Tis the Season

Me

 In the hallway at work just down from my office area they have these signs set up for a photo shoot. Us girls took advantage.

Ashley

Cassie

Me and Samara

 I know we're silly but we try to have fun when we can.

 And Ms Sophie got to go see Santa.  Lillie didn't make it but it's okay Santa knows what she wants. LOL I only have granddog to brag about well other than the daughter and the furry daughter.


Christmas this year is a tad different due to an unexpected bittersweet trip to Missouri. Long and short of it my Dad was taken off the trial drugs for his cancer that has come back in the form of tumors this time because the drugs weren't helping. No other form of treatment available and the one that was offered my Dad refused. He preferred quality of life over longevity which even that wasn't promised . My heart and my sister's along with all the grand-kids are breaking but it's a choice only Dad could make. They have given him 3 months.
When they went to the oncologist my 10 year nephew insisted that he was going too. He has been my Dad's constant companion since this journey began. Well actually since he was old enough to walk. 
So Josiah was there for the verdict.  This is what Jerri Lynn wrote " His eyes tearful with his small hand resting over grandpa's. I watched him pat his hand and then say "well, grandpa we have a lot to do since we don't have much time". He then turned to me and said "mom, I will be spending all my time with grandpa. Will you let the school know I might have to miss sometimes?" Looking back at grandpa he said "grandpa, I'm going to hold your hand until I can't anymore and then you can hold grandma's". How in the world can a 10 year old be so wise" I second that. How can a 10 year old be so wise.  Say a prayer for the family. 
So no tree, no decorations, no stockings, no elf on a shelf and no Christmas cards. Poor David isn't able to get off work due to a project he's on so he'll be caring for Sophie and Lilley and celebrating Christmas and his birthday with his siblings and family here.

Drying my tears now. They come at odd times and without much warning.  Okay I'm done. On to happier thoughts.

We went to the Farm and this time Lilley got to come. She was such a good girl.  Her favorite place was to lay in the door way of the Mini Mansion. She did get down and snoop around some. 

The wind was blowing pretty good and blew her fur around. She's such a pretty girl

She's her furless Dad's constant companion as a general rule. She did great at the farm and stayed close by and minded when told to stay back.

While at the farm we got David's huge heavy tool chest out of the truck and set up. And we got a bed set up in the Mini Mansion. 
Gotta Love Craigslist. Chest of drawers, mattress, box springs, night stand, quilt, shams, and dust ruffle came off craigslist. Oh and the bed frame, head and foot board. David plans on maybe going up over Christmas weekend and start planning out the electrical part of it.  It's coming together slowly but with David at the helm it will all come out right and looking good.

We now have another official RN in the family. My niece Shelby in Missouri graduated from nursing school. Her mom wouldn't have missed today for nothing. Just 9 days earlier she had a radical mastectomy. She had been diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer just a week prior. Nancy has her own journey to follow but she seems to be in good spirits and having a good recovery. She definitely couldn't be happier for her daughter.
I went up to visit mom knowing that I wouldn't be seeing her until after Christmas. She was looking and feeling pretty good. 
Was able to capture this picture of her and Lola right before I left.

Want to share this picture of my co-workers daughter who I have just as many pictures of her as I do my own daughter. Okay maybe not as many but I have quite a few.  You know the bad rap that pit pulls get..... 
Well here you go. Aria is using Molly the pit bull as a chair while playing with her Nana's tablet.  Poor Molly. These dogs are only mean if bred that way. This pup was raised in a loving family and now as a cushion for Aria.

Yep this post was a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Up down and all around.

Probably won't get to post until after Christmas so I hope everyone in Blogland, family and friends have a blessed Christmas.

Until next post...."The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."

Rockin K Farm time

We took 3 big crepe myrtles up to Pamela's house that she's going to get planted.  Pamela and David placed them in the back yard and then mapped out a flower bed along the back fence line. She's all excited about a little bit of landscaping going in. She goes "This makes it feel like a real home now".
Her yard guy will be out sometime soon to prep the flower bed and plant the crepe myrtles.
Next she wants a tree in the middle of her yard to provide some shade in time. Plus a little more landscaping in the front.

After finishing up at her place we headed on up to the Rockin K Farm with 5 of our own trees. Four weeping willows to put down by the pond and one Red maple to put behind the Mini Mansion to block the west sun that beats on the back wall. Of course we'll have to wait for it to grow up to do that.  David got all 5 trees planted. He works like crazy and crashes at the end of the day.

Beside trees we also delivered a head board, mattress, a small dresser and night stand. I think they'll look great in the Mini Mansion. We still need to get the bed rails to set things up but at least a real bed will be more comfortable than a cot. I think David found some rails and will be getting them this week sometime.  Gotta love craigslist.com. It's all coming together slowly.
Before we can insulate David has to determine where all he needs to run wiring for the electrical part and we have to get a septic and plumber our for the plumbing.  All the insulation is now stacked up in Pamela's old room back at the house. It was on sale so we didn't wait to buy. Didn't want to put it in the garage to collect bugs and we didn't want to put it in the mini mansion to just sit in the way when working on the wiring. 
Pamela and I took a sight seeing ride on the 4 wheeler down the road.  Check out the red oak behind us.  

Here's a bigger picture of the tree. Fall has definitely reached the farm.

David went up to the farm one week later and no leaves were left on the oak tree but now the crepe myrtles were a vivid red.  












We meet a neighbor as we pulled out of the driveway. I'm not sure if she's friendly or not. Or maybe she was checking out these two crazy women on a 4 wheeler taking her picture. She's purdy 

Well actually we met 2. I think this one is telling us Welcome to the neighborhood.  She's purdy too.
We drove down to the far end of the loop. That last stretch of road out to hwy 79 is totally covered by the trees. The pictures don't do it justice.  Last year when David and I drove down that section the leaves were falling from the trees like snow. It was really pretty. I was hoping we could capture that same scene but nope not yet. There's just something about this section of road. This end of the road doesn't have much gravel on it so when it rains it's a muddy mess.. 
The west end of the loop has quite a bit of gravel down so it's easier to navigate if it's been raining plus it's closest to the farm.

End of our little adventure. We went back to the farm to feed the cats catfish. 
The minute they hear the 4 wheeler you can see their wake as the come a running. Swimming in this case. 
We counted 15 fish and we didn't make it to the back side of the pond because it was too wet. There's at least 10 over there plus we have now been seeing several perch.

Pamela has her first warranty issue with house. We had some pretty hard rain recently and thank goodness Pamela was off this day because ..... This is what she saw going to the patio door...

Crazy. Now we realize that's why her rug was so wet during the big rain the time before this. We thought it was because the water was splashing when we opened the door to get Sophie and Lilley to go potty but I'm guessing it was this leak and we just didn't notice it. 

Sophie is scoping out which present she wants after her grooming.  Oh the choices. 

And of course she gets her Christmas picture taken.  I'm gonna have to find a place like this for Lilley.


That's it for now...Until next blog..."The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."

December Already

December is here and I'm not even ready for Christmas. I've got two weekends to get gifts bought and wrapped. I've kinda lost the holiday spirit right now but again I choose Happy so I will pick myself up and dust off the britches. The family could use some prayers....My Dad's cancer has returned. We'll learn more about his options if there are any, on Friday the 11th. He's been on a trial drug for the last couple of months but it's not stopping the tumors from growing. They have doubled in size in the last couple of months. My oldest sister was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer a couple of weeks ago and is having a radical mastectomy on Tuesday the 9th.  
Now the one blessing on the 9th is my niece in Missouri will be giving birth to her and my nephew's 1st baby. It's a boy but no name has been released yet. My nephew told me that Melissa had sworn him to secrecy. 

This past Friday Pamela came home to go to a friends to help celebrate her baby boy's first birthday and give him his quilt I had just completed.
Westin is an Aggie in the making. Quilting was done by my friend Donna @ Donna's Lavender Nest. She's got a deal going now that after she quilts 7 quilts your 8th quilt will be 50% off.  
Can't argue with that and her turn around times are very reasonably. I trust her completely with my quilts. I'm not sure Westin cares about a quilt but Madison(dog) and Mom Heather approve.
I hope he gets plenty of use out of it over the years.
I was hoping to share another completion but I guess I have to wait until it gets to the intended recipient in Dallas.
Man I don't know what it is with these girls.  LOL
They are all having babies at the same time which is making it had to get quilts done fast enough especially for me. I mean I'm getting better but ......
This quilt was made for Westin's birthday so I'm on time with this one. And if I get the quilt on my sewing table in the mail it might make it to Baby Ellis James before he makes his grand entrance. 

