Pride Goeth Before A Fall!

As if this saying couldn't be true enough...pride definitely goeth before a fall...we just hope that it doesn't happen in front of others!

Ever since the girls were itty-bitty and ready to have some fun... whenever we have taken them to Sams, we'd put one girl in the back of the buggy, another in the floppy seat (man, I miss those days!), and one girl in the stroller. And as soon as the girls were old enough, they'd say, "Faster, momma/daddy, faster!" And off we'd go in a race to see who could go through the entrance doors faster...the grocery buggy or the stroller?!?

Now as the girls are older, we're still occasionally seen racing to see who can make it inside the store the first....often it's a mad dash at the last second. Yesterday went no differently!

Being the day before a holiday, the parking lot at Sams was JAM-packed! So once we found an appropriate (first!) parking spot, we unloaded the car and proceeded to walk through the mass of people going/coming! Ricci, Cricket, and Lovey were walking ahead while AngelWings and I closely followed...racing never crossing any of our minds, for I'm telling you...I've never seen so many people at Sams! Then I noticed that every couple of seconds, Lovey would look back at us and smile...I just thought she was sweetly keeping up with knowing that we were still there. Then as we got closer and closer to the entrance doors, her grin grew larger...and I knew what she was up to. So I whispered to AngelWings, "Come'on...let's beat 'em!" And off we went trying to make our mad dash around them...not even being respectful of the others also trying to enter Sams...yes, we may have taken out an unsuspecting elderly person or two, but I tell ya...the adrenaline over-took every heart-beat or care! And then there we all were...entering the store all shoulder to shoulder...neck and neck, if you will. Who was going to be able to proudly say that they were the winner?!? So with one last stride, I made it a little longer than I should have....and came down on my bum foot! OH! We were all laughing so hard and giggling with glee that it didn't appear to others that there was anything wrong...they just saw a family that was enjoying being together...hopefully! (Or just an odd grouping of ages that don't know how to act in public!) Then I tried to step out of the way of the entrance door, and there was absolutely no way that I could bear ANY weight at all on my right foot! Oh, the pain was unbearable!

In the midst of the laughter and crying (although it was painful, it still was very funny!), I just couldn't take a single step...although Ricci and the fella at the entrance kept nodding their heads toward the automatic wheelchair seats with buggies...um, no thank you! I didn't want to draw any more attention to myself than I already had! And I was very thankful that no one else had been hurt in any way as our family rudely careened into the already opened doors!

So after deciding that we'd abandon all other errands and just go on home (versus the emergency room), Ricci went to get the car and pulled it as close to the building as possible, and with his help I somehow managed to get into the car. So we all just went back home, and oh...the pain, and oh...how anxious I was...we had friends' coming over to celebrate Independence Day with us the next day! We still had sooo much to do...there was still a house and yard to be readied, food to be prepared, fun party favors to create, and oh-yeah...packing for our upcoming trip! (Of course, the first thing that anyone said to me, "Oh...that's your driving foot!") I was/am fearful that God has other plans!

Once we got home, Ricci helped me upstairs...I couldn't bear ANY weight at all on my right foot, and he and the girls immediately got me set up with ice and lots of ibuprofen. I love you all so much for all of your help! (Cricket has even provided me a bell in the event that no one is upstairs with me and I need something...too precious! I like it!)

Today...I can bear 'some' weight on the front part of my foot, so I just sit here while I keep ice on my heel and field questions from my precious lovies as they are generously preparing for our party this afternoon and also being sure to attend to my every whims. I am in such awe of everyone's pulling together! The good thing in this is that those coming over this evening to celebrate with us are some of our closest friends...more like family...so all will work out, Lord-willingly!

So today is our great country's 233rd birthday! 233 years! So many things have taken place in 233 years! In some way that seems like a very long time, but in light of other countries and their heritage, it doesn't seem like much time at all! Either way, I'm so very grateful for what we do have! And I do remember that our freedom isn't free; we must all do our parts (simple or large) to declare and protect our independence. I do pray that we all enjoy this holiday and are able to celebrate the rich heritage with which our great United States has been blessed!

I pray for our great country and those that serve and lead it.
Blessings on each of you this Independence Day!

Happy 233rd Birthday, America!

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
~ the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America ~

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

-John Hancock

A Memorable May!

Whew...is it already the end of May?!? It's really hard for me to believe that May is almost over...which has had a lot goin' on!

We "wrapped up" our school year this past week; so we are thoroughly enjoying this week without having many commitments. {Hence...time to catch up on my blog...woohoo!}

Of course, this past weekend was a holiday weekend, and we successfully squeezed out every memorable inch out of it! And now it's Wednesday, and we're already closing in on next weekend when Daddy doesn't have to go to work every day! So now I look back and wonder where the heck May went! I still can't account for every day, but there were some pretty memorable days in it!

At the beginning of this month, I began (once again) Weight Watchers, and I'm so thankful for the great group of gals that are in it with me...it does make it more enjoyable! I think it's what works the best for me...I enjoy the monotony of writing things down (give me a checklist, and I'm all over it!), and the girls enjoy helping me track the calories, fiber and fat grams. I did really well on it after I had Cricket, so we'll see how I do on it this go-round! So after I attended my first WW meeting and took Cricket to soccer, we ran out to get last minute things for our cinco de mayo party...and stayed out way too late, for the next morning was the Belk Sale benefiting Bethany! And of course I didn't have time to sell as many tickets as I had planned on selling, sooo...I guess that meant I had to spend them, oh well...shopping for charity!

