Nacogdoches trip, ice storm, and Jesse pictures

Saturday before last, Sheila and I went out to the MW State Park for a hike.  Dennis and I plan to go out there on a regular basis, so I went ahead and bought a yearly pass.  It was a beautiful day for a hike.  We even saw a bald eagle flying over the lake.  Later that evening, when Dennis got off work, we headed down to Nacogdoches for the remainder of our extended weekend.  I haven't been there since the Gerralds moved away.  We really enjoyed visiting with the church there...it has been so long!  It was nice to meet all of Mike and Fonda's kiddos and put faces to names.  I THINK I can identify all 11 of them now!  They hosted a potluck, so we had ample opportunity to visit with everyone.  Larry and Johnnie T. came over for the afternoon service, then came back to our motel room with us for a longer visit.  It was great to catch up with them, too!

Monday morning, we slept in, then went to eat breakfast at Shipley's.  I really miss that store!  We ate plenty of donuts there over the years.  I still like their kolaches and donuts better than anyone else's.  After breakfast, we drove all over town...seeing what all had changed.  The biggest changes are at the university.  It has grown tremendously!  However, it was great to see all of the old places that have been there for decades.  This was the first time since we moved away, that I felt homesick for Nacogdoches.  So many memories came flooding back!  That town is where Dennis and I fell in love, where Stephen was born, and where our kids grew up.

Tuesday, I decided to do another walking trip to town.  I needed a couple of things from Walmart, so I headed out on foot.  The trip went fine.  But as the day progressed, so did my pain.  I have developed a foot problem over the past couple of months.  My family doctor thinks I have plantar fasciitis.  I go to a podiatrist this Friday to see what he thinks.  Normally, my foot hurts when I first start walking, and then eases up after a little while.  After walking to WM, the pain didn't ease up at all.  By bedtime, I could barely walk.  It did feel better the next day and has eased up over time.  It is back to just a mild pain when I walk...although I have a hard time walking without a limp now.  I'm hoping the doctor won't tell me I can't walk (for exercise) until the condition clears up...that there will be some sort of device that I can wear to take the strain off my heel!  I have too much I want to do to have to baby my foot!

We Skyped with Jesse again last week.  He is getting used to it now.  He points to the correct person on the screen when asked.  He laughed at Ricky's antics and blew kisses to us.  I'm really enjoying this "new" technology that enables us to see each other regularly!

Sheila and I went to see "McFarland, USA" Friday night...such a good movie!  I laughed and cried and (silently) clapped and cheered.  I recommend it for ANYONE!

Well, we haven't accomplished much, so far, this week!  It rained all Saturday night and Sunday, turning to sleet around 5:00 pm.  Monday morning, the roads were completely coated with ice.  Sheila and Jessica both went to stay close to their jobs for the night, to avoid having to commute on slick roads.  Sheila ended up staying again last night in FW.  I was glad she didn't have to be out much.  CWC hasn't been able to work yet, this week, so Ricky is suffering from a bad case of cabin fever.  Of course, Dennis had to work out in it.  He came in last night at 6:00, exhausted and sore!  His back was still hurting this morning from the strain.  I'm hoping there has been enough thaw that it will be easier today.  At least he shouldn't have to break open the mailboxes like yesterday!

Since the temperatures stayed in the 20's all day yesterday, I decided to take advantage of the situation and make jerky.  I don't like to run the oven all day unless it is really cold!  (Even though I only turn it to 170 degrees for drying the jerky, it still heats up the house.)  Jesse's "1 year" pictures also became available, so I had plenty of time to go through them, download the ones I liked best, and order a few of my favorites.  They really turned out cute!  I just don't have enough wall space to display all of the ones I like!

I love all of his cute faces!

Growing up so fast!

"Aww, c'mon, you guys!  Enough of the mushy stuff!"

I hope all of you are staying safe in this inclement weather!

Home improvements

Well, I am finally back to feeling normal again!  So nice to have energy again (what little I had to begin with).  I'm beginning to get back into my regular routine.

