A Texas State of Mind . . .

If I didn't live in Kansas I would live in Texas.

We recently visited our son and his family in Edinburg, Texas.  One extra bonus was that my mom bought a ticket and joined us!  

I spent the week ahead getting ready to be gone.  Does anyone else do this?  Do you have special things that you like to accomplish before you enjoy some relaxation??  My list includes these things:  Do laundry, finish up loose ends at work, get a haircut, get a manicure, figure the check book, get cash, pay bills, water flowers, call vet, and of course pack.

We picked up our granddaughter on the way to the airport (nice since she moved back to Kansas from South Dakota!) and we were off!

We arrived Friday night and headed to Ruby Tuesdays (where Nikki works) for awesome food and many laughs!!  It was a great night  . . and the weekend continued with us loading up and heading for South Padre Island the next morning.  I love the beach!!  Julia and Elaine loved the water and the sun!  Todd treated us to hotdogs on the grill on the beach.  Watched some movies and enjoyed some delicious cooking by my DIL Gloria - her Mexican rice, pico de gallo, and Todd's great BBQ'd meats!!

Time is always short but you can jam pack fun and activities in to short time when you are surrounded by people you love the most in all the world!!  We all wished our daughter and her family had been with us to round out the good times . . . there will be another time!!

Blessings once again . . . 

                                  Sun screen galore!

    

                                     Watchful dad!

                                  Mom enjoying the beach!

                            Yum - Pina coladas!! (Nonalcoholic)

                               Jasper and Ali playing!   

                     

                            Ali never tires of playing catch!

T & T Book Club Summer Reading Challenge

T & T Book Club, is in it's second decade of existence.  It was started as a great way for my sister Tami and I to share the reading of the same book at the same time each month.  We lived several hours apart and so we used snail mail and by that I mean email or oh my even the United States Postal system to deliver  "book announcements" to each other.  We took turns being in charge each month and finding a book to share with the other.  Then the one in charge also came up with a fun activity to do along with reading the book.    This was a huge success for several years - I still remember the excitement of sending off an announcement and sometimes even a copy of the book to Tami - or the thrill of getting the announcement! Then things changed and Tami moved much closer to me - just l0 miles away and although we have always kept it going - - - it has waxed and waned throughout the years.  But we love the idea of having our own Book Club and so as we kicked it in gear again just recently - we have decided to do something a little different and we are calling it:    The Summer Reading Challenge of the T & T Book Club!

I have picked a four book series from the great state of Texas!  I plan to make two trips to my sons house this summer in the deep of Texas - so when I discovered this series - I was intrigued.  I challenged Tami to pick her own books to read this summer (and it was easy as she had recently posted here about her choices of "pretty covers" and great stories that were on her summer book reading list.)

The challenge is this:  She will read her choices and I will read my series - - - and weekly or every other week we are obligated to post on our blogs about our reading progress!  An online book report if you will!

Here are my books  . . . and feel free to join us in the T & T Summer Reading Challenge!!


             

       TEXAS RICH - TEXAS HEAT - TEXAS FURY - TEXAS SUNRISE

The first in Fern Michaels' best-selling Texas series, TEXAS RICH introduces us to passionately compelling Billie Ames. Young Billie was naive but a real knockout when she met Moss Coleman at the Philadelphia Navy Yard during World War II. Within a few months she was pregnant and married to him. It was a marriage that brought Billie--and her mother, Agnes--across the country to Austin, to a 250,000-acre spread called Sunbridge, and into the world of the Texas rich.

Happy Summer Reading All!!

Saturday . . . in the park . . . I wish it was the 4th of July ...

Two of my favorite things are Saturdays and the 4th of July - for real.  Since I have had bloggers block again I decided to just write - and journal my Saturday.  I love everything about a Saturday especially one I can stay home and enjoy. 

I start the day by getting up early with working hubs (It's busy in the ag world again), making coffee, turning on the weekend weather, and going back to sleep in my chair or sofa.

After a quick shower I'm off to enjoy the rest of the morning!

The weather channel has us in the red zone today for storms and although it's beautiful out - no sunshine at the moment.  Perfect morning for a bike ride . . . and the minute I finish this coffee and get out of my recliner . . . I'm on wheels!

Bike ride finished for now - goal is to do 5 miles today in segments - - - two yellow crop dusters flew overhead as I took off - I still am intrigued and love living by the airport - aren't I silly?  

Watching the weather again on TV and remembering those who lost their homes and their lives this week in the huge tornado near Dallas, Texas.    

Laundry is next on the list . . . has to be done . . . especially since the hubs is busy working today :) As most of you know . . . he does most of the laundry.  

He's coming home soon - so planning some lunch.

Bike ride - washed car - and relaxing in the chair again.

Yard sprayed for weeds - Clay home.

Customer calls - "didn't know you'd be closed this afternoon" :(

Clean sheets and a clean shower curtain.

 Brought home a book called Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman - has anyone heard of it?  Going to take a time out for a little reading and a diet coke.    Back later . . . 

