Final Four

I am by no means a basketball fan but I am so excited about the fact that the Lady Aggies beat Baylor last night and we are in the Final Four!!  They will be playing Stanford next.  Danielle Adams was named First Team All American!!!  So so happy for Gary Blair and the Lady Aggies.  Gig'em Ags!!

Hope you are having a good week.  We are having cooler weather this week thank goodness but are still really needing rain. 

Where Did it Go?

I can not believe that the weekend is already over.  It was busy but I really think we must have skipped a day or something.  Yesterday I got up and got finished making a baby shower gift, made three flower arrangments to take to the cemetery, went to a baby shower, went to a surpise 50th birthday party, met my honey and my Daddy at DQ, went to the grocery store, came home and made broccoli salad & macaroni salad for gospel meeting, washed dishes, finished up church work, and finally went to bed at 1:00 am.  Today we got up, I finished the broccoli salad, went to bible class, church, luncheon and then came home and took a nap.  A much needed nap!  Went back to church for a third wonderful lesson by our guest preacher and now back home getting ready for the work week to start.

The baby shower was for my sweet friend Shell and Dave's little boy.  He got a lot of good stuff.  It was great to see old work buddies and to catch up with them (most of them are retired so I got to hear about the fun stuff they have been doing).  Baby showers are so bittersweet, I so hope that we get to have a shower one of these days.  And while I hope to have one it breaks my heart when I think about who will be missing.  My Mom won't get to be there, I won't get to see the cute things she would have gotten for her grandbaby or see what cute thing she would make to put on the door at the hospital or just having her to be around when I need her.  Still missing her so very much.

Today kicked off a gospel meeting at our church.  The visiting preacher has had three wonderful lessons so far.  I wish you all could be here to hear what he has to say.  I am really looking forward to tomorrow through Wednesday.

Hoping to work some more this week.  I don't know what it is like in other states but the chance of me getting a teaching job any time soon is looking very grim.  Many school districts are even non renewing teachers and teachers aides.  I really hope that they figure out how to take care of education.

Well, I had better close and get some sleep.  I really hope you all had a great weekend and are looking forward to the week.

First A Teen and Now A Tween!

Ten years ago today my favorite niece was born!  I remember going to the hospital for her birth and this time Mr. Giggles got to go with me.  The whole family was there and it was such an exciting day.  She was a little cutie and just like with her brother, I feel in love the first moment I saw her.  Her big brother was so proud and somewhere there are some really cute pictures of him holding her.  Memom and Gran were so excited to have another grandchild.  There was a time that she wouldn't have anything to do with me and would even scream if I got close to her (but of course she would just love on her Uncle Giggles. . . I prayed that one day she would love me as much as she loved him and she does).  Thankfully she got over that and then we missed two years of her young life while they lived in Georgia but we have made up for that!  Now she plays softball, wants to be in band, loves loves loves animals, has two dogs Shelby and Checkers, a hamster named Snowball and a fish named Scooter,  she loves her family and is always in a hurry to say "I love you more than you love me" (but sometimes we beat her!!) and misses her Memom.  Last night my sister said that after opening her presents Maddie Moo started crying and finally told them that she missed the phone call she always got from Memom and Gran singing Happy Birthday to her.  Totally broke my heart.  She is such a loving girl. 

Happy Birthday Maddie Moo.   We love you very very much!!

Mid Week

Yes, I know that the title of this post is so exciting but I couldn't think of anything else.  This hasn't been a very exciting week.  I have taught art two days this week and will do it again tomorrow.  Since there are no lesson plans, I get to do what I want so we are doing one of my favorite activities.  You have a bucket of adjectives, one of nouns and one of verbs and the kids draw one word from each bucket (and keep them in that order).  Then they have to draw the words they have.  One that I used as an example was polka-dotted bird skiing and another one was green lion sailing.  The 7th and 8th graders who did the assignment yesterday seemed to enjoy it (one of them even said that it was kind of fun).  I didn't dare tell them that it was an elementary activity!!  Tomorrow 3rd - 5th grade will be doing the same activity tomorrow.

