All Balls 2011 - Wimberly, Texas

In its 6th year (I think) we have gathered together to celebrate a great love of family.....

Pics speak louder than words...

Can't wait till next year..

Happy Birthday Cody-man !!

Today is my oldest grandson Cody's birthday, or better known to most as CODY-MAN. He turns the BIG 6 ! Anyone that knows Cody, knows Cody is his own little man. He came into this world fighting a battle and tough it made him "tough" he can be the sweetest of sweets – at a moments notice.  Cody LOVES dinosaurs and can tell you just about anything you would like to know. At last count, he had 95 !!

I have always told my son’s that some day all those things that they did, things they tested me with, things they THOUGHT they got away with – would come back to haunt them.

HELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOO CHAD !!

….Cody is definitely his father’s son!

Happy Birthday Cody !!

Boo and Pops love you very much

Happy Father's Day !!



First and foremost let me thank my husband, Gary, for being an AWESOME dad. We have two boys, and they could not have asked for a better dad. He learned it well from his father, who was also an amazing man and father.
Happy Father's Day Pappaw!

Second to my sons, Chad and Corey. What a blessing you have been to your dad and I. We are so proud of you. You guys have become the men we had hoped and more importantly.....DADS!! We wanted you to be independent, strong, caring, loving, kind, thoughtful, providing, - and you are all those things and more!!

Happy Father's Day to all MY BOYS - love, love, love you!!!

Now a little history of Father's Day...

Father's Day, in the United States, is a holiday (third Sunday in June) to honour fathers. Credit for originating the holiday is generally given to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, whose father, a Civil War veteran, raised her and her five siblings after their mother died in childbirth. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother's Day, which at the time was becoming established as a holiday. Local religious leaders supported the idea, and the first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, the month of the birthday of Dodd's father. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge gave his support to the observance, and in 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson officially proclaimed it a national holiday. Observance on the third Sunday of June was decreed by law in 1972.
Although it was originally largely a religious holiday, Father's Day has been commercialized with the sending of greeting cards and the giving of gifts. Some observe the custom of wearing a red rose to indicate that one's father is living or a white rose to indicate that he is deceased. Other males—for example, grandfathers or uncles who have assumed parenting roles—are often also honoured on the day. Some Roman Catholics have continued to observe the feast day of Saint Joseph, on March 19, as a tribute to fathers.

Copyright © 1994-2009 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. For more information visit Britannica.com.

My pride and joys !!

Random photos of my g-babies!!

Can you believe it.....

Today, I think, most "young" people don't know the true meaning of love and marriage. I think divorce is too easy and when people in marriage don't like something, aren't happy, it isn't going their way, their toes get stepped on...they opt out and think the grass will be greener on the other side. Trust me, it isn't..it's just as muddy over there as it it over here...
Not only in marriage, but life in general. Who said life was going to be a bowl of cherries anyway?? Life is tough, you have challenges, you don't always get your way and in the famous words of my sweet mom....

You can get happy in the same pair of pants you got mad in !!

Today is my wedding anniversary.....37 AMAZING years!! I was very young, 19 and my husband was 21.

We have been through tough times, good times, great times, hard times, easy times. WE have two of the greatest son's in the whole wide world ! We have been blessed with two great daughter-in-laws and
the pride and joy of our lifes....4 GRANDkids!!
When you make a committment of marrige, know that it should be for life. Just because something doesn't go your way today or tomorrow, or you decide "this is not what you want"...don't give up. Work through it....make it count. If you have doubts, don't get married. Think about it....it is a life changing, life altering committment and should not be taken for granted.

I love my life, I love my husband and I love being married!

Happy Anniversary my love....

The Ultimate Sacrifiice.......

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
I have lost several near and dear police friends and co- workers in the line of duty. They were as close as any family member. Police Officers are a special "breed" and each one of us needs to remember to say "thank you" to them and to their families. Each and every day they could be the next to make the ultimate sacrifice.

What is the meaning of "In The Line Of Duty"
It means that an officer made the Ultimate sacrifice.
It means that someone took an officer's life.
A hero has fallen.

Officers who gave their all
To protect and serve
Have been killed by someone whom they swore
To protect and serve.

It means that their badge will no longer be on their chest
And they will join
"The Best Of The Best"

It means that family and friends are left behind
To deal with the lost of a loved one.
Only having the memories of that loved one
Close to their hearts.
Something no one can ever take away.

It means that family members will stand at the officers grave
And wonder why ...
Why would someone take an officer's life
And leave them there to die?
If we only knew.

Today an officer will place their badge on their chest
To fulfill the dreams of heroes killed
"In The Line Of Duty"

by

Michele

She Made It....

