A favorite!

After Christmas morning when I was a little girl I'd always want to share about what I'd gotten from "Santa" so I'd call a few friends to tell them and to find out what they'd gotten.  Or on the first day back to school we'd all have our lists ready to compare and talk about.  I couldn't help but think back on that time (so long ago) after this Christmas and the gift my daughter Kaylee gave me.  She knows I'm a sucker for the homemade gift and so she thoughtfully cross stitched this sweet and meaningful picture for me:

So I wanted to share one of my favorite Christmas presents with you!  And I think the reason why is clear!  

I'd love to hear some of your favorites too so I'll hope you'll comment and share them.  It'll be the 21st century version of sharing what Santa brought us.    



Closer

My living area is finally beginning to look the way I had visualized it before the remodel.  So I wanted to show a picture of it while also wishing all of you a very merry Christmas.  Oh, and while I'm at it I might as well show off the two most beautiful and talented people that I just happen to be the mother of! 

This will have to be the quick little post that it is because I'm off to do all of the last minute things that need to be done before holiday company and before Santa makes his appearance on our roof......well, I guess he uses the door at our house since we have no chimney.  Anywayyyyyyyy, merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!  

Christmas High Tea

Yesterday an old and dear friend called to see if I wanted to take her place to attend high tea at a popular little tearoom downtown called The Chestnut Tree.  She had reserved a place with three other friends but had a last minute conflict so kindly thought of me!  What a treat!  I knew the three other ladies so I really enjoyed visiting with them and just generally felt feminine and fru-fru. 

Some of the fare were things like warm harvest cranberry dip crostini, goat cheese and sun dried tomato profiteroles, and scones with clotted cream and lemon curd.  Pretty fancy, huh???  Midway through the meal a Victorian dressed quintet arrived to serenade us with beautiful a capella carols. 

It was just a fun and peaceful way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season.  I'm so glad I have a high falutin' friend.  So before I close I'd just like to say (insert British accent here) pip pip cheerio, merry Christmas, and all that rot!!

The two quilts

It's taken me just about three years but I finally finished this heirloom quilt.  It was done by paper piecing which means I stitched and quilted it all by hand except for the border.  The pattern is called grandmother's flower garden and it's one I've always wanted to do.   

I'm also working on another quilt of sorts.  I'm memorizing the book of James and have finished four out of the five chapters.  I've memorized scripture verses on and off over the years but those are like owning pretty scraps of fabric.  They're nice to look at but tend to get stuck off in a drawer somewhere to be used "someday".  Memorizing a whole book has been like putting all the fabrics together to create a beautiful work of art.  It's really been a fascinating experience.  It's more than just saying words by rote.  Every time I go through the verses it's like having a little conversation with Jesus, allowing Him to teach me one on one what He has in mind for me and how He wants me to live my life.  And memorizing a book has actually been surprisingly easy, really even more than memorizing a verse here or there and trying to hang on to it. 

So I'm thankful.  Thankful that God has given me the ability to create something as beautiful as a quilt, and discipline and desire to memorize the beautiful and most important heirloom that is His Word.        

Views from the Crosswalk Part 2

From time to time I'll see one of my old crosswalkers come by and lately I've seen one that is probably in his early 20's. He just lives about three houses down from where I park but I hadn't seen him since he was in middle school or so until recently when he's been riding his bike by every so often.

He was a quiet kid back then, probably not saying more than two or three things to me for the three or four years that he walked or rode his skateboard across the street on his way to school. But now he waves or smiles as he rides his bike by so this morning as I was standing there freezing my little booty off waiting for kiddos he rode by again and I stopped him. I asked him if he was going to school or working and he told me he's working at UNT and drives a pedicab!!! How fun is that??

I've heard about the new pedicabs that work around the university and the downtown area and I've been curious about it, secretly harboring the dream of driving one if I were only about 20 years younger. So I was filled with enthusiasm as he told me a little about what it's like to drive one. Then I probably should have just let him go after that but nooooo, I have to know it all. So I promptly asked him what he does at UNT. Well, it turns out he's a figure model!!! And did I just say "Oh, how nice."? No, I asked, "Does that mean you pose nude?". Yep, I'll just dive right on in there with my curious self! He just smiled and said that was right. Hmmmm!

So this morning was at least a little different than the usual at the ol' crosswalk!

The day after.......

Here's the view from my kitchen window. The day after the Walton Thanksgiving celebration the dishtowels and tablecloths were hanging on the line.

It was great to see everybody again and be able to host them in my "new" house. There was lots of turkey, ham, sweet potato casserole, fruit salad, and pies galore! We played a "family" game that I put together and I hope everybody enjoyed it as much as I did.

The next picture is a closer one of the tree. My fabulous nieces and great nieces and nephew made some bird feeders out of pine cones and hung them up so now every time I look outside I think of them and the fun they had.

