Celebrating April!

April is a busy month for our family!

Three Birthday's

Easter

Spring

Easter came very early this year but we had a lovely day.  Church with the family.

Tiger, Scout, Sara and Blake

Tiger had been asking for a new shirt, tie and vest.  He looks so grown up.  New yellow dress for Scout!

Easter dinner that afternoon, but first Easter Baskets from Grammie!

Tiger is very into Harry Potter as he and his Mom have been reading the books together.  So he got some Harry Potter glasses and a wand in his basket.  The family got a movie and popcorn.  Scout got a pink bunny and cute pretend food for her kitchen. 

Oh and bubbles for Scout, she loves bubbles!  They loved their baskets.

Dinner next door at BB's!

April 3rd is Blake's birthday so we celebrated that day also.  

April 7th was Tiger's 7th birthday!

He had a party with some friends and it was wild, crazy and fun!

Pizza then CAKE!!

He was so happy!

Gifts!  Mom and Dad got him a new bike.  He has gotten so tall and outgrown his old bike! 

Who couldn't wait to climb on it?
Scout!! 

Next we have Scout's Birthday!
She turned 3!
We went low key with a trip to

Chick-fil-a!  They have a playground.
I got Scout a basket filled with all sorts of goodies with a Mermaid theme. Towels, book, Mermaid doll...she loved it all!!

Give that girl an ice cream cone with sprinkles and she is happy! 
She had cake at home later but this Grammie had gone home already.

It has been a good month.  My cousin Joletta has been here for a visit and will fly home to Houston on Tue.  Mom had the second surgery for her cataracts and it is going well (all those drops drive us crazy but we do it of course).

I'm doing pretty well and that is always a good thing! 
So that my friends has been April.

Wishing you Joy,

Linda

Healing!

Thank you for all your well wishes and prayers for my surgery.  It went well and now to heal up and get on with life.

Right before surgery selfie! I think I had some sleepy drugs onboard already!

  The Surgeon did find 3 hernias instead of just one and told Sara that 2 of them were caused by my gallbladder surgery 18 months ago.  I am hearing it is a possible complication from laparoscopic surgery.  I'm wearing a lovely 'binder' to keep that from happening again I hope.  The healing will take 6-8 weeks.

I pulled out my collection of white pottery and I'm enjoying it in the cubbies and in the bookshelf.

I have a few other white pieces that are on other shelves but I forgot to take a photo.  Whoops! 

I pulled out the blue glass and sheep for the other cubbie.  I see some of this leaving my possession soon.  I am still in downsize mode.

In some very sad news, my Mom's cat Sam crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  

He was 17 and had been sick but hanging in there until the Friday morning of my pre-op. Mom called and said we had to take him now.  Our wonderful Vet helped us take the next steps and we are thankful for her compassion and kindness.

We all miss him.  Mom most of all.  

One of my favorite photos.  

Tiger said he was being a cat and hanging out with Sam. 

 We miss you old boy! 

So it's been a hard couple of weeks here at A La Carte.  My daughter Sara has taken great care of me!  My Mom has been cooking and checking on me several times a day.  I'm still in some 'pain' and a bit of discomfort but it gets better everyday.  The worst part is not being able to do much.  Lots of watching TV and trying to read (it's been putting me to sleep though).  I'm taking it easy like I'm suppose to and letting the healing happen!

Wishing you all JOY,

Linda 

December 23rd!

I hope everyone is ready for Christmas! Any last minute shoppers out there!

I think I'm done shopping but haven't even started wrapping yet. But first I thought I would share a little more of my Christmas decorations this year.

I don't have a lot of Santa's but my good friend Patsy was selling these at our church rummage sale and this one just had to come home with me!

He is watching over my 'Night Before Christmas in Paris' book!

We don't do Elf on a Shelf but I found this one at a thrift shop and he is happy to live with me and watch over the bills instead of naughty or nice children!

Here is the kitchen tree hung with all sorts of cookies and baking goodies!

Do you see the fortune cookie?

I do love my Maileg pixies!

This year my Mom and I are giving each other Ancestry DNA kits.  It will be fun to see what they show.  I've been feeling my roots lately.

So Norwegian Helga has been reading to the brother & sister mice a nice French Christmas book!(it will be fun to see how much Norwegian and French blood I do have) 

Christmas pillows on the couch!

The Christmas tree is hard to photograph but it's been so much fun this year.  Vintage, new, handmade, bought, memory and souvenir ornaments adorn it!

I'm so blessed that my wonderful friend Donna@ Distressed Donna Down Home dyes the most amazing little trees each year.  This year some of them came out Flamingo Pink and she gifted me some in various sizes!  I just love them!!

Annie is enjoying all the ornaments but is careful with them.

But one of my favorite decorations is

Scout in her pink Santa hat with a big bow!!  She is so excited this year about Christmas! 

December 23rd is a special day.

