Weekly Visit times three:

 

Monday:
Our Wednesday night visit was changed to Monday this week.  Mike's Grandma Holtmeyer passed away and her visitation was Monday evening.  When we walked into the church, Cash went crazy over seeing his Grandpa.  He was waving his hands, grunting (he has different grunt sounds for something he wants) and leaning as forward as he could to get to Grandpa.  When we got to their pew he was more than ready for Grandpa to pick him up.  Grandpa doesn't spoil him much.......
When it came time for the Rosary, we took Cash down to April and Mike's.  As always, we enjoyed playing with him and watching all the new things he has learned.  If he wants to go outside, he leans forward and grunts looking at the door.  I didn't realize the different sounds you can make with a grunt and you know what he means.  We say door or outside, but he doesn't want to attempt to say it right now.  Funny the different phases they go through.

Liz and MacKensie

Tuesday:
Liz and Nathan come over every Tuesday night to hang out.  After work, we went to J. C. Penney's to buy Mom a birthday present.  Stopped by Mom's on the way home.  They are always glad to see the kids.  MacKensie and Kate were there.  Kensie came on down to the house, too.  I don't get to see her near as much as the other kids and I enjoyed the time with her.  Me and the girls hung out at the kitchen counter and talked "girl talk".  Of course that involved selfies.  Where did my little nieces go?  They look entirely grown up here.  And beautiful.

Deone and Tess

Wednesday:
It was such a nice evening out and I felt really good yesterday.  I told Dwayne I didn't want to cook and that I would treat him to supper at Sput's.  We were surprised when we went in and my nephew, Wayne, Deone and Tess were there.  We sat with them and had a great time.  Sput had a special of Salisbury steak.  It was really good.  Sput has good meals and you know everything is kept clean.  Very reasonable prices.  (Sounds like an advertisement for Sput's.  lol)
Tess asked her Uncle Dwayne to play pool with her.  They played a couple games and Tess was really good.  She is great in all sports and now her talent also shows up on a game of pool.  She is remarkable young lady.  April babysit Tess and her sister, Kara when they were young so we saw them a lot.  Maybe I'm just being a little partial, but she is a sweet, caring and beautiful young lady.

A week of visiting family everyday is a treat.  I am so grateful for a close knit family.

Mom & April's Birthday Dinner:

Cash, April, Grandma Nonnie and Grandma Great

Chad, Grandpa Dwayne, Cash, April, Mike, Lizzy

Zach, Michael, Chad, Dwayne

Lizzy, April, Mike, Todd, Grandpa Great, Zach, Chad,Cash

I always have a big birthday dinner celebration every year for Mom and April, as their birthdays are just a day apart.  This year, my nephew, Tony asked if he could have it at his house.  Heck yeah!!
I enjoy having the family over but I have to admit I liked not having to bode the responsibility and work this time.  (Getting old........ lol)
We are having a big reunion Saturday for Mom's 85th birthday so several weren't able to attend on Sunday.  Every year when we make molasses, Mom's family attends and we call it the cousin party.  This year we will have the cousin party minus the molasses making.
It rained during planting season so Dwayne didn't get the cane out until much later.  So, we're running at least three weeks out on the big molasses making this year.  It's a big disappointment as everyone enjoys it so much.  But you have to go with mother nature.
Mom's health has been pretty precarious this year and we are so blessed to have her with us.


I am so grateful to celebrate my Mom and daughter's birthday together.

Cash:

Friday:

Mike and April went to a Cardinals game and dropped Cash off at my work.  We didn't stay long as there was no way I could get any work done with Cash being there.

We went to Mom and Dad's but Cash wasn't in a very good mood as he had just woke up and hadn't really got used to Nonnie having him yet.  We had a short visit and then headed to the house.

Grandpa worked only eight hours so he was able to get home by 5:30.  We sat on the back porch and let Cash play.  He had so much fun crawling around on the deck.  He was able to stand at the railing and look at the cows.  He was fascinated.  The little stinker got quite dirty playing on the Porch so Grandma Nonnie had to give him a bath.

 

Drinking the water. 

As you can tell, Grandpa parted his hair.  Cash thought it was real neat to comb his hair.  He did that for quite awhile.