For those that know me, they know that I am NOT a morning person...but tell me that there's a sale that will end at 10 AM, and somehow I can muster up the strength to become a morning person! Oh my word...next year, I'm going to really push this sale! It's a great fundraiser! Bethany was able to sell tickets to Belk for $5, and Bethany was able to keep the profits! The tickets got one in the doors early at Belk and I'm telling you....everything was marked down drastically! It was like I was living a dream! You know...the dream where everything is marked down and you can grab what you can before the time runs out! The stores were so quiet (with the exception of cash registers' ringing and people hollering over sales!), and there were coffee stations with Krispy Kreme donuts (I did well, WW friends!) I'm telling you it was a dream! We bought a couple of little Ralph Lauren dresses for Cricket and Lovey (they're Lovey's favorite, and I'm pretty sure that they were only $10!), a RL shirt for AngelWings ($10), an MP4 player for $17, Ricci bought me some more Estee Lauder pleasures for Mother's Day (thank you, Ricci!), and I can't remember what other things we bought...I'm telling you...great sales all throughout the store; then they started to take the magic signs down when they opened up the doors to the public!

One thing that I've learned...being on the board of directors for Bethany means...fundraising! Previously, I didn't really know that 1/2 of Bethany's funds come from donations, and the other 1/2 comes from adoptions. There is no charge to the moms that come through and receive counseling and then choose to use another means of adoption. So this next year's sale, I'm going to come and get you gals to purchase these tickets and put on your shopping shoes...cause we're hitting the Belk stores early! In the name of charity!!!

Yes, I began WW just in time for our 4th annual cinco de mayo party...oh well! And for some reason, I didn't seem to get the camera out as often as I usually do, but here are a few pics of some of our closest loved ones that celebrated the special day with us.

As our tradition, I served the usual: Alals' chicken-spinach enchiladas, black beans with lime, Spanish rice (I ran out of time and fudged on this one with a semi-homemade version...if anyone has a good recipe for Spanish rice, I'd love it if you share it with me!), and for the first time I served a new appetizer, Black Bean Tartlets, that I thought was really yummy. Try it...I'm sure you'll love it too!

Black Bean Tartlets
Yields: 32 appetizers

Garnishes: sour cream, fresh cilantro

Ingredients for the tartlets:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons ice water

Combine first 8 ingredients in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add egg and ice water; process just until the mixture forms a ball.
Divide dough in half; shape each half of dough into 16 (1") balls. Press balls into lightly greased miniature (1 3/4") muffin pans, pressing evenly into bottom and up sides.
Bake tartlet shells at 450° for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove shells to wire racks, and cool completely.

Ingredients for the Black Bean Salsa:

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet yellow pepper
1 plum tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, tossing well. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

Spoon 1 tablespoon Black Bean Salsa into each tartlet shell; garnish, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

I found this recipe in the Christmas with Southern Living 2000

We served mango tea with fruit for the kids, sangria and a selection of Mexican beer for the mamas and the papas, and for dessert we once again served vanilla ice cream with your choice of toppings (toasted coconut, chocolate sauce, and Uncle Charles' roasted Spanish peanuts...thanks, Uncle Charles!) Of course, we were having such a great time that I didn't even start the waiting coffee...we were with such close friends and family that it was a very relaxed evening; it was wonderful!

Thankfully, God doesn't give us more than we can handle; the rest of that week I spent recovering from a ruptured ovarian cyst; Ricci took a day off of work to allow me to rest (there's not much more one can do but keep still and just rest...ahhh...that part's nice!), and he helped the girls with some of their schoolwork. There's nothing like knowing that you're in the home stretch...summer's awaiting around the corner!

Later that week, we celebrated 58th National Day of Prayer with our community. I have to say that I really appreciate this national holiday, and I also have to say that I struggle with knowing that others don't hold the same value of it as I do...why is it not more widely attended?

On the first Thursday in May, every community across the US is encouraged to hold an event at noon, and the theme for this year was “Prayer…America’s Hope” based on the verse from Psalm 33:22 which states, “May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Oh! How we need His unfailing love to rest upon us, and oh...we need to be faithfully putting our hope in Him!

This is the second year that I've helped facilitate our location's event, and I love seeing who participates in it! It's such a sweet time of coming together (denominations set aside) as a body of believers that desire our God to hear us as one church. Our pastor Jeremy led us this year, and he did a fabulous job; he opened up the time with a reading of Psalm 33, and then we spent time in prayer for our government, our military, our media, our businesses, our churches, and our families! What a sweet time it is! I'm thankful that my girls have the opportunity to hopefully grow up remembering this experience as a special one in our community.

That afternoon, we spent some time playing outside with Savannah, Ben, Emmaline and Jonathan (the creek is so full from all of the rain, and it's just irresistible to children!), then we had a memorable late lunch at Piccadilly (I'll spare you the details!) with friends before a play date at our new favorite park...welp...almost our favorite...I had to call the girls back to get back in the car...we'd have to come back to the playground, but not today...the battery was flirting with death! So after "I" took care of the car (at the fixit shop, of course! "I" meaning...I ordered a new battery, watched it being installed and paid for it! Yes, Daddy'd be proud!), we were on the road again!!

That next Saturday Jenna graduated from UT-Martin! Woohoo! We're all sooo very proud of you, Jenna! We were supposed to go to her graduation, but after the car was acting up and we were all so exhausted from busi-ness, we decided to play hookie and stay at home...I hear they call that a "staycation"! LOVED~IT! (Sorry, Jenna!) Others thought we were out of town, and it felt sooo good to just stay at home....the girls played while Ricci and I spent the day binge-watching this season of LOST. Wow~it's really picking up the pace....but now we have to wait until 2010?!? What's up with that?!?