Your college graduation
Fills us with love and pride.
We always knew that you could do
Whatever you really tried.

It's a long and challenging journey
To get a college degree,
But you wouldn't quit it, you just went and did it,
And we're beaming affectionately.

Your achievement is awesome, Robyn;
You've worked hard and you've passed the test.
We love you so, and we want you to know,
We think you're the very best!

My daughter-in-law, Robyn, is graduating from college today. She earned her BA in education. She will make a WONDERFUL teacher, because she is a WONDERFUL daughter - in - law !  She has worked hard being a full time mom, wife and student and made the Dean's List!!

We are so proud of you Robyn ! 

Love and Kisses,

Boo and Pops

Happy Mother's Day !!!

My mom is no longer with me. I miss her terribly. She was a GREAT mom and taught me GREAT things. I know she is in heaven looking down at me and loving me as much as I love her. Happy Mother's Day Mom.

As a tribute to mother's day - I would like to say THANKS to my boys for making me a very proud mom. I was blessed with two of the most amazing son's. I am so proud of them. They have turned out to be the best of the best.  I love you guys very, very much!!

Mother of Boys

 Shoes in the kitchen, jeans on the floor
Basketballs lying at the back door
Living room carpet shows signs of wear
The fridge and the cupboards are constantly bare.

The toilet seat's up, it's stuck that way
The sports on TV blare all day
Racetracks, footballs, all kinds of toys
How did you guess, I'm the mother of boys.

...Author Unknown

 

(sorry about the blurry pic..)

Texas morning....

Sunsrise in the GREAT state of TEXAS and I love it ! 

Just sayin.....

I work in a mostly female office environment. I have been here 20+ years....seen alot of people come and go. There is always that "one" person that creates total havoc on the rest of the workers. Today, was no exception. I try, not always succeeding, to keep my thought and words to myself. I have an amazing friend who teaches me on a daily basis that it is better to just keep things to yourself!!! But today, this "one" co-worker managed to leave two people out of a lunch (today is secretaries day, adminstrative assistant, whatever your chose to call it.)  One of those left out was a fairly new employee and she was devasted. Why are people such A****?? Do they think people are so clueless that they won't notice? Really, people??

I felt really bad for that person and because of it, I chose not to attend the lunch. Simply explained, (because what I really wanted to say was not nice) "I have plans." I won't be a part of something so childish and immature.

 

One of my favorite characters and children's books are those of Dr. Seuss. Every book, quote, character, etc....says something. As I was feverishly working (I was reading other blogs) I ran across this quote:

 

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
— Dr. Seuss   

 

To that "person"........you don't matter and I don't mind!!

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday....

Today is number two son - COREY's- birthday!

You raise your kids in the same manner, give them the same things, teach the same lessons, in the same house, go to the same schools, churches, friends, etc. Then when they grow up and leave the nest, you realize they are so different. Corey and Chad were no exception. One thing that they are alike is, in the love of their sports.

 With Corey's birthday in April, it seems alot of his celebrations were baseball themed.

This year was no exception.

This way to the game......

Wishing you
special happiness,
wonderful memories...
and all the best
on your birthday
and every day.

Happy Birthday CoreBug !!

Much much love,

Mom and Dad 

Stuffed with L O V E !!!

One of the great things about being a grandparent is getting to do really cool things with the g-babies....one of those is BUILDING A BEAR...with love!

The BUILD A BEAR WORKSHOP concept is unique (if not a great money-maker). I have now entered all of my grandbabies into their world. You start by picking out your "bear" (or bunny or dog or longhorn) Then you get a "heart". You have to rub the heart on your forehead for "smarts", your legs for strength and the ability to run fast (all of the grandbabies looked at me like.."run???") and last but of course, not least, your heart for "love". You place the heart in your selection and you and the nice lady "stuff" your bear with the big stuffing machine. You have to do the foot work and she does the arm work. You have to squeeze it tight, to make sure it is just "right" and if it meets your standards, the nice lady sews up the heart and the stuffin' and you move to the next station.

Of course, after all this work, you must "bath" the newest member to your family. Now all clean, you must select clothes and go to the dressing room. After all dressed and ready for show, you have to input the newest member of the family into the computer and name "it". This can be quite a task. A name, gosh, let me think. I can't remember all the names ( I know, what kind of a grandmother am I?) They were unique and by the time we left the store, had changed.

It was great fun, nothing like watching the expression on their sweet faces, as "their" bear (dog and bunny) came to life.

I now have an extra place to spend my money, after all...you can't just have one outfit!!

Let it ride...

This past weekend hubby and I set out on a road trip and traveled 4 hours to Louisana. We docked at one of the local casinos.  We had good intentions of hitting the LA boardwalk, eating some good seafood, relaxing in the room, gambling

....R and R if you will!

