Thursday, April 30, 2015

A FUN Camper and Fun CAMPERS!!!


The house smelled so GOOD when the grand quads arrived yesterday morning!


This Tangy Bacon is a big hit!


We ALL like it!


I also had Almond Twists!
Back when I was YOUNG, I copied recipes down in a spiral notebook.
My handwriting from 1972 is so very different from my writing today.
I have studied graphology and hand writing truly DOES change as WE do!


I had a very simple breakfast table as it became a Play Dough table when they finished eating.
Lest you think the quads every moment here  is structured - it isn't!
I left the Play Dough out just about all day and they would play with it for awhile and then get involved in other things and then come back to it. Often all four were at the table and other times just one or two. The quads have favorite things to do and I let them roam free and explore and play on their own as much as possible.

I managed to do a bit of laundry and prepare lunch while the kids pretty much entertained themselves.


We had Cheeseburger Pie - I knew it would be a hit!
It WAS!


Louis Dean and I added a salad for us and fruit for the kids and we all had veggies in cheese sauce.


Dessert! Last week we ate a chocolate truck.
This week it was a chocolate Spring Scene from Germany.

After lunch we all filed out to the camper!
Logan and Trystan got the girl bunk and Kailey opted for the little couch while Harrison was delighted to nap in the Spider Man sleeping bag!
I read two chapters in Framer Boy and they were all sawing logs!
I got up on the camper bed and did likewise!
Louis Dean went back in the house but the rest of us slept SO well!!!
Rested kids AND MeeMaws are HAPPIER kids AND MeeMaws!!!

Once we were all awake, back outside we all went!!



Hunting lizards is a favorite past time around here for the young and old alike!


This big guy was just standing there by the chair in the camper.
Now I LIKE lizards but THIS one was a little TOO big and a little TOO ugly!
I didn't even stop to take his picture first! I just got my fly swatter and ushered him to the door.

After naps we played outside some more!



Granddad is always doing a little music with them!


The custom made sand box is good for hours of fun.
That sand goes down SEVERAL feet!! This used to be where our hot tub was!



I love how Trystan fills her skirt with sand and then dumps it out!


I HAD to snap a picture of this!!
Just GUESS who the little Bag Lady is!!


Logan! My 'Mini-ME!'


Louis Dean pretended to be snoring and then the kids would 'wake' him up!!



Granddad says, "I don't chase!"
That means he will watch the kids while I cook dinner IF they are in the same room with him!
I loved hearing all that laughter as I came down the hall!

By the time we had dinner and baths, it was BACK to the camper for reading and bed.
Everything went smooth as silk!
Before I knew it - it was time to get up!!


Louis Dean had slept in the house and he was my knight in shining armor when he brought out big thermal cups of coffee for us!


I had a basket of books for the kids to 'read' while I fixed breakfast.


We had a child friendly version of sausage and pancakes - on a stick!


Using cups for the syrup worked pretty good for keeping the stickiness to a minimum!


THIS is the photo Louis Dean was wanting me to get!


Works for grown ups, too!!!


They played Tinker Toys while I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and then took turns getting them all dressed and their hair combed.


Trystan was the first one to turn the Tinker Toys into a drum set.......


Music to Granddad's ears!


then Kailey followed suit!


Granddad was eating this up!!!


You can tell the quads are paying attention.


This was what they were doing right up until their Daddy arrived.
Amber is getting some much deserved R and R with fellow quad moms!

Louis Dean let Mike know that we have a full set of drums safely packed up and stored away until such time we will give them to the quads. 

They all drove off happy this morning leaving us with smiles on our faces as well!!!
Amber is so careful to make sure than no one gets TOO many hours of responsibility thus insuring that EVERYONE enjoys their time with the quads.

After they left the camper was so quiet. Louis Dean went in the house to work on his music for the jam session tonight while I just enjoyed the alone time.

This is where I have stayed all day for the most part.
I went in and did a bit of housework or laundry and then I'd come back out here and piddle with one thing or another. We are putting the finishing touches on the camper getting it ready to take down to the ranch as soon as it dries up down there!!

Louis Dean went back to the carpet place and bought another piece for the 'living room' and bedroom areas. He'll be cutting and putting it down soon. I will LOVE having all clean new carpet to walk on!!!!

Here's a tour of the camper and 'stuff' that's in it thus far.


When we were homeschooling Amber and Benjamin designed and sewed this Four Seasons Quilt.


It is turned to the correct season and on the girl bunk.
It also makes a nice cover around my shoulders on chilly nights down at the ranch.


The camper view from the bedroom.


