Pink Saturday

Joining Beverly and Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound with shades of pink from our trip to Alaska four years ago.

And for my photo journal.

Friday Foto Friends

The big event!

Big Sister Hunter loved her tea party set

All the happy family

Kate and Jack having fun in Michigan ...

WITHOUT US!

With their cousins, Brady and Noah

Everybody came back from their vacations and we heard from Brady and Noah by phone, and Kate and Jack came over to be with us. It is a very heartwarming thing to know that even after all the exciting things they saw and did, they are happy to come be with us. Mommy said that after the 2300+ drive home, Jack cried because he wanted to go see Nonnie and Papa before going home. 

Back at home ... and with us

A trip to the mall and a ride

on the carousel after Dipping Dots!

New shoes. 

Caught this just as she was falling back.

A partial rainbow 

Sunset through the trees

Beautiful sunset to end the week.

Going for donuts this morning and to the water park this afternoon!

Let's do it!

A Mid-Summer Hodgepodge

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your summer so far? Why?
(1=eh and 10=best summer ever)

8 - It's been pleasant. We took a cruise earlier in the year so no prospects yet for a summer vacation. We have had two short weekend trips that were fun family times. The rest of the time we have spent here at home, relaxing at the lake or pool, having grand kids with us, or spending time with friends. I'm good with all that. We've had weekly doctor appointments for DH. I have had time to cook with Blue Apron, work on Bible studies and there have also been some enjoyable rains. So while it hasn't been super exciting, it has been pleasant just enjoying life.

2. July 26th is National Aunts and Uncles Day. Did you have many aunts and uncles growing up? Were you especially close to any one or maybe all of them? Are you an aunt? (or uncle for the men who join here on Wednesdays) Share a favorite memory relating to one of your own aunts or uncles or relating to a niece or nephew who call you Aunt (or Uncle).

I had several aunts and uncles, but only a couple that I feel some closeness to and that was at different stages of my life. We didn't live in the same town as they did, so our visits with them were short and sweet. As a child, I loved going to visit my aunt Opal and my cousins, Charlene and Debbie. Opal made lookalike outfits for Charlene and me. We had fun playing at her house and she was an easy going, easy to laugh person. Easter fell right about the time my brother was born, so Aunt Opal made Easter outfits for my sister and me. I still remember them, how the fabric felt, how they fit, but don't have any photos. They were a pale yellow, lightweight, floral print with gold dusters made of a heavier fabric to wear over them. (Do you remember dusters?) When I was a teen, I felt a closeness to my mother's younger sister, Nancy, because she was only 10 years older than me and it was easier to relate to her as friend. Nancy is my last living aunt and she and her husband recently visited us. 

Charlene and me wearing matching dresses

made by her mom, my Aunt Opal

And I am aunt to two beautiful nieces, Robyn and Jacqueline, and two handsome nephews, Chase and Billy. So proud of each one of them and their unique personalities and accomplishments.

3. What's your favorite food dipped in chocolate? Maybe strawberries. What's your favorite food dipped in cheese? 

Hot, crispy tortilla chips ... if they count as food!

4. When were you last astonished by something? Explain.

Well, in thinking it over, I have to say the recent birth of our great-nephew which I told about here. It was a pretty amazing story. I also recently told the saga of my husband's lost wallet and the miracle of its return to us. That was truly a work of God watching out for us.

5. Surf board, paddle board, ironing board, Pinterest board, score board, clip board, bulletin board...which board have you most recently encountered?

Ironing board. I ironed 3 shirts and my favorite capri pants just last Friday.

6. What's your favorite story from scripture? 

To pick a favorite story from Scripture is almost an impossibility for me because I love the Bible and it's filled with so many stories I can relate to and identify with and learn from. But just for this little question, I will say the story of Hagar in the wilderness when the Angel of the Lord appeared to her. Why that story? Because she, a desperate outcast, a slave, a foreigner, a woman, a mother with no husband, was visited by the pre-incarnate Christ, and she named Him the "God who sees" recognizing that God sees and God cares even for the outcast. God saw me in my time of need and He rescued me. I know He continues to watch over me, no matter how desperate the situation.

7. If you were to travel from the east coast to the west coast in your own country, which five cities would you most want to see?

Williamsburg, Gatlinburg, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My Aunt Nancy was married in 1955 at the age of 16. She made a great choice of a husband and they are still together after all these years. After she married, my sister and I inherited all her 45 records: Elvis, Ricky Nelson, Paul Anka, the Platters! All the early 50's records. We also inherited the 78 record collection from my Aunt Dolly, who was married to my mother's brother, Sonny. Hers were Les Paul and Mary Ford, Patti Page, Glenn Miller and we played those over and over, too. Those were good sounds, but I have no idea whatever happened to all those records. 

Here is one of our favorites!

And Suddenly! Baby Makes Four

Surprise, surprise, surprise! as Gomer Pyle used to say. We all knew our nephew's wife Crystal was expecting any minute, but don't think any of us were expecting it to happen quite the way it did. 

Although baby's due date was July 23, other friends whose due dates fell after hers were "popping" babies out before her and that didn't seem quite fair to her. This past weekend, after a full day of activity and a houseful of family from out-of-town, she was beginning to think it was never going to happen. Of course, everybody was wishing it would happen as they left late Saturday night! 

But suddenly! surprisingly! early Sunday morning around 2 am, she woke husband Billy to let him know the time had come. Just as they were leaving the house, her water broke so they quickly got in the car to get to the hospital ASAP! As Billy was speeding down the interstate she told him to pull over because the baby was coming! He got 911 on the phone for assistance but their instructions were too late because that baby boy wasn't waiting. He shot out like a rocket! Mommy was holding that baby when the paramedics arrived about 20 minutes later to get to work and finish up the job and "deliver them both" to the hospital!

