Wednesday, February 24, 2016

I'm certainly trying to look at the Bright side here!   I'm still hacking and coughing like crazy...and of course....hanging out here at the house!  


The Bright side is:   I truly think I'm on the mend!!   This has been the longest lasting upper respiratory virus I think I have ever had.   My goodness....2 Steroid shots....2 shots of antibiotics.....3 different bottles of antibiotics....and predisone pills.   Plus....the humidifier and mucinex!   

Enough about all this sickness......I'm hoping and praying that each of you have been WELL.


How many of you are making plans for a garden?  I'm thinking about it!!!!!
  
lol....

Seriously....I want to do some raised beds and plant as many veggies as I possibly can.   Tomatoes, squash, greens, peppers, eggplant, and even some herbs!   

I'm really hoping to plan healthier menus for Sam and I and what could be better for you than fresh veggies?  

I'm still fighting the SWEET bug....but I know that I will conquer the sweet tooth war SOMEDAY!

I actually went to a health seminar a few weeks ago and I learned sooooooo much about nutrition.  I'm not planning on turning into one of those people......but I will say that I know we all are putting so much bad stuff into our diets and this needs to be corrected.   

I sure have a lot of planning to do.....but determination is mine right now, so I think I can teach myself to cook healthier.   

These are my thoughts for the day.....Get healthy!

Shug

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Hey Y'all....  It's ME..... Shug!   For those of you who have noticed that I've been away from blog land....let me assure you it wasn't planned.    I did manage to throw my Valentines post together, but it was barely.

I do want to tell you that back to back "Bugs" are not anything I would want any of you to experience!  Two weekends ago.. I came down with the stomach bug!  Lots of up-Chucking and all of the unpleasant stuff that comes along with this virus!  I was sick for about 4 days and when all the really bad stuff was gone, I honestly felt absolutely terrible.   I was dehydrated and all of my electrolytes were all out of sorts.   On Thursday of that week.. I was kinda getting back to my old self.

I took a small "girls day out" trip with my friends on that Friday.  I actually felt good!   I really did!

On Sat, I started feeling bad and then here came bug number 2.    I couldn't believe it.   I had fever, chills, aches, pains... And the chest congestion had set in.  By Monday morning of this week... I was one sick lady!!!    Dehydration again... Pneumonia setting in... Headache...

Sam took me to the Dr.  On Monday morning and I got a huge shot of antibiotic, medicine for the nebulizer, and a good cough syrup.   Had a chest X-Ray done,  flu test, and blood work.   Today... I feel a good bit better, but had to call the Dr. back because I still have a lot of wheezing!   Now, I get to take steroids for about 7 days!  

I can tell you, my body is exhausted.    My sweet Sam, now has the crud.  

I guess it's that time of the year...(for sickness)... But I sure am ready for all of this to get out of here.  

So... This is the reason... I've been gone!     Prayers please for Sam and I both.  

Shug

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Gift Reveal....

...... How very Blessed I am to be able to spend year number 48 with my sweet Valentine..   Sam!

I remember our very first Valentine....and I still have the card that he gave me.  I actually have ALL of the Valentines that he gave me!  These are treasures to my heart!



Never....not once, has Sam ever forgot to get me a card and a gift for Valentines....or for any other special day!  He is truly the SWEETEST!!

I am so very excited to share with all of you....what Sam chose to give me this year for Valentine's Day.  

This year....Sam got me???

Well....let me just tell you, it is a gift that REVEALS ALL!  I know, I know....I was so super surprised! Shocked actually!

He bought me a gift that is WAY TOO REVEALING!   I guess it's a man thing!!!!!

I was kinda wondering if I should really post my gift or not...then I decided, what the heck!  This man loves me, so why not!!


Can you recognize what it is???

I didn't think so.  This is a picture of my new Valentine's T-shirt.   It says: "All you need is Love"

Are you ready for the reveal?



Here it is!!  A new Lighted Vanity mirror that magnify's 5 X's!!!!!!


I took one look in this mirror and was like.....Woah!!!!!


Oh my....it shows EVERYTHING!  It shows every fine line...every hair that needs to be plucked...every single detail.  I could even see my blue eyes!!


Sam is a super good listener....a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would love to have this mirror....I actually NEEDED this lighted mirror, as I can't really see the fine details when it comes to putting on my make-up or taking it off.

Was I delighted?  YES...super delighted!  

Thank you Sam....XOXO's

Wishing you all a Happy Valentines Day...

Shug 

   










Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Win #1000.