Camper view from the bathroom.
One end to the other is 31 feet.


Last Friday I scored BIG at Hobby Lobby with peel and stick wall art!


It was all 90% off so I bought a buggy full!!
This is on the small wall between the fridge and pantry.


I bought this Tuesday at Goodwill  and knew it would fit perfectly in here!!
This is right below the poster above.


I took down the Thomas Kincaid border - I loved it but it was tattered in areas - and replaced it with the peel and stick stuff.


Nothing matches and that's the way I like it!


Just fun things!!


You can't even SEE what's really on there unless you look closely!


This wall is in honor of Louis Dean.


Just in case anyone asks - NO vacancy!!!
Unless it's Robert - Louis Dean's grandson who is always welcome to sleep in the Boy Bunk!!!


I just love anything that is PRETTY and these ARE!!


Behind the stove signs are good reminders of how we should live.


This is the wall Louis Dean had to replace.
I painted it green and then pretty much covered it up!


The wall  to the left of the bed will be replaced next year.
For now it looks pretty.


The curtains have black out fabric lining.


Campers are like tin cans when the sun is shining!!


Still have a little bit to do here and there but so far I am happy with everything!
It's CLEAN! It's PRETTY! AND it's COMFORTABLE!!!


I close tonight's journal entry with the art work we did yesterday.
I used the white cardboard backing from all those posters I bought at Hobby Lobby!
Waste not - Want not, Love!!!
Footprint Butterflies.

When Amber and Benjamin were little I did a hand print or footprint craft every year.
I have them still.
These are now 'hanging' on my hall closet door.
Next week I think we will try our hand at adding fingerprint flowers.
Don't tell anyone but we are practicing for a gift from the quads to their mama on her birthday in June. These are practice runs and I am learning a LOT!!

Okay! I have finished up in time to go out for a little drive way sit with Louis Dean before bed!!
Tomorrow is the WEEK END!!!






Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Oops! We did it AGAIN!!!

We woke up to a chilly house on Tuesday morning!
This is so NOT typical Texas April weather so we embraced it, built a fire in the den and settled back in front of it sipping at our coffee.


Ah!

Normally I am scanning the featured movie times at Staplex theater and calling Ruth Ann to firm up our plans for the day. This day I called local carpet companies here in Irving looking for carpet remnants to use in our camper. Beltline Carpets had lots to choose from so I picked Ruth Ann up and we went right over there! Ruth Ann spotted just the perfect one! It was a piece 5 X 12 feet and would NOT show every bit of dirt, mud or goopy footprint! AND it was only $20!


Louis Dean came as fast as he could get here to pick it up.
He had a ball talking to the owners. It is a family owned business that has been in Irving over 30 years. George Jones was one of their relatives and Louis Dean admired all the photographs of him.
While he took the carpet home,


Ruth Ann and I had lunch at La Madeleine.
It was downright cold and rainy and this seemed like the perfect place to be.


We were fortunate enough to get a table right in front of the fireplace!
Win! WIN!!

I don't know what got into us but we lingered over that lunch for a very long time just lost in conversation. 

No movie for us that day but we did have some shopping to do.
I needed curtains and rods for the camper and groceries for when the quads arrived and a mattress pad for the camper bed. Then of COURSE we had to hit up Goodwills!!!


It was nearly 6:00 by the time we got home!
I set out a tasty light supper of meat, cheese, olives, chips and salsa, crackers and armadillo eggs!!


We are not ready to start a new art project just yet so Ruth Ann worked on her Boots and I made some serious progress on a Santa that I started about 3 years ago! The top one is finished and all I had done on the bottom one was part of his face.  


That floating Santa face had bugged me long enough so I at least got the whole thing based in now!!


Once again - we found lots of treasures at the thrift stores!
I bought this brand new still in package candle warmer for just $4!


Ross for Less is where I found the camper curtains - only I decided to put them here in the kitchen and put the kitchen ones in the camper!


I loved these small clusters of grapes from a thrift store.....


and these heavy beaded garlands in green and red.


I shall clean the silver tea sets up soon for a fancy tea party!

While Ruth Ann and I were in the house painting.......


Sherry was out cutting the carpet and fitting it into the camper.
Louis Dean and I will be going BACK to Beltline Carpets on Thursday to get another remnant to finish the camper!!


The last thing we did in here was make up the bed!!


This was one tired husband!!!

Morning came early and the quads arrived all excited about spending the night!


As I write, I am in the camper and all four kids are napping!
Enjoying the peace and quiet.....

We have lots of things to do but no matter what I come up with - being IN the camper is going to be every one's favorite thing about today!!