Update on Trey....   12/31/2021

So many people have been lifting Trey up in prayer and every single one of the prayers have been appreciated.  There is POWER in prayer and I am so thankful for all you prayer warriors.

Trey has a long ways to go, but Praise the Lord that he is alive and slowly recovering.  He had a couple of Doctor appointments this week and we now know a little bit more about his recovery time.  His orthopedic Doctor said he could not put any weight on his right leg for at least 3 to 4 weeks.  The Doctor ordered another MRI to rule out something else going on with his hip.  

The next day he saw the wound care Doctor.  The Doctor was not happy with the way the cut was looking and for this reason, Trey is going to have to have surgery to repair this leg and a couple of grafts to help correct the damage that has been done.  This should also help with the healing process.  

Hopefully he will be able to stand and see the Back Doctor within a month or two.  Right now, he is sleeping in a recliner and can only move (with help) to the wheel chair, where he can sit with his back brace on for about 30 min at a time.  

Please continue to pray for Trey.  We know the healing process is going to take several months, which means that Shanda is going to have to be off work during this time.  The great thing is, God is in control.   HE is in control of Trey's healing, of Shanda having to be off work, of physical needs, emotional needs and financial needs.  

Happy New Year's to each of you.   I'm ready for 2022!!

Shug

 It's Christmas week and I want to take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas.  

As you can see in my header photo, I have posted a picture of our youngest grandson.  Trey was in a bad car accident two weeks ago tonight.  He was thrown from the truck and a portion of the truck landed on top of him.  We are very Thankful that he is alive.  Thank you Lord.

I'm sure that those who are friends with me on Facebook, have been keeping up with his progress.  He is home, but is not able to stand.  He is in a lift chair and sleeps in a recliner.  We are super Thankful for NO head injury, however, he has multiple injuries in the rest of his body.

He has two messed up shoulders, broken ribs, had a dislocated hip which is now back in place, two fractures in his back, and a huge (over 60 stitches) cut on his leg.  

He is unable to stand, due to the hip, the cut and the fractures in his back.  Looking at possibly 8 weeks before he can stand.  Shanda has had her hands full, taking care of meds, blood thinner shots, and making sure Trey's pain level is controlled.   His dad and brother  have to help him move from the wheel chair to the potty chair and back to the recliner.    215 pounds is a little too much for our small Shanda to handle.  

So many people have been praying for him, and we have seen some improvement.  There is great Power in Prayer. I would just ask each of you to pray and to specifically pray for his back and his cut on the leg.  We are praying for healing of the back and NO infection in the leg.  

Needless to say, the month of December has gone by fast and my mind has been far from gifts and Christmas cooking.  It has taken all of us (his family) to keep things running smooth and to keep him comfortable.  

Trey has had a good attitude even with all the pain and trauma.  He is a great young 18 year old man.

I do hope each of you enjoy your families this Christmas Season and that your lives will be rich in God's love.

Shug.....

 

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving.   And to my blogging friends that do not live in the United States, Thank you for your Blessings.

We had the pleasure of having Thanksgiving lunch and dinner, at our daughter and son-in-laws home.  They have a beautiful house and there was PLENTY of room for all 22 of us that came that day.

Of course y'all can see SAM....way over in the kitchen waving at me.   

Trista already has her Christmas tree decorated, but that's just what we do.  Christmas trees go up before Thanksgiving. 

She still had some pumpkins and other Fall decorations mixed in, and everything was perfectly placed.   

This is one of my favorites......  Her outdoor tree that is sitting on her side porch.  The more lights, the better!!!

It has been a long time since we have had a cold Thanksgiving.  I wouldn't say it was Cold....but much cooler than our normal temps.  

A little blurry selfie with the tree and me!!

Always.....have to have a fire when it's Cool outside.  Honestly, who doesn't love a good ol' fire?? .....the kind where the smoke follows you around (no matter where you go)

Our Blessings are abundant and I am so very Thankful for each and every one of them.   