So thanks to everybody who brought food and helped put it all together. Now we'll do it all again at Christmas!

They're Everywhere!

And there's more than this!! There's apple, pumpkin, cherry, and pecan. And tomorrow there will be coconut and chocolate cream. Seventeen pies in all. I'm selling them. Some of Kaylee's coworkers at the bank ordered a few and some of my coworkers also ordered. I've always harbored the dream to someday open a pie shop so I thought I'd just jump right in to test the waters. It feels pretty good! And I'm getting this crust thing down pat! Deliveries will be made after lunch tomorrow. I've even got pie boxes so I feel pretty professional. Well, hey, I had to direct some of this empty nest energy somewhere, right? Watch out Mrs. Edwards!

A Plant and an IPhone

My favorite plant in the garden this year turns out to be this one. It's a Castor plant and I guess it's what they make castor oil out of. I started it from a seed that a friend gave me. All of the little red cotton ball looking bunches on top end up being the seeds so I guess if I'm not careful I'll have a whole yard full of castor plants. It's huge and is really sort of a tree. It makes these huge palm tree looking leaves and since I love it so much I have allowed it to shade pretty much half of my what is supposed to be a mostly sun garden.

I'm wondering if it'll die back or will it just stay there through the winter and continue to be a tree? I know, I could just google it, ask jeeves, or research it on some gardening website but I've decided to abandon technology and just do it the old fashioned way and wait and see. I mean, after all, we were perfectly capable of living our lives fairly successfully before the 80's when it all became "easier" because of technology. The other day I was in the grocery store searching for olive bruschetta to complete a new recipe I'd discovered. I found an olive spread and began to wonder what the word bruschetta actually means. So I asked a young mom who was shopping nearby. After thinking about it for a minute she whipped her iPhone out and looked it up. Which is fine! She didn't find out exactly what I wanted to know but her information did help me make a final decision so I was glad she could help me. But what if I'd had my own handy dandy internet in my pocket? Would I have engaged another actual person for help? Would I have made her feel needed and helpful because of my query? Would there have been actual communication between two (albeit a wide spread in age) moms going about the common task of making a home? Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic about the whole thing but I think the subject is at least worth a look and a thought.

In the meantime I'll watch my favorite plant and discover (the old fashioned way) the surprising and miraculous works of God in my garden.

Speaking of Bob........

..............HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! And since I posted 24 things about Kaylee on her 24th birthday I......well, I hesitated. You can probably guess why...lots more things! But it didn't take me long to figure out that with more years comes more things and I was running them off in my head lickety split so I decided to just do it (with a little help from Bob's parents for the earlier stuff). So, if you have a minute, take a look at a few things about my husband, Bob.

1. He was born on this day, October 28, 56 years ago.

2. He was a cub scout.

3. He wrote letters to his grandparents at only 4 yrs. old. His mom would spell the words and he wrote them.

4. He sang in the church preschool choir.

5. He is a sports enthusiast.

6. He's a plumber. (shhhhhh! don't tell anybody!)

7. He said "da-da" at 4 months old.

8. He plays the guitar (bass and acoustic).

9. When he was in high school Bob worked at a grocery store.

10. and at the city sewage plant.

11. and at a service station and garage.

12. and he hauled hay.

13. He also worked for the highway department during that time.

14. Before we got married Bob flew airplanes, had a motorcycle, and rode bulls.

15. As a boy he played football and baseball from little league and church league through high school.

16. He made the All-Area football team in high school.

17. His favorite pie is blueberry.

18. He usually reads two or three books during any given week.

19. Bob loves being up and about early in the morning.

20. He is my go-to-guy for all questions spiritual or Bible related.

21. Bob spent lots of time playing table tennis at the Ft. Smith Boys Club in Ft. Smith, Ark.

22. He lived in Ft. Smith till he was 13.

23. Character trait: Integrity.

24. Bob attended Ouachita Baptist University for one year after high school graduation.

25. While in Arkadelphia going to OBU Bob played Rugby and competed in Judo.

26. When in high school Bob was part of the high school choir as well as the Madrigals.

27. He loves to do the "little bear dance".

28. Character trait: fiercely loyal

29. Bob's worn a mustache almost since he could grow hair there. Hasn't shaved it off since.

30. Bob drove a '68 (I think!) Chevelle in high school.

31. He played on two or three different baseball teams at a time in the years before I met him.

32. He was an umpire. A good one too!

33. He was part of the youth choir at his church in McKinney.

34. He traveled with them to Puerto Rico. (how'd they get him to do that???)

35. On that trip a kid from FBC Dallas by the name of Robert Jeffress tagged along. He's now the senior pastor at that church.

