Ron's 57th Birthday

We celebrated Ron's birthday Tuesday night, his birthday is Friday, but we have our Easter Program Friday night at church.
I have to complement myself. His birthday dinner was delicious! Amanda and I went home early to start cooking. We marinated steaks and fresh salmon. Steve cooked the steaks outside and we cooked the salmon inside. The food was so good! Little Tucker loves tiny tomotoes and most other food too.
The company was really great too. I love playing with the grandkids! The grown kids are OK too.

New Project

This is a preview of a project I am doing with my grandchildren. I bought all Jackson, Tucker and Veronika a barrel and some plants. I am going to make a mini garden with each one. I have several plants for them to choose from. Red and purple petunias, lamb's ear, lavender, cherry tomatoes, gladiolus and calla lily bulbs, etc. I will update through the season on our little project.

Spring 2007

Spring may be my favorite time of the year! The dogwoods are blooming, the tulips, azaleas, my "Lady Banks Rose", everything is blooming.

You may notice in the rose picture, our brick wall fell down. It's been leaning for a couple of years. Lucky it didn't ruin my rose bush or the clematis growing by it.

Celebrating 30 Years!

What a wonderful 30 years, March 5, 1977 to March 5, 2007!

Mema's Birthday

We had a nice visit Saturday with family at Bryant Healthcare for Mema's 79th Birthday.

Thanks everyone for coming.

The weekend was great to visit with family.

New Hobby

I thought about taking art classes. Then decided on editing my pictures until I had time to take a class. I bought an inexpensive program, it can fix red eye, and add special effects, like watercolor effect, etc.
I do love my sunflowers, not as much as grandkids. I will try special effects on their pictures later. I just don't think you can improve on some beauty!

Grand Canyon

After the meetings were over we headed to the Grand Canyon. The views were amazing. The wildlife was abundant. Mule deer were walking beside the road, we could walk right by them. We saw elk also. We stayed at "El Tovar", this hotel was built in 1905. It was gorgeous, styled after a Swiss Chalet.
In the morning, there were more mule deer walking around the hotel. There was snow on the ground. It was a relaxing day and a half vacation!

Working in Phoenix

Well Ronnie is working, or going to meetings anyway. I am sightseeing and shopping.
The climate here is so different.

It's a nice place to visit, ,but I wouldn't want to live here.

Who Do You See!

Does Brad look like our Daddy?
Does Ethan look a little like Robert?

I found this picture in an envelope of pictures I had here at the shop.

It brings back a lot of memories, sad and happy.

A Home for Lucky

Andrea, Steve and Veronika are taking Lucky! I took this picture to make a flyer for the vet's office. Lucky for Lucky that the Tripp's want Lucky now.
He was so funny last night. A neighbor's cat was on our front porch, Lucky went crazy wanting out to get him off his porch. He loves watching the birds outside my window.
Bye Bye Lucky!

Birds

These are the goldfinch that I feed. I can't believe how many there are. I love to listen to them in the morning. The other feeders have cardinals and an assortment of birds. The cat and I both love watching them.

Signs of Spring

Can you believe it! My garden sprang to life after the holidays!

Not really, but this morning I did see the tiny tops of my crocus. Under them are my lovely tulips waiting to burst forth! I have the pansies planted, the tulips and crocus come up through those.

The goldfinch are swarming the feeders! This morning I counted 18 at the one feeder. They sing to me as I wake up in the morning.

I really really love Chrstmas!

I really enjoy giving presents, but receiving is great too. I collect Christmas ornaments and Santa's, so this hand carved Santa gourd is beautiful, from Andrea and Steve. Brad and Paula gave me this high chair, I can just imagine all the babies that will share it. Amanda and Josh gave me this vase, it reminds me of my garden. I plan to use the design to decorate my kitchen to match.

I don't want Christmas to be over. I kept my indoor and outdoor lights on until we came home last night. I will give all the decorations up now, and put them away until next year. But I have shopped the after-Chistmas sales for more stuff! I have big plans for next year!

