Friday Family Fhoto

I am dedicating “Friday Family Fhoto” to my Aunt Irene. This photo was taken in spring of 1927. She has been sick in the hospital this week – thankfully she is doing much better and should be home by the weekend!
My Aunt Irene is my Mother’s sister and is special to many of us because she is the “spit-fire” of our family. She has six amazing children, over ten grandchildren, and over twenty great-grandchildren.
She is very independent, loves to travel, and never meets a stranger. I have fond & fun memories of my wonderful Aunt Irene. I am so glad she is doing better!

Wolverine

What's wrong with me? I usually HATE these types of movies...but for once I am REALLY excited to see Wolverine. Someone alert the media! Maybe it has something to do with Hugh Jackman?

Thomas

On Friday MaMa & PaPa & I took John to Lubbock to see Thomas the Train. Randy happened to be in Lubbock for business so he was able to "escape" for an hour to ride the train. The actual ride was about thirty minutes and it was the smoothest ride! (I find it funny that I have never been on a real train before and now that I have John I have been on two within eight months!)
They had Thomas songs and Thomas trivia games on the train. The scenery left alot to be desired but John didn't care...he had his face pressed against the window for most of the ride. Once we finished the ride they several activities and different booths for the children including a gift shop. PaPa bought John a railroad engineer hat -it is too cute and John has worn it non-stop since we got home! They had a face painting booth, a petting zoo, bouncers, storytelling booth, music, balloon animals - it was really family oriented. John seemed to have fun and he enjoyed dancing when he got a chance. I will post more pictures soon.

I am off to bed now! I am excited cause Randy and John are going to the gun show early in the morning...which means I can sleep in! We have the circus Saturday night! I am really excited for John to see the animals...and yes - I am going to let him load up on cotton candy, soda pop, popcorn, and plenty of other circus junk!!

F.F.F.

This photo makes me smile every time I see it. I have it framed in a special frame that has “Joy” engraved on it. This picture of me & my Daddy was taken in August 1987 in Colorado… I was 15 and about to start high school.
We stopped to let my Mom use the restroom…as she was “indisposed”…my Daddy and I made “our” own travel plans. Mom had us on a scenic route of Colorado back to Texas but Daddy and I decided we wanted to go to Four Corners…I think I even remember saying…”it is a chance of a lifetime”. (Four Corners is where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah meet to make a perfect corner – it is the only point in the United States where the boundaries of four states intersect.) When Mom got back in the car after snapping this picture…she decided to get in the backseat and take a nap…perfect timing for me & Daddy to put our plan into action! We drove away from the majestic mountains and tree lined forests and wonderful cool weather only to end up in the desert - which was hot & dry and some of the ugliest terrain you have ever seen!
Well…you can only imagine what my precious Mother said when she woke up from her nap and looked out the car window! I did not know such words existed…much less would come from my sweet Mother’s mouth!
(In her defense…it was quite awful. We were on a Navajo Reservation and there was not a rest area for hundreds of miles. When we finally found a small store there was a HUGE sign on the front door that stated “You must purchase at least $5.00 in products from this establishment before you can use the restroom”. I think Mom & I bought $20.00 worth of stuff!)
Once we got to Four Corners it was anything but spectacular! It was…like I said…in the middle of the desert…dusty…and hot. There was a small marker everyone was standing around which marked the spot. (I should post that picture however none of us were smiling…but each of us was standing in a different state…at the same time…in the same picture – once lifetime!)
I have fun memories of the trip. My Mom did get me back. She bought a blue spruce pine tree that I had to share my backseat with…and it poked me all the way back to Texas!

PROMISES, PROMISES: Is Obama dog a rescue or not?

By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press Writer Sharon Theimer, Associated Press Writer – Mon Apr 13, 7:41 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Is Bo a rescued dog or not? Did President Obama keep or break a campaign promise in picking the purebred as the family's new pet?

Seriously?
This is news??

Friday Family Fhoto

Happy Easter…48 years later!

Mom tells the story of Eddie when we see this photo. Eddie is my brother Larry…he is the littlest guy in the photo – he was around 3 when this was taken on Easter 1961. My Mom bought my brothers these matching suits days before Easter and apparently Eddie really liked this suit of clothes. Mom said that Eddie harassed her all day long the day before Easter to put on this suit of clothes. She would not let him put the suit on…she knew he would get it dirty before Easter but he would not stop bothering her. She finally relented and put the suit on him - once he had the suit on he climbed up in the middle of her bed and took a nap…he didn’t get it dirty! I would love to have a picture of him in bed with that suit on!

I like this picture because it shows the beauty of my Mother. My Mother has always taken great pride in the way she dresses. She always looks “polished” when she leaves the house…everything from her hair, to her jewelry, her nails, and even her shoes match…I mean everything – she doesn’t miss a thing! She has always had a cute figure and has never worried about her weight. She can go to a department store…see an outfit…and know that it is going to fit her perfectly without even trying it on. I wish I was more like her in this area of life but most of the time I am slapping on make-up and finding the first thing that fits. I like to think that maybe someday I would have a little Mary-Kate and she would be “polished” like her MaMa Mary.

