Saturday, December 9, 2023

Changing of the Guards .....

Amber and Mike are having such a great time on their International Getaway.
It was a business trip for Mike - at least for the first few days.


That gave Amber some time to get a bit of pampering and shopping done!


By night they went out for dinner and strolls.


She is so pretty!
Inside and out!


We grandparents are so happy they trusted us with the grands and that they have had a week of being a twosome in Europe again!

Normally, grandparents would say that they are taking care of the kids - and we are - 


but THEY are taking good care of US!
The TV in the living room wasn't working well so Kailey drew this diagram of the remote and then proceeded to drill me on using it!

I watched a few good movies.....


while doing some art!


Monday I will finish this ornament for Amber adding a wreath of bluebonnets and a few sunflowers.


I finished addressing all 240 Christmas cards and they are in the mail!


Wednesday morning's 'Tea Tray.'


Louis Dean has stayed somewhat busy clipping burned out light strands from garlands and washing dishes. The dishwasher had  a leak so he's done all the dishes by hand. I'll tell you a secret - he LOVES washing dishes!

Then sometimes he would just go out and sit in the sun on the front porch.

He made meat sauce for the pasta I cooked earlier and we had dinner all cooked and staying warm in the crockpot while we did the school pickup. We all ate a little early as the girls were playing in the Winter Concert.

Son Jesse drove over to join us for dinner and to drive us all to the concert since it was dark and he knew I can't see to drive at night. S far I am good until about 5:30!



Can you spy two of the girls?
Kailey was in the trombone group at the back of the band.


But here she is!!!
She said, "I knew you would want to take a picture."
She squeezes my heart!


Our last Tea Tray on Thursday morning.

We packed up our things, changed the bedding in the guest room, ran a few loads of laundry and Louis Dean started to load the car when he discovered he hadn't brought his set of car keys....so I gave him mine. A tiny voice told me to be careful - but I ignored it and -sure enough - Louis Dean took out the last load and couldn't find the keys. He kept locking the car between trips (??) and finally decided he must have locked them in the trunk.

Not to worry - just a minor inconvenience!
We drove back to Irving in the Suburban and Louis Dean was going to pick up his set of car keys - except he couldn't find them!

Summer has covered us with her AAA account so we drove BACK to Dallas and I could call someone to come out.
When we drove up to their house, Louis Dean saw his cap on the hood of our car.
Guess what was in his cap???
My car keys!

We finally made it home a couple of hours later than we planned.

Summer was up from Arkansas for a few days and she came bearing a hearty late lunch from Babe's!


Chicken fried steak for Louis Dean!


Fried chicken for Summer and me!


Bless her heart!
She worked on our front door - again!
Always helping and always smiling.

We watched football on Thursday night and then Christmas at the Opry on Friday,


Brenda Lee was my favorite performer!

Summer left early this morning to head back to Arkansas.
I'm still decorating and cleaning!
All I have left now is the guest room and the gazebo.
I have sorted and thrown a lot of stuff away and two sacks to take to Goodwill.

Our spring like weather is turning colder now and we will be down in the 30's tonight.
We will be picking the kids up in the morning for church and changing the guard for the final two days.












Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Tuesday Treasures With MeeMaw!

This is Kailey and I will be doing the entire journal entry tonight!  
I am SO happy to be writing!! 

       

We started are morning around 6:45 

Meemaw came upstairs with some hot chocolate for us and some coffee for her along with some tea cakes.  We girls enjoyed our tea cakes and Harrison enjoyed his first one like a gentlemen but then when MeeMaw offered the rest of hers to him -he gobbled it up like he used to when he was little. We sat up in our beds and visited while we sipped and snacked for a few minutes  and shortly after 7:00, MeeMaw took the tray downstairs and began making our lunches. We needed to be at school by 8:10 because all four of us are in knee hockey club which meets on Tuesday mornings.. We had a little extra time before we left and decided to play charades. MeeMaw joined in with us and it was a fun way to start our day.

We are all independent and can make our own breakfasts - deciding for ourselves what we want to eat.



Tuesdays treasures with the Bells

After a long day of school Meemaw picked us up and we all went to Goodwill!
We were excited to do Tuesday Treasures with MeeMaw!
 We also had to have some fun in the shoe department!

Logan

How do people WALK in these things???

Trystan

Trystan has tiny feet but she found lots of cute shoes.

And of course you have to have a picture of ME!

Kailey
 
We had fun but didn't buy any!

This is what we found!


Our Tuesday Treasures!


MeeMaw scored on the fall wreath and Thankful scarecrow!
She buys out of season and is always happy to see the new things when it's time to decorate for fall.


A small Peppermint Twist candle for her bathroom and a jar of hot pepper jelly for MeeMaw!
She bought the cute pink enamel ware coffee pot with the matching cups and saucers for our 'Morning Tea' tomorrow!"



It was a fun afternoon and evening with MeeMaw and Granddad.


Kailey

Monday, December 4, 2023

Our Christmas Dining Room and Dinner With the Bell Grands......

