Taking Care of Each Other!

Louis Dean and I getting sick at the same time makes it hard!

We have gone from bed to recliner then back to bed again. All day long.

I do believe women are better at being ill and taking are of ourselves than men!

Louis Dean pulled a muscle from coughing so hard. He woke me up as he stumbled down the hall moaning in pain. Scared me because I thought I might have to take him to the ER. Thankfully, I gave him something for pain and he is doing better.

pic from Pinterest

We have not looked pretty today!

It is a tradition to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day.

I put some in to soak overnight so sick or not we will have them for lunch tomorrow.

There is always a silver lining in everything and for me that is having extra 'thinking and praying' time.

I'm also plowing through a few books that I have been wanting to finish.

Books, flannel sheets, flannel nightgowns, hot tea, oatmeal and bacon, electric blanket, Scrabble games on my phone, Vick's Vapor Rub, candles and a fireplace are all comforts.

Since we are sick  - and we do not get sick OFTEN! - we intend to do it up right!

Tomorrow promises to be a beautiful day in the 60's with clear skies! 

That will make anyone feel better!!!

Happy New Year!!!

'Under the Weather!'

Louis Dean and I are both still 'under the weather' so to speak!

Still sitting by the fire most of the day! Have not even THOUGHT of taking Christmas down yet!

After our coffee although I had a cup of tea and reading this morning I decided to do what I always do when I feel bad - go get my hair cut!!!

I have been going to the same place which was originally a Pro Cuts for 18 years!

The same lady has been there doing my hair all this time. She is a charming Korean Christian and was the one who cut my hair the year I went from LONG to SHORT! I mean she cut it really SHORT, too!!

I truly can't stand hair on my neck. Even when my hair was long - I wore it in a French braid or a twist.

Sporting a fresh hair cut I then went one door over to get my nails done.

I may still feel under the weather but at least I don't look as ragamuffin as I WAS looking!

When I got home Louis Dean was asleep in the guest room and slept most of the afternoon

I put some pinto beans on to cook and paired them with an iron skillet of corn bread. Louis Dean fried up a pan of potatoes when he got up. Comfort food.

A real pick me up was getting a phone call from our Florida blogging friend, Dawn!

Even though we still didn't feel well - we were smiling from ear to ear after hanging up!

Louis Dean is all excited talking about flying down to meet her someday!

In the mean time we have kept the home fire burning and snuggled under our blankets.

Let's just say we are caught up with 'Castle' and after the new Major Crimes episode will call this one a day!

At least I won't have to worry about doing my hair in the morning! 

SHORT means easy peasy!!

Warm and Toasty!

This is how I am ending my Sunday evening......all warm and toasty by the fire!

We were in Quadville for 26 hours giving Amber and Mike a much needed BREAK!

After we drove home late this afternoon we unloaded, I turned on the lights and the heat, cleaned the fireplace and put fresh logs in, poured a glass of wine and was going to settle down with my book and journal. I had LEFT them in Quadville! Louis Dean was already watching football so BACK I drove to get them! I had TOLD the babies I would be back!! They just weren't expecting me so SOON!!

The babies were GOLDEN today!! They went to bed last night at 8:00 and slept til after 9:00 this morning with not ONE peep! 

Granddad had breakfast ready - sausage and fried eggs with blueberry biscuits and blueberry cream cheese and fresh blueberries!! Could you tell from the pic that was what they had?

We were hovering at the nursery doors just waiting for them to stir!

After breakfast and getting them dressed it was time for Bubble Guppies!!!

Logan practiced her acrobatics!

They LOVE their new ball bath play area!!

When Mommy and Daddy got home they were ready to show off big time!!

It was a good day in spite of the fact that the adults were not feeling their best -  Louis Dean and me as well as Amber and Mike. Thanks to Amber's Golden Schedule all went extremely well.

The secret was to nap when the babies napped! That was exactly what I did!

 I am thinking the electric blanket will have warmed the bed nicely by now.

