Monkey!!

The Pelican

Isn't he great!! I couldn't post this guy earlier because he was Millie's Christmas present. I got him at the craft show at the same time that I got my penguin. His eyes are old door knobs, his beak/gullet are a potato ricer, his wings a rake, etc. I thought he was so cute, and especially appropriate for someone that lives in Florida. When we left her house, Millie had put him in a place of honor in her living room......I suspect this summer he will find his way to her deck or her front porch......

Tipsy

Tipsy took her first road trip when we went to Florida. At 10 years of age, I wasn't sure how well she would do but she was a real trooper. Her eyesight is failing and she doesn't get around real well. I hoped she would be more comfortable being with someone familiar at a strange place rather than leave her here at a strange place to stay with people she wasn't familiar with. She slept on the back seat almost the whole time that we were on the road. She stayed in her crate whenever we weren't at the house or if there were kids around. She is a bit cranky with youngsters!! She is a pretty good ol' dog......

Grandkids are the best!!

We got to see all the grandkids while in Florida and took them lots of gifts. Kaila liked her Hannah Montana movie. She also got a pretty pink robe, clothes, craft sets, a fun flying saucer game and other things.....

....and some pink rubber boots that were just tooooooo cute!!!

Bricen got a nerf gun, a movie, some clothes, a Spongebob Operation game, Lincoln logs, Playdough set, and some other things............and some fireman rubber boots!!!Madison got a baby doll, a baby carrier, some clothes, a pink robe, a High School Musical doll, High School musical radio, and some other stuff.......

......and some cute pink rubber boots!!!!Yep, Mimi LOVED the rubber boots!!! Just couldn't resist them......

Greg's photo session with Kaila, Bricen, and the niece/nephews.......

We had lots of fun!! We miss Kaila, Bricen, and Madison so much!!! We love you!!

Christmas in Pensacola

Greg's mom had an orange tree by her house, it had quite a few oranges on it. Millie, I snagged a few of them before we left on Wednesday........Monday was a work day for Greg and his two brothers. He and Joe are planning their strategy here. I didn't get any before pictures of all the work that was done, but they worked really hard and got a lot crossed off of the "to do" list!!

Every morning, we had breakfast at the diner with Greg's mom. Bruce met us a couple of mornings. Breakfast is so yummy.......I have a hard time deciding what to choose. But I will nearly always opt for biscuits and gravy!!!

Miss K was helping Uncle Greg put down weed block.

One early morning on the way to breakfast, this car was decorated in Millie's neighborhood. Needless to say, it was a new car and wasn't going anywhere during the holidays!! She said they did it last year too!!

Happy 2010!!!

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