 The dining room is all dressed up in Christmas finery....
I finished it up late last night and took these pics as soon as I got up this morning.


The table is draped with the new tablecloth Brenda and I found at our second thrift store last week along with the matching napkins.


Candles are lit - for the photo op - and my menus are in the planning stage.


In addition to Christmas Eve, I have a progressive lunch, a dinner party, and appetizers and dessert for after the 7:00 Christmas service at Fellowship Church on the 20th of December.


The Bell grands will be here for Sunday dinner this week so I have the table all ready!
They have been doing 'formal' dining since they were little.


Saturday I washed dozens of glasses that live on the shelves hidden by the Twelve Days of Christmas napkins Summer gave me last year. A good way to display them while keeping my glasses dust free!


I am looking forward to the good food and good friends and family who will be gathering around the table this month.


There are touches of Christmas everywhere!

The sewing room is nearly done....


I will be finishing this room up on Thursday.

Louis Dean and I packed up our bags and came over to stay the week with the Trystan, Kailey, Harrison and Logan while their mommy and daddy get away for the week.

Amber and Mike have split the time up between the the two sets of grandparents - focusing on our strengths.

I'm good for school runs and the other set is good for taking them where they need to go even when it's dark.

We all work so well together!


Look what my friend sent me today!
She is another Linda and is always so thoughtful!
Thank you, my dear Linda!

So we are here in what I used to refer to as 'Quadville.'
We don't call it that anymore as the kids are older and each one is so unique.

Amber and Mike are the best parents and have taught their children to be kind, respectful and responsible. They are a joy to be around.

Logan fed the dogs and Kailey tended the cats while Trystan helped me with dinner.


In addition to pan fried chicken with garlic herb seasoning, we had roasted broccoli, 90 second rice, garlic bread, and a Cabbage Casserole from Estelle's.
It was a hit with all four of the grands!!!

Harrison had hockey practice and the girls stayed after school for band practice and then did more work on their instruments after they came home!
The Christmas Concert is on Wednesday and they have worked hard on their music!

Tonight we changed out two of the four beds to the new soft fluffy comforters their mommy bought for them and flannel sheets.
I showed them how I put my top sheet pretty side down so when I turn the bed down at night - I see BOTH pretty sides of the sheets! Plus I spray them with fragrance!
Trystan and Kailey are sound asleep in their comfy beds and tomorrow Harrison and Logan will have theirs all done.


I close tonight's journal entry with Cash and Kona all snuggled up for the night in their kennel.

What a blessing to slip into a soft cozy bed at the end of the day.

I will be up early in the morning so I can be dressed and my hair and face fixed before taking Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate and International Vienna Coffee at 6:30!


I have a different treat for every morning!
Tea cakes are their favorite!

Luann and Sue - your canvas prints are IN the mail!




Friday, December 1, 2023

The Winning Santas and Our Christmas Living Room all Dressed up!!

I have been decorating like a mad woman the last several days!
I can't seem to help my self! 

I know it's always a little over the top but I would decorate if only Louis Dean and I ever saw it!

The den is done.....and I moved on to the living room today!

 

I had done some preliminary things and then yesterday I put on the finishing touches except for decorating the tree.


This is my Quiet Spot whenever I can't go outside to the kitchen deck with my first cup of coffee.
It's one of my favorite places to sit and pray....


What I used to call may Angel Wall is now my Nita Wall.....
Thank you, Susan for the Angel Light which has been such a comfort to me.


The foyer.....


As you enter the front door.....


And as you continue from the foyer to the living room.





Louis Dean bought me a 5 track CD player for my birthday in 20005!
I may be the last person in the world to play CDs but I love them!
I am so NOT techy and it's amazing that I even know how to blog!
Speaking of which - blog backgrounds are not easy to get any more.
What are y'all doing about it?


I love my home and the living room is next to my very favorite room which is the den - once upon a time my LEAST favorite.


So I close tonight's journal entry with the two winners!

I prayed several times that God would choose the winners and so He did!

The first draw is #45 - Luann Rogers who happens to be my half sister.....
I am half to all my sisters.....Deanie, Lanita, Luann, Shari, Rita, and Lori as well as my brothers Lonnie and Buster. Then I have two brothers who died early in life - and another sister, Shirley.
So now I have four siblings in heaven along with the father I never knew.
It will be a true Family Reunion when we all get there!

Luann and I have had a relationship in the past even though  we were not able to grow up together.
We reconnected later in life but it wasn't all we hoped it would be.  
When Nita was on life support and dying.....
we had an emotional conversation and that was our last communication.
Life is messy and I appreciate the comments my sister has left on my recent journal entries.
It's a God thing that Luann has continued to support me in her comments.

Luann, I love you and I will put your canvas in the mail on Monday.
I have continued to pray for you every day - actually twice a day - you are my sister and also a widow.


The second winner is  #61 and that's my dear friend Sue Batz!
I do so love you!
And I am looking forward to being with you in heaven !
You, my dear Sue, are  such an inspiration to me....



It's December First and the Christmas season is beginning!