Deborah's Pool Party

Add a fun group of women, lots of delicious food, and a paradise back yard and you have a pool party at Deborah's house. Only one woman ventured into the heated pool while the rest of us were too busy visiting. We met new friends and discovered that all of Deborah's friends blend in nicely with one another.

We munched on sandwiches of turkey and chicken salad, salad and cole slaw, potato salad, deviled eggs, queso and chips, cheese ball and crackers, a fruit patter with a sinfully delicious dipping sauce, and all kinds of strawberry desserts. I don't think anyone left hungry. We sat at tables by the pool and the weather cooperated perfectly. Not too hot, not too cold.

It is obvious that Deborah and Larry love flowers. The yard had every kind of bloom imaginable and were tended to carefully. The colors were beautiful and it was such a relaxing place to be. Her home, too, was very inviting and lovely.

I was happy to meet Larry after hearing so much about him. It's obvious that he loves our Deborah very much. He says he hates to be away from her. I'm sure we all wished our husbands could say the same! Mine probably relishes my absence for awhile, until his stomach starts growling.

Donna and I were the last to leave at 6:00. We carried out containers of food before everyone carted off their dishes. I made it home with a strawberry and angel food cake dessert that was planned for Robin but he may not get it all.

Thank you Deborah for a delightful party and for being such a gracious and fun hostess. We love you!

Cancer is no Match for God!

Even though we tremble at the thought of cancer, it is only a slight nuisance for God. Nothing, no matter how great, or devious, or alarming, is a match for our Creator. In February I posted "Don't Mess With Clayton". I warned that he is armed with a heavenly presence and a slew of Prayer Warriors. I was right. Not because I'm all-knowing, but because I know God.

The insidious cancer that invaded his body, affecting the bone marrow and putting him in stage 4 lymphoma, is now gone. How is that possible? Are chemo treatments that effective? What about the healthy vegan diet? What about fervent prayer? What about God?

It is my firm belief that God is present during all our life experiences. The good and the bad. The healthy and not so healthy. And I believe God can take whatever human means we give to Him and work miracles. He was there through the chemo treatments and the sickness that followed them. He was there as Angela washed organically-grown vegetables until her hands were raw and sore. He was there for three young children who aren't old enough to understand the changes, but knew their lives needed to remain the same. He was there and heard the prayers of a loving wife, their children, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, friends and a host of bloggers, many who haven't met them but whose hearts were touched. He revealed Himself in a PET scan.

We are humbled and grateful that God healed Clayton and restored his family. We believe in the power of prayer, and we believe that God traveled every step of this rocky path with Clayton and Angela. We rejoice in His goodness and mercy. No one can mess with them or any of us when we are backed by the army of heaven.

I challenge anyone to deny the existence of God. The proof is in the scan. The proof is in the tears of a relieved wife who had kept a prayer on her lips each moment. The proof is in Clayton who allowed himself to be used as a tremendous testimony of God's healing power. The proof is in the peace each of us knows as we trust God with the solutions to all that ails us. To God be the glory and honor forever.

THE THREE GREATEST MOM'S

If you are reading this, my name is Cheryl and I am a blogalcoholic (sorry, I am already getting carried away).

This is a day late for Mother's Day, I want to acknowledge and pay tribute to three women I just adore. I felt I needed to let them know how I feel and how much happiness they have brought into my life, by letting me be a part of the most "important" part of their lives.

I was particularly sad yesterday, as I can no longer tell my mother how much I love her, so I thought I will tell the three of you how much love and admiration I feel towards each of you. My mother passed away in 2003. She was an exceptional lady. At the age of 83 she drove her car, lived independently, swam at the Y, bowled, wizard at bridge, had a huge realm of friends and as Peggy knows, could stay up late with the best of us for a game of Boggle. She had so much patience and caring during some very hard time taking care of my father with Alzheimer's. She then turned around to watch her son (actually son-in-law) who she adored, slowly die of cancer. I loved her very much.

