Friday's Letters

It's Friday and time to write some letters.  The lovely Ashley is our host over at Adventures of Newlyweds. I have a few letters on my mind today...........

Dear Blogging Buddies  and Followers,  I have missed you so much this past week, but sometimes life just gets in the way of blogging and such has been the case.  We were gone for a week and it is sometimes difficult for me "blog on the road."  But, I'm back and I know you are so glad. ~smile~

Dear Louisiana weather, Do you not know how hot it is here?  It is just best to stay inside under the a/c. Running errands, getting in and out of the car, it makes me sweat and I CANNOT stand sweat.  If you can see fit to bring us an early fall, we'd be thrilled!

Dear Dell Computers, I need my new all in one computer NOW!  The storm from 2 weeks ago did irreversible damage to the desktop I had.  Thank goodness I had it attached to an external hard drive and I will be able to have all that info transferred over to the new computer.  I remember the last Dell computer I ordered about 6-8 years ago was here in about 3 days.  Guess I will just continue to wait patiently.  ~sigh~

Dear TJ Maxx, You were loaded to the gills yesterday and I had so much fun browsing around.  You had more handbags than I've seen in a while and I really wanted one of each. But, I resisted and didn't get one.  You had a lot of good looking home accessories too but, fact is, I need NO more home accessories.  But, I did enjoy looking at them.  I did pick up 3-4 Christmas presents and that made me very happy.  I love finding Christmas presents throughout the year and especially at very discounted prices. ~yipee~

Dear Upcoming Birthday,

I cannot believe that one month from today that I will be 60 years old!  Oh, my goodness, how did that happen???  I think the best thing for me to do is just CELEBRATE and thank the Lord for giving me life for these 60 years.  I refuse to think about this whole "aging process."  Maybe if I don't think about it, it just won't happen. ~big laugh~

HAPPY, HAPPY WEEKEND!!!

Show Us Your Life - HOME TOUR - Dining Room

I'm linking up with Kelly at Kelly's Korner again today for the Home Tour. Today Kelly is featuring dining rooms.  I think that many houses being built today do not have dining rooms.  Life is so much more casual for the younger generation and many just do not see the need for it.  And, hey, that's okay.  Whatever suits their "fancy." ~smile~

 

We have lived in our house 31 years this July and over the course of those years, this dining room has hosted more events than I can even remember.  The majority of them have been bridal affairs.  You know, as I've said many times before, here in the South we make an "event" out of any and everything we  can. Now, most of the use for this dining room  is family dinners and occasional entertaining of a few couples.  The days of "events" are rare.  But, I have fond, fond memories of the fun times that have been had in this dining room.

This antique table graces one of the corners of the room.  I found this at a shop a few years back and I just knew that I had the perfect spot for it and I did.  All of my furnishing in this room are either walnut or mahogany.

This sideboard sits on one wall and is just a beautiful piece of furniture.  Our dining furniture was the first furniture we bought when we moved in this house, so guess that means it is 31 years old. Yikes! but as you can see, it has been given a lot of TLC and still looks brand new.  This piece is great for storage as well.

 I decorate the table for the season.  For this summer I chose to use mirrors, mercury glass and clear containers with lemons and limes in them.   The decor on the sideboard pretty much stays the same year around (except at Christmas).

There is one problem with our dining room and that is it's size.  It is not nearly big enough and it needs to be open on two sides, but there is only one entrance.  That means there is only one exit.  Not good!  It's especially problematic when you have about 40 people trying to get in and out of the room to enjoy the delicious goodies that are on the table.  But, somehow it has worked, but be rest assured if I ever have another dining room, it will have a nice flow pattern for sure.  

Thanks for dropping by.  I hope you enjoyed your visit and I look forward to taking some tours of your dining rooms as well if time permits.   And, just in case you have forgotten...........I'm in Dodge City enjoying time with our daughter and her family. Happy weekend to you!

Miscellany Monday

It's Monday and even though I'm busy getting ready to head out to Dodge City in a little while, I HAD to link up with sweet Carissa and be random first. ~grin~

Father's Day...........

 If anyone had told me this time last year that my Dad would be alive this time this year, I would not have believed them.  Not that I didn't believe that God could restore his health, but Daddy  just seemed so far gone that I could not imagine it.  But, apparently the Lord had other plans and we have watched him slowly but surely restore my Dad to a functioning state.  He continues to have, and likely always will, issues from the GBS but as you can see from the picture above, he has improved beyond belief and is enjoying life more each day. We attended worship services together yesterday and then he and my step Mom went out to eat with Tommy and I.  It was a special day!

