We Walked Out.....

Ruth Ann and I actually walked out of the movie today! Not because it was bad or offensive.

We decided to see Snitch. It had a fairly heavy story line and since it was a film based on true events - that  made it even  heavier! As I sat there thinking how LONG will it be before it's OVER - I leaned over and asked Ruth Ann if she was willing to 'Cry Uncle' and leave. Her response? (Now we were in a BIG theater with BIG surround sound!) "Well, we're getting shot at and we can't even tell the good guys from the BAD guys!!"

We got out of Dodge!!

Since we had extra time we decided to take in a Goodwill here (our USUAL Tuesday stop) AND the Salvation Army in Dallas!

They have great stuff and of course we both found some debris treasures!

Two special boutique areas of the store are decorated with genuine antiques that are NOT for sale!

The place has a LOT of Texas charm!

I didn't BUY this plaque but I couldn't resist taking a picture of it!

The tray and teapots were super finds and super cheap!

I am gathering dress up clothes and tea party things for some special little girls in my life!

I am thinking it looks as if it will all clean up nicely!

Our last stop in today's shopping was BIG Lots!

In a previous post someone recommended painting Lady Bug with the leftover paint from my kitchen carts!

So that's what I did!!

Art class was outside tonight!

Sabrina brought some yummy salads from a little gourmet shop around the corner from her office.

Wish I had taken a picture before I dug into them like I was starving to death!

She's always so thoughtful in bringing food and treats - not to mention the color copies and patterns for our current project!

I didn't eat so much that I could not have a glass of wine with Louis Dean!

We just came in and are heading off to bed now.

Tomorrow promises to be an exciting day!

My sister, Luann, is coming to visit and we will have lunch with Summer in Dallas and then she will meet the quadruplets!

God has given me so MUCH!

I give HIM my grateful heart!

Sewing and Cleaning......

Mondays are good days to clean! 

I attacked the guest room with a vengeance! 

Nearly everything got dusted or wiped down with Pine Sol.

This is an old fashioned 'old lady' kind of room - but I LOVE it!

I draped the antique iron bedstead with lace and used the vintage lace comforter which remains a 'work in progress.' It's about 35 years old and as the lace tore on the cover I would 'mend' it by sewing lace pieces or doilies and such over it. Every year I pull it out to use for a few months and sew more lace on it in the occasional afternoon.

The pillowcases are vintage embroidered ones I have collected over time.

A few I sewed myself and I think Louis Dean's beloved Ellen sewed a couple.

I have quite a collection of them now along with a big container of lace doilies, scarves and tablecloths.

Summer may spend the night on Thursday and I wanted the guest room - which was HER room from 1967 to 1985 - to be fresh as a daisy!

See the new 'Grandkids' frame?

Deanie gave this to me and I filled it with 'old' photos of the quads.

I have 8 grandchildren and there are 9 letters.

That's space for a picture of each child and one of US in the middle!

I hand washed the ceramic tea set I made for Amber's first birthday.

Soon this will live at HER house!

Praying she GETS a house soon!

This vintage pair of lamps is one of the 'old lady' charms in the room.

I ran by Amber's to help her with the 3:30 feed. That's the one where they get to practice their 'table manners!' I took Jello cut into cubes and I am here to tell you it was a HUGE Fail!!!

No matter! I got to see, play, rock and love on the babies before I raced the 2 miles back home to SEW!!!!

The quads birthdays will soon be here and I want them to ALL have their very own quilt!

The driveway is the only place around here with enough space to spread this 'crib' quilt out!

I made it a little on the large size because I want them to be able to use them for years to come.

This one is for Trystan. I used black denim (recycled, of course!) with a good batting sandwiched between the lion print plush backing.

Thank you, Deanie, for the BOLT of both this fabric and the black quilted fabric I have used so MUCH of lately!! Who KNEW I would be using it for quad quilts one day?

I added a border of khaki around the whole thing hoping to tie the lion print in to the black.

DONE deal!!! Except........

I'm thinking 'T' is for Trystan!

Perhaps a big 'T' on a shadow of khaki in the big middle??

Louis Dean and I usually end our day with a glass of wine.

It may be in the gazebo or sitting out on the driveway with our feet propped up on the stone wall.

In a pinch we have been known to drink it in the living room or den.

HOWEVER, I noticed the scales were a tad heavier the other day so I decided to forgo those calories the last few days!

