Happy Birthday Katie!

Sure hope your day is special in every way!!

Up On The Rooftop...

...there were lights, and not a whole lot of room for reindeer's hoofs!

Katie and Mark decided to put up some Christmas lights this year.  

They definitely did...and with excellent results!

Even the chimney got some lights wound around it!   Love the multi-colored, big, fat bulbs they used!!  I believe there are over 1100 of them.  

Way to take advantage of after Christmas sales Katie and Mark!!

Charlotte loves flamingos...especially if they have Santa hats on!

The flamingo on the right was an after Christmas purchase as well...from Target.  Joe and Johanna found the flamingo on the left at Walmart this year.  With regards to Christmas flamingos, I'd say Walmart wins!!

Katie got the J - O - Y letters at Target last year.  They're perfect for the front window.  

Love the peek at the tree through it, and the reflections of lights on it!

The colors are a bit off in this photo...but the tree still looks good!

I bet this guy is a popular ornament this year!

Lulu loves him!

Have a wonderful Monday!!

Remember...10 days until Christmas!!

Happy Birthday to You!

 

Today is Katie's birthday...I hope she has an extra special day!!

Might not be as exciting as hanging out with Jack Skellington, but I'm sure Mark

and the girls will make sure she has lots of fun!!

 

 

Lulu figures as long as there's food it'll be a great day!!

Have a happy day!!

 



Words to Live By

Pretty flowers from Katie's yard...I spent the afternoon helping her with a project last Sunday.  I had to sneak away and take some photos of all the beautiful blooms in her backyard.

There was color everywhere!

This is the day the Lord has made. 

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Weekend Wedding and Prayer Request

Katie and Mandy's friends got married last Sunday. 

I borrowed some photos from their Instagrams to share here.

Charlotte has a WONDERFUL time...she kept her heels on until the end of the evening.  

My favorite photos of the bride and groom.  A peek at Mandy's bridesmaid bouquet.

Breakfast for dinner is always yummy!  The cake...and Mickey & Minnie too. 

People always ask my daughters if they're twins. I just never got that...until this photo!  

Charlotte (and family friend Joe) LOVED the sausage meatballs!

While they were enjoying the wedding, I was enjoying this little one.  

Lulu spent the evening with Bill and I at our home.  

She was such a good girl..and she kept us completely amused!

This baby can eat!  Corn, zucchini, celery and red onions...two plates full!  

Plus the bowl of blueberries.  They're her very favorite.

This was the end result...after all the eating and playing that she did.  

I love how babies sleep...especially when their little bottom sticks up in the air!

Sweet girl!!  Lucky Gramma and Grandpa!

I'm not sure how often I'll be posting for a bit.

My eyes have not quite recovered from my cataract surgery.  I work on a computer all day, spending time on it outside the office has proven to be just too  much.  I have a lot of sensitivity to light, burning, and tearing. Plus my eyes are just so tired.

I may continue to resort to simple posts using photos borrowed from my families' Facebook and Instagram feeds....or from my own Instagram.

Sure would appreciate prayers for complete healing for my eyes!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Presents

 Aren't surprise gifts the best!?

Look at the awesome pillow Katie bought for me. 

She thought I needed it....she was right!

So my very first Christmas decoration is on display.

It'll be several days before anymore Christmas decorating happens.

I'm hoping to begin on Friday.

When do you decorate for Christmas?

 

\

See those blocks? 
That was a little gift I bought for myself.

ME and WE.

They are my initials and Bill's initials.

We have the same middle initial - 'E'.

Now aren't you glad you got this bit of information today!



Happy Birthday to My Favorite...

...oldest daughter!!

Katie, I hope you have an excellent day!!

Love you a bunch!

 

Her she is with Bill on their way home from The Eagles concert
that Katie and Mandy treated their Dad to for his birthday.

The photo is from Mandy's Instagram.

#bestdaughtersever

Their Dad agrees!

#bestgiftever

 

Bet you can't guess what her birthday treat of choice is!

 

Not only is she one of the two best daughters ever,

she's also a really awesome 'momma'!

Happy Birthday Katie!

 

 

 



Halloween Decorations

I don't really decorate for Halloween...and I haven't had time to do anything about Fall decorating yet. 

But Katie has!  I "borrowed" these photos (and captions) from her Instagram.

I'm still busy crafting...so this is an easy way to update the old blog!

 

"Far from perfect, but not too shabby for a half hour's worth of effort."

 

"Things are starting to get pretty spooky around here.
I love how 2 year old Charlotte fits right in with the Halloween decor."

"I think Lulu found a costume." 



A Bountiful Harvest

Katie, Mandy, & Johanna have joined a produce co-op with four of their friends. 

Katie & Mandy pick up boxes of produce every other Saturday, and then they sort it all out and package it up for pick-up by everyone else.

Mandy ended up doing the packaging in my kitchen this past Saturday. They got a wonderful assortment of fruits and veggies...and with the exception of a couple really ripe nectarines and a few beat up cucumbers, everything was in great condition.  Mandy & Bill tallied up what these items would have cost at the grocery store and discovered the girls saved 50% with their this week!  They got a nice assortment too!

