~HuNnY & PoPpA LeWiS~

I Dreamed a Dream - Project 52-3

2012-01-25T17:30:00.002-06:00

Growing up as an only child, I dreamed of becoming a wife and a mommy to lots of babies. Well even though we didn't have LOTS of babies, motherhood was the greatest experience of my life. I love my two kids more than life itself and when they both graduated from high school, I began to dream of being a grandmother. I assumed it would be a long time, since they both were going to college and were not in any type of serious relationships.

God knew the desires of my heart and within 5 years, Danita & Gabe both got married and had 2 kids each. Danita's daughter and son, and Gabe's sons are the light of our lives and just thinking about these 4 precious blessings make me so happy. My dreams definitely came true!

Made with Love - Project 52, Week 2

2012-01-17T22:47:00.001-06:00

It's always fun to experience new things with our grandkids. I had wanted to take them to see a train display at a nearby museum around Christmas, but it didn't work out. We found out there was going to be one more weekend to catch the train show, so we took two of the grandkids. It was amazing and Brie, and Brodie really enjoyed it.

The train collection belongs to a 78 year old man who received his first train in the 1940's and added to his collection throughout the years. And even though it takes many weeks of preparation, this gentleman wanted to share his collection with many others especially the children. Thus this display was made with love.

Resolutions - Project 52, Week 1

2012-01-06T15:10:00.000-06:00

I stopped making resolutions a few years ago, and just decided to try to achieve some goals each year. Sometimes I have had success, and other times I have not reached my goals. The point is that I put effort into whatever goals I have set for myself.

This year, I have decided that my goal should be to have a life that is full of compassion, kindness, and love. I want to enjoy each moment and learn to relish today. I want to make time for the important things in my life and find the time to do the things that make me happy.

Happy New Year

2012-01-06T14:45:00.000-06:00

Well 2011 was not the best year for blogging personally. I just wasn't into it because my attention was directed elsewhere. Pinterest became my new obsession. Love that I can pin recipes, crafts, photos, places to visit, etc., and then they are so easy to find again.

One of my goals for 2012 is to try to be a better blogger, because I eventually plan on printing my blog out for my grandkids for a memory book. So I have decided to take part in a photography challenge as seen here on pinterest. Project 52 for 2012 is not like the one that I did in 2010 since this one has weeky assignments. My hope is to become a better photographer and a better blogger.

Grandkids' Birthdays

2012-01-06T13:48:00.002-06:00

In September, this handsome little guy turned 4.

In October, this young lady turned 8.

And a couple of days later, this handsome young man turned 5.

Love the expression on his sweet face.

Poppa and I are so blessed with amazing, smart, and good-looking grandkids! Happy birthday to our sweet darlings! We love you to the moon & back!!

Our Son Graduates!!

2012-01-06T12:05:00.000-06:00

We celebrated a milestone for our son in August. He graduated from Tarleton State University, and we are so very proud of his accomplishment and his persistence to get here in spite of all the obstacles that came into his life.

We look forward to what is in store for him in his career and the blessings that are going to come into his life.

We truly give the glory to God for this young man and his wonderful personality and compassion.

Happy Birthday to Hunny!

2012-01-06T11:55:00.001-06:00

The birthday that I had been dreading came and went, and I SURVIVED!!! My daughter planned a little party for me at the Wildcatter where we got to celebrate with family, good friends, and good food. I am so blessed by the people that are in my life!!

And even thought I won't admit it to often, being the big 5-0 has not been nearly as bad as I thought. I don't feel that old most days, so it's all good!!

Water Park Fun

2012-01-05T22:55:00.006-06:00

After returning from our vacation, Gabe & his family were here for a visit in July. Because of their schedule, it is harder for them to come home very often so it was nice to have them here! I had been wanting to take the grandkids to the water park so we decided to go while everyone was off work.

The kids had a blast, and so did the adults! The water felt great in this Texas heat.

Vacation 2011 (Part II)

2012-01-05T20:45:00.001-06:00

Our next stop was St. Kitts where we toured the capital city of Bassetere and the beautiful Romney Manor Gardens. (This estate was originally owned by Thomas Jefferson's great grandfather.)

We also stopped at Brimstone Hill Fortress which is perched on a 40 acre hilltop. It rained while we were here, so it got quite humid. The fort was so amazing and well preserved.

We also stopped at a scenic point which was beautiful.

The final stop was St. Maarten where we went to a butterfly farm. It was a contained area where they are raising and protecting butterflies. They were absolutely stunning.

Then it was back to San Juan and a very long day to fly back to Miami and on to DFW. We were surprised to be picked up by our daughter & son. It was a wonderful and amazing experience, but as always it was good to be home.

Hunny's Chocolate Meringue Pie

2011-10-22T13:25:00.012-05:00

I never have been much of a cook, but there are a few things that I have mastered. Chocolate Meringue Pie has become a specialty, and I even adapted a pudding recipe to make my pie. I made this one for the PTO School carnival.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

1 Cooked Pie Crust (I always use deep dish, store bought)
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tblsp all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1 egg
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
chocolate syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt in top of a double boiler and mix well. Combine milk and chocolate syrup to make chocolate milk. Stir in 1 egg, 3 egg yolks, and milk. Mix well. Place over boiling water; cook stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla.

