Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Romantic Homes- I Left Someone Out

Upon reading my comments
last night
I discovered that
I had left someone out.

Here is another
breathtaking blog that you
will want to visit.

However,
don't let it throw you when
you follow the link because
it says
It is one and the same, ladies.

I am just signed up as her
newest follower and
I'll bet you will follow suit!

It's a great blog!
White and lovely!
your photo name

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Bloggers In Romantic Homes October Issue

I am gone today but
taking my newly arrived
magazine,
Romantic Homes,
with me.
  I may get a chance to peruse it
while I am
IN CHARGE
of BabyE.

IN CHARGE
 is our family joke because
 SweetCheeks
is always telling us
WHO IS IN CHARGE!
You will notice in
the picture below
WHO IS IN CHARGE
of BabyE!

When I get my new
Romantic Homes
magazine
I always open the
front cover to see
which blogs they have
featured.
This month I found
my sweet friend,
Cindy Adkins.
She does the
most beautiful
Altered Art.
You can find her here at
This blog is a new one to me
but will delight your eyes.
had a full page spread to
introduce her to readers.
Her name is
Heather Anderson and
you will love her blog.
AND
One of the features inside
this beautiful publication
is
Amy Chalmers
at

I have been following her
for a long time and
her blog is always beautifully done.
I noticed that these pictures
were taken before she
did the back of her
bookcases.
You will have to pop by her
blog to see the amazing
transformation.

Enjoy!
your photo name

Monday, August 29, 2011

Here's What Happens To Babies!

Methinks
SweetCheeks is sometimes
a wee bit jealous
that there is another
"baby"
in the family.

Just for a minute she likes
to imagine that SHE
is the baby of the family
once again.

You can see how far
that goes in
THIS FAMILY!
Watch this VERY SHORT video to see.
Poor little baby
SweetCheeks!
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Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Rocker Rolls-And-The Front Walls Are Done

I am reposting this Sunday
night because I just went
to MamasBoy's house
and he had finished the front
rock wall.
(His back hurts- Gee-really?;>)

A few weeks ago I shared
He is building rock walled
terraced areas for his wife's
(and his) home on the Bay.
I have been taking pictures and
kind of documenting the progress.
He called today and asked us
to stop by to see what he
had accomplished.
I didn't think he
was much further than
he was the last time
I was there
but I, dutifully,
started snapping pictures.
Afternoon update:

And a bit more~
And a few big bottom rocks to anchor
things in place...like this one...
And here she is!
Purty, huh?
HOWEVER,
What he REALLY wanted us to see
earlier -
and I am SO excited to show you this.
The conversation, pre-viewing, went like this..
Wait, Mom and Dad!
Don't look, okay?
I've got something in the
garage to show you.
You aren't looking, are you?
Nope!
OK- NOW you can look!
oh wow
what have we here?

ISN'T THIS GREAT?
I saw it along the road
on one of my trips and called
on it - struck a deal over the phone
and went to pick it up.

oh wow
what a great find.....

I've been wanting one of these
for years!!!

seriously?

Look-it's fun to ride!
uh-huh
Well...
you sure do look CUTE on
that THANG...
I love it that he still
wants to show MOM
his new toys!
An old
Montgomery Wards
Three Wheeler..
seriously..
WHO KNEW?

ps...His wife is VERY excited!

Oh..yeah..did I mention that
It has a ski for winter use?
oh wow can't wait to try that uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh
your photo name

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Lulu And A Deere

Lulu is growing up.
This year for the very first time
Papa let her drive the tractor
all by herself for a few
minutes.
The mower was not engaged
so she just drove.
She was sooo proud of herself.

And while we were out and
about I took a picture of
one little area in front
of the house...
Ignore the weeds-
I think God must love them
cuz they sure are abundant.
And then noticed I had some
roses abloom..

and the sedum is coming on
nicely.

I was so happy with
how the garden is cleaning up...
but not
NEARLY AS HAPPY
as this little girl
seemed to be!

~Proud and Happy~

And what ELSE is Lulu
old enough to enjoy?
BRACES!
Multi-colored
WHAT NO PINK ONES?
 
Not to be outdone
SweetCheeks
shows us HER braces.
 
You don't have braces, SweetCheeks!
YEHS I DO!
They are ihnvishable!

Of course they are..
even I can see that!

Everyday I see more and more
milestones as these
precious children
march forward onto life's road
to walk the walk that will bring
them into young adulthood...
a walk that will be marked with
tears and joys,
sighs and whispers,
a walk that will be fondly
remembered by those that love them most,
and days that will vanish like smoke
leaving only warm embers of
memories for us to enjoy.
your photo name

Friday, August 26, 2011

Jumping The Waves

I came home from work
and looked out the window.
We don't get many days
with big waves on the Bay
during the Summer months.
When I saw the waves,
I called my daughter and
told her to bring the girls
out to
Jump The Waves.

Lulu & Ria remember
this from last year.
For SweetCheeks it was a whole
new experience.

It was fun to watch them
as they all waded out into
the waves together.

and, just for a moment,
I felt like a kid again myself...
'Deed I did!

A little deeper and the waves
get a big heavier...
Ria encourages SweetCheeks
to go out just a bit further.
(ummm..that is what happens
to MY suit too and I can't
blame it on a life jacket strap!
And here she is..
right in the midst of the waves
Oooopps..
Just a little too scary
and
SweetCheeks comes running home..
where it is safe..
and she feels safe.