36. Character trait: excellent work ethic.

37. Bob picked okra in junior high and bought his first guitar with his earnings.

38. He and a friend chased Big Foot in El Dorado, Arkansas.

39. Bob sings tenor.

40. He was voted "most talented" by his fellow high school seniors.

41. Graduated college around the age of 40.

42. He built trucks at Peterbilt for a few years before going back to college.

42. During his year at Ouachita he became friends with Mike Huckabee.

43. They fried biscuits in a popcorn popper.

44. Bob still owns a cell phone that isn't a camera.

45. His youth choir recorded an album.

46. He did a professional recording when he was in his early 20's.

47. Bob attracts bad customer service.

48. Bob's mom says he reminds her a lot of her dad, McCullah Wall.

49. His grandfather and great uncles were all named after Civil War generals from Arkansas. McCullah, Shelby, Price, and Marmaduke.

50. Bob is an example of what James talks about in the Bible when he instructs believers to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry".

51. When Bob was little his brother Don broke his arm (or something like that) when he and Bob were copying a stunt they learned while watching Andy and Barney on The Andy Griffith Show.

52. At Ouachita he was part of "The Singing Men".

53. Bob loves listening to Bob Wills music.

54. In Bob's bachelor days he says he stacked pretty much a wall full of Diet Dr. Pepper cans.

55. Bob makes a yummy batch of chili.

56. Under God, he is my protector, provider, and best friend. Happy Birthday Bob. I love you!

Bob the Builder

It's finally here! The brand new north Denton Walmart will have it's grand opening tomorrow and my husband built it! Well, I guess he had help but I like to think they couldn't do it without him.

I'm so proud of Bob's accomplishments with Roger's-O'Brien. He's built hospitals, shopping centers, churches, warehouses, office buildings, and even a Neiman Marcus. That one was fun for me because we were invited to the "gala" the night before they opened and it was faaaaannncy! Way out of my league but I tried to keep up.

I'm pretty sure that Walmart will NOT be having a gala affair but tomorrow is the big day! Bob's crew finished the Sam's and the Walmart in a record nine months and apparently they're pretty proud of themselves. And I'm proud too. Thanks for celebrating with me.

All Together--Part 2

Well, my smart niece Kathy suggested I do a side by side family photo comparison and it reminded me of one that we recently did, thanks to my smart sister Linda's great idea back then. It was about 2002 and Linda wanted to do a family portrait to celebrate Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary. So in addition to that we did this little comparison redo from a picture made back in.....hmmmmm........let's see.....that purple shirt with white polka dots (and don't miss the purple corduroy pants) I'm wearing was from about sixth grade so I must have been about 12 (deep into my Donny Osmond stage...hence the purple ensemble....it was his favorite color after all!) so that must have been about 1972. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong! (Don't even try to correct me though on D.O.'s favorite color! All the teen magazines said it was purple!) I think we might have been saying good-bye to Grandma Bibb on one of the many Sunday trips to Whitesboro. Actually, my favorite part of this picture (other than that great skirt Mom was wearing and all the dark framed glasses! LOL) is the little tiny portion of the great old blue van. Lots of miles spent riding on the warm motor in the middle of that thing. No seatbelts for us back then. Just lots of room, miles, and memories. But I digress!

So now that you've seen the shot from 38 (WHAT?!?!?!) years ago, here we are in 2002. I couldn't help but notice that several of us are much more healthy now in 2010 as we quickly approach our golden years! Way to go guys!

All Together

Well, it doesn't happen very often but every once in awhile the Walton siblings gather together to visit. Yesterday was one of those good days.

It was the annual Walton yard sale/family reunion/Whitesboro Peanut Festival so we all traveled from Bells, Denton, Houston, Little Elm, Colbert, OK, and even Pocatello, ID.

There's Dave, the oldest, who is the ultimate oldest. He's very intelligent, good at taking charge and knowing what's best to do in any given circumstance. He likes to kid but sometimes you never know if he's serious or not--he likes it that way. But when it comes to the nieces and nephews he's a real softy and will spoil them as much as possible.

Then there's Linda, the ultimate big sister. Always the organizer and planner, her ducks need to be in a row. Linda is very computer savvy and creative in that area, as well as in many others. One of my favorite things about my sister Linda, is that she can laugh at herself and is okay with making a mistake here and there. She just fixes it and moves forward, always learning and growing.

Roger is the next in line and it's anybody's guess what Roger is really like. He's very quiet and observes from the sidelines. He could be my dad's grandfather's twin and that's kind of eery. When we were little Roger would always come up with a creative game or complex activity. I think for him, the fun was in the planning. Roger has a kind and gentle spirit which is interesting since the rest of us tend to enjoy a good rousing "discussion".