Oh before I forget. . . .I tried out a new recipe this week from the Pioneer Woman.  It was really good.  I posted it on my cooking blog here or you can check it out at PW.  I haven't  tried too many of her recipes because they almost always have things that we don't keep in stock at our house but this one looked too good and too easy to pass up!!

Hope you're having a great week.  The weekend is getting closer!! 

Happy Spring and Other Stuff

Happy Spring friends.  We are having unusually warm and dry weather already.  To say that I am not looking forward to summer is a big understatement.  BUT I will not start complaining just yet.  Well, not much anyway!  I hope to get a few things done around the yard this week.  Keeping my fingers crossed!  I have  a couple of things that need planted and need to do some pruning (yes, I know I am behind but whats new!).

I have decided that I don't really have spring fever this year but I have found myself with baby fever.  I showed Mr. Giggles a picture of a cute little blue eyed boy from a blog I read and told him I wanted one.  His response was "I will run to Walmart and get you one".  Isn't it nice to have a comedian for a husband?  Anyway, I really want a baby (really two but not at the same time!). . . . . .

Tonight for dinner I tried a new recipe from the Pioneer Woman.  Mr. Giggles gave it 2 thumbs up (well, almost 2, he said it needed mushrooms).  I will try to post the recipe tomorrow.  It was easy and yummy.  No menu for this week.  It will pretty much be a fend for your self and leftovers week.  No reason. . .that is just how it worked out!

This season really makes me miss my Mom.  She loved working outside and always had the most beautiful looking flowerbeds and yard.  I miss asking her the names of flowers and trees.  I miss going to Walmart to get plants and the rock place to get mulch.  I just really miss my Mom.  Today I as I was driving home for the third time, I found myself thinking how hard it is to believe that she is really gone.  Yes, even after a year I have a hard time believing it.  Does that feeling ever go away?  It doesn't seem the same as when we lost Baby Giggles.  Maybe because I spent 39 years with my Mom and only got to carry Baby G for 5.5 months and hold him for a couple of hours.  I just don't know.  It's not fair.  I think about them both everyday and miss them both.  I cried myself to sleep last night.  I haven't done that in a few months. 

Well, I appear to be rambling and it is late and I am tired and I am sure that if you are still reading you are bored to death.  So, goodnight friends.

Spring Break: Day 5

Well, all good things must come to an end.  :(  Now we are having to come back to reality which means that Mr. G is out changing the oil in my car (which turned out to be not good because he found an antifreeze leak) and I will spend time cleaning house.  Mr. G will also be heading to work for a couple of hours.  But back to day 5 of our break.  Yesterday was a pretty lazy day, for me at least!  Hubby ran a couple of errands and got a haircut and I stayed at home.  We watched a couple of shows we had missed during the week, hubby cleaned his guns and I did nothing.  Last night we met my Dad, RAW and LEH for dinner at a yummy restaurant owned by a friend of ours from church.  Oh my goodness was it good.  Everyone got something different and nothing was left on anyone's plate!  After dinner we went to Academy to look for some shoes for hubs and some capri pants for Maddie Moo.  After success at Academy we headed to Walmart to do our monthly grocery shopping.  I think all of the very strange people were there last night.  We saw some very interesting sights and heard some interesting things!  Please note that all of the college students are still gone for spring break so these were the locals.  Anyway, that was the last day of our break.  Nothing exciting but that is how we roll around here!!

Spring Break: Days 3 and 4

Day 3:  Today we celebrated some birthdays. . . .Tatortots was last week and MaddieMoo's is on the 24th.  We celebrated by eating hamburgers and grilled sausage, potato salad, macaroni salad and two different kinds of birthday cake.  One cake was white with strawberry filling and the other one was chocolate.  Both were very yummy!  Then we opened presents well, the two birthday people opened presents and the rest of us watched.  Then us girls went fishing (I caught two fish and took them off of the hook by myself. . . .I am not a big fan of fishing) and the boys went out in the pasture for some target practice.  Unfortunately we had to leave and go our seperate ways.  We got home late and went to bed really late and yes, I was too tired to blog last night. 

