Wordless Wednesday:

Chad's Birthday Dinner:

Chicken Pot Pie

(not sure if you can notice but I cut into the crust,

Happy Birthday Chad)

Apple & Cherry Turnovers

Chad

(His glasses are broke, not used to seeing him without them)

                                         Mike, Mom, Dad, Todd, Chad & Dwayne

Dad, Todd, Chad, Me, Mike, Mike, April & Nathan and Desmon at counter

(didn't get one of Lizzy)

Mom, Todd, Chad, Dwayne, April  They're listening intently to one of  Dad's stories...........

We celebrated Chad's 34th Birthday Sunday with a birthday dinner and visit with Mom and Dad.  So nice to have them here celebrating with us.
I didn't go to church as I'm not as good at getting everything ready and attending church all at the same time. My Mom did that (and still does as of last Winter) this all the time.  I remember her frying chicken, making homemade biscuits, lemonade, etc. after church every Sunday while growing up.  Sadly, I can't seem to accomplish all of that the way she has always done.
But, I have Dwayne, whom I refer as my house-husband, that helps me out tremendously when we have a family dinner.  He doesn't like the term house-husband, so I now refer to him as my daughter-in-law and for some reason that doesn't offend him.  lol  Whatever, he is a big help.
I was making chicken pot pie for dinner and he deboned the chicken.  I have never had such small cut up pieces of chicken before for any of my dishes.  He did an excellent job.  He cleaned up after me all morning as I make a mess as I cook.  We had chicken pot pie, salad, corn, & rolls and for Chad's cake, we  had homemade apple and cherry turnovers.  I set the pies on an antique square cake stand that Grandma Dodie gave us, seemed to make it more special.
Nathan and Lizzy were visiting Mom and Dad for the day so they came down and then Chad brought Desmon with him.  Seems more natural to have kids around.  We enjoy them coming over.
My great-niece, Tess turned 15 on Sunday and was having cake and ice cream over at her Grandma Pat's at two o'clock.  April and I took Nathan and Lizzy over and we stayed for a little while to visit with everyone.  So hard to believe how this generation of kids is growing up so fast!!
As we were getting ready to leave, there was a coyote up in the field.  We had been seeing it the past few days and it just didn't act right.  Our neighbor came over that morning and said he had been seeing it and it didn't seem to be scared and would just stand there in broad daylight in our other neighbor's yard.  Dwayne and Mike drove up the drive and Dwayne was able to shoot it.  When they were loading it up to take to the neighbors as he wanted the skin, Mike said it stunk really bad.  Not sure what was wrong with it but glad it's not around anymore.
When we came back from Pat's, Dwayne, Mike, April and I spent the afternoon playing Liverpool Rummy.  I miss afternoons like that as that was always an Elrod tradition to play cards anytime we were together.
Chad, Todd and Desmon came back by for a visit.  Such a good day.  I love having my adult children come over.

I am grateful for family and especially having Mom and Dad with us to help celebrate another birthday with Chad.

Funny Friday:

Replay of Blake and Dwayne last December.

When April used to babysit Blake, him and Dwayne got into this routine of "tattooing" each other with some type of little plastic toy knife that was in the toy box.  Blake hadn't been to the house for awhile or done the "tattooing" for quite some time so we were a little surprised when he found the toy knife and wanted to tattoo Dwayne.  He doesn't forget anything!!

Dwayne makes a big deal out of it as it tickles him or hurts him and reacts to that.  Blake finds it hilarious and finally fell to the floor he was laughing so much.

 

Expensive toys needed for kids to have fun?  Not really.  These kids and others that come find one object or toy and go back to it each time to play their make-believe.

 

I'm not sure who had the most fun, Blake, Dwayne or me just watching the two.

 

I am grateful for each of the kids that come into our life.

Deer Camp:

        Background:  Tim and Xander                    Chad and Desmon

Each year the guys go to what we call the Emge Place and camp all week for deer season.  How they can all stay in one cabin together for a week, eat deer all week, play cards and live is such close quarters is beyond me.  But apparently they love it.
They don't keep it just to the adults.  As you can see above occasionally kids are allowed and they love it just as much as the older guys.  Everyone has a good time.

I am grateful my Mom and Dad has provided a wonderful get-a-way for the family.  It is a greatly appreciated legacy to passed on through the generations.

Wordless Wednesday:

Zach & Nathan:

Zach

Nathan

I have these two boys at my office this evening.  They had tutoring after school and since I work in Vienna I picked them up.  An hour in an office with a 14 and 12 year old makes for a very boring hour for them.  Now, they are each telling me I should say "I love Zach more" and "I love Nathan more".  lol  I think I'll stay neutral on that one!!

I am grateful for these guys and the opportunity to spend time with them.

Weekend:

Saturday:
I slept late Saturday which I love to do but for some reason been waking up early for the past couple months.  I spent the day doing odd cleaning jobs around the house and basically just being lazy.
Dwayne had a lot of errands to do with moving a tractor, feeding cows, etc.

Lizzy came over and spent the afternoon with me.  We watched Teen Mom 2, not that I haven't seen it already....... but she is good company and we like to watch it together.
I made a huge pot of vegetable soup for supper with grilled cheese.  Not sure how much Lizzy ate as her mouth seemed to be talking all through supper.  Imagine, Lizzy talking?  You've got to be kidding!!  She does talk alot, though.

Dwayne got the Christmas decorations down and Lizzy set up the skating rink and village in the bay window.  Not sure what happened to me and Dwayne, we didn't get much accomplished.

Sunday:
After church, I ran into Rolla to do my grocery shopping.  When I got home, Chad, Todd and Dustin were there.  I heated the soup up and made grilled cheese once again. Hard to believe it was the 2nd of December and we ate lunch on the front porch.  It was so nice out yesterday.

Dwayne and the boys left for the Emge Place and I spent the afternoon setting Christmas decorations out.  Dwayne set the tree up and put the lights on when he got home.  That was the extent of it.  Hopefully, we will finish up tonight.  So different than when the kids were home.  It was so exciting, everyone doing something at once but we got it all done in one afternoon.   I so miss those days.

After a relaxing evening of watching a Christmas movie, we went to be by 9:30.

I am grateful for family and that I live close to them so we can have visitors (nieces/nephews) just drop in.