This afternoon I was doing some laundry. The HUGE container of detergent usually lives BEHIND that curtain. When in laundry mode I pull it out until the last load is in.

I was about to measure out the soap when I realized I was holding the plastic Tide cup UNDER the tap of my box of Almaden Chardonnay!

So, tonight I had a nice satisfying SALAD for dinner and - if you are in the neighborhood right about now - you will find us out on the driveway enjoying the ritual of an evening glass of wine.

Cheers!

Back in The Saddle Again!

Louis Dean was back in the saddle on his music stool again today!

This was his first jam session this year!

He basked in the glow of being BACK!!

Back with some of his favorite musicians!

Mr. Hu on the violin and Brenda on the guitar and 'voice'. 

He LOVES Brenda's voice!

Louis Dean is also playing his new all time favorite guitar!!

I don't sing OR play so I filled the role as hostess and prepared a nice snack for their break.

I am here to tell you that Orange Sour Cream Pound cake smelled delicious! It STILL smells good in my kitchen! I am keeping the leftovers to use as room fragrance!

I served cheese with those new 'pretzel on one side' crackers my step son was telling me about recently!

I made a dip of sour cream, cream cheese, taco seasoning and the rest of a jar of salsa.

Served with Sweet Potato Tortilla chips - it was pretty darn tasty!

It was wonderful to see LD so happy playing his music again.

He and Mr Hu are roughly the same age (I think) and although Louis Dean doesn't speak Chinese and Mr. Hu speaks very little English - they BOTH speak the universal language of MUSIC fluently!

Mr. Hu's daughter was singing this hymn in Chinese.

Later they played it again with Louis Dean echoing her in English.

To end our time together I joined LD in one of his favorite songs for us to sing together.

Now I am telling the truth when I say I do NOT sing!!

This was a true gift to him from me and there IS no video because the pic is prettier than it sounds!

I close tonight's journal entry with a picture of Amber and Ben the day we got July.

Sweet SWEET memories!

My 'I Keep Forgetting to TELL You' post!

I keep forgetting to tell you about the contest Amber has entered for the

TOP 25 MOMS OF MULTIPLES!
She was late arriving on the scene as she had so busy with other things going on right now.
When she found out about it she jumped right in!

It's so easy to vote and you can vote once every 24 hours!
Just click on the link - scroll down to Texas Tales and click on the little red heart!
Easy PEASY!
NO information to share!
NO name required!
NO hassle!
Click on the red heart and you're DONE!
Of course, we would love it if you could do this every 24 hours for the next few days!
Contest ends May 8!

Circle of Moms Top 25 Contest

www.circleofmoms.com

Top 25 Moms of Multiples - 2013 - Are you a mom of twins, triplets, or an even larger set of multiples? We're looking for mom bloggers who share...

Saturday

Today was an emotional Saturday.
Good emotions and sad ones.
I'll start with the good!
Amber and Mike were able to get out this afternoon/evening.
I came over at 3:00 so they could go house hunting.
Pray they find one soon. It is a seller's market and the houses are going so fast!
They had dinner plans tonight and are still out as I write.

The babies are learning about plates and finger foods!
I have to keep telling Harrison, "The plate stays ON the table!"

Kailey gets the prize for the best table manners!

She eats so well when she can feed HERSELF!!

Today was Sabrina's very first live in person visit with the quads!

She said they aren't as big in person as they look in the photos.

Sabrina stayed to help with the babies until after they were in bed.

She was impressed with all four but I think Trystan got a bit of EXTRA attention!!

Logan is usually shy around people and it takes a little time before she warms up.

Not so with Sabrina! Logan took right to her!!

Harrison was a big hit with his big smile and slobber kisses!

And of COURSE Kailey made a big impression!

Together we did the dinner routine.

Trystan enjoys her food!!

I read to them after they ate and while they were still at the table.

Louis Dean arrived in time to sing to them before they went to sleep.

He has big music plans for them someday SOON!

They all enjoyed their evening concert.

Trystan was getting her sleep sack on when I snapped this photo.

By 7:15 the babies were down for the night and Sabrina left to get home in time to tuck HER little one in bed. Louis Dean is watching TV - Everyone Loves Raymond. He LOVES that show!

The sad part of this Saturday was July.

July passed away this morning.

She would have been 22 years old this summer.

