for the children, they got lots of treats and food and drinks.

 

I'm so sorry this picture shows my dear friend frowning...so unusual for her.:( But look at her adorable granddaughter. She is a spitting imagine of her grandma when she was her age!

Granddaughter Wendy and the twins came and had fun too. They were dressed as Salt and Pepper. This was their costume from last year that their Mimi made for them. The hats looked like shaker lids. Just so cute!!

And then there was Lorelai and her Mommy Lacey. She was so pretty all dressed up as Elsa!!!

 

 Love her shoes, aren't they adorable?? 

 

It was a great day for us. Today, I'm tired and sore, but am anxious for tomorrow when Tom will come home for a walk around, to be sure he can do what is necessary to be home for good!

(Prayers please..)

 

Blessings to your SONday!

 

Snowmen

Our granddaughter, who lives in Huntsville, AL texted me to say they were having lots of snow. (more than us...who really should have the snow..) When they do have snow, they always make a 'snowman'. I think it is so cute...and aren't  they adorable??

I spotted this one the other day, looked like a half melted one... He lost a lot of weight when Mr. Sun came out.... (If only that would help us, I'd go back out and tan again! smile..)

And then there are these ones. We had so little snow that when these folks made their snowmen, they had to roll the leaves up in the snow.

 

Now this is adorable. Our neighbors did this one. They have a little boy about 3, so am sure Mommy helped him make these..

 

We were at -9 below this morning..so yes it was cold....but we've been very fortunate not to get a bunch of snow. (Just look at our snowmen, verses the one our granddaughter made! They got a lot of snow!!)

 

Was very busy trying to finish the newsletter today. I got the neatest old photos from our museum to add to the newsletter. I hope everyone will enjoy them as much as I do!! smile.. (I should share part of this newsletter with you. We'll see.)  I am pretty sore tonight, but I think I'll be fine by tomorrow. (Too much sitting at the computer, etc..)

 

 Have a wonderful weekend...