I found the cutest bird book recently. I took one to Jackson for Valentine's and then gave one to my great-nephew, Nate, for his first birthday.

"Blue bird, bluebird what do you see?"


" I see (one) bird sitting on the tree...."

" One two three four five..."

Nate and Dana.
I thought this little book was very fitting since their great- grandmother's name was Birdie.

I found it at Target for 6.95, and I have seen it at bookstores also.

Our last trip to the Houston area was wet and cold. Jackson and I were waiting in the car while Ryan picked up some hamburgers for our lunch. I felt it was my Nana duty to entertain Jackson and let him make a mess. I reached in my goodie bag and found some Elmo stickers.

It took great concentration to place the "Elmos" just right...

Jackson kept telling me," Look Nana, I didn't tear it!"

He had no idea this was a fine motor skills exercise.

Way to go Jackson!

Back at the house we found Ben chewing on everything.

...because he has two new top teeth!


I can't wait until I see them again!

Do you see it?

I was driving home from the store a couple of days ago and was in my own little thought world. I was having ladies from church over that night. I needed something new to decorate my front door. My mind was bouncing around to what I might already have at home. I thought about a round red berry wreath leftover from the Christmas decorations. As I turned the corner into our neighborhood I looked up and the only clouds in the sky were hearts. Ah ha. I would maneuver the red round wreath into the shape of a heart!

I know this is all very frivolous. The clouds really brought out a deeper feeling and emotion for me. God is awesome. His love is forever. He has the power to remind us in wispy clouds in the big blue sky.

"He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills." Psalm 147:8

You Can't Call us Boring...

We had our family Christmas closer to New Year's than Christmas this year. I think it was more relaxing that way. One of the presents to Morgan and Ryan were 50 yard line tickets to the Dallas Cowboy Game that week. Morgan and Ryan were quite surprised and excited. John bought them Cowboy Jerseys and Jackson a Texas Longhorn Jersey. (Ben had one too, but he was sleeping during this photo shoot.) They had a great time at the game and will always cherish the memory of going. Yes, and Dallas won too!!

On my birthday, John, Morgan and I went to Blue Mesa to eat after Church. I had received a coupon for a free buffet. They have some of the best food in the Dallas area, so forget the diet for a day and indulge! At least on your birthday. Anyway, the waitperson overheard it was my birthday and for some reason he started telling us about a new game called Quelf. Elf with a Qu.

He said something about how crazy it was to play, and one player had to sit under the table the whole game. Hmm, this needed to be investigated thoroughly. After several attempts to find the game, we finally landed our own one. Now, if I were to read the box in the store it would not end up in my shopping cart. It sounds kinda weird. I am not too sure we understood the rules all that well as we sat down to play, but we laughed the whole time!

Ryan picked a card where he was announcing the in flight instructions a flight attendant does at the beginning of every flight and Mary Beth had to do the hand motions. She apparently pays closer attention than the rest of us, because she had it nailed. Except getting tickled. But then, she might have seen that on one of those wacky Southwest flights out of Houston.

We didn't know such a good sport had married into our family. Mary Beth picked a card that required her to move her game piece with her elbows -the entire game.

See the egg in the middle of the game board? That was what I had to find and place there. It stayed in its place the whole time and any player, except me received a penalty if they touched it.

One of my turns I had to pretend I was a photographer on a shoot. I received extra points if I used a real camera. This is Morgan giving his version of a model look.

He picked a card that required him to say "Hear me for I have spoken" after he said anything. We all tried to get him to talk just so we could make him say it. I don't think he missed a single time he spoke.
We only played once, so I am not sure if there is anything inappropriate on any of the cards. I do know the photographer card had a phrase I was supposed to say, but there was no way that was coming out of my mouth. That is my disclaimer.

The next day while John and I were working in the garage this is what was going on upstairs...

I am not too sure what this says about us, but we do know how to have good clean fun!

( We missed Tia Leah! )

Oh, the joys of being a grandmother...

Precious in His Sight

Grandchildren. Oh, how precious. I love every single minute I get to be with my grandsons. Jackson is now 2 1/2. He enjoyed our new tradition of making a gingerbread creation . I started the train and then Tia Leah, visiting from Hawaii, helped him finish it. The candy was a little too tempting for him though. But isn't that what grandmothers are for? We have so much fun together. He says the cutest things. He kept calling my leather sofa the chocolate couch. I am not sure why he thought it looked like chocolate...

Jackson found his seat by Tia Leah at church and was ready to listen to some inspiring words.

Ben found his place on my lap. He is a cutie. We had our whole family together at church .

It took everything I had not to tear up during the service.

(I wish I had given my camera to someone to take our picture all together.)

Ryan, Mary Beth, Jackson and Ben at the farm at Thanksgiving.

(Notice how sweet it is that Ben has his hand on Jackson's shoulder.)

Nana can't wait until Christmas!!

Happy Birthday Grandad

Here is a special message to Grandad from his great-grandson Jackson, age 2.

Fall ~ Hula Style

I recently came back from visiting my daughter, Leah, in Hawaii. What a great trip. Instead of boring you with all of my pics at the same time, I will post groups of fun things we did while I was there.

( Not necessarily in order though.)

The day before I left we went to the Upcountry on Maui. We were headed to the Lavendar Farm when I saw this pumpkin patch. I was thrilled to see white pumpkins even in Hawaii.

Leah and I sitting on the haybale.

You could be in West Texas, except for that is the big ocean in the background!

This scarecrow had a little Hawaiian influence!


The pumpkins were set out in a maze for the little ones.

Leah and J.R.

There were so many photo ops, I had a hard time pulling myself away...


Next, the Lavendar Farm. Can't you just smell it?