Feb 28

Birthday Money at The Crack

 We went to lunch with V for her 81st birthday and had good food at The Cracker Barrell.  Betsy was sick, so she wasn't with us and we missed her.   Kyle  was focused on his birthday card from Grandma Peggy and didn't seem to mind my taking pictures, so I took advantage :)

It was a nice birthday lunch celebration with V. Kyle was funny and chatty and it was so good to have him and Rachel with us. 

and now Kyle is 9

Memories from Kyle's birth nine years ago. . . 

 Kyle has a couple of broken toes from Betsy's birthday party last weekend but he's on the mend.  We celebrated with him in the new house.  He looks so much like Judson did when he was that age. 

Lots of presents! And this week's birthday girl is V.

Another memory from 2010.

Happy 11th to Betsy!

 Our Betsy is 11 today.  She had such a nice birthday party in their new home. 

 I went through all the Betsy pictures here--there are a lot!  We have so many good memories, all recorded right here on this blog.  I'm so glad I've been keeping it.

Kyle's turn is next weekend.  He'll be 9!

January 2019

Thank you to my mama for finding this gem.  

Everything is so messed up, but we are planting flowers.

I went to see mama and PJ for a few days.  It was cold, but we were together.  Love this picture of them at Mrs Graye's greenhouse.  I brought back several plants. Hope they make it to warm weather and the back yard.

Jordan and Beth.

PJ always makes me laugh. She's good medicine.  

Brandi, Crafton's girlfriend, made me this beautiful sign.

 Mary Oliver, the poet died this week.  I thank her for sharing her comforting words.

Rachel and the kids at their new house.  I am so thankful they have a new home where they can heal and rebuild their lives.  Here's the poem that Rachel posted with the picture:

 

“The world has been abnormal for so long 

that we've forgotten what it's like to live in a peaceful and reasonable climate. 

If there is to be any peace or reason, we have to create it in our own hearts and homes.”
Madeleine L'Engle

New Year's Day 2019

I look back on previous New Year's resolutions and they seem so trivial.  This year my resolution is to survive, to trust the process, to have faith that God will lead us through,  to remember to treasure every moment with my family and friends, and to count every blessing.  No matter how small. 

I don't usually think of spray roses as showy, 

but this one left over from a Christmas bouquet was incredible.

I've never been so happy to see a seed catalog ever.  I'm going to be so ready to plant zinnias again.  Lord willing and the creek don't rise, as my mammy used to say.  Welcome, 2019. . .

Christmas 2018

 A few pictures from our Christmas.  It has been so sad, but we made it through as we all have to when life hands us hard times. 

 Betsy enjoying the very last of the s'mores that were left over from their Halloween party. 

 Rachel makes sure the kids have new pajamas every Christmas Eve.  Go Cubs!

 One of my favorite Christmas treasures made by my mama. I love it so much  that I keep out all year round.  That's me as a little girl on Santa's lap and the picture at the bottom is all of us kids going to church one Sunday morning.  

 

This made me smile.  Somebody else besides me must be feeling bewildered by life too. 

 Mama sent this box to Betsy & Kyle.  I loved the puppets, they're so cute!

 Our Keto Christmas card

Our Skye girl can pose when she's knows she's earning a treat.  And now, on to the New Year. . .

Christmas Decorating 2018

 This year's color scheme was inspired by the outside lights that Mark hung especially for Betsy & Kyle.

Skye thinks I've got something more than just that tea that I'm drinking.  We've spoiled her into thinking that we've always got a treat for her.

 My mom has made so many ornaments for me over the years.  One of my favorite Christmas gifts ever was a set of red & white checked ornaments from my mama that she made for my first tree in 1974 after Tommy and I were married.  I can still remember how happy I felt when I opened that box. 

So many of the ornaments on the tree were made by the artist Peggy :)

The dove is one of my special memories too--it was on one of the sympathy flowers that we received when Tommy died.  It has survived all these years.  It was especially bittersweet this year.  The hope ornament came from The Farm.

Isn't he cute?  You can't really see, but he is holding a paper gingerbread man in his hand.  By Peggy, of course.

It's hard to have a favorite of these ornaments by my mom, but I'm pretty partial to this little Detroit News bear.

 Remember the Christmas when we were all running around trying to find beanie babies?  We had a ton of them, most of them gone, but I did keep this little peace bear for the Christmas season.

 Little boy angels and raggedly andy-s from my mom.

Kyle gave us the bacon & egg ornament "cause you're keto" which made my heart happy.  And the avocado came from my keto friend Pam.

Cookie monster.  When he was a baby, Judson loved his cookie monster stuffed animal.  It had rattly eyes and he would just light up when we'd show it to him.

A snowman and reindeer from Peggy, along with a commercially produced Fievel who was one of the boys' favorites in the late 80's.

And these came from The Farm.  V and I are going there today for their open house.  More Christmas ornaments to come.  I'm feeling nostalgic and so thankful this morning.