RAINY MARKET DAY

Up an off to market this morning on a cloudy very humid day.
Market was okay today but the threat of rain and gas shortages have taken a tole on folks traveling for sure.
Hubbie stayed and took over the business at 11:00 while I went to g-daughter R's orientation at her new pre-school. She is switching to MCCS which is Mud Creek Christian School so she can go 5 days a week and it's more of a teaching / learning environment instead of just playing  / babysitting.
However she loved the old school so much that we waiting to make sure she likes this new school before we actually take her out of the old one. In this new school she has 9 other 1 year olds in her class. Since her birthday is in September she is the oldest in there but most of the others can walk and they were mostly all about the same size.
She went into the classroom and started playing and cried when we had to leave.
The teachers seemed really nice so I think she will be fine with the move. G-daughter went home with mom and other g-ma.
I made it back to the market  around noon .
Hubbie left to take our trash and recyclables to the dump. At our landfill you can take trash free if you have the same amount of recyclables.  Free is good !!!   And I like feeling like we are helping the future environment by recycling.
He also stopped by Sam's Club for our weekly supplies.
Harvey has arrived in our town !!!!

I cringed as I loaded my Honda this afternoon when an elderly lady came across the parking lot wading through the water and complained about the water going over the soles of her sandals and wetting her feet. I bit my tongue and held back the urge to scream at her for complaining about an inch of standing water with  what just happened in Texas where feet of water has inundated and damaged almost 90,000 homes and some folks are still being plucked from their rooftops !!!!!!!!

I made regular bank,PO, Aldi and Walmart stops in the pouring rain on my way home. I got home about 3:30 and hubbie helped me unload. I grabbed a snack, changed out of my wet shirt and headed out to school to take care of g-daughter I while daughter kept score in the JV volleyball game.
G-daughter I is becoming a regular fan of all the action.

Unfortunately North lost in 2 sets tonight to West Henderson High School.
We left after the game and I came home to watch the news and wait for the rain to slack off before doing the chores. Love these ladies as their work goes on rain or shine !!!!

There was 9/10ths inch of rain in the gauge this evening and it was still raining lightly but looked like it was clearing for a while .
With Harvey exiting northward all eyes are turning once again to the Atlantic and Quickly strengthening hurricane Irma.

Who knows where this one will head next ????
Gas shortages are already happening around the area with the shut down of so many refineries around the Houston and other hard hit areas of Texas so it would not be a good thing if this storm heads for the Gulf of Mexico.
Hubbie and I have rested tonight and had a lazy evening to end this busy month of August 2017. This month will always have a special place in the history of our family as well as the history of the country. The decision of g-son to accept God as his Savior and being Baptized on the 20th will forever make this a special month in the family and the total eclipse that crossed the entire country will go down in the history of our country as we watched this event on the 21st from our front yard.
The month started out wonderfully with our vacation at Oak Island beach this year.  When we got home I canned tomatoes ,made salsa and pasta sauce . We made a trip to the Picken's flea market and a trip to the lake with #2 son and Tif in their boat.  We also started our school schedule babysitting of both g-dauhgters which has been interesting on some days and so much fun on others. G-son began his 5th grade year and last year of elementary school.
The month ended with a category 4 hurricane named Harvey slamming into the east coast of Texas and dropping 50 inches of rain in some areas with the worst flooding the country has ever seen.
With the end of August goes the long summer days and relaxing evenings watching the sunset over fields full of green grass and leisurely grazing cattle. Ending are the hot sunny lake days and warm evening walks . Ending is the bountiful garden production of fresh produce and comes the putting away of the canners and canning equipment until next garden season.
August is a special month as it signifies the end of one season and the beginning of another even though Fall actually begins in September when August ends it feels like summer is over .
The weather has been fairly normal but a little cooler than normal for the month.

And it wins the most rain amount for the summer season.

This has been a wonderfully busy month for our family and one full of memories.

I saw this photo tonight and it made me laugh out loud , I hope you get a chuckle out of it also.

Thankful for all my blessings today and remembering that a day hemmed in prayer rarely unravels.
God Bless and Good Night

APPLE TIME

G-daughter I arrived at 7:15 today and she was our only little one today. She went back to sleep for a couple hours giving hubbie and me a chance to get chores done and have breakfast.
I noticed as I walked past the garden that the morning glories have joined the Zinnias for a very eye pleasing bouquet.

When she woke up I fixed her a bottle and after getting very upset again at the thoughts of taking a bottle hubbie took her outside for a walk to calm her down and it worked as she drank her bottle down when she came back inside. She has to be laying on her back and still can't get a good seal while sucking but at least she is trying.

I baked cakes this morning, 12 caramel, 2 chocolate, 2 pound, 1 blackberry wine and a pan of brownies.
I had a late lunch and then took my turn with g-daughter I while hubbie worked outside putting some things away.
She drank another 3 ounces this afternoon so once again I feel like we are making headway but I keep remembering I was saying this same thing Monday and then Tuesday happened when she refused to drink a drop all day.
I'll say one thing she is a very happy baby this afternoon.