Are you a giver?  I think there are all types of givers and I do believe we all have some kind of giving spirit within us.  Some may not know that they have a giving spirit, but when there is a big need, very few people that I know would turn their back on giving to the need. 

I am a big giver.  I LOVE to give!  It's just that simple....I LOVE TO GIVE.  I'm certainly not patting myself on the back, cause there have been many times when I tend to give toooooo much, and I end up getting myself in trouble.   

I have even found myself asking God why ..... why is it so important for me to be a giver?  But....oh my goodness, never would I want the gift of a giving spirit to be taken away.  

Giving does not require money or anything expensive.  Giving can simply be reaching out to a person in need and giving them a moment of your time or a smile and perhaps saying a prayer with someone.  

The best part of being a giver is that YOU (me) are the ones that ends up being Blessed.  

Love to you all...

Shug.    

 Here I am almost 8 weeks out from when I lasted posted.  

This evening, I'm posting a few pictures from our "Friend" trip to Branson, Mo ...... back in October.  

There were 7 of us that left on a Wednesday at noon and traveled to Hot Springs, Arkansas.   We checked in to our hotel and then ventured out for dinner at "The Purple Monkey."   Our food was GREAT and the company was totally awesome!

The next day, we ate lunch at the "Skylark Cafe" in Leslie Arkansas.   Oh my goodness....the food was so yummy and the PIE was even better.   I had a blueberry cheesecake pie, but it was not your typical cheesecake.  It was BETTER!!

The first evening we were in Branson, Sam found him a lady!  Just look at the grin on his face!!

My friends......Susie and Marsha, as we waited over an hour to eat at an Italian restaurant.  Yes...over an hour.

just one of the beautiful waterfalls that we saw as we rode golf carts at "Top of the Rock."

It was the perfect day to be riding up and down hills while viewing a lot of gorgeous scenery.   This was very Peaceful.....

Me and my sweetheart.....riding the golf cart.

Other things we did.......   Ate, saw "Jesus" at the sight and sound theater, shopped, rode a zip line, went to the Amish store, ate at some great places, stayed at a hotel on the "Landing"........Watched the water and fire dance at the Landing, laughed and had a fabulous time.   

We also wore our shirts that we had made....."Old Friends are the Best Friends!"   

We had a fun time and are already looking forward to our next trip....

Shug 💗

 October is here and is almost gone!  I may have been missing in action, but I have several things to blog about.   First on my list is the TEXAS homecoming mums!!

This Funny picture is as true as ever.  Everything is BIG in Texas....including Homecoming mums!

I have posted about these things before, but if you missed that post, you need to know what this is all about..

As per the web......Homecoming mums are said to have appeared in Texas during the 1930's.  Originally, Fresh mums were used and then this tradition transitioned into using artificial mums and lots of glitter.  

I have made hundreds of these things in the past 20 years, and none of them are ever alike!

Homecoming mums range in cost any where from $35.00 upwards to $500.00 or so.

These mums are usually only worn the day of the Homecoming game.....a few girls wear them maybe the day before as well.   

Do you dare use the same Mum year after year???

NO!  Just not the thing to do!!!

Ribbons with the girls name (and usually her boyfriends's name) are most definitely on the mum, along with MANY trinkets and lots of cow bells.  

This year....the one that I made for Mylee had a feather boa, her volleyball #31, FFA, our mascot name (Bruno) since Mylee is the JH mascot, our school name, many Blue, gold, white and silver ribbons and about 8 cowbells.   Got to have that noise!!!

Looks like we have at least 4 more years of Homecoming and Homecoming Mums for Mylee Jo.  Hope I survive!!!

Big hugs

Shug.  

Blogs to come:   50th HS Class reunion

                          Branson trip with friends

            Pow Wow 2021

     New Dogs 

   Family 

                    Birthday Celebrations

 Is it August still?   My calendar shows that we are already in September, but I have no idea where all of these days have gone.  We are already 23 days in to September and it honestly feels like it should just now be the end of August. 

This is what happens when one is super busy working on projects, and busy enjoying family that you haven't seen in a year.   

