Grandson

Welcome friends, I just had to share pictures of our Grandson and his Mom.  Aren't they beautiful?

I read and treasure each and every comment.

14 years ago today

Welcome Friends......

Did you know that 14 years ago today was the bombing at the Atlanta Olympics?  Yup July 27, 1996.  Guess how I remember.  You see Doug and I got married 14 years ago today and our videographer's daughter was at the Olympics.  The videographer was a wreck when she heard the news.  Folks didn't carry cell phones back then like they do now.  She started drinking wine real early awaiting news from her daughter.  I told her she didn't have to film the ceremony but she insisted.  I would like to share that video with you but I have no idea how.  So put on your imagination cap.....can you see it?  Shoes, lots of Sunday shoes, new carpet.  Yes, our entire wedding video is of the wedding party's shoes, the guest's shoes, everyone's shoes.  Oh and the new carpet at the church. 
I think it is the best wedding video ever.  Oh and her daughter was safe and sound.

 I wanted to get married in Vegas and Doug wanted the whole wedding ceremony.  So we had got married in a local church.  An Elvis impersonator was our photographer.  Yes he was.  Plus we had an Elvis impersonator at the reception.  It was a hoot.

My favorite uncle flew in from Germany to be a part of the wedding.  As I was about to walk into the church for the ceremony  Uncle Walter walked up to me.  I almost died right then and there.  Let me share with you, this is NOT the best time to surprise a bride!  Thank You Momma.  Uncle Walter walked me down the aisle.

Doug, I love you so much!  How you put up with my antics for 14 years is beyond me!  I am just glad you have.  Thank you for all you do to keep our family going strong!  Happy Anniversary!

I read and treasure each and every comment.  Thank you for stopping in.

My first Watermelon

Welcome friends, I have to share my very first watermelons.  I have never grown watermelons before.  They are so tiny.  I mean I know they don't start out giant but aren't they just too cute?  My summer cold has turned into bronchitis so I will leave you with a couple of my new watermelons~

I love your comments, are you growing anything fun?

The Best Laid Plans!

Welcome blogger friends.  Lets talk baby showers.

After months of looking for the perfect invitation, I found it.  Jan at FourHarp Design http://www.etsy.com/shop/fourharpdesigns

designed this wonderful shower invitation.  We got the inspiration from the mom to be's

choice of bedding.  I got almost all of the invitations out on July 12, 2010.

It took a long time to find a venue in my budget that would hold all our guests and be air conditioned! 

I bought enough solid white bibs and non toxic paint for everyone to decorate them with.

The shower favor was inspired by http://gordongossip.blogspot.com/

Attached

to a salt shaker filled with sugar and cinnamon.

                                                                             

But then, on July 14, 2010  our Bella made an unexpected arrival.  She is the tiniest thing I have seen in my whole life.  And she is beautiful.  I have a cold so I had to wear a mask but I could still see that little beauty.  She is healthy and strong, just very tiny.  I saw those little fingers and toes and sat in sheer amazement.   The new mom is not up to a shower so we are doing something else. 
Welcome home our precious Bella, Aunt Nette and Uncle Doug are already thinking of ways to spoil you. Your beautiful Momma and dotting Daddy don't have a chance in this world.  There are too many people just waiting to spoil and cuddle you.

Thank you for visiting and sharing our wonderful news.

A Saudi Tablescape

Welcome to the 99th Tablescape Thursday, courtesy of our gracious hostess Susan.  I am posting this for my dear husband who is living alone in Saudi Arabia.  I have to give him credit.  I just can't bring myself to do a tablescape for just one!  You have to realize he is living in a furnished villa but bought these pretty dishes himself.

He tells me he 'stole' these flowers so instead of creating an international incident, I will leave it at that.

I have no details about the patterns or where these items were purchased but I can just about guarantee that he would be serving himself chicken.  Every time we talk and I ask him what he is cooking it is always chicken.

I don't really know what this is but it is pretty.

A close up of his pretty plate.

Considering what he had to work with I think he did a great job.  To be 10,000 miles away and still come up with such a pretty table.......awesome!  I am proud of you sweetie.  Next time you will have to share one of your chicken recipes! 

Thank you Susan for hosting another awesome party, I know Doug would love it if you would leave him a comment.  

One of the most touching things ever.

Good morning friends.  This post has been a while in the writing.  Today seemed the right time.  As many of you know I lost my precious puggle Keelie this past March. After her death it seemed my life went on a downhill spiral.  I received so many cards and emails from my blogger friends and truthfully it helped me through this time.  Several weeks ago I received a package in the mail.  I certainly was not expecting anything.  Of course I opened it right in the post office. (Yes I peek at presents under the tree also).  I broke down in tears.  Dee Dee from d design had drawn this incredible image of my Keelie and sent it to me.  You can look on my side bar to see other pictures of her.
I cannot recall anyone ever doing anything so kind and touching.  She sent a beautiful card as well and it took me a while to get the strength to read it.  When my niece arrived she noticed this incredible framed work of art on my nightstand and said Aunt Nette, who did this?  Keelie's eyes are just perfect.  I told her the story and pulled out the card.  We lay in bed together and she read the touching card to me. We lay there for hours crying and laughing with stories of loved ones that are so longer here with us. 
My dear friend DeeDee, thank you so much.  Your kindness and thoughtfulness shows through in every post you write.  This touching act will never be forgotten by me and my precious Keelie sits proudly on my nightstand.  I simply do not have the words to express the honor I feel to know a woman such as yourself.