The cat year chart only goes to age 20 which would be equal to being 96 years old!

That would make July over 100 years old!!

We loved this cat!

When Amber was 7 years old we attended a fourth of July picnic. There was a little girl there with a basket of kittens. She asked Amber if she would like to hold one.

 I didn't realize they were GIVING the kitties AWAY!

We came home that night making a stop along the way to buy a litter box and cat food.

That's how July got her name.

She grew up with Amber. When Amber left for college - she took July (and Snowball) with her.

They made every move Amber did except for the year they spent in Scotland.

That's when she ultimately came back to the home where she grew up to wait for Amber to return for her.

I loved that cat!

She had a good life and was in remarkably good health for her age.

She didn't suffer and went quickly.

It is funny how critters can be as precious to you as a child.

Even as painful as it is to lose a beloved pet - it is worth every tear shed!

I am so thankful we had so many years with July.

She gave us as much love, comfort and companionship as we all gave her.

She was loved every single day of her life......

and I'm going to miss her for the rest of mine!

Journal 'Catch Up!'

It has long been my habit to write my online journal entry at the END of my day and to write the handwritten Country Diary each morning after our Bible reading.  I am behind in both. Some nights I just go to bed! Some mornings I simply read and drink coffee!

Wednesday was 'Meet and Greet' Day in Quadville!

Stephanie (our beloved next door neighbor since FOREVER!!!) at long last met the QUADS!!!

She felt as if she already KNEW them through Facebook and blog!

Of course she has known Amber since she was a year old!

They ALL loved HER!

Especially HARRISON!!

He knows a pretty lady when he sees her!

Stephanie invited me to a delicious lunch before our visit to the babies.

Her kitchen is now officially 'State of the ART!!!"

And that's a GOOD thing since Stephanie LOVES to cook!!

Cute little Logan Lee!!

Cute Little TRYSTAN!!

And then there's KAILEY!

Last but not least - HARRISON!

I love how Logan bangs the door and then looks back at ME!

Moving on to Thursday.......

I drove out to Haslet, Texas to have lunch with my sister, Luann! 

She has recently moved back to TEXAS from Tennessee.

BACK to her HOME state!

Talk about a GREAT lunch!!!

Spinach Quiche and Waldorf Salad on pretty plates!

I made friends with her three darling dogs!

ALL 'rescue' sweeties!

Heading home from Luann's I just happened to notice it was time for the 3:30 feeding of the quads!

It is so EASY to drop in and help out for a little while!

Home in time for a glass of wine with Stephanie and a visit with SAM!

What a cutie!!

Put dinner in the oven - the rosemary veggies - and on the grill - the sausage.

While dinner cooked, I wheeled the second cart out on the patio.....

By the time the food was done - so was the paint job!!!

We ate and then I got a phone call from Amber.....

"Are you up for a late movie tonight?"

YOU BETCHA!!!

It was wonderful to have Amber BACK!

Movie was so-so.

Time together was PRICELESS!!

I wheeled in my cart last night after I got home!

Have not sanded the edges yet to give it a more rustic look.

I already love it!

See the antique tin measuring cup?

I found it at the Goodwill for $0.99!!!

Jump to this morning!

It was my day to spend time with Mother.

Bless her heart. Age is catching up with her regardless of how hard to tries to keep ahead of it!

Her lunch choice today was CiCi's Pizza.

At least I THOUGHT it was her choice!!

The food was not all that good and the music was LOUD!

She held her hands over her ears TWICE!

Plus the restaurant didn't even SMELL good.

We ate and got OUT as quickly as we could. 

As we drove through the parking lot to exit I heard Mother mumble something.

I agreed to whatever she said.

Later as I was visiting with Deanie and recounting our lunch experience I asked Deanie for some lunch ideas for Fridays with Mother. She said just 4 doors down from CiCi's there is a Chinese place Mother enjoys.

OOPS!!! I guess she was directing me there and I mistook it for CiCi's!

THAT'S what she was pointing to on our way out of the restaurant!

She never MEANT for us to go to CiCi's!!!

I stopped by to help with the quad's 3:30 table food/bottle feeding.

NO pics this time!

Home for a glass of wine in the gazebo with Louis Dean.

We saw our first gecko visitor!

What does it say about us that we get so excited over seeing these critters catch insects??

Sometimes it is the highlight of our day!