HELLO Monday.........

The last Monday of January, can that really be?  Seems we just celebrated Christmas this past week.  Life moves at such a fast pace that we have to hang on and make every day count.  Now, for some HELLO's this morning....

 HELLO cute little outfits.....now, I can almost hear all of you going "ahhhhhhhheeeeeee" over these.  Aren't they just the cutest?  A very, very talented friend of mine did these.  Her work just continuously amazes me.  I can already see the pictures that will be taken of the Princess and the Sweetheart in these!

And, another cute, cute outfit that Windy got at one of her showers. Isn't that vintage touch just precious?  I do not know how designers come up with such adorable clothing but I can tell you that I am a big time sucker for all of it.  And, I am so thankful that my sweet DIL has always dressed Hanna Beth in such girly fashions and I have no doubt little Andi Kate will be dressed in the same way.  

~~~~~

HELLO homecoming corsage.............The school where Clancy attends and Bridget teaches celebrated homecoming this past week.  Now, I find that very odd as every school here celebrates homecoming in late Sept. or early Oct.  But, whatever, they do it differently.  And, I've never known of guys having homecoming  corsages but they do there and they wear them on their arms with an elastic band.  Bridget said that Clancy was beside himself over getting to wear it.~doesn't he look proud~  Now, I forgot to ask her if he kept it on all day but it looks as though it would be very bothersome.  Even I remember the pom pom corsages for homecoming. ~a long time ago~

~~~~~

HELLO Ugandan Thunder.......You may be as I was when I heard this name, what in the world is Ugandan Thunder.  Well, let me just tell you that it is a precious choral group, ranging in ages 6 - 16, from an orphanage in Uganda.  And, they have the most beautiful, spine tingling harmony you have ever heard.  Our church was privileged to host them this past weekend where they gave a concert on Sat. evening and then sang for our worship service yesterday morning.  It was the hi-lite of my weekend for sure and if they are ever in your area you definitely need to go and hear them. They are such a blessing!  

Wishing you a fabulous new week!!

Friday Fragments

It's Friday and that means time for some fragments, tid bits that have made up this week.  And, since we are "knee deep and rising" in the construction of our new house, and awaiting the arrival of Andi Kate, that will pretty much be the subjects of my fragments this Friday as I join up with Mrs. 4444.

We've had carpenters, brick layers, cabinet folks,  concrete trucks, gas line folks all at the site this week.  So many things are happening it's hard to keep up with all of it.  But, each day it is looking more like a home and hopefully in about 3+ more months we will be moving in.

We had almost a week of beautiful weather and during that time the guys were able to build the forms for all the steps, front porch, back porch and outside entrance to garage.  And, they had the concrete poured and now the brick layer can go ahead and work on them as soon as he finishes the house.  He is just about finished, it has been 8 weeks ago today that he started the brick.  He has had to deal with bad weather, holidays and workers that didn't show to help him.  But, the end is in site.  I look forward to having the mess cleaned up that laying brick causes.  In fact, just about everything to do with building a house is messy, especially on the outside.  The inside of the house has been kept really clean and really will be now that painting will be beginning within the next week.

The gas line was run to the house this week.  The only gas that we will be having will be gas logs, but we did have gas run to the kitchen as well.  I do not care for gas stoves but, in the future, someone could have a gas stove.

And, the cabinet installation continues.  Here they are working  on my two storage rooms cabinets and shelving. ~Yipee!~ The kitchen cabinets should start going in next week. ~I can't wait~