But this little cutie has to wait. Meet Thomas Allen O'Brien, he made his appearance on the 16th of November. Pamela has gone to visit a couple of times now to give hugs and snuggles with this little guy.  
His quilt is in progress right now. His Mommy is Pamela's long time friend from elementary school. Thomas doesn't know it yet but he's got a couple of great parents.
Then there's my nephew and niece who's having a baby on the 9th. This little Boy will have to wait on his quilt. I'm slow but he'll get one. I've already got it cut out but have to put it together. I did show Mommy to Be a sneak peek at a piece of fabric. Melissa got a peek at the colors but just a peek. It didn't give away the look or design of what the quilt will look like when complete. 


This Saturday Pamela and I headed up to see my mom and get her out of the house. We talked, laughed, ate lunch and did just a little shopping and then we laughed and talked some more. A few pictures from the day

 It was a good day.




Until next blog....A baby is cuddles and tickles on toes, the sweet scent of powder, a kiss on the nose

Busy times and time for Thanksgiving

It's been a busy time. A week ago Friday I headed up to Bryan to help Pamela with yet another baby shower. I hope she doesn't drink the water. 

This young lady was Pamela's roommate in nursing school and friend. Pamela came up with a cute idea for a guest book. She made a page with a whale and hearts for the guests to sign in on and she framed the invite and wrote on the glass.

Pamela also made Spenser a wreath for the baby.  Spenser texted Pamela a picture of a wreath that a patient had on her hospital room door and told Pamela "This is the one I want" so Pamela wanted to please and she made Baby Ellis his special nautical wreath. She did a great job! 

The only hang up was that the skein of yarn was all tangled up. It took the two of us and almost 3 hours to get it wrapped in yarn but it turned out really cute.  

Spenser got a little baby practice with another fellow nurse's baby. She looks very natural holding a baby. 

These girls studied together and played together during nursing school.

Amanda Hostess, Spenser Mom to Be, Heather Hostess and Pamela Hostess @ Pamela's home.
The shower turned out great. They had plenty of food and everything was decorated just right.






Then back in Houston Pamela went to visit her Elementary school friend Marlaina and her new baby boy Thomas who was a week old.


Tuesday and Wednesday was full of doctors appointments, hair appointments and a little Christmas shopping. Busy busy.

Thanksgiving dinner was at Glenda's (David's sister) this year but David's brother Gary took his family to Garner State Park to camp with some of the old neighborhood friends. They were missed. I heard they came back early due to weather but I'm sure they had plenty of fun.

Here's Glenda with her boys. Hate to tell Glenda but she's short up against these guys even with her heels. LOL. I tell ya I have the best looking nephews in Texas and Missouri.

Cousins


Then here's me and Pamela. I sporting my new hair color and cut Thanks to Brittany.

and Pamela and her Dad. 
We should have taken a picture of all 3 of us but that didn't happen. 
Maybe this coming weekend we can get a family picture taken. 

Obviously we had fun taking pictures I just forgot to get one of Glenda's beautiful table setting and the yummy food.

I was off my game of taking pictures. I mean my Mom and Joe had been there and I didn't even get a picture with them.
Pamela headed back home on Friday. She had to work the next 2 days. I spent these couple of days getting my desk area set back up in Pamela's old room. Now to get my sewing room picked back up. My Thanksgiving was very nice. I give Thanks for my family and my friends. I give Thanks for my Dad's continued fight that he seems to be gaining on. I give Thanks for Mother who seems to be better. I give Thanks to my co-workers and Boss who are there for me and I them. I give Thanks to Life and happiness.
I got 2 quilt tops back from my fabulous quilter Donna at Donna's Lavender Nest that I need to get the binding this week. I'll get pictures after I'm done to share.
To end the blog and the month..here's my fur baby. While I type my blog she came in and rooted around on Dexter's old bed and

made herself at home for the first time. Normally the little princess is on the couch or in my recliner. LOL 
She had a big Thanksgiving playing hard with her baby girl Sophie (Pamela's dog)

Until next blog...A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. ~Ogden Nash