Mother Hen

{thought: When did I become a Mother hen?} The dogs were yapping to do a potty break at 2am...{thought: I better let them relieve themselves or they will continue to yap}. Let the dingos potty and get a quick drink...{thought: they are a pain in the backside but I do love them}. Turn the house alarm back on...{thought: I will check on the little man since I am up}. He is asleep on the opposite end of his crib, his arms are over his head, legs apart with one them bend, & sleeping on all his blankets...{thought: awww...this is cute I should get a picture...but the flash would wake him up}. Instead find a quick blanket very quietly in his dresser and cover him up...{thought: thank you God for blessing me with this most precious little boy - I love him so much}. On my way back to bed and I notice my sweetheart has kicked the blanket off him and his favorite pillow is in the floor...{thought: he is going to wake-up cold & stumble on his pillow when he gets up}. I gently tuck him back in and put his pillow where he could find it in case he needs it...{thought: I really love him...there was a time in my life I didn't think "we" could be fixed but God did His word and here we are a happy family}. As I climb back into bed I suddenly had an image of a Mother hen gathering all her chicks under her to keep them safe & warm...{thought: When did I become a Mother hen...hmmm - I should blog this & check on Stellan.}

Family Friday Fhoto...

I wish I could take credit for this idea but I am stealing it from my sister.

She posts an old family photo every Friday and the story behind the photo.

I love it...and look forward to it! Even though I like to think I know her really good...I always seen to find out something new.

I am going to start my Friday Family Fhotos with my favorite picture.

This photo was taken in the late twenties. The tall man standing is my Grandpa John...my Mom's father. He was born & raised in West Virgina and started working in the coal mines when he was 13 years old for $0.50 a day. He married my Grandma when he was 22 and they had ten children...which produced 28 grandchildren and over 30 great-grandchildren...and tons of great-grandchildren. I was the only grandchild he never got to meet...I was the last grandchild born...and a fun thing...so far my John is the last great-grandchild for to this family.

There has been a one son named John in this family in every generation since 1860.

Everyone from family to friends speak highly of my Grandpa. He was never seen without a clean white starched shirt...and Mom says he always had a suit of clothes - which was a big deal back then. My cousin Sandy tells of when he would come to their house...if they were not home...he would sit a dining room chair on top of the table to let them know he had been by.

He worked over 50 years in the coal mine...and he was a devoted husband & father.

He truly believed in family and doing good for the fellow man.

I wish I would have got a chance to meet him...hopefully someday I will.

Is Anyone Else Bothered by this Photo?

US President Barack Obama (L), Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (C) and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pose for a family photo during the G20 summit at the ExCel centre, in east London. Medvedev hailed Obama as "my new comrade" Thursday after their first face-to-face talks, saying the US president "can listen" -- even if little progress was made on substance.(AFP/Dominique Faget)

Sunshine

I have become somewhat of a hermit…or better yet a recluse -is there a difference?
Since my family started “falling apart” last June I started cutting activities outside our home. I tried to get back into the swing of things in the Fall. I joined yoga, John was in Kindermusik, I was planning big holiday celebrations…and all of that came to a screeching halt...thanks to chicken pox, shingles, pneumonia, and the flu.
In January I was trying to get back into the groove…I signed up for yoga, a college course, and enrolled John in Kindermusik…again. Needless to say thanks to RSV, shingles, a horrible bronchiole infection, and my personal drama… John and I did not make a single class.
To say I have been spending a lot of time at home is an understatement. I do go to the grocery store, Randy & I have an occasional date night, and we go to church but other than that…I am “happy” to stay at home. However…this version of “happy”…I think has become sort of a depression. I went five weeks without having my nails done…I have had them done since I was 18.
It’s time for a change!
John started back to Kindermusik last week and really enjoyed interacting with other little people.
I am going back to my life group on Tuesday nights… we are studying the book “Lies Women Believe”. I had made my mind up that I wasn’t going to go to this group – the book just wasn’t “grabbing” me…but after I really started reading it and doing the homework I realized it was stepping on my toes AND making me uncomfortable – which is exactly where the Lord wants me.
I am going back to yoga…I miss it terribly plus I miss my sister beating me up in class.
John has his first gymnastics class this Friday.
Randy and I have started interviewing churches to enroll John in a Mother’s Day Out program.
I am going to volunteer in the nursery at church this Sunday – I sent my application in several weeks ago and the director called me tonight…she seemed very excited to have me help.
I started meeting some friends for lunch at least once a week to stay in touch with each other.
I have several events planned for John…like this Saturday there is some sort of truck show at John Stiff Park- kids can climb in/around/ and all over the trucks. Randy, & I, along with my folks are taking John to see Thomas the Train…the actual train in Lubbock later this month…and we are taking John to his first circus this month – I am very excited about the circus…all of his “sort of” Amarillo cousin are going…there are 13 in our party.
Last but not least I am going to be in a small style show this month.
Sunny shiny days are ahead.
It is going to be good having activities again...but does this mean I have to get out of my nightgown??