Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Stuart, this is for you

New kitchen floor, etc.


Just a closer view of my new couch/tables




New painted cabinets/knobs/new countertops/beadboard backsplash



New kitchen table/chairs/paint/beadboard


I have been promising Stuart I would send pictures, so here they are, sweetie. Hope you like the changes! I'm loving them and can't wait for all of you to come home and enjoy it with me.
Until next time...Mom.




















My chair came in today that I had ordered and looks really good.






























Monday, June 25, 2007

Pictures








Can you believe I actually figured out how to do this?!? Thanks to Jawan! These are the friends mentioned in my previous post who came over and tied on the pine cones. The first picture is Debbie and Ramona, next is Debbie and me, and the last is Debbie and Barbara. Now that I know I can, I'll be attaching more pictures later. Until then...Mom.

Pine Cones!

Yep, we tied on the pine cones tonight. ha. Debbie's book is to be released July 15th, and she has about five book-signing engagements coming up. Her company name is Pine Cone Management Company, so she is using miniature pine cones tied to the corner of a business card to give with each book sold at the signings. She, Ramona and Barbara met at my house tonight and we had a ball tying on the pine cones, laughing, eating, and just enjoying each other's company. Friends are priceless, and I am so blessed to have several. For any of you who want to read a good book, be on the lookout for Debbie's book - "Little Lady, Big Dream" It can be ordered from her web site: www.littleladybigdream.com Click on the button "About the Book" and scroll down almost to the bottom and you'll see my comment. Check out all of her web site! I feel an ice cream craving coming on, so gotta go take care of that! Until next time...Mom.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

The Procrastinator Checks In!

A lot of you got the 40 question e-mail I responded to, so you know that Sunday is my favorite day. It is has been a wonderful one but way too short. I had lunch with an old (long-time) friend that I hadn't seen in many months, my sister-in-law (Ramona H.) came over for a visit this afternoon, we had two wonderful services at church today, and topped it off with a finger-food fellowship after church. Could it get any better?!?!? (Only if my own family had been here.) We (my friend Ramona K.) did our yard-sale shopping yesterday (bought Luke a booster seat and two books for Andrew), went to Badcocks and ordered me a chair for my living room, ate breakfast at Hardee's, got a haircut, and went to a 50th wedding anniversary celebration in the afternoon. So, the weekend has been short and busy. I'm looking forward to the work week (call me weird) and will check in later. Until next time...Mom.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Home Again!

I've just returned home from a week of babysitting for Jawan and boy am I tired. It's been a long time since I tried to keep up with a 3 year old and an 18 month old. I'm so thankful Angela and Emily were there with me to help. Regardless of the tiredness, we had a wonderful week. The children were wonderful and gave us no problems (except locking the bathroom door with no one in there to open it - I had to take the door knob off to get it open - and pushing two doors together so that the knobs overlapped and were almost impossible to get apart). ha. Otherwise, they were just their sweet childish selves. We went to Hollywood Connection, Monkey Joe's, Toys-R-Us, Walmart, Tuesday Morning, Publix, and played in the water in back yard. God answered so many prayers this week:

--Angela, Emily and I had safe travel to and from Columbus, safety while there, and all needs were provided;
--Andrew and Luke adjusted to being without Mommie and Daddy for the week and seemed to have a good time and were protected from any mishaps;
--Meredith placed in the top 10 at the FFA conference with her song and had safe travel to and from Orlando;
--Steve and Ethan stayed home and were safe and provided for;
--Jawan and Mitch had safe flights to and from Memphis and were protected and provided for while there; and
--Stuart (although he is in the midst of a job change) has also been protected and provided for and has a wonderful attitude about his situation.

God is so good, and I thank him daily for my family and all the blessings he showers upon us. Tomorrow is Sunday, and I plan to be in His house for worship and praise and thanksgiving. I hope all of you will do the same. Until next time....Mom.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Vacationing

As I write this, I am in Columbus at Jawan's staying with her boys while she and Mitch are in Memphis. Angela and Emily are here with me, and we are having a wonderful time. Yesterday, we took a walk around the neighborhood with the kids in strollers and boy was that an ordeal. This is a hilly, hilly, hilly neighborhood. ha. Don't know if we'll try that again today or not. We went to Hollywood Connection, which is a fun place all indoors for the kids to ride different things (small ferris wheel, swings, choo-choo - but the choo-choo was not in operation yesterday - rock climbing, playground activities, etc.) They really enjoyed that and it was cool - great place! We also filled the kiddie pool with water, turned on the sprinkler, and they had a wonderful wet time. We ate a lot and watched cartoon movies, etc. and had them in bed by 9:30, after which Angela and I watched "Flywheel." That is a wonderful movie!!!!! Today, I think we'll take the kids to Monkey Joe's and let them play there. I've never been, so will have to give an update later. Until next time .... Mom.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Packing up!

