30 days hath September...

This is a poem I learned as a tiny tot!  I still use it today:)  It is how I remember how many days there are in a month!  

Some people use the knuckle version...

Whatever version you use to remember how many days there are in a month, today is the last day of September!  Tomorrow is October and the beginning of the last quarter of 2013!  Our evenings are full of Softball and Football, jackets are now needed when the sun goes down, soup is a tasty dinner treat and leaves are falling!  The Season is changing and we are adjusting!

Have a blessed last day of September dear friends, BIG HUGS!

Alex and her perfect day...

Alex wanted a pool party for her birthday!  Late September isn't always the best time for one!  BUT... their new pool is heated:)  This is one happy little Birthday Girl!

She and her friends had the best time!

Here are a few of those happy faces:)

Gift time!  She got a new iPod from her family!  I believe that was her FAVORITE gift:)

 Happy Birthday to you!  Tracy made her girl the CUTEST ever cupcakes with the pool theme!  Great job Tracy!

Tracy sent me this picture from their house at sunset!  She knows how I love SKY pictures!  It was a beautiful picture to end this perfect day!  Happy Birthday to my 9 year old Alex!

Have a blessed day dear friends!  BIG HUGS!

Happy Birthday Alex...

Happy 9th Birthday to my precious Granddaughter Alex!

Tracy and I took cupcakes to her class at lunch yesterday!

She was SO happy:)

Great job on the cupcakes Tracy:)

She passed them out to her classmates and they loved them:)

SWEET and loving Alex!

Thank you Mommy for bringing cupcakes:)

I love you Alex and hope you have a wonderful Birthday!  I have a feeling it is going to be one you will never forget!

Have a blessed day dear friends, BIG HUGS!

25 years...

My Mama left us 25 years ago today!  This is one of my favorite pictures!  She LOVED to sit in that rocking chair on the front porch:)

What I wouldn't give to have just ONE more day with her!  She lives in my heart and I am thankful for the days I had with my SWEET MAMA!  I will see her again in Heaven, that I know for sure!

I love you Mama!

Have a blessed day dear friends!  BIG HUGS!

Raindrops on roses...

It has rained a good bit lately and Autumn's softball game was postponed!  I had put a pot of chili on yesterday morning for after the game!  It was REALLY yummy!  It was a perfect evening for chili!  Before dinner, I took a walk out back and snapped a picture of this rose!  Don't 'cha just love "raindrops on roses":)

Here come the swamp daisies!  They are tall and bright yellow!  Love this time of the year!

The yucca is blooming:)  I love those blooms right outside my back porch!

I hope something is blooming in your world!  Have a blessed day dear friends!  BIG HUGS!

Misty night and a win...

It was misting rain and the music played... "Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light"... that's the way the game started!

You will not believe the way it ended!  

We were behind for much of the game, came back to tie it up!  Autumn was up to bat in the last inning... they chose to intentionally walk her with two runners on!  The catcher stepped out to have the ball thrown to her and that is a "NO NO" in softball!  It was ruled an illegal pitch, runners advance and we won!  We'll take it:)

AND while all of that is going on... a serious game of hide and seek is happening behind us!  Those little children had the best time running and playing!  Oh to be a child again:)

It was a wonderful night!  I SO enjoy these games!  We have a game almost every day for the next couple of weeks!  Lots of fun ahead:)  Have a blessed day dear friends, HUGS!

Witchy Woman...

Look who I ran into at Lowe's:)  Halloween is just a little over a month away and Lowe's is ready!  Gotta get some green face paint:)

I hope you all have a really blessed day!  HUGS!

Happy Fall Y'all...

The leaves are falling... and it is beginning to feel like Fall:)  Time to think about putting away the flip-flops and shorts!  Jeans, sweaters and tennis shoes will be needed soon!

Enjoy your first day of Fall dear friends, BIG HUGS!

Her last, his first...

Autumn in her Senior Year, Austin in his Freshman Year... Homecoming 2013  My Oldest Grandchildren, be still my heart!

Sweet and Beautiful!

Sweet and Handsome!

Austin and his Date:)

Autumn and Justin... FOUR years of Homecomings:)

She was in a hurry to leave but took my hand to get a picture with me!  To say I wanted to cry is putting it mildly... I love her to pieces!  Each moment of her Senior year is tugging at my heart!

Thankfully, he loves me too and I will get to enjoy THREE more homecomings with him:)  He is SO tall and handsome!  I LOVE HIM!

The work that goes into getting these kids to this age... MY DAUGHTER has done an awesome job and I am VERY proud of you Tracy AND your work:)

And then there are these two... Thank you Lord for giving me MORE homecomings to look forward to:)  Sadly the time goes by SO fast!  I cherish each and every moment!

