For her 15th birthday, Kaela wanted to do something special so she invited two girlfriends to spend the weekend with her. Dean kicked things off Saturday morning by making chocolate chip waffles for breakfast... and then we all went into New Orleans for the afternoon.
For an early dinner, we went to her favorite restaurant, Superior Grill......it was as amazing as always but since I was driving I skipped my usual margarita (safety first y'all!)
And then we walked around the French Quarter, letting the girls run into the shops along the way.
We worked our way through the Quarter and ran into this guy...who posed with the girls.
Needing sustenance, we had some beignets at Cafe Du Monde which made the girls happy!
Then we walked around some more to make sure we hadn't missed out on anything...
We got home around 9 pm and then she opened gifts...and had MORE sugar!
After all that sugar and excitement, they changed into pjs and played the Wii for awhile before crashing for the night.....
The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy around here.....much like everywhere else this time of year. Last weekend, we ran over to see my dad. He had been re- admitted to a rehab facility. Once again, to gain weight and muscle strength. It is so hard to see him looking so frail but we enjoyed the weekend and it was good to visit everyone.
This time, dad was in the same facility where
mom is. They aren't in the same room since he is in there temporarily
but it was nice to know they could be together most of the time. They ate their meals together and most times, he was in her room when we arrived.
I gave mom the birdbath I made her and she really liked it. We set it right outside her window where she wanted it. Here she is with the kids...you'd never know mom is going to be 83 this month!
She
was very happy to see us and just marveled at how tall the kids are.
Mom is their highest functioning dementia patient so she gets more freedom
than some of the others. Phil calls her the "Mayor" because she "runs the joint." Everyone knows who she
is....including her arch nemesis...some man she and daddy have known for
years. Apparently, he tries to steal chairs from feeble
old ladies but mom is always there to run him off....hysterical. I
got to witness it once first hand and I couldn't help but laugh. No one tangles with my mom and comes out unscathed....that Scottish blood...she sure is feisty!
That being said, she loves
her room and her routine and it was such a relief to see how happy
she is.
Drum roll.......an introduction! A little over a year ago, my sister and her husband lost their sweet dog Abigail very unexpectedly. It was so hard on them. They called her the "little love pig" because she oinked like a pig when excited. We all loved her dearly and will never forget her.
They finally decided it was time for a new family member and brought home this little sweetie! Her name is Olivia! I am so glad they have her....she is smart as a whip and will keep them busy! They have a giant playpen for her so they can keep an eye on her while potty training her.
Here she is squirming around in Kaela's arms....
.... just about to wriggle free and dash off...she had started grunting by now. I couldn't snap the photo fast enough!
"The bond that links your true family is not only one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life" -Richard Bach
I don't normally make mosaics in cooler weather. Typically, the urge to create them strikes as soon as warm weather starts sneaking back into my bones. But I have a couple of friends I wanted to make these for. I've wanted to make them for a long time now but something always came up.
Since time was a factor, I stuck with my favorite shape for birdbaths, the spiral. It is simple but evokes the feeling of movement...at least to me. I also used colors that birds tend to migrate to so I know once found, they will be used.
This wraps up my "make it monthly" for 2012. I haven't decided if I will do it again next year, but I am certainly pleased at how many gifts I finished. As Christmas looms, it feels good to know that some gifts are snuggled safely in my closet, waiting to be wrapped. Some will be "add-ons" put into a bag as a little extra goodie. Some are the main event, hopefully deemed worthy as a Christmas gift all by itself. Some are for family, some are for friends and co-workers. From my home to yours......I wish you a wonderful, stress free holiday season.
The other day I went into a crafting frenzy. I do that when stressed. I'm not a stress-starver. I'm not a stress-eater. I'm a stress crafter.
Without going into too much detail, I can say that my dad's health is failing and he is not doing well. That is hard enough to take but then throw in someone who preys on the elderly and you've got an ugly can of worms. The bottom line is that there are some things beyond our control and worrying is not productive...but that doesn't mean you can simply STOP worrying.
I don't care how strong you are...if you care, you WORRY. Even with prayers and giving it to God, I still worry. I can't do ANYTHING else BUT worry....so, I worry. Anyway, last weekend I sort of freaked out and made stuff....and more stuff.....and quite frankly, I am STILL making stuff. Crafting alleviated some of the stress I was feeling....and as an added bonus, I got some gifts made: Bath salts...some in jars I crocheted covers for, some in little globes I found at Hobby Lobby. These are for co-workers and my ornament swap I'm hosting.
and rose hair bands...the 3 large ones are for co-workers and the little bitty one is for a neighbor's little girl
and a scarf...for a little girl I've not met. Melinda (a blog friend) wrote me about her and since her favorite color is purple, I made this to send off to Utah. I'm pretty sure she will like it.
I found this quote the other day:
"It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over
because there's nothing you can do about them...The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized."
--Wayne Dyer