We enjoyed 10 great days with our Air Force family during the first part of September.  Keelan (our 6 year old) and Emma (our 18 month old) have grown so much and it was awesome getting to hug on them every day.  Tyler and Emalee We enjoyed a few evenings, getting to visit with old friends.  We had a big family fish fry and the pool was still warm enough for the kids to swim everyday.  

I've been making Homecoming mums for Mylee as well as working on decorations for Mine and Sam's 50th High School Class Reunion.   Our Reunion is this coming Saturday evening and we are super excited to see OLD Classmates and friends.  I'll show the table decorations in my next post...

We are fixing (Texas slang word) to head out to a football game where Mylee Jo will be doing her BEAR mascot cheers.  I love watching her...    Tomorrow night, we will be at "Friday Night Lights" (HS football game) and this will be special because, it is HOMECOMING!!

Reunion Saturday night........and then, I am going to take next week OFF and do nothing!!!

Just a quick update on what is happening in East Texas...

Shug

 Seriously......how would you like to dine under the Lemons?  I truly think that I could totally be relaxed sitting here, while sipping on a nice glass of Southern Sweet Tea, with a slice of LEMON!!

                                    💛💛💛💛💛

Covid has been hitting really hard in our area and I know several people who are very ill.   Hope you all are staying safe!   Covid is NOT NICE!

                                   😡😡😡😡😡

Shug 💛

 I LOVE POPPIES....and these that I found in Colorado did not disappoint at all.   They were so delicate and beautiful.   

