Thursday, August 31, 2023

The Last Full Week of August! Celebrating Sabrina, Summer, Rayne and Jimmy! And Now - September Morn is Coming!!!

 It's been a busy time here this week!

This was our Saturday......


I finished cleaning and decorating Louis Dean's bathroom and he is such a good sport about that!
I'm loving  the seasonal shower curtains available now. 

 
I try to keep the debris 'Louis Dean' friendly.


It's like I am addicted to decorating every single room!


And I am grateful for Louis Dean loving what I love!


The temps here in Texas are still in  triple digits but we did get a few days in the 90's recently;
Louis Dean cut out a dead Honeysuckle vine that had been bothering us as we sit out on the kitchen  deck when when we have our first cup of coffee in the mornings.


Even with the triple digit heat -  and with our diligent watering - we still have some flowers

We met up with the Bells' at church on Sunday morning1


 All dressed up in our fancy shoes!


I love how the grands love taking selfies with me!!  

Louis Dean and I shopped Aldi stocking up on the week's grocery list with a special dinner menu planned for next Sunday.

We raced home and unloaded our groceries, put up the perishables and ate our Tuna Salad sandwiches and potato chips in the car on our way to Dallas!


We were on time for the girls'  and they WON!!

We went over to the Bell's after the game and celebrated  the victory~!!
Amber cooks every single day and full blown dinners every might!
She bought steaks and while she was putting the meal together.....


Kailey gave me such a pretty manicure!!
She did my nails last Sunday, too, and they lasted a whole week!



She's really good!!
Old and young hands.
                                                               


Dinner was amazing and the steaks were grilled by Mike to absolute perfection!
Roasted zucchini and the best oven fried potatoes and salad rounded out the menu.

I am so thankful for these Family Times together!
I can drive home in the dark from Amber's house because the Bush Tollway is so well lit.

Guess who came to spend a couple of days with us on Monday??


Summer and Rayne!!
My, how Rayne has grown up!


We went over to water at Brenda and Billy's that afternoon and I just enjoyed looking at them!


I fixed a really good meal Monday night!
Grilled pork chops that I managed to cook without catching them on fire!
Baked sweet potatoes, garlic rolls from Collin Street Bakery, fresh fruit and the BEST Cabbage Casserole from Estelle's.


SOOOOO Good!!!!


Tuesday morning I served Summer and Rayne breakfast 'Room Service' style.

We set out to do some thrift store shopping together!


We went to three stores and found some good things!
I got Louis Dean a pair of Nike Air size 13 shoes for $20!
I'm loving stocking up on my candles!


I hung this on one of my kitchen cupboard doors.


You gotta love Goodwill prices for Bed Head products!

Tuesday night we met Sabrina at Simply Fondue over on Greenville Ave.


It was a wonderful dining experience!


I had a Prickly Pear margarita that was delicious.


I had never been to a fondue place before!

We came home and went right to bed because we had a date for an early lunch Wednesday morning with our friend, Jimmy.


Such good food and good prices!!!


I've known Jimmy since he was a young teenager!
SO much fun!!!


We all had a great time together!!

Summer and Rayne headed back to Rowlett for another few days before Summer goes back to Arkansas  and Sabrina and Rayne fly home to Puerto Rico.
It was a wonderful visit!

And now to celebrate September's Eve by making up my fruitcake cookie dough!


I have made this nearly every year since 1985 when my Aunt Irene gave me a copy of the Hood County Cookbook.



I have Neil Diamond sitting next to the stereo, my candle is by my chair and my pumpkin spice coffee is ready to switch on first thing in the morning.
I have been waiting for this!!!






16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy September Morn, Linda! I loved all the pictures and the post.
Rayne is so tall, and pretty, as always!
It was a joy seeing all your fall decorations!
Love ya, Trudy

Ginny Hartzler said...

Happy September, Linda!!! You will have to let us know what you do on the very first day! Rayne is looking so pretty, and the steaks look perfect!

