More Birthday Party (and Sunflower)

These are Amanda's pictures, so I had to sneak in the sunflower picture that she took.

Veronika's Birthday!

We celebrated Veronika's 5th Birthday, Saturday with a pool party. It was a beautiful day. She had friends and family to celebrate with. Andrea and Steve made a really cute Princess Ariel Party, with a lady like pinata, you pull ribbons to get the candy, rather than hit it with a stick! The lunch was delicious, hot dogs, chips and dip, watermelon and a really cute Princess Cake. It was a really fun event.

Father's Day

We celebrated Father's Day at Cock of the Walk, same place we went for Mother's Day. I wanted to go back so we could have the group picture, this time with Veronika. It's a nice place to go with children.

The kids get to feed the ducks and catfish after we feed ourselves. But this time there was a copperhead sunning on the rocks. Yuck! I am so afraid of snakes.

Happy Fathers Day to Ron, Brad and Steve. Happy Fathers Day to all you other guys too!

Babysitting and Swimming!

Brad and Paula celebrated their anniversary and let us babysit the boys overnight.
They were so much fun! We swam before dinner and after dinner.
Ron and I swam with the boys before dinner. Then Andrea, Steve and Veronika came over, so we swam again.
Tucker tried to fall asleep in the pool, so Poppa gave him a warm bath. Then he went to sleep on the footstool while Poppa was getting his pajamas on. He slept all night, from 8:00 pm to 7:00 am. And woke up happy.

Jackson loves the water and didn't want to get out after swimming twice. Veronika went from being a little scared of the water to going under water in less than a week. Jackson watched her and is about ready to try going under.
I can't wait to watch them swim at Veronika's Birthday Party. Kids learn so much from each other.

Silver Dollar City

Our first visit to Silver Dollar City, Andrea was 6 weeks old. We still love going there! I don't have pictures of the big kids soaking each other, but they had fun too.

Memorial Day Weekend

We spent the weekend at Branson! We all went up Friday night and stayed at a lodge at Stonebridge. We had a 4 bedroom, 4 bath lodge, with a screened in porch out back.

I was so happy, the whole family was able to come. It was great to be able to spend time together.

Saturday, we relaxed, had a late breakfast, went swimming with the kids. Then went to Dixie Stampede. In all the trips we have had to Branson, this was our first trip to Dixie Stampede. They have pig races, ostrich race, horses and buffalo, it was good entertainment and pretty good food. I loved watching the faces of the little ones during the action.

Sunday we all went to Silver Dollar City. I enjoyed walking around and enjoying the plants and foilage, but really enjoyed watching the kids enoy the park. And I rode WILDFIRE and kept my eyes open this time.

They have a BBQ Festival, the BBQ was really good. I didn't get a roasted corn though! It's my favorite. Or maybe the kettle corn is my favorite, I did get that. I found out that the grandkids LOVE kettle corn.

They have a great water play area for the kids, Gyser Gulch. I think maybe the kids enjoyed that most. There are little play areas where water squirts out of the ground. And there are water guns, the big kids, Brad, Josh, Steve and Amanda left the little kids behind and played with the water guns, they were soaked!

We stayed at the park from open till close, the weather was a little overcast, I think that kept us from getting tired. And the kids were still happy when we left!

It was pretty much a great weekend!

Mother's Day

We had a great Mother's Day. After Church we went to "Cock of The Walk" for lunch. This place was so relaxing for the kids. They have a pond to feed the geese and a kio pond, garden, etc. The boys enjoyed it, especially Poppa, taking Jackson and Tucker out on the deck. Veronika wasn't with us, so we will have to go back soon and take her.

Easter Fun

The Easter Bunny came to Dodi's house on Thrusday night. Everyone had plans for the weekend so we got together on Thrusday.

Paula made cupcakes, decorated beautifully, I bought the dinner from the Honeybaked store. Their hams are great, the side dishes are not so much to brag about. But we were short on time.

The kids were so much fun. I hid eggs in this little patch of garden. Jackson and Tucker didn't quite know what to do with the egg hunt at first.

Veronika knows how to hunt eggs, and Jackson soon learned what to do. He just wanted to eat the candy. Tucker got ahold of some candy, I couldn't pry it out of his little hands to even open it for him.

Flower Project

This is the results of our flower project. All three kids have matching barrels and plants, I can't wait to see them grow. I get so excited about the colors and combinations of containers. And the fragrance of certain plants. Veronika was pretty good at planting her things, Jackson came and went, but pretty much planted his, little Tucker may have eaten some dirt. It doesn't matter what it is, he is right there with the big kids!

The Humingbirds Are Back!

Saturday, I saw the first humingbird of the season. I bought this fushia plant a couple of weeks ago, it will probably be very popular with the little birds. The humingbird picture is last years picture, I was too busy to stop for pictures.
The beautiful goldfinch are going away for the summer. There is still a few singing for me in the morning. I have a hard time getting up and leaving the house in the morning, because I would like to sit and enjoy the birds and flowers.

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.