Quality Time
Here in Florida it has been raining like cats and dogs for about three days now, and I really wouldn't mind much, after all, it could have been a hurricane named Ernesto. Instead, it's just been a bit of a tropical shower.
However, it wasn't much more than a couple of months ago that our big TV out in the living room went out, not to worry, we still had the small set that we keep in our master bedroom. Oh no, you guessed, it too bit the dust a few days ago, right about the time the rain started.
In accessing the situation I decided, what the hey, I could use a little quiet time, this won't be so bad. In fact we actually took the TVs out of our house on purpose for a whole year just so we could spend some quality time with the kids when they were little, well they were actually just starting their early teens. The kids loved it and to this day say they all three remember that being, one of their happiest memories. We did so much as a family. We read the bible, played board games, sang songs, did crafts...at first they thought they were being punished and so did we, hehe but then it just was great! We actually went a whole year without a television.
Maybe, I was a better person then, maybe because the kids were still home and I wanted to set a good example at that time, but that was then and this is now, and today, I seem to be going a bit ((( *stir crazy*))). Mostly, because I feel like the silence is closing in on me. It could be that I've had just too many cups of Moho and that's what's making me a bit more jittery.
What's odd, is I am usually the first one to say "let's not watch TV tonight", or "let's just talk", or go for a walk or play cards...or BLOG...hehe! giggle, giggle.
It's a big eye opener when you suddenly have to go without that little something that you do everyday. Seems we all have our little crutches and how amazing it is when we are forced to step back and examine ourselves and those around us. It give us a whole new perspective and shows how much we take for granted just because we get
caught up in the everyday little things instead of what's really important.
So it's
just the two of us enjoying the silence of a moon filled sky now that the rain has stopped, and hoping you are enjoying a little quality time, as well. :)
In Search of Sunflowers...Only to Find Buzzards
Talked my wonderful hubby into taking a little drive to find a field of Sunflowers that they said, on the news, a farmer had planted to keep the nutrients up in the soil til it was time for him to plant strawberries for the famous Strawberry Festival they have here in Plant City, Florida each year. He was welcoming anyone to come and take pics and afterwards, mentioned they could help themselves to a few flowers as souvenirs.
So off we went looking for Sunflowers. Now, he does not think this is a good idea, in fact, he is like we don't even know where on this stretch of road between pt. A and pt. B, the field is located. I keep telling him it's OK, we love drives, we have all day, it will be fun. (
note: double click on pictures will enlarge them)
We did end up having fun, but no Sunflowers. Well, all this while he is wan
ting to get home so he can draft his NFL Fantasy Football team. So as we were heading back I said, "Let's go to the park, after all, I did have my camera and maybe I could get some cute wildlife pics or who knows maybe some cute squirrels, or flowers. Never the less, this is what we came up on...this sign, in the park...see the one in the middle.
Turning around I was so amused to see what was sitting on the park rangers truck. See him there, right on top, a Buzzard. You would have thought the park ranger would have read the sign and what? What are you s
uppose to do so the Buzzards don't damage your car, is that not ridiculously funny.
To my sweet surprise, upon walking out towards the lake, I was thrilled to get a picture of a Heron. You rarely see them and this just made the trip all worth it!
So it's
just the two of us hoping that if you head out and don't find exactly what you're looking for, don't be surprised if there's not a little something around the corner that will thrill and amuse you too. :)
With a twinkle in His Eyes
I just love the little twinkle I see in my little Grand baby Ben's eyes when he first comes in and see's me his little legs start swinging and he squeals in delight. Makes my heart just go a flutter.
Renee brought Ben over this morning so she could go to her doctor's appt. and make sure all was going well with her pregnancy.
He was in a delightful mood, and we had so much fun together. He did the funniest thing, he would blow raspberries on my shoulder. It through me for a loop the first time he did it so I said, "what are you doing to Gma" and I gentle tickled his side and he threw his head back, as if to let me know he got me good, and just broke out in to gales of laughter...(((giggle)))...((( giggle)))...((( giggle))).
He is 8 mo's and has three teeth that just came in the past couple of weeks, and not surprisingly, he seems to just relish food; like that's ever been a problem in our family ~ HA. lol On the rare occasion there was something they didn't like, I am so bad, I would always tell the kids you don't have to eat it but don't complain to me cause I'm not a short order cook. lol I have always been curious how other people do it in their house, if they taylor to the likes and dislikes of everybody's taste buds, or what.