Beat 3 egg whites (at room temperature) at high speed for 1 minute. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread meringue over warm pie, sealing to edge of pie. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Knock on wood, the meringue has not wept on the last few pies that I have made. It is my understanding that if you beat the egg whites to the proper stiffness and spread it on a warm pie that makes a big difference with that. :)

Linked to Blessed with Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Tutu Bow Holder for the Princess

2011-10-04T22:11:00.003-05:00

We were shopping recently, and my granddaughter (aka the Princess) saw a tutu bow holder that she really wanted. The price tag made me frown, so I told my daughter I wanted to make her one if she would help me.

My daughter had a form, some fabric, and tulle that we could use for this project. We only had to buy some ribbon at Hobby Lobby and we were ready to transform this:

We hot glued the fabric on and added some elastic banding to assemble the tutu. We spray painted the hanger and re-attached it to the form. Finally we added a pink flower (the princess' favorite color) and called it a job well done. We are so proud of our teamwork!!

Linked to Metamorphosis Monday

Vacation 2011 (Part I)

2011-10-04T14:20:00.003-05:00

To celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, we went on a Carribean cruise and had a total blast. It was so relaxing and totally amazing. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to see some beautiful places with my wonderful husband.

Danita, Josh, Brie & Brodie took us to DFW, so we could fly to Miami. We were so excited that we got all of our stuff packed in carry-on bags. From Miami, we flew to Puerto Rico the the Carnival Victory. It was a beautiful ship and was great not having to make up the bed, cook, wash dishes, or do anything we didn't want--we were definitely spoiled for the week!!

We didn't get to spend much time in Puerto Rico, but we did do a little exploring near the port. San Juan is quite a lovely city.

First stop was St. Thomas Virgin Island. It was a beautiful island and we felt like we were in Paradise. We went to Magen's Bay Beach and on a shopping excursion downtown. The beach was beautiful with crystal clear water.

The next stop was Barbados. It was a cloudy and pleasant day (sure beat the 100_ degree weather back home in Texas). We went on a coast to coast tour and stopped at Bathsheba which was beautiful with it's giant rocks and strong tides (definitely not for swimming).

30 Years and Counting

2011-06-16T23:45:00.004-05:00

Poppa and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last month with our kids and 3 of our 4 grandkids. It was an enjoyable weekend for the most part, except an ugly stomach bug kept rearing its head starting with our grandsons and ending with Poppa and I actually spending the day of our anniversary in bed feeling awful. I teased him that the family that pukes together stays together (sorry bad humor)!!

Anyway I can still remember that day so clearly. It was my fairy tale wedding and I don't think I have ever felt more beautiful and loved than I did that day--not only by Poppa but by my family and friends.

We have had many ups and downs over the years, and it takes a lot of hard work to keep our marriage on the right track. Our life together has been filled with great blessings & joy. We have a beautiful daughter and a handsome son together and their spouses, a step-son and 4 beautiful grandchildren who have definitely made the journey worthwhile! I look forward to the blessings that God has in store for our family.

We are looking forward to a cruise to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in July to celebrate this milestone.

Butterfinger Ice Cream

2011-05-08T22:20:00.010-05:00

One of my family's favorite desserts that I make is Butterfinger Ice Cream. And in order for everyone to be able to access it quickly, I decided to post it on my blog.

Ingredients:

6 eggs
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Mix well and put in ice cream freezer.

Fill to full line of ice cream freezer with milk.

Crush 3 Butterfinger bars and add to mixture.

Freeze according to freeezer directions.

ENJOY!!! :)

Birthday Boy!!

2011-05-06T23:35:00.001-05:00

Happy 4th Birthday Brodie!! You have a wonderful and creative personality and makes us laugh constantly. We love you so much!!

Why Yes I Really Did Make It :)

2011-05-04T22:10:00.006-05:00

Well this is the year that many of my classmates turn the big "5-0". No way can it be that many years since we graduated from high school. Anyway one of my dearest friends has her birthday in April, and I wanted to make her a cross for her collection!

So I asked Poppa to help me make one after I had gotten my idea together of what I wanted to make. I used my drawing skills (which are minimal) to make a pattern for him to cut it out of plywood.

Then I painted the edges and Mod Podged scrapbook paper to it and sanded the edges.

I added another cross and some ribbon that I found at Hobby Lobby. I added a hanger on the back and wrapped it up for my friend. When I gave it to her, I told her that Poppa & I made it for her, and she didn't believe me at first. Yes, I will definitely take that as a complement! :)

Linking to:
Skip To My Lou Made By You Monday
Metamorphosis Monday

Long Time No Post...

2011-04-24T21:45:00.013-05:00

Wow, time has gotten away from me. I cannot believe I have not posted anything since February.

We took Dane & Hunter to see the World of Wheels. Last year we took Brie & Brodie, and the boys loved looking at the pictures and said they wanted to go. We had a great time looking at all the cars, and they loved having their pictures made by all the different cars!

Freddie had hand surgery in February to remove several cysts and a bone spur. I was blessed to have Danita and my two good friends, Chylene & Kay there. The last time he had surgery, he had a hard time coming out of the anesthesia so I was a little concerned, but the Lord is good and he did fine for the surgery. It has been the recovery that has been long and difficult. He finally began therapy to regain his strength and help with some swelling which seems to be helping.

