Daybook

Date:  Wednesday May 29, 2013. 

Time and Weather:  It's gray and cloudy at 8:41 AM, 77 degrees and will get to 87 today.  We're expecting thunderstorms.  

Clothes:  Gray v-neck tee and darker gray cotton knit pants.    

Food:  Two pieces of Health Nut bread toast with raspberry jam, two cups of coffee with cream and sugar.  I was hungry!       

Sounds:  Both Aubrey and Camryn were just in here trying to get Reece's helium balloon.  They both let theirs go outside, and now they want his.  I said no.  Gramma, balloon watchdog.  :o)

Comings and Goings:  My mom called me early yesterday morning, just after i got back from taking Reece to school.  She seemed confused and upset, so I went over there.  She is having some mental issues and won't be able to live on her own much longer.  

I had my first physical therapy session yesterday (was late because of Mom's issues).  They did an evaluation and gave me some exercises to do at home.  They were supposed to have received a referral, but didn't have it, so I called the insurance company when I got home.  They said it was still being reviewed and they would call me in a day or two.

The therapist was very nice, and she said she thinks they will be able to help me get back some of my strength and balance.  I hope so, because I am very debilitated right now.  It takes me 5 minutes to get up the stairs.

Cyrise went with me to take Aubrey to school.  She has to be walked in to the cafeteria, and I didn't want to have to walk her in pushing my walker through a cafeteria full of kiddos.

    

Music: 

     

Memories:  When we lived in Japan we went to a mochi pounding.  It was winter, and cold.  We wore jackets and gloves, and could see our breath in the cold air.  There were demonstrations and food and music.  We had mochi candy and rice cakes made of mochi (pounded rice).  Some ladies had made a big pot of soup, and were passing it out in little styrofoam cups.  

If you've read my blog for awhile, you may know that I have a fish phobia.  When I got to the bottom of my cup of soup, there was a tiny whole fish, eyes, lips and everything.  It gives me the heebie jeebies even now to think of it.  *shiver*  

Thank you, God:  For all of your creatures, even fish.  Amen  

Freedom is not free.

Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day!

She had a happy birthday!

Birthday girl on her new scooter.

3+2=5, right?  Not quite enough candles.

She wanted a stuffed animal.  Bunny love!

And now she's five!

Happy Birthday, Aubrey

Newborn

Happy Birthday to our sweet, sweet girl!  I can't believe you are five.  You are growing up so fast.  We love you, Aubrey!

One Year Old

Two Years Old

Three Years Old

Four Years Old

Just before she turned five!

Some Pictures From Last Week

Here's my picture!

Snowman King (or Queen)?

Riding in a car at the mall.

Thursday Birthday Girl.

Not my birthday, and my corndog is gone.

Not my birthday, either.

I don't care whose birthday it is, just give me a toy to play with and a cake pop.

Daybook

Date:  Thursday May 23, 2013. 

Time and Weather:  83 degrees at 1:10 PM.  It will get well into the 90s today, as it has for the past week and will for the next week.  It's already summer in south Texas.      

Clothes:  Black capris, blue, black and white striped top.    

Food:  A ham sandwich and cheddar chex mix at BAMC after going to the BMT clinic.        

Sounds:  Obama is on TV, Cammy is in the hallway outside my bedroom door, talking in her high little voice.  Today is her birthday (4), and she's excited.      

Comings and Goings:  Tuesday after I took Aubrey to school and went to Mom's, I headed to BAMC to pick up some meds at the pharmacy.  It didn't take long, so I had some free time.    

So I stopped at the thrift store.  I found a quiche dish in my Yorktowne pattern, a pretty butter dish, a delicate little cup and saucer (really a shallow bowl), two signed and numbered prints by an artist named Molly Jones, and three simple summer dresses for me.  Oh, and a sweet little tea set for Cammy's birthday.

Yesterday, all of us except Ron (who was at work) went to the mall to see Aubrey's art hanging in a gallery.  There were lots of schools represented, so a lot of art to see.  The kids played at the playground for a bit, and got some pretzel bites before we came home.  
    
My visit to the BMT clinic today was reassuring.  I've been worried the past couple of weeks because I've lost some of my ability to walk easily.  My labs were normal, and Dr. O said that the scans we've done recently show no cancer.  The nerves from my lower spine are tangled, which causes the tingling and numbness from my lower back down (imagine your buttocks and legs falling asleep--that pins and needles feeling).  He said I may have to live with that always, but to try strength training to help with walking, which is scheduled with a physical therapist next week.  Hope it helps!  