If you remember I mentioned that there would be a "bonus room" above the garage and would really serve no purpose for us.  Well, that has changed!  After the holidays and having a whole lot of company staying with us, I decided that it might be really nice to make that area a "guest suite."  I mentioned it to Hubby and he agreed and he talked with the contractor to see about the plumbing and such and it was completely doable, so they are hard at work  extending the wall to the ceiling coming up the stairs and adding a bathroom.  It's hard to tell from the picture above, but it is going to be a very nice area and very private for any guests that stay there.    Someone said we might want to open a "bed and breakfast."  ~smile~  We will have two guest bedrooms in the main house but if, in the event, we have as many folks staying with us as we did over the holidays, everyone will have much more privacy this way.  
~~~~
When our DIL saw the Dr. this week she told her that she thought our little Andi Kate might come within two weeks.   Her due date isn't until Feb. 15th, which is 3 weeks from this Sunday.  And, we all know that a due date is just that, a due date. 

Windy received these adorable gifts from a dear friend of mine in Arkansas a few days ago.  Isn't that gown something else?  And, it is monogrammed!  And, those sweet little lambs will make the best "lovies" for our baby girl. The time is definitely drawing neigh.

There's almost too much excitement in our family right now.  I'm just hanging on for dear life!  

Happy weekend!!!

 

Wednesday's Hoedgepodge

It's Wednesday and that means Hodgepodge time and more "thought provoking" questions from Joyce.  1,2,3, gooooooo..............
  1. American Idol is back for a 14th season. Are you watching? Have you ever watched? If you were to audition for the show (or were made to audition), what song would you sing?
I started watching at about the 5th season and thoroughly enjoyed it until the tryouts just got so ridiculously silly and the judges even worse.  Well, apparently, I was not the only one that tired of it and they revised their tryouts and their judges and I'm back to being a fairly big fan again.  I don't really "get into" it until the 12 finalist and then it gets to be a lot of fun.
Well, if I were going to audition I would sing Karen Carpenter's "Can't Smile Without You."  She was a favorite of mine and I have been told that I have a voice much like hers.  I think you call it contralto.  Whatever, it's a voice that is not real high and not real low, but right in the middle. ~grin~
 

2.  Mark Twain is quoted as saying, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." 

So when did you last have to 'eat a frog'? Or two? How'd that work out? 

My "frog" at this time is all the going through and packing that I am doing.  It is definitely not a job  for the faint of heart and I have set my mind to the task at hand and am very methodically working through this house.  I am NOT a procrastinator in any shape, form or fashion.  If I have a job to do then I generally just "jump in" with both feet and go after it. I do not like to be rushed and do all in my power to allow myself plenty of time to "eat my frogs."

3. If you were going on safari, what is the number one animal you'd want to see?
Oh, definitely, a zebra!  I think they are so pretty with their stripes and I am going to have some zebra print fabric in our new house.  It will be a part of the window treatment in my laundry room.  We are giving that room a "fun look." ~I can't wait!~

4. January 21st is National Granola Bar Day. I know. Do you like granola bars? Chewy or crunchy? Your favorite flavor? How about regular granola? Let's exhaust this topic in honor of the holiday okay?
Yes, I do like granola bars and like both chewy and crunchy but my poor teeth prefer that I eat the chewy ones at this point.  I like the chocolate and peanut butter ones.  I do like regular granola and often eat it warmed with milk in the mornings for breakfast.  I feel like I've eaten something healthy when I indulge in granola.

5. If only I could snap my fingers, at the appointed time, and be magically moved and settled into our new house. ~doesn't hurt to dream~
 
6. You can add one item to your bedroom. What will it be? Keep it family friendly please.
I'm pretty happy with our bedroom just the way it is but I suppose a small cabinet with a coffee pot so that I would not have to walk all the way to the kitchen for my first cup every morning.  Perhaps I need to consider adding that feature to our bedroom at our new house. ~what's one more cabinet?~ ~chuckle~ 

7. What is one thing you've enjoyed about winter thus far? If it's not winter in your corner of the globe, what season is it, and what is something you've enjoyed about whatever season it happens to be?

Hummm...........winter is my very least favorite season of the year and I'm thinking really hard to come up with something that I have enjoyed.  I do not enjoy bundling up but I do enjoy sweaters and warm boots, so I guess wearing those two items would be something that I have enjoyed. ~I can't wait for Spring!~

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

This was one of the gifts that my DIL got at her baby shower this past weekend.  It is a bow and headband holder. (sorry that it is a very poor picture)  You clip the bows to the little stripes of embellished lace and you can hang the headbands on the knobs across the bottom.  Windy's cousin made this from a picture frame.  It was so cute and will certainly be a handy item for all of Andi Kate's accessories. ~what's a gal without her accessories?~ big smile~
 

Friday Fragments

It's Friday and time to share bits and pieces of my week through fragments with Mrs. 4444. It's been another cold and dreary week for the most part but it's been a good week in spite of the weather. 