The Aspen trees were/are quite stunning as well.

~~~~~

Isn't it so exciting how nature reveals to us the wonderful creation and power of God?

His goodness feeds my soul!

Hugs to all.

Shug

 H E L L O!!!

Hey Blogging friends.....👋👋👋👋.  I know I have been missing in action and I have missed all of you very much.

I have had a super busy Summer.   Spent a few days in Jamaica during the month of May.  Our grandson and his bride had a beautiful wedding, at a gorgeous resort, in Jamaica.  

Mine and Sam's room just happened to be on the 3rd floor and there were NO ELEVATORS.  This was quite difficult, but I really wasn't sure why.   We eventually moved down to the first floor.   

I knew that I didn't feel great, but wasn't sure why.   Well, I found out a few weeks later.  I had a nuclear stress test done and guess what?  It came out great!!!!!!!!

However, a week later, my jaws were hurting and aching so bad.   So bad that I couldn't keep from crying.  Long story short...I called my doctor and he immediately sent me to my cardiologist.  While having a heart Cath, it was discovered that one of my main arteries was almost completely blocked and the back side of the blood flow, my artery was collapsed. 

The Dr. put a stent in and started me on a blood thinner.  He was very surprised that I had not already had a heart attack.  I am extremely thankful that I didn't and extremely thankful that I didn't have one in Jamaica!!!!   I strongly questioned how it was possible for the nuclear stress test to come out good.  Seems that in about 10 percent of people, these test do not show accurate results...   Wouldn't you know it, I am in the 10 percent!!

With my Doctor's permission, Sam and I, plus our youngest daughter (Shanda) her husband (Tom) and Mylee Jo, flew to Colorado.  We spent a week there, traveling from Denver to Colorado Springs and back to Denver.  We also went to Estes Park, Breckenridge and Boulder.  

We saw the most beautiful mountains and all of the scenery was more awesome than what I remembered from past visits.  We rode to the top of pikes peak on the cog train. (Gorgeous scenery) And we traveled many of the back roads.  We saw some elk, a moose and a big horned sheep.  I must add, the water falls and the rivers were amazingly beautiful.  

It has been a great summer despite just a few setbacks.

                          ~~~~~~~~~~

And now, for my Beautiful header picture.  This is Lucy and she belongs to Shanda.  

 

        Lucy has thoroughly enjoyed the pool this Summer!   I think she thinks she's human!!

Just a short story about Lucy.  Shanda and the family were looking for a Dachshund puppy, so they went to a local shelter to find one.   Sure they said.."we have a dachshund puppy."

They adopted Lucy......and a month later, they realized that Lucy was NOT a dachshund!!  This dog has grown and is now A Big dog!  Shanda had a DNA test done and turns out that Lucy is mostly a doberman.  She does have some lab and a small amount of beagle in her.  

So.....what all has been happening with the rest of you this Summer...??

Until Later...

Shug

 Well.... as you can see, I am still having problems with my header photo.  Why did blogger have to change?  I am not a huge fan of change, especially when it comes to any kind of technology.  

Oh well.....hopefully, I will be able to conquer this and move forward.  

Where has the summer gone?  It is already time for Trista and Shanda to go back into the classroom and I am not ready for them to do so.  I love the part of Summer when they have a break from teaching and when NO SCHOOL makes for a lot of fun.

I do have a lot to post, because I have been so absent from the Blog world, but this probably won't happen until school starts and I am here by myself again.  

Hope you all have a fabulous day!  Rejoice in the Lord!

Shug

 Happy Sunday Dear Friends.   

I'm not complaining......but just wanted to say that I have been working on my Blog for hours today!!!!   Not sure if any of the rest of you have had issues with the size of photo that appears in your header, but I have had many issues.  

I did the same thing that I have been doing for 11 years, and my header photo was only the size of a 3 X 3 photo.

I'm not even sure what I did to finally correct it, so guess what?  The picture that is up there now, of my front door star, may be there for the entire month of July.   

                                     * * * *

I have a couple of Prayer request.   My very dear friend, Marsha, begins radiation this week for breast cancer.   She is doing well from the Lumpectomy, but she now faces four weeks of radiation.   Please keep her in your prayers.    

And, I would covet your prayers for ME, as I am having a heart Cath done this coming Wednesday morning.  I am a little nervous, but I know God is in Control.

Thank you all for your prayers....in advance!

Part of our family is scheduled to fly out next Saturday to head to Denver, Co.   (My Heart Dr. said it would be fine for me to continue with my trip, as long as everything goes well on Wednesday)

Our youngest daughter (Shanda) and her husband, along with Mylee Jo, are going with us.   Mylee has never flown before, so this should be a great experience.   And, she has never seen Mountains before.   She is going to love this trip!!!!

More to come before Wednesday.....

Hugs, 

Shug 💛

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Father's out there!  My dad is in Heaven and he is so missed.   Today, I celebrate all of the wonderful memories I have of him.  I also celebrate my Husband (Sam) who is the BEST dad to our girls, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren.  