Saturday morning was play time while Grandpa went to get a hair cut.  After a brief nap, Grandpa took us to Sput's to eat lunch.  As April says, the helmet is a great conversation starter as everyone is curious and wants to know why he's wearing it.
After lunch, we went to Mike and Susan's for a visit.  Mike even held him a couple times.  Cash liked their dog, Opie, but only to look at.  He didn't like Opie to get too close or lick him.  Hum, that's the same way his Grandma Nonnie likes dogs........
On our way home, we noticed April's car was at Mom and Dad's so we turned around and went there.  Cash was in a good mood and LOVED riding horsey on Grandpa Great's leg.

So enjoy being able to share a grandbaby with my Mom and Dad.  They loved seeing him.

We then went on home and April spent the afternoon with us.

That evening, our neighbors, Jim and Shirley Peterman came by for a visit.  They stayed a couple hours.  It's nice to keep up with the neighbors.

We watched TV for awhile but we seemed to be worn out.  Funny how you didn't get so worn out when your own kids were little.

 

I am so grateful for such a wonderful visit with Cash.

 

 

Happy Birthday, April Lee:

This post was from 2011 and as you can tell by the pictures, I hadn't learned how to crop pictures yet.

So much has changed in three short years.  A wedding and the birth of a child.  I am so proud of the mother my daughter has become.

 

Monday, September 19, 2011

September 19, 1985:

Birth info wrote by April in scrapbook:

Surprise, it's a girl!!!
Mommy and baby coming home from the hospital: Outfit bought by Daddy.
Protective big brothers:Chad with the little sister he wanted: He had stated he already had a brother, he needed a sister.
Todd meeting little sister: Even though he claimed he wanted a little brother, he was and still is totally in awe of his little sister.
Daddy, with Chad's help giving first bath:

1st Birthday:
Twenty-six years ago I got the surprise of my life. Pregnant with my third child and back in the dark ages of no ultra-sounds unless absolutely necessary, we did not know the sex of our baby. My doctor's guess all along was another boy. Jeffrey Dwayne was due October 4th, 1985.
Well, little Miss April Lee surprised us two weeks early on September 19th, 1985. I don't have the picture at work with me of Dwayne and I holding her right after her birth, but we are smiling ear to ear and the picture of April looks like she was smiling also.
My children's birth is somewhat related to their tempramate. Chad was due December 12th and promptly arrived that day. Growing up, Chad was always right on schedule. Todd was due April 4th and did not arrive until April 17th, two weeks late. Growing up, he was usually late getting up, in no hurry, etc.
April was two weeks early. She has always wanted to be on time for everything, follow the rules (generally) and great organization skills.
I think in adult life the boys may have swapped a bit, as Chad is usually late for family dinners (although this year he was gone back to being very punctual) and Todd is always on time.
My pregnancy with April was very difficult. I wasn't sick so much, but had problems though out the pregnancy. My friends joked that now I knew what it was like to be pregnant as my pregnancies with the boys were so easy and no sickness. I pretty much felt great.
My labor with April was horrible (no epidurals, I was stupid with all three and went natural. Dumb!!) Labor started around 4 a.m. and we arrived at the hospital I think around 7 a.m. The day kept getting worse and worse. If I hadn't had her by that evening, we were going in for a c-section. I wanted a girl so bad but I remember by mid-afternoon thinking, I don't care what I have, please just make it go away. I was totally exhausted and didn't think I would ever make it to delivery. Finally, at 6:53 p.m., we welcomed a baby girl into the world. I don't know who was more surprised, Doctor John or Dwayne and I. We were elated!! The name, April Lee was picked out before we were even married.
Even after her birth, I thought I'm so tired, I will fall asleep the minute I get to a room. No!! I was so excited, I was calling everyone and at 1 a.m. the next morning I was still wide awake. The nurse decided I needed a sleeping pill and to get some much needed rest. My mouth hurt as I went to sleep from grinning so much.
We had always planned on four children, regardless of boys, girls, or both. So, even that day, we still planned on in a few years of having either Jeffrey Dwayne or Arin Rebecca. My body decided the third labor and delivery was just too much. A couple years later we learned a fourth pregnancy/delivery was just jeopardizing my health. Our family was complete with three children. God is in charge and his birth order of our children could not be more perfect.
While I was in the hospital, proud daddy went to Strawberry Patch (which was an expensive children's shop in Rolla at the time) and bought April's outfit to come home in. A beautiful lavender print dress set with shoes to match. That was Dwayne's job each birth to buy the outfit to come home in. He did a great job all three times.
Our baby girl has turned into a beautiful, (inside and out) young lady we are very proud of.

