Our First April Weekend of 2023!

 I am loving every single minute of this spring season!

I suppose it's my third favorite after FALL, and winter with summer being my least favorite - but not really. Actually it's August that sucks the life out of me. June and July are good months with hot weather and lots of fun things to do like gardening, pool time and being outside.

When August hits, though, it's tough!

Last year Jesse took us up to a mountain cabin his friend, Jim, owns and shares generously with his friends. I'm so happy Jesse is one of them!

We wore sweaters and had campfires and had the best time!

I'm hoping we can do that again this year!

Friday morning found me outside on the driveway with my first cup of coffee.

It was a sweet Quiet Time with the Lord and all the birdhouses hanging up under the eaves are filled with tweeting babies.

The sun was up so I soon retired to the kitchen deck before going inside and fixing breakfast for Louis Dean.

Not that he ever asks or even WANTS breakfast - but I feed him, anyway!

It's my JOB!

He needs energy to do all the things he does in a day - any day!

Our gazebo replacements parts came in and he's spent the weekend putting it all up!

I helped him with the cover and craned my neck up - since I am so short I had to use a yardstick and then a mop handle to lift the fabric up for him. My neck still hurts this Sunday night as I write my journal entry! I'm taking Motrin and smell strongly of BenGay!

He continued to work on the gazebo and I came in to finish up his bathroom.

I spruced and fluffed and painted and stained and am liking it so much better than before.

Louis Dean loves his storage baskets and labeled them with white duct tape.

I appreciate his effort to keep them organized.

I used a combination of paint, chalk paint and my artist oils.

I feel like it's a manly sort of feel to his bathroom.

More or less......

Love the clock we bought at Sam's!

You would never know there is a long line of Gorilla Glue behind it where Louis Dean put a screw nail and glued it in!!

We got a lot done on Friday and I managed to base in the rest of this canvas.

This one has been based in as well - I just didn't get a pic of it.

The colors are a challenge to match!

Sabrina put me on a new adventure in art.

She buys faded old canvases and paints over them giving them new life!

I started looking for some and then I realized I already had them!

MY old canvases!!

I didn't think to take a before pic but I spruced up this painting originally done in 1993.

My name was Linda Davis then so I painted over the name and date and added just Linda and 93/2023!

I'm thinking of getting some of those decal sticker things from Hobby Lobby and adding a 'Blessed' or maybe a scripture to this above the flowers.

It's already hanging in the guest room.

I have been looking forward to Saturday, April 1st!!!!

My best friend, Brenda, retired on Friday, March 31st and we gathered at Spring Creek BBQ to celebrate HER!!!!

Isn't she beautiful???

Inside and out!

We have been friends for over 30 years.

Brenda and her beloved husband, Billy, and son Brandon.

We went to church together for years then worked together at State Farm for a couple of years which further bonded us.

When their son, Brandon, was accidently electrocuted, Louis Dean and I rushed to Parkland hospital to be with them. It's a God thing that Brandon is here with us today and happy and healthy and living such a good life!

Brenda has always been there for me.

At work, when I was going through the divorce, as I slowly found myself again and when I matched with Louis Dean on eHarmony.

She was at my wedding and all the important events and all the years.

She and I had monthly lunch dates before, during and after the time we lived in our camper down in Katy, Texas after the Bell Quads were born.

We went on an Alaskan cruise together in 2018.

It was an important birthday for Brenda and she had just lost her mother.

We both wore things that had belonged to Mary and celebrated her in our hearts and minds during that cruise.

We both have September birthdays and celebrate them together.

Leah and Patrick were on an Alaskan cruise at the same time - only on a different ship!

Brenda and Billy love us every bit as much as we love them.

Louis Dean was NOT a happy cruiser - but they loved him anyway!

So did I - but he could have at least tried to be happy!!

He was on a huge ship without a box of wine or a guitar!

Still - he did get an experience of a lifetime - and so did I!

Thanks to Brenda and Billy!

We came home full of good food and a good visit with everyone and I went to bed for a good nap!

When I got up, Louis Dean was busy making a bird house!

He salvaged part of an old one.....

and was quite creative about it!

Later he painted the white part a brown color.

We brought home leftovers from the restaurant ....

but decided on a salad supper for Saturday night while we watched Bluebloods.

When I woke up this Sunday morning, Louis Dean was out in the gazebo hanging up the rain curtains.

He never remembers what day it is so when I told him it was Sunday, he simply switched gears.

However, for the very first time ever on a Sunday morning - he did NOT play gospel music while we got ready for church! I guess he forgot. Next time I will remind him.

We met up with Billy and Brenda at church and then all the Bells arrived.

Jimmy Evans preached today in the last of three messages in a series.

I did not realize he and his family are members of Fellowship Church.

I love to hear him and we are all so blessed by him.

Amber snapped this moment of Logan and her Granddad walking out after the service.

You can see Kailey in between them and I am beside her - but only my blonde bangs show.

We came home and ate our leftovers from Saturday before I went up to meet my sweet hair stylist, Yulisa, at K-Hair.

It had been a long time since I 'd had a haircut!

This is the most hair I have had in years!

I'm growing it out so I can pin it up in a French Twist and plop a hair piece on top if need be.

My next trick will be finding some false eyelashes that work for me.

My eyebrows have disappeared with age and now my lashes are slowly vanishing.

I'm grateful for modern technology and all the 'spare parts' available these days!

I'll close tonight's journal entry with a memory from this time last year.

Two of my Kansas City Sibs came down along with Brother-in-law Thomas!

Here's brother Buster and I am so happy Brenda met him!

Like I said, Brenda is always here for me in my most important moments.

I'm grateful for my sister, Rita, and that she met my best friend.

I do so love my dear sister, brother, brother-in-law, and best friend....and Billy!!

It's been a beautiful weekend!

Wishing 'all who read my words' a blessed Easter week.