Fun Day

2011-02-27T21:30:00.000-06:00

Hunny + four grandkids + beautiful day + park = FUN, FUN, FUN

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T10:45:00.002-06:00

The loves of our life! Happy Valentine's Day!!

Blizzard 2011

2011-02-12T17:45:00.005-06:00

On Jan. 31st it began to thunder and rain which froze and left a layer of ice that was covered by 4-5" of snow throughout the night. It was freezing cold and when Poppa tried to go to work in the snow he couldn't get out of the driveway. There was a pickup stuck across the street, so we got to take a grown up snow day (yay). Because the temperature remained below freezing and the roads were dangerous it turned into a snow week!! It was the first time in a long time that life slowed down enough to relax and just enjoy being at home.

It snowed again on Feb. 8th, but not as much as the first time. The roads were a little slick in spots but driving slowly made it easy to get around.

I have always loved snow and am thankful for God's beauty!

Goodbye 2010

2011-01-06T19:45:00.000-06:00

Goodbye 2010!! It was a memorable year and it was a blessed year.

I managed to meet my goal of Project 52. I have 52 posts with photos from 2010. It was challenging at times, but I am proud of what I accomplished. I took more pictures and think that maybe I even improved my photography skills somewhat.

Both sets of our kids celebrated their 5th wedding anniversaries! Three of our grandchildren--Brie, Dane, and Hunter started going to school. Brodie started going to school daycare which he calls school. Gabe started his last year of college, woo hoo!!!

Poppa shot his first deer ever.

We traveled to Kentucky to see our Brandon graduate from Army basic training and we are so very proud of him.

And we lost our dear brother, Ronnie, after a courageous 5 year battle with cancer. He was diagnosed shortly before our kids started getting married. He endured and fought hard to the end, but his healing was to happen in heaven. Our family lost a very precious person whom we loved very much and our lives are richer for having him in our lives!

Project 52-52

2010-12-28T22:55:00.002-06:00

My beautiful family!

Project 52-51

2010-12-23T16:30:00.002-06:00

Joy, joy, joy, joy in my heart!

Project 52-50

2010-12-22T12:30:00.002-06:00

A bike for a birthday boy. Dane is sweet, smart, and creative
and we celebrated him turning 5 this year! Wow time is flying by too
too fast!!

Project 52-49

2010-12-21T17:30:00.003-06:00

Our princess turned 7 and we just fall more inlove with her every day. Her smile makes our days bright, and she makes our life so sweet!!

Project 52-48

2010-12-20T16:50:00.002-06:00

You see alot of this at my house when Dane is around. He is our dinosaur enthusiast (kind of like his daddy was when he was young).

Project 52-47

2010-12-19T23:55:00.002-06:00

What a fashion statement, lol!!

Project 52-46

2010-12-18T07:59:00.001-06:00

A serious learning discussion about snakes (yuk)!!

Project 52-45

2010-12-17T10:35:00.001-06:00

Yes, I am playing catch-up on my project 52, and this is somewhat late. But our little Hunter celebrated his 3rd birthday and started going to school. My time has flown and God has revealed himself in a new way to me through this little boy. Thank you God, and we love you Hunter!!!

Project 52-44

2010-12-16T16:00:00.002-06:00

Love that lives outside of my heart... (3 of the 4)

Project 52-43

2010-12-15T16:25:00.004-06:00

A pirate, a snake charmer, and D-D...

Project 52-42

2010-12-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

~Our tiny dancer~

Projeect 52-41

2010-11-13T04:45:00.000-06:00

Cuteness just drips off this boy! :)

Project 52-40

2010-11-11T08:16:00.007-06:00

As I was growing up, my family had several cats. I even had one after I graduated from high school named Tonto. His favorite place to lay was in the bathtub--I'll have to find a picture of him. As I have grown older, I have developed an allergy to cats. So when my son told me his family had gotten a cat I was not very excited, however his cat named Miguel who is Siamese does not seem to bother me. And actually he & I get along quite splendidly (just don't tell my son that I really like him, lol).

Project 52-39

2010-10-27T18:05:00.001-05:00

Go Cubs!!

Birthday Crafts

2010-10-25T22:00:00.003-05:00

Our sweet granddaughter turned 7 yesterday, and we have been working on some birthday party decorations for a Fancy Nancy party. I made the birthday banner with scrapbook paper, cardstock, and a circle cutter that I got on clearance at Michael's. I made the letters on my computer. Easy and inexpensive!!

Then my daughter and I put together a little wreath. She took some cardboard and cut it into a circle and taped crepe paper on it. We added the flower, the number 7, and some ribbon, and ooh la la...

Linking to Metamorphosis Monday and

Just Something I Whipped Up

Project 52-38

2010-10-15T08:45:00.000-05:00

Silly boys (aka lemonheads)

Project 52-37

2010-10-11T08:19:00.003-05:00

There's a lot of love going on in our family :)

Brie & Hunter

My two boys...

Project 52-36

2010-09-17T23:00:00.002-05:00

This boy makes my heart smile.

Project 52-35

2010-09-14T08:20:00.000-05:00

Let me never cease to be thankful for the showers of blessings in my life...

Project 52-34

2010-08-28T18:39:00.001-05:00

So proud of this young man!

Project 52-33

2010-08-26T22:13:00.005-05:00

One of the beautiful mansions in Memphis, Tennessee.