Have a blessed day!  Today will be special because of the memories of Yesterday:)  HUGS!

Sunset...

This is what the sky looked like last night when I came out of the funeral home!  I had just visited with SO many family members who were paying their respects to our Cousin Bonnie Gay!  She was a beautiful soul and loved by everyone who knew her!  The saddest part was her 88 year old Mother talking about losing her daughter, so sad!  Please keep this family in your prayers!

Have a blessed day dear friends!  The funeral is this morning and both Autumn and Austin have homecoming tonight!  It will be a busy day for me!   BIG HUGS!

What a night...

My Grandson LOVES football!  I know that he is having the time of his life!

And we are enjoying EVERY game!  
The team is ready...

And so is Austin... #16!  He played both offense and defense last night and ladies HE PLAYED an awesome game!  They won 28-0:)

And these Sisters enjoyed playing...

AND giggling:)

#16 was probably tired and hungry after playing for most of the game:)

I love you Austin!  Pa and I are SO proud of you!

I took a ton of videos but this is one where he had the ball and the announcer called his number:)

Have a blessed day dear friends, BIG HUGS!

Wacky Tacky Day...

 Thanks to my SWEETEST EVER DAUGHTER for always making me feel like I am right there with them!  It is Wacky Tacky Day and she has really made them both WACKY and TACKY AND 
OH SO CUTE!

They always do a silly pic too:)  Love these girls!  I know they will have a fun day at school!

Wacky tacky day 2012/2013  Look at how much they have grown:(  SNIFF SNIFF!

2012                  2013

I spent my Wednesday working in my closet!  OH MY, it was a mess!  I have way too much in there but had to get it straightened out!  Still work to be done but at least now... I KNOW what I have before needing long sleeves!

Tonight...I get to watch my handsome Grandson play football:)  Can't wait!  He went to the movies last weekend and I borrowed this picture from Instagram:)

Enjoy your day dear friends!  BIG HUGS!

I thought they were inviting us...

It's Homecoming week and there are lots of fun things planned!  When you wear a uniform everyday, wearing anything else is always fun:)  SO... it is Senior Citizen day at the kid's High School:)  I thought they were inviting us to participate, after all... we are Senior Citizens or close to it:)  It is DRESS UP like Senior Citizens DAY, OH now I get it!  SO FUN!  I wish I could see ALL of them at the School!  Here are MY TWO oldest Grandchildren in their get-up!  I thought you all could use a giggle this morning!

They sure have a lot of fun!  Love these two monkeys!

Have a blessed day dear friends, HUGS!

Dinner and the call...

This is what we had for dinner last night and it was SO YUMMY!

Paula Deen's recipe for Taco Soup on Food Network website
Ingredients ( I made half)
2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Directions...Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

We enjoyed our dinner, watched DWTS and then I received the call that my Cousin had passed away! WE have a HUGE family! We usually only see each other at the Family Reunion which happens to be this Saturday! There will be a sadness this year without Bonnie Gay! My heart is broken for all of her family BUT mostly for my sweet Aunt who has lost her precious Daughter! I can't even imagine her pain! Love and prayers to Gertrude, and Bonnie Gay's family!

Have a blessed day dear friends!  BIG HUGS!

Sunday smiles and sadness...

My trumpets are beginning to bloom:)  They always give me joy!  

AND just look at what song we sang at Church yesterday...  You see, that was the title of my Blog on Sunday morning!  I smiled:)  

We also sang "So much to thank him for"!  We sang this a lot while Justin was in Afghanistan!  It will always make me think of those days and how thankful I WAS and AM that he was returned to us safely... sent back and returned safely again!  Justin is a true blessing to me!

So much to thank him for

WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND SEE

THE GOOD THINGS HE DOES FOR ME

I KNOW I’M UNWORTHY OF THEM ALL

BUT HIS BLESSINGS HE FREELY GIVES

I OWE MY LIFE TO HIM

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR.

CHORUS :

AND I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR

SO MUCH TO PRAISE HIM FOR

WELL YOU SEE NOW HE HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME

AND WHEN I THINK OF WHAT HE’S DONE

AND WHERE HE BROUGHT ME FROM

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK HIM FOR

VERSE 2 :

AND SOMETIMES WHILE ON THIS WAY

I KNEEL AND I STOP AND SAY

LORD THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE FOR ME

AND ONE DAY I’LL REACH HEAVENS SHORE

OH PLEASE LET ME KNEEL ONCE MORE

I’VE GOT SO MUCH TO THANK YOU FOR

Now, while I am speaking from my heart... my Cousin is in the fight of her life!  She was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer TWO months ago and according to the doctors doesn't have long to live!  I am SAD!  Her name is Bonnie Gay and I would appreciate your prayers for her and her family!

Have a blessed day dear friends, BIG HUGS!