I went to see one of my CASA kiddos Saturday morning.  While I was in the area, I tried out a new restaurant (Pei Wei - I loved it!) and went to Target.  I FINALLY found some salt and pepper shakers that I can't break!  (I've broken SO many lately.  Bought a new set a couple of weeks ago, broke the salt shaker within a few days!)  I liked them so much, I went back and got another set this week...one for cooking, one for the table.  My family is SO happy.

Sunday was great!  We had two outstanding lessons...one from Ron and one from Layne.  Everyone was in good spirits.  Frank is doing so well!  I asked him to come home for dinner with us, but someone had already beaten me to the punch.  He requested a raincheck, which I gladly gave!

Wednesday was Dennis' day off this week.  We decided to get started on our home improvement.  I had a gift card for Lowe's and decided I wanted to use it on a new (hall) bathroom faucet.  I never have liked the one in there...plus the heavy mineral content in our water really corrodes plumbing fixtures.  We found a really nice faucet that matches the new hardware we installed that was just the amount of my gift card.  (I love "free" stuff!).  Dennis said we might as well replace the sink while we were at it, so we bought a new one.  (Our old one has had chipped enamel that would slice open a finger when cleaning around the edges, if not careful.)  While there, we also looked at fencing and portable buildings...then did the same at Home Depot.  Installing a privacy fence is #1 on our list, and putting up a shop is #2.  It is exciting to start looking and planning for the changes we hope to make!

I started back walking, again, this week.  I had just started back after the cold winter weather, when I came down with the flu.  This week was the first time that I've felt like doing it again.  I had a movie to turn in to redbox today, so I decided to go on foot.  (I re-watched "Belle"...a very good movie, if you are interested in historical films!)  I checked on Google Maps, and it is a 3 mile round trip...which is my goal for walking when I'm "up to speed."  I decided to go for it.  I turned in my movie, dropped by Braums for a couple of things, and headed home.  It was my first time to do a shopping trip on foot.  I may try to make it a regular practice when I just have a few items to get.  (WalMart is just on the other side of Walgreens, where I turned in my redbox movie.)  Dennis has already said that he'll walk with me after he retires, since he won't be getting the exercise that he's used to on the job.  That will make it even better!

Hardly a morning goes by, nowadays, that we don't wake up and say how much we are ready for retirement!  Only 6 1/2 more weeks, Lord willing!  Dennis has all of his paperwork turned in, and it is already processed.  His boss told him yesterday that she received official word from HR...and then she sat down and cried!  She has been a great postmaster.  Dennis has truly appreciated having her these last few years.

We are planning to head to Nacogdoches tomorrow evening after Dennis gets off work.  He has Monday off (last holiday before retiring), so we decided to make a quick trip.  I'm looking forward to visiting with Mike and Fonda's family and Robert and Sharon again.  It has been too long!  I'm also interested in seeing all of the changes in the town.  I haven't been back since Dennis' parents moved away.  We also hope to visit with Larry and Johnnie while in the area.  I love Nacogdoches...I just don't ever want to live there again.  Too wet, too hot, and too many bugs!

I hope all of you have fun weekend plans and good health to enjoy them!

Reminiscing

I spent the afternoon yesterday at Daddy's house.  I got there a little before lunchtime, so Daddy and Bobbie took me out to eat at Red Lobster.  Then we went back to the house and visited and looked at old pictures and momentos.  Daddy had told me awhile back that they found my wedding dress.  Since I already had my dress at our house, I asked to see what he was talking about.  It turned out to be Mom's wedding dress!  (I recognized it from the pictures I'd seen of their wedding day.)  He asked if I wanted to keep it, and of course, I did!  I hope to eventually get a dressmaker's form for displaying it...in our future guest room.  He also brought out a box of old baby clothes.  There were two bags...one pink and one blue.  I told him that Rodney might want his, but I brought mine home.  The baby dresses back then were so delicate looking:  made from thin, white cotton cloth with tiny embroidered details.

  Included in my bag was a crocheted baby sweater that I remember Momma showing me when I was younger.

