Post #700

700 posts!

I wrote the first post January 21, 2010 so this begins my fourth year of blogging.

Yesterday, during a lull in the action over in Quadville, I made a run for the Goodwill.

Sometimes you just need to get out in the 'real' world.

My only purchase was this tin of grasses and shells.

I love the colors!

I will take this back home with me next week and put it in our bedroom or maybe Louis Dean's bathroom.

I'm sure he would LOVE more debris in there!

It's been cold down here in the Houston area this week......and WINDY!

Tuesday night Louis Dean and I were sitting on the patio when the wind came in so strong it lifted the canopy  like it was fixing to fly! We quickly lowered it to half mast and that took the wind out of its sails.

There was ice on my windshield this morning and it will be cold again tonight.

Hopefully by the weekend it will be warm enough to 'live' out side again!

The was the scene yesterday morning in the nursery.

Louis Dean sure has a way with these babies!

They clearly adore him as well!

Things are changing in Quadville about as fast as the babies are growing!

They still drink their bottles in the pack and plays where they recline in their boppies.

We then whisk over to the couch where we have the bumbos lined up and ready for the spoon feeding.

Works like a charm!

We leave the seats there until after the 11:45 feeding.

Then I add a pillow and take the place of the bumbos while the quads play below me in the Quad Corral!

It's only going to get MESSIER!!

Louis Dean stayed on after Mike came home last night for a little while.

They had to lower the cribs.

Guess you can tell why!

It seems Kailey is the reason!

She was the FIRST to pull up from her bobby and hold onto the edge of the pack and play so they had to drop them all the way down.

She was the FIRST to get OFF the play mat so they had to put up a Quad Corral.

She was the FIRST to pull up on the side of the crib!

Fortunately I was right there in the room with her!

Granddad is off today. He's a guy and they can't handle as much as women can!

He does pretty well with every other day but this week after being OFF for FIVE whole days he was here three days in a row. So today he's hanging out with the critters back in the camper!

I told the babies not to worry! He'll be BACK tomorrow!

Granddad is BACK!

After five days of missing in action rest and relaxation - Granddad is BACK!

He arrived late this morning and within 5 minutes had both arms full of babies!

He's had some time off while Mike's mom was here to take up the slack.

I do believe he missed seeing these little ones!

I have discovered the secret to getting up early is to go to bed earlier! I am not a morning person nor have I ever been one. For many years I HAD to get up but it has never been my nature to just jump out of bed happy and awake at the crack of dawn!

Getting anywhere before 11:00 is a bit of an effort for me.....or at least it used to be!
Since Amber's surgery I have been arriving here in Quadville before 8:00!
You have to move FAST to prepare for that first morning feed!
Boppies, bibs, burp cloths, bottles, cereal mixed with fruit, diaper changes and finally the FEEDING!
Yesterday I left about 5:30 pm - it's only a 6 minute trip back to the camper. Louis Dean had a tall glass of iced green tea waiting for me. We sat outside and visited about our day for an hour or so then went in to have a simple supper......a cup of bean soup with a bread roll and sliced onion. At 7 I headed over to the shower and by 7:45 I was nestled in bed and asleep by 8:00!
When the alarm went off at 6:15 this morning I actually GOT UP as opposed to hitting the snooze button time and time again! I dressed for the day and was here by 7:15! AMAZING!
I wish I could say I am going to embrace this new way of living life - but I'm not!
I seriously doubt this will happen again any time soon!
Although, I very well may arrive here by 7:30 in the morning.
I just won't be dressed with hair done and make up on!
(I keep a make up case and hair products stashed in their guest bathroom!)

There is so much going on in this picture I can't even BEGIN to tell you!

The babies are GROWING!

By leaps and bounds!

There's always a lot of excitement around here!

These babies sure do love each other! 

It shows already!

I wish I was fast enough with my camera to capture them patting each other or putting cheek to cheek.....

or catch them taking one toy from another!

It's almost time for us to go 'home.'

(Back to the camper)

My normal life seems so far away I sometimes forget what it was like.

Today is Tuesday.

That means Art Day!

I have a makeshift studio set up on the patio by the RV.

Just perhaps tonight will find me out there basing in another couple of Santas.

My sister, Deanie, won the Santa I painted for the Chinese Christmas Gift Exchange.

My sister, Nita, REALLY wanted it!

My mother (who lives with Nita) REALLY REALLY wanted it!

So I am painting another one for them and one for my sister, Luann, who lives in Tennessee.

My niece, Leah, thinks of the most interesting gift to bring to the exchange on Christmas morning.

I was in hopes of getting hers!

But guess what???

