Monday, June 6, 2016

Celebrating Amber's Birthday and Our Monday.....

Today, June 6th, is Amber's birthday but we celebrated yesterday!
After church we went to one of her all time favorite restaurants - Texas Roadhouse - for lunch!


What a fun time we had!!
The kids all loved the bags of peanuts!


The food was great, the margaritas delicious and it was fun like a PARTY!!


Kailey was in heaven because she had her granddad just exactly where she wanted him! 
Right beside HER!!


I think Logan has been missing her MeeMaw!!!

We spent the entire day with the family and it was WONDERFUL!!
I have been home for so long that I especially enjoyed being out of MY house!
We sent Amber and Mike off to have an afternoon by themselves and we settled down to take Sunday afternoon naps! Louis Dean had taken a change of clothes with him and when he came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of overalls, Kailey went flying upstairs and returned wearing HERS!!!

We all six slept soundly for a couple of hours!
Then it was time for a TEA PARTY!!!


The kids gathered all the little tea dishes up themselves and I brewed some peach tea and retrieved a package of butter cookies that Louis Dean had bought on the sly and hid in the car seat! Harrison rode with us to the restaurant and Trystan rode with us on the way back. They both KNEW there were cookies in the car and suggested we get them out for our tea party!! So we did!


They have loved tea parties all their lives!


You gotta love a Granddad that will pour tea from an Olaf tea pot!
They do!



We just had the best time!


Then we played some of the new games they got for their birthday!
Connect Four was a good one! Granddad is teaching them the principle of BLOCKING!
We also played the Fishing Game and some Paw Patrol playtime.


It was time for birthday cake when Amber and Mike got home!
All four kids THANKED me for baking their mommy a birthday cake!


 They really wanted her to blow out candles!



So they helped!!!


It was a great afternoon! Not too hot - 83 degrees with light breezes fanning us!


I love scenes like this where Amber is surrounded by her babies!


They do love their mommy!!


We spent the entire evening outside!


I admit to tearing up a bit when Harrison proudly printed his name in chalk on the sidewalk and then turned around and grinned ear to ear!!! I so admire my daughter for the way she spends TIME with her children! There's always a million things to do and these things do get done - but not at the expense of  time with family.



 It was one of the most relaxing days I have had in while and a real joy to watch not only the kids play - but my daughter playing with them!

Little Trystan was so sensitive to my foot surgery. She gave me ice packs - HER idea! - and when we were outside, she asked, "MeeMaw, do you want a stool for your foot?" She then proceeded to get a small one from the corner of the porch so I could prop my foot up on it! How did she know I needed to keep my foot elevated?


See that little brown bench back there in the corner with the red bucket on it?
That's what she got for me to use.
Louis Dean enjoyed the down time and just sat and watched everyone.


Of course, Kailey kept coming up and checking on Granddad!

I came home last night just as happy as I could be and went straight to bed.
I lingered long in bed this morning even after I woke up!

I have spent much of the last two and a half weeks recovering from my foot surgery in the den.


Today was the first time I have done so much as dust or clean it up in any way!
I did the whole nine yards! Dust, Windex, Pine Sol, Vacuum and light a candle!


Plus I put out the rest of my patriotic decorations!


I keep one tree up in the den to decorate for the seasons.


This little man was made back in the 90's by Amber and Benjamin!


The tree is done and I like it!


A few things were left in the tub so I hung them up on the porch.


This Uncle Sam has been around since the 80's!


I felt good about my accomplishments! However, I did NOT overdo it!

Louis Dean and I have spent the evening in the gazebo while I have been writing my journal post.


This is the delicious wine I had the other night!
I am hoping to find another bottle and see if it's as good as the first one!
I think I bought it at Trader Joe's or ALDI!

While I'm not back to normal just yet - I AM going in the right direction!!

***Update on Summer****
She fell again on Sunday morning at her home so she missed out on the festivities yesterday.
I am happy to say that I saw her today on a phone app we have called Marco Polo and she looks wonderful. I remind her every time I talk to her - "Pick your feet UP!"

11 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

I think Trystan will become a nurse! And Harrison can write his name now!! That is such a huge step! The tea party is so pretty with the pretty centerpiece of roses! And good to see L.D. joining! They are so very polite! Your home always looks so seasonally festive! The Fourth Of July tree is perfect! This really WAS a perfect day!

Kathy said...

It looks like Amber had the perfect birthday. So nice she and Mike got to spend some time alone. I can't imagine that you are cleaning up the den by yourself already. You are doing more on your one foot than I am doing on both of mine.

shortybear said...

fun times

Susie said...

Linda, Your family is truly beautidul...inside and out. I love the way the grands check on you and granddad. They are so caring. I am sure Amber and Mike appreciate everything you and LD do for their family. Nice to know you are feeling better and can do a little of your cleaning and be happy. Blessings to all of you, xoxo,love, Susie
p.s. Hoping Summer does well. My grandson tells me to not run...he says I do not pick my feet up enough to be running. LOL

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Great birthday celebration!

Those quads are special- Mike and Amber, and you and LD are doing a great job with them!

MadSnapper said...

so sorry to hear Summer fell again. i do hope she is ok.. i loved all the photos today, can't pick a favorite because they are all priceless memories.. what a Happy birthday for Amber and all of you.... loved the candle blowing and singing

Linda said...

I am concerned about Summer. Are her falls caused by her need for foot surgery? Always love reading about the Bell family. Laughed when Kailey put on overalls to be like LD when she works so hard not to be like her siblings. The quads good manners and their thoughtfulness toward others will get those children far in life. So wise of Amber and Mike to work on those issues. Your den must be huge. I see a piano, an organ?, several couches, chairs, tables, etc. Lots of stuff. Love the patriotic decorations. Will you leave those up until September 1 or do we have another change coming before then?

Linda said...

I can relate to Summer needing to pick her feet up.............right now I have to concentrate on that too, Good luck Summer! Think and take it slow! What a wonderful day you had. That is so nice that Amber takes the time to work with the kids!! You are blessed for sure!

Nonnie said...

Happy birthday to Amber. We like Texas Roadhouse, too. Linda, your whole life is a party. Life is a banquet!!!!!

Carole said...

Great choice of wine Linda - from New Zealand ! We have great white wines in particular - if you ever see a chardonnay from New Zealand - give it a go - my favourite tipple! Keep up the good work of healing your toe. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

Judy said...

Love those sweet quads of yours! Sounds like a perfect birthday celebration for Amber...including some 'alone time'.