A bejeweled Limo in Kentucky!

Project 52-32

2010-08-13T16:20:00.001-05:00

Cousins

Project 52-31

2010-08-11T08:39:00.001-05:00

Boys, Boys, Boys....

Project 52-30

2010-08-10T12:00:00.001-05:00

I love this man!!

Project 52-29

2010-07-23T07:30:00.002-05:00

At the drive-in to see Toy Story 3. It was a terrific evening and a great movie!

Project 52-28

2010-07-19T22:45:00.001-05:00

A sunflower that Poppa picked for me. Sunflowers and yellow roses are my favorites!

Happy Birthday to our Girl!!!

2010-07-18T12:05:00.000-05:00

Geeze, talk about time flying. Our daughter turned 27 on July 14th.

Happy Birthday Danita!

You are our beautiful, passionate, kind-spirited daughter who has brought so much love and joy into our lives. We are so grateful that God chose us to be your parents!

Project 52-27

2010-07-16T11:00:00.006-05:00

Fun times at Hunny & Poppa's house.

Fishing & dominoes--it just doesn't get much better than that!

Project 52-26

2010-07-03T21:59:00.003-05:00

I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon
and God bless me.

Project 52-25

2010-06-30T17:12:00.001-05:00

Such funny and amazing little guys --I can't even begin to express how much we love these two!!

A Little Inexpensive Craft

2010-06-28T12:27:00.004-05:00

I bought this plaque with a hook at Hobby Lobby in the clearance section. I was wishing I had two of them, but my daughter bought the other one. I wanted a small hook to hang in my entry hallway for visitor's keys or jackets.

I took the plaque and mod podged some scrapbook paper on it. I added this wooden medallion that I also bought at Hobby Lobby. I painted it and glued it on and had my hubby hang it up on the wall. Gonna keep my eye out for another to put on the other side of the doorway. Easy & functional--my kind of craft, lol!!

Linking to Metamorphosis Monday

Project 52-24

2010-06-27T14:07:00.004-05:00

We are just crazy about each other, lol!!!!

Buttermilk Pie

2010-06-22T17:20:00.003-05:00

My son absolutely loves Buttermilk Pie --even though it comes as a complete surprise to me. When he was little, he was such a picky eater and wouldn't have thought of letting his lips touch anything of the sort.

This is his Granny Lewis' recipe and I thought a good way for us to keep up with it would be to post it on my blog. (So Gabe, this one is for YOU!!!) =)

Buttermilk Pie

1-1/3 cups sugar

3 Tbsp flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract (try 1/2 tsp)

Combine sugar and flour and mix well. Add eggs, butter, buttermilk
and beat well. Stir in flavorings and pour in to pie shell. Bake at
400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce to 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Project 52-23

2010-06-12T17:03:00.004-05:00

Granny Lewis, Brie & Poppa after Brie's dance recital.

Dane playing t-ball (look at the concentration on that face)!

Project 52-22

2010-06-04T15:00:00.001-05:00

Flowers at the Ft. Worth Zoo.

Flowers that Matt gave me for Mother's Day. I love that boy!!! :)

Project 52-21

2010-05-27T22:58:00.003-05:00

Brie, Brodie & Brandon. Saying goodbye is not easy especially when it's a special young man like this who is like an adopted son. We wish him well as he leaves for the Army.

Brandon and Chylene

Project 52-20

2010-05-24T12:51:00.005-05:00

Buffalos at the Abilene Zoo --Brie's Kindergarten Trip

Took her boots off to play at the park :)

Project 52-19

2010-05-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

A boy and his bunny.

Beautiful Trash (can)

2010-05-09T21:21:00.021-05:00

I came across this trash can at an estate sale and picked it up for a whole dollar.

With a little primer:

A little spray paint:

Add a little black paint:

And the finished product which I like so much better!!

I am linking this post to Metamorphosis Monday and Blue Cricket Design

Project 52-18

2010-05-04T21:45:00.002-05:00

A birthday celebration for 3 year old Batman Brodie!

Project 52-17

2010-04-30T00:15:00.009-05:00

A celebration at Wildcatter Ranch for selling our old house turned
into a great date night! The bluebonnets are in full bloom and are
so beautiful!!

Project 52-16

2010-04-20T21:45:00.001-05:00

Our little princess--the toothless wonder!!!

Project 52-15

2010-04-14T07:30:00.001-05:00

Dane loves to climb on his Poppa :)

Project 52-14

2010-04-09T13:30:00.000-05:00

Disney on Ice --what a fun evening out with Brodie, Brie, Josh, Danita, Poppa & myself. It was as delightful for me as it was for the kids!

Craftiness (again)

2010-04-03T14:00:00.004-05:00

I really have fallen for the beautiful pedestal vases that many bloggers have been using to decorate. There was one at Hobby Wobby (as my grandson calls it) that I adored, but it was $29.99. I was intrigued by this idea at Red Heads Craft More Fun and thought I would give it a try.

I waited until they were having a 1/2 price sale on their candle holders at Hobby Lobby and purchased the two pieces I needed for a total of $7.49. :) We had some silicone that my husband helped me use to glue the two together, and voila. (Sorry I didn't take some before pictures to show the two different pieces.)