So, now on to Day 4:  Mr. Giggles and I went out of town with his parents for the day.  We went shopping and out to eat.  We had a good time, didn't really find what we were looking for while shopping and ate too much lunch!  This evening we have watched the movie Valentine's Day (Mr. Giggles even watched it with me!) and now we are watching old episodes of my favorite show The Big Bang Theory. 

Working Bo while he is still in the trailer!

A pickle smiley face!

The first fish I caught.

The second fish I caught.

Bo the Bull

Well, I am very tired but I hope you enjoy some of our pics from the week.

Spring Break: Day 2

I woke up this morning very sore from all of our work yesterday.  Thankfully today was much more relaxing.  We met Dad, Bec, bil and the kids at the softball field to watch RAW's team play.  They won!  I got sunburned but this time it was on my arms.  We all went to Mr. Gatti's for lunch (except for RAW) and then to my Dad's house.  This evening Dad, Mr. Giggles and I went shopping so we could finish up Dad's shopping for the kids.  So, with that being said, I am going to get ready to get some shut eye.  I am still pooped from yesterday.  Looing forward to tomorrow.  Hopefully I will have pictures to post tomorrow.

Spring Break Day 1

Ok, so I have a few pictures from our adventures today but I am too tired to get out of my recliner, walk to the other room, pick up my camera, and walk back.  We worked cows, hauled cows, made a trip to the coop and built some fence.  Even though it was a lot of work it was a good time because of those working with us.  My Dad, Aunt D, brother-in-law, sister Bec, cousin Camel and myself.  Now, we don't have a very big herd anymore, we have a bull and 14 momma cows and some babies.  But working cows requires a lot of walking and such.  My aunt, cousin and bil did a lot of the hard work.  At one point my cousin and I were hanging on the arm to close the squeeze chute to get it closed because our bull is so big.  Then it was my bil and I and then we were done with him.  Next we had to go to my Dad's house to get his bull and bring him down to my grandmother's were everything was set up.  He had not been loaded in a trailer except once and he had not been in the new pen my dad built over the weekend.  He went into the pen and loaded without incident.  Next we were going to unload in through the chute and then turn him around and bring him back to we could work on him.  Well, he got stuck between the trailer and the squeeze chute but he was such a good boy and got himself unstuck.  We were able to catch his head in the chute and got everything taken care of.  I told my Aunt that my Mom was whispering in his ear the whole time telling him not to give us a hard time!  Anyway, we kept three of the big heifers and got rid of one momma and three babes. 
We ate a quick lunch and then Dad and I headed out with the auction bound animals only to have a flat.  Yes, you read that correctly. . . .a flat. . . .on the trailer. . . .with four animals in the trailer.  Tire got changed and we were on our way.  Dropped off the cows and then headed to coop where we bought fencing supplies.  Went home and built fence with my Dad and aunt until dark.  I finally got to shower and eat supper around 10.  Tomorrow I am relaxing and taking care of my sunburned face!  I hope ya'll are having a great week.

A Teenager? . . . . .Say It Isn't So!

13 years ago today my favorite nephew was born!  I can't believe that 13 years have passed since we waiting for his stubborn little self to be born.  After 17 hours of hospital time and a c-section later he barely made it here on the 10th.  Our little Tatortot was such a conehead when he was born.  I fell in love with that little boy the first moment I got to hold him in my arms.  Now he is taller than me but that is ok, I love him more and more everyday.  He plays football, basketball, alto sax, picks on his sister, annoys his parents, loves his Gran and Memom (misses his Memom), likes spending time with his Aunt and Uncle Giggles and Aunt RAW.  He is soft hearted, caring, and just a great young man. 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TATORTOT! I love you so very much!!  (In case you think I am playing favorites. . . .he is my only nephew!)