Mother's Day couldn't have been sweeter...every year is sweet, but this one tops them all! The girls took the opportunity to call it a Mother's day weekend...who am I to argue with them?!? They started giving me gifts on Friday and Saturday....they're like their mamma, who just can't keep a gift a secret! Ricci bought me two new Adirondack chairs....I love'em! Come over and sit a spell in 'em with me! And they all made me breakfast in bed while the girls made me special cards and gifts.

AngelWings made me these gorgeous earrings...including the beautifully, wrapped box! Thank you, MaeMae! And thank you, girls and Ricci, for loving me and thinking that I'm the mom you say I am! I love you all...to the moon and back...and around and around....!

Speaking of Mother's Day, the end of this month has been a little discomforting (is that a word?) because our family will be getting together to 'lay to rest' our dear Alal, who has been so incredibly important in all of our lives. The flip side...we get an extra trip to see the rest of our family in Louisiana! That's good!

This past week, we've thoroughly enjoyed participating in some of the gardening lectures and workshops with Rock City's 1st annual Southern Blooms Festival! We've learned a lot and incorporated several of the lessons into the end-of-the-year schoolweek!

This past weekend, we did our usual Friday craziness and then had some friends over for an early Memorial day cookout. After we ate some yummy BBQ, we headed over to the Wilderness Theatre to see the movie, Night at the Museum 2, which was really good! There's nothing like sitting out under the stars with friends and watching a movie on the "world's largest movie screen"!

Here's a couple of pics...taken in the pitch-black; sorry for the blindness y'all experienced afterwards! You know...it's important to make memories!

The three amigos! Marion & Indiana Jones!
Two peas in a pod!

George & Wendy and Co. (couldn't find the rest of them in the dark!)

Saturday morning, we all awoke a little later than we had planned...we had to get over to RC to make our hypertufas! (Don't worry...I had to look up the word as well!) "Hypertufa is a man made substitute for Tufa rock. Tufa is a spongy cellular rock found in limestone country and especially where water has been involved in the wearing and leaching out of the original materials to effect a porous spongy consistency. In many countries throughout the world this natural stone has for centuries been hollowed out and carved for tubs and planters." (quote taken from here)

We each made a garden container out of a mixture of Portland cement, sand, peat moss and perlite. Camera? Didn't even think of it as we ran out of the house! oops!

That evening, we ran up to Sewanee for dinner with Aunt Jan, Uncle Eddie & Erich. We made our traditional pizzas and ice-cream, and let the pups have a good time...mental note...next time remember to bring an extra tennis ball!And the girls gave cousin Erich quite the workout! They had him running them all over the house..Macy was riding on his back for at least 30 minutes straight until we told her to get off...then he just took the fun outside on a wild chase all over the property with flashlights....what more fun could a girl have?!? Thanks, Erich, for all of the fun!It's so relaxing being up there...well, I'm not sure it is for Erich! The waterfall was huge after all of the rain that we've had this month; it was difficult to hear one another when on their deck overlooking the falls. Before we left, I had to snap these photos...I know it's poor lighting...I just had to get this photo before they all moved!

Unknowingly, Erich's moving in for the "my favorite cousin" title! Sorry, Will!

I just couldn't resist this photo! I could make a collage of all of the different pictures of the girls and Uncle Eddie still looking for Waldo! This is my Uncle Eddie that partook of teaparty after teaparty with me as a little girl! We love you, Uncle Eddie!

Ooh...it is exciting that we've wrapped up our school year! Now, of course, I had planned way more than was reasonable, so we'll still be doing some readings together over the summer, but I find that enjoyable and not feeling like I'm behind the 8-ball! And the girls are participating in some summer-reading-programs, so they'll get to count their free-reading assignments as books that count toward these extra rewarding programs...woohoo! We're also enjoying soccer practice, swimming and will be enjoying tennis and music camps! Woohoo, Summer, bring on the F-U-N!

"Please get the snow out of your sand pail!"

With snow falling, we somehow managed to get the car loaded up for our Easter trip. We didn't leave as early as we had intended...partly, because we Southerners were enjoying the snow...even though we were shouting, "Don't forget the beach chairs!" "Do you have your new swimsuit?" And "Please dump the snow out of that sand pail before you put it in the car!" How exciting!

Ever since the girls were little, I've taken photos of them when we're embarking on a trip...never intentionally; it's just something that's always happened! These I thought were pretty telling...

Lovey with her lovies and her shades on....ready to hit the beach!

Cricket watching a movie on her mp4 player (it's sitting atop her lantern where she's cocooned herself in the back of the car)...I wonder if Gramma and Grampa knew what doors they were opening when they gave her this! Thank you, again! This gal thinks she's in heaven between singing with Judy Rogers and watching Ratatouille!

And AngelWings, sitting there all pretty...pretty excited like me! "Let's get this show on the road! We wanna see our peeps and smell the salt air!"

So with the mail stopped, everything turned off, house locked up, Brody over at Zachary's and Mama Maria's, and Bluey in the capable hands of Connor and Emily, we got on the road! It snowed on us (I guess, I should technically say the word "flurried") at least until half-way to B'ham! We grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Summit (again...can't go through B'ham without at least driving through the Summit!) and continued on our way! First stop...Uncle Charles!

We pulled into the restaurant parking lot at the exact same time he did, and we had a nice supper together and then drove over to his house to see his new, little puppy, Little Girl. Sadly, I look back and see that we didn't get one picture of the girls with Uncle Charles! In the cold weather, I guess we were in a hurry...then once inside, we had Little Girl(s) quite excited about seeing one another! It was a fury of activity! And Uncle Charles just sat there and didn't seem to mind the loud squeals and giggles! We love you, Uncle Charles!