Here is the vase decorated for Easter. I have to admit I was pretty proud of it and exceptionally excited for the total cost! And that's why I love to read blogs--the creativity is just flowing out there!!! :)

I'm linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday

Project 52-13

2010-03-31T18:10:00.003-05:00

Our little friend who hangs around our yard. A sure sign Spring is on its way!

Project 52-12

2010-03-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

Snow in March --notice the budding plum tree. Crazy Texas weather --65 degrees one day, 30 degrees the next!!!

Project 52-11

2010-03-17T22:15:00.002-05:00

Lots of love going on in this picture--Aunt DD and Hunter are two of a kind!!! :)

Project 52-10

2010-03-11T15:15:00.002-06:00

Dinosaur drawn by Dane - age 4.

Our little artist - Dane.

Brodie (age 2-1/2) likes to draw too!

Project 52-9

2010-03-07T15:15:00.003-06:00

Freddie and I went on a cruise to the Carribean and Mexico for our 25th anniversary. It was a wonderful adventure. Now we are saving to go on an Alaskan cruise for our 30th anniversary next year. We put change into a jar and deposit it into our bank savings every so often. We are making progress, and that is good because 2011 is the year...

Project 52-8

2010-02-23T22:20:00.001-06:00

Reminders of Valentines Day 2010...

Project 52-7

2010-02-19T21:25:00.006-06:00

My sweetheart and me on our 30th Valentine's Day together. (photo taken by our granddaughter, Brie - age 6)

Project 52-6

2010-02-10T16:11:00.004-06:00

We went to Wichita Falls to celebrate Joshua Hagle's birthday. We went to the World of Wheels and had a great time admiring all the vehicles. These are just a few of the pictures of our great day! Family time is always very special!!!

Project 52-5

2010-02-03T22:15:00.005-06:00

Nothing like the laughter and smiles of my grandsons. I love these boys to

the moon and back!!!

Project 52-4

2010-01-26T22:40:00.001-06:00

A grandfather's love....

(Note--the sleeping princess, ha ha)

Project 52-3

2010-01-20T21:45:00.003-06:00

Our little Brodie was sick and wound up in the hospital with a really bad case of croup. He was such a trooper (so were mom and dad), and we are so glad he is back home. Our prayer is that he stays well this time!

Anyway when they got out of the hospital, we had supper for them since they were exhausted. I even made a chocolate pie and if you look closely, you can even see the "B" in the meringue, lol!

Valentine's Craft

2010-01-18T22:04:00.013-06:00

Well Danita and I got a little crafty again. We make good partners in crime, I mean crafting. Somewhere online I saw where you could take two candy canes and glue them together to make
a heart. Since all the stores have candy canes on after Christmas clearance, it seemed like a great way to decorate for Valentine's.

All we used was the candy canes, some ribbon, and the hot glue gun. This little hanging decoration was easy, inexpenisve, and turned out very cute (if I say so myself).

I am linking to a Metamorphosis Monday and DIY Day

Project 52-2

2010-01-13T05:00:00.004-06:00

A boy and a snowman...

(Sorry I couldn't just choose one, Brodie insisted that I take these pictures and he requested the one of them laying down--funny little boy!!!)

Magnificent Monday!!! (aka I Won!!)

2010-01-11T15:00:00.004-06:00

Woo Hoo, I won a giveaway from daily decorator. The prize is this fabric covered magnetic board from Steel Dreaming Designs.

Makes for a great and exciting Monday!!! :)

**Edit**

Amazingly, I won another blog giveaway the same week. I absolutely love Mod Podge Rocks and was so delighted to have won a Mod Podge starter kit. This will sure come in handy for some craft projects that I have in mind!

This certainly added some sunshine to a week that included a sick grandson, a close friend with a death in the family, another friend whose husband is fighting cancer, another friend recuperating from surgery, and a computer crash at work. What a week!!

New Year, New Goals

2010-01-06T22:15:00.006-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone!!

I am not going to tell you all my New Year Resolutions on here. I stopped making resolutions a few year's ago and only have a few goals that I try to attain. One of these goals is to blog more often. I have seen several bloggers who have participated in Project 365 where they try to post a photo every day of the year.

Well I have to be realistic and know that I would not be able to do this. So my goal is to post a new photograph every week for 2010--Project 52. Wish me luck!!!!

And here is Photo #1:

This is a manger set that my mom gave me many years ago when my kids were still young. It is a beautiful reminder of why we celebrate Christmas and my mother's generous and loving spirit.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-03T22:30:00.005-06:00

Another holiday season has passed, and 2009 was like a blur flying by faster than a shooting star. We have been truly blessed this year and are grateful to God for all He has done in our lives.

We celebrated Christmas with Gabe, Ryan, Dane & Hunter the weekend before Freddie's birthday. We had an enjoyable time opening stockings. Then we went to Wichita Falls to eat out for Poppa's birthday followed by some shopping and an excursion to Christmas Critters at the Nature Center. This was an outdoor exhibit of Christmas lights. It was a neat place, but brrrrrrrrr it was so cold!!!

Dane was so funny because he was really into Christmas this year. He could hardly wait to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. Brie enjoyed visiting with Santa; Hunter was not sure about him, and Brodie wanted NO part of that jolly old man this year! Another funny thing about Dane was he was in a shopping mood. We went to Hobby Lobby, and he kept putting things into my shopping cart. He wanted everything from a snowman pillow to scrapbook paper to beads--it was so funny!!