 Our little girl has a name........yes, her Dad and Mom decided definitely last weekend and announced it.  So, here ya go!

So, now we can call her by name instead of baby girl, baby sister or little Sweetheart. And, in case you didn't know, we love double names here in the South.  So, now we'll have a Hanna Beth and an Andi Kate. ~how cute~   She is due one month from yesterday.

 ~that's really close~ 

Showers of gifts.......Windy's Lifegroup (what we use to call Sunday School) girls gave her and another expectant Mom in their group a lovely "showering" this past Tuesday evening.  

These gals get a lot of practice in this area and they know what they are doing.  It was decorated so sweetly and the food was delicious and the fellowship was over the top!  I am so thankful that she and our son have such a wonderful Christian group to call their friends.

Windy got a nice array of gifts, sweet little gowns for those first weeks, some precious little girly girl stuff and lots and lots of diapers and wipes. ~can't do without them!

Lots of house progress......yes, this week, each day brought significant changes to the new house.  

The carpenters added the mahogany  insert in the kitchen ceiling and the pictures just do not do it justice, but it is beautiful and really will be with the pretty light fixture that goes there.  Then the cabinet designer added the buffet under the window with the mahogany top and I couldn't be more pleased with that either.  And, the carpenters finished out the trim on the front windows with the half moons and I am so pleased with them as well.  Guess you could say I'm pretty much "pleased as a peach" with all that took place this week. I can't imagine how much better it will all look once the painting begins. ~such fun~ 

That's the fragments from my week, so here's wishing each of you a wonderful weekend!  Can you believe it's already the 3rd weekend into the new year? 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joyce was "recovering" from her daughter's wedding last week and I missed the week before that, so I'm thrilled to be back with the HP today.  Nothing like Joyce's questions on Wed.

1. What's your best piece of advice for a newly married couple? I'm asking for a friend.
Pray, pray and pray some more for each other.  When we pray for our spouses it not only benefits them but us as well as HE works in both of our lives.  And, don't sweat the small aggravations, just accept them!  You'll be all the better for it!

2. Before we're too far into the new year I wanted to post a question Teresa submitted during the December giveaway. Teresa blogs over at Being Refined As Silver, so everyone go say hi.
Teresa asks, "What were you doing on December 31st, 1999?"and "Did you or your family make preparations for Y2K?"

Oh, my goodness, talk about memories!  We celebrated with dear friends by going out to dinner and then came back to our house to wait it out together.  Just before 2000 rolled in all of our children joined us and it was a most memorable time for sure.  
Yes, Hubby and I did make some preparations for Y2K.  We had gallons of water, canned tuna, pork and beans, etc and Hubby got a bit of cash and stashed it away.  Thankfully, none of it was needed, but at least we were somewhat prepared.

3. According to Global Language Monitor, the most used word of 2014 isn't a word. It's the heart emoji. Huh? How can something that's not a word be the most used word, but I digress. What do you think was your most used word in 2014?

No doubt about it one of my overused words in "just."  I can't seem to help myself, I want to add it to most every sentence.  But, since blogging I have become (thanks to my daughter) very aware and am working hard to break that habit. I don't use it near as much in talking as I do in writing.  As I said, I "just" can't help myself!

4. Speaking of words, it's that time again. Time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, and general uselessness) in 2015. You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year's top vote getters are-
bae (before anyone else), polar vortex, hack, skill set, swag, foodie, curate/curated, friend-raising, enhanced interrogation, cra-cra (as in crazy), takeaway, and -nation (a suffering sports suffix).
Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?
The word that jumped out at me is cra-cra.  For goodness sakes, it is the absolute silliest word and the first time I heard someone use it, I immediately thought they were crazy for sure.  I have heard both adults and teenagers use it.

5.  January is National Hot Tea month? Are you a fan? Do you like flavored teas? How do you take your tea? Have a favorite cup or teapot? How many cups of tea do you consume in a given day? 

No, I am not a hot tea fan at all.  If I did, I think I would prefer the flavored teas.  I'm not a big tea fan period but if I'm going to drink it I like it cold, with just a bit of sweetner and Sonic's tea is the best in my book!

6. Whatever happened to respect for mankind?  It is daily that we hear of people killing others with no regard it seems for life.  It appears that if you don't like someone, someone aggravates you, or the system doesn't operate the way you think it should, you get mad at your employer, or your spouse, then you just shoot them. Very troubling and sad.

7. What is one book on your must-read list this winter? 

Sycamore Row by John Grisham.  I'm a big fan of Grisham and this book is likened to his very first book, A Time to Kill, which I enjoyed immensely.  So, I look forward to reading this in the coming weeks.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