11 years ago my daughter married the love of her life Blake!

I love them both so much!

Two years ago on Dec 23rd my brother reached the end of his life.  

I miss him and my Dad so much!

I'll be spending Christmas morning with Sara, Blake, Tiger and Scout!  Mom will join us for dinner along with Ashleigh!  She is flying in very late Christmas Eve and I can't wait to hug my girl.  Sara and Ashleigh's Dad will also be joining us Christmas night as he travels from Minn. with stories of snow for the Grands!  It promises to be a loud love filled day! 

Merry Christmas and as always...

I wish you JOY!

Linda

Give Thanks & Health Update

Another busy month! 

November is always a month that reminds me to count my blessings!

I tweaked my cubbies to reflect Thanksgiving.  Soon it will be all red and green and Christmas!

Replaced the ghosts with fall flowers!

I found this sweet bowl for Annie at the thrift shop.  She likes pretty things!

Scored this sweet pink planter half price at an Antique Mall

I could not pass on this adorable Paris souvenir salt & pepper set

I finally took this photo of the wonderful fun gifts my friend Donna @ Distressed Donna Down Home gave me.  We met in Madison, Ga for some fun shopping, great lunch and lots of laughs!  Donna finds the best things and she shares! 

Mom and I are about to head to Texas for a family reunion on my Mom's side. Her brother, sisters, cousins and more cousins.  It will be a great trip.  We will stay at a condo on Padre Island so I will have the beach to walk and shells to find.  I'm really looking forward to some downtime, family time and lots of great food at Thanksgiving!  We will also visit some family members in Houston who won't make the reunion.

My latest tests had good results.  No masses found.  Everything looked good but the paraesophageal hernia will still need to be reviewed by a surgeon.  I saw a new Dr (Gastroenterology) and he was great!  He had reviewed all my tests and history and said that I might have spasms of the stomach and/or intestines.  I have a prescription for an antispasmodic that I will take with me to Texas.  I am also scheduled for a Endoscopy to check my stomach for an ulcer.  So the tests continue, but all the really BAD things have been ruled out.  Whew!

I am feeling better and will continue to watch what I eat and how much.  I am feeling more positive about everything.

And finally

I am so thankful for all of you!

Wishing you all the most wonderful Thanksgiving

Linda  

HELLO!!! Anyone There?

I hope I haven't lost all of you with my lack of posts.  I didn't mean to take such a long break, but with hurricanes, a death in the family and trying to get back to normal here it is almost a month since I blogged.

I did spend some quality time with Ashleigh and it was so good to see her. The circumstances weren't the best. Still we were able to come together as a family and share our love for an amazing woman.  

So I cancelled my trip to Calif and lost big bucks on the plane ticket (grr) but I do have a credit to use up within the year.  So I'll plan a trip in the Spring maybe?  Ashleigh is home and back to work and life is moving forward.

Hurricane Irma dropped tons of rain and wind on us here in GA.  Sara and family had a tree come down and lost power for a week.  They stayed with me for meals, baths and some nights.  It was crazy and I forgot how noisy it is with two kids, 3 adults and a crazy cat in a small 2 bedroom duplex!  The kids were out of school for 3 days and Tiger had some fun!

He played chief hurricane inspector! 

This child has such an imagination! 

During all this time I didn't touch a paint brush but the other day looking out my window I saw this tree in our yard starting to turn colors and losing it's leaves.  I painted it and really I am happy with how it turned out.

I've much to share with you. A couple of junking adventures, keepsakes from family and more watercolors.  So I hope you are still with me! I promise to post again soon!

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

So Much Sadness!

I haven't blogged much this month.  It has been filled with too much anger and sadness for me.

The events in Charlottesville sent me to my knees.  So much hate and racism.  I thought we were better then that but it seems we aren't.  A president that encourages it.  I just can't!

A couple of fun things!

I know this is blurry but Annie and Moe (the buck) had a stare down, then Moe proceeded to

Eat bird seed. These deer make me smile!

Mom and I watched our 99% eclipse and really enjoyed it.  

Then a storm named Harvey entered the picture.  I have family in Corpus Christi and Houston.  So far all are fine but some flooding and it's not over yet. So much destruction and loss of life.  I have prayed and continue to pray for all in the path of this storm. 

Then we got very sad news.  

My beloved Mama Rentz passed away.

She is my children's paternal Grandma and so so loved.  She had a great life and at 93 was ready she said many times but we weren't and aren't. 

So much love! 

Ashleigh has flown in from Calif and we will be driving down to So. Georgia today.  Sara and family will drive down tonight.  The funeral will be tomorrow.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.  This is a very hard goodbye for all of us.  

Here is the link to her obituary in case you are interested.  

I haven't been as faithful about reading and commenting on your blogs lately.  I hope that September brings more peace for all and a return to some normalcy! 

Wishing you JOY,

Linda