Memom and Tatortot

Memom, Tatortot and Gran

Memom, Tatortot and MaddieMoo

Happy Anniversary

14 years ago today Mr. Giggles and I walked down the aisle and pledged to love to each other til death do us part. I remember that day so vividly. It was beautiful. My Mom and Dad did so much work to make it just like I wanted it. I wish I had more pictures scanned in but these will have to do. And no, there are no pics of Mr. Giggles. . . . .yes, there is a Mr. Giggles! Happy Anniversary Mr. Giggles. I love you very much. We have had some wonderful highs and some terrible lows but you have always been by my side.  I love you.

Weekly Menu

Monday:  salad
Tuesday:  out to eat for our anniversary
Wednesday:  fend for yourself
Thursday: sloppy joe's and potato salad
Friday:  out to eat
Saturday:  fend for yourself

As you can see, I will have a rough week in the kitchen.  HAHAHAHAHA.  Hope your week is going well.

Mini Vacation

So my husband had a conference out of town and I got to tag along!  Yesterday I pretty much stayed at the hotel and just vegged.  He will get finished early today and we will be doing a little shopping and then go eat with his sister.  Right now I have started watching the movie My Sister's Keeper.  I am pretty sure that I am going to cry many a tear.  I hope you are all having a great week.

Yesterday

 Yesterday I was overwhelmed by the pictures my friends sent to me of themselves wearing orange. It was great to see how special my Mom was to so many people. My Dad, sisters, G-mom and I spent some time at the cemetery visiting with each other and talking to my Mom.  These are the flowers my Dad, sister and G-mom brought to put at her grave.  My mom was very talented and floral arrangements was one thing that she loved doing. 

Arrangement on left from Dad and the right from RAW

Arrangement my sisters created

Dad's arrangement



All flowers



Pot plant from G-mom

Some sweet person randomly puts little items on Baby Giggles grave.  When I got to the cemetery, I found this cute little frog sitting in front of a little bouquet of purple flowers.  In the past they have left a rubber duck and a cute little chick.  It makes my heart happy to know that others remember our sweet baby (even though they never got to meet him).  I think I know who it is!

Baby Giggles little frog.



These beautiful flowers were sent to me by my cousin in memory of my Mom.



One Year

One year ago today, I got a phone call from my sister RAW asking if I had talked to my Dad that morning. She had been trying to get a hold of him and couldn’t. I told her that I would put some clothes on and run up to the hospital to check on him. I got to the hospital and he was there, Mom had continued to stay agitated during the night and he hadn’t turned his phone back on. Although I had not come to the hospital planning to stay all day (I had planned to go back home and get cleaned up . . .I didn’t even have on any socks with my tennis shoes) but I ended up not leaving. That morning the doctor told my Dad that if there was not significant improvement in Mom’s health, we had probably a week left with her. My sister from out of town came with her family and my other sister came from work (one of her students called his parents from her classroom and they rushed to be with us). Family and friends surrounded us with prayers and much love. We all gathered around Mom’s bed and told her that we were ready to let her go if that was God’s plan. She quietly slipped away as we told her how much we loved her.


Since that day many tears have been shed, many milestones crossed, many memories replayed and many hugs given. For those of you who didn’t know my Mom, you missed getting to know a very Godly, loving, caring, wonderful woman. For those of you did, you understand the loss of a woman who caused the sun to shine just a little brighter.

I take comfort in knowing that she is in heaven and is holding my babies but that doesn’t make the ache in my heart any less. I miss the time we used to spend together, the fun we had as a family, and the projects she was never afraid to take on. I miss knowing that she was just a phone call away when I needed her for anything.

Today we wear orange in your memory Mom. We love you and miss you. I still can’t believe it has been a year.

PS: We are taking care of Dad. He misses you so much.