I love Mother/Daughter Days!
Wednesday I spent the day with Amber and it was wonderful!!
I got over to her house before noon and we had three glorious hours of just the two of us!
We ate lunch, had real conversation, watched a movie and reconnected.
You know how much I loved this time. I think both of our hearts were full by the time we did the school pick up. Now I love these grands more than my own life - but I have to be honest - I loved their mother FIRST! That will never change.
The kids love it that I always have a special treat in their car seats when they get out of school.
I can't even remember when this tradition started but it is so much fun to keep it going.
I noticed how they wiped out a container of candy corn when they were at the house celebrating September First with me. So I bought more and filled a small bag for each of them.....remembering to put the same number of corns and pumpkins in each one.
Can you believe how BIG they are now???
We went back to Quadville and another fun thing we do is when they empty their lunch boxes - I eat their leftovers. Or at least share in eating them! Amber told them I would be there when they got our of school so Trystan - being the super sweet girl she is - said, "Oh, I will make sure I don't eat ALL of my lunch!" Her mom assured her this was just a fun thing we do so imagine my shock when I go in the kitchen and Trystan unthinkingly emptied her lunch leftovers into the trash! I gasped! Cubed avocado and rotisserie chicken......Amber makes gourmet lunches for the kids and they have such variety. She features her school lunches on Instagram but I'm not smart enough to know how to share that link.
After school snacks were done and it was time for homework. I helped a little. Second grade math can be intimidating. Just saying. It's the way it's worded and the drawings. I was confused at first but figured it out.
Then it was reading time. All four love to read. I think that is amazing. ALL four!
I listened first to Trystan read for 20 minutes and then it was Kailey's turn. She wears a hearing aid in her right ear and does so well with that. She suggested we go in the guest room to read where we would not be 'distracted.' Her words. She read to me for 35 minutes.
I had meant to go home right after we picked them up from school and I had visited with them a little while. But grandchildren are addicting. I could not tear myself away.
I had brought a needlework of a Trick or Treat banner featuring pumpkins and cobwebs.
It was embellished using sequins and beads.
The last time we worked on it together we did the cobwebs with white sequins.
This time we sewed orange sequins on the pumpkins.
While we did that, Amber was preparing dinner and it smelled delicious - so I decided to stay a little longer. They watch America's Got Talent as a family together so I joined them in seeing the finals that had been recorded. It was amazing!!! I learned from Lillian today who won.....
From now on I am going to be watching AGT!!!
It was 9:00 when I headed home but my heart was full and I was so happy that I was able to spend some quality time with Amber, Mike, Trystan, Kailey, Harrison and Logan.
Louis Dean had been home alone and, of course, he cooked!!
Hamburgers! Are you surprised? He said he ate FOUR!
However, he cleaned up pretty well and I was able to go in and make up the bed ( I had put the sheets in the washer and he finished them up for me by putting them in the dryer) and do a little damage control and go to bed.
This morning I noticed a package on the kitchen counter from Deanie......
It was a beautiful collage of all things feminine that Deanie had designed and created herself.
I love it!! I knew where it would live - in the pretty secretary Lillian gave me where I have evening bags and jewelry displayed.
I also noticed that Louis Dean had been up early. He had made hot cakes. So I did a little more damage control when I heard he call from the den, "I made just enough for me and you. Would you like me to cook yours?" See, I would have thought he cooked them all and saved some for me.
He believes in FRESH! I believe in cooking it all up.
That's why when I packed up the fridge this morning to go to the ranch, there were two small handfuls of hamburger meat. In separate small bags. I packed them in the coolers and will give them to Rufus for treats. Not enough for even a good sized patty. Why not just cook them and make one patty a tiny bit bigger?? No, they all have to be the same size. According to Louis Dean.
He is so much fun!
Never a dull moment with him.
We finally got everything packed and loaded.
I went out to water the new plants in the back yard before we left and noticed the AC making a different sound. I walked over and saw that the fan was not turning but the motor was still going.
And it smelled like it was burning. Not good. I went inside and turned it off. It was still 74 degrees in the house so it had just happened. God's timing is perfect - other wise it would have burned completely up while we were gone. I had intended to leave it on and set the thermostat to 80.
We left Irving and stopped by the post office to mail off some birthday presents to friends and then drove to Fort Worth to Hobby Lobby to get some fresh canvases for my art projects. Next I stopped at Walmart to pick up some groceries for Lillian. I had called her and she said she didn't need anything but I told her it would be two weeks before we would be back. Milk, lunch meat and a few things were on her list and our last stop was to pick up a pizza for a late lunch.