I also celebrate my Father-in-law.  He is such a kind, gentle man!

                             ~~~

Sam and I celebrated our 49th Anniversary this past week.  We had dinner at Kiepersol Winery, and the meal was absolutely wonderful.  I even tried Oysters for the very first time.  

I still can not taste or smell, so I honestly have no idea how they tasted.  

This Bread Pudding was "Over the Moon" good (I think)...  The only thing that I can halfway taste are sweets!!  Isn't that weird? This dessert had a rich caramel sauce with pecans.   Just doesn't get any better than this.  

Yesterday, Sam fried fish, hushpuppies, fries and we had all the works to make for a delicious meal.  The kids were in the pool most of the afternoon.  It is so neat watching them all play games and having a great time!  

This is what is happening in our yard...  The hibiscus are in full bloom and they are quite stunning....

This is my prayer for today.   Not only for myself, but for others as well.  

Shug....

  

All is quiet here this morning.   Sam is on the lake fishing with his brother and Bella (our dog) is snoring in her little bed.  The TV is on....but the volume is on 12!   Most of the time, when Sam or the kids are here, the TV is blaring on at least a volume of 40.   WAY TOO LOUD for me.

Just a quiet Saturday morning here!  It feels great to just sit here and feel such Peace!

"It isn't enough to talk about peace.  One must believe in it.  And it isn't enough to believe in it.  One must work for it."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Enjoy this beautiful weekend...

Shug....

 One of my very favorite scriptures.   Isn't it great to know that the Lord will fight for you....You need only to be still.... 

I am still here....  Just been super busy!  We have had so many family things going on lately.   The month of May was full of events, and so is June.  

We had a Wedding!!!   Yes, Tucker and Emily were married on May 25th.   We traveled to Jamaica!!!  Such a beautiful wedding view!

Our youngest grandson (Trey) graduated High School just 3 days after our return from Jamaica....

This young man is truly Awesome!  I would say this even if he were not our grandson.   Trey is so Kind-hearted and has such great values!!   He is also a very HARD worker and is so dedicated to whatever he is doing.   

                                         ~~~

Our great granddaughter (Emersyn Kate) turned ONE on the 19th of May...   Oh my goodness... she is such a cutie!!!

AND...my baby girl, who is now 44 had a Birthday on June 6th.

We had a big swimming party with lots of food and of course cake.   Well...not really cake!  Shanda wanted brownies topped with cookies and cream ice cream and then topped with real whipping cream!   

All of this has been so fun and exciting.......  

The only other event, is SOMEONE backed into my car at the post office last week.  Dented the rear right side.  Now, I have to take my car to Dallas to be worked on and drive a rent car until the repairs are finished.  Dealing with Insurance companies and rental places is not my cup of tea!!   

Hope you all are having a super great start to our Summer months....    

Hugs,

Shug

 Many times, on our social media pages, we have a tendency to make our post look as if we live an almost perfect life.   Sometimes it can become a little depressing when you read what others post, and something in the back of your mind, causes you to think...."Gosh, I sure wish my life was that good!"

I'm pretty sure that most of you know exactly what I'm talking about.  It is easy to complain and say "God, why haven't you given me the things I want?"  "Why don't you do for me like you do for others?"

I am so thankful for every Blessing the Lord gives me.  I am so thankful that He has given me the ability to Trust in HIM.  He grants me Peace in my soul to be satisfied and He watches over me when I do stumble on thoughts of needing worldly things.   God simply has a way of getting my attention when I allow my thoughts to go into the self-pity PIT!

I really do like social media, because it allows me the opportunity to keep up with friends and I enjoy learning about growing plants, gathering new recipes, praying for others or with them.  There is so much good that can be done through our social media pages, but I truly pray that I never post things that would cause anyone to feel bad or to question God about their own Blessings.   

I just felt the need to post this today....I don't have any idea why this has been on my mind, but it has been and I thought I would share!

Shug....

Everyday, surround yourself with Beauty!!

I know that for me, I have been so encouraged by the beauty of all the gorgeous flowers I have planted this year!  I have been able to find great contentment just sitting on my back porch, in the rocking chair, and glancing around our backyard.

 

Even the metal bugs in my yard, make me smile!!

This cutie adds so much to this little area.........

The truth is:   There is beauty all around us!  We only need to look deep and appreciate the Blessings that are before us. 

Shug....

 Is this not the cutest?  Our pool was completed last October, so this is the first year for us to really be able to enjoy the pool.   

We were so surprised when I walked out and saw this baby duck swimming in the pool.  The little thing was having himself a wonderful time.....swimming and diving down.

We determined it was a Wood Duck.  Not sure where the little fellow came from, but he was sure having himself a great time.

