Where does the time go?

Yes, yes, I know.......it's about darn time!! I'm sorry for not posting for so long! I won't go into detail, but let's just say that the holidays these past few months were very hard to get through, and my head just wasn't into merriment OR blogging! And now, it's been so long that I'm not even gonna try to remember everything, let's just fast forward to the last few days, shall we?
James came down with a NASTY cold/virus a week ago, and is just now getting back on his feet good. And now Mammo and Papa are fighting it! LOL. (yes, he has switched my name to Mammo now....and that's just fine with me.....he did it all on his own.) He continues to captivate my heart, and break it at the same time. He is growing SO fast, and learning new things so quickly that I can hardly keep up anymore! He is speaking so well, most of it is still "James-speak", but we understand each other just fine, thank you! He is saying complete sentences now, and is learning his alphabet and his numbers. He is a very quick study, and has learned quite a bit without us even realizing it!! He still holds court in a crowd, and is capable of charming the rattles off a snake! He is still, of course, the most beautiful little boy I've ever laid my eyes on, and I am still amazed at how much love and pure joy he brings into my life. I am so blessed........
"Papa" is doing well, except for the cold that James gave him, LOL. I tried to keep them apart when James was so sick, but that's like asking the sun not to rise! They are the best of buddies, and I honestly can't tell who adores whom the most. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Mom is doing well, also, except for a nagging skin rash around her eyes that has forced us to postpone her eyelid surgery till this spring. She was somewhat disappointed about it, but knows that it is for the best. She still struggles emotionally, which is to be expected, and I ache so badly for her sometimes.......it was 10 months ago today that we lost Daddy, and the pain and the longing is still so evident in her face, even through her smile. I feel so helpless at times, and yet I know that it is something she has to work through on her own. We spend alot of time talking about Daddy, and I know it helps me........I just hope it helps her too.
My precious Heather is still the brightest star in the night sky.......I am in awe of her every day.
I know it pains her to have to work, but that is the way it is, and she makes it look so easy to work full time, and yet still be an amazing wife and Mommy. I know she must get bone tired, but she ALWAYS has a smile and a hug for James, and tells him how much she misses him. He just eats it up.......LOL. I could just sit and watch them play together for hours. Too sweet!!
Which just leaves me.......and as you can tell, I am happy and content to just be around my loved ones, and try to be there for anyone who needs me. There are so many things that I am so grateful for, and the Lord has truely blessed me with the best!
I guess that brings you up to speed........there are more stories to tell, but I will leave them till next time, as my fingers are starting to ask for a break!! I am happy that you stopped by to check in on me, and come back soon, please! God Bless each of you, and remember to hug your loved ones, and TELL them what they mean to you........
Till next time..........

SURPRISE!!!!!!

What an amazing group of women.........I am SO blessed!!!!! On the back row: Jackie, Judy, Mom, Me, (holding a picture of Lora, who couldn't be there), my sister Harelda, Cheryl, Katie, and in front is Heather, my sister Cindy, and Kathy.

Jackie and I have known each other LITERALLY all our lives.......from the day I was born..She had us cracking up with her story telling. Love you, girl!!!

Opening gifts...................

And PILES of cards..................

Well, knock me over with a feather.........my precious daughter and my precious baby sister put their heads together and threw me a surprise party for my 50th birthday on Saturday. And a good, old fashioned SLUMBER party at that!! And to top it off, the house was full of my girlfriends that I went to school with. We are still a very close group of girls, and we get together once in a while to catch up on each other, and laugh and act silly. I am blessed beyond measure to have these adorable girls to go through life with. We've seen each other through everything you can imagine, and we are always there for each other at a moments notice. It is a very rare and precious gift that I treasure in my heart, and each passing year just gets even sweeter.
That being said, let me tell you about the wonderful evening we had........I arrived at Heather's house shortly before 7:00, and of course, everyone was already there, huddled in the kitchen , and when I came around the corner, there they were, and I was (almost) speechless! They wasted no time in getting the party started, and we ate pizza, drank soda's, and I had TWO cakes!! Angel food, of course, one was a confetti cake, and the other a strawberry flavored with pink frosting, and a tiara on top!! There was a GIANT tiara shaped helium balloon, all set out on a pink tablecloth, with pink plates, glasses, napkins,.......everything!!!! I was in my little pink happy world!!!! It was beautiful!!! After eating our pizza and visiting, we all gathered in the living room to open my gifts, and cards galore!! Each one was so special, and so personal, and I will keep them all forever!!! Some were tear-jerkers, (which I made Jackie read for me, 'cause I couldn't read them through my tears), and some were hysterically funny, and we laughed till our sides ached! Heather even gave me some cute new jammies to wear that night, since she couldn't tell me ahead of time to bring mine! LOL. She thought of everything!!! So then we snacked, and got to telling stories from our school days, and sharing memories that had the whole room just rolling!! Then, alas, the ones who couldn't stay all night started getting ready to leave, and the crowd thinned out a bit.........but not the fun and laughter!! Heather, Mom, Jackie, Kathy and I put our jammies on, and got our second wind, and got out the Wii, and laughed till we could hardly breathe!!!! I couldn't BELIEVE that James slept through the gales of laughter and whooping and hollering that was going on!!! Finally, around 2:00, we decided we better get some sleep, since James would be up early to wake us up. But then he slept in till almost 7:30, so it wasn't so bad. Breakfast was served........banana nut muffins, apple danish, and we needed the coffee!! I took my first sip of coffee, and my eyes bugged out..........come to find out, Jackie made the coffee, and as she puts it, she likes her coffee to "snap her head up", and lemme tell ya........IT DOES!!!!!! But we drank it, and then made yet another pot, this time flavored........I don't remember what it was, but it was YUMMY!!!! All good things must come to an end, and this was no exception. People started leaving around mid-morning, and I got home about 11:00.
My mind is still reeling.........and I have so many sweet, new memories to recall at any time, and trust me, it will be OFTEN!!! I have no words to express my love and gratitude to Heather, Cindy, Mom, Harelda, Susan, Cheryl, Katie, Judy, Kathy, Jackie, and sweet baby James. And I can't tell this story without telling you what my son-in-law did.........he actually went out and slept in his semi-truck in the driveway, so "the girls" could have the house to ourselves!!!! Have you ever heard of such???? Thank you, Rick!!! Yur a sweetie!!!!
On a side note........I knew at the party that Cindy wasn't being "cindy", but little did we know at the time how sick she was, and how much pain she was in. She wound up in the E.R. the next morning with a RAGING bladder infection!!!! Thankfully, she is feeling better today, and should be just fine by Thanksgiving. I love you, baby sister, more than you'll ever know!!!