Next is Suzi. Oh that Suzi, she's always providing drama and entertainment. Over the last few years she's become a traveling partner for me and she's a good one, always willing to try something new and go along with whatever everybody else wants to do, appreciating any and all experiences and opportunities that come her way. The older she gets the more she looks and sounds like my mom. Again, eery!

After me in age, comes Kelly. I personally think Kelly's the family glue! He was somewhat of a surprise for my mom and dad when they found they were expecting him but I can't even imagine what our family would be like without Kelly. He's funny, interesting, and gets along well with everybody. Along with my sister, Linda, he's a computer geek and is always willing to help no matter what he's busy with. Kelly lives life with gusto, enjoying pretty much every minute and can make lemonade out of lemons better than anybody I know.

Oh, and that young man on the left? That's my dad--the patriarch of the family! What a character my dad is. Since my mom passed away five years ago I've gotten to know my dad a lot better and that's been such a treat. Dad is easygoing, intelligent, generous, optimistic, interested in any and all things children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and is just generally fun to be around.


So that's us in a nutshell (well, my nutshell anyway)! We've had lots of years together that's for sure. But they've been good years. After all, we're all still willing to be in a picture together. That's a good sign, right?

Don't Fence Me In!

I chose the title for this post because that's the song that came to my mind as we were winding down our visit to NYC. There are just so many people and buildings!! Even after three days I found myself looking forward to getting back to open spaces and good ol' Texas. BUT.......that doesn't mean that I didn't have a great time. And I wanted to share with you my favorite day. On Sunday we woke up bright and early and walked down 5th Ave. to Grand Central Station to purchase tickets and board our train to New Haven, Connecticut, stopping along the way to grab coffee and a little breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts. Here is Mimi, Lily, and me in front of Grand Central Station.

It looks like not very many people ride the train on Sunday morning but we were there early and made our way to one of the front cars. By the time we departed there were quite a few more people, including a motley crew of young people sitting right in front of us that were quite entertaining. This train wasn't as nice as the Amtrak we took in Colorado but it was comfortable enough for our hour and a half ride through places like Harlem, Fairfield, Conn., and Westport, Conn. Caryl Ann told us that Westport is home to such icons as Martha Stewart and David Letterman. Too bad we didn't have time to pop in and say hi!

On the flight to NYC the guy sitting next to me was an attorney and when I told him we were going to visit Yale he said that we really needed to go to a great little pizza place called Frank Pepe Pizzeria. Since he had attended Yale I figured he knew what he was talking about so as soon as we got off the train in New Haven Kaylee looked it up on her handy little IPhone and we were off. It was in walking distance and wasn't far from campus so we found it, enjoying the beautiful views along the way. Here you can see our delicious pizzas and birch beer. The bb tasted just like Root Beer but I liked it better.

Here are a couple of pictures showing the pizza ovens.

When we got to the restaurant at 11:30 we just walked right in but as we were leaving we realized just how great it was when there was a line forming around the corner and a man was in the parking lot monitoring and directing the cars. I'm glad we got there early because we had a scheduled tour at 1:30 and since we were walking, didn't have time to spare.

After leaving Pepe's we meandered our way past homes and churches as old as our country. It was such a privilege to see them and I would love to drive up there sometime and see more of that area. I think we had to walk about five or six blocks to Yale University and we got there just in time for our tour. From the first building to the last, I was amazed at the architecture, beauty, and history. But the whole experience was kind of a study in irony and contradictions. All over the place we saw proof that Yale's foundation was Christianity but most of the people inhabiting the buildings are non-believers. Our 21 year old guide stood on the steps of the chapel and talked about the diversity of the school and how, even though he's not Buddhist, he attends Buddhist ceremonies in that very building to destress or get in the zone or something of the sort. He even told us that the school motto is and always has been "For God, For Country, For Yale"........huh???? It's just so amazing to me how so many smart people can fool themselves, thinking they've discovered the REAL answer when the truth is surrounding them. In spite of this sad aspect, I savored the beauty and thought I'd show you a tiny bit of what we saw.

This is sort of a parlor that each "college" (I think that sort of means a dorm) has. I could just imagine the generations of scholars that "hung out" in that room. Can you believe that wood?

Right next to the parlor was this dining hall! Unbelievable! It's sure not like any dining hall I've ever seen in Texas.

The picture above and below are of the library. A great example of the Christian foundation. The windows had many pictures depicting stories from the Bible.

I was sad to leave the campus. We honestly could have spent a day looking around and roaming through the buildings and still not have seen it all. But we had a train to catch and so we found our way back to the station and then to New York City.

Monday it was raining but we did get to go on a tour of the NBC studios and then made a quick run through the New York Public Library before our plane took off for home. That library was another jaw-dropping place. Everything pretty much was marble and old wood! They sure knew how to do things up right back in the day!

