Sunday, October 31, 2010

Are you wearing a Mask?

My Goodness, time is flying through the air!

Can you believe tonight is Halloween and then tomorrow will be the first of  November.......

Speaking of Halloween...MASK, Kids as well as adults will be wearing every kind of mask imaginable tonight.....Scary, Amusing, Freaky, and Sweet....Mask that cost lots of $$$$$ and some that are fairly cheap. 

My thought today is.....How many of us wear a mask everyday of the year?    Do we have a certain mask for Sunday's and then another mask that we wear the rest of the week? 

This is something that we all need to think about every day of the year.   It doesn't have to be Halloween in order to wear a mask that is distasteful.  We need to take off the mask and let the love of God be a shining example in our lives.

Shug Sez.......

This is free......no cost at all!
A face that loves the Lord and is willing to share God's love with others....... 

Saturday, October 30, 2010

"Ghoul's" Night Out......

Am I late this morning or what?   Must have something to do with the hours I kept last night...
A group of us "Girls" (that graduated from High School together) spent the evening enjoying a

"Ghoul's Night Out!".................

I can tell you that we "Brewed" up quite a bit of laughter.......

I would like to introduce you to the gang.....



This is Agatha....She is the shy type of witch that hides behind the scenes...But, none the less, she can be a little sneaky!!


You had better watch out for this one......ESTELE!  Oh my, she  will cast a spell on you so fast, you honestly will not even know what happened to you......WATCH OUT....



I wouldn't worry about Ashia....She is all smiles and she wouldn't even step on a flea.....By the way....She loves Turtles, so you won't find any turtles in her "Stew"


Now.....Vesta....Let me tell you about her....She is a "Joke-ster"
I have some good advice for you on this one....WATCH YOUR BACK..
She loves to play all kinds of funny tricks on people!!



Rosina.......She has a lot up her sleeve....My best description of this one is "Socially Gregarious."  No stranger will come her way.
Very Vibrant I would say!


And then you have Selena.....She is the "Sweetest" of them all. 
She is so warm and loving.  I would say she is a "Sweet Pea"
kinda the cream of the crop!!



Lots of Laughter, Prizes, and a lot of great friendship is what we had.....Can't wait until next year to celebrate our annual "Ghoul's Night Out"


Come Scibbity scobboty scabbaty scoo

The six naughty witches are making a stew
Agatha, Estele, Ashia, Vesta, Rosina, and Selena May
Are making this stew for your dinner today
It's what's in the pot that makes it so nice
Worms, spiders and beatles and earwigs and lice
Are but just some of the delicious few
That make up the flavour of the witches stew
Now, hold out your dish and close your eyes
Your in for a treat and the greatest surprise
This slimy green mixture adoring your plate
Smells really quite nice and tastes really just great.
If you don't believe me then try some and see
You're welcome to seconds, help yourself, please feel free
Now that your dinner has filled a big hole
You can't lick no more from the sides of your bowl
Your ankles are full right up to your tummy
Your knees are knocking and looking quite funny
Your nose is hanging right down to your chin
Gracious me! Now your ears are having a spin
Come scabbaty scobboty scibbity scay
Now is the time to call it a day
The witches are snoring and nodding their heads.
Lock your doors, turn your lights out, hop into your beds




Shug Sez........

The Language of Friendship is not words, but meanings!!



Friday, October 29, 2010

A Patch of Orange


PUMPKINS.......There are a lot of pumpkins this year!



The weather outside yesterday was perfect...I CAN ASSURE YOU,  NO FROST WAS ON THE PUMPKINS around here...


 


There is a pumpkin patch about a block from the house.
The youth group at the Methodist Church has been selling these pumpkins for a couple of weeks now and Trey could not wait to visit this patch because it had so many fun things to do......


This was a wonderful idea and it has been very educational for the elementary kids at our school....Since the patch is so close to the school, each class has been able to take a trip to see the pumpkins and look at all the different kinds.





Pumpkins with veins......



Green weird looking pumpkins.....


Pumpkins with large Stems....


Old looking Pumpkins.....



Pumpkins with warts!......



Baby Pumpkins.....




And.....LARGE Pumpkins....