Now to finish one sewing project I had planned for the weekend.  Clay has built bunk beds for our granddaughter, Elaine  - no for her American Girl Doll McKenna.  She wanted bright blue and so I picked up some matching material to make two thin "mattresses" for the bunk beds.  If you remember earlier my sister Tami and I made little tied quilts for the dolls.

The "ripper" is my friend - - - see anything wrong with the above picture?  Yeh  . . . could you not have spoke up???  Just sewed one together like this - - - so only had to rip one out.  The afternoon is coming to a close and it has been a good day - - - Time to clean up the mess - and throw some brats on the BBQ - yum!  But the finished project looks like this . . . any little girl would love to have this . . . minor imperfections included! :)

Hope you enjoyed my Saturday journaling - it was much fun - and two new topics came to mind today so I think I have broken my bloggers block!  Until then . . . 

Summer 2013 Bucket List

Summer 2013 Bucket List

Having a Bucket List seems to be the new thing to do these days!  And so I have one!  It includes some big ticket items like Times Square for New Years Eve and Washington D.C. for 4th of July and to meet Oprah and Blake (Shelton).  Oh and losing 50 more pounds which of all my ideas is the one I have a plan for and it is happening!!

Although I want to do these BL items while I'm young enough I know it may be a few years before I accomplish some of them.  So I thought it would be fun to make a small bucket list for the summer!   Maybe I will call it my "sand pail" list.    Last summer was a great summer as I look back.  It was a summer of some "firsts" including a lot of stress over selling our home and moving.  Not the first time we had moved but certainly the first time we had moved in many many years.  I loved all the new sights and sounds to our new neighborhood.  As I begin writing this post it is mid-January - summer is not in sight -  but I am spending some time thinking of things I want to accomplish and try this summer.  So - my summer "sand pail" list looks like this:


Ride my bike (with my friend Rebecca) 25 miles in one day with a picnic lunch in the park!

Take short little trip to some place of husband's choice.  (I got to pick the mountains last fall)

Algebra I Class - (Part of my "learning five new things in 2013")

Take one night a week to either go to my library and spend a couple hours or to the lazy river at our local pool - no house work - no gardening - no working out - mini-retreat!

                                    Paint the front porch                                             

                                              Go to a KC Royals Game with the Konda's

                                                      Camp at Lake Wilson in cabins.

                                                        Camp with David and Tami.

They recently bought a great little camper and although hubs is not excited about us doing that he did agree to try a weekend camping trip with them!

                              Have Elaine come and stay several times and teach her to sew a little!

I think these fun items along with relaxing on the patio and raising my flower gardens, trips to see the Henningsen's in Texas will give me a more than full summer!  What are your summer plans??

May Pin It Do It

Well since I can't find enough warm dry days to plant my flower garden, I guess the next best thing would be to sew!  I can't EVEN believe I just said that . . . but I am really enjoying my new sewing machine - thanks kids!!  I have 3 projects to do in May for the May Pin It Do It sponsored by Trish at Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity.


#1 project will be - A Bandana Tied Quilt!! Perfect for picnics - patio chairs - or a nap! And I have had the best idea!! I am going to make mine out of red, white and blue bandanas only. It will be great to throw over the back of the leather sofa this summer for the 4th of July!!

 

The original pin can be found here.


#2 project will be finished tomorrow!  Earlier this spring I ordered some Mary Jane Farm squares for my sister Tami - she came for a couple of weekends and taught me to do some very basic quilting projects.  She insisted on dividing the squares with me so that we could each enjoy - and I sure have!!  I chose to make a small table cloth for my kitchen table - - - it isn't necessarily my kitchen colors, but it will be just right to throw on the table for a family cook out or ladies tea - Bible study with a friend or sister - and it is just a simple 4 x 4 square.   With some bright green material for the backing - and a few hours sewing this weekend - I am almost done! So although I didn't see this on an actual pin-it board - I did see this original pin and it made me want to make a tablecloth. I would also like to try the tea towel table cloth that is shown here.

Project #3 looks like much fun to me! It will be the last project I work on but it must be all done by July as my grandson and his wife will be having their first baby then! No I really am not old enough to be a great- grandma :) but due to my wonderful blessing of the blended family - I'm ahead of the game when it comes to grandchildren and I love having some older grandkids to share my life with!! My idea for the baby blankets came from this pin. I also look forward to my son and his wife and my daughter and her husband possibly adding some little ones to the family in the future so this is a project I hope to repeat many times!! (hmmmm... wonder if the kids really DO read my blog??)

Lastly, I have to give another big shout out to my sis Tami for all of the sewing lessons and sewing by texts - - - who knew we could sew across the miles like we have been doing!  

I am really enjoying it!!  I would love to get all of my girls to try a project!!  Casey, Gloria, Kristi, Nikki, Julia, Angie, and Elaine - - - look out!!

ALL IN THE FAMILY

My sister Tami decided that she wanted to host an Abram family reunion with all of our cousins. So we posted a note on Facebook to family to see if there was interest and we found there was!
Ordered some pulled BBQ pork and potato salad - sent out invitations - and looked forward to a fun time.

