And, here I go…adding numbers to the sixties.  Sixty-one?  Me?  How did I get here?  How did all the years before fade away so quickly?

Memories…I got ’em!  And, I wonder if I am the only one in this world who has random memories just pop into my head.  Sometimes, some long forgotten day or person will come to the fore front and I will relive a day or a feeling from long ago.  Poof!  Then it’s gone.  I wonder where those come from and what triggers them?  Please tell me that happens to you, too.  I will feel oh so much better!

I have been enjoying the day…just me and Levi.  He came in this morning and proceeded to sing me ‘Happy Birthday’.

We made bacon eggs…but he said they were not like Pa’s.  And, they aren’t.   Don beats the fool out of his eggs before he cooks them…I mean, beats the fool out of them!  Me, I’m more inclined to break the egg right into the skillet.  Levi put them away, in spite of them not measuring up.

Our next project was to make brownies.  Yes…I know no one in this house needs brownies.  BUT, it IS my birthday, and it’s as close to a birthday cake as I am going to get.  He stirred…I cleaned up the floor.  But, they finally made it to oven.

While we waited for them to cook, we decided a little Play-Doh was in order.  I have a box full of all sorts of goodies to work with in the dough.  He had a ball.  He even made me a birthday cake.  A tiny one…bless his heart…with 3 candles!  I will treasure it forever!  (And, it is perfectly fine that he is still in his pajamas…so am I!)

Brownies out…and cooling.  And, we proceed to the studio, cause Levi had spied some new paints he is dying to paint with.  Yes, I am that LuLu.  I believe that any art experience is a good experience.  Thankfully, Levi agrees.  And, Suzanne is happy cause I only buy washable paint.  Because even though I know neatness counts…when we get into a project…that’s the first thing to be forgotten!  Clothes and body parts should not get in the way of art!!!

Paintings go to the drying place and Levi and I go to the resting place.  I tell him since it’s my birthday, I get to take a nap with him.  He thinks that is such a great idea.  I do , too.  And, so we nap.  After he wiggles and turns and snuggles and flips and flops and kisses again!  It’s perfect!

Up from rest…and brownies to taste.  Oh, yum! They are the best brownies ever.  EVER!  We had 3!

******And since the very first thing this morning…before I even got up…my phone has chirped and chirped and chirped.  Levi began asking what it was after he heard several.  So, I told him it was my friends saying, “Happy Birthday!”  So, each time I heard a chirp, I would hear Levi say, “It’s your friend, LuLu!”  And, then he would ask me the name.    This happened about 125 times.  So, each and every one of you who sent me a greeting yesterday on FB or message, or text mail…was thought about and talked about by this grandmother and her grandson!  (Except the ones that came after 8 pm…it was such a busy day, that I hit the hay around then.  However, I got chirps until way after 11 pm!  What a blessing you were to me yesterday!******

Soon, Suzanne came to pick up Levi.  He went to the car and came back with the most beautiful carved  wooden pumpkin!  It is so cool!   Suzanne tested a brownie and then they were on their way to run errands and head home.  I sat down at the computer and began writing this account.  Don is out of town at a business meeting so it was quiet .  And, Alex has been quiet all day.

Then I heard a car horn and in a moment…a knock on the front door.  (The garage is forever closed off to the elements now…SSSSSS! , remember?)  When I checked, it was Suzanne and Levi…holding a box of Gigi’s cupcakes!!!  So, I didn’t have to make brownies for my cake after all!  The cupcakes were so yummy and Levi was beside himself surprising me with them!  See the great pumpkin?

I had sweet phone calls and fun cards and a wonderful day.  No big party…no big fuss made.  Just a quiet day, full of activity and full of love from family and friends.  Just the things that really matter… home and hugs and happiness.  And, chocolate…makes any day a little more special!

DOTHAN…July 1, 2014

As soon as my foot was released from its hard cast prison after 5 weeks…I progressed to an air cast.  Told to wear it all the time, except to take a bath, I took that to mean that big ole bathtub in the backyard would be fine, as well.  And, first thing Tuesday morning, I donned my swim suit and carefully waded into the pool.  Soon I was joined by the two cutest little boys in town, along with their mother and aunt.  Oh, we had such a great time!  Following are some pics from the day.

Loving my new camera!

It make pics underwater!  And, it will not break if you drop it!  Camera heaven!  Everyone has had a ball using my camera to make these great pics in the pool.  Today is the first day that I got to use it.  However, these underwater pics are courtesy of Suzanne…I have to practice a little more!  It probably would help if I could open my eyes underwater! 🙂

LAGUNA BEACH…July 2-3,2014

Oh what fun Don and I had with Suzanne and Adam and Levi for 2 days…We crammed as much in as possible!