Oh, so good..........(and salty)

   Can I just tell you that I have an addiction to this popcorn!  I found it a few years ago at our local $$$ store.  It is $1 a bag and I pretty much always have a stash here.  There have been a few times when they didn't get it in for several weeks and I was a very unhappy gal.  Oh, by the way, it is called BRIM'S.  Nothing special about the name, but it serves as my salty snack and has very few calories.  You should give it a try!


VBS review...........

Last week's VBS was a whole lotta fun!  As I said last week, things are so, so different now and I had to learn a whole new way of doing things.  But, that's alright, it worked and the kiddos had a great time.  I worked with the 4th and 5th graders and they were delightful.  I love that age because they pretty much just need supervising and they will still give you a hug.  ~smile~


Splash for Caffeine.........   

This is my new favorite drink!  About 3 weeks ago I quit drinking anything with caffeine (was affecting my "ticker") except for some half and half coffee in the morning.  Well, I didn't realize what a difficult task this was going to be.  If you have been reading my blog very long then you know that I LOVE Sonic tea and guess what, they do not make it decaffeinated.  Boo hoo!  Another favorite drink of mine is Diet Dr. Pepper.  Well, they do make it "caffeine free" but it tastes like ditch water to me.  So, I have been looking and looking and tasting and tasting to find something that would fulfill my beverage need and be good for me.  I know water is the best thing but I just do not like plain water and I do NOT like the little Crystal Light packets that you can add to it for flavor. Ugh!  I saw this lemon flavored Splash the other day at the store and decided to give it a try.  Oh, yes!  I fell in love and I think we're in for a long lasting relationship.  Thank you Nestle! 

Okay, think I'll go finish packing and Hubby and I will be heading out shortly for Dodge City.  Happy week! 

Show Us Your Life HOME TOURS - Bedrooms

I have never linked up with Kelly at Kelly's Korner before, but she always has something neat in "Show Us Your Life" on Fridays and I've enjoyed seeing others homes on the home tour and decided it was time for me to participate today. 

Today's tour is bedrooms.  We have a four bedroom house and since our nest is empty, it means we have 3 unused bedrooms (unless we have company).  And, I made what use to be the children's playroom a "sort of" sleeping loft.  So, we can sleep several, but since that doesn't happen, we just enjoy looking at them.  And, did I say that I'm thinking it is time to downsize.  I mean, really!

The Master Bedroom

This is where the Hubby and I reside.  And, as you can tell our nightstands are not all neat on the top.  I mean, we have our flashlights, our lotions, eye drops, TV remote and so forth within easy reach and neither of us want to hide these items in a drawer.  We like them easily accessible, so our nightstands will likely never look like something out of a magazine. ~smile~  The table in front of the window in our bedroom is where I grow my African Violets.  It has the perfect sun situation and they seem to thrive there and we get to enjoy watching them grow.  The colors of our room  are a rich brick, antique gold and a touch of dark sage green and the walls are a soft, soft golden color.

The Downstairs Guestroom

 This room has a Queen sized bed and has a brick colored matelasse bedspread and the drapes and bed cover are done in stripes and floral in shades of brick, maize and sage green.  I found this clown several years ago and little did I know that he would be the perfect addition to this room.

Upstairs Guestroom #1 (daughter's old bedroom)

 The oak dresser in this room is from my paternal Grandmother and is about 65 years old.  It is a beautiful piece and my Chatty Cathy doll (52 years old) sits on top.  Both of these are sort of heirlooms and I'm hopeful they will stay in the family for years to come.

Upstairs Guestroom #2 (son's old bedroom)

 I love, love this room!  The furnishings in this room were given to us when my MIL moved into an assisted living facility several years ago.  She had wonderful taste in furnishings and I felt honored she gave this to us.  My daughter and SIL stay in the room when they visit and they are THRILLED that it is a king sized bed.

Sleeping Loft (sort of)

 This area use to be a play area for the kids when they were growing up and I got the brilliant idea of putting twin beds in this area after they were gone.  It is so cute now and I think will one day be a fun place for our Grandchildren to stay the night. It is located right at the top of the staircase and is very open, so it is not suitable for any privacy for sure.  But, little ones aren't too concerned about privacy.  So, it should work!

That's it for my tour.  Hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better by seeing a part of my home.  I'm looking forward to visiting around and touring yours as well. Happy weekend!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Thanks Joyce for another Wednesday's Hodgepodge. Click on the above 
 button to enjoy more Hodgepodge.

1. In what way are you your own worst enemy?

By  being organized to a fault and trying to stay one step ahead of the game. 

2. Jacques Cousteau's birthday was Monday, June 11th...ever been scuba diving? Is that something you'd like to try? What's your favorite 'under the sea' creature? 

No, I have never been scuba diving nor have I ever had the desire to go.  I'm not much of a fan of under the sea creatures, but the octopus is a most interesting creature.

3. On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you in and around the water? (1=not at all, 10=very) Do you know how to swim and if so how and when did you learn?

