THANKFUL MEMORIAL DAY 2021

Up to a beautiful cool mid 40's morning that feels more like early spring than late spring but we'll sure take it after the heat wave we've had.  I got chores done and then had a leisurely breakfast before getting laundry started. Even on holidays the laundry must be done !!   Seems like every Memorial day finds hubbie and I in our garden and today is no different. Hubbie got most of the tomatoes caged and  straw put around them. I got my plantings finished and then replanted several things that didn't come up either because of the cool temperatures or drought that they've been through. 

Even with the cool temperatures it got hot working in the sunshine but we finished working the entire garden, now we cross our fingers for rain.

I came inside to do some more laundry and house clean while hubbie got on the lawn mower. We worked all afternoon doing different task and then got evening chores done before we took a nice break and built out first fire of the season and had some smores.

Thankful for a busy Memorial day and for all the things we accomplished today but most thankful for all the soldiers who gave their lives fighting for our freedoms and way of life that is the envy of the world.  

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

RESTFUL SUNDAY

 Had a relaxing morning after a great night's sleep. The weather has turned very cool for this time of year and the temps overnight were in the mid 40's. We still have our bedroom window open so the coolness sent both of us searching for extra covers but it felt so good to get snuggled down and warm sleep was easy and deep.  I got chores done this morning while hubbie took the 2 whole roosters that had been cooking in the crockpot overnight out and shredded the meat for some chicken tacos for lunch.  I came back inside and had breakfast then put the chicken back in the crockpot with the sauce and spices and got out all the taco fixins and made a fruit salad for dessert.  We settled down for our morning church service at 11:00 with Don Wilton from Spartanburg Baptist church.  After the sermon we put corn on the cob on to cook and biscuits and sour dough bread in the oven.  Our lunch guest today were #1 son's family and daughter's family.  We had a nice visit and the kids enjoyed playing.  After they all left hubbie went up to the garden to put straw around the tomato plants and get some of them in the cages as the rain causes them to really jump in size.  I put a way some laundry and then went up to help him.  It is really cool today only in the upper 60's. This isn't really cool temps I know but after the upper 80's of the last week or so it certainly feels cool to me.    I got chores done and then rested the evening away.  Tomorrow is a holiday for all the kids except #1 son so we are planning a gardening day to catch up with the weeds and do some replanting and some new planting. Hubbie also needs to mow our lawn which looks like a field of clover blossoms since the rain.

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

CELEBRATING CA

 An earlier Saturday morning than normal when both girls woke up around 7:45.  We had breakfast then they helped me with chores this morning.

We took the girls home and then hubbie and I cleaned house until time to go celebrate CA's birthday. They rented a large bouncy house for the kids today and it was a big hit.

CA had a great birthday party !!!!

We finally got to meet baby E who seems to be a really laid back little boy.

Everyone ate and had a nice visit to celebrate CA and the kids played so hard that all of them were wore totally out.  Hubbie and I and #2 son and d-in-love T stayed and helped get everything all cleaned up. I mainly sat and held this little worn out girl who can't wait for her birthday party next month.

We came home to pick up RL to stay with us while #1 son and d-in-love A went trout fishing in the creek to try out her new rod and reel.

I had a good helper once again to get chores done and then we sat outside until the wind and mid 60's temperature got too chilly.  This is crazy weather right now as earlier today we were all sweating and complaining of the heat , now it is cool enough for chill bumps even with a jacket on.  We are so thankful for the 1/2 inch of rain we received last night and the garden looks so revived today. 

After RL left tonight hubbie and I relaxed for the evening and got in the bed early tonight.

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY CA

 Friday comes around again and the girls and g-son are all here this morning. G-son is going to his last day of middle school this morning and it is only a half day. So at noon today he will officially be a high schooler !!!  Hubbie took him to school and then I got chores done and grabbed a breakfast bar as we all loaded up to make a cake delivery on the other side of town today.  After the delivery we stopped at McDonalds for the girls some lunch. We were originally headed to the walking trail but decided to ride by Dana park to see if there was anyone there. Luckily we had the park all to ourselves except for the maintenance worker doing some weed eating around the picnic shed so we ate our lunch on this little porch. RL and IR sang happy birthday to CA as today is her second birthday. 

Happy Birthday  CA !!!!!!!

The girls had a great time playing on the playground since this is the first time we have taken them to a playground since the pandemic began.

We played until they all got hot and tired and ready to come home. We stopped at a farm stand on the way home and bought another gallon of strawberries.  Hubbie and I ate a late lunch when we got home.