This all brings me to the point of why I am "guest" blogging, to tell these three wonderful mothers in their own right......PEGGY, RANDEE AND ANGELA, that they are extraordinary women, mothers (and memaw). I see so much of Peggy's standards in Randee and Angela, but with a such a wonderful twist of their own. They both have the most adorable (and very pretty!) children ever made. They spend so much time with each one as my mother did with me. No story or activity in their children's lives takes a back seat to anything else. That makes a child feel so special when a mother shows such interest in a sometimes uninteresting conversation. I know my mother did that many many times with me and I remember it all. My mother was a stay at home mom. Looking back...how important that was to me! She was always there. I can see that same quality in Randee and Angela's children now growing up. I could see that difference the minute I met Peggy and her daughters. There is a certain closeness a stay at home mom shares with her children. I am not condemning working mothers. They have just as much love for their children. I just admire them for sacrificing the extras another income can bring in. I say this because of the special "extras" my mother was able to do for me by staying home.

I think the biggest compliment I can give the three of these women is the deep faith they have developed. This was started and instilled from their mother Peggy. My parent's were not over the top religious people, but they too instilled a good Christian background into me. When I met Peggy, she enhanced it and oh so broaden my love for God.

PEGGY - you have done such a wonderful job of raising three beautiful (inside and out) children. You and I have always said our mother's could see no wrong in their sons - but now I can see how much more "reality" can be discussed with daughters. I guess it is just an "unspoken" dialog between mother and daughter......how special!

RANDEE - God broke the mold when he created you. I could see you were destined to be a "mommy" from the minute I met you. What a difference your children will make in this world because of your love, laughter, wit and like Angela, endless energy. Jude is already light years ahead with his exceptional personality. Don't let anyone or anything discourage you to be anything else than who you are now.

ANGELA - You are the mom everyone only can wish to be. Determined, talented, concerned and very meticulous. All with one purpose in mind...love for your family. You see the personality in each one of your children. You give each child the time to be proud and develop that personality. With their faith and determination and love from you, this world will be forever grateful. I see something amazing coming from them all.

There you have it. My rambling might not make a lot of sense to everyone, as I do not have the writing talent like this family does, but they all know me and understand what I am trying to say. After all, this is for each one of them.

Since my mother is no longer here, I see a little bit of her in each one of you. Thank God you are all in my life .... FOREVER.....

NOW THAT MAKES ME SMILE :)

Love you

Cheryl

FYI I am really bad at attaching pictures so the only one I have of my mother managed to come across the wires with my brother also in it....oh well, you get the picture right? lol

Happy Mother's Day

We enjoyed a wonderful Mother's Day at the farm with my parents, siblings, and children. My baby, Angela, wasn't present but I did get Mother's Day greetings over the phone by her, Ashton, and Juliet. Also, she sent me some wonderful goodies via The Big Brown Truck.

Thank you, Donna for supplying all the barbecue and the delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. By popular demand, Rita made her famous cole slaw with garlic, and her homemade strawberry ice cream. Poor Mother, who should have been Queen for the day, slaved away in the kitchen with potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, homemade rolls, chocolate cake, 4-layer delight with a new twist - chocolate chip cookie crust - and coconut oatmeal cookies. Oh, and I can't forget to mention her homemade chocolate ice cream. I straggled in with my usual chocolate chip cookies.

Allison, who has been teaching a pre-school class, thrilled me with an original corsage she made for me in her class. All the children made one for their mothers and I was filled with pride to wear mine the entire day. I have to attach a magnet to the back and display it on my refrigerator. I thought those days were over, but to my delight, they aren't! I love it and it defines my daughter's personality so much.

Two gifts, both wrapped in newspapers, were on the table when I awoke this morning. Parker and Weasil surprised me with two sets of towels and sink mats with a pretty stone pattern. They, too, made a homemade treasure for me, a card with two kitty prints inside. Thank you, Robin, for helping them choose.

Happy Mother's Day to all and I hope your day was spectacular.

Happy Birthday Allison & Brian!

Thirty-something years ago today I was blessed with my first daughter. I do remember the exact number of years but I am being kind to her. If I were Allison, I would reveal my age to everyone I meet since she doesn't age at all. I still see the little girl that I cherished every time I look into her face. I don't think those good genes came from me.