It was a quick trip but it was lots of fun experiencing it with my family. Thanks to Caryl Ann, Mimi, and Lily for allowing Kaylee and me to tag along!

Live from New York! It's Saturday Night!

Kaylee and I finally made it hear after a delayed flight and a mix-up with our shuttle at LaGuardia. Caryl Ann waited up for us but Mimi and Lily gave up and fell asleep. I think we finally arrived at the hotel at about 1:30 a.m. Not a perfect way to start but we got right to sleep on the 25th floor of the Doubletree Hotel. The first thing I saw when I looked out the window was the Empire State Bldg. about three or four blocks away. Wow, what a greeting!

We spent today doing a lot of walking but that's what you do when you visit New York. We walked around Central Park and saw the musical, "In The Heights". We took the Staten Island Ferry, walked around Wall Street a little, stood in awe at the breathtaking Grand Central Station and rode the subway.....a lot!

Here are just a couple of pictures to show for now! The first is in Central Park and the second is where we had breakfast at a fun little deli/restaurant/grocery store. Taking in a little of the local fare! Nothing beats hanging out with my sis-in-law, fun nieces, and dear daughter

New York and OIAL's

As Kaylee and I are about to soar over the right half of our great country and spend a whirlwind weekend in The Big Apple, it causes me to think about little once-in-a-lifetime experiences I’ve had. Making this trip with Kaylee won’t be one of those because we’ve already been when she graduated from high school in ’04. What makes this potentially OIAL is that we’re meeting my sis-in-law Caryl Ann and her two sweet daughters, Mimi and Lily. There may be another opportunity to go with them but right now it feels like a chance to be scooped up. While thinking about it in this way I couldn’t help but remember back to other OIAL opportunities I’ve had so I thought I’d share them with you!! Aren’t you the lucky ones? Okay, here’s a list of those I could remember:

When I was six-years-old my picture was on the cover of the Baptist Standard, a magazine put out by the BGCT of Texas, a state branch of Southern Baptists. Our church, Joshua Baptist Church, was breaking ground for a new building and the oldest and youngest(me) members of the church got to make the first dig. For some reason, that event rated the cover story.

I was able to sit about 12 feet away from Billy Graham as he preached at the 1980 Baptist World Alliance Convention in Toronto, Canada. I was part of the Wayland Baptist College’s band and we had been invited to perform.

I won $1000 from a radio station.

With that money a friend and I made a trip to Hollywood and I got to be in the audience twice at the Price is Right game show. If they’d picked me now that would really be a OIAL, right? Darn it!

I posed in a picture with a presidential candidate—GO HUCKABEE!! Maybe if all goes well I’ll have posed with a PRESIDENT!!! Can you tell who I’ll be supporting in 2012? That is, if he runs! And if I don't see somebody better! :)

I lived through a remodel and I can guarantee you that it falls in the OIAL category! Glad I did it though!!

That’s all my pea sized 50-year-old memory will allow for now! I hope you’ll comment and share your OIAL experiences. I’d love to hear them! Meanwhile I’ll be blogging about our trip. New York, here we come!!!

Hello 50!!

Yeah, yeah, I know, I turned 50 back in February but it’s taken me this long to come to terms with it. Is it because I’m fifth in a family of six kids and was treated that way all my life? It might be the fact that my body is actually falling apart as I type this! Maybe it’s because there are so many things I still want to do and it feels like there won’t be enough time (my 94 year old dad would probably scoff at that!).

Whatever the reason, it’s taken me six months but I think I’m there! Resolved, at peace, and actually a little bit pumped. After all, I’ve learned a lot in my 50 short years. I’ve experienced a few presidents, a couple of recessions (personally and nationally), the death of a parent, and I’ve watched my children grow up to be responsible and trustworthy adults.

I’m able to know that it’ll be okay on the other side and that the other side is actually better because of the experience!

And now because of that experience and a wealth of knowledge I can look at the next 50 years with anticipation and excitement. It’s the unknown!! And the best part of my life may just be yet to come!!

Views from the Crosswalk

The other morning as I was waiting for the kiddos to come and cross the street I watched the rising sun turn the clouds first pink, then brilliant orange, and then a rich gold! Impressive!

Three third grade girls walk across together in the afternoon. Their names are Carrissa, Fiona, and Juliet. Can I please just have one more baby so I can name her one of those names????

While I'm standing on the corner waiting for kids I'm memorizing the book of James. Yep, the whole thing. I was feeling pretty prideful about it till now when I'm in the middle of the second chapter and am repeating several times a day how "mercy triumphs over judgement" and how faith without deeds alongside it is just useless! Wow James, can we hurry up and get to the part where I'm doing something right?? Can you say C_O_N_V_I_C_T_I_O_N??!!