We started out on the penny slots. You think, PENNIES, geeeeez - this is cheap entertainment. But if you are not careful, those pennies quickly turn into dollars and before you know, you are betting $1, $2, $3 dollars at a time. All these lines jump up on the screen and you LOSE !!! Great way to get rid of your money, quickly!!

Then we decided we would hit the LET IT RIDE table...we never looked back. In fact, we should have looked back. We had had breakfast at 9:00am that morning (Ol'South Pancakes with the g babies and number 2 son) By the time we sat down at the casino table, it was 4:00pm  Mistake, HUGE mistake!! We never went to eat lunch or dinner, hit the boardwalk, get seafood or any food for that matter and our nourishment consisted of CROWN (royal) and COKE.
But the good times were plentiful!!

The dealers were great, and we had a great table of new friends

(Thanks Brent from Covington,Texas.) 

We did (well, really GARY did) get almost all our monies back. We were exhausted by the time we hit our driveway Sunday afternoon. So much for a relaxing weekend away from home.

We will be returning in a couple of weeks with a group of co-workers, friends and family for an annual day trip!! Wooooooooooooo - let it ride!!

Play Ball.....

Opening Day for BASEBALL !

 

I am pumped! I so wish I was gonna be at the opening game today for the Texas Rangers....what fun. I do plan on making plenty of games this year. I have already looked at the calendar and decided which games I want to attend - and there are plenty of them!! Who's with me ??

Dogs know...

I am true animal lover - and most importantly I LOVE DOGS. They love unconditionally, always happy to see you and are always there for you. I have 3 currently,(along with 3 cats and a horse and a multitude of cotton tail rabbits that live under my porch!) I have had as many as 5 dogs at one time. When they leave this world, I bury them behind my barn so they are always there!

A sweet friend and animal lover too (Thanks Louise) sent me this. I had to share....

get out the tissues..it's gonna be a bumpy ride 

Lucky Dog....

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one!

Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.   Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys.  Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease.....in fact;  she was just sure it was fatal.
She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.   The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky.   A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky?   Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through.

 If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought.  He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him!  The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks.   Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap..

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

 

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong.   She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot.   But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem.  She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned!

While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.

He had covered her with his love.

Remember.....live every day to the fullest.  Each minute is a blessing from God.  And never forget...the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.   They are the ones that care for us.

If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours!  

Live simply.

Love seriously. 

Care deeply.  

Speak kindly. 

Leave the rest to God .

Mary forgot about dying.   Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day.   It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free.   Lucky.   He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.   Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.'   Lucky was a real character. 

KISS..keep it simple stupid....

One of my favorite TV channels is the FOOD NETWORK. As a general rule, I like to cookit's just that I hate the clean up part, so that sometimes sways me not to cook.
My mom and grandmother were GREAT cooks.
My grandfather was a chef. I never knew him, but heard many great stories.
I would have to say both my boys are pretty good cooks too (part of their "upbringing", along with doing their own laundry )
Maybe that small cooking gene from my past gives me the desire to cook....
I like to keep things simple.

One of my favorite shows is Sandra Lee's, Semi-Homemade. That women is a genius. Today, (among brownies, pizza and sugar cream filled cookies) she baked 72 mini cupcakes, in 3 different flavors, from one box of cake mix. Iced them with 2 sticks of butter, 8ozs of cream cheese and 2 cups of powdered sugar. Colored and flavored with JUICE! Who would have thought. Of course, they were adorable...and yummy no doubt. Being inspired (and easily swayed) I ordered 2 of her cookbooks...I see great cooking in my future - well with a little help from Sandra of course.

I love her 70 - 30 thinking,

70% ready-made, 30% fresh

Life should be so simple......

Spring is here....a new beginning

Today is the first day of spring.

 It is a sign of new beginnings. I love spring, the flowers (especially purple tulips), budding trees, green grass (even tho I will now spend the weekend mowing)

cool crisp days and the fact that summer is just around the corner!

As I previously posted, my original plan, was to blog, among other things, on my weight loss journey. Weigh in last week came up with a 1.6 lb weight loss! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS...extremely good considering I had a big family weekend and a week long visit with the g-babies. My sweet granddaughter Jaycee picked out JUST DANCE for the Wii...and we had a blast playing it while she was here.

Now, it is my fun exercise. Thirty minutes and I am exhausted. It uses all the muscles, its fun and I can do it in the privacy of my home! It can't hurt, right??

So, back to my original plan.

HAPPY SPRING !!

Spring Break....

One advantage to working in a public school system...is SPRING BREAK.....

Another advantage is that I get to spend it with my family,

especially my g-babies.