I am rarely in water but  I'd probably be about an 8 in my comfort level.  Well, there was a time in my life that I definitely knew how to swim and did a good job at it, but I would hate to have to swim at this point and time.  I'd probably drown! ~how sad~

4. What's something you do to motivate yourself to tick an item off your to-do list? 
Oh, I absolutely LOVE striking items off my to-do list and I need little motivation other than knowing that "it" will come off my to-do list to get it done. ~crazy, I know~
 

5. What makes a good neighbor? Are you a good neighbor?

A good neighbor is someone that, even though you may not see them or visit with them often,  you know if you needed them they would come running.  
Yes, I think I am a good neighbor but I could be better.  A new couple moved in around the corner from us with 4 month old twin daughters about 2 weeks ago.  I have yet to go around and welcome them to the neighborhood.  I have thought about it but haven't put feet to my thoughts just yet. ~shame on me~

6. Who loads the dishwasher at your house? Is there a right way and a wrong way? 
80% of the time I load and unload the dishwasher.  And, as far as I'm concerned, there is definitely a right and wrong way to load a dishwasher.  The biggest aggravation to me is when folks load dishwashers from the front to the back.  It's always back to front for me.  I mean it just seems the logical way. ~grin~

7. You know it's summer when I step out the door and the air is so thick with humidity that I can hardly breathe. Ugh!

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

 Hubby and I will head out next Tuesday morning for Dodge City, Kansas. Home of our Grandson and his Mom and Dad.  This will be our first time to drive (we always fly) and I can't say that I'm looking forward to that part.  I'm all about the destination but I'm going to try really hard to enjoy the journey.  We'll go as far as Oklahoma City on Tuesday and then on in to Dodge City on Wed. morning.  We'll have about 5 days of making memories. ~smile~

Miscellany Monday

It's Monday and our church's Vacation Bible School begins this morning.  I have not worked in VBS in several years, but this year I'll be spending time with the 4th and 5th graders.  But, first, I'm going to spend some time with you being random..........

Speaking of VBS ......

 Oh, my, how VBS has changed in recent years.  There's been a drastic change since I was a little girl (too many years ago to count) and a lot of changes since I last worked in VBS.  The pictures above show the scene that is set up in our church's sanctuary for this week's VBS activities. The theme is Sonsurf Beach Bash.  Now, if that doesn't sound like a fun time to children, I don't know what would.  We hope to share God's Word with lots of children this week and make a difference in their lives for eternity. Nothing else really matters.



Zero Gravity Chairs.....

My friends, if you do not have one of these fellas, then you need to get one.  I'm not joking!  They are, without a doubt, the most comfortable outdoor chair I have ever sat in.  You can find your perfect position and the gravity of your body will keep it there.  Oh, yes, I'm thinking of exchanging our recliners in our family room for these. ~laugh~  I enjoy our patio so much more now that we have these.  One for me and one for Hubby.  It works!

Cleaning Out......... 

This past Saturday I had a purging of some of my cabinets.  I have had the above pictured glass dishes for several years.  I have enough to entertain 24 people.  There are dinner plates, soup bowls, salad bowls, dessert plates, juice glasses, regular glasses and goblets.  I mean, what was I thinking????  Anyway, haven't used them in a LONG time and didn't see any need to keep them any longer.  So, I got the brilliant idea of putting a picture of them on FB and selling them.  Well, that didn't take but about 5 minutes and they were GONE!  Yep! a local young lady  jumped at them and she is thrilled and I am thrilled.  I boxed them all up for her and she is coming by today to get them.  Her days of entertaining are just beginning and I'm excited that they have found a new home.  Now, what's next on my list??? ~grin~ 


Friendship...........a beautiful thing

Taken this past Saturday evening

 I cannot imagine a life without friends.  I am blessed beyond measure with so many dear friends and pictured above is myself with 3 of them.  The past 3 years have really proven to me over and over again the importance of friendship.  My friends have doubled my joy and divided my grief.  They share in the good times and the bad. They are there through thick and thin and always pick me up when I think I may not be able to go another step.  God did a good thing when he created friendship. Yes, he did!

 

Friday Favorites

It's Friday and I've been thinking about some of my Favorite Things and I'm linking up with sweet Rachel to share them with you.

My Favorites today are:

Freshly folded laundry and clothes that have just been ironed.

