Home again....

We took a short trip to Pensacola after Christmas. Good trip, no problems.Will post a few more pictures later.

Christmas 2009

The Texas grandkids enjoyed Christmas. It was nearly impossible to get them to look at the camera at the same time.....

Merry Christmas Ya'll!!

NEWSFLASH: We have an egg!! The ringneck dove is sitting on one egg this morning, in a metal cake pan that I had put in the cage long ago with grass in it!! I had just moved it day before yesterday to a different spot on the shelf to put another warming light there. I had hoped they would wait for warmer weather but I guess not. I thought that the diamond dove was going to be the first. She had been sitting in a small feeder that hangs on the cage, had even put grass and small feathers in it. But when I checked it this morning all the grass is out and only food remains. Wondering if it is those pesky parakeets that pulled the grass out.....

Snowing!! First time ever on Christmas Eve....

Check this out.....it is SNOWING!!! at Christmas!!!Of course, the wind is blowing so hard that our snow is going next door....... :)

Ornaments

A new ornament from Samantha, Charley, and Brandon.My sister got me this one. It says "Grandma's Hugs Warm My Heart".

I like this one because it is glittery.....

....I like this one because it is patriotic......

One of Greg's students gave him this reindeer.

And someone gave him this pencil ornament last year.

I really do enjoy the tree once it is up......with lights at night......

Christmas Eve Eve

We sprung Jonathan from daycare this afternoon. The weather was really nice, we knew it was to change tomorrow, so while Papa worked on his truck, Jonathan and I played outside. He drives pretty good for a little fella.

Later, we went with Papa to a friend's house, then picked up pizza for dinner. A bath and it was time to go home.

We had a fun time.

Our Christmas Tree

My Best Friend's "Daughter's" Wedding

The daughter of my best friend from high school got married this weekend in College Station. Susan had asked me a couple of months ago if I would help and be her "go to" person. Of course, I told her sure. We got to College Station on Saturday shortly after lunch and met up with Susan and Daniel. We made it through the rehearsal and then had Ruby's BarBQue for the dinner afterwards. We did lots of visiting and catching up.

Sunday, the day of the wedding, Susan and her daughter did the "bride/mom" thing, leaving us to keep Daniel busy. We took a quick trip to Messina Hof, the well known local winery there. We did a bit of shopping and a bit of tasting, buying a bottle to enjoy while we sat and talked out in the sun.I was trying to be artsy with this shot.

The wedding was Sunday at 5:00 PM. Very simple, very sweet, very short, and a very, very happy bride and groom!!

All 43 guests attended the meal afterwards at Cafe Eccell. (http://www.cafeeccell.com/) It was great!! Of course, given several desserts, I will ALWAYS pick the one that is chocolate. This Chocolate Amaretta Mousse Bombe was to die for.......

Greg went with the Key Lime Pie. It was good, too!!

We spent another night and came home today. It was a fun weekend with great friends!!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party

Greg and I went to a different type of party last night, a Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Since I think all Christmas sweaters are ugly, I don't own one. So I went to Goodwill to try to find something suitable. I found a couple.....

The party hosts, Greg's fellow teacher and her husband, who referees basketball with Greg. A shame you can't see her sweater, it was rather busy with a Santa and reindeer. We told him that his sweater really appeared to be a girl's vest.......

This one wasn't so bad.....

I bought a Christmas sweater for me but I also found this beauty. It was so ugly that I thought surely it would suffice. It had quite a "festive" look about it, don't you think? I felt like I had a baby blue chicken tied around my neck....the collar was a cross between feathers and hair.....

Can't believe I didn't get a photo of Greg in his sweater. But he told his coworkers that he would wear it to school on Friday when they have their Christmas party......will try to snag a photo...

Last Friday

Last Friday, the coworker and I took the day off to attend her first craft show in Stephenville to peddle her photos. We had a fun time, even though we missed the 30 minutes of snow in Waco while we were gone!! She had a great spot because we were beside a guy that had a great ability. He made "yard birds" from old farm tools/equipment. At first, the coworker and I kinda turned our noses up at them, "would you put one of those in your yard?", the coworker asked me. But, by the end of the day they had really grown on us and I came home with a couple!!! This little guy is sooooo cute!! The picture makes him look a bit sinister but he really isn't. Nuts for his eyes, part of what we think is a planter for his beak, his wings are from some sort of plow, his pot belly is the leg from an old stove, turned upside down. Let me tell you, he is HEAVY!!