 I have just finished watching The Gabby Douglas Story on Netflix.  It was a Lifetime movie last Feb. but I did not see it at that time.  If you have not seen it and are looking for an inspiring movie, it's for you.  I had a special interest in it as her trainer, Chow, lives in Des Moines, Iowa and his studio is very near where my brother lives.  It's truly a story of grit and determination!

HELLO Monday............

Another Monday has somehow rolled around and no matter how hard we may try the days just seem to roll by so quickly.  It's a rather cold and rainy Monday here and most of us  are pretty tired of cold and wet weather, but perhaps we will be able to say HELLO to some sunshine tomorrow. I sure hope so!  Now for some Monday HELLO's...........

HELLO new house progress.......the installation of the cabinets continue and will continue for probably another two weeks.  It's such fun to watch them all go in and to ponder what we will be putting in them. 

And, the inside doors are being installed/hung whichever you might want to call it.  Anyway, I'm really pleased with the way they look and of course, when the painting begins (probably around the 1st of Feb.) things will really begin to take shape.  But, every week it becomes more and more a reality.

HELLO more packing........ yes, the packing continues.  I'm sure it has seemed as though all I do is pack but that is certainly not the case.  I grab an hour here and an hour there and some days may actually pack for 2-3 hours, but it is a slow process as I go through each and every item and decide which pile it goes in, keep, give, or sell.  But, I feel a real sense of accomplishment with each box that I pack.  And, as you can see, I am not using big boxes for the most part, unless it's something very light weight.  I cannot handle heavy boxes and every box that is packed I carry up our stairs where they are being stored until the move.  So, I'm getting a lot of good exercise in the process. ~grin~

HELLO My Fitness Pal........okay folks, this is the neatest app and whether you are dieting or just wanting to keep track of the food and calories you are consuming, this app is for you.  My SIL has been using it for 2-3 months and our daughter has talked about what a great tool it is, so I decided that I would start using it to track my food, water and calorie intake every day.  Oh, I forgot to tell you, it's FREE! After getting it set up I think you would love it.  It has over 2 million foods and their calories and every major chain fast food and restaurant this side of heaven.  I can tell you that it will make you think twice before you indulge in some of the items on restaurant menus when you see just how many calories are in it.  And, you can scan any item that you might eat at home if you have the scan code and it will immediately add it to your food diary for the day.  Just a really neat app and it's sort of like playing a game. I'm always excited to share with you something I find that I think you might enjoy too. ~don't you appreciate that?~ chuckle~

HELLO rainy day fun......Our daughter and family have been enduring the same rainy and cold weather that we've been having.  And, Clancy has had about all of it he can take.~I understand completely~  Bridget said that yesterday afternoon he went to his room, pulled out all his weapon wear, put it on and came hollaring into the family room.  He wants to be outside playing with his new basketball and goal but he's doing a pretty good job entertaining himself inside in the meantime. 

Have a great new week!

A Little Friday Letter Writing

It's Friday and time for a little letter writing......

Dear Ocean Spray - your chocolate covered craisens are way too good and somehow I have convinced myself that they are a most healthy snack and hey, they really are!~well, at least healthier than a handful of peanut M&M's~

Dear Cetaphil Intense Moisturizing Cream - you the best hand cream I have used to keep these poor hands of mine from completely drying out in this frigid weather. 

Dear Stuff - I'm trying hard to remember, as I pack, that if I have not used you or worn you in the past year that I probably should get rid of you.  I really do not want to be a slave to you but guess we all gotta have some unnecessary stuff.  ~big smile~

Dear Bladder - you are holding up well to all the excessive water I have been drinking since the first day of the year.  That's all I'll say about that. ~aren't you glad?~

Dear Baby Girl due in mid-February - You may not have your birth name yet, but I have come up with my "pet" name  for you.  I have always called your big sister  my Princess and you are going to be my little Sweetheart.  Yes, I think sweetheart is the "pet" name I will use for you unless another name fits you better once you enter the world. ~we shall see~

Dear Quacker - your warm and crunchy granola is soooo good for breakfast.  I really am trying to eat more healthy. ~sigh~

Dear Hubby - you have done such an awesome job overseeing the construction of our new house.  I know that it has been a tiring job at times, but I'm pretty sure your close supervision has saved us a whole lot of headaches. You are the BEST!!!!

Dear American Idol - thanks for making your first two shows of this season more bearable.  It's looks like you have finally figured out that we DO NOT enjoy stupidity.  If you are going to stay in the ballgame you have to step up to the plate because your competition is tough now.
Dear Sparkle and Dine - you are a most cleaver website and hats off to you for coming up with such a novel idea.  I mean, to buy everything one needs to do an elegant table setting in one box is amazing!  I cannot wait to order my first box!
Dear Jane.com - speaking of websites.......you are just way too tempting for me.  Your deals are awesome and unlike most sites such as you, you ship extremely quick.  And, you have everything from children and adult clothing to home decor to gifts.  It's one stop shopping!

Happy 2nd weekend of 2015!!!