While the rest of the Country was focused in on what was going on in New Hampshire last night........   Our small little school district had their main focus on a completely different kind of WIN!   



 I was extremely disappointed that Sam and I were not able to attend this huge celebration......as I was still on the mend from the Big, Bad, stomach virus that has been spreading like crazy.  :( 

It was a huge let-down not to be able to be there to support our High School Girls Basketball coach......Fred Griffin.....on his win....#1000!!!!

As Sam and I were sitting here, at home, last evening.....listening to "Bear Radio" ..... We were so Proud for Coach Griffin and for his family as well.

I told Sam....."Fred has been a part of our school, our community, and our sports programs for so long.....that I had to do some double thinking to know if he had possibly coached ME  at one time or another!!!"   LOL...this is a funny....because Fred is only one year older than me!

Coach Griffin "DID" coach both of our daughters!!

Looking back.....as a parent, we sometimes choose to look at sports (practices/workouts) as a somewhat headache or even perhaps a thief when it comes to family time.   NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!!!  

This time is very valuable!!

I'm not sure that throughout the years that Coach Griffin spent numerous hours coaching our girls.....that I ever thought about the time that he spent away from his family.   This was and still is a huge sacrifice, made on the part of a coach and their family.


Coach Griffin and His Family....

Not only is Coach Griffin a great coach....he is also a wonderful family man, who loves his family greatly.  His wife Renee, his three daughters and their families are all such sweet precious people.   Hugs to all of them!! 


"No one who achieves success does so without acknowledging the help of others.  The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude."


Sam and I are extremely thankful for the help that Coach Griffin gave to both of our girls....!!!!   Not only did he teach them the skills that they needed, to be a player out on the basketball court.....BUT, he also taught them RESPECT!

Respect for him and for the other players.   Respect for their school and their community......respect for the game.....and most of all, respect for themselves.   

He also taught them patience, persistence, life values and how to have success in this world.   

As their coach.....He made a huge impact upon their lives.

Tori will be in High School next year and I can only hope that Coach Griffin will find it in his coaching career to stick around for a few more years.   How awesome it would be for the same coach who taught our girls so much about basketball and about life......to coach our granddaughter as well....

Congratulations to you Coach Griffin.....and to your family as well.....

Blessings, 

Shug.........


Monday, February 8, 2016

PRICELESS PHOTOS....

I don't know......I just may choose to use my header picture on this blog for a very long time.  In means so very much!

Before saying anything else, I want to give God Glory and Praise for all of the things that He has done for the two young men in this photo.....Praise and Glory for God's healing for both of these guys.




Most of you already know our grandson "Tucker"....he's the one with his hands held high in this photo.   The other young man is "Jake"....Tucker's best friend.   

They have SO MUCH in common!  One thing is that they both are extremely handsome young men.   Another thing is that they are both survivors of childhood leukemia.  

Tucker was diagnosed when he was 8 years old.   It was August 16th, 2006.   I remember the exact date, because my mom passed away on August 16th, 2005.    Jake was diagnosed the year after Tucker and I want to say that it was sometime in September of that year.   



Jake is now a senior and Tucker is a Junior in High School..... 

When Jake had his Senior portraits made.....he chose to include Tucker in a few of them.   I'm so glad that he did.   

These photos are priceless.....!!!!!!!  AND, there is now a bond between them that I know will never be broken.

hugs, 
Shug 


Friday, February 5, 2016

Lesson Learned

Very few of us wish to admit that we sometimes experience "Ridiculous Failures."

                                     Not Me.....For Sure!!

Have you ever felt just plain ignorant due to a POOR choice that you have made?  A poor choice made.....simply because you were a little to zealous about something....and lacking self-control.   



This happened to me a few months ago!  The only good thing about this situations is:  it has turned out to be one of those "Life Lessons" that we all have to learn from time to time.


It all happened when I came upon an item that really caught my eye!  (The important thing here is not... what the item was, but the lesson learned from my actions)
I fell in love with this item.....and I selfishly wanted it to be mine!!  


Before you judge me (LOL) let me just say that I am normally pretty good about paying attention to the prices of things.   In this particular case....I DID NOT!
It didn't even have a price tag on it.....so I was just assuming that it probably cost what (I) thought it was worth.

Mistake #1.

My thinking was......at the high end ~~ it might cost $50.00.  
I truly thought that it would be even less than that!!

Without asking the price.....I simply said:  " I want it!"

WOW...I really cannot believe that I did that.

As I made my way to the counter....and the clerk delivered the shocking truth to me.....I could feel this feeling of 
WRONG saturating my skin.   My purchase was not the $50.00 that I thought it might would be.....It was not even $75.00......

