This, that and the other thing

This

Way back in March we hosted a "smoked butt' fundraiser at our home for a charity that supplies veterans with beach wheel chairs.....getting them back to the beach. Our family will put our 'butts in a smoker' if it helps someone.
We raised enough for two chairs and they had the second dedication recently. (We were not available for the first dedication) It was a great day with old friends near and far and new friends from near and far.

This soldier was a very humble man who clearly didn't want the fan-fare, but did it for the rest of us. He's not been to the beach in almost 20 years and is so looking forward to this new freedom; it's much deserved. The Coach is here thanking him for his service and getting to know him a bit better.





That

These two. Callie and Cocoa. If you remember Callie was a 'cow dog' who lived her first 8.5 years herding cows and living in a dog pen outside with other dogs and horses. She's settled in nicely here....so much so, that she sometimes forgets that she's not the ONLY dog. Kind of a bully to Cocoa for the most part, but here they let their issues go and took a nap. We have a large home, but they love those few inches between the couch and coffee table.

The Other Thing

For Christmas this year the Coach gave me perhaps the best present ever....aside from his undying devotion and the girlies. He gifted me with flower delivery every two weeks for a year direct from the farm. No wasted vases, no florist middle men.
It's been so much fun to see what shows up; I've loved them all. Sometimes I remember to take pictures. Sometimes I don't. I'm a heathen.

Have a bee-u-tiful weekend and take a moment to smell the flowers. Well, not mine.
Boundaries people. Boundaries.

XOXO

#24

Today is our Lolo's birthday.
She's the girl that made me a mama.
Well, actually the Coach made me a mama, but ya'll knew that. Right?

We're so proud of her....she is an amazing young woman who is stronger physically and mentally than most 40 year olds I know. I'm astonished by the challenges that she continually takes on AND with grace.

Her future is so bright that we should all don some shades today in her honor.

 This is the day that she took her official oath.



How can this pretty face intimidate anyone? I'm told it does.....

Some fun facts while I can still recall them.

Lolo was a really active toddler. REALLY active. She never stopped moving. At one point I said: "she is going to be an only child because I can't do this twice".  And a few weeks later I was preggers with little sister Linds. God had other plans. (fyi, Linds was a very calm and chill baby/toddler, thank you Baby Jesus!)

She was obsessed with (Disney's) Goofy as a little girl. I would catch her in her room dancing and playing with Goofy all the time. I was a little frightened, but she grew out of it.
I think.

When she was around 9 years old she wanted to be and umpire when she grew up. Must've been all the time she spent on the softball field and wanted to have the 'power' herself.

I swore as a young girl that she'd grow up and be an attorney; she questioned everything and then had an argument for OR against whatever it was I brought up.

As a toddler she had some OCD issues. Pulling her hair out. Chewing up sweaters. Her socks were never straight enough on the toe area. It was challenging for us all. But look at her now....her hair is lovely and she wears combat boots with socks daily!

HAPPY 24 my sweet Lolo! Mama loves you.
XOXO

The Baby Book

My Mother was a very special kind of Mom.

She was the kind that loved us immensely, but also thought we could figure things out ourselves. (the opposite of today's helicopter parenting ways)

She was the kind that worked a lot after my parents divorced.

She was the kind that laughed a lot and also the kind that yelled a lot when her kids were slobs. And we were. 

She was also the kind that filled out every page of the baby book given to her when her kids were born.

Wait. WHAT?

I meant to say.....

She was the kind that filled out every page of the baby book given to her when her FIRST child was born.

Apparently she hadn't quite gotten to the point where she could fill out my book.

 

 Here is the first of many pages filled out  in Mark's book.

Here is a family tree for Mark. 

Here is Suzanne's first page of vital information. 

Here is a family tree for Suzanne to cherish for the rest of her life.

*snicker snicker*

Actually when I found this completely blank book after she'd passed away in 2015, I had a really good laugh.

The fact that she'd kept the book for 48 years was astonishing.

And I know for sure, she was laughing with me. 

I mean, I know that she was busy for those entire 48 years.....it's not like she wasn't gonna ever get to it. 

Right? 

I was pretty excited to see that I did get mentioned though.....in Mark's book for his Fifth Christmas. 

In case you're wondering "new sister" is Suzanne. BTW, I wasn't THAT new...I was 3 months old andI did have a name. 

Gosh I wish she were here when I found this.....we could've laughed about this one forever.

I miss you Bev!