Ginny Hartzler said...

P.S. Your blog is a sunflower delight!

Kathy said...

I thought of you when I woke up this morning. Happy September! I know you will be celebrating today.

Betty said...

Happy September morn, sometime you will need to write about how you started the tradition. I am going to listen to Neil diamond singing that beautiful song. Enjoy!

Estelle's said...

Yet, another wonderful post reading about the family, the celebrations, the times of sheer enjoyment....it's always fun to peek into the Chapman family and tag along for all the fun....wishing you a very happy Sept. 1st!

Rita said...

You knew I would love seeing the pretty fall shower curtain! :)
Love the old and young hands picture!
Family, company, good food, and joy!
Great that you thrifted more candles...and the Nike Airs were a find!
Never heard of fruitcake cookies.
I am listening to September Morn while I am writing this--had to find it on YouTube, of course. Happy new month! :)

MadSnapper said...

Here we are on Sept 1 and you are fully in Sept mode in decor and certainly having fun with family. your nails look great, I have never had a manicure, have never taken a selfie with anyone, i tried twice with bob but he doesn't want to so they are no fit for publishing. that is a super deal on the Nike, glad you are having time with Rayne, she is so tall and the quads, have all gotten taller than you.. how did that happen

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You've done your decorating and I'm just beginning to decorate today. I'm glad you are able to keep this pretty flowers alive and I love seeing the pictures of your company. How nice it is t spend time with family. You always find such good buys.. I haven't been thrift shopping in a long while. I need to get rid of some things first before I can buy anything new to me. Enjoy fall in all it's glory. Cooler days should be coming your way !

Susie said...

Linda, It's 9:56am here, I am thinking of you starting today with Neil Diamond. Hope it's a cooler pretty day. We had some nice days this week. Going back up this weekend. You have a beautiful loving family. That's the best in life, isn't it. I know I am blessed with mine. Hug all for me. Blessings to you and LD. love you guys. xoxo,Susie

photowannabe said...

The first thing I thought of (after saying good morning to the Lord) was you and your September Morn traditions and Neil Diamond singing to greet the day.
Happy Sept. 1st to you my Dear Friend.
You have had an amazing and very busy week for sure but how wonderful to be with your family and celebrating Good Times.
Sue

BeachGypsy said...

It's your day it's your DAY LINDA!! LOVE how you love September. Your decorating is pretty-- you love to decorate and home and homemaking is your heart. Oh my I took one look at those amazing steaks and my stomach GROWLED!! LOL. I wore blue toenail polish all summer--- now switched out to a Fall orangey. Great times with family-- love all the happy pictures. HAPPY SEPTEMBER my friend!

Anonymous said...

Such a good week and a good end to summer. Good times with family…good food…fancy feet and nails…and a win in Dallas! I love your tradition of baking that same recipe every year at the start of September. Judy at My Front Porch

Deb J. in Utah said...

Happy September to you Linda. Your home looks very festive as always. I love how you and L.D. are always busy doing fun things. You surround yourselves with lovely people! What a blessing your family is. Have a great Labor Day Weekend! See you again soon!

Pamela M. Steiner said...

You stay so busy and happy and seem to enjoy every minute of life! You amaze me...especially that I received such a sweet note from you in the mail today, with a lovely bluebird on the front! How perfect! But my thought was, how does she have the time to think of so many people???You are amazing. I loved all of these photos and the story going along with them...I loved the breakfast in bed tray too. What a fun thing to do. Loved the steaks, the manicure, the feet in pretty shoes, and all the happy moments and memories being made together. Thank you for sharing it all with us. This was delightful!! You made my day!!

Brenda said...

I love my card. Thank you. Glad there are some of us who still send cards and letters. Doesn’t take much time and is not expensive in relative terms. My friends and family love the cards from Mom and Nana. Even those who live here. I am that one of my singers died yesterday. Loved his beach music. That being said, after a stressful anxiety filled August with serious issues, three big prayers were answered. God is GOOD.