My Busy Busy Year! Slow DOWN!

Wow, it's time to rest a little!

Well, maybe after the holidays...

Two weddings this year, keeping my grand baby some, helping two grown kids move.  Whew!!! I guess I just THOUGHT I'd been busy before!

I miss blogging!  I miss my blogging friends!  I keep saying I'm going to try harder, but it just hasn't happened.  My daughter just got married two weeks ago and she moved home and lived with Tony and I for two months before the wedding so we could work on that. It was a glorious affair and she told me after the wedding before they left for their honeymoon that it was perfect and a dream come true!  So I was happy!

It was a wonderful wedding - kept growing as we went along. Cody's family is big and they have lots of relatives on his side of the family and one cannot leave relatives out, you know!  Hayley & Cody have lots of friends they wanted, too.  The best thing we did for this wedding was catering BBQ from one of our local favorite BBQ places.  They came, they set up, they served, they cleaned up - it was great!  And since we had a very rustic outdoor wedding, good ole Texas BBQ was a hit!  I'll probably show y'all more pics as they become available.  They went to Belize on their honeymoon and had a great time!

Bella Boo is growing like a weed - she'll be walking soon and is saying a few words - well, at least WE can understand them.  She is so cute and happy most of the time and grins real big when you tell her "no".  Maybe it's just girls, but she loves to scream just for the fun of it!  She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and she hums when any music is playing.  She had her first birthday the day after Hayley & Cody got married! 

Her mommy & daddy threw a big birthday party for her - we had young parents and little ones all over their house - it was mass chaos, but OH SO FUN!  To be able to celebrate our little one's birthday was such a blessing!

Well, gotta run!  I have 4 paintings to do before Christmas!  I've got to get busy again!  Like I said....

Maybe after the holidays.... 

Just Catchin' Up...

Hello again!  Sorry I've been  MIA!  With a grand baby I keep a couple of days a week and planning TWO weddings, it's been CRAZY-busy around the farm!  Yep, TWO weddings!  My oldest son, Adam, got married three weeks ago in Nashville, and my daughter is getting married in October here in E Texas.  I'm a very busy gal!  My son, Adam, and his new bride, Bre.

I have no veggie garden this year either - I'm so sad!  Guess I'll be going to the Farmer's Market a lot this summer.  When we had the big tree cut down, the garden fence, etc., had to be taken down and everything moved - my raised beds, too.  Then I got "wedding-busy" and it just didn't happen this year.  So sad...  I had planned on maybe having some patio plants, tomatoes and such, but that's not happening.  So, I've had to let it go for this year.  It IS what it IS.  Trying to prioritize this year...and not stress myself out overly much.

I've been looking for photos to show of our little farm this year, lo and behold - there are hardly any pics that do not include my little granddaughter!  I have thousands already!  She's sitting alone now, jabbering up a storm and SO curious about every little thing.  And still no hair!

This picture of my daughter, my granddaughter and myself was taken in Nashville at Cedarmont Farm where Adam's wedding was held.  It was a gorgeous place and threatened rain all day, but the sun broke out towards the evening and everything was perfect!  Bella is my middle son's baby girl and Hayley is such a proud Auntie!  Bella is sporting wedding attire along with her smallish hair bow (not).  I told her mommy and daddy that she looked like she'd been to the Kentucky Derby! either that, or she is a sweet little Ganache Cupcake!

Daddy and I did do our usual ritual of jelly making last week.  This has been going on for many years now, and we were sure missing our Lisa being there to help.  Just wasn't the same somehow, but we are carrying on.  I did not think I could go on at times without my sister, but I have.  Some days are better than others.  I know the Lord in heaven is working His healing touch on our family and I'm so thankful to have Him to lean on.

Notice something different?  I cut my hair.  I decided to go short.  I am really enjoying it a lot - so much easier to care for except my hair grows fast and I have to go to the salon just about once a month...  grrrrr.  But I'm liking it.

Hope to be back soon amidst the wedding planning for my daughter and keeping my baby. She's the delight of my life right now and she makes this troubled heart happy!  Take care and keep your dress down!

California, Here We Come! (rather - There We Went!)

 

 Hello from Sunny California!  Actually, we got back Monday night from San Luis Obispo in central Cali along the coast.  My nephew got married on the beach at Avila Golf Resort.  It was a beautiful place and lovely setting for a wedding!  My sister, Lisa, and her husband, my parents and Tony and I went to help celebrate this happy occasion!  The weather was perfect, and it was SO nice to get away from the Texas heatwave!  I know why people love living in California!

We got to Cali a day early and our plane flew into Santa Barbara so we took in the beautiful mission while we were passing through.  Here's me, Lisa and mom...

 

If you've never been there, the grounds are beautiful and there is a wonderful rose garden across the front of the property.  Many different kinds and colors of roses, but MY favorite is always The Yellow Rose of Texas!

