Another Day...Another Doctor...and Other Adventures......

It's been a busy week here at the Chapman home...

Wednesday afternoon we went for pedicures and when Louis Dean took his socks off they took one look at him and said we needed to get him to the doctor. Last week I had noticed blood on the floor in his music room... he as no feeling in his left foot and had an open ulcer on the bottom of his big toe. The toe was red and swollen so I cleaned and  put antibiotic cream and a bandage on it. In a few days the swelling was donwn a little and it wasn't quite as red. 

Alas, I was so concerned with keeping up with his new eye drops regime that I totally forgot to keep checking on his toe.....

Thank the Lord for our pedicure day!

The more experience lady did Louis Dean's - minus the big toe.

I immediately called his primary care doctor and we went right in as soon as we left the salon.

Dr. Maddox examined him and determined it was infected, cleaned and bandaged it and directed us to Dr. Garcia, the podiatrist right down the hall.

 

We arrived just as they were about to close the office but they were kind enough to let us make an appointment for Thusday morning.

Dr. Garcia found that Louis Dean was wearing leather shoes and he leans forward when he walks so the leather is stronger than his skin so it had caused an ulcer. I have a list of shoes that will be appropriate for diabetics but for now he is wearing a boot on that foot until we go back to the doctor next Friday.

Looking handsome!!

We celebrated by having breakfast at IHOP and then ran a few errands before getting home around 3:00. I started the washing machine and loaded the dishwasher and that's when the power went out!

That stopped everything so we went out on the driveway and stayed there until it was dark.

Candles lit and it's still dark in the house!

We spent the next three hours in the gazebo.

The neighbors behind us have allowed trash trees to grow up and the repair team could not get to the transformer  - so they sent out a tree cutting crew around midnight and then the repair crew came back and by 1:30 we had power again!!

This was our make-do dinner!

It's always an adventure around here!

Stephanie brought over a nifty lantern plus two phone charger packs!

 

It's good to have power!

Louis Dean rebuilt a bird house and ended up with Gorilla Glue all over his hands.

It took him hours to get them cleaned up!

My bulb are blooming!

Son Dean sent me flower photos from our yard at the ranch.

So pretty!!

I had cut the rose garden back when we were there - better late than never.

We leave in the morning for Galveston and our bags are packed and loaded in the car.

I am so excited!

 

'Spring' on a December Day!

Gone were the stormy rains of yesterday and in its place was blue skies and warm temperatures!

It was short sleeves and bare feet around the Chapman Camper as I cranked open some windows and flung open the door.

Even the tomato plants think it's spring!

There is ONE ready to pick!

(I'll let HIM eat it!)

The only 'Christmas' around here today was in decorations and music.

This was a perfect day to start my traditional Christmas Letters.

However, this year I don't have the drawer with all my pretty papers and such so I have opted to use a box of cards. They are all the same design and I will write my 'letter' inside.

Every year I write to all my children and other special people in my life.

My oldest daughter, Summer, started this tradition when Amber and Ben were babies.

I still have the letters she wrote all those years ago.

Louis Dean went off to do errands and give me some alone time. Letter writing requires thought!

I kept busy doing some of my favorite things on this the fourth and final day of our 'Staycation!'

Over the course of this long weekend I finished a bottle of delicious Pinot and them promptly turned it into a wine light as a gift to Amber's nanny. We have come to think of April as 'family' during the time she's been with us. I'll give this to her at the little party we're having later this week.

The denim play quilt I was making for the quads is all done.

Washed and dried it is ready to wrap!

I noticed a small tear in the sheet I used for backing so I patched it with a denim heart.

You'd never know there had been a tear under there!

I rolled it up with the heart shape showing.

Louis Dean said I should have sewn FOUR hearts since it's for the quads!

I like to think of this as my Grandma Heart!

Each strip, seam, square represents love and prayers from THIS Grandma's heart for the babies.

Louis Dean returned from his errands and I had a good lunch all waiting for him.

Afterwards I thought this would be a good time to take a nap.......so I sent him outside to 'play.'

It was so nice out I was certain he could find something to do!

It was a risky thing to do!! I know! I KNOW!!!!

When I woke up and opened the camper door to see how he was doing......

THIS is what I saw!!!

To be fair - I had not told him NOT to unload the entire contents of his truck onto the patio!!

To his credit I snapped this.......

just as I'm closing my post! 

Not entirely clean but MUCH better!!

Now I'm off to have Tea Time with my husband!!

Tomorrow it will be back to Quadville to care for the babies!

Wonder if they missed me?

CHRISTMAS is Coming!!

My Santas are DONE!!!

This is the one  I am keeping and then I have one all painted and packed in the truck to take HOME for Christmas! Our family has a tradition! Doesn't EVERY family have at least ONE?

On Christmas morning as many family members as possible gather at my sister's home for breakfast and then we do a Chinese Christmas Tree gift exchange! This is SUCH a fun thing to do and we spend a lot of time and thought on the gifts we take! I have taken different things over the years but for the last several my 'gift' has been a Santa painting. I paint a new one every year - 'NEW'  as in taken from a card or gift box and/or bag - and then painted up on canvas in oils.

I barely finished this one in time!!

As soon as we had our morning coffee yesterday I was out there putting on the final glaze.

My palette had seen better days but it served its purpose until the very end!

I lay out the paint when I start a new picture and then FREEZE it (by placing a palette paper on top, folding it in quarters and placing it in a freezer bag) in between painting sessions.

We spent today in Quadville and I admit it was hard to say goodbye to these precious babies!!

We realize what a blessing it is to be a part of their lives - especially since we have been there for them from 'the beginning!'

