Wordless Wednesday:

Sears Tower, Chicago

Wordless Wednesday:

Stock the Pantry Shower

 

Tide Cake, made by Erin Howard

 

 

 

Friday Quote:

Belle Parade:

What do you do for fun on a hot summer day with degrees in the 90's?

Go to the Belle Parade, of course.  Nothing like sitting in the sun burning up watching a parade.

But after the parade gets going, you're caught up in the fun and soon forget you are sweating like a pig.  lol

Zach, Lizzy and Kadence went with me to the parade.  Gunner didn't want to go, said he didn't like parades but he loved the candy.  The kids got sooo much candy, it wasn't hard to come up with a sack for Gunner.  We sat at the beginning of the parade and apparently that is the place to be as there was ALOT of candy and goodies thrown out.

Kadence and her favorite attraction in the parade.

Jat Ridenhour riding the Black Gold golf cart in the parade.

The girls trying to get a last look at Jat as they thought he was so cute.......

 

We had a great evening and if the parade candy wasn't enough, we had to stop at Casey's to buy snacks. 

 

I am grateful for small town parades and a time to get together.

Busy Weekend:

Friday:

Todd came by to visit after work.   After he left, Dwayne and I went to AppleBees for supper/dinner.

Followed by a fun trip to Wal-Mart to buy groceries.  The kids (Zach, Lizzy, Nathan and Gunner) called to see if they could come over.  Troy's son, Gunner was down visiting.  Told them sure.  They were waiting in the driveway when we got home.  lol  It was 9:15.  The kids helped carry in groceries and put them away.  We played Skip-Bo and Gunner caught on real fast.  He tried throwing a little fit when things didn't go his way in the game but Aunt Connie doesn't put up with that.  Told the kids to just ignore him, they thought I should let him just play the card he wanted.  I didn't let my kids do that and I wasn't going to let him.  You play by the rules or you just don't play.  A little later Lizzy blocked me and I pretended to throw a fit similar to Gunner's.  He just looked at me and then started laughing.  He didn't try it anymore after that.  The kids stayed until after 11.

Saturday:

Had a pretty relaxing morning spent on the porch reading.  It was so nice and cool out.  I then got busy making potato salad, baked beans, salad and a cake for Blake's birthday.  I even made radish roses like my home-ec teacher taught us in high school.

April and Mike had kept Nathan and Blake on Friday night and were bringing them over to our house for the night.  Todd came by for the barbecue but Chad was riding horses so didn't make it this time.

Blake with his cake

The picture is a little dark, but it's Zach, Todd, Mike, April & Dwayne

Nathan Allen, Nathan Rowe and Blake Allen

My radish roses

Deviled eggs in Todd's antique dish from Grandma Dodie

 

We enjoyed a good meal and a time of visiting.  After April and Mike left, we headed to the field for a bon fire and making smores.  Todd and Zach left to start the fire while I gathered up the stuff to take along.  We picked up Lizzy and Gunner on the way.

While waiting for the fire to die down, the kids played hide and seek in the field.  I was surprised that when they laid down in the grass you couldn't find them.  They had a lot of fun but I'm sure they were itching after playing in the ragweed and climbing trees.  At least they burnt off a lot of energy.

We made smores and sat around for awhile.  It's nice out in an open field looking up at the sky.  We have so many trees around our house you only get glimpses of the sky at night.

We dropped the kids off at Grandma Judy's on the way home.  I rode in the back of the truck with Nathan and Blake.  Brings back a lot of childhood memories of riding in the back of the truck.

Nathan and Blake played for awhile after we got home and then it was time for bed.  Nathan cried a little bit for his Mommy but Blake said, "Come here buddy, I'll take care of you".  That worked just fine and they were soon asleep along with Dwayne "camping out" in the floor with them

Sunday:

Kenny came early to get the kids so I could get ready to go to church.  We had a good lesson in Sunday School and also a very good message during church service.

Dwayne was in the hay field so I took a short nap when I got home.  I then spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the front porch in the porch swing.  What a pleasant afternoon.

I went to the field to check on Dwayne, visited with Todd a bit and then headed to Mom and Dad's for a visit.  They are both doing good right now.  Also, had a nice visit with my sister-in-law, Bobbi.

