Friday, May 30, 2008

Calories, Schmalories!



Don't you just LOVE the new 100 calorie snacks??? They're perfect! That is unless after eating one snack, you say to yourself....."that was only 100 calories, I think I'll have another." Thich then turns into another and before you know it, you've eaten 600 calories.

One of my friends asked if I have any diet tips. Here's one.....don't snack like I do.

That is so sad.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

I cleaned my room for nothing???

Son #4 is home for the summer. He got home on Friday and started work on Monday. He's a worker.....he likes his "gadgets". There was no t.v. in his room and he was ending up sleeping in a recliner almost every nite until he tired of that and bought himself a t.v.




But, of course there's cable to be considered.....he got the box....it wouldn't hook up right and we needed the cable guy to come out and do whatever they do.....

I said oh, no, not unless you clean up that room! He's got a great work ethic, but a messy room. I noticed his door was open today. Very unusual. As you can see Max and Molly were thrilled as there's no other place they would rather be than on his bed.





The cable company rescheduled. You see where this is going don't you?

He's going to have to clean it up again........ :)

Monday, May 26, 2008

Thank you and Happy Birthday!

First let me thank every man or woman who has given their life for my freedom. I am proud to be an American and relish our freedom.

And now......my sister turned 60 today! Yesterday, her daughter in law hosted a wonderful birthday luncheon/party at the retirement center where my mother lives. Here in pictures is the day.


Three Sisters






She had the birthday, he got the car????




This is all of us.....and mama. We are standing in birth order and I'm number 3. I looked back at other pictures of us through the years. We are getting old.




Opening presents!



The birthday girl with the hostess! Again, great job, Jo!





That cake was just as good as it looks!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Well, except for that one little thing......


You're all about raw power. You're tough, you're loud, and you don't take crap from anyone. Leave finesse to the other cars, the ones eating your dust.






O.K. the part about not taking crap from anyone......that is so wrong! I'm not sure how they got that, but I take plenty of crap from plenty of my children people! I must do it in a nice way huh???


I saw this quiz over at Leslie's blog.... http://leslieinvancan.blogspot.com/ and just couldn't resist!

Go on over to her site to take the quiz, because this tough, loud, no crap taking woman couldn't get the linking right. Surprised? Didn't think so.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Through the years....

These are a very few of the pictures of my FIL, papa (pronounced pawpaw) during the last few years since we've had digital.



He dearly loved traveling in our motor home. We had good times on trips.


He was so proud of the grandchildren.

This is one of our son's college graduation.


Papa with his brother during a family reunion. His brother is the only sibling left. He was so faithful to visit papa every day.



Nobody ever loved a good meal more than papa! His friends called him Mikey from the commercial some years ago where the older brothers gave the cereal to the younger brother and said "Give it to Mikey, he'll eat anything!" Of course, Papa wanted his french fries real crispy with no salt. He believed with all his heart that if the grease was hot enough, you could fry all the fat out of fried foods. No, he really believed that! He loved anything that crunched!
Papa's 80th birthday.
Another grandson's birthday.
As unusual as it may seem, I love my in laws as parents and as friends.
Papa wasn't able to attend Matt's "coating ceremony" but he was able to go to lunch afterward.



Christmas. This was during his chemo and radiation. He handled that really well and never lost a hair!


This was really 5/5/05. (My camera was wrong!) Another grandson was getting married and we took advantage of being dressed to get a family picture. This was about a year and a half before we knew he was sick.


Papa loved my grandchildren and they loved him. My daughter in law referred to him this way....."He was always a strong, friendly and smiley man" Others have referred to him as a real gentleman!
One of our many trips to the mountains. They had a timeshare there and we took many happy trips with them. They were very generous about having us with them on trips......plus they loved for my husband to drive! :)



Russell always fixes pancakes, waffles, bacon and whatever else you could want for breakfast on Christmas morning......remember, Papa loved to eat! This is some time ago because it was before we remodeled out kitchen.
Another Christmas photo with children and grandchildren.
Christmas at our house when we first got little Mikey for papa......he became our dog, but papa had visiting rights. This is before I got rid of the "antique" player piano.




These are just a few glimpses into our lives with papa. You'll notice he and mema are always very close. They would have had their 60th wedding anniversary in June.



He was described fondly by so many people. We have gotten cards and letters from his friends......one friend said "Les is the only man I know that there was never a bad word said about." He was honorable, Godly, loving in word and deed.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Grace, Grace, God's Grace.......



Our family is truly experiencing God's grace! One week has passed since my FIL died and for the most part, we have felt that peace that passes human understanding.
What a full week! Russell's sister is still here and has been helping my MIL clean out closets and finish up all those things that you don't think about until you have to actually do them. My in laws have so many close friends and they have all gathered around and have been a huge comfort!


I was thinking of posting a few pictures from the funeral, but as I looked at them, it didn't seem appropriate to share our grief online, so here's a light one of my nephew and nieces desecrating the cemetery studying the Lord's Prayer. They were really very good during what must have been a long service.




Today, MIL and SIL were meeting friends for lunch, so I called two of my friends that I haven't seen for a while and we made plans to meet for lunch. We went to a restaurant I like because they have weight watcher's dishes, but it isn't one that we frequent as a family. Toward the end of our lunch, one of my friends said, "look who just walked in!" Low and behold, it was my MIL and SIL. We were leaving and went over to say hello. It's a small world after all! It felt good to be doing something normal...well, as normal as things get here in what my DIL calls "normal land". I did have that nagging feeling that I should be doing something.
I took a light comedy over to my mama's and we watched some before she went to bingo. I felt very productive!
Our sincere thanks to all of you who have prayed for us during this time.








Thursday, May 15, 2008

Farewell.....we'll see you in Heaven.


My friend and FIL drew his last breath on earth and his first in Heaven yesterday at 5:12 p.m. with all of us by his side. My SIL, pictured here with my FIL, MIL and husband got here Tuesday and got to spend the final day with him.
We will miss him always, but I am thanking our merciful God that the suffering is over and he is breathing easy today.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Mother's Day.....

First thing this morning,
before I went to church,
I visited my mother where my heart too quite a lurch!
I picked the perfect present,
One I knew she would like,
But my younger sister,
Had the same idea as I!

O.K. I'm not the poet tonight! Anyhow, it was a movie and they opened and watched it last nite, so I'll be taking the one I got back to the store! This is my younger sister formerly known as Debbie, Debra. She spent the nite with mama.



Last nite, my husband sheepishly said, "I forgot to get you a card." I said never fear, dear, I have an extra! So we just marked out Mother and replaced it with Wife.....so I bought my own card. I bought my own present too, just works better that way!
Mama and me! She was just getting dressed for an outing with Debra and other family members.
My sweet husband with his mama. He picked up lunch after church and MIL was fixing FIL's plate.
Sweet husband and the wife/mother! Sounds kind of like swamp monster huh??? Is he cute or what???

Two of our sons and our daughter in law in our present dining room at FIL's. We eat all our meals on t.v. trays up in his room so we can be with him at mealtime. It works well! He slept through lunch, but it was nice to be with him.

No pictures, but eldest son called and left a message saying Hey, mom, Happy Mother's day, I love you. Unfortunately I didn't get to actually talk to him as my phone was on silent. But the message was sweet and made me happy.
Next son called Friday to say Happy Mother's day. I thanked him and reminded him it wasn't until today. Today he called and invited me to come eat hamburgers with him and his roommate. I was thrilled, but I needed to be at FIL's so I took a rain check.
NO CARDS! Well, except the one I bought for an extra and ended up with! The youngest who is usually the most thoughtful in that area even forgot! But each one told me Happy Mother's Day and I know each one loves me. That's enough.
I'm thankful for my own mother and for each of my children and grandchildren. God trusted me with them all and now I trust him with them!

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Our mothers, They taught us love!

These are our mothers.....

The top picture is my MIL with Russell and his brother and sister....please note Russell's precious pose done while his mother was smiling for the camera! My MIL is a true southern belle. She obviously raised her middle son to be the best husband in the world, so I'm eternally grateful to her. I'm also proud to call her my friend.





This is my mother and her really cute little girl (me) at the St. Andrew's State Park. Note she was a real bathing beauty! Seriously, I really have the best mother in all the world! Plus she brought me up to be the best wife in the world.....that's a joke guys!

These two women's children truly rise up and call them blessed.

We love you two. We thank you for teaching us faith, consistency, stability, but most of all for just being "there" every day and being Godly mothers.

Happy Mother's day.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Just getting a little sun time in.


Make him get off my lounge! Just a couple of little Florida boys getting their tan on!

Friday, May 2, 2008

How long will it be? Where does it go?

On the subject of time, 12 years ago today, my daddy died. Suddenly. He looked happy in this picture, but his transition lenses sure weren't working!

Time....I was just thinking how I have plenty of time to look for just the right locket for my granddaughter's birthday
.
Then I stayed with my fil today and thought how little time we have left with him.
Then I think about my age and think how quickly I got here. Wait, where did that one come from?????? Just forget about my age, very unimportant.

Psalm 139:16 says ......."All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."



Another college school year is ended and Matt is home for the summer. That went fast!


In God's time, everything is right on schedule.