It takes a lot of time to pick out that special pumpkin.  We were there for quite some time.  In order to pick just the perfect pumpkin to take home, you have to spend a lot of time examining every detail and making sure the shape is the perfect fit for your family....


We had a great time and I took a moment to snap a few pictures.....



Trista....loving every moment!




Tori, Mylee, Trey and Mr. Pooped.....



                                 Trey and Tori....I think Trey loved being a Pumpkin Farmer....




And this is the Lucky Pumpkin that was chosen!


Back in the early part of the summer, I remember wanting to purchase my first watermelon of the season......
The Price?  $6.99   A little too steep for me.

This pumpkin?  $20.00......
WOW!   Can you believe it?

We just have to remember that this pumpkin was purchased for a good cause.  And second of all, it was well worth it just, because the  kids had a great time and it was definitely worth every penny just seeing the joy on their faces!!

Shug Sez.......


Children learn to smile from their Parents!

Pumpkin Goodies.....

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Soup
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Bread
Whoopie Pies




Thursday, October 28, 2010

A Glorious Day

Today is a new and glorious day.....I took my friend Katharine's advice and I must say it was wonderful....

I used every Kleenex that was softly folded inside the  little box that was dressed in such bright colors. 

I quietly slipped outside and found myself a nice seat in the rocking chair that sits on our porch.  As I closed my eyes, I was able to forget  about all of the unpleasant thoughts that had been invading my mind for days. 

I'm really not sure if I drifted off to sleep or if I just allowed myself to daydream for what seemed to be hours.
I remember hearing a bird sing a beautiful melody and I also remember the gentle breeze that seemed to whisper throughout the tree tops.  And then, it happened......I was far away.

There is nothing like the peaceful sound of a river as the crystal clear water rushes across the rocks.  I would catch glimpses of leaves as they fell so softly into the stream.  Each one was brushed with a stunning array of color and they were crowned with a brilliant hue of crimson red.

I could hear a rustle in the leaves on the banks of the river as squirrels chased after one another.  They were playing a game of tag and would dare one another to climb to the highest limb that hung out across the water. 

There were flowers everywhere that displayed a riot of color.  Black eyed Susan, Asters, chrysanthemums and the beautiful orange colored Sarabande rose whose fragrance is almost spellbinding... 

What a wonderful place to be.....Radiant joy was all around me and I could feel the crowning glory of Autumn as it encircled me with such a peace of mind.....

It seems that nature is a magnificent doctor for the soul.


Shug Sez......
I say Thank You Katharine for your kindness  and Thank You to the Brilliance of Autumn for helping me find a place of rest.  I look forward to this fabulous day......

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Today I Need Postive Energy

Do you ever get too old to CRY?
Is it OK to cry for no reason? 

As a woman, I get to answer yes to those questions.  Hormones.....We can always blame the need to cry on our hormones.  Right now,  I feel (Crazy) emotional. 

A positive person never likes to admit that they too have days when it's hard to be strong or to be in a constant mode of joyfulness.  When you try to always be an inspiration to others,  you don't have time to let your own feelings weigh you down. 

The truth is.....that there are days when you feel like breaking down!  What you FEEL is that nothing FEELS right.  Does that make sense to anyone other than me?  Sometimes negativity comes in bunches, it comes in waves and no matter how hard you try to separate yourself from the downbeat way of life, it just keeps kicking you in the gut.....

Are these feelings brought on by the fact that you have something you have been waiting for all your life and still can not seem to make it happen?  Is it because you feel something is missing?  Is there some kind of gloomy shadow  that keeps dragging the life out of you?  Or.....Is it HORMONES?

These kind of things can be very detrimental to a positive person.  You finally reach a point that you want to say "NO MORE DECISION MAKING "  and you want to find the nearest outlet to recharge yourself with some "POSITIVE ENERGY."

I know that the storms of life will come as surely as the Spring brings rain or the Winter brings it's chill.
We all are tested from time to time and it is during these times that we need to Be Strong, Seek Peace, and Trust God!

Crying is good for your soul...No one is ever too old to cry and the good thing is that you really do not have to have a good reason to cry.  So....It's my Party and I'll cry if I want to! Cry if I want to!

Shug Sez.......

Did you know that crying is Wonderful Therapy?


 

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

CRAVINGS OF THE SOUL.....