Thank you everyone for reading my ramblings, I am humbled that so many would do the kind things that I have enjoyed over the past months.  And Dee Dee, love and blessings to you always.

Jeanette

Guest Blogger today

Welcome to my mom's blogger friends.  She is letting me post today.  Mom spends so much time talking about cooking, and decorating, and baby showers and those crazy dogs I thought I would let you know about Hamlet and me.  We are pot belly pigs .  While a girl never gives out her age, I will admit that Hamlet is older than I am.  Hamlet's birthday is in November and mine is in January.  Every year on our birthday  mom makes us a big pan of cornbread and pours buttermilk over it. Mighty tasty I must admit.  Mom does all kinds of things for us, like buying us a special swimming pool.  We hated it.  We took care of it ourselves and built our own.  It is perfect.  Mom fills it full of water twice a day.  Dad is the practical one, he built us a barn, made sure there was a special heater in so we stay warm in the winter.

Hamlet and I share everything!

Twice a week we get a special treat of corn.  We love that.  Dad makes us eat this disgusting pot belly pig food.  Yuk.  That is Hamlet eating.  She is blind so I have to show her everything.  I guess you could call me her caregiver.  Potbelly pigs are ranked 5th as the most intelligent with man being the most intelligent.  (I demand a recount).  We have straight tails, learn every easily, and have  pointed ears.  Most pot belly pigs are affectionate, not me.  I have to protect this household.

When Dad went crazy, (that is what Mom calls it) and took her to Chicago  (That must be a terrible place.  You should hear mom talk about it.)  The zoning ordinances there would not let me and Hamlet go with Mom and Dad.  We were sad but someone came twice a day to feed and water us.  That gave me extra work to guard the house.  But I handled it with no problem.

This is a picture of me, I have to check things out before I can relax for breakfast. When we were little Mom would take us to McDonald's every Sunday in the car and we would get an ice cream cone.  The workers at McDonald's would think it was funny.  I just wanted my ice cream.  While we are both quite large, we have good manners and know how to behave in public.

This is what Hamlet does best.  She sleeps. But I guard the property.  You might notice that Hamlet is much larger than I am.  You would be correct.  Hamlet has lived with Mom since she was 6 weeks old.  She would not eat.  So one day Mom put her in the bathtub with warm water and fed her a high calorie liquid in a bottle.  She ate really well.  The vet said mom should have only done that for 3 months.  Well Mom did it until Hamlet was almost 3.  Think about it, high calories for a 3 year old pig!  Please.  I don't know what she was thinking. 

I walk the property day and night, when I am not caring for Hamlet.  You never know what you will find.  I know that August is coming up.  That means the pear trees will start dropping pears soon.  We are getting lots of watermelon right now.   That is pretty cool.  My Aunt Rea brings us leftovers from the church dinners.  I always know when the church has a dinner, Aunt Rea brings bags walking in her high heel shoes.  She is so funny.  Why would you put your foot in such a thing?  And they say men are #1 on the intelligence level.  Yeah right. 

Everyone asks about my name.  My mom has a friend from Viet Nam and she named me.  It means 'beautiful little girl'.   My mom puts sun screen on us twice a week.  Hamlet loves it, me, not so much. The minute mom leaves I jump in the mud hole.

Well I hope you learned a lot about us today.  Thank you for reading.  I must go walk the property.  There are a lot of things I need to be doing.  Mom would love it if you would leave a comment.  She loves that kind of stuff.

A story from Saudi

I thought I would share a story from Saudi with you today.  When Doug goes to the mall for his shopping he always sees this little boy and girl. (Sorry I don't know who the man is)  They are from Pakistan.  She is 5 and he is 9.  They have another sister that is 4 and a brother that is 7.  Their father is disabled and the laws prevent their Mom from working.

They sell gum in the streets to bring in money to the family.   Doug says she is a real sweetheart and always finds them when they do their shopping.  She always gives them hugs.  I thought they have such beautiful smiles on their innocent faces to have faced so much hardship in their young life.

I love hearing from everyone and treasure every comment.

4th of July Memories

Welcome friends and Happy 4th of July!  Our family really doesn't have any special traditions for the 4th.  My parents owned one of the three mom and pop grocery stores in our community.  I mean really old fashioned, penny candy, penny cookies, gas was .29 a gallon.  Everyone had a charge account.  Most folks did not have a car so daddy would pick families up on the first of the month, they would pay the previous month's bill and buy that month's groceries.  Every 4th of July daddy would get a truck load of watermelons.  As each family would load into the truck for daddy to drive them home,  daddy would always say to the youngest child, go pick out any watermelon and if you can carry it to the truck you can have it for free.

The smaller the child the bigger the watermelon they would pick out. Everyone would have the best time watching the child struggling with the watermelon, some watermelons rolled into the middle of the highway.  Some watermelons were dropped and split in half and some watermelons actually made it to the truck.

Of course daddy gave every family a  4th of July watermelon. 

My Daddy was retired from the Army.

My husband is retired from the Air Force.

I am thankful every day that I am allowed to live free in this glorious land!

Do you have any special 4th of July memories or traditions?

Christmas in July

Welcome friends, I have a secret for you.  It appears to me that my grandson Remington is really Santa and he starts his beard in July!  I just had to share with you.

You know us grandmothers, we use every opportunity to share pictures of our babies with others.

I don't chase people down on the streets with albums of his pictures any more.  The restraining orders have stopped that (LOL) but isn't he precious?