Then after we said our goodbyes and accepted all of the gifts that he had for us (toys for the girls and boiled & raw peanuts...it's the "Peanut Capital of the World," ya know! Thank you, Uncle Charles!), we headed on to Mimi and Pawpaw's. We got in a little after midnight, but Mimi was still waiting up for us and had a fire going in the fireplace....again, this global cooling has got to go!

Oh, it was good to be home! I'm so sentimental, so the smells, sounds, etc. are so special to me! We stayed with Mimi and Pawpaw for a few days...long enough to start a demolish job in her bathroom...we ran out of time to finish it...oops! I guess we'll have to make another trip back! And one night we had Jen and Nate over for a cookout and another night we all went bowling...grandkids love it, and the adults don't mind it so much either...pretty fun stuff with all of the fellas with us this time! Let's just say that P-Daddy had to show us all a thing or two! My score's not even worth mentioning! On the kids' lane, once again...Macy did really well!

After a couple of days, Ricci and the girls and I headed over to stay at the condo, and what fun it was! Driving there wasn't the fun part; I had one of three migraines in my entire life, so I was trying not to "get sick" (I know that's improper English, but you know what I mean!), and the spring break traffic's flood gates were opened! And we had so much stuff in our car that we could barely see out...and I'm not kidding! And of course, there's a mandatory sign when you get close to the beach that one HAS to stop at Wal-Marts (again, deep south) and pick up more than you can carry back to your car.

Um...somehow we all forgot that there wasn't any room in the car in the first place. I still don't know how Ricci packed us all in WITH the added plastic bags from WallyWorld! We had to roll the windows down and hang our legs and arms out with the bags...this time I am kidding. Somehow we made it to the condo, and Ricci and the girls unpacked the car, I went to town doin' my thing: ever since I was a child, I've tossed what I can into the dishwasher (plates, utensils, cups, etc.) and always empty out the ice to start fresh. Whew...it was nice just being at the condo. And then the fury of questions began, "Can we get our suits on? Can we go down to the pool? Can I blow up the beach balls? Where are the towels?" I have to say that I was just as excited as they were, and thankfully my headache subsided after everything settled down and we got something to eat! So we made it down to the beach just in time for the sunset!

A storm was a'brewin', so we couldn't stay out there for too long (and it was still a little chilly!), so when Jen and Nate got there for supper, we ate and then let the kids play in the heated indoor pool. Camera? Urgh...I got everything else but my camera!

The next morning, we woke up bright and early to hit the beach! Man, I married a sweet fella! He doesn't question a thing when he helps take the umbrella, cooler, two beach bags (one for toys and one for towels/sunscreen), oh yeah...chairs, etc. We all love just being on the beach, and it's so much easier now that the girls can carry their own (literally)! We stayed out as long as we could, and then I remembered...Easter shoes! We still hadn't bought the girls' Easter shoes! Man, why do I do this every year?!? I guess I'm waiting for the sales: supply and demand! And one certainly can't wear white shoes before Easter Sunday! It's just not proper!

So we made our way through the crowds at the Sandestin outlets, grabbed what we needed and headed back to the condo, for Meems and P-daddy were coming over for supper! After supper, the girls showed Mimi and Pawpaw their new tricks in the pool before they left, and then Ricci and I got busy getting ready for Easter Sunday (Easter baskets, Easter lunch, Cricket's bday cake, birthday party goodie bags...)

The next morning we woke up and headed off to church; it was great to see everybody, and then we all went back to the condo with Mimi & Pawpaw, Jen & Nate & Co., and Greg & MaryAnn & Co. to have Easter lunch together and to celebrate Cricket's birthday.

Jen brought this amazing appetizer; maybe she'll share the recipe with us; maybe...Jen?!? Lunch was yummy...it was the same menu that we served for Cricket's baptism luncheon (sniff, sniff)...garlic and herb chicken-pasta salad, a really yummy salad with cranberries, sugared pecans, and bleu cheese, and croissants. Some ate in the condo, and some ate out on the balcony! And her birthday cake was just a simple pound cake (Sorry, Carolyn, I used a cake mix...we were on vacation!) made in a fun sand-castle Williams-Sonoma cake mold that I thought I'd never find! [Ricci finally found one online on Friday afternoon, ordered it, and it was shipped to our condo the next morning...AND it was less than I would have paid for it in the store...amazing! Way to go, Ricci!] And I just added some seashells and raw sugar around the base of it! (So I now have the form, if anyone wants to borrow it!) Simple and fun...much like my Cricket, who loved the cake!After lunch, we ate some birthday cake, opened some gifts (Seriously, we weren't expecting gifts! And y'all gave her some really great ones...thank you, again!)

Then we went on a treasure hunt! I hid all of the kids' goodie bags inside a treasure box (I forgot that at home, so a simple Rubbermaid box had to do!), and Ricci and James hid the box somewhere along the beach. Here's the poem that Ricci wrote and had them follow (smart fella; he is!):

Out the door and to the left,
Around the corner and down the steps,
Look across; it stands so high;
Better go under, unless you can fly!

To the left or to the right,
Go the way with the beach in sight!
Go to the end and wait right there!
Read the last clue at the very top stair!

He Is Risen!
We heard it in church!
The treasure is hidden
By a man on a perch!

The weather had once again turned colder, so once the buried treasure was found, those of us that were brave enough (not me!) got into the outdoor pool, and those of us that weren't brave enough stayed in out of the wind and just watched everyone play from a distance and gabbed!