Jaycee and Cody came on Saturday and stayed with me until Weds.

Jaxson joined us and stayed until Tuesday....what a fun time.

Being a grandmother is the best - and this past week is a plus.

We started off with family pot luck/game night on Saturday. 26+ at my house was a BLAST!

We hit the movies to see "RANGO".....Chuck E Cheese, many parks/playgrounds,

 swam in the hot tub,

 played JUST DANCE on the Wii (Jaycee kicked my butt) McDonalds,

 enjoyed some great TEXAS weather 

ended our time together at the BUILD A BEAR WORKSHOP.

It was a great week and it was hard to send all these sweet babies home...but then that is advantage to being a "BOO", I get to spoil them rotten and send them home for THEIR parents to contend with!

Thanks guys for a great week - I love you all very much!!!

Pops meets Annabelle

March 11 is a very special day in the Wheat family. 

You see....Pops and our second little GRAND princess - Annabelle -

share a birthday on this day.

When Princess Belle entered the world on Pops birthday - two years ago.....it became an even more special birthday. Pops is very proud to make a point to EVERYONE, that he and Belle are birthday buddies.

She is a very special little girl.

She is beautiful and lovable and we love her very much !

Can't get enough of that sweetness!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS AND BELLE.....LOVE YOU !!

Back to my original plan....

As it goes, I am blonde...and so I use that excuse when I wander from my intended path. When I started this blog, along with wanting to be a "blogger" I also thought it would help me on my journey with weight loss. Seems, it is on everyone's mind. I just read my daughter-in-laws blog and remembered my original plan. (whew - blonde moment) I haven't written one blog about my weight loss (or lack there of). So - along with an occassional sidetrack, I will blog about my weight - loss - and hope it will help me along my path. Bear with me....
I started the infamous weight watchers 8 weeks ago. I have to be accountable to someone when I am losing weight and I have to know that someone else (any one but family that is) will see what I weigh. I pay a monthly fee to have this done. The first 6 weeks - 5 lbs. going, going, GONE! The last two weeks, 4 ozs. on, 2 ozs. off.....BLAH BLAH BLAH...
I am finding that the weekends seems to be my downfall. I do great during the week, even eating out lunch everyday. Walk 2 miles with a co-worker each morning (this helps to catch up on the office gossip)
and ride my stationery bicycle 2 -3 nights a week.
But, man o man, the weekends - is not working so well. Now the next weekend is approaching and I am having a family pot luck, game night, celebrate birthday Saturday night...WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO??

My weigh in day is Thursday - wish me luck ! I am open for any ideas. The WW plan is good, it teaches you portion control, healthy eating and the fact that you write down every morsel you put in your mouth (ooooppps, I forgot to do that part) helps you to realize how much you are eating. I am off plan, need to get on plan, must get on plan.....

Weekend Fun...

My husband and I love camping. We have camped with nothing but bedrolls, no bathrooms, no running water, to a 27foot trailer that is a home away from home. I love camping and I am so happy when it involves good friends and good places. This past weekend we went to the 1st Annual Outlaw Legends Music Festival....in Abilene, Texas. IT WAS A BLAST!!

Besides great friends....there was great music. 

Backstage passes.....

Cody Gill

Matt Martindale, Johnny Bush, Tommy Alverson and Gary P. Nunn

Stoney Larue and ME !!

Life is good.....

Happy Independence Day - Texas

Happy 175 years Texas.....

Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation
in every sense of the word - Author John Steinbeck

Texas is the crossroads of the world. Everything here is big - Bobby Lee.

I am forced to conclude that God made Texas on his day off, for pure
entertainment, just to prove that all that diversity could be crammed into one
section of earth by a really top hand - Author Mary Lasswell

I think Texans have more fun than the rest of the world - Choreographer
Tommy Tune

For a few precious moments.....I am back in Old Texas, under a high sky, where all
things are again possible and the wind blows free - Larry L. King  

I love Texas.

It is a great honor to be a true TEXAN...

God Bless the GREAT STATE OF TEXAS !!

My First Little Princess...

I come from a family of four children. I have three brothers....no sisters. My mom and dad were both only children, so I have no first cousins. For the most part, all my best friends in school and life have been males. I married my best friend. I was blessed with two of the most lovable, generous, kind, strong, intelligent sons. I have great sister-n-laws, and two of the BESTEST daughter-n-laws a mom could ask for. But the most precious of all things that God has blessed me with is my first grand daughter - Jaycee.

She is my little princess.

On Monday - Feb. 28, 2011....Princess Jaycee turns 8 years old. Happy Birthday my sweet little princess....

You surely are the apple of your Boo's eye.

You are beautiful, smart, funny, lovable and have all the qualities of a true princess !!

I LOVE YOU......