This morning a little boy named Cody said something about 3D and 2D and I didn't know what 2D was (yeah, I know, it's sad) so I asked him what the difference was. He proceeded to explain and pointed out as an example that the clouds were 3D and the stop sign there beside us was 2D! Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!! I'm not only not smarter than a 5th grader--I'm apparently not smarter than a 4th grader!

Surprise pies!

I love to make pies. I was inspired and have learned pretty much everything I know from my mother-in-law, Jinny Jacobs. She's an amazing cook and on any given day you can find some flavor of pie at her house. But she and her husband, Bob, have gotten themselves into some pretty funny pie situations lately so I thought I'd share them with you. Note the picture above. This is how the pie came out of the oven and how it looked when we got there. Nan and Pop aren't sure how it happened but are guessing that it got so hot and bubbled the top crust right off to the side. So it wasn't that attractive but I can guarantee it was yummy.

The other story happened a few months ago: Now that Nan and Pop have gotten older they do things the easy way more often and so are buying more pie crusts already made and ready to cook. So this day they had one of those and had filled it with one of their delicious flavors. After completing the pie Nan moved it over to the oven to bake and then went on to do something else. When the timer went off Pop opened the oven and that whole pie had melted and dripped down into the bottom of the oven!! That's how it looked when we showed up a little later. Nan had lifted the pie and failed to take the little aluminum pan with it. But Pop didn't realize that at first. When he first saw the mishap he called to Jinny and said, "Ruth Virginia, that pie plate has completely burned up!!" Oh Nan and Pop! They definitely keep us alert......and laughing!

I'm bustin' my buttons!

Kaylee has been quite the little seamstress lately and I wanted to show off some of her handiwork. You can't see the colors and details very good in this picture but she made this bag she's carrying.

Last weekend she and I made an overnight trip to her old stomping grounds, Nacogdoches, home of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (Axe 'em Jacks, as K likes to say!) Her former roommate of three years is pregnant so we got to attend her shower. Kaylee made this cute little owl pillow for baby Wyatt. Right after she learned that Erin was pregnant she made a pair of booties too. I'm very proud of Kaylee's sewing ability. Thanks for hanging in there while I brag a bit!

Watch out Dallas!

My friend Renee's daughter works in downtown Dallas so the two of us decided we'd go and have lunch with her today. Sounds easy right?? Well, we thought that taking the new DART train would be a good idea so off we go on our adventure this morning after my crosswalk. When we got to the nearest station in Carrollton we discovered that the train was not a train at all...yet! It was a bus!! (The train opens in December) Well, we were not deterred!! We were on an adventure and nothing would stop us. So we waited till our bus arrived and confidently stepped on (not having a clue what we were doing!). I had thoroughly researched schedules and fares and knew that we had to have $4 each for an all day ticket. Renee put the required $8 in the slot and the driver looked at us expectantly...and told us it would be $5 each, that it was the express ticket, not the local one. Ohhhhhh, the express ticket.....of course, what were we thinking??? While the driver waited and the riders behind us waited we began to dig!! We had apparently spent our last $1 bills and there were no more to be had no matter how much we wanted there to be. Thankfully our driver understands newbies like us and told us he'd take what we could find. Renee finally found $1 and the rest (about 73 linty cents) came from the bottom of our purses It was enough to get us our tickets though so off we went on the rest of our adventure....on the bus, mind you!! On the way, there was a wreck and stalled traffic so as we deboarded our bus downtown we spotted the train we were supposed to catch zip by! After a phone call to DART (I'm not sure but I think she was snickering!) we were able to hop on the right train and arrived at our destination six blocks later! Yep, we got to ride the DART train....for six blocks! But our lunch with Julie was a success and really, the whole event was just pretty much a typical day for Renee and me! I wish I had a picture but I have no camera at the moment. I left it in McKinney last weekend and am hoping to retrieve it soon.

Just another day at the job.....NOT!

What a day of SPAN vanning around east Denton County! I knew it was going to be a wet day when I heard that Hermine was coming to visit but sheeesh!! I started my route soon after finishing my crosswalk, around 8:30 and drove in the rain... no, the downpour, till 1 p.m. I'd listen to the news about every 30 minutes to keep tabs on what was happening weatherwise and the guy just kept saying that the hardest rain was coming down right above Jeanne's head. Well, that was my interpretation considering that I could only see about three feet around me most of the time. I picked up one lady in Little Elm and was slated to take her to Lewisville. Honestly, the rain just never seemed to let up that whole trip and I was stressed the entire time. I thought she was probably pretty worried too and didn't want to distract me by talking to me because she was quiet for the duration. When we arrived at her destination she let out a big sigh and said, "Gosh, I must not have gotten much sleep last night. I slept the whole way." !!!!!!!!! What??? How could she sleep while Noah himself may have been floating by in the ark?!? Well, I just chalked it up to another well driven trip. Whatever!!! I was just glad to get home to my safe, warm, and dry house!