Here's just a short sound bite
so you can hear the waves...
your photo name

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Princess & The Peer

When the girls are at our house
 we sometimes  have a visitor,
The little Capt C,
From up the lane.
SweetCheeks, always the Princess,
decides that Capt.C  is the perfect Prince!
Okay...Hearh is whut we arhe gonna do!
I yam the moahst beeyootiful Pwrincess and
I gonna get underah a spell and
fall down.

Now I gonna sleeep for a hunndretd years..
But yoah gotta whake me up wif a kiss or sumthin,
I'hm still whaiting! Whare ahre yoah?
I can hardly keehp my eyes closeded this long.

Nana (SweetCheeks calls out)
That Pwrince never cohmed so I hafta
get myself up
And NOW- I gonna change into my spechul
Mahgical prwrincess gown with the
Mahgic crown
and grwab my own special powarhs wand (broom)



Annn I cahn rwide it somewheres
annn see whuts ghoing on over thehre.
OH NO! Issss SOOO sad!
Whatever is the matter, SweetCheeks?
My new fwriend has runned away wif
My evil sistah!
Jusss like in that stworybook!
Hmmm....I think maybe YOU have been watching
Soap Operas
instead of
cartoons!
your photo name

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Another Starbucks Summer Day

School starts here pretty soon.
I will miss the summer days
when I am not working.
I often meet my daughter
and the girls at
STARBUCKS.

TPot and I sit and enjoy a coffee..
and the girls play
summertime games
in the grass just off
the patio.

SweetCheeks is always one
to investigate everything.

While sisters are more content
to look for
four leaf clovers.

Sigh..
Soon..they will be gone...
back in school and
I won't find my smiles
at Starbucks in
the morning...

Although..
sometimes the kids that
work there DO make me smile!
And,
who knows what
other interesting
characters I might meet there.

Hmmm...
Back-To-School-Day
might not be so bad
after all.

Although....
NO CHARACTER
will ever replace
THIS ONE!
Amen!
your photo name

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Please Say Hi To MyHero (In Action)

In case you are wondering
what everyday life is like
around here...
this should give you a clue.

I think MyHero is a little
jealous over all the attention
the kids get on my blog..
SO..
We'll see how he likes this.

He has on a hat I hate..
I think he looks like an
old fogey with it on...
but he loves it.
So...
There IT is!

And here HE is..
coming in off the water..
Isn't he cute?
Please make sure you say
HI
to MyHero
because we wouldn't want him to
think you like
SweetCheeks & Company
more than you like him!
Thanks! 
your photo name

Monday, August 22, 2011

Celebrating a HALF birthday

Somehow,
SweetCheeks has found out
that some kids celebrate
a Half-Birthday.

Did you ever do that when
you were a kid?
We never did.
My parents worked so hard
that it is lucky they remembered
to celebrate our birthdays at all.

But..
Here is SweetCheeks
talking about being
MBarussud
about celebrating her
"burthday" in Milwaukee
(and where she
 GOT THAT IDEA
is anybody's guess)

At the end she will give
you a lesson in the new
art form she has learned.
Laughing without showing your teeth...

your photo name

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Play Me A Song-Please- Play Me A Song

When our little Ria was
5 she asked for a violin
for Christmas.
She REALLY wanted
a violin.

We thought it was a whim,
a passing fancy,
something that would
be forgotten long
before Christmas
the next year.

Guess what she wanted
for Christmas
last year
AGAIN?
A violin...
A real violin...

Auntie Mimi found her a
beautiful little violin
at a local resale shop
and gave it to her for
Christmas.
She picked it up-
having never held one before-
and played a few notes..
with no
squeeks or screeches.
She has
The Touch!
That violin is beautiful-
a gorgeous instrument..but...
too big for her little hands
right now.

When her Mom & Dad
signed her up for
Suzuki lessons
the decided to rent
a violin that is just
right for her.

This girl can play.
The instructor asked how
many lessons she had taken.
None-
Nary a one.
This girl has
The Touch..
Here she is playing
a piece for Nana.

Suzuki teaches using
a different method.
She plays the same song
but uses all different
tempos.
It is amazing to hear her.

And she has learned the proper way
to hold her instrument when
accepting applause-
And the proper way to bow...
Want to know what
SweetCheeks was doing whilst
Ria was playing the
violin?
With no attention on her,
and left to her own devices,
she was doing
SOMETHING!!
But WHAT?
Upon closer inspection we find
that she is using a pair of
SHARP POINTED SCISSORS!
Hnmmmm....
Well, at least she is not
cutting her own hair
and THAT is a blessing!

To end - I love this quote...
I want to make good citizens. If a child hears fine music from the day of his birth and learns to play it himself, he develops sensitivity, discipline and endurance. He gets a beautiful heart.
—Shin'ichi Suzuki

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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Happy Anniversary To Me~

Here we are-

On a hot August day
in 1975.
Where has the time gone?
If you're wondering
where I am
TODAY-
I am here-
A beautiful place to
celebrate any occassion..

A perfect place to
celebrate a
36th
Anniversary.

When anyone asks how
long we have been married
we respond in unison
36 YEARS.

He says- Seems like yesterday.
I say- Seems like forever.
The straightman
and the
joker.
We make quite a pair.

It has not been an easy
36 years, despite what it
may look like from the outside.
We both came out of broken
relationships....
and probably should have gotten
to really know each other
BEFORE we got married.

We dated 30 days before
we said
I DO
under an old oak tree
in
Alva, Florida.

There were lots of ups and downs
over the years.
Some easy to accept,
others much harder to deal with.

BUT-
If WE can do this-
If WE can hang in there for the long haul,
then I believe that if
two people really
WANT TO
make a relationship work...
they can...
and will...
and should.
You just lean together
and look towards
God
and see what happens.
AMEN
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