That evening after everyone was gone, Mimi stayed with us to spend our final night on the beach, and we had such a good time enjoying our last night there! It was actually the first time that I had to sit down and just relax, have a glass of wine and unwind! I guess there's no better test of a great vacation than one that makes you go back home to get your relaxation!

The next morning we awoke to terrible weather and waited out the storms that were covering the southeast; maybe I shouldn't admit this on the world-wide-web, but my all-time, recurring nightmare is being with my family...overlooking the water...and seeing a water-spout or tornado coming at us. Aghhh! (Maybe confessing this is good therapy!) We kept the local weather on all morning, and that's all that was being reported...water spouts and tornadoes...right where we were! Again, aghhh! Finally, the weather somewhat subsided, and we HAD to leave to get Ricci back to work, so we got our car and Mimi's car loaded up and got on the road! Boohoo!

Thankfully, we made it "back up north" (to B'ham...as Mother Simpson would have said), and we met K-Ren at our usual Cracker Barrel; it was great to see her, and then we headed on home!

Ahhh...home again, home again, jiggety jig!

Have Mardi Gras beads...will travel!

Packing for five to go three different places isn't what I'd call fun! We are a very close-knit family, so separating us all isn't my favorite thing to do! But a great friend of ours and her aunt were having a special birthday party out in New Mexico, so who were we to not join in the fun?!?

Thankfully, we are blessed to have some amazing friends who were so wonderful to step in and help with the girls. Sooo, once everything was planned, it was time to put them into motion...getting the house/laundry, meals taken care of, making sure that everyone (including pets!) were taken care of, and lots and lots and lots of packing...tucking notes, gifts and surprises into various, hidden places was the name of the game! Ughh...I thought I'd never get it all done! And yes, I did forget some key elements out of my own suitcase, but "just buying it when you get there!" always seems to work! And um...the fish...I didn't remember to make provisions for Bluey until we were flyin' high in the sky! (He was fine when we returned!)

So we were ready to take off! We dropped off two, picked up one, dropped off one more, and then Craig, Ricci and myself were off! Saying goodbye to the girls is always by far the most difficult part for me...but they were all quite excited to be staying at their friends' digs! Yes, I HATE saying goodbye...and I can never make eye contact with anyone on the first leg of any plane trip...for fear of everyone seeing me cry like a little girl. Then, of course, as I board the second flight, I'm good to go! I guess by the time it takes me to realize that I'm boarding a second flight somewhere, my subconsciousness has come to the realization that "I'm not in charge; He is; they'll be okay!" And after that first drink, I'm great...funny part is that my 'drink' is nothing more than a tomato juice on ice! Hmmm....it tastes so much better flying at 30,000 feet!

After we landed, we thankfully collected all of our luggage, got our rental car (which for some reason they upgraded us to a nicer SUV...don't remember what it was exactly!) and headed off into the sunset! Awww...sunsets out west are so beautiful!

As for our first destination...don't forget who we had with us...Miss Craig (not feeling her tippy-top self!) saw that Walgreen's off in the distance! So we did make a pitstop and then drove up into the hillside of the Sandia Mountains where the party would be held Saturday night. By this time, sweet Miss Craig had completely lost her voice! Ricci said that had to be her world's worst nightmare...someone that has a lot to say...someone that others want to hear what they have to say...someone who could barely whisper, "Oh, honey-child!" by this time! "Bless her heart!"

After unloading Craig's luggage with her family, helping with a little prep work on the Mardi Gras decorations and foods, we all drove back down into Albuquerque to the first of several parties! These peeps know how to celebrate! What a crowd it was...and what an honor it was to be included in that fun evening of great family stories of back home in Louisiana, lots of laughter and lots of yummy food!

The next morning (hmmm...I wish I could wake up every morning with two extra hours! I love that Mountain Time Zone!), we got up bright and early and did some driving around (getting lost if you ask me...hee hee!) before heading over to the birthday brunch where we were so graciously greeted by the family members that we knew and met even more wonderful friends and family. The brunch was delicious, and the gathering couldn't have been any more fun and special! As everyone was making plans on how they'd spend their day, Craig's hilarious cousin, Steve Jr., gave us a great hint about where to shop...he said that we had to visit Jackelope's, a great place... "like World Market on crack!" Boy, was he right! We loved it...it was similar to an open World Market or our Southeastern Salvage, and we bought some great souvenirs for the kids and their friends, and even some special things for our annual Cinco de Mayo parties...it'll be here before you know it!

So after brunch, everyone went off in different directions. Ricci saw an REI in the distance, so we went their first, of course! Then we headed off for some sight-seeing and shopping. Everyone suggested that we visit Old Town Albuquerque which was a lot of fun...it was full of life with tourists, horse-drawn carriages, shopping, great restaurants, etc. "New Mexican" restaurants to be exact...which cracked Ricci and I up every time we heard someone say it. (At first we just thought the town was fun of new restaurants that were Mexican...nope...they are New Mexican restaurants!)

After a full day of acting like a tourist and just enjoying being with one another, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the big Mardi Gras birthday celebration! What fun it was! The food was amazing...different, yummy appetizers, jambalaya, gumbo and King Cake! Arra...please share some of those recipes with me! And none but Craig and her great-grand-daughter MaryBeth outlasted the Second Line Dance! She may not have had her voice back yet, but she wasn't droppin' out of the Second Line Dance!