Our daughter, 26 years later:
Guess we'll keep her! lol

Happy Birthday, April Lee!!

I (and Dwayne) are very grateful for our daughter, our two precious sons and the life we have.

 

Weekly Visit:

Grandpa, Chad, Cash, Grandma & Todd

 

Wednesday evening the boys went with us to St. Elizabeth on our weekly visit.

April's birthday is the 19th, so we all went out to eat at Miss Kitty's.  Cash didn't know what to think of Chad and Todd since he doesn't see them that much.  He did go to Chad and take Chad's hat off and on like he does Grandpa.  We're all still is such awe at having a new baby in the family, Cash gets total attention from all of us.  He doesn't know who to pay attention to next.

We ate at Miss Kitty's and had a good meal.  Time visiting with all three of our kids at once is so special.  Something we once took for granted is now a highlight in our lives.

I'm so proud of April and the wonderful young lady she has become.  She is a great mother and wife.

She makes us just as happy as the day she came into our life.

 

I am grateful to have a daughter and share in the celebration of her life.

Weekend Update:

Friday:
I went to the rental house as I did every night this week after work to clean.  Years of built-up grease in the kitchen, dirty refrigerator, etc.  Dwayne doesn't get home until 7:30 so that left him out on helping.  Chad, Todd, Tim and Michael helped a lot with taking curtains down and all the heavier work.  Don't know what I would have done without them.  I had Susan wash the windows as there was years of build-up. 
I worked pretty late and when I got home, I was DONE.  I could hardly move.  Dwayne had to find something to eat as I wasn't able to make anything.  A week of working all day and then at night on the house does not work well with having Lupus.
Saturday:
I slept late, watched TV, took a nap, watch TV and then took another nap.  I did manage to clean the kitchen and do laundry, but other than that, nothing.  I felt lousy and I hurt all over.
Saturday night we headed to Belle to watch our friend's, Phil and Carol Bailey, Dacoda ride sheep.  He did really well.  I think he got second place but we didn't stay until the end.  Dacoda is so cute when he gets off the sheep, he throws his hands in the air and walks around a bit then starts waving to the crowd.  He gets to go to the finals at Columbia in October.  He calls us Aunt Connie and Uncle Dwayne.  lol  Makes us feel special.
Sunday:
We both slept until eleven o'clock!!  Evidently, we were worn out.  Hadn't been up too long until my nephew, Tony called to say he was having Sunday dinner.  Him and his girlfriend, Lisa, have been having Sunday dinner for the past three weeks.  I so enjoy these dinners.  It's nice to have someone else host them and Mom loves it as she's not able to do them anymore.  Lisa is a great cook.  Her sweet potato muffins are the best ever.
Later, Todd came by to get the lawn mower and go mow the yard one last time at the rental house.  Dwayne went to Rolla to buy boots and was supposed to pick up a shower fixture at Lowe's.  He forgot!!  Luckily, the renters said they had one and would install it.  One less thing to worry about.
We didn't do anything the rest of the evening but watch TV and relax.

I am so grateful for Chad and Todd's help and that of my nephews.

Mickey Mouse:

My little Mickey Mouse

Cash LOVES Mickey Mouse.  He is glued to the TV when it's on and if you get in front of him, he will try to get to where he can see around you.  He was only about 8 months old when he would say, Mi-e Mou.  He couldn't get the consonants out but he was definitely trying to say Mickey Mouse.
I found a Mickey Mouse hooded towel and just had to get it for him.
As you can tell from all of my picture, we are enjoying him very much.

I am grateful for my little Mickey Mouse.

Joy and Sorrow:

Joy:

 

Sunday, Dwayne and I went over to the house we bought to rent out and worked on it.  We then went to Tony's for Lizzy's 13th birthday.  Can you believe she's 13 already??????  Actually, she acts much older and being the EAR, (Elizabeth Ann Rowe) she knows and hears everything.  She is a smart young lady and I love her so much.  We have TV night together every Tuesday.  Not sure how much longer she will want to come to her old Great-Aunt Connie's house, but sure enjoying it now.