When hubbie came back inside I got all my "apple" décor put out for this month, I love this time of year !!!

I also had time to sew up this little pink baby bonnet to add to my craft counter at market.

About 2:30 we loaded up g-daughter I and went over to meet daughter at her house  as soon as she got off work to do some last minute cleaning of her house so the real estate photographer could make pictures.
He came right on schedule along with the realtor and she had to fill out papers and move things from room to room for the pics. Its a good thing hubbie and I were both there to help. It's official her house hits the market tomorrow and I think it will sell quickly as it is very nice.

We left there and stopped by Aa and Re's house to look at their new kittens . They are really cute and tiny and the kids were so excited about them.
We made it home with just enough time to get chores done  before the rains of now tropical depression Harvey made it to our area.
We need some rain but we are just hoping he gets in here and leaves before the weekend apple festival as some of our apple growing friends depend of this festival to give them a profitable year.
I got all the weekly paperwork and bill paying done and then spent the rest of the evening in the kitchen icing cakes and getting things ready for market.
I made it to bed about 12;30 am which is the first night this week of late bedtime but at least there will be no babies here at 7:00 in the morning and I can get a little extra sleep.
God is soooo good all the time , all the time God is good and I am humbly grateful for each busy day.
God Bless and Good Night.

HERE COMES T. S. HARVEY

G-daughter R arrived at regular 7am time but g-daughter I and her mom got caught behind a school bus making a bunch of pick up stops and didn't get here until 7:30.
G-daughter I was sleeping so soundly when she came in we left her in her car seat while we got g-daughter R her breakfast and I got the chores done.
I took g-daughter R to her play school and then made stops at Walmart and Ingles on the way home for some extra baking supplies.
When I got home g-daughter I was awake and acting hungry but adamantly refused the bottle this morning and just went back to sleep.
Hubbie and I worked on house cleaning until it was time for me to go pick up g-daughter R.
She was very tired and went to sleep as soon as we got in the Honda to come home but she didn't sleep long after we got here and got her into bed.
She did eat a good lunch and then it was g-daughter I's turn for lunch but once again after acting like she was very hungry she refused the bottle.
It has rained a light misty rain all day here leaving just a trace in the gauge but enough to make it a lazy kind of inside day. This is about the way we all spent our afternoon.

After the girls were picked up hubbie and I took the Barbie playhouse we got over at sis-in-law Sandys yesterday to the car wash and sprayed it off since hubbie had to dig it out of poison ivy vines.
It looks like a nice big playhouse but we will wait until daughter is ready for it before we set it up.
We came home and did chores then watched the news. It is still  a very bad situation in Texas where tropical storm Harvey is still sitting but he is starting to move out and unfortunately for the local apple farmers he is going to give us a rainy weekend for the Apple Festival.

Predictions are for us to get between 2-3 inches of rain through Friday and more on Saturday if he stays on the predicted path. But who knows what he will do ?
I am tired tonight and headed to bed early again, trying to get on this early to bed early to rise schedule.
Thankful for the blessings of this day and for the love of a  Wonderful Savior.
God Bless and Good Night

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2017-2018

Early mornings start today as g-daughter R arrived at 7:00 today. G-son was ready to meet this new school year head on in the fifth grade.

He has certainly changed a lot since he started kindergarten in 2012.

G-daughter I arrived shortly at 7:15 and she went right back to sleep in the swing to the disappointment of g-daughter R who thought she could play with her.
I did chores and then g-daughter R , hubbie and I had breakfast.
When g-daughter I woke up I managed to get 1 oz of milk in her by letting her chew on the nipple that had more holes in it.
Then she and g-daughter R were such fun to watch as they start their bonding.

R taught I to suck her pacifier !!!!

Cartoon watching buddies !! By the looks on their faces they both had the same opinion of whatever was on the TV.

I got the weekly laundry started then we all loaded up and made a trip over to sis-in-law Sandy's to pick up some outgrown toys she was giving us.
G-daughter R picked her favorite right off. Her dad used to love to ride motorcycles and looks like she got that love from him also.

She played in the playhouse while we had a nice visit with Sandy and Sandy got to hold g-daughter I for the first time since she was born.

Both girls went to sleep for a short nap on the way home. When we got them inside and awake I fixed g-daughter R some chicken nuggets, cheese and chips for her lunch and then I made g-daughter I another bottle. And low and behold after just a short time coaxing her she started to suck the bottle and polished off 2 ounces of milk.

She slept the afternoon away while we played with g-daughter R and I worked on laundry.
Daughter came in at 3:30 and fed g-daughter  I.
D-in-love came in at 4:15 to pick up g-daughter R, g-son said he had a very good first day at school and was all smiles.
Daughter  had to keep score at the JV volleyball game this evening so I went back out to school with her to hold g-daughter I while she did that.