I have a band of sensitive skin around my midsection lately, from the graft vs host disease.  Dr. O lowered the tachrolimus level to protect my liver, and it has resulted in some increase of the gvh.  Blech.  Anything that touches or rubs against the sensitive skin hurts, like waistbands.
  
Little Favorites:

Texas Girls:  Cammy, Gina and Aubrey

      
Music:

 

Memories:  One of my favorite getaways around here is Gruene, which is just up the highway from us.  When Josh was in middle school (or maybe it was high school), he took a photography class.  One of his assignments was to photograph a business, so we went to Gruene and he photographed the oldest dance hall in Texas, Gruene Hall.  You may have seen it in the movie Michael, with John Travolta.  It was the scene where Michael, the Archangel, was dancing in a dance hall, and the ladies there all thought he smelled like cookies.  Anyway, Josh took lots of photographs there and developed them in black and white.  He got an A.  The pictures had an old-fashioned, soft look that I love.  I've always loved spending time with Josh, just us, and for some reason that time was special to me.          

Thank you, God:  For our children, who have all grown up to be wonderful adults.  I love them so much.  Amen

Prayers for the people of Moore, OK

My heart is aching for those affected by the horrible tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma.  

I was watching Fox News as a weather helicopter was filming the forming of the tornado.  It went from a skinny funnel to a huge monster in a matter of minutes.  I was terrified for the people who might be in harm's way.

I've been praying for all of those who have lost loved ones and homes, for those who are digging through all that mess to find survivors, for the little ones and others who lost their lives.  It's incredibly sad.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.  Amen

Plumbers, Visitors and Tornadoes

Weekends go by so quickly!  We didn't do anything special this weekend, but it still flew by.

On Saturday the plumbers came back to repair the leak we had at the side of the house.  We had to leave the water turned off all night Friday and Saturday morning so the ground would dry out over there.  They were finally able to find the leak and fix it.  Now maybe we can get rid of the swamp in front of the gate.

Sandi and her daughter and two little grandsons came to see Mom Saturday afternoon.  The boys and their mommy went swimming in Gran's apartment complex pool.  They looked like they were having a ball.

I was texting my sister Johnnie this afternoon to see if she was in a safe place while tornadoes were near where she lives in Kansas.  She was safe, but said it was scary.

Hope your weekend was nice, and that you have a great week ahead.

Daybook

Date:  Wednesday May 15, 2013. 

Time and Weather:  71 degrees right now, expected to get to 82.  It's cloudy and may rain.  Reece has predicted rain.  :o) 

Clothes:  Khakis and a black tee.  

Food:  None yet.  We had take-out Chinese last night.  I had roast pork with snow peas and steamed rice.      

Sounds:  It's quiet.  All the stuff about the Obama administration's scandals is on the news.  Benghazi, IRS, snooping on the AP.  I wonder if it will make any difference at all in how people perceive  him?    

Comings and Goings:  I took Reece to school.  Yesterday he told me he wanted me to buy him a "frog that you squeeze and a red knob comes out."  Made me laugh!  I asked him where he had seen a frog like that, and he said the dollar store.  So after school we went to the dollar store, and sure enough, we found a frog that you squeeze and a knob comes out.  The "knob" was the frog's tongue.  

He picked out some little toys for each of his sisters, too.  He chose Jessie from Toy Story for Aubrey, Piglet from Winnie the Pooh for Camryn, and Mickey Mouse for Gina.  Sweet.

When we got home, he wanted an omnitrix like Ben 10 uses, so we made one from an empty toilet paper tube.  (The omnitrix is a bracelet that Ben 10 hits when he needs to turn into some kind of alien monster in order to fight the bad alien monsters).  And of course Aubrey wanted one, too.  They were both pleased with their omnitrixes.  
  
Little Favorites:  This little vintage piggy bank is from Ron's childhood.  It has a broken ear, but I love the weight of it, and the beautiful flowers on each side.

Music:  One of my favorite James Dupre covers.  Love him.

    

Memories:  Years ago (well before Katrina) Ron and I spent a few days in New Orleans.  It was so much fun.  We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast on  St. Charles Ave. in the Garden District.  The street car ran right in front of the b&b, and we just hopped on it to go everywhere.  Wrought iron fences, little enclosed courtyards, flowers, Mass at the Cathedral, the food, the music, street performers, beignets at Cafe du Monde, a hurricane at  Pat O'Briens, a walk through a casino, a muffuletta for lunch, gray spanish moss hanging from cypress trees, swans on the water, the little mausoleums in the cemeteries, a Padre Pio statue at the entrance...so many memories.  