 

Pineapples, Cabbage, Kale, and Red Potatoes

Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, and Yellow Onions

Bananas, Pears, and Green Beans

Sweet Potatoes, and Beets

Apples

Oranges and Nectarines

Romaine and Spinach

Leeks and Cucumbers

Two boxes get Kale and Spinach, and the other two get Romaine and Cabbage. 

Katie found a great way to use her sweet potatoes, beets, leeks and spinach ....Rainbow Hash.  She might even add some Bacon!!

Hmmm...wonder when she's making it?  
I'm pretty sure Bill and I are free whenever she decides to make it!  Yum!

 

 

 



Silly Daughters

Katie and Mandy helped me sort through some yard sale items last weekend. 

One of the things Bill really wants me to part with is this "fireplace". 

I bought it at an auction several years ago...I don't exactly know why. 

Probably because it was only $3.00. 

I mean, how could I resist?

 

Anyway, I'm not quite ready to part with this. I know it's been gathering dust

(and who knows what else) out in the garage ever since I bought it. 

BUT...I'm thinking it might make for some fun yard art. 

To humor me my daughters created their version of yard art with it. 

Here's Katie's Instagram photo of their "art" ~ complete with her "witty" caption!

 

My mom insists on putting this janky fireplace in the garden somewhere so Mandy
and I insisted on styling it up with other random things found in her garage. 

A Bright, Little Squirrel

 

Mandy is not the only one who got a gift this past weekend.  I received a very sweet gift from my oldest daughter Katie.  She gave me this very cute squirrel night light!  I'm not sure where she got it...but if you search for "Woodland Squirrel Night Light", you'll find that it's available at several places online.  It comes with little disc batteries.  In fact, this one came with four of them!

 

Here it is in a corner of my new craft space.  Looking right at home!  Thank you Katie ~ I love it!

 

Happy Tuesday!!

 

 



Charlotte...the Ballerina

On Saturday, June 1st, Charlotte was in her first dance recital. 

The program was called A Day In The Life

and Charlotte's number was called The Gardeners. 

Charlotte and her little ballerina friends were all flowers. 

They bloomed beautifully during their few minutes on stage!

 

Here are some photos of our sweet ballerina.

We couldn't take photos during the recital.

These are from after the show...I think they're all my favorite!

  

 

 

Here's another sweet ballerina....this is Charlotte's momma.  This photo of Katie was taken in 1986....just before her first dance recital.  Katie was also a flower, and even though her costume may look yellow, it was bright lime green.  Just like Charlotte's!

 

 

 

"When you get the choice to sit it out or dance....

we hope you DANCE!"

Katie and Mark put this quote in Charlotte's recital program.

 

 



Charlotte

"She wants everyone to know that that rogue maple is her tree and it "earned" a new leaf since she last checked it," Katie said.
(everyone gardens in a Tiana gown)

 

Photo borrowed from Katie's Instagram.

Katie

My daughter Katie has a tree in her yard....it's covered in pretty pink flowers!

She's trying to figure out what kind of tree it is. Anyone know?  I was thinking that it might be a Crab Apple tree, but I don't know for sure.

 

 

Speaking of  Katie.  I think I have convinced her to be a "guest blogger" on my blog.  She used to write her own blog, but stopped last October.  She has a "Tangled" birthday party for a curly headed almost five year old coming up, plus lots of decorating going on, and a new baby on the way.  That equals lots of stuff to blog about.  I sure am hoping she'll share that stuff here!

 



My Tweedles - My Girls

 

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum....nearly identical in every way.

Katie and Mandy are such good daughters...they humor me and pose for this picture whenever we go to Downtown Disney.  This is from our February trip.

They're not identical....they're not even twins. Although they regularly get asked that question.  There's definitely a difference in their looks in this photo. Katie's the one on the left...she's rockin' the baby bump!  My fifth grandbaby will be here in less than two months!!! 

 

 

Their tee shirts say:

 

"It's Kind of Fun to Do the Impossible."

 

"To All Who Come to This Happy Place: Welcome."

 

Both quotes by Walt Disney


Have a Happy Weekend!!


Foiled....and Foiled Again.

April Fool's Day was yesterday.....I pretty much ignored the whole thing. 

But one of my daughters embraced the day whole-heartedly!! 

She (and my other daughter too) work for an insurance company as claim adjusters. 

They work in a gray cubicle jungle.

On Friday, as she was leaving work, she and a co-worker (they were both working the following Saturday) 

had a conversation with their boss (he wouldn't be working on Saturday).

 

It went something like this:

Katie: You know, Monday is April Fool's Day.

Kristin:  Yes, we should prank Adrianna, since she's not working tomorrow.

Eric (the boss): That sounds like a good idea!

 

Then Eric left for home.

 

Katie & Kristin looked at each other and said: "What a dummy!"

Then they got to work....pranking Eric!!

 

I borrowed these photos from Katie's Instagram...complete with her comments!

 

 

Mission accomplished. And that is why your boss shouldn't leave you in the office unsupervisored the Saturday
before April Fool's Day.  #wishwehadenoughtofoilpaperthedesk



Oh yeah... found a little more foil!

 

LOVE this photo!  Love the foiled wrapped laptop, monitor, phone (complete with headset and cord), box of donuts, and four little Matchbox cars.  Yes....even the boss gets to play with little cars while determining who is at fault for an accident and what, if anything, will be paid.  Bet he loved his shiny silver cars!  Good job Katie and Kristin!