 

Dad teasing her that he is going to spank her for her birthday. (probably would have if only she stood still.....)

13 Candles

 

That afternoon we went back over to clean on the house and find goodies Lou had left behind.  Some good, some not so good-like about 30 old brittle plastic flower pots......

Susan came over and we sat on the back deck and had a great visit.  Several of the family dropped by off and on to look at the house.  Chad and Todd helped out a lot.

 

Sorrow:

My cousin, Lena Vogeler's husband died and his funeral was today.  Austin, we called him Jr., was a great guy and all through growing up he would take his thumb off for me.  It was a trick that he made look so real that I always thought he really did.  (I was apparently a gullible kid...) Even as an adult, when I saw him I would have him take his thumb off.  Neatest thing!!

Today was Jr.s funeral and I didn't do too well.  I didn't cry at Wayne's funeral and today seemed to bring it all back.  I cried all the through Jr.'s funeral and off and on the way there and back.  I guess I must be a little goofy as today was much worse for me than my own brother's funeral was.  But, I know God helped me through that day and to be strong for my sister-in-law.

Life has it's ups and downs and that is normal.  I never thought I would be having such a time with grief as this year.  I think, Connie, you are 57 years old, get used to it.  I think I used to be a stronger person as I could handle death better, but now I'm not dealing with it too great.  I put on a great smile for everyone but inside I'm hurting.  I could use extra prayers right now.

 

 

I am grateful for my family.

 

 

 

I also have great joy that my great nieces and nephews come over to visit often.  Last night, Ashlyne, Lizzy and Nathan were over.  Zach had a fire meeting at Vichy Fire Department and didn't get done in time to come over.  I love these four as if they were my own grandchildren and so enjoy our times together.

 

Happy Baby

Had the most wonderful visit with Cash last night. Grandpa had to work late and didn't go. So he was Grandma's boy. Loved how he crawled to me when I got there and pretty much stayed with me the whole evening. When his Daddy took him-he even cried to come back to Grandma!! Be still my heart!! Great visit.

I am grateful for this little boy.

Labor Day Weekend:

Thursday:

The weekend started early as the Maries County Fair was going on.  After a quick supper, Nathan, Lizzy, MacKensie and I took off to the fair.  I walked over to the demolition derby figure eight.  I sat with Kenny, Blake and Nathan.  The boys kept me entertained.  Nathan asked if I was coming Friday night and I told him, no that Dwayne has been working long hours.  He said I could just come by myself then.  lol  Made me feel good they wanted me there.  Love those boys.

Lizzy and Nate spent the night and left the next morning before I left for work

Friday:

Dwayne and I both had a long day.  We decided to go to Sput's to eat.  They have such good food there.  I got the philly steak sandwich and fries.  Yummy!

Saturday:

We took Mom and Dad to the parade.  This is quite a feat as we have to take Mom's wheelchair if she goes any distance.  So glad Dwayne was off work to help/do with Mom.  She fell as she was stepping up onto the curb.  Luckily, Dwayne was able to get her up and then into the wheelchair.  She is feeling better but has been falling again.

We always sit on the SW side of the courthouse and our family meets there.  It was so good to see my nephew Tyler, Andrea and Liam.  Liam is such a cute little boy.  As you can see below, we had a good time with baby Cash.  April didn't have to worry about holding him in the heat.  lol

 

 

3rd cousins, Cash and Liam

After the parade I took a long nap-felt good to be rested.  That evening several of our friends met at Mike and Susan's.  We had a good time sitting around on their deck and visiting.

Sunday:

Not much going on.  We mainly just watched TV and relaxed.

Monday:

We just bought a new dishwasher a couple weeks ago and it doesn't dry the dishes.  I went to Lowe's and it was no problem at all.  He said we'll just order you a new one.  It was nice to have such good customer service.

Then the dreaded trip to Wal-Mart!!  It wasn't busy when I got there but soon filled up quick.  There are so many new students at S & T and their families there.  Makes good business for Wal-Mart but makes it hard to shop.

Spent the afternoon working around the house and watching TV.  That's the extent of my labor on Labor Day.......

 

I am so grateful to still have my parents and to once again share our time together at the Maries County Fair.