Thank you, God: for all the wonderful places we've been and people we've met.  Bless your people all over the world, and keep us all close to you.  Amen    

Mother's Day

Camryn with flowers.

What a wonderful Mother's Day we had here yesterday.  The weather was perfect.  Kelly and Mom came over in the afternoon for a hamburger and hot dog cookout.  We stayed outdoors most of the day.  

Cammy and I gathered a few flowers from around the yard to make little centerpieces for the two outdoor tables.  We put tablecloths on the tables.




Ron blew the leaves off the patio, the kids picked up all the toys in the yard and Josh grilled the burgers and dogs.
  

Josh

My glass birdbath.

Kelly gave me a beautiful glass birdbath and brought a strawberry pie and potato salad.  Josh and Cyrise gave me a gorgeous white orchid.  They also brought home chocolate covered strawberries and an ice cream cake for all of us.  Jason called from Houston and talked for quite awhile.  It's always wonderful to talk with him.  

Reece and Aubrey went swimming and kept us entertained with their funny antics.  Mom loves being with the kids, and got such a kick out of all the crazy things they do and say.  Cammy talked her ear off, and Gina danced.  With four of them, there is always something going on.  They make us laugh.
  

Mom's gift bag, card and flowers.

I gave Mom a clock for her living room, a new lipstick and a Mary statue.  I bought her a scented jar candle, too, but forgot all about it until I took her home.  I'll take it to her tomorrow.  



Oh, and pretty pink vincas for the window boxes on her patio.  

The braided hibiscus Kelly gave her last year is blooming again.  We were not sure it would come back out, but it is doing great and has huge blooms.  She also has some pots of red begonias that have lasted for three or four years, a salmon pink geranium that continues to come back each year, and a large fern that I thought we would have to toss, but it surprised me by coming back to life.  I cut all the brown or dead leaves off a couple of weeks ago, and it looks pretty good.  Lots of new growth.

Ron planted the crepe myrtle that we got yesterday, and said that was another Mother's Day gift for me.  :o)  I love it.

Hope you had a great weekend and Mother's day, too.    

Happy May Birthdays

We have many May birthdays.  So I am posting a birthday greeting to all our sweeties who are celebrating birthdays this month.

May 10--My niece, Evann is 18.

May 13--Our youngest son Josh will be 33 and our oldest grandchild, Caelen, will be 17.

May 17--Our son-in-law, Mike.

May 20--My husband, Ron, and Sandi's little grandson, Jonah.

May 23--Our little Camryn will be 4 years old.

May 26--Our little Aubrey will be 5 years old.

Happy Birthday to all of you, and may God continue to bless each of you abundantly.  And Happy Birthday to any of my readers whose birthday is this month, too.

Friday Five

1.  Today is the start of the novena to the Holy Spirit.  You can see the novena here.

2.  I went shopping this afternoon, looking for summer clothes.  Got a simple little flared navy blue polka dot knit dress, a gray and black striped top and a pair of black capris.  I'd like to find a pair of navy canvas wedges to wear with the dress.

3.  I've gained back some of the weight I had lost during my cancer battle.  I was down to 105 at one point, am back up to around 117 now.  Yay!  I'd like to stay around this weight.  My hair is growing, but my eyebrows are barely there.  I don't know if they will ever come back, but as long as the cancer is gone, I don't even care.

4.  I made strawberry shortcake today.  Aubrey nagged me until I got it done.  :o)

5.  We had another thunder storm and some rain last night and early this morning.  I'm really happy for the rain we've had lately.

Whirlwind Thursday

I've been on the go since early this morning.  

Yesterday when I got to Mom's, she said that her tooth was hurting.  I called her dentist and got an appointment for her at 10 AM today.

We also had an appointment for Teddy to be groomed at 9 AM.  So I went over to her apartment at 8:30 AM and she had forgotten all about the appointments.  I told her that I'd take Teddy to the groomer while she took a shower and got ready for the dentist.  I turned on the shower and made sure she got in before I left.  Otherwise she is likely to forget what she's doing as soon as I go out the door.  