Pine needles

Please allow me to ruminate a bit: Pine needles are a lot like the problems and mistakes of life! You rake them up one day and the next day a whole new batch is there! But they're not all bad. First of all, raking them means good hearty exercise and second of all, they make great mulch for certain plants like my azaleas. So the problems and mistakes of life don't have to be all bad. They're good to keep us alert and ready for the next batch and they're good to learn from and "mulch" our children with so they can learn too. I, myself, learned awhile ago to take the mistakes and not so great traits of my parents and learn from them. If they were unsettling and unhealthy for me then I didn't want the same thing to happen with my children. Have I become perfect then because I have risen above their errors?? I'd love to answer that with a resounding "yes" but then you'd all stop reading right here and probably never visit my blog again. So, alas, I haven't obtained the level of perfection....yet! There are "pine needles" falling in my life daily but when I can teach my children about them or even when they learn themselves from me, then the "exercise" of raking them up has paid off and we'll be "mulched" and prepared for the next time the wind blows.

On the other hand, if we allow the pine needles to stay on the ground or even shake the tree so more will fall (some people LOVE drama--what is that about?) then the grass under the tree will suffocate and eventually die. We can blame the tree. We can blame the wind. Or we can even blame our husband for not going out and raking them up for us!!! :) None of that is good exercise and it doesn't mulch anybody. In fact it does the opposite. It teaches others the wrong and harmful way to deal with life and just causes more and more "needles" to fall.

In God's word James tells us to "consider it all joy when you encounter various trials because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance MUST FINISH IT'S WORK so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything!"

So go rake up your pine needles today (I did...literally) and enjoy the blessings that God has waiting just for you!!

Old and New

Any of you that know me at all, probably know that I love ideas. I have crazy ones all the time, mostly about a business to start or an item to market! Now if I just had the wherewithall to carry any of it out to fruition, I'd be rich! :) One of my crazy schemes is to create a picture book of old and new......old pictures of Denton (or wherever) and then current ones from the exact location. Well, I still haven't done it but I thought I'd show you a mini version of my idea. My dad was quite the photographer when he was just a young 'un and this is a picture he took of his sister (my Aunt Foy) in front of their house in Justin, TX back in the late 1930's. She's got on some kind of spirit coveralls from the university that they attended here in Denton. It's UNT now but I'm not sure what it was called then. Now............

Here I am (minus the coveralls) standing in front of the exact house about six months ago. Bob and I went over to Justin to investigate and found the house so that was pretty fun by itself. He took this picture of me standing in front. The steps are different and it was actually being remodeled and was empty at the time so the guy working on it allowed us into the yard.
Here's another shot that won't mean much to anybody that's not familiar with Justin but I thought it was kind of interesting that the street hasn't changed much at all in 70 plus years. The funnest part was pinpointing the exact location and even finding the street. Dad was able to help me a little by phone but Justin isn't that big so it really wasn't hard.

So now that I've told you, you need to keep my secret and don't steal my idea!!!! :) Someday I'll do it, I just know it!!

Happy Birthday Kaylee!

As a tribute to Kaylee's 24th birthday(August 26) I thought of 24 little tidbits about her to share:

1. She's a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University.
2. She’s just like her dad. In fact I call her Bobette sometimes.
3. She’s traveled to Chicago, New York (2x), Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Portland, Red River, NM, Fort Collins, and Wyoming.
4. Her best friends in high school were three boys, Tyler, Mike, and Allen.
5. She played snare drum and marimba for her high school band.
6. She plays the piano.
7. She has a dog named Thursday
8. She recently ran a 5K
9. She worked for UPS two Christmases ago.
10. She spent one summer as a youth co-minister in Pennsylvania.
11. She played tennis in high school
12. She walked and talked (clearly) at 9 months old
13. When she grows up she wants to be a back up singer!
14. She has a scar on her face where Bobby hit her with a toy gun (she was 8).
15. She designed and made a padded headboard for her bed.
16. She works as a teller at a bank.
17. She would only wear dresses till she was five.
18. She started Facebook when it was just for college students.
19. She recorded a song for her mom last Christmas and played the guitar part.
20. She refused to carry a purse till she was about 21.
21. Her picture was in the newspaper with the mayor when she was four.
22. She played violin in 5th and 6th grades.
23.She knits, crochets, and sews.
24. Her pet names—Kaylee Kaykers (Mom’s) and Shoogs (Dad’s)

Happy Birthday Kaylee! You're a bright light that shines in your dad's and my life every day! Thank you for being the unique, happy, fun, encouraging, creative, smart, talented young woman that you are! WE LOVE YOU!

Sixteen firsts!