It was over a $100.00!!

I cannot even begin to explain how I felt inside.....
But what I can tell you is.... it wasn't good.

Crud.....what had I just done?  Of course, I was way too embarrassed to tell the clerk that the item was more than I had expected to pay and that I would need to put it back.

It wasn't that I didn't have the money.....I just knew in my heart that it was ridiculous for me to pay this kind of price for the item.  

I pulled out my wallet and paid CASH for the thing!  

Guilt??   oh yes!!

I felt tons of guilt......and the Holy Spirit was right there in me ~ trying to Direct me ~ BUT....I was gonna handle this on my own.

Pride stood in my way!


I am now.....the guilty feeling owner of this item and do you know what?  I feel uncomfortable each time I look at it.   

It wasn't worth the price!

There are several things to be learned from this situation...

1.  Materialistic things are just that....materialistic! Not Important!!
2.  Don't be so full of Pride
3.  Listen....when the Holy Spirit is directing you
4.  Admit your mistakes
5. Have Self-Control.

Hope you all have a Blessed day!
Shug...




Thursday, February 4, 2016

Barns and Fences





I enjoy FENCE day so very much.   Reason why.....because I am attracted to fences and of course Barns!  

I guess this makes me a True....Good ol'....Texan!

I took this picture of the roses that are in our backyard.....just a few days ago!   Hard to believe that it was January and that we had roses blooming.


All of my BFF's know how much I love old Barns.   You wouldn't believe how many Barn pictures I have!!   When I see a gorgeous OLD Barn.....with weathered sidings and a rusted old roof....It just speaks excitement to me!   Can you imagine the stories that an old barn could tell.....if it could speak!!  lol.



Last but not least.......take a look at this precious thang......hanging out in our backyard.   This is a piece of an Old peddle car that Sam has hanging on our back fence....The squirrels "Love" to hang out on it.    



It's such fun.....going out to explore new images for Fence day.

I'm joining "Good Fences" today....




Warm Texas Hugs....
shug....

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

          ~~   Don't you just love to pray when you're driving?  This may not be something that most of you do....but, I can sure tell you that Jesus takes the wheel for me all the time.



During my prayer time this morning....I found myself talking to God and trying to explain that the words just will not come from my mouth.   I was struggling to find the right words to pray!  

Have you ever had something that you have prayed about for so long.....and you NO longer know what to ask God for in regards to your specific prayer?

If it were me that I was praying for....I would be able to speak to God in detail for whatever it was that I needed prayer for.      BUT....when you are praying for another person...it is very difficult to understand what exactly it is that is causing them to be in the valley that they are in.

The human side of me does not understand when a LONG time prayer sees No answers, No change.  I have dissected this need into numerous different prayer request to God..... and I have  trusted God to answer my prayers. 

How could there possibly be anything else that I could ask God for on behalf of this person?  Believe me......I feel as if I have covered everything that I could possibly cover. I just must not be asking God for the right thing.

So.....in my prayers this morning.....I was trying so hard to communicate with God and to try to come up with some other request that would change the life of the one I was praying for.  

  I was almost to the point of frustration.....when finally, I just said: "Lord, I am at the end of my ropes in knowing what to Pray.   What is it that you need me to ask for?  What words am I not saying?"

I then just shut my prayer off.

Later this afternoon.....thoughts of this same person came to my mind again.     I tried to ignore the thoughts....but I had a heaviness upon me and I knew that I needed to come before God and try praying again.   Maybe this time it would be different since I was on my knees and not behind the wheel of my car.

You know what?  I didn't hear an audible voice from God telling me that He was going to answer a single one of my prayers....What I did hear, was God assuring me that HE has heard every single prayer (all 6,000) of them.

God also spoke to me that I need to Trust HIM.    God's timing is not my timing!



When I don't have the words to speak....I need only to Pray His Will.

I may never see answers to my prayers....but I do know that God's Grace and His Mercy are everlasting.


Shug



Monday, February 1, 2016

Tea Party.....

It was a "Birthday Tea".....and a sweet one at that.    When?  Yesterday....Sunday afternoon....from 2:00 till 4:00.



All Dressed up!!!


Such a fun day, as these young ladies dressed up in the party dress of their choosing!  It was the high heels that kept us laughing....  

They didn't quite have the walk in those heels conquered.   A few tumbles, but lots and lots of laughter....


Lots of special memories were made and this is one Birthday Party that Mylee Jo will never forget....

Have a Blessed day, Y'all.

Shug





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...