She was still in the shower when I got back from taking Teddy to the groomer.  I hurried her up, gave her some biscuits and gravy and a cup of coffee and we were off to the dentist after she brushed her teeth.

I needed to take Aubrey to school at 11:15, so I left Mom with the dentist and ran home to pick Aubrey up.  Dropped her off at school and went back to the dentist.  He was nearly finished filling Mom's tooth.  We were just leaving the dentist when the groomer called to say Teddy was ready.  So off we went to pick him up.

 I didn't stay long at Mom's, but ran by the store on the way home.  At 2:25 I left again to pick up Aubrey at school.  (Reece stayed home today because he had a sore throat this morning).

Aubrey and Reece played outside for awhile after school, sliding on the slip and slide and jumping in the pool, and always always wanting me to watch.  Then they went inside and played the Wii.  

Josh got home from school and asked if I'd watch the kids while he and Cyrise went to get gas.  He brought home some food from Taco Cabana, so now I'm having a quesadilla and diet coke.  Pretty good.

And now Ron is home from work, and I'm ready to rest.

Daybook

Date:  Wednesday May 8, 2013. 

Time and Weather: It's 66 degrees at 7:52 AM.  It's cloudy today.  The high is expected to be around 86 degrees.

Clothes:  Navy blue capri yoga pants and a turquoise tee shirt.           

Food:  Peach yogurt and buttered toast for breakfast.  

Sounds:  Fox News is talking about the whistleblowers and Benghazi and whether we will finally get answers at the hearing today.  And the three young women who were abducted and have now been found.  My prayers are with them as they deal with what has happened to them.  Thank God they are alive!

Comings and Goings:  I've taken Reece to school already this morning.  I don't think I'll go anywhere other than to take Aubrey to school later, and to Mom's around lunch time.  She was doing better yesterday.  Thank you for your prayers.   
  
Little Favorites:  
Peanut butter cups.  Mmmm.

     










Music:




Memories:  I was 11 years old when I started junior high school.  I went to Jardine Junior High, which was a few blocks from our house.  It was such a big change from elementary school.  I remember being scared at first, afraid I'd get lost and not be able to find my classes, afraid I'd forget the combination for my locker, anxious about the teachers and the other kids.  To this day, I remember my locker combination (13-19-25).  I didn't get lost and the teachers were all very kind.  Grades 7 through 9 went there.

Our school colors were blue and gold.  I remember going to sports events on the bus, and all of us singing:
Hooray for Jardine
Hooray for Jardine
Someone in the crowd yelled
Hooray for Jardine.
One, two, three, four, 
Who you gonna yell for?
Jardine, that's who!

My favorite place in the whole school was the library.  I loved to read, and the library was always cool and quiet.  I felt at home there.  There were big windows with blinds, and the windows were often open, the blinds blowing a bit in the breeze.  The librarian was a sweet little woman who smelled of Five Day Deodorant pads--remember those?  :o)

We wore green gym suits for gym, and we were supposed to take them home and wash them every week.  We would line up in our "squads," and the gym teacher would go down the line with her clipboard in her hand, checking off whether each girl had on a clean gym suit.  They were awful because they had to be ironed.  The shorts had huge leg openings, so Mom put elastic in mine.  They looked like little bloomers.  I learned to square dance, climb the ropes all the way to the top, and do a flying birds nest on the rings in gym class.  (I'm sure I learned lots of other things, too, but those stand out in my memory).  

Oh, and we would do a pepper grinder, where the class would line up in two long lines.  You held hands with the girl across from you, and made a circular motion with your hands and arms.  The teacher would put a girl into the pepper grinder, and as we moved our hands and arms in a circle, she would be moved along down the line.  Because I was so little, I usually got to be the "pepper."  

I knew there was something different about the gym teachers, but only after I went on to high school did I learn that they were lesbians.  I didn't even know what that meant when I first heard the term.  Ah, innocence.

In 8th grade I was in home ec.  The first semester we learned to sew.  First we made hanger covers to learn how to use the machines, then we made gathered skirts and tops.  I still remember going with Mom to choose the fabric for my outfit.  The skirt had big blue roses on a white background, and the top a shade of blue to match a color in the roses.  We had to wear the outfit to school at the end of the semester.  My skirt looked okay.  My top, not so much.