Happy Tuesday Morning!....
I stepped outside this morning and could not believe how warm it was....TEXAS weather, you just never know.  Some of the kids came by this morning wearing shorts, one had on a jacket, and one with long sleeves and jeans.
I thinking those that wore shorts made the right decision today.....(Of course they had on their shirts)


It's that time of year when we start to have CRAVING'S...It's Fall and our minds start to think about FOOD.  We have cravings for foods that we haven't eaten in a while.  If I think very hard about the "Chicken and Dressing" that my mother always made, my mouth starts to water and I start to have a hungering for the taste of "MOMS CORNBREAD DRESSING"


Not only does our body crave certain foods, but our heart has it's own yearnings as well.
As Fall settles in, we long for time spent with friends and wait in anticipation for the Holiday's so we can spend time with family and loved ones that perhaps we haven't seen in quite a while.

People are looking for a sense of fulfillment.
At this particular time of year, we find ourselves bubbling with Thankfulness and a desire to welcome an intimate relationship with God.  Our soul pants for Him! 

The Spirit knows our subtle moods and our soul-cravings.  We need to align our priorities with the desire that is our heart.
We need to drink deeply from His word and by doing so, we can Trust that God is there to satisfy our longings.......

Shug Sez.....

As the deer pants for water, my soul pants for our Heavenly Father!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Giver of Boundless Love.....

 Life is so much sweeter when you have a big bouquet of friends to share it with!



Can you just take a moment and let the words in the photo above sink into your hearts.....

Every Knee Will Bow,
Every Tongue Confess,
Jesus Is The Lord!

Jesus Christ crucified,
Bled and died to Save our lives.
Giver of boundless love,
Faithful one to you we run.....

Every Knee will Bow, Every Tongue will Shout,
Jesus Is the Lord, Jesus Is the Lord
And every eye will see,
the coming of the KING
Jesus Is the Lord, Jesus Is the Lord....

Son of man, Great I am
Healing Power is in Your hands,
Risen one, It is done
Sin and death are overcome......

You're Worthy of Worship
You're Worthy of Praise
You're Worthy of Honor
You're Worthy of Thanks.......




********

I relish my daily encounters with the Holy Spirit...It is in those moments that I can feel the very Presence of God Almighty. 

I love the music and beautiful lyrics of a song that places God right in the center of my heartfelt emotions.  I sometimes experience goose bump feelings as I lift my hands in Praise to God giving HIM....Honor and Thanks........

Jesus Is The Lord! 


Shug Sez........

 God is the truly the giver of Boundless Love. Allow your heart to be filled today.   



Sunday, October 24, 2010

Oh What Treasures!

How is it that you can have such a deep love for your grandchildren?  I have yet to understand the control that each of them have upon my heart......

It's amazing how through the years you learn to know what each expression on their face is saying.  You learn to recognize each heartbeat for what it is....fear, happiness, joy, excitement, feelings of hurt, disappointment and most of all the heartbeat of their LOVE...

I am so thankful for the Blessings of hearing my name (Sugar) as they repeat it over and over.  Not always wanting something, but just the assurance that I am there if they need me. 

How rare it is for there to be such a strong bond between a grandmother and her precious grandchildren........A bond that I am truly Blessed to have...

My heart was not prepared to feel what it felt this past evening.....

I could feel a bit of anxiety as my heart pounded with fear...
I felt this fear because thoughts raced through my mind of something being taken from me...Something that I have loved with all my heart and just the slightest chance of me losing a part of it gripped this heart of mine in a way that I would never have imagined.....



I know without a shadow of a doubt that I have a special place
in Tyler's  heart.   This special place will never fade away because it is secured by Trust, Happiness, Prayers and much LOVE.  


  Saturday night was his very first date and he welcomed us (his grandparents) to be a part of this new event in his life.  Tyler was invited to attend a very special Homecoming dance with a precious young lady named Madison....

Sam and I felt very honored and very proud that he would want us to be there to see them leave!  Taking pictures of my grandchildren is something I love to do....Hope you Enjoy!


Our grandson Tyler...A terrific young man that truly loves the Lord.....



Tyler and Madison.......



How Sweet.......



 I love the Sepia pictures....Such a nice looking couple....