It was almost dark before Dwayne got in from the field.  We had leftovers from Saturday's barbecue for supper and watched TV.

An overall great weekend.

 

I am grateful for time spent with family and friends and a good church family to worship with.

 

On a sad note, I found out this morning a good family friend of ours passed away over the weekend.  Jim Matlock has helped with molasses at Mom and Dad's and at the Old Iron Works  every year.  He is just part of the family.  He always called himself my brother.  He came to visit last month and was so excited about April having a baby.  He said since him and Teresa didn't have any grandkids, this baby could also claim them as grandparents.  Grandpa Jim.  lol  We are certainly going to miss Jim.

Visit with little Miss EAR:

Elizabeth Ann Rowe

Lizzy came over for a visit last night.  She keeps us quite entertained, but I think her Uncle Dwayne did more of the entertaining last night.  He was being goofy and cracking jokes right and left.  I've never seen him act like such a clown before.  We all laughed and laughed throughout the evening.
(and all with him not feeling well)

We look forward to visits from the great nieces and nephews.  We miss them if they skip a week in coming over.  We hadn't seen Lizzy for a couple weeks and it seems like she grew two inches since the last time we saw her.  She's really in a growth spurt.

I am grateful for my nieces and nephews and the joy they bring to our lives.

Dwayne:

The cardiac-cath went well, no blockage.  Dwayne was disappointed as he was thinking-put a stint in and that will solve the problem.  Now back to square one; we don't know what is causing him to be so short of breath.  He called me today and was having trouble breathing at work.  I wanted him to go to the ER but he won't do it.  Hopefully, we find some answers soon.

Todd was rained out yesterday so he spent the day with Dwayne.  They had a good day together and then Todd stayed for supper.

I am grateful for our children and their special bond to each other and to their parents.

Wordless Wednesday:

Weekend:

Thursday the 4th:
We went to Aunt Jesse's for the annual Elrod Reunion.  Always a ton of food and many relatives to get caught up with.
Dwayne's not been feeling well so we just stayed home the rest of the evening.
Friday:
I had the day off and planned to just stay home and do nothing-which is what I did.  Todd and Desmon came over and spent the day with me.  Nice having company for lunch.  Desmon asked if Mr. Dwayne was still sitting in my rocking chair and I told him yeah.  He said, Mr. Dwayne only likes the chairs and not the couches.  I need to tell him this is your house Miss Connie and he should follow the rules and not sit in my chair.  lol  Love him!!  Don't know where he comes up with this stuff, but he remembers Miss Connie's rules for not eating in the living room.  Anytime he has a snack, he automatically goes to the table or counter to eat.  I never have to remind him.  He kept me and Todd entertained.
Saturday:
I had big plans to clean the basement but went running around with Dwayne instead.  Freeburg, Vienna, Vichy to feed the cows, Sput's for lunch and then to Rolla.  We did a few things around the house and once again stayed home.
Sunday:
I went to church and stayed for the dinner afterward.  Debbie Crawford did a wonderful job on the decorations again.  She is so talented.
Dwayne did a little bit of work at the farm in the morning and got overheated so he relaxed and watched TV all afternoon.  I took a looonnnnnnnnnggggg nap.  As my Mom would say, I must have needed the rest or I wouldn't have slept that long.  lol

Dwayne has been short of breath for over a year and is progressively getting worse.  He had tests done in February 2012 but didn't show anything significant.  More tests last month and the stress test came back okay but doesn't show if there is any blockage.  He has a cardio-cath tomorrow, please remember him in your prayers.  It sounds odd, but we're hoping they find a blocking, put a stint or two in and make him better.  If there is no blockage, we will have to try another route.  His pulmonary function tests are better than they were a year and a half ago.  Please remember Dwayne in your prayers.

On a positive note, I took April to Columbia today to her high risk doctor and the baby is doing good.   April has been having fainting spells so we were a little worried.  (sounds like the movies of pregnant women fainting, thought the movies were just exaggerating but it is a real symptom of  pregnancy with women who are having complications).  They may have to adjust her thyroid medication as the growing baby also needs these hormones.  Hopefully, she will start feeling better. The Hashimoto Disease can affect the pregnancy.

I am grateful for family and health care providers.

Wordless Wednesday:

                                                 Bridal Shower at Methodist Church: