Wordless Wednesday:

Long week and weekend:

On Tuesday, I met April at 42 Junction to pick up the kids.  April was going to have surgery the next day.  I was worried about Iva as she's such a Momma's girl, but she did just fine.  Both kids had a good time playing with Grandpa when he got home from work.
Wednesday:  Woke up with a really bad headache.  Kept getting worse and I started throwing up.  It was hard to take care of the kids being sick.  I called Michelle, but she couldn't get off work.  Todd was able to get off and he took Cash with him.  I could handle Iva since it was almost nap time.  Spent most of the day lying on the couch.  Mike called to let me know April made it out of surgery just fine and would get to go home that afternoon.  She wasn't suppose to lift anything heavy for a couple weeks. Cash spent the night with Todd and Michelle.  Iva slept with us.

Thursday:  Todd brought Cash home midmorning.  We spent the time outside with Cash riding the truck and Iva riding with him sometimes.  Both kids at a good lunch.  I put Iva down for a nap and Cash and I colored and watched cartoons.  Around three, he fell asleep watching TV.  He was still asleep when Dwayne got home.  We enjoyed the evening watching the kids play.
Friday:  We got up at 6:30 and ate our breakfast on the back porch.  Dwayne was home sick.  Mid-morning, we went to Belle to pick up a radiator for Dwayne's tractor.  We then went to visit Dwayne's cousin, Reba's house.  We had a good visit while Cash played with little cars and trucks.  Iva sat on the couch like a little grownup.  Friday evening, Cash and I made a pizza.

Saturday:  You could tell the kids were starting to miss their Mom.  They were both a little whiney.  Cash and Grandpa were going to go see Chad, Todd and Michelle.   Iva wanted to go too.  I think Dwayne was a little surprised she was already wanting to go with him.  Him and Cash did get away later to go feed the cows.  The kids were having fun going on a walk.   They held hands and went around by the kitchen and hallway back to the living room.  They did this several times.

They were very happy to see their Mom.  April was still sore and really shouldn't be lifting Iva but what else do you do when you're a Mom.  She stayed for awhile before they left.   The house was quiet after they were gone.  We had got used to them being here.  We enjoyed our time together and it was a chance to get to know Iva better.  Grandpa was surprised she didn't go to him more but she was a Grandma's girl and set on my lap a lot.  Cash is pretty much Grandpa's boy until he gets tired or gets a little scrape or bump.

Sunday:

I went to church and then to Rolla to buy a baby gift.  Aunt Fern is getting a new great-granddaughter and the shower was at her granddaughter's Tammi Lincoln's.  I was excited to go as I used to clean that house.  They've remodeled and it looked quite different.  It was nice to see cousins I hadn't seen in awhile.

Came home and made tamale pie for supper.  It was an early night for both of us.

 

I am grateful for my family and especially the successful outcome of April's surgery.

 

April's Birthday, September 19th.

We are so blessed to have April as our daughter.  She was quite a surprise as we thought we were going to have another boy.  My mouth hurt the next day from grinning so much.  I couldn't believe I finally got the baby girl I dreamed of.
April has grown up to be a very caring and kind person.  She's a wonderful mother and I wish her the best birthday ever.

                                                                                                          So grateful for our "baby" girl.

Happy Birthday, April Lee:

September 19, 1985

Weekend Update:

Friday Night:

We stayed home.  I fixed steak parmesan for supper.

Saturday:

I went to the hay field with Dwayne.  I was to drive the truck while he loaded hay bales with the tractor.  I took a book along to read.  Did real good, drove the truck/trailer across the highway as Dwayne drove the tractor.  He used the tractor to unload the hay bales into the barn while I read.  All going well.  All of a sudden, someone is tapping on the truck window.  Dwayne had drove the tractor up and through the gate and I'm still down at the barn.  I hadn't noticed him go by at all.  He said (kindly) it did a lot of good to have you come along so I don't have to walk so much.  He did laugh some.  I laughed all the way through the gate.  What can I say, it was a good book.

We hauled another load and then went to Sput's for lunch.  Afterward, I went to Cuba for Cody's little boy Jayce's first birthday party.

 

After the party, I went to visit my friend, Barb who lives in Cuba.  Unfortunately, she wasn't home.  I always have such a good time visiting with Barb.

When I got home, Michelle called to see if I had any Benadryl.  Chad's dog, Sandy had got bitten by a snake.  I took down some allergy medicine.  Visited with them awhile.

Dwayne came home from the field, we ate supper and called it an early night.

Sunday:

I was having the kids over for April's birthday dinner.  I fixed cauliflower soup, chicken pot pie and blackberry cobbler.  Dad came down for dinner also.  These times of getting together are very important to me.

Iva looks so much like my Mom.

The day was bittersweet as we've always had a big dinner for everyone to celebrate Mom and April's birthdays together.  Mom's was the 18th and April's is the 19th.

We had a good time visiting with the grandkids as April and Mike came over early for April to do laundry as her washer/dryer isn't working.  Cash loves to have a trailer hooked up to his truck.  We have an auger (full size) on the basketball court.  Cash looked at it, kicked it, walked around it a few times, then backs his truck up to it.  He lifts the arm of the auger and places it down exactly on the little hook of the truck.  Too bad the auger is full size or he would have drove off with it.  Both kids have such fun with the truck.  A very good purchase.

 

I am so grateful for my beautiful daughter and to celebrate another birthday with her.