I just put another log on the fire for Louis Dean.

That should hold him for the rest of the football game.

I'm crying 'Uncle' and taking my jar of Vick's Vapor Rub and heading to bed!

Changing of the Guard Today!

We arrived in Quadville around noon today to do a changing of the guard! We will be here until noon tomorrow giving Amber and Mike a much needed 'Break!' Christmas is a lot of WORK for nearly all of us but especially so when you have FOUR 19 month olds!!

We have enjoyed watching them play with all their new toys!

The babies were just about to have lunch when we go here so by 1:00 they were down for their naps!

They usually stay in their beds for 2 hours but today they slept for THREE!!

So did I!! It's smart to nap when they do!!

We usually play for a bit in one of the nursery rooms after they wake up.

I came upstairs armed with water and vanilla wafers!

They are learning and developing before our very eyes!!!!

Granddad played music for over two hours this afternoon!

We never once turned on the TV for their beloved Bubble Guppies!

We were all too busy PLAYING!!

Never a dull moment!!

The kids are LOVING this new ball bath gym!

That's the way to get in!

We had supper just a little later than normal since they napped so long!

They are such good eaters! Ham, broccoli rice casserole, carrots, cheese toast and fruit with fluffy salad for dessert! And MILK! 

Supper, teeth brushed, books read, free time roaming the kitchen,  PJ's on, one last drink of water ......

they were sound asleep in bed by 8:00!

I have to admit our 'tired' is dragging so it is off to bed for US as well!!

Sitting By the Fire......

Louis Dean and I are in recovery mode from all the excitement of the last few days.

We have literally been sitting by the fireplace all.day.long.

It's only 6:35 and we're already talking about going to bed.

We still have our jammies on!

We have sipped hot coffee, hot tea, rubbed Vick's on our chest (it is such a comforting smell!), drank lots of water, ate leftovers with little clean up. I have read my books, taken a nap, cleaned out a drawer or two in the den looking for my 2014 Country Diary that I have put SOMEWHERE but can't find.

My hands are so dry I have kept this Lavender Body Butter my niece made on them all day.

Normally I work with my hands a lot so today was a good opportunity to let them rest.

We have watched more TV today than we usually watch in a WEEK!

Right now we are finishing up a Christmas Movie we taped earlier in the season.

I think every once in awhile we simply have to STOP and just BE!

Today was that day for us.

The Day AFTER!

It's the day AFTER Christmas and I am enjoying looking at all the photos that captured the moments I shall treasure for all time! Thank you to my gifted photographer son, Jesse, for his awesome talents!

We own THREE really NICE cameras - and could not FIND them!! I only had  my little point and shoot that I use all the time and since there was a LOT of ACTION over both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - mine were mostly blurry! My sister and niece also graciously sent me some good ones and then I cleaned up MINE with www.ribbet.com!

So here is our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in pictures!

If I had to choose just ONE picture - this would be THE one!!

Christmas Eve was wonderful and I think Jesse caught my happiness here!

I admit I woke up early Christmas Eve morning - as in 5:30!! I was too excited to sleep even though I did stay in the warm bed and played Scrabble games for awhile!

I prepped and cleaned all day and had every dish ready to pop in the oven or just pull out of the refrigerator.

This was only the second time the quads have been in our house! Last August when they were only 8 months old and then they just stayed in the den!

I really appreciate all the work Amber and Mike did in making Christmas happen!!

It is no easy thing to take FOUR 19 month old babies anywhere!!!

We parked our vehicles so they could back right up to the front door and unload!

They were the first to arrive in late afternoon.

Louis Dean had bought this bench back in October at the HEB down in Waco.

He was SO excited to finally give it to them!

I think it was a big success!!

Raynie like it too so Granddad is going to search the HEB for another one!!

It was wonderful as more and more family arrived!

The babies practiced their 'Touch with ONE FINGER' routine and did excellent!!!

They occasionally used a couple extra fingers!

There were 16 of us for Christmas Eve.