The second semester we learned to cook.  I loved the big kitchen, filled with lots of little kitchens.  Between the kitchen and the sewing room was a pretty dining room where we learned the proper way to set a table and create a centerpiece.  We learned to cook everything from oatmeal to peanut brittle to tuna casserole.  There were 4 girls in each little kitchen, and we each would have certain jobs to do to create our meal.  Our teacher's name was Mrs. George, and she was young and pretty, but stern.  We all wanted to please her, so we worked hard and became pretty good little homemakers.

I learned to type in 9th grade.  Each of us sat at a desk with a big bulky typewriter.  We learned the home keys first, then how to reach all the other keys without looking at our hands or taking our fingers away from the home keys.  Now I guess it would be called keyboarding.  It's a skill that has come in handy all of my life.

The cafeteria was wonderful.  The food was made right there, and most of it was very good.  I especially remember the chocolate cake and the ham and beans with cornbread.  Michelle Obama would not have liked our menus.  ;o)  I was always ready for lunch after smelling the marvelous aromas coming from the kitchen while I was in orchestra.  

I remember concerts, plays and sock hops, and a field trip now and then.

It was a fun time in my life.  

Thank you, God:  For a sweet and innocent childhood.  I pray that for all children, especially my grandchildren and grandnieces and nephews.  Amen

Monday, Monday

I gave in and bought some tomato plants and a pot of parsley this weekend.  I wasn't planning to try to grow anything this year, but couldn't resist the call of the tomato plants.  :o)  Kelly told me that she had lots of tomatoes from her plants last year because she fertilized them often, so I'll try that this year.

Ron helped me plant them and we put them on the deck stairway again.  It's nice to see them there.

Everything we planted last weekend (roses, begonias, lantana, and sweet potato vine) is doing well.  My jasmine is loaded with flowers and smells wonderful.  

Josh's school had a break last week, and he is starting new classes today.  He goes in early again, so I'm taking Reece to school again, which is fine with me.  I'll also take Aubrey at 11:15 since Josh won't be coming home for lunch this term.

*later*

I dropped Aubrey off at school, then went to the thrift store before going to Mom's.  I found some cereal bowls, dessert plates and saucers that match my Pfaltzgraff dishes, and some plates and salad plates in a pretty brown toile pattern.  Also got Aubrey a pair of jeans and a cute little plaid skirt.  Oh, and the cutest little metal plate and bowl with the cat in the hat on them.  The kids are probably going to fight over it.  

After the thrift store, I went to Mom's and took her some lunch.  Please pray for my mom.  She is not doing well mentally.  Thank you for your prayers.

Hope you're having a great Monday!

Emotional Performance

I've always liked Vince Gill's voice.  He made me cry in this video.

Vince Gill and Patty Loveless' Emotional Performance at the Funeral of George Jones from sharethemessage on GodTube.

End of the Week

We've been kind of busy the past couple of days.

Reece and his wonderful teacher.

On Thursday there was a meeting at the school with Reece's teacher and the special ed teacher.  He is in a regular classroom, but they pull him out a few times a day to help him with different subjects.  I'm so pleased with the way everyone at the school cares about him and loves him.  Everyone seems to know him, from the office staff to the teachers to the kids.  They said that he is doing well, and has come so far socially since last year.  Last year he mostly stood back and watched the other children.  This year he engages with them and plays.  And he told his teacher that Blake is his best friend.  I think that is so sweet.

Aubrey thought field day was fun!

I hurried to Mom's at lunch time but didn't stay long because the kids had a doctor appointment in the afternoon, and I went along to help since we took all four of them at once.  They were good at the doctor's, and all of them got good health reports.  

Go Reece, Go!

Today, Friday, was field day at their school.  I took them in the morning and stayed to help Reece's teacher.  By 8 AM we were all outside the gym.  There were all kinds of activities.  Each grade had a different colored tee shirt, but it was so cold and windy that most of the kids wore their jackets.  Most of them had brought blankets, too.  

Reece and Blake, ready to race.

Reece was in a bouncy ball race and did the three legged race with his best buddy.  It was so cute!  Aubrey ran a 50 yard dash and the sack race.  She was so tiny in the big burlap sack, and was having trouble, so the coach picked her up and helped her catch up.  Adorable!  

I stayed all morning, until around 12:30, when Reece's class went inside to have lunch.  They had sack lunches today.  The cafeteria was closed.

Aubrey's teacher helps her get ready for the sack race. 

The older kids were still outside running relay races when I finally left.  I was so tired, but it was fun.

Josh went to Gran's for me, and I crashed.  Took a long nap and just rested.  I'm so glad the weekend is here.