My Gracie Girl

Looks like we have us a "tree hugger" here...literally.

 

 

Gracie can go from tree climbing to young lady.

I was a lot like that as a child too,  I loved

to climb trees, play football, baseball..

somewhat of a "Tom-Boy", but I always

wore dresses and could be a young lady.

 

Gracie is growing too fast for me.

She looks so grown up here.

 

Her Daddy is looking pretty cute here too.

Special Valentine Gift

Here it is Gracie.  Sorry to keep you in suspense.

I told J & A one day that I wanted my own 

Webkinz Pet so I could play the games myself.

This is "Sissy"- my very own Schnauzer.

She is clean, makes no messes or noises.

J, A, and Na gave her to me for Valentine's Day,

and I loved the card too....the card does talk,

and it says, "You are niiiice, very, very nice!

Too fun!

Gracie, check your Webkinz....the boys sent a

friend invitation to you from me.  Maybe we 

can play a game or something.

I am not a crazy Grandma...just one who

loves to have fun with her grandkids.

They are great!  All five of the beauties.

Love you all - Cool Grandma

Happy Valentine's Day!

Friends, just for you and because it is almost Valentine's Day, I am sharing this wonderful Strawberry Bread recipe. This recipe was given to me by a sweet lady from church,  Ms. Doris.  You can make three loaves using standard size loaf pans from the recipe at one time.  I call it my give one, freeze one, and eat one bread recipe.

 Strawberry Bread

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 cups thawed strawberries (I get the big bags of sliced, frozen berries at Sam's Club)

1 1/4 cup oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl (I use a wire whip or large spoon)...Mix dry ingredients, add strawberries (after they have been blended in a blender or food processor), oil, eggs, and pecans.

Blend and mix well.  Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes in 3 loaf pans (greased and floured).  Let cool about 5 minutes, then use a table knife (I use a plastic knife) to go around pans.  Turn onto wax paper or cooling rack, cover in foil, and place in gallon zip lock bags to store.  The bread tastes great even after freezing, but I love it right out of the oven.  YUMMY!  Easy to make and tastes great.  Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Rudy Boy!

Our  baby boy was born February 11, 1971.  We were thrilled to be first time parents.  Rudy had the cutest little bald head.  After several months he got curls.

I do wish blogger would let me type where I want and rearrange things without messing up.
But, in response to the pictures above...our boy soon started to grow up.  Rudy has always been smart, talented, and skilled in everything he attempts.
He is a good husband, father, brother, and son.  He leads his family in the way they should go.....following the Lord.

Rudy, we could not ask for a better son.  Thank you for all that you are, and all that you do.
We love you and wish you a very Happy Birthday.

I still really love that "cutest little bald head" of yours.....sorry, I just had to say it.

In Loving Memory of My Mother

Ada Carter Blackwell
October 30, 1918 - February 10, 2003

Mother, Momma, Mammy...It will soon be seven years since my Momma left this

life to go be with the Lord. I miss her more as each day passes. My Mother was

always "Momma" to me and "Mother" to my sister...strange how that happens.
I don't know why we did not both call her the same name. Mother sounds more
respectful, but she was always, ""My Momma". It is interesting too, that my son
Rudy uses that same wording for me..."My Momma". We have even shared a few
good laughs over his referring to me to others as, "My Momma". Katie calls me
Momma too. I like it.

My Momma impacted many people in her life. She was a loving mother. Carole and me
were everything to her, and she frequently told us so. She always said, she did not know
what she would do without us. She was always there for us. She was a good friend
to many and she was fun, outgoing, and a loving person. She had an incredible sense
of humor with quick wit. I might add that she said things that would keep you laughing
for hours. She had a great deal of common sense. Another special trait she had was that
she always trusted us to do the right thing. Therefore, we never wanted to disappoint her.
I can say that, neither of us ever gave her cause for concern when we were growing up,
and Momma often expressed that about us.

My Momma used to spend unlimited time telling me stories about when she was growing up.

She shared things she played and pretended as a child. She talked about how she had to be resourceful, dressing up kittens to play with instead of pretty dolls (like I had), or making a playhouse in their big barn. I remember when I was real young how I would ask her to tell me more stories of her childhood, and if she said she didn't remember more, I would ask her to tell me the same stories over and over. I loved hearing those stories. She lived in the country, and I always wished I could too. Of course, as most of you know, after David and I married, I got my wish and we have been in the country for most all of the 43+ years of our marriage.

Momma could also stretch a dollar further than anyone I know. I do wish I had a little more of that ability. I think Katie inherited some of her resourcefulness.

My Momma was "Mammy" to several neighbor kids and then all of the grandkids. She loved the grandkids. I wish she could have known Andrew, Nathan, and Jake.

It is hard to do justice in a short blog post to one so important in my life, but I wanted to express a few of my feelings and thoughts here now.

I love this picture of her. She was really a beautiful woman and stayed young looking almost up to the end. Carole looks so much like her. Carole and I could not ask for anyone to love us any more than our Mother - "My Momma" did.

You are loved and missed Momma....I will see you on the other side.

Some Strange Sightings in San Antonio

Our view from the Marriott Riverwalk Hotel-

It looks like they could have housed us up a

little higher...oh wait, they could have,

this is just the 32nd floor and they have 38.

That is stackin' em high, folks.

 

The animal rights activist are at it again.

I could not get over this protest outside the

convention center where the National Cattlemen's

Convention was in session.

I didn't mean to cut the young man's head off, but I was

taking the picture from a far, and I could not really see

what I was catching in the view.  I was way across the street.

What you can't see is the five body bags with manikins inside, and

young adults wearing signs that read:  "MEAT is MURDER".

What is this world coming to???

"I LOVE BEEF" and we care for our animals.

Enough said, here.  I don't want to add to any

attention these folks filled with "ignorance" may get.

  

A Five & Dime, now when have you seen one of these?

It wasn't really...looked like it, but not priced like it.

  

This one you can't see well enough to appreciate, 

but just so you know....everyone has a cell phone.

Directly under the sign in this one below is a homeless

man in a wheelchair with all his worldly belongings...

he is too busy to notice me or anyone else, because he

is talking away on his cell phone.

  

A cute pigeon on the Riverwalk with no cares in the world,

oblivious to the people walking around him. 

Awe....a few flowers on the Riverwalk.

My trips to San Antonio have always been in 

early March, when we are still having our last

cold snap and typical stock show weather.

It has always been beautiful down there.  It

was a different story this time.  It was windy,

rainy, and cold.  I don't know what kept these

flowers blooming, but it was a pleasant site.

Especially in view of what was going on in OK

weather wise.