The next morning we all enjoyed worshipping with Craig's family at her nephew's church; then we all said goodbye to one another as some had to rush back to the airport. Ricci and I took the afternoon to drive along Route 66, then up into the Sandia Mountains to the ski resort up there. The snow and views were amazingly spectacular! Then we headed on up to Santa Fe. The drives out there are just so beautiful! And the art and history...I look forward to learning more about the rich history out there along with taking the girls back there to see it all again!

The next morning we packed up and headed back over to get Miss Craig (who still had little to no voice!) before heading to the airport. The trip seemed to fly by...from beginning to end...and what fun it all was! On the way back through Dallas, we were able to have a quick bite to eat with Tara and her girls at the Grand Hyatt. Then after Miss Craig and I stepped through the wrong doors, poor Ricci came and helped us get back in through security...which stopped him! Now, I'm talkin...full body scan with some pretty impressive equipment that I've never seen! I'm just thankful that after they took digital images of his face and everything (we're laughing hysterically about this now, but then...not so funny!) security found a forgotten hotel key in his shirt pocket! Whew! So we were back in the air in no time and headed home!

We so appreciated getting to see everyone and celebrate such a special weekend with them! What a great time it was! And just as soon as we landed, L brought us our car and our AngelWings, and then we received a call that dinner was awaiting us all at the Steves! How blessed we are to have friends that love us like they do! What great care you showed to our little loved ones....the girls had a great time being with their friends and no harm came to them while we were away....except for Lovey, who was quoted saying, "No! No! Please don't make me sleep under a Georgia Bulldog blanket!"

Nan, all I have to say is "Come on over...Lovey's got a nice LSU blanket awaiting your next stay with us!"

Happy "National Handwriting Day"!

Happy early "National Handwriting Day"!

What a great holiday (we like to celebrate everything around here!), and I didn't know that this holiday exists! Just FYI...January 23 is National Handwriting Day, also John Hancock’s birthday!

Handwriting allows us to be artists and individuals during a time when we often use computers, faxes and e-mail to communicate. Fonts are the same no matter what computer you use or how you use it. Fonts lack a personal touch.
Handwriting can add intimacy to a letter and reveal details about the writer’s personality. Throughout history, handwritten documents have sparked love affairs, started wars, established peace, freed slaves, created movements and
declared independence.
"Though computers and e-mail play an important role in our lives, nothing will ever replace the sincerity and individualism expressed through the handwritten word," said Robert B. Waller Jr., WIMA’s executive director.

By the end of the day today, I'm determined to wrap up our hand-written thank you notes from the Christmas holidays! No...sadly, I'm not finished...this is an area where the perfectionist side of me always seems to take over! And the ones that I have written are still laying by the front door awaiting their delivery! I do have only a couple more to write, and then we're d-o-n-e (as Lovey says)! Actually, the girls finished their thank you notes on the first or second day of the new year...and now I just have a few more to complete! My struggle (however) is getting them to the post office! For some reason, I can write a note, address and even stamp it...then it sits by the door waiting to be delivered to the post office! Would you believe that I even took the girls to a field trip to the post office and didn't deliver the notes that I've already written?!? Urghh! That's okay...I saw the letters' laying on the seat next to me when we got back inside the car, so I politely asked one of the girls to get back out in the freezing cold and take'em inside for me! (Aah...the pleasure of having extra hands to help!)

And I'm sure some of you are wondering why I won't just put them in the mailbox with the flag up...well, I have a perfectly good answer to that! When I was complaining about my inability to get things to the post office, mom asked me what you're wondering....and I told her that I didn't know why I wouldn't put things into the mailbox, and like a very-good-momma [;)], she told me...when I was young there was a time that young kids were going through our neighborhood, taking mail out of every one's mailboxes, opening them up, taking what they wanted (we assume they were looking for cash) and then leaving the remains out of the way. Well, poor me is still suffering from the what~if's in my lovely 'black & white' world and wanting to assure myself that the letters that I have written with great joy are being delivered to my loved ones...perfectly laid in their mailboxes awaiting their successful delivery!

What day is it?!? / Who cares!

This week has been more than wonderful! After we had tears of sadness from our holiday visitors' returning to their homes, we got to work getting the house back together, putting a few Christmas things away, enjoying a few new Christmas gifts, writing thank you notes, etc.

It seemed that without a firm schedule, we would have to stop and wonder, "What day is it?!?" Who cared! All we knew was that it was a couple more days before Daddy had to go back to work and before our holiday vacation was over! Woohoo!

We did take time to see some Christmas lights/reindeer with friends, our annual New Year's Eve ("Pancakes and Pajamas") get together with friends and just some good'ole (greatly needed!) time to get our new thoughts together for the new year! We did some things around the house, some revamping of our school schedule, and just enjoyed being with one another!

One thing that I found while I was cleaning out my nightstand was a little note that I had written down on a piece of paper...I don't recall where I heard this wisdom...but I still think it's so wise!

Men need to know that their thoughts are respected.

Women need to know that their feelings are protected.

...and her new double-barrel shotgun!

Christmas day was lovely and the evening itself was quite a treat! Since we did have quite a few extra bodies than we had beds, we settled the children onto pallets (quite cozy ones, I'll add!) And it was such a treat to watch the children go to bed with what new gifts they treasured! (If that's not all-telling, then what is?!?)

There was one child in particular that was the most interesting to watch (I won't tell you which child it is, for I'm sure that you can guess)! She went to sleep with a water bottle (in case she "grew thirsty during the night"), a lantern (that Pawpaw gave her Daddy), her new Bible (we give our children their own grown-up NKJ Bible when they fully master and enjoy reading), her new lovey (Mimi managed to secure the only "Brownie" replacement available in the US),... and her new double-barrel shotgun, should there be any bad guys! Yes, of course, it's a toy, but our little Annie Oakley is so cute!