When we returned back home, we opened gifts. It was fun watching Hunter actually open his own gifts this year. :)

Then we had a blizzard on Christmas Eve. Our electricity was out for about 5 hours and I had not finished my cooking. So we went to Danita's to try to do some of my baking. Josh was gone all day trying to get everybody's power back on, so we just hung out with Brie, Brodie & Danita. Christmas Eve at Granny's was postponed because of the weather.

Christmas Day we woke up and saw what Santa brought Brie & Brodie. Then we returned home to exchange gifts. Brie loved her princess vanity keyboard and Brodie couldn't stop playing his new guitar. We may have a family band before too long, lol!!

We ate lunch at Granny Lewis' and the kids opened gifts. It was fun watching Brie and Maddie play together because it reminded me of when Danita & Amy were younger. Then we returned home and spent a quiet evening at home.

It was a great Christmas and we were so glad that all of our family was healthy and had safe travel. We enjoyed celebrating the birth of Jesus and look forward to what 2010 holds for us.

Dane's Joke

2009-12-27T18:00:00.000-06:00

This is a pricless memory for me. The last couple of times that Dane has visited us, he has told us a little knock-knock joke. Yes, I know it's kind of corny, but it is so precious to me just like my 4-year old grandson!!

Dane: "Knock knock"

Me: "Who's there?"

Dane: "Orange"

Me: "Orange who?"

Dane: "Orange you gonna open the door, it's toad (cold) outside!"

And then we both crack up laughing!!! :)

(Wearing his Bumblee Transformer suit)

Fall, Part 2

2009-12-01T08:00:00.000-06:00

Well Fall blogging continues now. October was a great month! The weather was absolutely beautiful, and we celebrated more birthdays! Other fun we had included garage sales, family pictures, and working on the remodeling at the "cottage".

Brieanna became a six year old which seems totally impossible. She is the most adorable brown-eyed girl, and we love every moment we get to spend with her! She has started school and is doing very well with her grades. She is still taking dance lessons. She has lost a couple of teeth, so we tease her and call her the toothless wonder!

We also celebrated Dane's 4th birthday. He had to wear his Spiderman accessories to blowout the candles on his cake! He is our handsome blue eyed boy who can always put a smile on our face! He loves being outdoors and is a boy in every sense of the word. He loves his dinosaurs and his transformers.

And of course there was the Halloween parade. Brodie was Pooh and Brie was Tigger. Danita insisted they needed a Hunny pot to walk in the parade with them. Guess who got nominated--Hunny herself.

Fall Update

2009-11-08T22:00:00.002-06:00

Well I have figured out I am not that great of a blogger lately. I just can't get inspired to blog a lot lately. I am too busy reading everybody else's blogs, ha! Fall is my favorite time of year. It's been a busy one so far and here's a glimpse of what's been going on with us in the month of September.

We babysat one night and Brie & Brodie kept us entertained!

September was a busy month traveling back and forth to Dublin.

We celebrated Gabe's 25th birthday --man he's getting old :)

We watched Dane play soccer. It was lots of fun to see Dane on the field with his teammates even if he didn't quite have the hang of the game.

It certainly brought back lots of memories of all those years Gabe played soccer.

We also celebrated Hunter's 2nd birthday. What a tremendous blessing and miracle this little guy continues to be in our lives. His smile lights up my heart in a way that I could never explain.

Yummy Cake !! :)

Loved his 4-wheeler he got from his mom & dad!

Thinks he's as big as his bubba now!!

Part of my heart is missing...

2009-10-05T15:05:00.012-05:00

This week it has been 10 years since I told my mom goodbye. October 3, 1999, Hortencia Clifton left this earth, and I am sure was welcomed into heaven. She received a new body and all sickness and pain was gone forevermore. Wonderful for her, but since she left there is a part of my heart that is missing. The wave of grief ebbs and flows, and today is one of those days when it is painful.

She was my hero, even though it wasn't until after I became an adult that I realized this. She did not receive much education, but she was very savvy about the things that really mattered. She never had much in the way of belongings, but what she had she worked hard for. She didn't have much family; her own mother died when she was only a child, but she knew how to make others feel special.

She sacrificed so much for me to have a better life. She worked very hard so that I could have much more than she ever had. It was very important to her that I have a good education, and I only wish she would have been here to see me graduate from college (even if it was a long time coming).

She set an example for me of what it is to be a giver. Even though she didn't have much, she was always giving to others. It usually wasn't much--a trinket, clothes, a homemade gift, or food--but she did it with love. She taught me about the love of God.

We didn't always see eye to eye, and I didn't always appreciate everything she did. But I loved her and respected her, and I hope that I am passing her legacy on to my children and grandchildren. I miss her so much and look forward to the day when I will see her again.

What's been happening lately...

2009-09-28T16:45:00.003-05:00

Oh my where has the time gone, it's almost been two months since my last post. The month of August was very busy and is almost a blur now...

We helped Danita and Josh paint at their new home. Then we helped them move in. Now we have started some painting and repairs at the Bloodworth house in order to sell our first "real" home. Kind of sad to say goodbye to that little cottage!! I might even have to post some of our projects as we go along.