Allison and Brian are the second set of double birthdays in our family. Not many can say they have the same birthday as their spouse. At least Brian has no excuse forgetting her birthday.

My baby girl was born at 5:34 PM on a Monday, the day after Mother's Day. The wonderful news that I had a girl will continue until the day I take my last breath. She continues to be such a joy to be around. She's always been easy-going, happy, positive, and energetic. Her personality just explodes in a rain of pure delight. She makes me laugh. She makes me feel loved. She makes me darn proud.

I'm in awe of Allison and Brian as parents. Brian is a hard worker and makes it possible for Allison to do what she was born to do: stay home and raise her children. Her job is equally challenging and she is on call 24/7. But she is where she wants to be, making sure her children are raised with love and attention and being the one to witness all the firsts. As parents, they delight in each word and action of Jude, Baylee, and Sophia. Hugs, kisses, and praise are plentiful in this home. Those three precious children should grow to be confident, caring, Christian adults.

Have a wonderful birthday you two! And always be ever thankful for the years given to you by God and never lament over aging. Birthdays are a blessing. I love you!

Robin in HD

What a sad state of affairs Robin found himself in. His big screen TV, which dated back to pre-Peggy, began having problems with the wiring. Robin was forced to go shopping for another TV. There is no way he would have purchased a 70-inch HD TV had he not been shoved into it by the aging set he wore out from too many viewings of Alien and other sci-fi flicks. Then to add insult to injury, the cable provider had to install a new box and hardware, and a promise that our cable bill would go up. It just couldn't be helped.

The older set was moved to our bedroom. Robin used the connections in front of the TV to hook it up and it works better, but is somewhat unsightly. Definitely, too unsightly for his manly den. But he isn't completely happy with it in our bedroom. He thinks it's too big for the room and the cords are an eye sore.

"Maybe I should sell it and bring back the small TV for the bedroom. What do you think?"

"I think that is easy for you to say since you have the 70-incher to watch and I have the small portable one."

Not that I'm much of a TV watcher. I prefer my computer for evening entertainment. Do they sell 70-inch monitors? I think mine is going out. Mind you, this would be an added expense that is totally out of my control.

6 Uninteresting Things About Me

Angela has asked that I play along, but I don't have enough blogger knowledge to do it as she requested. This is my futile attempt.

1. I'm addicted to peanut M&Ms ( uninteresting to you, but a necessary fix to me)

2. Before going into the freezer, my meats are broken down to small servings and labeled "ground mad cow", "chicken knockers", "beef mystery meat", "dead chicken flesh", etc.

3. I'm a night owl, hoo, hoo.

4. I once dated a boy whose father owned the funeral home in our city. Creepy stories.

5. I've had a Black Cat firecracker go off in my hand. Ouch!

6. I'm married.

I now tag Cheryl, Donna and Allison who can use my blog for their uninteresting tales.

Happy Birthday James & Leiann!

Two members of our family have a double birthday today. James, who has the distinct honor of being married to my gorgeous sister Donna, is in the sixty-something range today. His big interest is in his horses and he's competed in "cutting" horses, which doesn't mean he slices them up and sends them to a foreign country for human consumption.

Leiann has the challenge, uh, honor, of being married to my handsome son, Ron. She's the proud mother of my three oldest grandchildren. She's seen in this picture with Buddy, their big, gentle, lazy Mastif who loves to cuddle. One of Leiann's favorite interests is her love for reading. Leiann remains with the thirty-something crowd.

Leiann and James are one of three sets of double birthdays in our family. In just 10 more days my daughter Allison and her husband, Brian, will share a birthday. Donna and my sister-in-law Cindy were not only born on July 18, but in the same year, too. In a family this size, it's bound to happen.

Happy birthday, James and Leiann. Have a fabulous day and know that you are a welcome addition to our ever growing family.

Girls Night Out

If it seems our Girls Night Out is happening more frequently, well, that's fine by us. We thoroughly enjoy this hen party (cluck, cluck). There's always plenty to talk about and laugh over. It's a real treat.