Only Ben was missing and he is out in California.

We MISSED you, Benjamin!!!

I have an extra leaf for the dining room table - HOWEVER - when we put it in - the table has to be catty cornered in the room! 

So we make do and sweet family sit on the corners while smiling about it!

The quads ate in our laps while the older grands had their own table out in the den.

I made sure they had plate chargers, Christmas plates and stemmed glasses for their tea.

We had a ton of food! Ham, sweet potato casserole and on and on.

The only special requests were fluffy salad, broccoli rice casserole and deviled eggs.

Louis Dean had to find a recipe for the deviled eggs as that is something we both like but have never made.

Faith was SO popular both with the quads.....

 and Raynie!!

It was an evening to remember!

I had ALL my grandchildren together WITH their parents!!

 Kailey looks just like Amber did when she was that age.

Wonder if she will look like her when she's the age Amber is now?

Opening gifts is always fun!

My beautiful daughter in law!

This pic is slightly out of sync as Kailey has her pajamas on but I was afraid I couldn't 'find' it again if I tried to move it! My pictures are a MESS on my computer!!

The pillows were a success I think!!

The quads and Raynie loved theirs!

Louis Dean LOVED his guitar strap from Amber and Mike.

He will use it the next time he plays over in Quadville.

My only regret is that I was so excited about everything that I totally forgot to get a picture of us with all the grands!

By 9:00 everyone was gone leaving the house so quiet and empty.

Louis Dean sent me to bed while he washed all the dishes by hand.

ALL the dishes!! He's like that.

I admit to being way PAST tired and I was soon asleep!

I woke up early, though, because it was Christmas DAY!!

We gathered at my sister's house in Fort Worth - the one where Mother lives.

Here we are!!!

My super cute niece is in the center of Andie, Deanie and Nita!!

Granddad was sporting his Santa Claus tie!!

Mike and Nita's home is a treasure of all things beautiful AND interesting!!

Logan loved their retro tree!

Deanie and her granddaughter, Andie.

The quads were sure glad to see THEM!

Mother was having a ball!!

I think Aunt Deanie has a soft spot for Trystan!

See what I mean??

The quads loved running around and looking at everything!

Logan would explore and then come back to the safety of one of our laps!

They opened gifts and ran around!

This is a great way to feed the quads!

After lunch it was time for the Chinese Christmas Tree!

Everyone brings a wrapped gift and places it under the tree.

We all draw numbers based on how many gifts.

#1 starts first and opens a gift.

#2 can open a new gift OR take the gift from someone else.

After 3 'owners' the gift is frozen and stays with that person.

Louis Dean got Texas Lottery Scratch offs!

Who KNEW he would enjoy them so much???

After he finished he gave his 'winnings' to Andie!

My sister, Nita, ended up with one of the Santa's.....

and my sister in law, Michele, got the other one.

The blond little girl looks like her granddaughter!

It was a FUN day! Can't you tell???

Summer and I ended up staying and visiting with Nita and Mother in the living room while Mike and Louis Dean watched an old movie - Strategic Air Command.

Louis Dean and I were the very last ones to leave!

We came home, changed into pajamas, lit a candle and sat in the den to reflect on all our blessings!

This morning we INTENDED to get up early and hit the after Christmas sales!

We were sleeping so well that didn't happen.

We DID hit up the Home Depot and stocked up on new lights for next year as well as the clear ones I use year round. Sam's was another stop and I got cookies for the grands.

We decided to take in a movie - Saving Mr. Banks with Tom Hanks.

NO beer until we get to the movie!! We ate lunch at Applebee's around the corner from it!

Louis Dean will only go to movies if he can have a beer.

The Movie Tavern in Bedford fills the bill!

It was excellent - although I found it a little bit slow.......

Louis Dean said he thoroughly enjoyed it.

We are in recovery mode and taking it easy tonight.

Tomorrow will be soon enough to look around and see what we need to do next!

As in cleaning out the lawn storage building so we can store the trunk load of lights in there!!!