No one remembered that I had sent a gift!

The Santa!!!

So there was an extra gift left over and they could not figure out why!

MY Santa went to Deanie and Leah's gift went home with my brother and since TODAY is my brother's birthday I am happy it did!

Happy Birthday, Lonnie!!!

I love you!

Rest and Relaxation!

That's what this weekend has been all about!

Saturday found us ALL relaxing.....critters included!

Maggie must be bored with her menu because she is eating Lucy's dog food.

Lucy patiently waited til she was through before wandering over for HER meal!

I guess we should be stricter with Maggie because we do NOT allow Lucy to eat HER food!

I brewed up a pitcher of Apricot tea (thank you, Summer!) and settled down with my book.

I am now comfortably 'into' it!

I found this silver basket at a thrift store last week and just love looking at it.

It doesn't really go with the casual decorating of a camper so I'll take it home next month and let it live in my dining room.

 

I haven't even cleaned it up yet with silver polish and yet it still looks good!

I bought the faux grapes at the same time in the same thrift store and they look so real Raynie wanted to eat them last weekend when she visited!

Yesterday was a perfectly beautiful day here!

Sun was warm and the skies were blue.

Amber needed to get out and about for a bit so I swung by her house to pick her up 

and we headed to The Olive Garden for lunch.

Louis Dean kept busy shelling pecans.

He didn't finish the box, though, so he still has some to do another day.

This is a good way to keep him busy and out of trouble!

I found a perfect way to use these pecans!

Fabby's Living!

Delicious Banana Layer Cake!

After lunch Amber and I had some quality pool time!

That means we read magazines and books, sipped iced tea and felt the sun warm our shoulders.

We also spent a half hour in the hot tub here at the RV Resort.

The pool was too cold to get in but I just noticed the 'Now HEATED Pool' sign back up!

YES!

Amber's post "Recharge!" has a cute picture of her in it!

Today has been just as wonderful as yesterday! 

This morning we had coffee and then got ready for church.

Second Baptist Church is such an AMAZING church.

Today we sat on the orchestra side and I thought Louis Dean was in danger of swooning over the beautiful music. Pastor Ed Young, Sr. always presents a powerful message and today was no exception.

We had lunch at Louis Dean's favorite restaurant - Saltgrass Steakhouse!

We began going to Saltgrass back when we were dating and that is where we ate dinner on our wedding night as well as the next five anniversaries.

From there we dropped by Quadville and I ran in for a minute and then ran back out with Kailey!

She needed to see her Granddad!!!

He came home a happy man!

We have napped, read, and relaxed all afternoon.

I think we're about ready to start a new week!

How about YOU?

Ahhhh.......

Ah! It is Friday night and the weekend stretches before us!

It's been a good week over in Quadville.

The babies are growing and hitting even more milestones every day.

You can read Amber's latest post 'Four Ways Sideways'

Kailey enjoyed reading the book her Aunt Deanie gave her for Christmas.

She looks - and ACTS - just like a teeny bopper!!

Logan pays such close attention when you read or even talk to her.

I think she already has a love for words.

Just like her mother.

And her grandma.

Harrison is SUCH a BOY!!

He loves this jumper!

He jumped until he wore himself out and then fell asleep.

When I took his picture he opened his eyes and jumped in the same moment of time!

I simply can't do a post without adding sweet little Trystan to it.

This picture came from earlier this week and somehow this snap happy Grandma did NOT snap one of her today!

Oh, yes, I DID!

Amber had her standing up at the little play table Summer brought them last weekend!

Mike's mom has been here the last couple of days and we have both enjoyed being able to watch these babies as they grow and develop before our very eyes!

Yesterday they had one of those days where 'fussy' was the norm.

Today went much smoother.

Between the two of us Amber was able to rest and we were able to take care of the babies and their needs.

I even had a few extra minutes to play with Shiner and Jersey in the back yard.

I love giving them banana slices as a treat. 

They SIT and I give them a piece, pat their head and tell them what a good dog they are.

Jersey stayed right beside me as I filled their buckets up with fresh water.

Mike's mom made a delicious soup for lunch along with a fruit salad and toasted ham and cheese sandwiches. 

It has been a good Friday for babies, caretakers, and critters!

Talking about critters......I have two right outside waiting for me.

Let the weekend BEGIN!!!

The Natives Were Restless Today!

Today was a long one that started early - my alarm went off at 6:15 AM!

I climbed - literally! - out of bed, lurched into the bathroom after flipping the coffee pot switch and started to dress for the day. I was in Quadville by 7:30  and left at 6:30 this evening.

It's been a long day - for me, the babies, Amber, Mike's mom......for all of us!