We have had so much fun. Christmas Eve, Andrea and Steve, Ron and I went to Garvan Woodland Gardens to enjoy the walk thru light display. Christmas Day we had all the kids and grandkids for breakfast and presents, Veronika got to come over in the afternoon, so we had more presents and fun. Then Christmas dinner together. Boxing day, we delivered the bigger gifts to the kids.

Saaturday, Jackson's 2nd Birthday party was such fun! We used that day to enjoy Christmas with the McIntyre/Powell families! That boy loves "Tractors"!!!

Alas! The party is over. The New Year has begun! Amanda and Josh had everyone over for a deer steak dinner on New Year's Day! Yum! It was delicious!

I Love Christmas!

Not only did we get to see the kids open their presents, but the next day we delivered the bigger things to their house, and got to see them play with their things outside. Veronika actually got a kitchen from us, the bike was from Santa. Her and Jackson played kitchen at our house Christmas afternoon.
Jackson learned to say "presents", and loves to open them. Tucker got really excited when he saw bows and tearing paper. Veronika can take care of her new babies!
The grown kids were fun to watch too, but grandchildren just really are special.

Awana Kids

I teach Awana on Wednesday night. It is acutally pre-cubbies, two year olds. We decorated Christmas trees. They are ice cream cones covered in icing. Wednesday morning I helped with MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, we made graham cracker nativity scenes. I love working with the kids. Especially since Jackson is there!
Even Josh has been helping with the kids.

Christmas in Arkansas

Saturday was a beautiful warm day. Ron and I raked leaves, planted pansies, and cleaned the garage!
I planted 150 pansies in the little garden that Amanda started. Earlier in the year I planted tulip bulbs. They make a great spring display, the tulips come up right through the pansies.
My camellia's are blooming beautifully! I have a 2 reds and 1 pink. I love having flower blooms in the winter.
It didn't feel like Christmas, but it was fun.

More Christmas Fun!

Saturday night while waiting for the fight, (Jermain Taylor) Andrea, Veronika, Paula, Jackson, Tucker and I made Gingerbread Houses. It was so much fun. Then Jackson and Veronika decorated my tree. Most of the candy canes were on one limb but it was fun to watch them.

Christmas Fun

Ronnie drug the old Farmall Tractor around front for me to decorate for Christmas! I have had so much fun. And the grandkids loved it. You can't really see, but that is Veronika and Jackson by the tractor.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Journals

Amber came up with a great thing! For Andrea's "Girls Night", Amber made all the girls(and one guy) a journal. We are to write memories about and thoughts about each other. These are for each to read later when needing a little pick me up or maybe just missing each other.

I have loved mine so far. I peaked at mine while writing in the others.

Ann, Angie and Stacy have the journals right now. Kay should get them next.

I would like to continue the tradition next year. Maybe each get their journal back, but put them back in circualtion at our next "girl's outing" or any family gathering.

Thanks Amber!

How About Them Hogs!

I love when the Razorbacks play Little Rock games. I get to babysit the boys. Friday was beautiful, actually the whole weekend was great weather and great activities.
Thrusday, we had Amanda and Josh for breakfast and the Macy's Parade, Andrea and Steve for our first dinner, then Brad, Paula, Jackson, Tucker and Gloria and Rick for a late dinner.
So we ate all day on Thrusday.
Friday we kept Jackson and Tucker during the game. Andrea and Steve came over later with Veronika. Then had everyone for dinner again. I cooked more this weekend than I have since last year. I really enjoyed it, but I have too much leftovers.
Saturday, we worked in the yard, raking leaves, planting bulbs and pansies.
Sunday we celebrated Brad's 27th birthday by going to Shogun's. It was good food, but Jackson and Veronika decided the fire was terrifying. I thought they would just love the cooking show! Wrong! Veronika sobbed, Jackson crawled/climbed up our lap to get away.
I even worked in a little Christmas shopping Sunday afternoon, and took Mama a poinsetta plant, it was artificial, but looks real.
It was a great 4 days!