I love this picture....




Their mom's needed a little attention too!



Having Fun!


Isn't that just a part of life?


Time passes by and parts of life bring change, but one thing that I will always know is that my grandchildren love me and I love them with a love that will never end!

Shug Sez......

Pray for your grandchildren Every day....






Saturday, October 23, 2010

My Card.......

Happy Birthday Sam.............



Today My love, I wish you a happy birthday,
But it’s me who is really blessed,
I get to spend some time with you,
In our comfy, cozy nest.
You are a rare and wonderful person;
You have delightful attributes,
Like competence and intelligence,
And what’s more, lots of cutes!
You have mental strength and character
To guide you on your way;
People sense this strength in you,
And care about what you say
So let’s celebrate your birthday,
Because without it I’d never have met
My darling, wonderful you,
The best thing that’s happened to me yet!

 

What I Love about you!


1.  Your ability to laugh at yourself and not get mad.
2.  You stand up for what you believe in.
3.  You have the biggest heart and
     you care about people.
4.  The way you sleep in bed with the covers pulled up around
    your head.
5.  The way you prefer your tea to be un-sweet.
6.  That you are a leader and not a follower.
7.  How you take time to teach your grandsons how to hunt
8.  How  you are good at being the boss.....But sometimes you let
     me think I am the boss.
9.  When you apologize, you mean it!
10.  You never grumble about what I cook...
11.  You need lots of sleep
12.  If you don't get lots of sleep.......you nap in your chair.
13.  Your beautiful eyes..
14.  Your cute bottom.
15.  How much you love your girls.
16.  You refuse to throw food out.
17.  You eat anything even it has been in the ref. a long time.
18.  How you neatly hang up your clothes.
19.  How you are the most wonderful grandfather.
20.  You love the Lord.
21.  You don't really like yard work.
22.  You always put family first.
23.  I love how you snore.
24.  When it's my birthday, one card isn't enough.  You always
       have cards everywhere to let me know you love me.
25.  You love nature.
26.  The way you laugh at your favorite TV shows.
27.  How you make people laugh with your cute little comments
       on FB.
28.  How sweet your kisses are.
29.  I love how you smell.
30.  I love that you are my Best Friend.
31.  I
32.  Love
33.  You
34.  Very,
35.  Very,
36.  Very,
37.  Much.....
38.  Happy
39.  Birthday
40.  Sam

Shug Sez.........

Happy Birthday.....Sam!



Friday, October 22, 2010

Cycle of Life

My yesterday was no different from all the other normal days; at least that is what I thought.  I made an unexpected visit to my dad's house and ever since then, my mind has been flooded with thoughts about life. 

Disbelief, grief, fear, financial worry.....these are all common feelings when you recognize that the diagnosis of Dementia or Alzheimer's is real.......

When I walked in the door, I saw his face light up with complete joy because he realized that for the next few moments he didn't have to feel lonely or experience fear....He is sitting there in his favorite chair and I might say he was looking good .  Crisp shirt, starched jeans, the boots we gave him for Christmas a couple of years ago and his COWBOY HAT.  I gave him a hug and as I was about to let go, he wanted to know if he smelled good.  This was my dad....for as long as I can remember, he has had the good looks of a "Texas Ranger" and the smell of a cologne factory.....

Our visit was very nice and for the most part, he was able to keep up with the conversation.  Towards the end, I saw a little tear in his eye because he could not remember some of the grandkids names.  I assured him that most 80 year old people can not remember their grandchildren's names and that he shouldn't worry one bit about that.  He was satisfied when I assured him again that this happens with age.   (tear, tear)

When I came home, I wasn't quite ready to go inside, so I walked around the yard and looked at all of the sweet little kisses of Fall.  The leaves that have gently fallen to the ground and have found a resting place, the subtle faint of red color in the shrubs as they begin their winter wait, and the berries on my Pyracantha bush that turn a beautiful color of orange at the end of the growing season....



As I looked at all of my surroundings, I was reminded that our lives are like the colors of our seasons......Spring brings us brightness and excitement in a huge array of colors.   Summer brings us warmth like the colors of  red and yellow.  Fall displays the beautiful colors of orange mixed in with the reds, yellows, greens.  However, it is the shades of brown that quicken our minds to know that this season of life will soon fade away.
And then winter brings us the color of Blue....I didn't think of the blue as in cold.....I thought of the color of Blue as in Calmness, Tranquility, Safeness, Loyalty, and Peacefulness.....