Everybody is happy and doing just fine. Conveniently enough, the visiting Grandparents were close by and called out of a sound sleep to the scene, along with aunt and uncle who had also come for a visit that weekend. What a memorable moment for every one of them!

Proud Dad in the middle with

Papa on the left and Uncle Chase

holding the prize bundle of joy!

And Hunter got to meet her long-awaited baby brother. 

The happiest days are when babies come.

Welcome Lincoln!

"So what if I was a couple of hours later than they said? 

I got here as fast as I could!"

Enough love to go around to everybody!

Linking up with Backyard Neighbor for Blue Monday.

Just thought this was cute.

Saturday 9: Surf City

Surf City (1963)


1) When the song was written, "Surf City" was a fictitious town.* Tell us a song that is set in a real place.

Livin' on Tulsa Time.
2) In the song, Jan and Dean sing about riding around in a 1934 station wagon, which means the car was 29 years old when the song was recorded. How old is your vehicle?

One is 5 years old and the other is 11.
3) Are you good on a surf board? No, the boogie board is fun enough for me. I won't venture too far out in the ocean.

4) When you spend time out in the sun, are you careful about applying sunscreen? No.

5) Dean's original partner was Arnie Ginsburg. When Dean was drafted into the Army, Arnie didn't feel like waiting so he abandoned show business and went back to college. Today he holds several patents. What is something you wish someone would invent? 

We have two Roomba vacuums. I would love it if someone would invent a lawn mower that we could set outside and it would mow all the yard.
6) Jan was a perpetual student who juggled college with recording. He not only graduated from UCLA, he completed two years of medical school at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Have you ever considered going back to school? 

I did go back to school in my early 30's, for a couple of years.
7) In 1966, Jan was sidelined by a serious car accident. During the years that he was unable to perform, partner Dean became a graphic artist. He designed logos and album covers for Steve Martin, Diana Ross and others. Do you feel you respond most to words, pictures, or music?

Probably music which has words. I definitely respond to that.
8) In 1978, CBS made a TV movie about Jan and Dean. If they approached you about a made-for-TV movie of your life, who would you like to play you?

Patricia Heaton - I think she is fun and I also think she gets "real life!"
9) Random question: Growing up, how did you learn about the birds and the bees? (From books/the web, from parents, from your friends...)

Hints from a friend in third grade and then in 5th grade when our moms came with us to school to see "the film" and get a little book. The rest I picked up in junior high school from friends. My Mom and I never really had "the talk."

Pink Saturday

Flowers at Market Street

Brought to you by the skies at our house!

The credits all belong to God!

Doves aren't pink, but they are sweet. The second set of baby doves has now been gently pushed out of the nest and are not only flying, but they spend a lot of time resting on our deck. Wherever they sit, they leave cute little messes. Oh well, they are fun to watch and I have a hose nearby to clean the "poop deck." Although I love watching them fly, I haven't been able to get a good photo of them in their flight.

Here's a sight I bet you've never seen before. 

You may have heard of what is known as a "bread line"

but probably never bread on a line!

We don't eat bread every day, so I store it in the freezer until needed and then put it out in time to thaw before use. One day I promised DH bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for lunch, but I forgot to get the bread out of the freezer. So, I took out a few slices, put them in a zip lock bag, pulled out my retractable clothesline, and hung them out to thaw! It did not take long before the bread was perfect and perfectly fresh for our sandwiches. Hehe! Where there's a will, there's a way.

Friday Foto Friends and Blue Apron Offer

I've been using Blue Apron now for quite some time. If you aren't familiar with it, here is a link explaining it! If you enjoy cooking new recipes, but don't always have the right ingredients at hand, this is a great tool. My DH has been trying and enjoying meals that he would never order in a restaurant. He is strictly a meat and potatoes kind of guy, you know the kind - chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy! But so far, he has eaten everything Blue Apron has sent and actually asks for more!!! Win-win! Every ingredient for the meals is included in the delivery with the exceptions of olive oil, salt and pepper.

They also send step by step instructions.

In writing today about it, my purpose is to say I've used it long enough to be entitled to five free meals for friends. If it is just the two of you, (they also have meals for four, but I'm not sure whether I'm entitled to giveaways for four) or you are alone, you could have some nice leftovers. After looking at their website, you can send me your email and I will add you. I've used one giveaway already, so it would be for the first four (4) who send me their email address. I think the website helps you to discover whether they deliver in your area.

Last night we had an interesting pizza with fresh corn, red and yellow peppers, and kale. 

This is fresh out of the oven and I let the crust

get a little too brown, but it was so delicious.

Leftovers on my Pampered Chef Pizza Stone!

Not very attractive.

Also, I had been looking for some different place mats for our round breakfast table. It is a beautiful table, but we keep it covered with an elasticized plastic cover to protect it since it is used for playing games, coloring, painting, etc. After searching the Internet, I found some on Amazon and put them on my wish list. But the other day, I just happened to see these bamboo place mats in Bed Bath and Beyond and each one was marked down to $1.19. I really don't think you can beat that price. There were also some nice brown napkins to go with them and so, voila, here they are! Good thing I found them because the ones I chose on Amazon are no longer available.

 

Every time DH sits down to eat, he comments on what pretty place mats they are and how much he likes them. Too funny, since always in the past he has complained about place mats on the table!

I'm linking up today with Debbie at Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends - my photos today are crazy kid pics from the past and just because!

I have noticed this summer and think I have mentioned in a previous blog that the skies have been beautifully blue and with lots of puffy clouds. In spite of the heat, the loveliness of the sky just makes me feel happy.

Happy Weekend!