Tonight we welcomed Paula, a newbie to our group. She's a friend of Deborah's and also has been doing business with Donna, although they've never met. They got to meet tonight and Paula fit in very well and we hope she will join us each time we meet. Welcome!

After dinner we were treated to a showcase of two new cars. Donna has a new Toyota Avalon which looks really classy in white with Donna behind the wheel. Deborah was there in her new Corvette convertible, all sleek in black. Watch out! There are two hot mamas on the road tonight!

We are thrilled that Allison - the only one of us with estrogen - still enjoys an evening out with a bunch of mother figures. She keeps us laughing and on our toes.

Cristal was invited but unable to attend this time. We hope she will be free the next time we all get together. We missed her! And, Cristal, you missed a fun, loud group! We aren't drunk, but we act like it.

Ahhhh, Granddaughters

I got to spend some time with Baylee and Sophia while their mom took Jude in for his six-year checkup. We played with toys and read some books. Sophia tried to repeat each word I said when pointing to a picture. She did quite well! Now that she is mobile, she is all over the place. She had such fun pushing the old popcorn popper toy that had been bought for Candice when she was a toddler. Papa and I would pretend that she was running into our toes and she would giggle so hard. Music to my ears. She also spoke "Papa" very clearly.

Baylee always has fun playing with Papa. Rough play. We've had to remind them that Papa is old and not to be so rough. He really laughs at that. Baylee was holding his hands and walking up his legs and stomach. When he had to leave to run an errand, she wanted to do it with me. I told her my stomach was still sore inside from when the doctor cut me open to fix a problem. She asked to see the scar and I raised my top. She ran her fingers over the thick 8-inch scar.

"Yeah, he cut you alright!"

That from a three-year-old! Am I the only one amazed or is this kid too smart? Her vocabulary has always been extensive.

Jude came in the door sporting a royal blue bandage on his arm where a nurse had drawn blood. My heart broke for him. I've always hated those doctor visits for my kids or grandkids that involved a needle. I used to ask my mother to take my kids in and she'd assure me that she loved them and me, but she wasn't going to be the bad guy. Now, I understand. This Memaw won't be the bad guy either.

So, I get the fun part. I babysit and spoil, and there are no needles (except for mending) in my house.

Smarty Pants

Candice, MY granddaughter, was inducted into the National Honor Society last week. What an honor! And what a bright, intelligent young lady who has faithfully applied herself to her studies. I am so stinking proud of her!

There are several factors involved to be considered an inductee. Candice's qualifications included a GPA of 4.4 (wow), her positions of leadership and community service, awards she has received, and the recommendation from four of her teachers. She is currently serving as president of her junior class. Bravo! Kudos! Way to go!

It reminded me of Angela's induction service and the immense pride I felt as her name was announced. Brains (and beauty) must run in this family. I have tangible proof!

Patty & Peggy - Our Little Trip

We are back home after lounging the weekend away in Waxahachie. It was so much fun! We browsed many antique shops, ate lunch at a soda fountain inside a pharmacy, and each completed a novel. The last part means we spent plenty of time in the room reading. So relaxing!

We walked through the beautiful courthouse there and marveled at the architecture. It was gorgeous. I especially loved the staircases with the rich wood banisters. A foreign architect did many interesting carvings, including both angelic and demonic depictions of a local woman who had scorned him. The courthouse was completed in the late 1800s, but his sad story remains for all to see.

Scarborough Fair is going on so we saw many at our hotel dressed in Renaissance clothing at breakfast. I almost followed one guy out since he reminded me of Johnny Depp in his pirates attire.

We had pizza delivered to our room the first night as we settled in with novels. The next day we enjoyed a Chinese buffet after a long day of antiques.

This morning I was busy with a hand-held electronic game while Patty flitted back and forth with her packing. She finally sat on her bed and I looked up as my game finished. I busted out laughing, and so did she. She was sitting there with the complimentary shower cap on her head. Never a dull moment between friends.

We Are Woman!

What keeps a trio of desperate women from missing a scheduled Girls Night Out? Not much of anything. While our wiser Donna and Deborah skipped out due to a threatening weather forecast, Patty, Allison and I saw the sun peeking through the clouds and headed out to dinner. It ended up being a long, long dinner.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal of avocado enchiladas, somewhat oblivious to what the clouds outside were doing. Allison called Brian as we prepared to leave the restaurant, only to catch him and the kids in the closet. Sirens were going off everywhere. We stepped outside and contemplated the dark, angry western sky - the direction Allison needed to go to arrive home. I even took a picture of a wall cloud, but it's so dark it didn't show up. Sorry Angela and Allison, I'd hoped to prove they actually exist.

We decided to wait out the storm. I could have driven east and avoided it, but we wanted to wait with Allison until it was safe for her to leave. We must have stood in the foyer about 45 minutes. We were finally enveloped in the dark clouds and they released plenty of rain and pea size hail, and some strong winds. Patty was freaking out and I thought I was bad!

Needless to say, we all made it home safely. And this brazen trio proved that when it's Girls Night Out, no tornado sirens, hail storms, beating rains and wind will keep us from our destination. We are woman. Hear us roar.

I'm Off Again!

Patty (God love her!) insisted that we get away for a long weekend. We decided it didn't have to be a great distance from here as long as we got out of Dodge. She has a valuable little book that lists great Texas getaways, complete with lodging, restaurants, and sightseeing suggestions. Last year we visited Allen and Tyler. This weekend we will take a short jaunt to Waxahachie.

Patty's little book revealed interesting history surrounding the courthouse there, a slew of antique shops, and the Gingerbread Trail which is a tour of quaint, older houses. Whether we see all these things is yet to be decided. We are, after all, staying again at the Hampton Inn where they proudly advertise Cloud Nine, the ultimate sleep experience. With two queen beds and all those fluffy, soft pillows and comforters, we may not leave the room. We are definitely packing books for that reason.

Scarborough Fair may also be going on, but we have no desire to slosh through wet fields or gnaw on turkey legs. Cloud Nine and a good book are much more appealing.

Later, alligator!

Home Improvement

I just wanted to share this beautiful picture of Ron's new French doors. He spent the weekend installing them and they replace the sliding glass door that was once there. I love French doors and they add such beauty to any room. Ron's becoming quite the handyman. I may borrow him for some of my own home improvements.

Good job! Do you also lay ceramic tile? Install new kitchen countertops? Paint?

Family Excursion

My son Ron and his family spent Sunday in Glen Rose exploring the great outdoors. Thomas and his shadow, Buddy, had fun frolicking in the cold water and jumping from one rock to another. I vaguely remember a time when the temperature of the water wasn't a consideration, I just plowed in. I was probably age - - oh -- six, like Thomas.

After a lot of rough and rowdy play, Buddy took some time to rest and pant by the looks of that big tongue dangling from his mouth. I don't know how he gets all of that back into his mouth. And if you think he's this big, scary dog you are partly right. Just act like you are about to lay a finger on a member of his family and he is poised to attack. Actually, he's a big, lovable, 6-month-old puppy who would rather curl up in a soft lap than rip a throat apart.

I especially love the family picture even though the wind is blowing hair in the faces of my girls. But the idea is there, that of togetherness and family fun. I think it's great that the whole family enjoy the outdoors and roughing it on camping trips. Thanks, Ron, for sharing pictures of your outing with me.

A day at the circus

Insert your own sound effect here

Tickets - 36.00

parking - 10.00

Elephant rides - 20.00

pony rides - 6.00

jump house for 3 minutes - 6.00

toy for Jude - 10.00

toy for Baylee - 15.00

pop corn - 2.50

dinner afterwards - 47.00

trip to the circus with my daughter and 3 lovely grand children: A LOT OF MONEY!

And MasterCard was the proud sponsor of NOTHING - gotta bring your cash.

By - Randee

Thanks for helping me with the kids mom! And for thinking far enough ahead to bring a wad of cash - I WILL pay you back!