It is so easy to be sad as we watch the lives of those we love change like the colors of the seasons.  BUT....God spoke to my heart that no matter what colors we face in life, we can always find rest in HIM and HE will give us PEACE!

Shug Sez........

The God that brings us Peace when we are on the mountains, is the same God that brings us Peace in the valley's!

 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Going to the Dogs


I can not believe just how much Ezabella has grown.
She is no longer a little round ball of fur that could almost fit in the palm of my hand....

Bella is growing up and getting just a wee bit sassy and I might add    ROTTEN......

I took her to the "Dogie Beauty Shop" yesterday and she came out looking as pretty as could be.  We had to get her all dolled up for her Halloween costume.....


Look how cute she is!


Here she is playing with her favorite toy.....A HAIR BRUSH!


Bella loves her new outfit and her new haircut......





Do you see any resemblance in the two pictures above? 

As you can see....Miss Mylee Jo thought Bella needed 

"Piggy Tails"     just like hers!


Ezabella does have two front teeth that stick out of her mouth when she is trying to get attention.  For some reason, I really doubt that she will be able to scare any kids when they come knocking on our door yelling......Trick R' Treat, Smell my feet, give me something good to eat. 

I know one thing for sure....She will be wanting her treat just like all the "Other" kids.........

Shug Sez.......

How Sweet It Is To Be Loved........



Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Just Jumpin'

I was glancing through a magazine yesterday and had to quickly take a second look.  The title on the page was Jumpin'.  I immediately thought:  "Wow....they have written a story about me."

JUMPIN'......that is exactly what I do best.....I can still remember all of the songs!  Does this bring back any memories

Mother, Mother, I am ill
Call for the doctor over the hill.
In came the doctor,
In came the nurse,
In came the lady with the alligator purse.
Measles, said the doctor.
Mumps, said the nurse.
Nothing, said the lady with the alligator purse.
Out goes the doctor, out goes the nurse,
Out goes the lady with the alligator purse.


Or, how bout this one.......
 
Teddy bear , teddy bear ,

Touch the ground ,
Teddy bear , teddy bear ,
Turn around ,
Teddy bear , teddy bear ,
Climb upstairs ,
Teddy bear , teddy bear ,
Say your prayers,
Teddy bear , teddy bear ,
Turn down the light,
Teddy bear , teddy bear ,
Say good night.


And of Course this one......



Cinderella, dressed in yellow
Went upstairs to kiss a fellow
Made a mistake
Kissed a snake
How many doctors
Did it take?


These are all cute little Jumpin' songs......However, this is really not what I'm talking about.... (Loved these old jumpin' songs...had to throw them in today)

I'm talking about my everyday life....My jumping begins the moment I step out of bed.....(And I thought they said jumping would help you lose weight!)  Hasn't happened here!

The article was talking about arthritis and it said to "Keep your joints Jumpin'."  It also said that staying active is the key....the article went on to say that we needed to improve our muscle tone on the muscles around the joints in order to improve our chances of not getting arthritis. 

I read those words  STAYING  ACTIVE.  I'm not sure I could be any more active than what I am now.......Up with the roosters somewhere between 5:30 and 6:00 and then to bed between 11:00 and 11:30 at night.  But.....it seems I must not be JUMPIN' enough.........Mr. Arth-R came by visiting me this morning....
He decided my tall man finger on the right hand needed a little extra attention.  It hurts like CRAZY..

Believe me, I am totally active, but just not in the right kind of way.  Perhaps I do need to pick up that old jump rope again?????
Perhaps I do need to start singing those old songs again....
Did I mention that the article also said something about floor exercises, resistance bands, weights and aerobics? 

Maybe I should skip on over to the next page....that page reads:

"Choose the path that makes you feel good"

Shug Sez....

Hanging out with grandkids......NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL JUMPIN'

Sunday Thinking

  Happy St. Patricks Day!   🍀 Tomorrow, I will be filling my hummingbird feeders.  The little beauties should be arriving any day now.  I a...