readin', writin' and rithmatic !

Today is the first day of school. My g-babies are growing too fast. Hope you guys have a great school year.

Love to all of you !!

Jaycee (3rd grader) and Cody (1st grader):

Annabelle and Jaxson

(relaxing at home (school) with Mom today!!

She says counting to 30 and letter of the week "J")

Say AAAAAAHHHH.......................

Many moons ago, it seems that if you were young and had any complaints of a sore throat, your tonsils were immediately removed. I know both my boys had theirs taken out at a young age. Last Friday, Jaycee had her tonsils out

.....get well baby girl!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

BEFORE......

RECOVERY ROOM.......

THE RIDE HOME......

HOME AT LAST...with Miss Emily to watch over her...

Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....

My two oldest g-babies spent the last several days with us. Normally, we make a trip to Six Flags, but with the scorching heat, Pops and I decided water needed to be on our agenda. So we went to visit to the GREAT WOLF LODGE in Grapevine. What a place!!
The first words out of their mouths  was WHOAAAAAAAAAAAA, this is big!

And yes it is....

The accomodations were great, the water park is exhausting - but fun - and the time with my g-babies is priceless. We didn't get any "water pics"....but here are a few others we snapped. We were having so much fun, we forgot to take pictures...

Jaycee was the COIN dispensing game fool...this girl got over 400 tickets by playing this game.....

This is the morning after the first day.....these babies slept till 9:00am......Boo and Pops were not early risers either !!!

Story time in the lobby....

On the way to take them home, we stopped by a park to get rid of some of that nervous energy!! Aren't they just as cute as cupcakes !!!

Thanks guys for a great time. Boo and Pops love you !!

I have been blessed 4 times with the BESTEST grandkiddos a grandmother could ask for. I have 2 girls and 2 boys and they are the light of my life. Being a mother was great, but being a grandmother tops it a million times over. My g-babies are cute, sweet, loving, cute, smart, funny, creative, cute, mine, grand, imaginative, daring, cute, clever, wonderful, adorable or and did I mention CUTE!!!
My youngest son and family recently moved to Maryland (I know, it is a long way - but we teach our kids to be independent of us,......doesn't really mean to move far away, but I am happy if they are happy...) My youngest grandson - Jaxson - sent me a letter this week. It is hotter that H### here in Texas, work is work and life is life...but that letter made my day and I wanted to share it along with a great poem I found.

The first person (in purple) is me. Everyone knows purple is my color, even my g-babies. The second one is his little sister - Annabelle - then himself, next comes Cody and Jaycee (cousins and my oldest grandaughter/grandson). Jaxson comes from a long line of artist, his dad, his uncle and of course, his grandmother...he is very good! Thanks buddy for making my day - Boo loves you!

Grandchildren

© Earline Brasher

Sometimes I really do wonder,
Why they are called grand?
Then I know A Loving Grandmother,
Can always fully understand.
You get that important phone call,
You have waited for so long,
Excitement really kicks in,
As you arrive and rush down the hall.
You see that precious baby,
Gender really doesn't matter at all,
It brings back many memories,
Of when your children were so small.
You congratulate the parents,
As you see mother and baby are o.k.,
You know without a doubt,
This was done in own God's way.
Many sacrifices made along the way,
Are very much worthwhile,
When you see that sweet little face,
And that bright cheery smile.
Time rocks on as they grow and grow,
Then comes their future, rushing too and fro,
They will always be our babies,
If anyone should ask,
They are all very Special,
From the first one to the last!!!!





 

 

Florida....

Just returned from a vacation to the north east coast of Florida. What I found most interesting about Florida is that nobody is actually from Florida. Everyone is from somewhere else. We met people from France, Spain, Germany, Norway, many of the USA states - but not one true Floridian!

The coast is beautiful. We flew into Jacksonville and drove to Daytona Beach for our first night. We stayed at the BAHAMA HOUSE. What a great little mom/pop business. Accommodations were great and the staff was outstanding. A plus in our book.

While in Daytona, we had dinner at at the INLET HARBOR....YUMMY!! Prior to our picture being snapped, Gary took off his glasses, they hit his leg and PLOP right into the ocean. They sank so fast, you would have thought they had anchor on them. So we went shopping for CHEAP replacements...cute, huh??

The next day we drove down the coast and landed in Kissamanee. Here we stayed at the GRAND BEACH RESORT. This is a beautiful place and very comfortable. Our friends, Chris and Andre from Missouri, joined us later in the day and we enjoyed a great dinner together.

Friday we did Universal Studios. It was crowded, hot and lots of walking. The best part was the Harry Potter Castle and ride. WOW....it was the coolest thing - if you go, don't miss it!

On Saturday we drove to NASA and Cocoa Beach. With the shuttle missions now gone, NASA is basically just a place to walk around and look at PAST launch pads. Pretty boring to me. I guess it is nostalgic in I can say I was there....

Sunday we drove to Tampa. Stopped in St. Petersburg and Brandenton. Along the way we visited some national monuments. Chris and Andre got us started on the PASSPORT thing, where you get STAMPED when you visit national monuments. It has now become an obsession. On this trip, I think we hit 3 or 4 different places. A little history lesson along the way !!

We went to YBOR CITY, Tampa. Cool, Cuban based historic town.

Monday was the day we parted ways and headed back to Jacksonville for a trip home on Tuesday. Chris and Andre were headed (by car) to Michigan for her sorority conference. They are amazing friends and we had a great time being with them. Thanks Chris and Andre for another great vacation!

We stopped in St. Augustine for our last night. This is suppose to be the oldest city in the USA. Quiet the little town. We made our way down to the historic district. Lots of shopping, eating and people watching. A hard rain started and we found a little pub - Scarlett OHara's place. Raining, 73degrees, couple of drinks and some great food and a special time - just the two of us. What a way to finish off the last night.

Tuesday we were Texas bound. I love vacations, but I love going back home. Originally scheduled for a 2:30 flight, AA over booked (really, imagine that) and offered two $300.00 vouchers to two people that could change their plans. HELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOO - I am so there. So we took a later flight, flew to North Carolina, got off the plane, raced to the OTHER end of the terminal and took our last leg home.

Home sweet home.......

I can't help myself......

Well, actually I probably could "help" myself....but I DONT WANT TOO!!!
My husband says I have waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many purses. When in fact, the man has waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many caps!!
Some might say it is an addiction. I looked that word up in Wikipedia....nope, not me. I did find a definition for "soft addiction" and well, maybe, maybe - that is what I have.....

The term soft addiction was coined by Judith Sewell Wright to describe activities, moods or ways of being, avoidances, and things-edible and consumable but which do not pose a grave health disease risk - rather, they have the most effect on personal time and productivity. ^[8][9] These behaviors were profiled in a 2007 ABC News story titled Bad Habits.^[10]

When I go shopping I get a great sense of AWWWWWWWWWWW..makes me feel good. When I'm down, upset, angry, bored, hungry, sleepy, working, playing, driving, talking, breathing........I feel the need, the need for a new purse.
A friend at work said she has been looking for WEEKS (really???) and just hasn't been able to find one. So, me being the kind person I am, decided to share. I brought most, not all of my purses, to work so she could go "shopping". Right off the bat, she discovers just the "one"....POW...problem solved. Told her when she was done, simply return it, no charge.

Happy Shopping !!

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!!