With my wonderful hubby still at work, its been a great day, I can't wait to fill him in on all the fun we had, and then it will be
just the two of us hoping you've got a twinkle in your eye.
Playing The Name Game
Just The Two of Us
Barb, over at A Chelsea Morning brought up the fact that there are a lot of unique and interesting blog names. She is asking everyone to explain why they chose their blog name and to elaborate if it has any hidden meaning in it.
Having started my blog just a few weeks ago this month, and being very new to this, I really wanted to have a cute catchy name that would be reflect what it was that I was blogging about. So in my profile, I explain that now that our three kids are on their own it
is just the two of us watching their lives unfold.
My hubby and I often feel like we are kids again now that it is just the two of us. We are indeed surprised to find how wonderful this time in our lives are. I mean my life was so centered around my kids and my family that I was apprehensive to say the least...but it's great! We are always saying how much fun it is to be able to plan a little get away or do something we probably never would have thought about doing when the kids were home. We absolutely love reflecting back on the good times of our life as a family, as well as, watching our kids lives blossom and unfold, whether its good or bad, the kids always make us proud, and, makes us feel in our hearts that we did something right. Maybe someday , I will learn how to tuck the song "just the two of us ", into my blog so I can show a little of that "bloggy spirit" that makes you feel welcome and wanting to come back for more. :)
We are always and forever counting our blessings. We pray that God continues to watch over and bless our family. So
it is just the two of us hoping that you are counting your blessings.
Smile and the Whole World Smiles!
Now that Sunday is finally here,
just the two of us are going to spend the afternoon together at the beach. We've packed all the essentials, towels, sun tan lotion, and a few snacks, and the little red cooler full of ice cold drinks.
We have many wonderful memories spent with family and friends soaking up the rays, flying kites, building sandcastles all while staying in a little beach front condo and just having a good old time. On this particular day, we met my Cousin Debbie, her hubby Bill, a
nd two of their four kids, Courteney, and Parker, and my Aunt Betty from Oklahoma. Then my Mom, and our Daughter Chrystal came along with just the two of us, and we all met in Pensacola, Fl. It was great to see them all and we wanted to do something special since it wasn't all that often that we all got together so, we decided to give para-sailing a try...it was incredible! Out on the boat you could fill your lungs with the sweet salty air, the sun warming your body, your wet hair blowing in the breeze, the perspiration beads forming on your skin, and the sound of the waves rushing all around you... all while being suspended 100 feet above the Gulf of Mexico.
Our daughter Chrystal, Courteney, and Parker relished every moment! As you can see we got some pretty big (((smiles))).
To the right is Courteney, Chrystal, and Parker, on the balcony. Below, is Parker and Courteney at the condo.
So, it's
just the two of us hoping that you are enjoying your Sunday and that you've got a (((*smile*))) on your face.
Shivan Ming Moo Panda Pooh...Our Dog
Shivan Ming Moo Panda Pooh, AKA "Shivan", is our little tag along, long haired Shih tzu.
He is a smart little guy in that he can do about 10 tricks, roll over, speak, dance, look pretty, play dead, chase your tail, growl , shake hands (paws). You say "that is only eight tricks", well, I have to explain, in a bit more depth, the other two ~ he washes his own dishes...impressive huh! :) The last trick, however, not so, in fact it leads me to believe my sweet fuzzy little Shivan might have needed a "
doggy shrink". *
speaking in a low whisper*...He tinkles on the sidewalk. Yes, it's the strangest thing. I've knudged him. I go out into the grass and try to coax him saying "it ok Shivan, see Mommy's in the grass ~ this is where big boys do their duty", ...NO, I end up standing out in the middle of our yard while he does his thing on the sidewalk...Go figure. Even though he may show signs of odd behavior, we love him unconditionally.
The Shih Tzu (whose name means “lion”) is reputed to have been the oldest and smallest variety of the Tibetan “holy dogs” and bears some similarity to other Tibetan breeds. For much of the long and illustrious history of China, the breeding of the small “Lion Dog” was a favorite pastime of succeeding imperial rulers.