Lamp light throughout a room (love the warmth they add)

The smell of food cooking all day in my crockpot

Trimmed and colored hair

Wearing that "just right" outfit with matching shoes ~wink~

Hearing the words "CiCi" come out of the mouth of my Grans

The peach colored roses dipped in glitter that Hubby gave me for our anniversary this past Wednesday 

 The feel of clean sheets on the bed

Planning and anticipating a trip

Seeing God at work in my life and others

Giving of myself  to make someone else happy

Freshly polished fingernails and toenails

Knowing I have a navigation system in my vehicle - I'm very directionally challenged

Hearing a sermon that stirs my heart

Learning something new

Our memory foam mattress

Knowing that my Chi flat iron will make my hair smooth with just the right amount of straightness

The slight buzz of a little box fan as I sleep at night

Hearing the sound of my cuckoo clock 

Getting in my recliner and covering up with MY afghan

Sitting down with the latest issue of Southern Living magazine

Listening to Pandora Radio on my IPad

Browsing Pinterest

My list could truly go on and on but I'll stop for now.  It does me good to think of the very plain and ordinary things that are often some of my very favorite things. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Well, just in case you didn't notice, I'm sportin' a new blog design today.  Karen Valentine of Valentine Blog Designs (you can find her button on my side bar) designed it and I am so pleased.  I still liked my old design but was just ready for a "new" look and decided to incorporate my love of African Violets into it.  Hope it's pleasing to your eye as well.

1. How many students were in your high school graduating class? Did you know most, if not all of them?

There were about 200 and I did know most of them even though I moved there in the middle of my Junior year.  That meant I was only in school with them for about a year and a half but I made some very dear friends during that time, some I still have to this day. 

2. What was the last thing you photographed?

The last picture I took was Friday of our sweet Grans when they were playing in the water. I was busy snapping pictures all last week of the Grans while our Grandson was here visiting.  My camera is with me at all times because I never know when I may have a need to snap a picture, so I stay prepared.  

3. Pickles-love 'em or loathe 'em? If its love what's something you eat that needs a pickle? I love dill pickles and care nothing for sweet pickles.  A hamburger is NOT a hamburger without a dill pickle.

4. What's a stereotype you seem to perpetuate without meaning to?  That I have "it" (whatever IT is) all together all of the time.  I think it is probably because I am a highly organized person and lead a very structured life.  But, neither of those things mean that I have it "all together."  In fact, I don't think anyone has it all together all of the time.  I'm just very grateful for the times that I do have it all together. ~smile~

5. Ever been horse back riding? If so is it something you enjoy? If not, do you have any interest? Did you watch the Kentucky Derby? Will you be watching the last leg of the Triple Crown this weekend?  Yes, I have been horse riding and no, it is not something I enjoy.  I do have interest because my SIL raises quarter horses and is a farrier. (not his full time work)  And, my little 3 1/2 year old will probably be calve roping in the not so distance future. Yikes!  I love the Kentucky Derby and would absolutely love to "don" my hat and attend it one year.  If I am home and don't forget I will watch the Triple Crown.

6. What's your favorite 'wedding' movie?

There are a lot but the first one to come to my mind was Sweet Home Alabama.  Reese Witherspoon was fantastic and I loved the story.  As a matter of fact, I think it's time for me to watch it again.

7. What is one 'tourist attraction' in the USA that you'd like to see in person?

I have been very fortunate to see many of the tourist attractions across the US but I have not seen Niagara Falls. Perhaps I need to put that on my "bucket list."

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Today is mine and Hubby's 41st anniversary.  I was a young and terribly naive 18 (almost 19) year old girl and Tommy was a 24 year old that had just graduated with his MBA.  What a great way to start a marriage! ~laugh~  But, somehow, someway, we have survived through thick and thin and have always remembered the vow that we took - till death do us part. 

Miscellany Monday

It's Monday and that means it's time to be random with Carissa. I've had a lot of "randomness" lately, so this will be a fun post for me! ~smile~   

Cousin time........

My two sweet "grans" got to have a lot of special time together this past week and I am so sorry that they cannot have that kind of time more often.  But, when 750 miles separate you, you just have fun when you can.  It was so much fun to watch them.  This was the first time that they have really enjoyed playing together.  The Princess  is 2 1/2 and the Prince is 3 1/2, good play mates age.


My two girls........

This is my daughter in law and daughter with me in the picture above.  But, more importantly, they are the Mothers to my sweet babies and they both take their "calling" very seriously and are wonderful Moms and it makes my heart so happy.


Poppa time......

I'm pretty sure this photo needs no comment........



Kinda like a zoo..........

One of Hubby's office gals lives on 200 acres and has llama's, regular horses and miniature horses and donkey's. We took the kiddos out to see the animals the other night and they thought they were at a zoo.  They got to feed them out of their hands, ride the little horses and just enjoy being around them.  Fact of the matter, we all enjoyed ourselves. ~grin~


Grand Poppa..........

I am pleased to tell you that my Daddy is enjoying his new apartment at the Arbor Assisted Living Facility.  He has been there one month and things have gone extremely well. It is much like a home environment with just the assistance that he needs. He is having better days and that makes me have better days. ~smile~

Happy new week!!!!