I think the babies are beginning to teethe. 

They are starting to pull up!

They will be crawling any minute now!

What worked before - as in feeding them in the pack and plays while they are in their boppies - doesn't now.

We are kind of trying things out for the time being.

 Amber is a GENIUS at figuring out what works!! 

She has got this - just as soon as she can actually stand up and be herself again! Her recovery continues and she is doing as well as can be expected. Houston has terrible allergies as Louis Dean found out and Amber suffers from these as well. Bless her heart! All the coughing and choking is NOT fun after you have just had MAJOR surgery!

Today we had a delicious lunch of a Mexican chicken dish served with rice and chips with guacamole.

Before her surgery she stashed away some freezer bags of crock pot meals!

I need to get the recipe for the one we had today because it tasted wonderful!

I love these baby toes and baby hands!

We did a little Vitamin D therapy this afternoon.

It is so hard to stay in the house 24/7 and not go CRAZY!

It was a beautiful day in Texas so I threw a denim quilt out in the front yard and took a couple of babies with me! Amber needed the SUN as much if not more than they did!

Mike's mom arrived last night to help out for a few days.

It does, indeed, take a village as the saying goes.

Now that I'm home, it's time to figure out what to eat for dinner!

I am thinking cottage cheese and some avocado and tomatoes with a few crackers would suit me just fine.

And speaking of SUITS......that's what we plan to watch tonight!

I really like this show on the USA network.

Last year I watched it by myself.

This year Louis Dean is watching it with me.

I not only like the actors and characters -

I love LOVE the music!!

This is a good way to close the day.

And tomorrow doesn't have to start QUITE as early as today!!

Making up the Bed and Other Wednesday Happenings

Making up the bed is THE hardest thing to do in this camper!

Getting in and out of it is not an easy feat either!

For some reason I cannot leave the bed unmade! 

Even if I make it up right before I get in it at night - I just HAVE to do it!

It is Wednesday night. Louis Dean has a fire going out by the gazebo. I did a couple of loads of laundry today at Amber's.  It was about 6:00 when I got home and started putting things in order......and made up the bed!

We had a good day.

Louis Dean had the day off since April was there.

He has had a few days off in a row and will have even more since Mike's mom is coming in tonight.

He figured he better come over and do some baby holding!

He is a real 'Baby Whisperer' and can get any one of them to sleep when we can't!

The babies were cute today.

They are cute EVERY day!

The pack and plays were lowered.

Kailey pulled herself up last night holding on to the edge.

No longer will we put the boppies in there to feed.

We are kind of in transition with the feeding process but Amber will figure it out.

She continues to recover and I am so happy to see her look more like her normal self.

She has been through so much.

She has always been a force to be reckoned with!

Kailey enjoys the play station Aunt Summer gave them!

She is part acrobat!

Louis Dean has gone from the chair by the fire pit to the gazebo where he is playing his guitar.

I think that's my cue to come out and be his audience!

I am so grateful for this little camper and the comfort it affords us.

It's a good place to come back to at the end of the day.

I don't know how long we will be down here but now that we have it in good living order I do believe we will continue to use the camper and travel a bit.

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Gazebo Morning!

We had a lovely morning in our 'gazebo.'

Coffee, Bible reading, books.......perfect!

This tea towel from 2005 is one of my favorites.

That's the year Louis Dean and I married!

Last night I hung some more curtains so by the time the sun would normally be in our eyes we were INSIDE the gazebo!

Louis Dean put his feet up and petted Lucy while I read out loud.

He's spoiled like that! 

What did we have for breakfast?

Apricot pie! And coffee, of course!

Thank you, Summer, for buying us a pie at Collin Street Bakery!

We put the rest in the freezer to dole out in the coming days!

After our leisurely morning I spent the early afternoon sorting out things in the camper.

I am ALWAYS sorting things out these days!

Then Louis Dean went off on errands (like dish washing soap!) while I headed over to Quadville.

Logan was just as cute today as she was yesterday!

Kailey has discovered her TONGUE and sticks it out as often as possible!

Logan and Kailey putting their heads together!

I love that mischievous look on Logan's face!

Kailey may have met her match!

I just love it when Logan stretches her hand out to me!!

Today was a short one in Quadville!

 I arrived at 2 and left at 7.....

Louis Dean was waiting for me when I got home.

I bought this plaque when Summer and I were in Galveston Sunday.

It hangs in the gazebo and that is where we will wind up our day!

It's the same routine we would be having if we were at home in Irving.

Coffee in the morning.

Wine in the evening.

I love that we have created a 'gazebo' of our own even here in the RV park!