Prior to A.D. 624, documents show that small dogs were exported from Malta, Turkey, Greece, and Persia as gifts to the ruling Chinese emperors. The are known for prancing around proudly and tend to bring gifts to their owners for this reason. It is likely that the first small Tibetan Lion Dogs from which the Shih Tzu is probably descended came to China during the Qing (Ch’ing) Dynasty (1644-62) as tributes from the Grand Lamas to the Chinese Imperial Court, and that the Chinese interbred these Tibetan dogs with the early western imports and with the Pug and the Pekingese.
Returning overseas military personnel brought some of the first Shih Tzu into the United States during the late 1940s and 1950s and began breeding programs. The unique beauty and
outstanding temperament of this “new” breed quickly found favor families all over. From the first day of formal AKC recognition (Sept. 1, 1969), the Shih Tzu catapulted from a relatively unknown breed to one of the most glamorous and popular of all canine companions.
Our Shivan is our little enforcer, he loves to step in between
just the two of us and protect me just as his ancestors did with his mighty roar or he can wiggle waggle his whole body tail and all and cuddle up right next to you. So it's
just the two of us hoping you can enjoy a little bit of sunshine out on your walk today!
My Heart is Touched...
...with HappinessWithout a doubt, the last couple of years have been a whirlwind, with my oldest son Kevin and Renee's wedding last year in January, and my daughter Chrystal and Dave's wedding, just this past June.
Today, however, I just want to to say how sweet my Daughter-in-law Renee is, and that by showing just the simplest little act of kindness she filled my heart with happiness. Last night, we were talking about how chapped our lips have been lately; I mentioned that I had even caught myself biting my lips. Shortly after returning to pic
k up Ben, and exchanging hugs n kisses, we said our good nights, when Kevin rang the doorbell (the kids never ring the bell but we had already locked up for the night) again and handed me a little package of Chap Stick, he said Renee wanted me to have it. I was so touched and blew her a kiss, and thought how blessed we are, that Kevin picked out such a nice girl to call our ~ Daughter-in-law.
My daughter Chrystal, met Dave, while attending Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, their f
reshman year. Focusing on school they set aside their fondness for one another and became best friends. They didn't start "dating" until their senior year. (I know *smile*) Nothing touched my heart more than the day we got "the call" (due to living in another state) from Dave,... and he didn't just want to talk to my hubby alone, but rather, asked to speak with both of us on speakerphone. Yes, Dave asked for "our permission" to have our daughter Chrystal's hand in marriage; it meant the world to me; I was so touched that he thought to include me, We are so blessed to be able to call Dave ~ our Son-in-law.
Had a delightful time with our little grand baby Ben, last night, and just wanted to thank everyone for their insight, as to, where to draw the line with baby proofing in a Gma's home, in my last post. You have made me feel much more comfortable in my decision to keep my knick knacks out. Woo hoo! Oh, and the white couch is out,,,had to giggle at some of your comments...lol!
Today, my wonderful single son Terrence, stopped by and to surprise me with a sandwich from Subway. We got caught up on a few things and just had a great time together. I, took the opportunity to remind him again, that two weddings in two years is e n o u g h , hehe Gee, I don't know about you but I'm feeling it. So it is
just the two of us hoping someone touches your heart today.
Baby on the Go...What's Gma to Do?
Lots to do today, before Kevin and Renee bring our darling little Grandbaby over to spend the evening. It's a win~ win for all of us, as they get to go on their "date" together...a nice little break for the two of them and some much needed time together. For
just the two of us, it is time spent with our little Ben that we can count on every Wednesday, and it is so meaningful and precious.
So, I'm off to go s h o p p i n g ! Let me see, I want to pick up another memory SD card for my digital camera so that when I upload I don't have to go through so many pics just to get to the one I am interested in...hope this idea works.
Then I keep putting off getting the little baby safety things to secure the outlets, the cupboards, and I am going to price the babygates but I don't even let Ben out of my sight right now, and I am still in a
state of protest. Where do you draw the line..."What's a Gma to do"?
After the kids got older and left home, I
just and I mean
just redecorated and got little cute things sat around to make our little place feel good n' cozy. :) Therefore, if I can help it, I really don't want to put all the cute stuff away again, especially with a new little Gbaby com
ing in February already, I feel like I might as well have an auction if I put everything away I probably won't see it for ages. It is a dilemma...what to do, what to do... Does this mean I shouldn't get that pretty white couch and love seat I always wanted. After all, nothing looks more like a coloring book to a kid than anything white. lol
Well, better go so I can get a few things done. Hopefully, I will come up with a solution that works. So ,
it's just the two of us hoping you all enjoy your day!
Dare To Dream
I've always done some of my best thinking when outside, sitting in the tall blades of green grass and looking up into the heavens. The warm sunshine beating down, all the while, the puffy white clouds sail on by.
While peering up into the expanse of magnificent blue sky, The kids and I would imagine that we could make out the image of a cat, a turtle, or maybe a teddy bear. It was delightful sharing in their visions, hearing their giggles, and talking about their thoughts and dreams.
I would often tell them, that if they believed, anything was possible. The sky was the limit, or shoot for the moon and all your dreams will come tr
ue. We pray that our wonderful children's lives will continue to be filled with love, laughter, health and happiness. When times are not so good that they will get through it by prayer and by the grace of God.
So, much of the time, in this fast paced world of ours it is easy to get caught up in all the hoopla of the war, pressures at home, or at work and we all need to remember to take time out for our loved ones and dare to dream. If we all hold onto a little more of that sweet innocence and enjoy the simple little joys that we so often take for granite, the world, which can seem rather cruel and insensitive, will seem a little brighter.
I think sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to ease up and destress...Find your own puffy white clouds and use your imagination and tell me what visions you see in them.
So, it's
just the two of us hoping all your dreams come true!
Gazing Into His Eyes
When I look into my sweet wonderful hubby's baby blue eyes I melt. I love him so much, and he also makes me feel warm and safe. I also know that he will protect me from whatever may lurk in the corners of our little abode. Specifically, with regards to little creepy crawly critters. I admit that I find little frogs cute and I have several nestled in the bushes, out back around the pool, that I picked up at this gift shop or that and even some that I made and painted myself. I find them charming, but real ones...eeeewwww.
Yes, I have been known to be a little over dramatic when it comes to finding what I call, creepy crawly's in the H O U S E ! Well, that is precisely what happened the other day, I hear this odd noise coming from the bathroom and I think hum...then something falls to the ground and sounds like glass breaking. This, without a doubt got my attention, and with my hubby a
t work I am like, "do I dare", and what to my wondering eyes appears but a frog...yes, a frog, a b i g frog.
Suddenly, our eyes met and something came over me and it definitely wasn't a feeling of "love at first sight", no it was more like spine tingling chills and a sudden desire to run, however, upon refraining myself from any rash decision, I slowly, so as not to alarm either of us any further, least he should decide to jump up on me and send me into orbit, (right?) gently closed the door. Later, when my hubby came home he captured the little guy and let him loose in the yard, my hero!
Living here in Florida is like living in one giant sandbox, as there really just isn't the mud like up North, it's all sand. So, there again, on another lovely occasion,
just the two of us were planting some Oyster plants and a few flowers in the bed out back, when out of no where...from being buried underneath the soil, pops up this frog's head. Instantaniously, and without hesitation, (I astounded even myself with my agility on this one) leap backwards from a squatting position narrowly missing having taken a dive in the pool that lay right behind me. Oh my word! I had no idea giant frogs lived underground...guess you learn something new everyday.
I will never forget the time I stepped out on the patio intending to give my poor neglected feet a pedicure. In any case, in the middle of sanding dilligently on my feet I happened to get the distinct feeling I wasn't alone...OMG, lizards, everywhere, zillions of them with their little beady eye ba
lls piercing through my skin, yes, it was the flakes of skin falling to the ground from the pedicure that was evidently attracting them. Guess they thought it was bugs or something.
Well, now that the hair is beginning to settle down, once again, on my neck it is
just the two of us, longingly, gazing into each others eyes as the day is slowly winding down.
Splishing and a Splashing
Anyone for a dip in the pool?
From the time I was a little girl, I loved swimming, and I am so grateful to my Mom for putting aside her fear of water and making sure that me and my little brother Duane, could learn how to swim. Which, now looking back had to just be terrifying for her, however, I grew to love the water and anything to do with the water.
My brother will be the first to tell you that I saved his life from drowning in a public pool when he was like 5 and I was like 8, although my method left a bit to be desired having put him on my shoulders and quickly looking like a Beta fish with the blown out cheeks. It worked, non the less, and he is still with us as I soon had to come up for air and managed to get him to the side. I think he had just swallowed too much water and panic set in.
On family vacations, we would go and stay at a little A-frame log cabin and my brother and I would go waterskiing. Later, my love for the water would take me onto all kinds of new and thrilling adventures. In highschool, I mastered eight dives, swam a mile and 1/2 everyday, and certified as a senior lifeguard.
It wasn't long before I realized my wonderful hubby was at best a land luber. Yet, he doesn't mind dipping his toes in the water and joining in on the fun cause he knows I love it so much.
I taught all three of my kids how to swim by the time they were three and my oldest was only 15 months.
We loved the beach, especially the kids. On the left Chrystal, (8) Kevin, (11) and Terrence (10) and someone's been feeding the seagulls. tsk tsk
Later, when my kids were in their early teens, my parents moved to a lake about 45 min from us and got a boat and a jetski. (if you could see the broad grin come over my face) Well those were the times of our lives and memories we all will treasure forever.
Above, the serenity of the Cypress trees out at the lake.
To the left, is Chrystal with our dog Shivan in our pool. If you look to your right, you'll see our son Kevin and Renee jetskiing.
Lastly, here is our Grandbaby Ben enjoying a day in the pool.
So it's
just the two of us leaping for joy that we are so blessed and enjoying a day filled with sunshine; leaving you with this.
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. PROVERBS 4:18
Parents Living in a High Tech World
Please page down to view Friday's Five Ingredients recipe - Mushroom Barley Soup. This is a recipe echange that is being hosted by Overwhelmed With Joy, afterwards, click on the link and view other wonderful recipes, as well. It's a great way to obtain and try new interesting recipes.
With plans to spend the day with my Mom, who is the sweetest, kindest, and doesn't have a bad bone in her body, Mom. I fully intended to get up early, so as to be ready, for whatever lay ahead, and wouldn't you know I overslept and quickly realized I had also missed four phone calls in an effort to wake me up. hehe We did have a lovely day together. Today, she really wanted to see the blog I had been telling her about. She was so amazed with the whole bloggy thing. I showed her a couple of other blogs I had bookmarked as favorites I enjoy reading and she couldn't believe it, along with the incredible blog my daughter Chrystal is writing. Some of the blogs are moving and exciting, and others heartbreaking with stories of everyday life, fantastic adoptions stories, one of which, required a box of kleenex close at hand, so real and so incredibly touching.
I am hoping it will be the one more reason I need for persuading my Mom to purchase a laptop of her own. It looks promising, and then, she talks herself out of it. She is sure she will hit a wrong button and "poof" everything will go away. I know the whole idea can be intimidating, with pros and cons, but oh, to have the world at your hands...you know what I'm t
alking about! On the other hand, she stays very busy with herchurch,volunteering from everything from cooking, to watching babies in the nursery, to minding the church office. She said she just about hit the ceiling when the fax started printing and noone else was in the room! ha ha
My Father-in-Law, took the plunge and purchased a computer last year and I can't believe how well he gets around now. He loves to check on his stocks, read the news and just keep in touch with friends and family. Why, he gets more funny jokes forwarded to him from his friends than he does spam. Isn't that just awesome! Senior citizens that adapt to change, have a hobby, challenge their minds with a crossword puzzle or even a good book, they say, live not only a longer life, but a more quality filled life.
Both my Mother-in-law, and my Mom are incredibly busy ladies. I have always said it is pretty bad when you can't keep up with either of your Moms. Den's Mom loves to garden and can fresh veggies from her garden. Which, is the size of an average public pool. She is a great cook and we always look forward to enjoying a delicious meal at her house. We would just love to wish our parents a happy 100th some day, and at this rate I firmly believe they are on their way.
So it is
just the two of us enjoying a bowl of Mushroom Barley Soup. Remember to check out the recipe below, and leave me a comment so I know you visited, thanks.
Baby and The Home Field
Had so much fun watching our little grandbaby Ben last night. In anticipation of being told the previous day that he had started crawling, well, I broke out the broom, the dustpan and the mop...oh, you noticed, no v a c c u u m.
