Seeing Out the Old Year and Bringing in the New!

 Louis Dean and I opened one last gift on Thursday.....

It was from our friend, Dawn. down in Florida.

She was one of my very first blogging friends when I started Linda's Life Journal in January 2010.

Do y'all know Sean Dietrich?

As in Sean of the South blog fame?

We just finished the last book she sent us - written by one of the Statler Brothers.

I  have read Sean's blog but this is our first book by him.

Dawn keeps up with books and loves to read more than anyone I know.

Look at this unique pair of earrings!

I'm going to enjoy these so much!

Summer and Rayne went back to Rowlett after we got home from Fort Worth on Thursday.

I loved having them here and so we were just as excited to have Dean and Sherry spend the night with us. Dean was here in town teaching a class and then they all went out to dinner so it was nearly 10:00 when they arrived.

That didn't stop us from sitting up into the wee hours of the morning visiting!

The time just flew by - as it does when you are with family.

SO I woke up Thursday morning with my first born child under our roof and Louis Dean woke up Friday morning with his first born asleep in the guest room.

We didn't get a chance to visit on New Year's Eve as they had to get back down to the ranch and take care of the critters and WE had a doctor appointmment!

I say WE because I will be taking Louis Dean to all his appointments from now on AND going in with him so I will know what's going on.

I really had no clue why we had this appointment but I found out it is due to Louis Dean having diabetes and his risk is double for glaucoma. I don't know what they did at his last appointment - the one where he got lost and finally found his way - an hour late - but this visit they tested the pressure in his eyes and it is too high. The doctor gave him a Rx for drops to use just once a day in both eyes and it will help to decrease this pressure!

I reward good behaviour!

Breakfast at Joe's!!

Followed by mani/pedi for two!!

Louis Dean settled right down and had a great time - which included a paraffin foot mask.

He was a happy camper!!

We left the house at 10:00 Friday morning and didn't get home until 4:00 that afternoon.

We had made plans to go tp Dallas and watch the Bell kids play in a hockey tournament and then spend New Year's Eve with all the Bells.

For some reason, my energy tank ran completely out and I could take one step more,

I walked into the house and went straight to the bedroom. Changed into my nightgown and went to bed.

Louis Dean brought me some water - I could not even do that - and I stayed in bed until 7:00 when I got up and took a shower and ate a quick sandwich before going back to bed!

When I woke up at 7:00 this morning I was feeling so much better!!

Poor Louis Dean saw the new year in all by his lonesome self but I couldn't help it.

Needless to say, I was the first one up this morning and I enjoyed the ritual of selecting our devotional books for 2022.

I had already ordered my new planners......

so I added the books for this year to the Bible Basket and stored the old ones away.

Cold weather was forecast to be on the way and our fireplace needed a good clean out.

Samantha has to get into any and every thing!

Louis Dean had a good time today watching some of the Bowl games on TV.

The kids had another tournament game and I did not want to miss it!

Kailey is usually the first to find Granddad after the game's over!

They didn't win but they did play well and we all had fun.

The team all went out to eat and we were invuted to join them.

Cane Rosso is in Old Town Carrollton and we had such a good time.

Louis Dean and I visited with the coach and his wife and some of the parents.

Mike has helped coach this year as he did last year so the team has developed a real comradery.

The kids all sat together at one end and I loved watching from the other end.

They laughed and talked and ate and had a good time with each other.

AND we left in time to get home before dark!

I loved everything about this very first day of 2022!