The Dog Chair

My great grandfather was given this chair when he "retired" as "Worshipful Master"  (meaning: worthy of respect) of the local Mason chapter. The arms are carved dog faces. It was passed down the family from Grandpa and Grandma Eddy to Mom & Dad. We moved it to each of Mom's apartments when she sold the house - frankly, because no one else wanted it! After Mom passed away 

Before...

After...

 

the big question was "What do we do with the dog chair?"

We were all surprised when Megan said she did! And even more surprised when she said she was going to paint it! So into the motorhome it went and traveled to Texas!

It is now enjoying its new life in Carlos and Megan's bedroom!



I love to see these memories from my past being renovated for  the future!

 

Merry Christmas 2014!

We celebrated Christmas early this year - had a wonderful family week-end in Houston. We opened presents on Saturday morning, had our typical Christmas dinner in the afternoon (Roger finally got  his turkey and dressing!) and then went to the holiday light display at Skeeter stadium in the evening.
Megan found these cute "fishing chairs" for the girls at the antique show in Warrenton and had them redone. There is a place for your fishing pole, a drink and the tackle boxes are attached under the chair. I can just picture the scene as they use them at Inks Lake! We got them new scooters because they have outgrown their old ones!

Sonny, their "Elf on a Shelf," was naughty the night before and covered the kids Christmas tree in toilet paper!

On Sunday "us girls" went to see the Rockettes Christmas Show while the guys went to Rudy's BBQ! Seeing the Rockettes was a dream of mine since I was a little girl - before I knew I couldn't dance!! Remember when they were on the Ed Sullivan show? It was a wonderful Christmas memory with the girls!

 

Merry Christmas from Samantha, Emily and Jack!!

 

 

Happy Birthday, Samantha!

It's hard to believe that Samantha is 9 years old! Seems like yesterday she was born!

She had a wonderful ice skating party - the kids made snowflake ornaments; ate pizza and cake and hot chocolate and then had fun on the ice. Heather did such a great job organizing it all - the kids even got gloves in their gift bags so they could wear them on the ice!

Notice her new braces?

 

 




 We had the whole rink to ourselves and it was so much fun! They divided the rink into 3 sections - for ice skating; broom ball/hockey; and bumper cars - and kids and parents had a great time playing together! Samantha is able to skate pretty well but the kids that couldn't had plenty of fun!

They had sleds to pull the little ones around in - they really giggled when Roger pulled me around! So glad to be here and enjoy the fun times with them!

Thanksgiving at the Dude Ranch

We gave up our Thanksgiving traditions and made new memories this year at the Rancho Cortez Dude Ranch in Bandera, Texas. The weather was great and we had fun horseback riding, hiking and playing games. The food was a big disappointment but part of the memories!

We all went horseback riding but the girls and I went twice a day! Megan and Carlos took riding lessons. The cowboys were great with the kids and grandmas! On one ride my saddle started sliding off to the left - I leaned to the right, held on tight and called Chris the ranch hand riding with us! Poor Montana must have been very uncomfortable and bucked but I stayed on! Chris helped me off and while he was fixing my saddle I suddenly thought "Now I have to climb back on!" No steps out on the trail! But, I did it - yee haw!! Cowboy Larry said he was going to enter me in the rodeo next week!

On Saturday a world champion roper came to the ranch to entertain everyone. He was amazing and involved the audience in several tricks.

City Slickers in their boots

Pink bow cowgirl

Emily on a "pretend" horse 

Cowgirl Emily

Waiting to choose their horses

F

Taking lessons

Cowboy Kevin - the champion of rope tricks

Montana and Me

We hiked up the hill to see the great view

C

Veterans Day

We went to the girls school yesterday morning to their Veterans Day program. Wendall and Sharon are here also. I told Heather I needed a Kleenex because I always cry during patriotic songs - we all had tears by the end of the show!
They asked children to submit pictures of their relatives that were current or past military and ran a slideshow while veterans stood and the kids sang the individual "theme song" for the Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines, and Coast Guard. Wendall was in the Navy, so it was nice his picture was on the screen and the girls got to see their Grandpa stand up. Very moving!

Samantha is in the first row, second from the left - they made their t-shirts in art class

Emily is somewhere in the mass of kindergarten flag hats!

Happy Birthday, Emily!


It is hard to believe that Emily is 6 years old already! She hates to shop and loves to "build things." We gave her a "do it herself" tool kit and she loves it! We need to find a project for her and Grandpa to make together!

She got a new bike and her ears pierced! But, one of her earrings pulled out when she took her dress off - much drama!! - and there was NO putting it back in - so now she only has one!

Emily and her "wedding cake"

Jack

Meet "Jack," part cocker spaniel/poodle, our new "grand puppy!" He's the cutest little thing - so tiny we are all afraid we will step on him! He looks and feels like my fuzzy black slippers!!

The girls were going to call their new dog "Ringgit" - after money in Malaysia - but changed their mind on the way home from picking him up. We met the sellers at a Jack-In-The-Box and Samantha said "He doesn't look like a "Ringgit" - that's kind of girly - I think because we got him at Jack-In-The-Box and he was in a box that we should call him "Jack!" We all looked at each other and agreed!

He was born August 14th so he is still very young but has been doing really good with potty training and sleeping during the night. He has a cage in the living room and the girls can not touch him when he is in there - he seeks refuge often!!



Jacks adoption day!



Halloween 2014

Halloween is always a big deal for the kids - anticipation is the best part! The school has a contest to decorate a pumpkin as a book character and we had fun choosing a book and making their pumpkins.

Emily's - Knuffle Bunny



  Samantha's - Room on a Broom witch



Megan's "Day of the Dead" - Our Dominoes - Kyle & Heather's "Lego My Eggo" - Emily the Witch
and Samantha the Gold Medal Gymnast

Emily wanted to be a "really scary witch" but she's just too darn cute to be scary!!

 



Surprise!

The girls have been excited about a surprise for me. They couldn't keep it a secret any longer so they made me a banner:

 

 

It is a pre-season game with the Houston Rockets and they know I love the Spurs! They are probably more excited about surprising me than they will be about the actual game! Emily wanted to know if we would see "Tony the Tiger!"

Back in Houston

We arrived in Houston about a week earlier than the girls expected and surprised them when we picked them up from school! We were all so excited to see each other!

We have exchanged cool and rainy for hot and rainy - still in the 80's here! But, we are back in the land of HEB, Mexican food, Chick Filet and shopping!!!

We were able to get a site, at the last minute, in the RV park that is really close the Heather and Kyle's. Unfortunately, all it has going for it is location, location, location. No major improvements so it still lacks even minor amenities. But, as Roger says, why make changes, when it is full all the time?!

We celebrated Roger's birthday one more time - Heather made him a delicious banana cream pie! - and the girls helped him blow out his candle! They gave him a dozen golf balls that they put an "R" and other sayings on - "awesome," smiley and sad faces!  So cute!

Our bikes are at their house so Roger goes over and rides them to school every morning and then does his exercise biking around their neighborhood. They want us to come eat lunch with them sometime but because of the overcrowding at the school Emily eats at 10:30am! She told me "Tima gets up so late she can have her coffee and donut with me!!"

Cascades Golf Course

All of the grandchildren arranged to have a bench placed at the 13th tee of Cascades Golf Course, in Jackson, in memory of Mom and Dad. Dad played there regularly - his home away from home in the summer. The placement overlooks a pond in the nearby park where they ice skate every year. Mom loved to skate and spent her childhood winters at the rink so, it is a perfect place for a memorial to them both!

It was cold the day we planned a golf outing with friends to see it and colder yet on the day we went with Judy, Mel and Ray! Time to head south toward the sun!!

The "golf gang" at Cascades Golf Course

 

 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

We just spent three nights at Cuyahoga Valley National Park - between Cleavland and Akron, Ohio. We lived in Michigan for years and never knew it existed! It was a nice way to enjoy some "Indian Summer" days and for Judy and Marilou to get out with the new motorhome.

We hiked to Brandywine Falls and the Ledges on Tuesday and biked on Wednesday.



The Ledges

Brandywine Falls

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail follows the historic Ohio & Erie canal route through the Cuyahoga River valley. In the early 1800's and during the Civil War long and narrow barges hauling all kinds of supplies were pulled along the canals by horses on the banks. And a series of "locks" allowed them to move up and down the valley. There is no water in most of the canals now but the horse trail provides a great, level, bike/walking path. It is scenic with many historic markers. The Cuyahogo Valley Scenic Railroad has many stops along the trail and for $3.00 you can load your bike and catch a ride! We rode about 12 miles, enjoyed a picnic lunch, hopped on the train, rode it for about 20 miles back, got off and rode our bikes back to the car. What a fun day!

Beaver Marsh on the trail

We found the "Winking Lizard Pub," in Peninsula to be a great place to rejuvenate weary hikers and bikers!

Locks on the canal

Hitching a ride on the train

Hometown Football

We went to our high school football game last night. Hanover-Horton beat Addison 30-13! A cool but not cold evening - a fun trip down memory lane! We only know a couple of kids on the team and in the band but we heard several names we recognize - figured they are the grandchildren of our classmates!

Michigan Summer

We've been here in Michigan for about 3 weeks. Enjoying spending time with family and friends - golfing, shopping, dining out and relaxing. We've seen more rain since we arrived than we have since leaving Texas last December! But, everything is green and lush and cooler.
Loving the farmer's markets with all the fresh vegetables, sweet corn and blueberries.
Marion and Dave hosted a "Hewlett Reunion" yesterday and it was so good to see nieces, nephews and their families. Everyone seems to be growing up when I haven't aged a bit!!!