Yes, two years ago, I had finally had it with my dog Shivan, who is now 10 years old, and occasionally was having little "piddle" problems. To my dismay, even the most professional carpet cleaner would tell me that you just can't get down to the core of the problem where the stain settles. Well, if that didn't just spur me on. It wasn't soon after, I took a mini course in Floor Laying 101. Shortly after, I was beaming at having cut and laid the high gloss German pergo floor. Not to boast or anthing, lol, but it only took me a week to lay it in five rooms of our home. Professionals, later, installed tile in the main area's of the house where we spend most of our time...no more carpet. It was great! We were "piddle proof"!
Fast forward and yesturday, I realized "how is Ben going to manage to crawl on hard floors, poor little guy. Do they make baby football gear? hehe It's like being thrown in the game with no padding.
Our dog Shivan and Ben are still in the "get accquainted" stage. Ben LOVES the dog, a brillant dimpled grin comes over his face everytime he see's Shivan. On the other hand, Shivan is not liking sharing his pla
ying field. I quickly realized, I had to run interference, as Ben (with that little clinched grip of his) has the strength of a pro football tackler when he gets ahold of Shivan's hair, maybe a future John Lynch or Ronde Barber. lol Can you tell we're Tampa Bay Buc fans?
I just want our future little Buc to be safe.
Oh , by the way did I mention that Ben's baby room is decorated in Buc's...so cute!
So, here we are, just the two of us cheering for the home team!
Its Five Ingredients Friday...Soups On!
Mushroom Barley SoupThis is a hearty; savory soup recipe that my family just loves, it's aroma fills the house and welcomes you home...um mm
Five Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh button mushrooms
- 1 onion (I like Vidalia)
- 5 strips of thick sliced bacon
- 1 11 oz. box Quaker Quick Pearled Barley
- 1 32 oz. box beef broth
Preparation:
In a large dutch oven style pot, saute' diced onion over med-hi heat, thoroughly wash and slice mushrooms in half, add and brown just slightly, prepare bacon by sandwiching strips between two paper towels (four towels total to absorb grease) on a paper plate (microwave 5
min) tear cooled strips into small bite size pieces and add to pot, add remaining ingredients and pour in 2-3 cups water accordingly. Season with salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Cook on med-hi for 20 to 30 min and then simmer till you holler Yummy, yummy, yummy...SOUPS ON! :)
Sending out a big *thank you* to
Overwhelmed With Joy for letting me participate in her Five Ingredient Friday recipe exchange that she is hosting.
Little Pleasures Are Lifes Blessings
It was simply a lovely day today. Got caught up on some little things around the house. Made Potato Salad, as well as, Mushroom Barley Soup, I will be sharing the recipe this Friday for those of you who have been asking for the recipe. I will be participating in the Five Ingredient Friday recipe exchange that is being hosted by
Overwhelmed With Joy. It is such a refreshing idea because half the time recipes call for so many unique and strange ingredients that it is a challenge just finding them in the store. Let alone anytime you can make something that's a bit more simple and that doesn't cost and arm or a leg to make, is worth it's presence on my table. lol Last but not least, I made Quick cookies! They might qualify as having only five ingredents too.
Got some exciting news that our niece Carlee and her husband Roy out in California had their baby G I R L! We are so excited for them! Guess she had to have a C-section due to the baby being caught in her ribcage. It's no wonder, do you believe the baby weighed 9 pounds 10 ounces, and was, get this...22 1/2 inches long. I didn't even know they came in that size. lol All is well, the new Mommy, Daddy and baby Natashia, are doing fine. Our very best wishes go out to all of them. Guess this means I get to go s h o p p i n g! lol
Then, my son Kevin and my daughter-in-law Renee called with news to make my day...Little Ben started crawling today, 8 mo's old, and he's crawling. Wish you could hear me singing "It's a whole new world, (Ooh la la) a world of new and exciting things." They are trying to come up with names for the new baby that is due in February, and they wanted to know if I had any thoughts or ideas on the subject...that has got to be a trick question for a grandma. I felt like if I suggest, they will feel obligated to use it and yet the thrill of picking out a name...that is BIG. (trying to contain my composure) Never the less, I guess they are looking for something unusual and not so old fashion. I told them I kind of liked Aiden for a boy, and the said they were tossing around Arianna or Elissa if it's a girl, so then I told them Ariella. Life is such a blessing, so many little pleasures around every corner.