After catching him with the net, we let him go out in the field.  Surely momma duck found her baby.  This is what I'm going to believe...

Happy Mother's Day Friends..

Shug!  

The Best Wrap

Today has been such a great day.........Nothing big going on, just a good ol' work day.   I've been working out in the flower beds!!  

My header picture is a "Wrap" that I happened to see on one of the electrical boxes in town!  The city of Tyler has wrapped all of the electrical boxes in all kinds of different pictures!  They really dress up the old metal boxes and it makes the city look great!! 

What I like about this particular one, is the positive writings on it.   'Create Positivity". " Be Kind". "Pay it Forward"

"Love Others". "Make Someone's Day Special". "We rise by lifting others."  "Have Compassion"

These are all things that we can all do.....everyday!!

Such a great Wrap!!

Shug.

We Have A Bear

 We have a Bear!!!

Cheer and Mascot tryouts is a big thing in Texas.....and last week was the big day for Jr. High tryouts at our school.

Mylee enjoyed being a mascot last year, so she decided to try out again for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.

So....we have a BEAR!!!   

I'm super proud of MJ.....she worked very hard on her routine and all her props!  She also arranged multiple songs  together in order to make her musical tape.  She created her own moves and her performance was so good!!!

She used a Hawaiian theme, complete with totem poles, 

a beach background, Flamingos, Palm trees, surf board and even a huge (made out of a box) bottle of suntan lotion.  

I would say this was great thinking from a 13 year old.

Congratulations Mylee.....!!!

MJ, Sassy, Mylee Jo........(Just a few of her names) is a super busy young lady.  Not only is she an Honor Student, but she is very active as a student counsel member as well as MANY Sports. 

Love you Sassy and we are so proud of you!

Shug.....

 Once again....we have had a cool weekend.  It rained here on Thursday and Friday of this past week, and there was little to NO sunshine on Saturday.  Today, the sun has made it's appearance even though we have a lot of clouds in the sky.

Sam and I were going to go see the Bluebonnets yesterday, but with such cloudy weather, we decided to stay around here and visit a couple of flower nurseries to pick up a few plants that I have been looking for to plant in my flowerbeds.

This is actually a hanging basket....

A few coleus and some fountain grass...

also, some mystic blue salvia.

Mexican heather, hydrangeas, and some flowering moss.

And of course, in the Texas heat.....you always need a few lantana plants.

I sure have a lot of work ahead of me this next week!!

Shug 🌷

Online Ordering

Who shops online??  Me, me, me!  With the "pandemic" last year, I think a lot of people were shopping online.  

My neighbor asked me a couple of weeks ago if I owned stock in UPS and FEDEX.....she noticed that they deliver to my house almost every day.  The truth is, they do stop here at least 3 or 4 times a week.   Not just for me, but for all of our family.  

My address is convenient for the girls to pick up their packages here, and they stop by the house each day after school anyways.  I'm guessing the delivery guys really don't mind, since I leave them snacks and drinks. 

This front porch has had LOTS of deliveries over the past year...

Who doesn't love to get good advice?  I certainly do!!   

My advice for you today is to be very careful when you order online.  I never have any issues with Amazon, Dillards, Macy's, and other big stores.  And....I have never had a problem with other places until a couple of weeks ago.   

I found some really cute shops online that carry some adorable tops....↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

Like the one above.....↑↑↑↑↑↑↑

I thought this would be a perfect top for me to wear in Jamaica.    However, I Did NOT check the reviews or whether it could possibly be a scam sight.   😓😓

After I had already made the purchase of $77.00, I went back and read some of the reviews and needless to say, they were not the BEST.  One review said they paid for an order and only received one top.  Never received the other two that she had ordered.  

Just so happens that I received an email from this same company that said ONE of my tops was shipping but that the others would ship at a later (unknown) date.  

I FEEL SCAMMED....already!!

Hopefully...I will receive my complete order....

However:  My advice is that if you order online, ALWAYS check the reviews and the scam alerts.  

Wishing everyone a beautiful sunshiny day..

Shug 💮

To Fish or Not to Fish

This past weekend, Sam took his boat out to the lake to make sure everything was running properly.  He had it Winterized back in October and then had it all checked out for this Spring Season, about three weeks ago.  

The ultimate question would be....is the boat all ready for him to be able to fish, or would it need to go back to have some things tweaked with the motor?

I helped him get the boat in the lake and needless to say, it did not work!!  At this point it was a "Not to Fish" kind of day.  

After a short time, he got it loaded up and he took it back to have repairs made.  ONLY....to find out that it really was in perfect running condition....IF, if the proper button was pushed.  

Yep...there is a certain button that has to be pushed after being Winterized and he had forgotten about it.  

The Boat is Now completely ready TO FISH!!!!

He doesn't know it, but I've already got the greatest catch...."Him"

Shug...🎣