 

Avila Beach Golf Resort is near San Luis Obispo so that's where we decided to stay - it's a pretty little town and has its own mission, too, which I'll show you in another post.  I just love the landscape out there with the mountains and eucalyptus trees.  It was quite dry this time of year and the grass was brown and crunchy, but it was nice to see something different...

 At the wedding, here's my nephew walking his mom, my sister Lisa, down the aisle.  It was a beautiful and informal wedding.  The bride chose lime green and black as her colors and it was gorgeous!  Isn't Lisa pretty! 

 My nephew's bride was stunning.  She's a beautiful young lady and they will make a handsome couple (and cute babies!)  And the best part is, they are moving home to Texas!  My nephew has been in the Navy and he put in for a transfer to Texas!  I'm So thrilled that he's going to be closer to his mom!

After the wedding festivities were over, we stayed a few extra days to have some R & R.  Took the family to the beach and  played...  Whatever we felt like doing!  Aren't vacations wonderful!

 

On one of our beach excursions, we spotted these lazy things laying on the beach - sea lions.  (sometimes I feel like this after a big meal, too!)  There were a couple of big males out in the water scuffling and making horrible noises with those big snouts of theirs.

 Well, so as not to make this post too picture-heavy, I'll close for now and post some more pics next time.  We visited the Hearst castle again with the family and I think the flowers were even more beautiful this visit!  Thanks to all of you who stopped by to say hi and let me know you're still my blogging buddy!  :)

Please Meet Mr. & Mrs. Josh & Lindsey

What a weekend we had last weekend!  My son, Josh, married his God-given soul-mate, Lindsey, at a beautiful lakeside service. The rain held off, it was gorgeous, a good breeze, a few rumbles, but absolutely perfect - we couldn't have asked for better weather! 

I have to tell you - the whole courtship, the whole engagement, the whole wedding, Josh getting a job right before they married, I can't begin to count all the "coincidences" that happened...This young woman and this young man were brought together by the Lord.  All their lives, her parents and us had been praying for these two kids AND their future spouses.  The Lord's been preparing them all these 25 years for each other.  If I looked the whole world over I could not find another girl more perfect for my son Josh.  Her mama feels the same about my son.  Our two families have blended into one.  We share the same faith, the same values, and now the same happiness in the joining of our two kids.

I knew early on that Lindsey was different, and that Josh was different.  They are two peas in a pod and compliment each other so well.  I could tell that they were crazy about each other.  Our whole family loves Lindsey, and hers loves Josh.  It is a match made in heaven - LITERALLY! 

Wanted to share a few snapshots with you all - mind, my sister took 'em - Lindsey & Josh will be getting the wedding photos from the photographer before long, but they still turned out well.  There's a few from the rehearsal dinner, too.  The kids went on a wedding trip to Paris, France, Athens, Greece, and the island of Santorini.  I can't wait to see THOSE photos!!!!  Maybe they'll let me share some of those!

Travel theme  - rehearsal dinner!

Here we all are - both families - at the rehearsal dinner. It was Wonderful!!!

Lindsey and her mom and dad...

Josh and me and Tony...

Josh, Tony and I.  We are so proud of him!

A moment alone with my son before the wedding....

What a blessed day for us all!

My three...

My mom and dad and their grandson...

Hayley and her daddy...

A good-looking bunch of guys...

being silly...

Us two moms!

Waiting for the bride...

More silliness...

Awwww, shucks!

The Bride and her dad (sorry it's out of order...)

The vows.

The REAL Kiss.

Git Er Dun!  Now we can EAT!

Lindsey and the Groomsmen

Josh and the Bridesmaids

See the suitcases?  THAT was the Groom's Cake!  My friend Nelda made both cakes!!!

Now THIS is one happy girl!!!  She's just beautiful!  Inside and out!

Prince Charming and His Princess had their Fairy Tale Wedding!

A happy couple!

My family is now 6!

Looks wierd to see a wedding band on Josh's hand...

Lindsey and Hayley now have a new sister!

Lovebirds...

Adam & his girl Jena

We sent the happy couple off with giant sparklers!  It was magical and wonderful and oh so fun!!! They will be back Monday night late after a long flight back from Europe.  I can't wait to see their pictures.  Don't know if I'll ever get to go myself, but I'm glad these two were able to go.

Thank you all for being patient and looking at all my pictures. I'm a little partial I guess. I thought everything turned out beautifully.  It was busy, it was hectic, but it was wonderful.  I pray for these two kids to be blessed with happiness and a home full of love for each other and for the Lord.  They'll be living not too far away from us so I'm ecstatic about that!   I hope to be back a little more now that the wedding is over with. Been super busy with the garden, and still trying to move things and throw away and put things on craigslist. Take care my friends! 

And keep your dress down!