Sweet Levi is not a fan of the ocean.  He likes to run in the sand,  and pick up shells, but does not want to touch the water.  However, he loves to swim.  A friend had told us about a wonderful public water park here in PCB.  It is the Frank Brown Recreational Complex on Back Beach Road…just past the ‘Y'” going toward PCB.  There is a website you can go to learn more info.  It is a fantastic park.  Plenty of playground equipment, picnic tables, fishing, and 2 wonderful pools.  One is dedicated for children, but parents are welcome to go in with their little ones…there are all sorts of climbing equipment and sprinklers and slides.  Such fun.  And very well kept up.  $8.00  adults…$5.00 kids.

LAGUNA BEACH/ PANAMA CITY BEACH…..July 11-14, 2014

Joy and I, along with Tara and Lori and John Thomas took a long week-end trip to the Sandcastle.  We all needed a little break from ‘real life’…and the beach seemed to be just what we needed.  We ate out and slept in.

John Thomas and Tara and Lori took in Shipwreck Island, and Wonder Works…while Joy and I took our time on the couch and the front porch!  To each his own!  They all managed a trek down to the beach and some swimming in the ocean…my foot said,” Stay right where you are…on solid ground!”  And, so I did!

John Thomas and I did a little painting.  He painted a ‘goldie fish’ to grace the walls of the SandCastle.

Suzanne and Adam and Levi joined us for the day on Monday.  We all headed back over to the Recreational Complex I mentioned above and had a wonderful day, playing and eating and swimming…with lots of fun and laughter!

DOTHAN…7/16/14

Today Levi stayed with Don and I for the day while his parents were busy.  First Pa cooked Levi his favorite, ‘baconeggs’…and then they went to ride the toys.  Finally, a little newspaper reading was in order while they cooled off!

Then I managed to snap some good close-ups of the little man while we played outside waiting for Suzanne to come!

JULY 21-24, 2014

Officially, this isn’t on my list, because I was not there.  But, family was.  And, since this is my blog, I get to make the rules!  Love how that works out!  Anyway, Jackson and Tina were able to spend a few days at the Sand Castle.  Word from them was a great time was had, even amidst the rain.  There was still swimming and fun to be had.  And, fried crab claws, too!  I only wish i could have spent some of the time with them.  They are so dear to me!

July 29, 2014

Today Suzanne started back to school…crazy, huh?  So I’m back to Levi and Lulu time!  It has been such a fun day.  But, boy is our schedule ever off!  We’ve got some work to do to get back in our groove! Don is out of town, so Levi said he could not eat ‘baconeggs’…so we had bananas, toast and blackberries.  He was too excited to eat, I think.  Cause he knew what I had promised him we would do when he came to stay again.  Paint! He had seen my paints out and had been wanting to paint and I kept putting him off…but today was the day!  First, he donned his new painting apron.  Look!  He wrote his own name!

We started with the watercolors.  He did well for the first time.  It’s not easy to remember to dip the brush into water between each color…but he finally got it.

I title the above finished painting…”Just A Little Brown”. ( The bottom pic in photo below).   After he had finished painting such a pretty mix of blues and greens, he looked at it and said, “Gotta put some brown right here.”  And, so he did.  Wonder what that thought process was.  Maybe he just has an artist’s eye!

His second attempt turned out beautifully, I think.  I think it looks like wet cupcake sprinkles!  Don’t you just love how the colors blend in together…no matter what color is used? Next we moved on to fingerpaint.  He was not quite as sure about this.  After he realized it was just fine to get paint all over his hands, he began to enjoy it.  We eventually moved it to the floor.  And decided the best picture of all was Lulu and Levi’s hand prints all over an old towel!

We decided then that the best way to celebrate our art was with a swim!  And even Uncle Alex and Finn joined us for a while!  Such a beautiful day to be in this glorious world created by the Master Designer!  After all that and a quick lunch, I was ready to rest.    I was just happy to put my feet up!  Well…at least this little man got some dream time in.

And so ends our short journey through the month of July, 2014.  Could life be any sweeter?  God is just so good and gracious to our family.  All is not roses and candlelight…and we go through our tough times.  Things happen that we want to run from.  We are affected by circumstances that we have no control over.  We still deal with illness on a daily basis.  But through it all…God brings the joy!  We are not thankful FOR all things we go through…but we are thankful IN all things.  Because the only way you get to appreciate the joy…is to taste some of the bitter.  The promises of God are always true and always steadfast.  He will never fail.  Thank you God, for allowing me to know this in my heart of hearts!

Early Saturday morning, Suzanne and I turned our car toward Birmingham.  The occasion…Jackson’s sixth birthday party.  We arrived before lunch and let Jackson dive right in to the presents we had brought from family in Dothan.

A stop for a quick photo with Lulu, and then off to the YMCA for an afternoon full of festivities!

The weather was just perfect for the party.  There was a wonderful tented area in the back for the cake and ice cream, and around a corner was a pool just fit for a group of 30! kids to spend a warm…quite warm…afternoon!  Jackson had requested a Lego Star Wars Party and Tina went all out to insure it was one of a kind!  Following are the cake…yes, it’s ALL edible!  Then the cutest accessories for the table that Tina fashioned herself!