The Cuteness Continues

Can you stand any more cuteness? This is how Parks spends Happy Hour with us when we have our 5:00pm coffee. Tonight he moved to the chair just so he could remain in the same room with me. I know it's me because he still has a fear of Robin, unless he's holding the food can. And he sleeps at or on Robin's feet, but I think that is to irritate Robin. Parks is trained well. Thank you, Angela.

A Date With Candice

Robin decided to join Candice and me for our annual birthday dinner and shopping, claiming he'd "be proud to be seen with two beautiful women." Having our own driver was great for us, too! Candice chose TGI Fridays for dinner. We had a lot of fun, even if our order was screwed up twice. I was almost through eating by the time Robin's and Candice's meals arrived as they originally ordered them. Then it was off to Grapevine Mills Mall to ooh and aah over the clothes and make a selection.

Candice wanted a cute summer dress to wear with her black heels. I say cute but too sexy better describes the "little black dress" she chose. As Angela would say, it's classic and will never go completely out of style. The one we bought is very versatile. It can be worn on or off the shoulders, creating a different look. She matched it up with some bling for her ears and neck. She looked too hot to be my granddaughter. I think I felt more comfortable shopping for Planet Heroes with Jude.

It was actually Candice and me who started this birthday tradition ten years ago when my wedding trip to Vegas prevented me from attending her 7th birthday party. To make it up to her, I arranged to take her to dinner and shopping to pick out her own gift. Camryn wanted to do the same thing in July on her birthday and it became a yearly event with all my grandchildren. I still attend their parties but the time out together is special for all of us.

We enjoyed having Candice to ourselves tonight. There was a lot of talking and laughing going on and Candice looked especially beautiful with her new smile - the braces came off yesterday! There's still the matter of 4 wisdom teeth needing to be removed, but we will worry about that when the time comes. We love you, Candy Girl, and thank you for being such delightful company and our sweet entertainment for the evening.

Our 10th Anniversary Trip

Robin and I took a huge gamble on each other when we married in Las Vegas ten years ago this April Fool's Day. I guess he's still willing to gamble on me since he surprised me with a trip to the Eldorado Resort Hotel & Casino in downtown Shreveport to celebrate this small milestone. And just like our wedding and wedding date, he arranged it all in secret, only revealing it in time for me to pack. He put us in the most luxurious semi-suite on this trip. The bathroom, especially, was gorgeous and spacious, with both a large glassed-in shower and a marble tub. I felt so pampered! The large window in our room overlooked the Red River.

Robin also took care to see that we had bell hop service and valet parking. We had every intention of taking advantage of room service, too, but the opportunity never presented itself. Robin was a stinker only once when he hid the fact that our room was equipped with a keyboard that connected to our TV set. He showed it to me as we were checking out this morning. He thought I needed an internet break so I came home to 77 e-mails.

The weather was nasty the whole trip but we still had a wonderful time. Everything was at our fingertips and there was no need to venture far from the hotel. We took one short drive when the storm clouds lifted a little.

Robin played a lot of Roulette and did quite well. We were amazed at the people who easily dropped $500 and just as easily lost it all in ten minute's time. But, hey, that's the nature of a casino. Only stupid people like me go there and expect to be the one in a billion who walks out with a $100 gain.

When Robin stopped at the desk at Club Eldorado he was told our breakfast would be comped, so this morning we indulged without considering the cost. "I went to swipe my card and a message came up saying Swipper no swipping," he told me. I replied, "Oh, man." For those of you who aren't inundated with grandchildren, those phrases come from Dora.

When I was planning my trip to Vegas ten years ago Cheryl went with me to Victoria's Secret to select my gown for the honeymoon. It was a pale pinkish champagne long silky number with a small lacey train in the back. Since it had dazzled Robin ten years ago I decided to pack it and see if I got the same results. He was close. Thank you again Cheryl for buying that gown for me. It's still very useful.

As we were leaving Shreveport to come home we passed a man on the freeway pulling an upright vacuum cleaner. I haven't the foggiest idea what that was all about.

Thank you to my husband for another special surprise and a fantastic time. I love you and I'll take another gamble on you.