Here it is Sunday night, and I'm packing my suitcase to go to Jawan's to babysit for the week. I can hardly wait to get my lovin' on Andrew, Luke and Emily. Yes, Angela and Emily are going with me for the week, and I am so excited!!! It's going to be strange being at Jawan's with her not there, but we'll have a wonderful time. The weekend has been really good - Friday night I ate dinner at Ramona and Herman's, along with Debbie and Bo, and we played Uno afterwards while it poured down rain. Saturday was absolutely beautiful, so I was in and out all day - doing laundry, grocery shopping, etc. Today, of course, was church twice, lunch with friends and an afternoon nap. By the way, my new couch is so-o-o-o comfortable!! I'm still looking for a chair and a rug. The cable folks are to be here by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow to install another outlet and Angela and family are to arrive around lunch. We'll leave shortly thereafter for Columbus. Meredith will be in Orlando for the week, so please keep her in your prayers for safety, etc. Hopefully, I'll be motivated while in Columbus to post once or twice. Until next time.....Mom.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Burdens

At church tonight, the lesson was on intercessory prayer. This was not a new subject, but just brought to my mind a whole list of needs in my own little family:

Meredith - going to Orlando next week for a conference (Monday - Friday) - pray for her safety and that she will be an outstanding example of a Christian to those around her. Pray that she will do her very best with the song she is to sing and be happy with the outcome regardless of what it is. She's my first grandchild and is so precious (as are all of the others, but you know how it is with the first).

Jawan and Mitch - going to Memphis next week for a conference - she only has five more weeks before the baby is due, so I'm a little anxious about her flying - pray for her (their) safety;

Stuart - thinking seriously about a new business venture with his best friend - pray for wisdom and guidance not only for that but for his life in general;

Andrew - getting him to bed at night has become an ordeal - pray for wisdom, patience, and calmness that a solution will be found;

Kristie - my great-niece in California - about to go through a divorce - pray for God's will to be done - this is one of those times I don't know what to ask for other specifically, so that covers it all;

Angela and Steve - without being specific, just pray for God to reveal His will to them about their situation;

Ethan - in those confusing, exciting, depressing, mixed=up teenage years - pray for his faith to see him through all situations, that he will stay clean physically, morally and spiritually and be an example to others;

Emily, Andrew and Luke - pray for their salvation when they are old enough to understand. They are all so precious to this grandmother and I do pray for not only their salvation but for their physical safety, mental and emotional health, and happiness in general.

Is that enough to keep me on my knees for a month? I hope you will join me for prayer is powerful. Until next time.....Mom.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Feeling Thankful!

I've just returned home from a walk with my friend, Ramona, and feel so blessed to have her friendship. I usually drive to her house in the afternoon when I get home from work, and we walk her neighborhood (about 2.7 miles). After our walk, we have a tall glass of ice water as we sit on her front porch and talk. Sometimes the talks are serious but usually we laugh a lot and talk about our children and grandchildren. I'm so thankful God brought her into my life. She encourages me, compliments me, confides in me, and most of all - she prays for me. Just today, she told me I was like family to her and she would be there for me no matter the time of day or night. She's already proven that in the last two weeks, so you see why I'm so thankful. So, just wanted to share about the blessing of a friend. Until next time....Mom.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Catch-Up

Gee, I've been busy but the worst is over. The house re-do is done, my sweet sister has been and gone, a trip to Mississippi was made, children were visited (2 of the 3 - Florida and Georgia), and I'm back at work in my comfortable rut. I love all that was done to the house but am still lacking a chair and rug for the living room (and would really like a new entertainment center - black). Hopefully, I'll find just the right ones in the near future. I'm looking forward to next week when I go to Jawan's to keep Andrew and Luke while she and Mitch go to Tennessee for a conference. It's nice to have a week off, work two, off again, work two more and off again soon thereafter (whenever Abigail decides to make her appearance). My church family teases me and says I tell my bosses when I'll work. ha. Not really, but when you've been at a job for 16 years, you are entitled to a few perks. I know this is short considering the length of time between writing, but I've recapped about everything without going into detail. So, until next time.............Mom.