Our son Terrence, is a meat cutter at a local grocery store and he too was happy cause he is going to have overtime this week, his company asked if he could cover out at a new store they just built.
Then to my amazement, I actually got ahold of a "live person", my daughter Chrystal, and just hearing her giggle was like music to my ears. She and Dave have been married two months now and are doing great!
So now, here we are just the two of us and enjoying the pleasure, beauty and tranquility of a peaceful sunset.
Jesus Is Watching You
(Just a little something to make you smile)
A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables, and when he picked up a CD player to place in his sack, a strange, disembodied voice echoed from the dark, saying, "Jesus is watching you."
He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off and froze. When he heard nothing more after a bit, he shook his head, promised himself a vacation after the next big score, then clicked the light on and began searching for more valuables. Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, "Jesus is watching you."
Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.
"Did you say that?" he hissed at the parrot.
"Yep," the parrot confessed, then squawked, "I'm just trying to warn you."
The burglar relaxed. "Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?"
"Moses," replied the bird.
"Moses?" the burglar laughed. "What kind of people would name a bird Moses?"
"The kind of people who would name a Rottweiler Jesus."
A Little Bit Of Paradise
When we first moved to Florida 15 years ago, we thought we had our own little bit of paradise; we were amazed by the lush beauty of all the tropical trees and just the meer fact that everyone seemed to take life at a slower pace. I was stunned that we had 13 orange trees in our yard alone...wow! It was like inheriting a mini orchard . No problem, I thought, we had three energetic little kids that would love to pick and eat the oranges. It would save on the grocery bills. Last but not least, people would tell us how we could profit from the sale of oranges from our trees and that people would even be willing to pick them and pay us. Oh, how naive we were. hee hee
We set out and bought an electric juicer and set up a family production line from picking them, washing them, slicing them and squeezing the pulp out of them...resulting in the most delicious fresh squeezed Valenzia orange juice you could imagine, yet we quickly realized that our trees were producing more than our little family could handle, and learned sooner, than later, that not only were we NOT going to make a small fortune with our trees, but we couldn't even get our church or any other church groups, or clubs interested in coming out and picking them for free.
Another delimma or mystery concerning the orange trees was that frequently, we would find whole orange peels on the sidewalk or in the grass and it would look like one of the kids had hollowed out all of the juicy inside and left the peels all over the place, well, I was going to let them know that Mommy did not think this was funny and they should not leave their peels around and you know, all three of them denied ever leaving the peels in the yard... Well, to my surprise, one day, while bringing in the grocerys from the car something dropped with a thud from the tree right above me...yes, it was an orange peel, and to my amazement, I soon learned that the floridan squirrels, and birds have a taste for the tropical fruit, as well, mystery solved.
Over the years our wonderful parents, my in-laws, Floyd and Beverly, would come over without fail usually once or twice a week and pick an abundance to share with their neighbors and friends. We were so grateful for their help, as it was a bit overwhelming the volume of oranges 13 trees can produce. We too, would do our best to share the fruit with all of our friends and neighbors.
Now, the trees have served us well, and it has been necessary to cut them down, so in order to save $90 a tree, we have decided to cut them down our selves, thus leaving the biggest delimma of how to get the recycling truck to pick the branches up, as there is a limit on how much you can put out to the curb. Wouldn't you know it, but the first night the truck left without picking up any of the branches and leaving us a note that we had left "over the limit", oh yes, here is the good part, my night in shining armor, my hubby, see's how upset I am and jumps in the car, note in hand and flags them down saying we would help load if they came back...and THEY DID! This turn of events, however, definantly ruffled a few feathers with the neighbors, as they were sure we had slipped them a twenty or something. We assured the neighbors we hadn't, in fact, we were planning on writing a thank you note, just as we had done in the past. So, just the two of us, once again, with the squirrels and our fine feathered friends looking on accomplished cutting down yet another tree, leaving only five to go. :)
Here in Florida it has been raining like cats and dogs for about three days now, and I really wouldn't mind much, after all, it could have been a hurricane named Ernesto. Instead, it's just been a bit of a tropical shower.
caught up in the everyday little things instead of what's really important.