I went to Dublin and spent a couple of days babysitting my grandsons. My daughter-in-law, Ryan, got a coaching job at Dublin and had two-a-days, and her parents were on vacation. So they needed someone to watch the boys. We had so much fun!!!

We went to see Ryan graduate with honors from Tarleton. We are so proud of her and know she is going to be an awesome coach/teacher.

I won a coupon from another blog for $50 off a purchase of $100 or more at Old Navy. Danita and I went shopping together and got lots of good bargains. Very timely with the beginning of school and all the grandkids' birthdays coming up.

My beautiful granddaughter, Brie, began kindergarten. It doesn't even seem possible that this day was already here. It was a little sad for Danita, but Brie was very excited. So far she has been doing great and seems to be liking it.

My husband got his birthday/Christmas gift very early this year. He had been very interested in the Total Gym infomercials, and I decided to just check them out. Well they were having an amazing sale--1/2 off, so I couldn't resist. I tried to leave him clues to his early gift, but it arrived in less than a week so my plan did not quite work out. Anyway he is very happy with it and the smile on his face was definitely worth it!

All in all it was a wonderful month for the Lewis family!!

High School Reunion & Birthday

2009-08-06T22:30:00.003-05:00

Freddie & I attended my 30th high school class reunion last month. Wow where has the time flown? It only seems like a few years ago that we walked across that stage and received our high school diplomas. Our futures lay before us and we had dreams and plans for what we were going to accomplish. As for me, my life turned out somewhat different than what I had planned, but God has certainly blessed me along the way. It was great to see some of my classmates that I had not seen since we graduated!

I also celebrated my birthday, yes I still celebrate it. Everyday that I am alive is a gift. I have learned that life is but a brief span of time and we can either make the most of it or just watch it pass us by. Not sure whose quote this is but I really think it is true:

The purpose of life is to have a life of purpose.

Anyway when I opened my gift from my hubby, I thought I was in chocolate heaven.

I received a beautiful frame from Gabe & his family and some great shoes from Danita & her family.

And I also got myself a new purse at a little online botique called LuKels Botique. I have received many compliments on it.

Thanks to everybody for making my birthday very special!

To Brie, Dane, Brodie, and Hunter...

2009-07-14T22:14:00.009-05:00

This is what I tell my grandbabies, because it is so true!

I found this at a little shop in Graham called The Vineyard Branch, and it was the perfect thing to buy with my Mother's Day gift card I received from my daughter and her family. Can't wait until I can get Poppa to hang it up in the grandkid room for me!!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T14:04:00.014-05:00

Happy Father's Day to my dear husband. He is a good husband, dad, and grandfather. He has always been a good provider for our family and put his family's needs and wants before his own. He loves to tease his kids and grandkids and has a unique sense of humor! He is such a big kid at heart and we love him so much!!

We celebrated Saturday by going to Mineral Wells to meet Gabe & his family for dinner. Danita and her kids went with us--Joshua was on call and couldn't go. We ate at Pulido's, and it was great Mexican food. And then we stopped at the old Baker Hotel to explore, since Gabe & Ryan had done a little research on it just last week. It is such a great building even though it is dilapadated--if only the walls could talk! All in all, it was a delightful evening and just another reminder about how blessed we are.

Happy Father's Day to my son and my son-in-law too. They are both great dads who do an awesome job of taking care of their families. And they have given us the best gifts of all--four beautiful grandchildren. We love you Gabe & Joshua!!

28 Years and Counting...

2009-05-25T10:00:00.002-05:00

The hubby and I had a good weekend celebrating our 28th anniversary. Seems like we have been married forever, but we look forward to many more blessed years together.

Friday we both took off early from work and headed to the Metroplex. We went to my highly anticipated concert at the Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie.

Surprisingly, the opening act was none other than:

Josh Turner. That man has the most beautiful voice, and he sang one of our favorites, "Me and God." He really is a wonderful performer and put on a good act.

Then came THE man of the night:

His performance was everything I hoped for, and it made for an unforgettable night!! The only bad thing is that my camera would not take a good picture from where we were sitting. I am definitely going to have to invest in a better camera soon!

Then Saturday, we did a little shopping and headed to Graham for Brie's dance recital. It's amazing what a difference a year can make. Last year, she was so bashful and would not dance. This year she danced and seemed to know all of the routine. She performed amazingly and made us so proud!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T17:15:00.006-05:00

It was a blessed day for me. Knowing that my kids and grandkids are healthy and happy made for a wonderful Mother's Day.

At Cowboy church, I received a couple of adorable cards from Brie and Brodie. Then I received a phone call from my step-son, Josh Lewis. It was so good to hear from him. And then Gabe called, and the cutest thing was when Dane got on the phone and said, "Happy Hunny's Day!" My own special day, how much better than that can it get?

99 Cents

2009-05-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

Brie loves going to her little preschool. She often calls me to tell me about what letter they have studied or a special activity they did. Last week she called me and told me that the ambulance came to their school. She said they took their blood pressure, and hers was 99 cents.

Danita and I just cracked up. They only took their pulses and of course hers is not for sale!!

A Wonderful Surprise!

2009-04-27T12:30:00.002-05:00

I received a small package in the mail last week. I didn’t remember ordering anything, so I wasn’t quite sure what it was. Upon opening it found this little beauty:

I won this freshwater pearl bracelet from here. I don’t know what was more exciting—finding out I had won or receiving my prize. This is the second time I have won something from a blog and winning is delightful!

Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE blogging?

Happy Birthday Brodie!

2009-04-12T21:11:00.007-05:00

We had a birthday celebration for our grandson, Brodie Clifton Hagle who turned 2 this weekend. He is such a sweet, loving, comical little guy who gets his middle name from his great grandpa, Dane Clifton. He has big blue eyes that say much more than his words do sometimes.

He loves his boots and jeans. (Lately he has taken to wearing some red rubber boots.) He loves wearing sunglasses. He likes to play with cars and tractors and enjoys playing his guitar. He loves music and either bobs his head or starts dancing. He likes to chew gum and eat candy. He is acquiring his bad habits at a young age, ‘cause his favorite drink is coke!

He’s a daddy’s boy, but when daddy is not around, he loves his mommy. He adores his big sister and wants to do everything she does. He loves his cousins, Dane and Hunter and thinks his Poppa is kinda cool too. Lately he wants to ride in Hunny’s car nearly every time I see him. He is becoming an independent and headstrong little guy, and it has been so much fun to watch him evolve from a baby into a toddler.

Happy 2nd Birthday Brodie! I love you to the moon & back!!

Crafty Again: Making an Easter Wreath

2009-04-05T20:30:00.003-05:00

I found instructions for making an Easter wreath out of plastic eggs here. I decided it looked like something that even I could do and other than the bow it was a simple project. I absolutely love the colors and the way it looks hanging on the door!

Happy Easter Y'all! ;)

A Little Craftyness Goin' On Around Here

2009-04-02T17:00:00.006-05:00

I inherited a big bunch of buttons from my parents when we cleaned out their house. They are usually stored in a big mason jar and a tin container. Every now and then, Brie, Poppa, and I will get them out and play with them. There are all kinds of buttons in the collection, and we enjoy sorting them and finding unique ones that capture our attention.

I wanted to do something special with some of them but have been waiting on some inspiration on a neat way to display some of these special buttons. I finally came up with an idea when I saw a cross with buttons on it. I had one wooden cross that Freddie made for me several years ago, and he made another cross for Brie. We painted them black and began transforming the crosses into this really cool creations.

We both arranged our buttons on there just so, and I hot glued them to our wooden crosses. I have to admit the end result was just what I was hoping for. Now we just need to find a good place to display them.

(The one on top is mine, and the one on the bottom is Brie's)

I even picked up some gems at Michaels and hot glued them to another cross that Freddie made me. This one involved no special placement and was finished in less than half an hour.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh YES!!!

2009-03-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

Okay this girl is doing a happy dance!!! I am so very excited!!! Even though our anniversary is not until May, we have already purchased our anniversary gift. I can hardly wait, the countdown has begun until May 15th.

On that evening, we will be seeing this man in concert.

I am over the moon excited... Thanks poppa, I love you!! ;)

Whewwww what a weekend...

2009-03-06T10:22:00.006-06:00

Last Friday, Gabe & Ryan were moving so we picked up their boys for the weekend. Brie rode with us because she loves spending time with Dane & Hunter, and it seems to help when they see a friendly face their own size.

Hunter's feeding tube was removed, but the hole left behind was leaking. So we had to deal with bandages and yukky sticky tape that wouldn't let go of the poor boy's skin. He wasn't feeling well because of his little tummy and on top of that had a bad cold with a cough. So he would not eat or drink or play all weekend and slept nearly all day Saturday. I literally had to wake him up every 1-2 hours on Saturday night to get him to drink just a little, because I was afraid he was going to dehydrate.

Dane, Brie & I had fun playing and reading books. We learned to draw spiders and played with beads. Dane would jump on me and just hug my neck. They were so good all weekend even though it was too cold to go outside.

Sunday when we took the boys back to Dublin, Gabe & Ryan were exhausted and had difficulties with their new home. There was no hot water for a shower, one side of the house had no electricity, and no heat in the house. We helped them move a few things and picked up an entertainment center for Danita & Josh. Poor Dane was confused and did not want to leave his old home! He especially got upset when they loaded up the four wheeler that we gave him for his birthday when he turned 2.

Anyway after we left, Gabe called and said they were taking Hunter to Cooks because he was getting worse. They thought he might have pneumonia, but wound up being more of a viral infection. They started an iv and put him on oxygen. Danita & I drove up Monday to check on him, and he still wasn't feeling better. By Wednesday, he was feeling much better and got to go home on Thursday--thank you Lord!!!

Music to my ears...

2009-02-20T22:21:00.012-06:00

Within the last couple of weeks, both of my youngest grandsons have said words that are music to my ears.

First of all, Hunter has begun saying his first word. That in itself is a blessing, because he only has one vocal cord that functions. Because of this, he has always been a quiet baby. The doctors were not really sure what his voice would sound like or how loud it would be. Gabe called me recently and told me his first word was not momma or dada, but "bub-bba". He loves his big brother, Dane and when I got to hear this for myself it was DIVINE!!!

Then my other grandson, Brodie, has been calling me momma, daddy, and even poppa. He just couldn't or wouldn't say Hunny. Until he was in the hospital recently for the croup. He began saying "Huh---eeeeey"! He leaves out the n's, but I love it!!!

And that is music to my ears and melts my heart!!! Small blessings that make life GREAT!!