Grandsons, Granddog and Maybe Snow...

Our oldest grandson (14) and our youngest (2) are both sleeping at Nana's and Papa's house tonight. How special is that? The middle one was here with us for a while earlier tonight. Little Man just loves his big cousins and they dote on him.

The loft bed that Ken build for our younger son, Josh, had to be rescued from the attic this week.  Josh used it about 25 years ago;  Dale and Tristan used it a few years ago.  Now is is Little Man's turn.  He loves it - all his toys can live under the bed.  Of course he can't seep in it yet - it's way too high.  What fun to have the same bed his daddy had a few years ago.

Our two donkeys, Gracie and Stormy - both female - are two of Little Man's favorite things. He loves to feed them cookies. No, Stormy was not named after my brother who shares the same name. She was actually named Stormy when we got her. Little Man loves all things outdoors - the barn, the donkeys, the tractors and especially riding the Gator.

Much too cold today. Snow and ice in the forecast for tomorrow. I'm ready for spring!

We had another visitor for part of the day. Granddog Baxter spent the afternoon. He doesn't snore as much as Bodacious - our beagle.  He does beg for food quite a bit.

Snow or no snow?  School or no school?  Dale's last words before bed were, "Don't wake me if school is closed."  I always wanted to wake up early when school was closed so I could enjoy the whole day.

A really good day.

Bucket List

My Bucket List is a work in progress.  Things I really, really want to do.  Do you have a Bucket List?
Sometimes I think I really want to do something until the opportunity comes - then I begin to rethink it.  I guess it is more attractive to me when I think it is impossible!  Truth is - I love life - I am truly blessed.  Maybe I need to look at my Bucket List as more of a "Do I really want to do this?" list.  What could be better than a day like today?

I mailed the Tumbling Blocks quilt to beautiful baby Daniela in Georgia.  A quilt is a gift of much more than cloth, batting and thread.  It's a gift of time, creativity and love.  

I spent the afternoon teaching my Daughter in Law more about quilting.  We spent time together sewing - a very good thing.  Little Man took a nap in "his" room at Nana and Pop Pop's house.  Then he went to see the donkeys - Gracie and Stormy.  A very good day.

A woman I knew years ago came in the shop today.  She is the same - we had a great time of remembering.  She is a knitter.  It is good to remember who we are and who we were.

God is good.  Life is good.

 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:

   “I have loved you with an everlasting love; 

   I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

Jeremiah 31:3 

A New Year - 8736 hours - What will we do with them?

8736 hours - it's intriguing to think about what we might do with that much time.  One of my pet peeves is hearing people say, "I don't have time.".  We all have the same amount of time - the same number of hours in each day.  We each choose how we spend our time.  I really do feel that time is a gift we need to use wisely.  Sometimes I'm guilty of having so many things I want to do with my time that I have a hard time choosing.

What are your priorities?  What will you do that will have the most positive impact?  Which will I choose to do that will be most pleasing to God?

Do you know people who don't seem to do anything with their time?  I think they must be very unhappy.

How do we look at our accomplishments?  Our choices?  The results of how we spend our time?

In the past couple of days I have spent time with our three grandsons.  I love them and I truly enjoy spending time with them.  Being a grandparent is an awesome responsibility and an opportunity to influence lives and make memories.  When I'm with them I don't accomplish much else except being with them - and that's the way I think it should be.  I'm guilty of "multi-tasking" many times.  When we multi-task, we're not giving our full attention and our best efforts to anything.  Do you know what it feels like to have someone really focus on you?  Really listen to you?  Care about what you're saying?  It feels good!  I have spent most of my life thinking that the more things I do, the more I accomplish each day, the better person I am.  I still struggle with wanting to do too many things...good things.  My sense of self worth is too dependent on what I can do.  I need to understand that God is where my real self worth comes from - and relax in that.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

EASTER

Easter Sunday... brings lots of memories of childhood Easters.

Church - Easter egg hunts - new clothes - family dinners - Mom and Dad - spring.

Easter doesn't seem to be celebrated as much as it used to be - or as much as it should be.

For us as Christians, this should be our most celebrated holiday. Maybe the best celebration is simply the acknowledgement in our own heart and mind that Easter marks the resurrection or our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Easter was quiet - Josh, Becky and Jeremiah came by for a while when they got home from Raleigh. Jeremiah looked so cute in his Easter outfit. Perry came while they were here. Dale and Tristan were with Amber. We'll see them in a few days.

Ken and I went to Lowe's to buy flowers for the yard. He bought three fruit trees and planted them this afternoon. Flowers and trees = new life - seems appropriate for Easter.

We checked the garden - watching the plants grow. I think we'll plant some more in a week or so. It's good to be home. Today was a very good day.

A Beautiful Family Day

The best days are really the simplest ones.   The weather was perfect today - feels like spring might be here.  

We cooked on the grill and ate on the patio.  Little J enjoyed the swing, the hammock and all the attention he got.

Josh, Becky and Little J, Perry, Dale and Tristan and Lester were all here.  After we ate, we just sat and talked and enjoyed the day while Jeremiah took a nap.  It's fun to see Dale and Tristan with him. 

Becky and I checked our garden.  Several of the plants are up and growing.  Ken is building a wire cover to keep the critters from eating our "square foot garden".  

We even had fresh strawberry cake!  Can't get much better than that.