Tuesday, June 30, 2009

TOMORROW'S A NEW BEGINNING...


Above are my children Adam and Suzanne. Adam by birth, and Suzanne by love. They have travelled to Birmingham today.

Tomorrow, Adam will have the second of 3 surgeries that will give him the vision he so desperately wants and needs. After Alex had such miraculous results, Adam went to see the same doctor. As it turns out, Adam's eyesight is worse than Alex's. The difference has been that the doctors could correct Adam's vision to an acceptable level with the use of hard contacts and glasses. Alex's eyes would not correct due to certain damage in the optic nerve that was caused by his disease. That is why he still has the double vision and the nystagmus...it is coming from the brain and not the eye. But, back to Adam...he will have the same lens implants that Alex had...but will still need to wear his contacts for 2 months afterwards. Then the doctor will perform a 3rd surgery...and Lord willing...his vision will require no glasses, contacts, or more surgery. Plans are for it to be near perfect!

To God Be The Glory! We are seeing miracles in all 3 of our children this summer! That is amazing and wonderful and fantastic and all due to our Loving Father!
"Every good and perfect gift comes from God."

So, we ask for your prayers in the morning about 9:00. The process will take about 2 hours. God is good and He is able. Thanks be to Him for His Blessings!

Monday, June 29, 2009

BEACH DECOR

It is so hot here...just stifling... 104 tomorrow! I cool off in the pool, but this kind of weather makes me think of the beach. I have collected quite a few 'beachy' pictures, and want to share some of them with you. Hope these send a few cool breezes your way!

Aren't these colors refreshing? They just make you feel cooler by looking at them! Maybe it's because they remind me of sherbert colors!!!

Here's a neat way to show off those shells you collected on the beach...perfect displayed on this bold shade of aqua!

What a great collection of vintage sand pails! And what a fun way to display them! Add in a chippy chair, and you have a lovely setting!

What a wonderful room! I love the splash of color the orange pillows make against the white sofas. Outside or inside? Both are very enticing!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

AROUND THE POOL WITH A CAMERA

Through the screen...toward the pool...

Pretty flowers....

Twig balls...

Curly willow...

Outside fireplace mantle...

Birdhouse and greenery around porch light...

Metal flowers...

Rusty birdhouse...

Big boat...little boat...

Where I was 5 minutes ago...

Where I'll be 5 minutes from now...

Friday, June 26, 2009

STEP BACK IN TIME

Oh! My! How time does fly! Found these while going through some old pics today. I thought my boys may get a kick out of seeing how their parents looked when they were seniors in high school. Don was a Senior in 1969, and I was a Senior in 1971. The picture of us together was made in 1970.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

FUN AND 'FOTOS' ON FATHER'S DAY

Sunday was a wonderful day. It was almost perfect. The only thing that was missing was 2 of my boys. Alex was too sick to leave home, and Ian was tied up with things in Birmingham. BUT, the rest of the family was together, and it has been a while since that has happened.

Mom fixed lunch for us: Chicken, Dressing, gravy, peas, steamed cabbage, fresh corn, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole (with crunchy goodness on top),and fresh squash. Joy made an angel food cake with fresh strawberries, and blueberries, and whipped cream. Heavenly...just heavenly!

It has been over a year since Mom has been able to have us all over to her house for a meal. This is something she loves to do. And, being the good family that we are...we are happy to enjoy the fruits of her labors. :) This is just one of the ways Mom shows her love for us. She so enjoys setting a pretty table, and fixing the foods that we all like. She loves to have us all together at her house. She told me on Monday, what a blessing it was for her to sit in the dining room and hear her grandchildren laughing and talking and being silly in the kitchen. Three married couples now...Adam and Suzanne, Tara and Will (expecting the first great grandchild), And Lori and Ben (newlyweds). Truly, this was such a sweet family time for us, and something we have all missed. Mom has had several bouts of illness that have taken a lot out of her. But, we thank God she is feeling better. Nothing else feels right when your Mama is sick...no matter how old you are.



Here are the 4 of us..laughing and enjoying being together.

Remember the post I did about Pop on Father's Day? Well, I put all of those pics and messages into a book for him...he loved it!

Brother-in-law, Tommy, with his 2 girls...Lori and Tara.


This is our sweet Uncle Allison, with Joy and I. We are just standing in for his daughters Jan, and Jolene.

Suzanne, ready to enjoy a spoonful of that yummy whipped cream!

And, a very sassy shoe, along with orange toe nails, on Lori...cute!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

HOW DO YOU 'TOTE' IT?

Because my thoughts are on staying cool...and only on staying cool, I find myself lying down, and flipping through magazines quite a bit the past few days. Now, I do love me some magazines. However, I let all of my subscriptions lapse before we moved, and have not renewed any...but soon.