She had not seen Louis Dean in several weeks so she asked him when he was coming to play some music. That made him smile! I took her laundry back to her and we shared the pizza with her room mate and visited for a little while. We had two pieces of pizza left and she insisted we take them with us. I gave them to a gentleman in a wheelchair as we were leaving. Last time I was there I gave him an extra malt I had. I really need to know his name.
It was getting late when we were finally on the road to Waco.
We had meant to meet up with Roy and Ruth Ann at the Cracker Barrel.
Dean and Sherry were going to meet up as well and we could all visit.
I sent them a text saying to go ahead without us - we were going to arrive too late.
I love it when the scenery changes to country.....
But I was shocked to see TRAFFIC shortly after the country scene.
Thankfully we turned off on Hwy 6 and we were headed to the ranch!
That's our turn right there by the lone tree and the silo.
We were beginning to relax.....
I love the roads that lead to the ranch.
When we passed the harvested cotton field, Louis Dean stopped to pick me a bouquet!
True love! I was wearing sandals and could not do it myself.
We arrived, unloaded and put up, settled in and breathed a sigh of contentment!
We are HERE!
The storm clouds had gathered and rain is in the forecast.
I am so fine with that!
So I bid you goodnight from my Happy Place.
Dean and Sherry won't leave until in the morning so our Critter Chores won't start until tomorrow evening. Except for Rufus. He's going to stay here with us so Louis Dean will go up to the house and bring him down here with us.
It's good to be back in the COUNTRY!!
What a cozy spot! The cotton bolls bouquet just makes it. Those quads...they are something! And their parents are amazing. Glad that you were able to touch base with Lillian, too. Now it’s your turn to take your shoes off and rest a spell.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so cozy in there. And I imagine the sound of rain on the roof would be so lovely. I like seeing the one tree and silo where you turn! We always watch A.G.T., it is maybe our favorite show! Amber is really Super Mom!
ReplyDeleteLinda, the VERY best of your days and now back on the ranch. Enjoy, rest, refresh and love those animals. Cotton bouquet - wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Joy
What beautiful pictures once again, dear Linda. Yes, the kids are growing like weeds... as most children seem to do. They never stay little long enough! Love, Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteI am in love with your room at the ranch. It looks so cozy. I'd have to read there curled up in that chair. God is so good to have you find out about the a/c not working BEFORE you left. Enjoy your relaxing time at the ranch.
ReplyDeleteGreat post...full of family and fun..enjoy the weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe time with your daughter is so precious. I'm sure she appreciates the me time she gets. Sometimes moms don't get much attentions when the kids are around. I remember the feeling of a non entity when my children were young. They always got all the attention. Enjoy your country place and hope you stay dry too. Not good to do critter duty in the mud. Happy Friday !
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you are not in that 35 inches or rain that is flooding Houston and that part of Texas, I watched carefully to see if it would effect you at the country home. hope you have an easy time taking care of the critters. I am sure you will need your boots at one time or another. your day with Amber and the quads sounds like so much fun. it is wonderful they ALL love to read
ReplyDeleteI can understand why that is your happy place! I saw pic's on the news this morning of all the flooding in east Texas and thought of you. How much rain did you get?
ReplyDeleteYour Quads are just adorable and I love how you spend time with them.
ReplyDeleteI'm also glad you are in your Happy Place.
Enjoy every minute.
I saw on the news about the terrible rain in Houston.
Be safe.
Love your stories about LD and his cooking escapades. He's one in a million.
I can't wait to see more pictures of the COUNTRY.
I remember your grands (quads) before they were born - and look at them now - almost grown up. We have to have been friends for awhile. Time flies. sandie
ReplyDeleteThose Bell kids are growing so fast! Have a lovely time at the ranch. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your time with the grand quads, Linda. You all have the best times together. And, you and Louis Dean will certainly be having more adventures niw that you are back in your happy place at the ranch.
ReplyDeleteI could sit a listen to kids reading the whole day!! They can really make me realize...they are what life is all about. And, as for country vs city-life, I'll take country!! Enjoy it all Linda.
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice that Louis Dean picks you bouquets! Alex does the same, it's so sweet isn't it? :) You had a great time with your family! But I know that feeling of relaxation once you get back to the country/mountains/ranch! Enjoy!
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