Colorful table cloths and loads of balloons finished off the decor!  It was a little boy’s dream!

Then, on to the pool…

Ian was called into duty by Jackson….

…and to help little Levi…

Someone HAD to do it…the ladies were too busy getting aquainted and visiting…under the only shade in sight!  It was wonderful spending some time with some of those who are so close to Tina.

A picture of this new sweet family…

We were all hot and tired, so pizza was the order for supper.  Tina kept the boys entertained while we waited for the delivery man to arrive.  ( Levi couldn’t wait, and we had to dig out some chicken nuggets!)

Then none of us lingered long…our beds and couches were calling us all!  Levi was the first to awake this morning and that meant soon we were all to follow!  A few quick pictures and it was time for Suzanne to drive us back to Dothan!

Cousins…on Jackson’s sixth birthday…

My own two sweet ‘daughters-in-love’…

I grabbed a quick moment with my boy…

As we travelled, Suzanne and I replayed the fun we had at the party and the sweet time we had visiting with Tina, Ian, and Jackson….

Levi, however, had a better way to spend the time driving home!

“God has given us these times of joy.”  Nehemiah 12:43

WHEW!  It was a busy weekend!  After coming home from a week at the beach on Friday,  Saturday was Levi’s third birthday party and Sunday was a wedding shower for Tina, my new daughter-in-love.  Funny how so many good things can happen right at the same time, isn’t it?  Here, then, is the documentation of this blessed time spent together with family and friends!

First, Levi’s birthday party.  Suzanne chose a theme of  ‘Things That Go’ and did a wonderful job of decorating the house for a festive party!

Oh, it’s so hard to figure out how tohold up three fingers instead of two!

Oh what fun!  John Thomas, Jackson, Levi with Aunt Lori exploring all the new goodies!  There was also a precious little girl, Libby, in attendance.  Cake and ice cream, children playing, visiting with family…memories are made of this!  Happy Birthday, Levi!

And, a good night’s sleep and up to get ready for Tina’s wedding shower!  I did not get a picture of all those who helped hostess, so I will list them here…Tina Davis, Juliann Black, Rhonda Grandstaff, Patty Johnson, Pam Ellis, Monty Clark, Donna Walker, and Shirley Davis.  So kind of these sweet forever friends who helped shower the new couple with such lovely gifts and beautiful memories.  The shower was held at Tina Davis’ house…so warm and inviting!  It seemed as if there was a constant stream of friends arriving to meet Tina and share this sweet time with us.  I can honestly say that each person who attended is extra special to me and my family.  Not just for coming to share with us today…but because of the years and years of times we have shared laughter and fun and sadness and good times and bad!  I hold all of these ladies…the hostessess and those who attended… in my heart of hearts!

Tina and I along with 3 of the hostesses…Juliann Black, Tina Davis, Patty Johnson…

Ian arrived, with Jackson in tow, to help us load up the presents into their car.  We managed to snap a pic of the three of them…even though Jackson was not exactly thrilled about the idea! 🙂  Little boys…aren’t they just the best?!  And when they grow up to be fine men…they’re even better!

Because my parents followed the example of their parents, I was raised in a church family that has provided me with love and support for as long as I can remember.  And, because God led me to spend 20 years teaching in a Christian workplace, I have dear lifelong friends there, as well.  I do not take this for granted..it is a gift.  These friends have loved my children for as long as they have been on this earth…helping us guide and teach them about the things that really matter.  I am blessed beyond measure…for friends that are as close as family.  And, for family that are also close friends!  Thank you, God.

  “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”  James 1:17

And, I love how the International Standard Version interprets this verse…

“Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17

Oh what fun it is to hostess a baby shower!  Recently I had the priviledge to honor Amy Elliott in my home.  Her sweet baby boy, Rowdy, is on the way!  Amy is the daughter of one of my dearest friends, Tina.  She and my son, Adam, were friends all through their school years.  So it was with great excitement that I planned this party.  I was even more fortunate to have the help of my daughter in love, Suzanne, to be my co-hostess!  She was in charge of the yummy table of goodies we set out for everyone to enjoy.  She always does a superb job at this…among many other things!

I tried to get a touch of fun and whimsy into the decor, using bears I had saved through the years.  Amy and her husband Chandler, are big outdoors folks…hunting, fishing,racing, etc.  So, I also tried to incorporate a little of their lifestyle into the mix.  All the camouflage bear wear went home with Amy.  They are perfectly baby sized! Here are some glimpses of the afternoon, starting with the front door wreath…which is a little off center, I know.  But, it’s OK...I’m a little off center, myself!

What a blessing it is to be chosen by God to love and nurture another of the children He chooses to send to our world.  Amy will be a terrific mother and Rowdy will also have the best Gannie in town!  We wish them happiness and health and lots of fun in the years to come.  As she and Chandler raise him to know and love God, my prayer is that he grows into a godly man willing to stand and lead in whatever path God leads him to.  Blessings, sweet family!