His feet are made of rebar, and his backside is made of horseshoes where I can set a plant if I want to. But I don't see this little guy being put outside. He has been keeping watch over my kitchen from the top of the refrigerator. I think I will call him Perry the Penguin.

I purchased quite a few gifts at the craft fair. I would have been better off being at work as much money as I spent. But it was all good!!!

Jonathan at 17 months

Last Sunday after lunch, Jonathan stayed around awhile so his mom and dad could do some preparations for Christmas. We had such a fun time. He is such a happy little boy!

Doesn't everyone get a photo of the "mohawk" bathtub hair? I couldn't resist.

After his bath, we played some more. He liked riding and spinning on this little zebra. He was still awake when his daddy came to pick him up.....hope he slept well once he got home!!

Surprise!!

There was a package on our front porch when we got home from work today. It was a great surprise!! A box of fruit from Greg's mom. The fruit comes from Harlingen, in the Valley in Texas.

There were grapefruits, oranges, pears, and apples. Greg wasted no time peeling one of the oranges. It was yummy!!! Very orange-y!!

Thanks, Millie. We will certainly enjoy our early gift!!!

Happy Birthday Dustin!!

Happy 23rd Birthday, Dustin!! We celebrated with family lunch on Sunday, as we do with everyone's birthday on a Sunday that is closest to their day. I made chicken spaghetti, green beans, salad, garlic bread....yum!!

Dessert was some type of oreo ice cream cake. If you look closely, you can see an orange "D" on top of the cake. Apparently, Greg and Dustin BOTH told the lady that was writing on it to put "Happy Birthday Dustin" on it. Well, when they walked away in the store, it had "Happy Birthday Justin", on it. Before he blew out the candle, we fixed it with a magnetic D from the front of the frig!!

Morgan and Dustin

Baylor Basketball

This weekend, Baylor has a basketball tournament and since we have season tickets (thanks again, kids!), we have seen two games so far, one last night and another today at noon, there is another tomorrow at 2:30. Baylor won both games so far. After the game last night, we went to Roadhouse to eat. And Brittney Griner, the 6'8" freshman, came in with some other teammates to eat, too. We got to meet her and I can't believe that I didn't have my camera with me!! But in thinking about it today, this poor girl is very timid and very young, most probably 19, and at times she must feel like a freak, or someone in a zoo because of the way people stare, not to mention the notoriety that has followed her from her high school in Houston.

Today, I took the camera to get a picture of this. We saw it for the first time at last night's game. I am 5'10" tall and standing in front of her true to size photo. Her "wingspan" (or reach) is 7'4" At a size 18 1/2 tennis shoe, she outsizes me by a lot!!

Her hands outsize mine, too!!

And then there is Coach Mulkey.....only she can get away with black leather pants and a metallic gold blazer......

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Over and over and over....

Jonathan stayed with me tonight while his parents went to a church get-together. I know he played for at least 20 minutes, taking things off of the frig and putting them in the glass container that has wine corks in it.Then back to the frig to stick them on the magnet.

Then back over to the jug with the corks......I just stood and watched him move from place to place.

Vote

The Texas UIL is celebrating its 100th year by taking a poll to determine the greatest high school girls basketball team. Suzie Snider Eppers is on this list. Here is the website to vote, all you Robinson-ians (and you know who you are)!!! And if you ever saw Suzie play basketball, you know why she is on the list......

uil100.org/vote-basketball-girls.php

Cool Front

The cool front coming through this morning.....

My Saturday night date......

Greg reffed a couple of basketball games tonight so Jonathan came to visit. His mom always sends him good stuff to eat.....tonight it was a chicken tender and some mac & cheese. Yum!!

He is really a very good eater. He did enjoy squeezing the cheesy noodles between his fingers before he ate them.....

After his bath, I tried to take a picture of us. This is what I got.......

He kinda figured out the motorized four wheeler. See his finger pushing the red button? He was driving at me when I took this picture......

He is now asleep and I am watching Tech football....

Thanks for the sacrifice......

Birds

Diamond Dove

The diamond doves are small, about the same size as the parakeet. This is not a very good picture but those are the parakeets in the back, with the dove at the front.Both diamond doves on the ground, and the male quail is in front of the board. He is quick so was lucky to get a picture. And unfortunately, the female was dead on Monday morning.

The light green parakeet in the front is the new one, the boyfriend for Sweetie.