Making Treasured Memories!

We have certainly enjoyed this Thanksgiving week and my heart is filled to the brim with happiness!

Thanksgiving was a lovely day! The weather was perfect and Nita's backyard made a perfect studio for snapping some family pictures.

Seldom do I have all my children together in one place at one time.

The last time it happened was last Christmas!

This year all but Amber and Mike were at my sister's and we did take a few photos!

My three oldest grandchildren.

My beautiful two grand daughters!

Thanksgiving was also my oldest son's birthday. He was born on a Thanksgiving Day just about lunch time.....1:30 PM!

I was so happy he and his family were able to spend time with what I call 'The Fort Worth Family' since that is where most of my family live!

And I was thrilled Ben - my youngest son - flew in from California to be here!

My mother was so happy to see him!!!

We ALL were!!

He could barely eat his meal because we kept taking pictures of him!!

This is my super sweet sister, Nita, who makes Thanksgiving happen every year!

Jesse, Ben, and Summer......and her little one!

I just had to include this pic! I have no idea what we were saying but all our expressions are really out there!!

It was a perfect day. The food was delicious. The weather beautiful. All the children enjoyed each other and played so well together. No trauma or drama. Just family enjoying being with family!

This is one of my favorite pics of the day.

'Mummers' and her baby!!

And I love this one of my son.

I am not known for my quality photos but I was using Louis Dean's fancy camera.

Perhaps I could get good at this is I tried hard enough!

Wish I was talented like my daughter, Amber!! I would 'photo shop' HER in!!!

Then I would have all four 'kids' in there!!

We ended our wonderful day by watching the Cowboys WIN their game against Miami!

I love the gentle peaceful 'QUIET' of the day's end.

Louis Dean and I built a fire in the fireplace and recounted the day.

I took Mother to the beauty shop Friday morning - ignoring BLACK Friday completely!! I came straight home afterwards so we could visit a former neighbor and dear friends of mine who were in town.

Doug and Reaoma lived next door to me for 17 years.

He is struggling with his health and we are certainly praying for him as he is undergoing some treatment. They mean so much to me and my children.......especially Amber and Ben. Doug would come home from work so very tired and just want to go inside his house and sit! But little three year old Amber would be sitting in her window sill watching for him. As he tried to slip in he would hear her say - in her sweet little girl voice! - "HI, Dooouuuuugggg!!!" So he would suck it up and let her come out and visit with him for a few minutes! There is not a nicer man to ever walk this earth than Doug! We have been blessed to know him.

After we came home later in the afternoon it was time to bake a Peach Cobbler and drive out to see Summer and Sabrina in their new home! It is BEAUTIFUL! It is HUGE!!! We enjoyed a visit and a chili supper and a few rousing hands of NUTS!!

Four people playing - four rounds - and we each won one!

WIN! WIN!!

We drove home tired but happy.

We made some more treasured memories.

I never for one minute take my life for granted.

Every morning and every evening and often in between I am thanking God for His blessings.

I am grateful for my tall dark handsome husband.

Who knew I would ever be so happy? God.

So it troubled my heart and sent a chill through me when LD came in from walking Lucy and went straight to the couch to lie down. He said his head hurt and his arms were aching and his chest felt tight. I gave him a nitroglycerin tablet and took his blood pressure. After having been through this twice with resulting trips to the ER - with surgery following - we take these angina attacks seriously. Thanks be to God Louis Dean is very much in tune with his body. He stops and rests when he needs to do so. After lying there for a good while he felt better. I kept taking his blood pressure and hovering over him! Sometimes I forget this big strong man has a heart problem. I am so very grateful life is moving along normally and we are having a routine Saturday.

I have UN decorated fall!! There are 12 tubs and 24 bags FULL and ready to store away in the attic. We are about to do just that! The weather has turned windy and cold. I will clean out the fireplace and prepare for a nice fire this evening.

We will have a mini Thanksgiving dinner tonight. I am baking chicken to go with the dressing and gravy my sister sent home with us. Sweet potatoes were twenty cents a pound at the HEB in Katy and I brought home a big bag from my visit with Amber. Add another vegetable and we will be eating well. Heart healthy and diabetic friendly at that!!!

Tomorrow will be a good day to take the Christmas decorations down from the shed attic. Louis Dean has asked me - politely - to use a little "restraint'  in my decorating this year. 

??? Who, ME??