 

Nathan:

Nathan came over to play cards last night.  I have missed him and Lizzy so much.  They used to come over every Tuesday night to play cards and watch TV.   At Christmas, Lizzy moved in with her Mom.  Nathan didn't want to come by himself.

Out of the blue, he called yesterday to see if he could come over to play cards.  Dwayne was at Vichy bush hogging.  We were so involved in cards, I didn't even start supper.  We all ate cereal for supper.  I'm such a good wife!  lol

 

I am so grateful for these visits.

Visiting old friends:

 

This morning, Dad and I went to visit some friends of his, Charles and Fay.  Dad and Charles relived their earlier years.  Dad, Mom, Charles, Fay and my Uncle Gale and Aunt Ruby used to go on dates together.   I've seen several pictures of this era and it looks like they had so much fun.

Sadly, Charles and Fay are in poor health.  Fay, especially so.  I visited with Fay but unfortunately I could not understand much of what she said,

Fay and Charles came to visit more than one time during our last week with Mom.  Fay sat by Mom's bed and held her hand for an hour or more.  She told stories about when they were kids and the games they played, the times spent at school and shared a bond of losing their Mom's at a young age.  I know Mom heard Fay, as she would grip her hand tighter at times and had a smile on her face.  This visit meant a lot to all of us.

Today, I once again thanked God for my Dad's health and being of sound mind.  So much, we take for granted.

                                                                
                                                                         I am most grateful for my Dad and times spent together.

Anniversary Weekend:

Friday:
I worked at the flower shop.  That evening, April and Mike picked us up to go out and eat.  We didn't know where we were going.  The kids all surprised us at Matt's Steakhouse.  We had a great meal and an evening visiting.  Cash spent the night. 

5 Year Anniversary

40 Year Anniversary

 

Saturday:

We were once again surprised by the kids by going to the river for the day.  I love boat riding so this was a real treat.  Chad ferried us all from Nagagomi Lodge to his camp site.  It was a nice shaded spot a little elevated from the river. Chad brought toy tractors for Cash to play with.  Chad would rake up sections of dirt for Cash to haul from.  Iva had fun but the ground was a little rough for her walking.  Todd barbecued and we ate lunch.  Some played washers, others just relaxed in the peace of being around the river.  It was Cash and Iva's first time riding in a boat.  Cash wanted to spend the night again.

When it comes to bedtime, Cash is Nana's boy.  Very tired after playing all day at the river.

 

Sunday, September 10, 1977

We look so young in this picture.  Actually, we were young at twenty years old.  But we certainly thought we were old enough to get married.  Guess so, as we've been married 40 years.

 

Cash had spent the night with us.  We spent the morning on the front porch while Cash played.  A very nice day out. Cash was missing Iva so he asked Grandpa to go pick her up.  She also misses him when he's gone.  I'm glad they're close like that.  In the afternoon, we took Cash home.   He was asleep not much longer than we left the house.  He cried when we got to his house, he wanted to stay longer.  We stayed for awhile watching the kids play outside. 

We took one side road and wound up on the other side on Meta.  The first part of the drive was nice but the last part was just scrub brush and runned down fields.

We went on into Rolla to eat a sandwhich and then home to watch movies.

What a great weekend we had.

 

I am grateful for Dwayne and the family we've created.

Labor Day Weekend:

We went to the Vienna parade Saturday.    Cash had so much fun catching candy.   Iva was find as long as she was with Momma. April's sister-in-law, Elizabeth, daughters, Kylie and Elaina came over for the parade. Todd and Michelle sat with us and Chad rode his buggy in the parade.  After the parade, we all met at Checo's for dinner.  It was nice having the family together.

My Aunt Alice and Uncle Robert Feeler celebrating their 65th Anniversary.

Chad and Trevor

 

Sunday:

Dwayne baled hay.  I went to church and then to my nephew, Wayne's for a fish fry.  They had a ton of food.  My favorite was the fried okra.  Judy and Aunt Fern were there among other family and friends.  I took home a plate for Dwayne so I didn't have to cook.  Dustin came by and dropped off Noah for me to keep overnight.

 

 

Monday

 

 

 Noah is such a good little boy.  He's easy to watch.  We made a hand print for his Daddy.  Dustin came mid-morning to get Noah.  I spent the afternoon mowing the yard.  Funny, it's not near as "fun" as it is in the beginning of Summer.
Just as I got cleaned up, Dwayne came home.  We went to Todd and Michelle's to see her horses she just moved from her parent's house.

 

We then went to visit Chad.  Home to Dwayne grilling hamburgers.  Overall, a good weekend.

 

I am grateful for our country and safety.  I pray for all the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

Maries County Advocate:

The local paper put Cash's picture on their website today.  I love it.  I captures what pure joy and fun he had at the fair.  Thank you to the Maries County Advocate for posting his picture. 

 

                                   
                                                                              Just plain grateful!

Maries County Fair:

Dwayne and I met April and the kids at the fair Wednesday night.  It was buddy night, buy tickets for one and the other rides free.  Iva wasn't big enough to ride so we weren't able to take advantage of the bargain.  Cash had a blast!   He was so excited, he was jumping up and down and running from ride to ride.  He opens gates for Grandpa so we had to tell him he couldn't just run up and open the gate at each ride.  It was pure joy watching him on the rides and the excitement on his face.  April took the kids on the Merry Go Round so Iva could get a ride.  Iva was okay but not overly thrilled.  She's always okay when she's with her Momma.  After we got Cash away from the rides, he was just as happy sitting on the tractors displayed at the fair.

 

We had such a good time.  I'm grateful to spend time with Cash and Iva.