The morning after Christmas, my mom and sister and I (with my precious baby niece in tow, of course!) ran off to steal some after-Christmas deals! And when we returned we found that our little infamous Annie Oakley had handed out all of her toy guns to her cousins and had assigned position postings to everyone! When we first walked into the house, one could have heard a pin fall. And I said to Ricci, "The house is so peaceful! I'm so thankful everything was easy for you fellas!" Then he gave me a look that implied that the house had just recently been returned to order! Evidently, there had been a show-down at the O.K. Corral, fathers, uncles and grandfathers included! How cute is that?!?

You mean it's all over?!?

You mean it's all over?!? It seems like it was just yesterday that we put up our Christmas trees (one white Christmas tree in the living room and one colored Birthday tree in the family room...to keep presents separated, of course!) and that my parents arrived for the girls' Christmas pageant (e'hem, Tiffy, pics?!?), ... then (as my life seems to enjoy!) we hit the super-speed time warp, and BAM...everyone was packing up to leave! Although it did seem like a whirlwind (and it was!) what a fun time it was!

• Advent readings
• Cooking yummy foods
• Celebrating several family members' birthdays!
• Meems and P-Daddy watched the girls Sunday evening when Ricci and I ran to friends' Christmas party...thanks again, M & P!
• Last minute gift deliveries to close friends and neighbors (not that they're not one and the same!)
• Spending one day driving around looking at houses/property...in search of a specific plantation home (that I want Meems and P-Daddy to buy!)
• Last minute shopping in all of the craziness (I know some hate it, but I love it...every one is so cheerful and has a common goal, making their house a home for friends and family!
• Awaiting more fam to arrive
• Opening up our stockings on Christmas Eve!
• Sending out my sweet brother'n'law to look for that dern ingredient that always seems to sneak up on me missing....thanks, N!!! You're the best! "Ta! Ta!"
• Opening up Christmas gifts and watching others open their gifts! (I did receive a gift from my daddy that will be a gift to last generations...I can't believe it...thanks, Daddy!)
• Spending Boxing Day with more fam
• And celebrating my parents' 40th wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary!

Yes, sadly today everyone packed up and left...after celebrating two more birthdays (Happy Birthday, AngelWings and PawPaw!), and the house is once again quiet (relatively speaking!)...and we've all gone into detoxification! Even the dog!

Thankfully, the Lord is weaning us off of our high from the holidays, for tomorrow we're expecting friends that we sadly 'allowed' to move away this summer!

Lovey's "gift" is giving!

Over the last couple of weeks, the girls have been giving gifts here and there to one another...it could be as simple as a decorated, paper-towel tube to an elaborate, treasured item of their own that they know that their sister would love to have! It has been cute to observe...for a while...then Daddy and Mommy had to step in and make some general guidelines to help them see that we shouldn't be too frivolous nor too shabby either. (Just taking an opportunity to teach a lesson!)

Then this evening I've been continuing to wrap a few tiny gifts while everyone is asleep, and I literally laughed out loud when I realized exactly what the 'help' was that Lovey was giving me today...

Earlier today, she put her Santa hat on to help deliver the gifts to the Christmas tree...the sweet, little thing was watching me wrap things, then she'd sweetly ask if she could put the label on the gifts, and of course I said she could! (I know that there will be one day that I'd crave having her there helping me with her little 'almost' 6 year-old penmanship, so even though I'd love it to be done just so, I was cherishing her help.)

Obviously, earlier today I didn't take the time to oversee any of her work, for she was very helpful in putting a gift tag atop every, single gift and then placing the gifts under the tree...all of them are under there, signed From: Tressie

Family RR line is "Under Construction"!

Thinking about the holidays now...I'm such an opportunist/perfectionist that I always feel the weight on my shoulders of "too many things to do and too little time" during the holiday season!

I like to be organized, for I love a list that I can check off or a neat label that I can affix to something! And I've cracked myself up this year, for I had stashed more gifts than I remembered in our 'coat/gift' closet, which is so neat and tidy now that we've taken the Christmas gifts out of it. (I try to purchase little things for our friends and family all throughout the year so that I'm not overwhelmed with last-minute shopping...although that's fun too! And I try to keep an updated list inside the back of my planner for my eyes only, of course!)

I'm hoping that Santa has my next Franklin-Covey calendar refill under the tree (when asked, all I've suggested is that and a candy thermometer), for I've already started to 'pencil in' my annual holiday notes to my planner what would be good ideas for next year...examples...what to take to next year's this/that Christmas party, what would be a good gift for this person, when to get the paperwhites/amaryllis bulbs ready, etc.

Anyway, we still have a few things left to do around here to ready ourselves for Christmas...we have until tomorrow, for that's when company starts coming into town!

And already thinking about the new school year...I have to admit that I'm already looking forward to the hum-drum days of January, (after the double baby shower I'm planning is over, of course)! I eagerly anticipate starting back to school in January; however, I HAVE to work on our daily schedule and try to structure it a little more! Of course, this time of year is always a little unusual with fieldtrips and other special things to do for the holidays, but we did start back to school earlier this year to allow us to have more time off during the holidays...it was a little odd earlier in late-summer when people would say, "You've already started back to school?" But it sure is great now! I plan to do that from now on!

Anyway, the daily schedule that I have created for us accounts for every half-hour of our day; however, I have only used that as a "guide," and recently even that has gone by the wayside!!! It's time to regenerate and renew our school schedule! And what better time of year to do that than January! If you have one that you think works particularly well for your family, please feel free to share!