Along with about a million other people it was my first day back at school........as a crossing guard! It's the first day of my sixteenth year doing this fun little job at Newton Rayzor Elementary and I've always considered it a blessing. When I started, Kaylee was in fourth grade at Rayzor and the little old man that had been there before was not there that fall. I figured I could probably hold a stop sign up and I was going to be there anyway so I decided to apply. And the rest is history! The picture montage is courtesy of my sister, Linda. She took the picture in October of last year when she was visiting from Idaho. She created this as a page in my dad's annual calendar she makes for him. I think I look very official. :) I've seen lots and lots of kids grow up and move on to middle school and the next thing I know they'll drive by in a car going to high school. A job like this can make you feel old. I figured it out and a first grader the year I started would now be 21! Yikes!! One of the most special moments that I've experienced doing this job is when about 10 or 12 years ago a mom handed me a card with this Helen Keller quote attached:

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief

duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble .

jiggity jog!

Who agrees with me when I say that the best part of a vacation is when you return to and so appreciate home sweet home? But we did enjoy our trip with all the little glitches that went with it. I told you I'd show you our sweet little bird houses so here's the finished product. Can you guess who's is whose?? :) It was so much fun to paint them and it just reinforces how creative Linda is to even think of such a thing.
Here are all of the bird houses that they've collected or visitors have painted. This is their back fence and I should have taken a picture of the whole yard because it's very pretty. The grass is different than we have here and it's very green. They do have to water a lot because it doesn't rain much there in the summer but the Empson's have a sprinkling system so it's not a problem.

We said our goodbyes on Tuesday afternoon and drove our little rental car back to Salt Lake City. We stayed in the coolest little retro hotel in downtown SLC called The Metropolitan Inn. We'd already returned the rent car but were really hungry so we ended up walking a couple of blocks to MacDonald's at 10 p.m. We were REALLY hungry! Just as we cozied down in our beds the alarm rang at 2:15 a.m. (yes, that's what I said) because our train departed at 4 and we were supposed to be there at 3. We were wide eyed and bushy tailed (Can you believe it? Another Momism jumped right out there!) though and enjoyed the whole experience. Our cab driver was a round little bald man (sort of reminded me of Shrek) who was apparently a descendent of General Grant (yep, the Civil War one). Pretty much a great and humorous way to start the day.

The train ride was so much better than the first time. That time was okay except for the not sleeping thing but this one was just overall a better experience. Here are a few samples of our 15 hour jaunt.

Thank you so much for joining us on our journey to Idaho. It was lots of fun to share it with you. Dad's already talking about where he wants to go next so I guess I'd better start saving my energy. Where does he get all of his, by the way?? It's an enigma!

I plan to keep writing if anybody wants to keep reading. I find it very satisfying to just talk about such insignificant little snipits of life! Till next time...........

Ski resorts, museums, and bird houses

Yesterday afternoon we drove up to Pebble Creek Ski Resort near Pocatello and enjoyed the view. First time for Dad to visit one so he was pretty intrigued with the whole ski lift thing. Linda and I explained it as far as our limited knowledge would allow. She's not been skiing and I haven't been since way back in the day. We enjoyed the view.


Here we are painting our bird houses for the fence. You'll have to wait though to see the end result. Glen has to spray them with some sealer so we'll hang them tomorrow. We discovered that we are quite the artists.....well, Suzi and I are. Dad kind of slapped the paint on. But he was a good sport for actually even doing it.
This morning we traveled about 30 minutes to Blackfoot, ID to see the much anticipated potato museum.
Have you ever seen so many potato mashers???
After perusing the museum we hiked around the corner to eat at Rubes and had the most delicious bar-b-que sandwiches and shakes. It was another 50's style diner and very popular. We found out why. Yum!
Dad has won the prize for the funniest quote so far. Yesterday some of us were sitting out on the deck (we do that a lot!) and Dad came out just smiling and said, "I just tried to get on Google Earth and somehow landed on You Tube and there were some kittens walking on a treadmill!" We laughed SOOOOOOOO hard! I guess Dad's never really been to You Tube. He
later said, "There are a lot of crazy videos on You Tube". Good ol' Dad!

It's our last night here. We'll leave sometime tomorrow after lunch, stay in a SLC hotel, catch the train at 4 a.m. and arrive in Denver around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. We're thinking positively about the whole experience and I think we're ready to get home again. Suzi's excited to see the grandkids and to hear all about their first week of school and I'm just ready to see my sweet husband and my creative and encouraging daughter. I may even get to see Bobby this weekend. He graduated today from Sheppard Air Force Tech School today and will be making his way to Tulsa tomorrow to start his two month stint with the base there. He's looking forward to the move and being at his home base. Not sure when I'll be able to post next but maybe from the hotel. So, till then, thanks again for reading!