Graduation is this evening at the high school daughter teaches at and g-son had a middle school graduation to attend this evening so the girls all had an extended stay with us today. RL and IR have been begging to spend the night again so they are getting to do that tonight. Hubbie took CA to her dad when he got home from work.  We got chores done under really threatening skies but the weather forecast says the rain won't get here until around 8:00 tonight which is great for the outside graduation ceremony. 

Daughter called and said thankfully they got the graduation done before the rain started about 8:30.  It was so good to here the rain falling tonight.   These two had a great night of fun tonight .

There was no mention from either tonight of wanting to go home so they have matured so much.  They went to sleep quickly when we got into bed because we were all tired from an active day.

Thankful for the blessings of this day and especially thankfully for the little 2 year old miracle that reminds me of God's power and love everyday.

God Bless and Good Night

BUSY ERRAND DAY

 Greeted IR and CA only this morning as hubbie picked up g-son and took him to school. I got chores done and grabbed a quick breakfast before we headed out to get our weekly errands done.  First stop was to pick up a curbside order at Publix. They have some drinks we like that no one else does and they always have some good BOGO deals. From there we picked up lunch for the girls at McDonalds and then stopped at the Curb market . The girls ate lunch while I checked out my tables at market and talked to some friends.  We left there and made stops at Sav Mor grocery store, the bank and dump/ recycle center.  We got home and got all the groceries carried in and then hubbie and I had lunch while the girls had a snack.  Then we headed outside to play for the afternoon. IR was really proud when she learned to swing herself.    

CA loves to swing also and she loves to eat so she combined the two today !!!!

After they left to go home and get ready for gymnastics at 5:00 hubbie and I went up to get a gutter put up on the back of the shed to catch water in the new tank set up .

I called g-son to come up and help hold the gutter up while hubbie got it attached to the building. D-in-love A and RL came up also to help and it all came together nice and this should keep me from having to carry water all around the house if it ever rains again !!!!   My garden is really suffering right now from the lack of moisture. We are watering the plants but everything else is own it's own and the stress of drought is starting to take it's tole.  These are the tomato and pepper plants we are watering.

The potato are at the critical stage and really need some rain.

The half runner beans I planted early didn't do well at all with first the cool temperatures and now no rain. I need to replant but I am waiting on some this dry weather to hopefully pass.

The peas and early plants of cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts aren't going to make if this heat wave doesn't soon go away.

The sky is full of clouds tonight but we aren't expecting any rain from them here.

I got chores done and then iced my cakes I baked last night. Another late night after another busy day. Thankful for our health and the willingness of family to help.  

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night

FOUND A WATER TANK

 Up to greet all the grands this morning. Hubbie took g-son to school while the girls and I watched cartoons. I got chores done when hubbie got back and then the girls and I had breakfast. I had a cake delivery and an egg delivery this morning and no one wanted to ride along so I met my friend Susie with the cakes and Clare picked up her eggs.  I came home and as I walked in the door hubbie held up his tablet and said call this number about this water tank. I called and luckily the man only lived a little over a mile from us and said he would hold it for me until he got home around 2:00.  We had promised the girls a picnic trip to the walking trail so we packed a lunch and headed over there.  The girls ate and then we walked the trail and let the girls stop and play when they wanted to.  They all had a good time.

These butterflies entertained the girls for a long time as they flitted about.

We were on our way home when the man called and said he would be home at 2:00. We came home and dropped off the strollers out of the back of the truck so we could fit the tank in there. It is a nice 300 gallon tank that has had soy bean oil in it.  It is just what we have been looking for. 

When we got home the girls played outside for the rest of the afternoon until their mom's came after them.  Hubbie and I worked on cleaning out the tank and rinsing it with water. We found out the man who sold it had never used it because the oil was mostly hardened inside . We got it cleaned as best we could with cleaner and rinsed good with bleach water. #1 son and d-in-love came up and helped us set up a stand for it and get it out of the back of the truck. We didn't expect to get that much done. Today is also watering day for the garden and all my back yard plants so we spent time getting that done and we emptied one of our open water tanks.  Hubbie went over to daughter's to spray weed killer and pick up her trash. I worked on watering while he was gone.  I now am having to carry water from the outside spigot below the house to my chickens.   When hubbie got home he helped me move the new chicken tractor and then we both came inside. Hubbie got to sit down but I had to bake 6 more caramel cakes.     I was truly ready for bed tonight with some aching muscles and tired legs.

Thankful for the blessings of this day.

God Bless and Good Night