I'm really looking forward to the new year so that we can start afresh with some newer rails...so for those of you that are reading, Laying Down the Rails, I think you'll appreciate this announcement....
From now thru January 2nd, the Chan**** Railroad Line is "Under Construction"!

"Are we going somewhere special today?"

As a typical first half of December, it's been a little hectic around here...the girls wake up asking, "Are we going somewhere special today?" "Who's coming over today?"

Last week, we had a nice visit with Ricci's mom, dad, aunt Carolyn, and uncle Jim, who were staying at some cabins not too far from here. We were able to meet them for supper at Canyon Grill (yum!!), and then they all went on to see the Christmas lights at RC (brrr!) before joining us at our house for some coffee and hot chocolate...and the amaretto-chocolate pecan pie that I had promised to Ricci's mom. We had hoped to see them the next day, but a dear friend of ours had a death in her family, so we were busily helping her make arrangements to attend the funeral and be with her family. Then ahhh....Sunday....a day of rest! Isn't it so true that when one has a true need for something, one so much more greatly appreciates it?!? Rest to the weary! A friend to the friendless! Money to the needy! We've all experienced some form or fashion of such a gift when needed! God gave us such a gift when He created the seventh day, so after church we came home and crashed!!!

Then Monday night and Tuesday morning I hosted my annual Christmas Open House. This year I hosted the open house with my friend Kelly Raschall (as Cricket calls her), and it was so much fun to collaborate with her. We already have bigger/better plans for next year! Toss in a fun birthday party and prairie club that afternoon, and it was early to bed that evening!

The next morning we went to see some friends in the Nutcracker, had lunch with good friends and their adorable daughter Mary Alice, made a last-minute doctor's appointment, did a touch of Christmas shopping, and then headed off to pick up Efrem and go to our Christmas banquet at church where Cricket and Lovey performed Matthew's Begats (for the last time for a while)...it's time to learn a new one...got somethin' else, AP?

On Wednesday afternoon, when I squeezed in a doctor's appointment to check my thyroid levels (for I was completely out, and they wanted to recheck my levels before prescribing more of the same dosage), it was all in God's perfect timing for me to be forced to squeeze that into my schedule, for when the doctor looked at me and then my throat, he said, "Uh, you need to be on an antibiotic!" I thought everyone felt worn out and tired at this time of year...with a touch of a sore throat! Whew...I feel so much better after having had a course of Z-pack! A new woman! I hadn't realized that I was feeling so poorly until he said that!

Today and tomorrow I'll (hopefully) wrap up my Timeless Treasures orders and get them delivered, so that's great! And for those of you that joined us, I so greatly appreciate your friendship and support! I do enjoy giving/selling monogrammed jewelry and embroidered gifts, and I also enjoyed getting some of Kelly's new books!

June's out! July's in!

My 'baby' is now officially 9 1/2! We're getting too close to double-digits!!! Aghh!

Happy 1/2 Birthday, Angel Wings!
Mommy and Daddy love you dearly and are sooo proud of you!

As well as my disbelief in Mae-Mae's age, I also can't believe that the summer is already more than half over! Where has time gone?!?

And as busy as June was for our family, July doesn't look much more promising for lazy days of summer! Before I knew it, we were planning our annual Pops in the Park holiday concert with friends and packing up for getting 'just the right spot' to set up our elaborate table of yummy food! (Yes, I packed everything but the kitchen sink...and my camera, so when I get photos from Kendall, I'll be sure to post them!)

Update: here are Kendall's photos!

It was a lovely Thursday evening spent with close friends, and it was also fun to run into friends that we haven't seen in a long time! And the fireworks were spectacular as always!

On the 4th of July, we thoroughly enjoyed a leisurely day with our little family, playing in the garden and running around town. We did have plans to make it out to the Dubles for their annual picnic, but we never made it...oops! That evening the Stephens, Rob & RC joined us for a little party over on the bluff to watch some fun fireworks and hear Jen Daniels play, whom our family dearly loves!

Then Saturday morning, I was awakened by a terrible realization that the pain that I had been having for a couple of days when I'd try to take a deep breath...that pain wasn't going to go away! So after trying to decide what to do, RC came and picked up the girls so Eric could take me to the hospital. Yes, they asked, "This has been going on how long and you're just now coming in here?" Well, we learned that it was just pleurisy, and I was able to go back home with some lovely horse pills (strong ibuprofen!) and some pain killer, which I still haven't taken, for you won't see me for several days! So that evening, my more-than-precious husband took care of me and the house, for the next morning we had extremely important social matters!

After church we had the pleasure of spending time with the Witchers and the Newtons, two of the sweetest families who are also getting to know one another. (E'hem) Knowing that we had had a long week (and rough evening), RC brought the yummiest blackberry and peach cobbler...and me a bunch of gorgeous roses! So sweet! And the Witchers surprised the girls with individually wrapped gifts...and one for me as well. They are all so incredibly precious! No wonder where Rob learned the gift of 'not coming to one's home empty handed'! It was like Christmas! Lunch was so delicious (and I can say so myself, for Eric did most of the work!); it's one of our favorite meals to serve...Ricci grilled the mustard-glazed pork tenderloin, and we served it with roasted potatoes with rosemary, steamed broccoli, and our usual bleu cheese mixed baby green salad; then RC, Macy, and Tress served the cobbler and ice-cream, and I was able to use my new Irish coffee mugs! Oh, it was such a fun afternoon!

So now if I can just get a deep breath, for it appears that not only June but also July's off to a bang!