2015 resolutions

Yikes!  I better write down my 2015 resolutions before I get too far into the New Year!

My sweet mama would be 90 this year so to honor her I have set the goal of writing 90 letters and reading 90 books.  Those were two things she loved to do.

I would like to take 24 meals to folks this year.

I plan to have 12 gatherings at my house.  I have realized that I am neater and pitch more stuff out if I have folks over so here we go!

I hope to pray for each person on my church directory and each person on my Christmas card list twice this year.  

I hope to finish several counted cross stitch projects.  I also hope to not buy anymore until these are finished!

Scrapbook 2014 and 2015 plus finish John and Marisa's wedding album- they got married in 2010 :o

Memorize Colossians 3 and say it to my sister in law, Frances and my friend, Sue.

I hope to love those that God has given me with great intentionality.  

Stop seeking approval of others.

Consider the Lilies and not worry.

Look for acts of HESED.  I just read Pied Piper by Nevil Shute and this is a beautiful picture of it.

I love seeing your resolutions!!!!

Last post from CHRISTMAS 2014.

This is my last post about our wonderful Christmas holiday.  We were on gone for the 12 days of Christmas.  It was such a blessings to see some much family.  I would even note that 2014 was a year of family because we saw some many several times.


Meanwhile, back at the ranch so to speak- It is great being in Atlanta because my brothers and their wives could often join us when we took a field trip. They joined us at Yeah! Burger. I had a hot dog!!! I know you are thinking What the What, it's Yeah burger. It was yummy!

After lunch we headed to IKEA. This was my maiden visit ! What an interesting place. For those who have never been, there is a path that you follow that leads you and 10,000 of your closest friends through every department. We were looking for a crib and dresser. At one point we had retrace our steps. I felt like one of those salmon swimming upstream!

As I look at all this grey hair on these three people, I am stunned. Here I am with my brothers and it seems like yesterday we were all at home with our dad and mama. We are seated in the bedding section at IKEA as we wait for baby bed decisions to be made.  

Here is the warehouse side of IKEA where you pick up your items. Andrew said that putting them together is like putting Lego together.

This cool tree grows outside of Andrew&Taylor's house.   Some sort of evergreen.  I'll have to get my tree book out!

We ate supper at Seasons 52. Charles and Frances enjoy eating here. It was very good!!!! Here is the dessert tray. I got some kind of chocolate yumminess.

We went to church on Sunday morning with Andrew and Taylor.

Taylor and I had to powder our noses and this is what I saw when I came out. Twins???

Holman and Finch was our lunch destination. Andrew ordered for us all. Here is our appetizer - deviled eggs three ways with bread and butter pickles , with japalino and with ham. So good!!!

Main course was wonderful burgers and fries. The wait for a table was 45 minutes. We sat in the bar. When we left the wait for the bar was also 45 minutes!  We kissed Mr Precious' parents goodbye and headed back to AR.

We saw a beautiful moon as we drove into LR on Monday morning. I thought we'd have the road to ourselves but lots of folks joined us.

 I would love to have all my children right down the street from me but I am enjoying all the new places to eat and shop and visit as they live in new places. Great CHRISTMAS 2014!!

Papa do list and food and fun

While we were in Atlanta I got to go to the doctor with Andrew and Taylor.  I got to hear Mr Precious' heartbeat.  I just cried.

We went to a Jerusalem bakery and had lunch one day.  Here is our humus and falafel.  I had a chicken shawarma wrap.  It was all really good.  What is so funny about us eating here is that Andrew picked it out and when he was growing up he was the pickiest eater know to man.  He ate a hamburger wherever we went and now he loves to eat all manner of food.  Sometimes I have to say to him that I need to eat something normal!!!!  My how our roles have changed.

High on Carl's list was painting two room.

This room required three coats of primer plus a few holes filled in too.

This is the largest cookie sheet I have ever seen.  The previous owners left it with the house because it fits in the stove.

More priming

and still more

Here is one of Andrew's top 3 desserts.  We celebrated New Year's Eve here.

Here is my artistic photo for Kaitlin of their back deck.

We watched lots of football.

We played Phase 10.  I hope we can get this game soon.  I loved it.  I was winning when we stopped.      

To Dallas and Chamblee and beyond!

My brother, John and his wife, Elaine, had the biggest CHRISTMAS tree this year. I loved seeing all their ornaments especially the ones from our tree when we were growing up.

Mr Wonderful missed us so we facetimed!

Elaine loves Mindy's art! Mindy is the artist that Kaitlin works for. Mindy and Elaine share a love of all things Disney!

Carl and I went to church with John and Elaine.

A selfie sitting on a bench at Perimeter Mall.

We had a fun supper with both my brothers and Andrew and Taylor. Here is our group. We had Christmas with them at Andrew and Taylor's.

A&T have a neat basement with a great area to exercise.  They exercised every morning.  I was impressed!

This is their backyard.  I just loved it.  I think Mr Precious will have a glorious time out there running.  I enjoyed watching all the birds.

Christmas 2014 Part II

What you do in a motel when you didn't have a long nap and your grandparents are in charge!  Mr Wonderful wanted me to get on the cart. It was a fun ride up the hallway.

My nephew, William, with his beautiful daughter. Isn't she the cutest CHRISTMAS present ever!?!

Miss Adorable had some wonderful babysitters.

She loves her cousins!

I love the calm that is Great-Grandmother with all the seeming confusion behind her.

Tatum and her new doll rode with us to breakfast the following morning. We went to Dawn's Diner.

This is Tatum's plate. She got fried bologna with a biscuit and chocolate gravy! I got scrambled eggs, bacon and biscuit with chocolate gravy!! Yum yum.

Can you have dessert for breakfast ??? We did! This is a fried biscuit smothered in butter and honey. It was wonderful. After this yummy breakfast we headed to Atlanta. Thank you Ted and Tina for hosting this get together!!

Christmas in Arab

cousins and aunts and a sweet niece

 A few days before Christmas we got a text asking us to join lots of family in Arab, Alabama on December 26.  It took us about 2 minutes to formulate a plan of opening our presents early so we could leave on the 25.  We all enjoyed our mid day meal on the 25 at the Huddle House in Corinth, MS- that was the only place open and let me say they were doing a booming business and they were happy to serve us!

We made it to Ted and Tina's about 11am on the 26 after a fun night in a motel.  There were 31 of us for lunch.  We all brought sides or desserts and Ted and Tina had the rest.

I am blest with some great sisters in law.  I feel like I have been to a wonderful conference when we are together.  We talk about a millions subjects and never finish our discussion but I am always ready to continue the next time we are together.

Mrs. Monroe and Mrs Monroe and Mrs Monroe and Mrs Monroe

 Here are some of the menfolk sharing a laugh.

 This picture is one of the things I love about a big family- all the love.  Carl is holding his great niece, Miss Darling and Tina is holding her great niece, Miss Adorable.  These girls are two weeks apart in age.  I am hoping they will be best buds one day.

 Lots of visiting

 The whole group minus Mr Wonderful who was asleep

 5 of the 6 siblings were here.

 We got grandma in this picture.

I tried to get lots of family groups.

 This group looks up to no good

 This group really looks up to no good.

 Three of my favorite boys!  Mr Wonderful woke up and we got him in a few pictures.

We had a great time.  We are blest with a wonderful family.  I am looking forward to our next time together.