Her assistant coach from last year took over the team this year so daughter could spend more time with g-daughter I.

The game was a short 2 set victory for the North team and I came home at 6:15 to catch the weather on the news.
Hurricane Harvey is slowly moving out of Texas but not before leaving historic flooding in its path.
Many many folks lost everything to this storm.

Our weather has been really Fall feeling today with the high only reaching 71 degrees and the day has been totally cloudy.

After chores I walked this evening up around the house while hubbie went down to #1 son's house along with #2 son who stopped on his way home from work to help move some heavy furniture upstairs in g-son's new room.
I am tired tonight and headed to an early bedtime to get used to this new wake up time. I actually like having a reason to get up early as I enjoy the quiet early mornings and I like getting my day off to an earlier start.
Thankful for the blessings of this day and for the opportunity to watch these 2 little grand girls form the sweetest bond already. Continuing to pray for the folks in the path of Harvey.
God Bless and Good Night

NURSERY DUTY SUNDAY AND 2007 G-SON

 Up and getting ready for church this morning on a really nice cool day. It is feeling more like Fall each day now and is so refreshing.
We had our quarterly nursery duty at church this morning and we only had 3 little ones and g-daughter R and BB were two of them so it was an easy day.

 #1 son helped and the other little almost one year old boy took to him and wouldn't have anything to do with anyone else all morning even when d-in-love came in from playing music he wouldn't go to her either.  I think #1 son loved it though !!
We came home to a lunch of smoked ham , green beans, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes,and fried squash with #1 son , g-son, Aa's family and daughter and g-daughter I. G-daughter R was really tired so her and d-in-love went home for naps.
Everyone had a nice visit and Re tried her luck with getting g-daughter I to take a bottle and had a small amount of success by massaging her cheeks and chin so that is what I will do tomorrow.
She liked to watch the little league world series.

She is getting so big !!!

After everyone left hubbie and I finished watching the little league championship which Japan won and then rested until chore time.
After chores we took a walk around the bottom pastures to clear the fences of limbs and a tree that had fallen across the creek fence.
It is really nice this evening and the feel of Fall is definitely in the air.
These temps for the next week are going to feel great.

Texas is really getting walloped by the remains of hurricane Harvey. Now they are saying places could get as much as 50 inches of rain which is more than any where has ever dealt with in history so they don't really know how much damage they are going to be dealing with when this storm finally moves on.

To finish up the August decade series tonight this is g-son in August 2007, it's hard to believe this little boy is starting 5th grade tomorrow !!!!

G-son loved riding with his dad in his equipment.

Thankful for a wonderfully blessed Sunday and praying for the folks in the path of the flooding in Texas right now.
God Bless and Good Night

HURRICANE HARVEY AND 1997 LITTLE LEAGUE TRIP

Up and off to market this morning. Daughter met us there to help during the busy early time. G-daughter I thought everyone talking to her was funny !!!

We had a pretty busy morning even with the threat of gas shortages because of the hurricane damage in the gulf.
Daughter and hubbie left to go shopping about mid morning and sales slowed down after that but I am very thankful for all that we did sell.
The news of the day of course in the major category 4 hurricane that hit the coast of Texas and is predicted to sit there for several days dumping insane amounts of rain .

After market I made stops at Sav Mor and Aldi to pick up baking supplies and a few groceries.
I made it home at 3:15 and hubbie who had just finished mowing the lawn helped me unload.
We rested and watched a NC team play in the little league world series, unfortunately they lost in the last inning by one run.
Brought back memories from 1997  when #2 son played in the southeastern little league tournament in Cape Coral Florida. This is the decade pics I found for this month of that trip.
We rented a car for the trip to Florida because the one we had at that time wasn't good enough to take a chance on a trip that far in.

We crossed Tampa Bay for the first and last time so far in our lives.

Opening ceremonies.

#2 son gets instructions from the coaches.

Son gets a hit.......

Son on base.....

Daughter was one of the designated baby sitters of the coach's son.

And daughter had fun in the gulf with one of the other players sisters Sara.

Son also got in some beach time.

This was a Babe Ruth league and the players had to stay with host families while their families stayed in  hotels. This lady took in son and 4 other players into her home.

The boys ran through this tournament undefeated and let a team come out of the loser's bracket and beat them twice to win the tournament. One of our main pitchers had gotten stung on his pitching hand by a sting ray and that led to our demise. But it was a really fun time and a great memory.
#2 son came in after Bear , his dog who had stayed here all day while the realtor showed son's house twice and we had a nice visit while we watched the game.
Happy tonight to get into bed earlier to get rested up for nursery duty tomorrow at church.
Thankful for a wonderful blessing filled day.
God Bless and Good Night.