ANYWAY, as I was perusing one of my fav magazines today, I caught a glimpse of this bag...
cute, isn't it? Well, NOT IF YOU HAVE PLANS TO EAT FOR A MONTH!!! This crazy thing, by Anya Hindmarch is $625.00. Yes, I said...SIX HUNDRED and twenty five dollars! I 'bout stroked. Now, I know this is a 'fancy-nancy' brand, with prices to match...AND...I have occasionally..maybe once or twice...paid too much for a 'designer' bag. BUT, not a straw tote to schlep to the beach and pool. Not a bag to have my Diet Dr. Pepper turn over in. Not a bag where the top falls off the sunscreen and coconut scented lotion oozes out of the straw bottom. Not a bag where the sand gets stuck in all of the above and will not let go. NO, just NO!

So, I set out on a mission to find a more suitably priced tote. I stuck to those fashioned out of straw, so the comparison would be fair.

Here's the first one I found. It's by a company called French Basketeer, and sells for $69.00. Now if you ask me...this is still too steep a price for a beach bag. But, I do like how you can draw the top closed to hold your belongings inside.


Now, this is from that store we all know so well...G*P. I really like this tote, and of the 4, it's my fav. I really like the shape.The price for this one is $35. Reasonable, I think.


And, lastly, this one from Beall's comes in several different color combinations, and sells for $10.00...regularly $20.00. I've seen many variations of this bag at every discount store around, and while it is serviceable, to me it just looks cheap.


Since we are well into June now, I would imagine that you have already bought a tote for this year. But, that wasn't the purpose of this post, anyway. The purpose is to point out that everything can be found in a price that is reasonable for you. All these totes are nice to look at, and will carry out their intended function. So, it is with most consumer goods. We can find a nice looking pair of jeans for $200.00, $80.00, or $ 19.99. Or take a couch, for instance...$2000.00, $1200.00, or $400.00.

The next question, then, is the quality. Now that $625 tote will last forever. But, will you tire of it before then? I sure would! I'd much rather have that Gap bag and discard it when it comes unravelled...and get a new one. The jeans...you pay for good quality here. That $200 pair is going to offer the best fit and the best quality denim. But, if you are only going to wear them to work in the yard or to ride your 4 wheeler...go for the cheapest! As for the couch...since I am still in the process of furnishing The Creek House, well...let's just say...I have a little problem being objective about this...at the moment...but I am sure I will get much better...as soon as the furnishing are all purchased! :)

With the economy such as it is at the present, we all have to make our dollars buy the most that they can. Just a little shopping around can yield you a good buy, with money left over. And, while some of us enjoy shopping around and looking from store to store...some of you despise it. Though I don't understand that, I know it is a fact. So, there's the internet, and even the flyers in the newspaper. One of the things I have started doing when I shop is trying the store brands at the grocery store and for over-the-counter drugs. Most of these have the same taste and quality as the name brands...and I will be the first to admit that I have been a bit of a 'name-brand snob'. I am trying to do better. But, I refuse to change from Kraft Mayo! :)

I leave you with this 'funny'........

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

A NEW PURSE

What do you think of this beauty?

As much as I love having a new purse to carry...I just don't think I could carry this one! But, it would look perfect in my house! I just don't think I feel like dropping $200.00 for it, though!
This beautiful succulent garden is from Smith and Hawken (naturally) and is supposed to last for years...just soak it in water once a month.

Monday, June 22, 2009

VARIATIONS ON A THEME...

Have you seen these posters popping up all over the internet? They are everywhere!
Here's the story...


This is the one you see everywhere...the modern day version...

Of course, most people can't leave well enough alone...and they try to change it up. So...

The design is being seen on many different objects...I'd buy this one...

A Mom must have designed this one...

Here's one I follow...daily...

This one was designed during the swine flu epidemic...

For those of us who are crafters at heart...

A nice cup of hot tea would be calming...but I prefer mine iced with lemon...and sweet...

Have a cupcake with your tea...yummy...

Even an inspirational directive...good to remember...

Here's one for the 'rockers' among us...

And...after all is said and done...

Sunday, June 21, 2009

HE'S THE MAN !

This is my Pop, my Daddy, my Father...Papa to his grandkids...
I think there are many facets to us all, and this is true with my Pop. He is many different things, and the sum of the parts makes a very special total....
So, here are some of the men he has been and still is...

The Navy Man...Phillipines

The Motorcycle Man...#1...

The Dapper Driving Man...

The Loving Man...

The Handsome Man...

The Fishing Man...

The Racing Man...

The Sandy Man...1954...(with me and Mom)

The Motorcycle Man...#2...

The Travelling Man

The Flat Top Man...

The Family Man...1962...

The Little Ladies Man...

The Teaching Man...(with Adam)...

The Business Man...

The Friendly Man...

The Visiting Man...

The Family Man...2008...

The Godly Man...

************************************************************
Pop, you are all these things and more! Let it be a warm blanket of sweet blessings to know that you are loved today by Ella, Tonja, Joy, Don, Adam, Suzanne, Alex, Ian, Tommy, Tara, Will, Lori, Ben...along with too many others to count. You lead us, you inspire us, you love us. We are blessed beyond measure.

Happy Father's Day...2009