Louis Dean was determined to spend some 'Quality Time' with each one of the babies today - 

knowing it will be nearly a week before he holds them again.

Little Logan - who SMILES as big as she can every single time you say 'PRETTY!' - is usually most comfortable sitting BESIDE her Granddad where she can see what is going on.

However......Louis Dean has convinced her to be a 'Shoulder Baby' as well!!

He does have a way with these quads!!

He held them all during the course of this day! For EXTENDED lengths of time!!

SH! Don't tell Amber how much we spoil the babies!!!

How can we RESIST??

In between feedings, diaper changes, laundry and tummy time I wrapped presents, made Popcorn Crunch....

.....and worked on the quads Christmas gift!

A denim play mat for their tummy time.

All I have left to do on it is the 'quilting.' I will 'stitch in the ditch' along the denim squares.

I will do my best to get this done in time for Christmas!

Harrison and I had a BALL today as I made some weird mouth 'music/noise' and he laughed and laughed until he had TEARS!!! And so did I!!! We had so much fun together!

I usually put the TV on to the 'Toddler Tunes' and then sing/dance/entertain them.

Sometimes it works - and sometimes I am a total DUD!!

The thrill of it all!!! You never know when you will be a STAR in their eyes!

As I write - Louis Dean AND Lucy are both sound asleep - AND SNORING!!

The truck is all packed, the camper is clean and everything on our 'To Do' list has been DONE!!!

All that's left is for me to pack up my laptop and turn in myself.

3:30 am comes early!

He wants to be on the road by 4:00!

That's fine with me because I will be snuggled up in the back seat!

I promised him we can stop for breakfast at Sam's Cafe  in Fairfield, Texas.

They have a buffet Louis Dean dearly loves!!!

It will make a nice break in the drive home since it is half way or so!

And I AM anxious to get 'home.'

I want to see my other four grandchildren and my oldest two children.

AND my MOTHER and SISTER!

It's a wonderful thing to be able to live in TWO worlds!

I am so grateful God has worked out all the details of our lives that we can DO this!!

And by the way!! Have you noticed my new Christmas Blog look??

Part of it I did MYSELF!!

The header my talented daughter, Amber, did FOR me!!

She is a professional writer and you can check out her blog - which includes a tidbit where the quads were mentioned in Houston Modern Luxury where she was a senior editor before quads 'BQ' and is now a freelance writer and a regular contributor editor HERE!!!

I guess it's time for me to sign off and go to sleep!!

Catch you all later!!!

A November Thursday.....

arrived COLD!!! 

Cold enough to bring in and turn ON our little electric heater!

It took some of the chill off as we sat bundled in our blankets while we sipped coffee and had our morning reading time. We seldom use the heat at home so we don't anticipate winter in Houston will be a problem.

Still and all......I love to sleep COLD but I do enjoy a bit of WARMTH with my morning coffee!

We arrived in Quadville just in time for the 11:00 am feeding.

Amber is making her own organic baby foods and today the featured food was bananas!

ALL four loved it!

After Tummy Time Harrison and Kailey enjoyed watching 'The Ants Go Marching One by One.'

This has been one of Levi's VERY favorite videos!

I feel sure it will be a favorite with the quads as well.

In the afternoon Louis Dean and I worked on the denim quilt.......

I had to 'true up' one side so it would be even.

Then I ironed on the 'Fusible Batting.'

The denim was a bit heavy for it to work very well.......

It only 'fused' in a few places......

then we spread out the sheet I was using for the backing.

Put right sides together.......

.......cut to fit......

.......and I am ready to sew it together......

NEXT week!!

I packed away the sewing machine - a wedding gift to Amber from her Aunt Deanie - and closed up shop!

We are OFF tomorrow - Amber has both her Nanny coming as well as her housekeeper!

This is perfect since tomorrow is Louis Dean's 76th BIRTHDAY!!!

How are we celebrating?

By shopping for Thanksgiving Dinner!

This is our gift to Amber and Mike.....plus two other guests.

LD brought back his big electric roaster so we will be roasting our turkey outside in our gazebo.

We have a menu - a shopping list - AND a schedule!!

"Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise."

~George Herbert

Quilt Top is DONE!

Today has been a good day! Louis Dean got the day off since Amber's nanny is back!!

We really missed her! That meant I got some extra 'Me' time today and I have to tell you - I loved every minute of it! Louis Dean had a leisurely morning drinking our coffee, reading and Bible study before I dressed and went over to the rec center where I walked on the treadmill and prayed. I have found that makes the time FLY by!!

On my way to Quadville I stopped at the local Goodwill where I found a few treasures.

My next stop was at Hobby Lobby where I picked up some Fall paper goods for NEXT year at 80% off!

I also bought the rest of the 'ingredients' for the denim Quilt/Play Mat for the Quads Christmas gift.

I love this denim thread......

....and this time I thought I would try the Fusible Batting.

The top is finished!!!

Tomorrow I will begin the process of putting it together.

Between the sewing and feedings at 2 and 5 pm - I held some pretty sweet babies!

Logan is the very FIRST one of the quads to get a phone call!!

This one was from Granddad!

He wanted her to know he will be back tomorrow and that he MISSES her!!

Trystan played with Sophie the giraffe......which is a treat since Harrison is usually chewing on  holding her!

Logan just could NOT believe Granddad wasn't there today!!

Kailey was in denial that her Granddad had NOT been there to hold her this day!

And little Harrison is wondering how the stock market did today since Granddad wasn't here to watch it!

Don't worry, babies!! He'll be BACK tomorrow!!

But tonight he has the fire pit burning and since it is COLD (MAY be dipping toward the freezing mark tonight!!) we are celebrating with a glass of wine as we gaze into the flames and count our many blessings!!