  I wish I could remember who she told me made it!  I hope to use one of the baby dresses and the sweater for a shadow box...also to display in our future guest room.  That got me to wondering about what I'd saved of MY kids.  I went through my hope chest today and drug out the baby (and child) clothes that I'd saved, as well as a few other little items.  I hope to make shadow boxes for each of the kids, using their things.  I found two sweater sets that I had crocheted for Sheila.  I'd forgotten that I had even made them!  I have Stephen's favorite "lovey" from his childhood that will have to be included somehow.  I also found a boy's sweatshirt that I'll probably give to Jesse when he grows into it.  It has a design cross-stitched on the front of it.  Do y'all remember when that was "the thing"?  I don't remember if I made it or if it was a gift from Grandmother, or possibly Belinda or Linda.  It is cute, tho!

Grandpa is on the left.

While we were scrounging, we came across my Grandpa Mahaffey's old box of stuff.  It had a lot of pictures from his early years, plus his old mess kit from WWI.  I brought home one of his old pictures...taken around the time he was stationed in France.  He isn't in uniform, so I'm not sure where or when it was taken.  It was with a couple of others, though, that were taken when he was in the service.  There were a few photocopies of pictures that Daddy had, too.  The quality wasn't good, but you could still tell who was in the pictures.  One showed Uncle Henry and Aunt Vera (Patterson) and their kids.  There was a little towheaded boy in front that looked exactly like Jett!  I knew he favored his Grandpa Harvey, but I never realized how much!  I wish the quality had been better.

It was a fun day of reminiscing and talking about old times with Daddy!

Jesse turns ONE!

I was so thankful that we were able to make it to Jesse's 1st birthday!  I spent all day Thursday baking and decorating his cake.  Dennis and I got up early Friday morning and drove to Paris.  I could hardly believe how much Jesse had grown since Thanksgiving!  I spent the afternoon putting the finishing touches on his cake and then playing with my little guy.  Mandy had baked a chocolate cake that she put a candle on, so he could have cake ON his birthday.  (His party was the next day.)   He had learned to show how old he was, but, of course, he wouldn't perform for us when asked to.  He is also taking a couple of steps...mostly going from one piece of furniture to the next.  He is more likely to stand or walk on his own if he isn't realizing that he is doing so!  He's also learned to turn the lights off.  This is an extremely funny thing to do!  I'd hold him so he could reach the switch, he'd flip it off and just chuckle!  Hasn't quite mastered turning it back on, but I was willing to help with that.

Sheila took off early from work and arrived about suppertime Friday evening.  She stayed at Stephen and Mandy's for the night, while Dennis and I got a room.  (Us older folks rest better in our own space...plus I'm still coughing quite a bit at night.)  Ricky drove up Saturday morning...arriving late for lunch, but in time for presents!  All of the grandparents and great-grandparents (except for Daddy and Bobbie) were there, as well as a few local friends.  Jesse made quite a haul in the gift department!  The hit of the day was the batmobile that Melinda (Stephen's assistant) had made from an old Little Tyke car.  She even made a batcape for Jesse to wear.  It was so cute!  He loved it.  He hasn't learned to make the car go forward, yet, but he can scoot it backwards.  He had a LOT of fun driving around the living room (with a little help from his family)!

Sitting in his chair that Aunt Sheila gave him

Batman!

We used the top tier of Jesse's cake for his "smash cake."  He really didn't know what to do with it.  He loved the candle...trying to grab the flame, as most little ones do!  Different ones tried to "help" him by putting his fingers or hand in the cake.  He would lick a little of the icing off, but he really didn't like having messy hands!  (Stephen was the same way!)  He really enjoyed the straws that I brought to use on the cake to hold up the "ONE" banner.  Dennis would blow through the straw into Jesse's face, which would set him off giggling!  That game lasted quite a while!  The straws were also fun to bang on things with and poke with.  I love how the simplest of things are so entertaining to a little one.  On Friday afternoon, Jesse spent a good half hour playing with a cup and block...putting the block into the cup, and then taking it out.  He rarely does anything without a block or ball in his hand!

While I had the help of computer savvy folks Saturday, I finally got my Skype set up.  I hope to use it on a regular basis, so Jesse won't forget what I look like!  I feel like he is old enough now that he remembers us from one time to the next.  It is hard to tell, though, because he loves everyone!  It will be fun, though, to see him and hear all of the new things he is learning from week to week.  He is at such a fun age right now.  I hate to miss any of it!