My sister and I can have some differences in opinions about what is necessary but it's all good. Kinda like Mary and Martha in the Bible - - - Martha wanted to fuss over "details" and Mary "did what is best". Jesus's words, not mine. I love to throw a little splash of color with some table decorations - - - simple, light and springy - and Tami helped with ideas - we ended up with an idea from Pinterest of course . . . But Tami wanted to do what was best and that was have some great time spent with dear cousins.

My dad had three older sisters and one older brother. The oldest sister, age 94, was able to be there for the reunion. One sister has passed away. And the youngest of the girls was also there. Dad's brother and his son flew in from Jacksonville, Florida for a week long visit. Then it breaks down to the cousins - Florida cousins: 3, Mankato cousins: 4, Jamestown cousins: 3, Jewell cousins: 3 and my sisters and I made 3 more. Add a second cousin and that made a big group of cousins to grow up with! There were 11 boys born before one girl, me! Then another boy and 3 more girls plus the second cousin who was a girl. 17 in all - and that was just kids! A houseful every month when we met to have a potluck meal and celebrate the birthdays for that month.

So take 5 from the original generation, add spouses, plus 17 cousins and add spouses, add children and granchildren and the group numbered near 50!

We spent the day at the Jewell Community Center which is a central location and the home town for my grandpa Abram and my dad as well. Lunch - pictures - reminiscing - and in a short time people were packing up to leave. The day was a success in that everyone wanted to continue with an annual family reunion. Our uncle from Florida especially requested that we do it again next year and maybe some who couldn't attend this year - could next time.

Whenever I am with family - no matter which side - I always have a lump in my throat and a feeling of sadness for those family members who are no longer here. I have a cousin we lost at age 16, a cousin we lost last year, uncles and aunts, grandpa Ab, and a grandma I never knew. We miss some babies that we didn't get the chance to know.

This is life and this is family. Blessings in a wonderful family full of love and laughter. I'm not sure anyone but maybe my fellow blogger sister will appreciate this post,  but as this blog began as a place for me to write and share my thoughts - a journal if you will - I just needed to write about the reunion - it was a really good day.

Annie get your gun . . .

Time to learn skill #2 for 2013!  As mentioned in previous blogs I have challenged you all to learn five new things this year.  It's great for mental health as well as just for fun!  I easily got my card certification in CPR.  Check #1 - - -

This past weekend when sister Tami and her family were staying with us - we decided it was time to learn skill #2 - - - Both Tami and I had chosen this as a goal for the year - and that was to learn how to identify a gun - know what ammo it needs - know how to load it - know how to shoot it - - and hit a target - - and be safe.

The day started after coffee and breakfast and Clay Dave Mitch (Gun Safety Instructors) gathered in the back room where the Henningsen and Erwin guns were laid out on the bed - including two pistols and a revolver.  Class was "in session".

Guns of choice were:  22 rifle, 12 gauge shot gun and a 20 gauge shot gun, 22 revolver pistol, 45 semi-automatic pistol and a 32 semi-automatic pistol.  Oh and a single shot 12 gauge.

Rifles shoot bullets which are measured in calibers.  Named rifles because there are "riflings" inside the barrel that spins the bullet.  Rifles shoot farther than shot guns.

Shot guns shoot shells, measured by gauge. Shells don't travel as far. 20 gauge shells are always yellow - - - 12 gauge can be other colors. We learned how important it is to make sure you don't put the wrong shell in the wrong gun. Tami and I quickly decided that OUR 20 gauge shot guns should have yellow stickers on them. Doesn't that make sense??

Full metal jacket . . . is not JUST a movie I hear . . . I learned to tell the difference between a full metal jacket bullet and a hollow point bullet. Hollow point bullets are put together in a way that they mushroom out when they hit, and as Mitch declared, "they can FSU". :)

Up to this point, I felt pretty good . . . but then came single action and double action, pump action and semi-automatic - - - double barrel and side by side - over and under - - - well - I was ready to do some shooting by this time . . .

We loaded up and headed to the Jewell Gun Club - and what a great time we had - Sister and I took turns with the guns - The 22 rifle was nice. I could hit things. Beer cans and butter dishes beware! 20 gauge was fun to load and shoot - - - 12 gauge was a little more power than I was ready for . . . and I have the bruise to prove it :) The 22 revolver made me feel like a real cowgirl - smokin' gun and all - - - the fancier pistols actually scared me - - -

The best thing about learning something new is when it turns out to be really fun! I can see myself getting a little bit hooked on some target shooting. Shooting an animal really doesn't interest me - unless they are attacking me or mine . . .

Thank you to my nephew Mitch and my brother-in-law David and especially to hubs, Clay. They were very patient and kind with me. I can now cross this off of my list of 5 things to learn in 2013, but it certainly won't be the last time I head out to shoot this year. I'm also very thankful that our kids were raised to respect and handle guns - I can see now that I missed out on some fun when the family went off to hunt - - - but I also think it was a special "dad time" for them both.

Blessings found in full metal jackets and those other things I can't remember . . . oh yes . . . hollow points . . . :) and mostly . . . time with family.

                                                   A penny for your thoughts Dave!

And oh yes we had to use the first aid kit twice - but I won't embarrass anybody here by telling who!

I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it.

Clint Eastwood