One Busy Weekend!!

Oh, my GOODNESS! This has been one busy, happy and productive weekend!!

We are exhausted!!!

It started on Friday when Louis Dean singlehandedly took the camper shell off of his truck!

He is amazing......he rolls it off on PVC pipes.

Here it sits!

The reason he had to take it off was so he could get a load of sand for the sandbox!

He drove all the way to the sand place on Beltline - which says they are open until 5:00.

They were closed and it was just 4:30.

So back he went early when he had sipped enough coffee to get out of his morning stupor  Saturday morning for another try! My, sand has doubled in price since the last load he bought!! We did use a lot of that load in sandbags back when we had those flooding problems!

Success!! One cubic yard of sand = $60 = 3,000 pounds!

After he came back home - fully loaded with sand - he decided to work in his garden.

He's had to clean up a BUNCH of junk to get to the dirt and then rework the beds adding gardening soil to it. Little by little - he is making progress. He keeps inching toward the fence lines with tomatoes, cucumbers. peppers, okra and onions. I will add some herbs to the mix soon.

My Louis Dean is still a handsome man!

And he knows it!!

He so deserved a beer break!

We have a small fridge in the gazebo for beer, wine, water and soft drinks.

Makes it so very handy, don't you think, just just reach in and grab a beer?

So what were my accomplishments?

I can't let HIM do ALL the work!!

Friday I fluffed and cleaned and nested in the bedroom.

I did the odd thing or two - adding photos to some frames, organizing and such.

I have had that floating frame back there by the lamp for over a year and had not put any personal pictures in it. I didn't get a pic of the after - but they are there now!!

While Louis Dean was at Home Depot that day, I asked him to pick me up a can of satin finish white paint. 

I hosed down the patio door and that screen door was absolutely FILTHY!!!

How rewarding to see all that brown dirt flow away!

Then I put a fresh coat of paint on them! I spent a LONG time scraping the paint off those window glasses!

Saturday I pulled all the Asian Jasmine out of the sand box, weed eated all around the area, spread mulch, raked up debris and did a lot of pulling, digging and moving!

No need for an exercise program for us these days!

Along about 6:00 Louis Dean and I had just about decided we could not do one more thing out there!!! We were POOPED!!! So what does and 'elderly' couple do??

Get cleaned up and go to a party!!!

Now this was a very special party, indeed!!

"Hey all!! I want to invite you over to celebrate the next chapter of my life with me! Come and enjoy food, drink and great people!!

There will be food and mixers provided, but BYOB.
I live in a cul-de-sac so there will be limited parking. You may have to park in the parking lot next to my little neighborhood.
Kids are welcome
Its a come and go event!"

I have known Medley since she was 9 years old. She and Amber swam together with The Pirouettes of Texas Synchronized Swim Team for 11 years. We go way back!! I was the Team Mom in those days along with Medley's beloved mother, Carol,  who passed away several years ago.

Medley inherited her grandmother's house when she passed away one year ago to the day of this housewarming party.

Note the custom made lighted headboard - top left photo!

Medley has continued the southwestern theme her mother embraced and simply updated it to her own style! Beautiful home, good food and a GREAT party!!!

I already love Medley with all my heart but seeing that pumpkin under her wine rack assured me that we are kindred spirits!!

Okay!!! Who says an old lady can't handle a tequila shot???

Everyone had a great time and I only wish I had taken more photos of her amazing home!

You should SEE her back yard!!!

Louis Dean wants to have a jam session out there! It has a band stand and everything!!!

I want to soak in her hot tub! We now have additions to our Bucket List!!

Amber and her dad! 

Perhaps this is the right time to make the announcement.

On January 26, 2017, Louis Dean officially adopted Amber as his daughter.

They have been father/daughter from the day I married him but this made it official.

I have loved watching these synchro girls grow up!

Medley's words from Facebook today......

"Last night was a year to the day that I found my grandmother passed away in what is my now home. Celebrating my housewarming last night with Amazing family and friends was such a wonderful way to celebrate her and to change that scary memory into something much better."

Facebook post this morning.....from Amber.....

You filled your home with love, laughter, family and friends. I know two angels in heaven who were looking down on you and they're so proud of all you've accomplished. ❤

Louis Dean and I ended our night out at IHOP!!

Does anyone notice the really great haircut he has???

Thank YOU!!! I did it myself!!

I think it makes him look younger!

We rolled into the driveway at 11:10 and were in bed by 11:30!!

A wonderful evening and we slept like babies.

That's what working hard and having fun does!!

This morning I knew it was going to be one long day so I suggested Louis Dean stay home and hopefully rest while I went to church.

It was a wonderful service and I left with renewed strength and a joy that is HAPPY!!!

Every single Sunday, the quads swarm around Pastor Doug!

They embrace him and are embraced in return.

They express concern for his recent eye surgery and assure him that they are praying for him.

Today, in the service, he touched on what evangelism means. A big part of it is showing that you care.

Our pastor cares for the least of the little ones and gives them his full attention. They, in turn, are learning to care for others. They are also learning to make conscience decisions to do right.

Do the next right thing......that's a motto I have lived by. I have taught it to my children and they to theirs.

We ate as a family at Dickey's BBQ.

Sunday dinners at home are still a wonderful thing but in today's world, a family meal at a local restaurant does very much the same thing.

From there I went to Rowlett to set up Summer's bedroom.

I probably need to explain the situation a bit.

Summer and Sabrina have put their house on the market and an estate sale team was in place this weekend selling all that they are leaving when they move to Puerto Rico.

That's why Summer is in a rented situation as she will need to stay here in Texas until she gets a clear health bill. It's easier to deal with her health issues HERE than in PR! 

She spent a fun day with Rayne on Saturday.

Sabrina has been in PR this week doing the preliminaries of finding a house and other incidentals.

Rayne is staying with Sabrina's mom during this time and since there is limited room there, and since Summer will still be here after Sabrina and Rayne move to PR........

she has rented a suite from Sabrina's aunt.

It all makes perfect sense if you think about it.

I spent the afternoon fluffing Summer's nest and setting up her bedroom.

She has a living room/den plus her private bath so it is a win WIN situation with Sherry, the awesome lady she is renting from. Ironically, they both suffer from back issues so I do believe God has a plan in all of this.

I returned home this evening to find that Louis Dean had unloaded all 3,000 pounds of sand INTO the sandbox!!! Plus - he ran his wheelbarrow into a water faucet and had to turn the water off, repair the water line and faucet, and proceed with his mission!

Storms were in the area tonight and Louis Dean was really worried about me being out earlier.

We missed it here in Irving but our niece, Crystal, showed what came down in her area!!

I guess he had every right to be concerned.

It was this time last year that our gazebo was destroyed and I would hate to see our new one damaged!!! It is still so young!!!

Okay!! I am caught up and I am loving the fact that IF you run out of walls to decorate inside the house - there's always the OUTSIDE!!!!