Not a baby anymore.......

It breaks my heart to say it, but I believe we have officially left the baby era. My little lovebug is growing so fast, and I can hardly keep up! We have made several changes around the house to accomodate a little boy, and removed the baby items. Exciting and sad all in one breath. This past weekend we bought a booster seat that straps to the dining room chair, and he is happily sitting right at the table with us now. He is in a phase of not eating much right now, and I'm hoping this will improve now that he is at the table. We have several different typs of toddler silverware, but yesterday he made it perfectly clear that he wants to use the "big people" fork, thank you!! After I gave him a fork like ours, he ate much better. And we now have little chairs and rockers for him to sit in, and he is SO proud when he sits in them! The little wooden chair was actually mine when I was little, and it has held many, many babies in our family. It has been repaired more than once, and my Mom even strung a new rope seat in it years ago. If that little chair could talk,........oh, the stories it could tell!!! And, of course, he is big enough now to climb right up onto the furniture, and I'm pretty sure we have learned the "sit, don't stand" rule. It's been a long time since he last tried it, anyway. (crossing fingers). He went in for a check-up yesterday, and he weighs 28 1/2 pounds, and is 33 1/2 inches tall. So, that's what is going on in my little corner of the world right now. Thanks be to God for new blessings with each sunrise.
Love to all................

Conversations with Elmo

We received a package in the mail yesterday from our beloved Lora, aka Big Bird. She has been up to her usual.........spoiling our James! She is far too generous, but then, that's just who she is,........and we all love her to bits and pieces!! Thank you, dear one, for loving us the way you do!
Anyway, she sent James the newest Elmo, and he fell in love with it! He's CRAZY about Elmo, and has several different ones, but this one quickly became his new favorite.......and he just had Heather and I cracking up when he began to have a conversation! Enjoy!!!

"They call me the fireman"........

While in town this past weekend, Pa-Pa and I met up with my precious daughter and her precious son at Wal-Mart. WELL, that meant we just HAD to go check out the toy department!
Pa-pa and James had the best time trying on all kinds of hats, but the fireman hat seemed to be the favorite. Being the crazy in love Gammo that I am, I just happened to have my camera in my purse, and captured the moment! LOL. I'm so glad I did......

Problem Solving

When James started playing with his new "kitchen", I got out some dishes, etc., for him to play with. One of them was a blue enamel cup, which he loves. But he got rather put out with me when I wouldn't just pour his milk in the cup for him to drink.......so he came up with his own resolution. He got his sippy cup out of the fridge, and put it IN the blue cup, and was pleased as punch with himself when he could drink from it that way. I just adore watching his little wheels turn as he problem solves!! GO, COOTER, GO!!!

Toddler Mania!!

Sharing his "pretend" juice with Barney.

"James, are you a goofy boy?" This is his reply.........

Somehow, wrestling with Grams turned into singing and finger-plays.

Gammo makes GOOD chile, but it's even better when I get to feed myself.....

The first order of business after getting his new stove and refridgerator? Putting his
cup of milk in the fridge, silly!!!!

Oh, how I wish you could hear the goings-on at my house on Thursdays!! The walls just
reverberate with peals of laughter and mayhem!! And I love every sweet, crazy, NOISY
second of it!! Sometimes I don't know who eggs whom on the most.....LOL. My little Mom
is SUCH a kid at heart, and when you mix that with an overactive toddler, you never
know WHAT the day will bring! James has enjoyed "cooking" for quite a while now, and
I've been wanting to get a kitchen set for him, but they are always pink, and while pink
happens to be MY favorite color, I'm not about to push it on James. LOL. So, when I
found this little set last weekend at an auction, I nabbed it up! I do believe it's one of
the best dollars I've ever spent on him. That's right.......a WHOLE dollar! Woo-Hoo!!!!
Gotta love a bargain!!! There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with it, all I had to do was
wash it up and Lysol it, and we were good to go. To be honest, we get alot of razzing about
all the "stuff" James has, but the truth is, at least 95% of it has come from auctions and
garage sales and such. Hey, I've EARNED the right to spoil him, and we ARE teaching him
to take care of his things, even if they ARE cheap. He will still learn to appreciate what he
has, and at the same time, learn that used can be just as good as brand new. And in the
meantime, "Pa-pa" and I are having a ball! No harm, no foul, is how I look at it.

O.K., it's getting late, and I need to re-charge for another big day tomorrow. Thank you
for spending a few minutes with us. God Bless!!!!