HAPPY HALLOWEEN

WISHING EVERYONE THE VERY BEST

AND SAFE HALLOWEEN.

WHEN I AM SURE MOST LITTLE CHILDREN

AT MRS. JOHNETTE'S SCHOOL

SMILED ON THEIR SCHOOL FIELD TRIP

PICTURES, OUR BEAN HAS ANOTHER IDEA.

IT IS THE ONE THAT GETS SENT HOME

IN HER SCHOOL FOLDER, IT IS THE

VERY BEST FOR BEAN.

SHE TRULY IS ONE OF A KIND

AND WE ARE ALL SO VERY HAPPY THAT

SHE IS OURS!

MYSELF AND BARNES AND NOBLE

Myself and Barnes and Noble,

a good combination and at the same time,

not a good one. 

I loose time when I enter there.

Like a library, there is no better place I love than

to be surrounded by books, books, books

and other people who love books.

I swear, I went in there for one simple gift card

and the next time I looked at the time,

3 hours had passed!

My favorite place to hang is those gem of books

I find on the bargain shelves.

Monday I come across this most awesome little book,

LIVE AND LEARN AND PASS IT ON

by: Jackson Brown

I don't know if you can actually call this a book

by one author as what he did was began

to ask people of all ages the question,

What have you learned so far in life?

He has compiled all the answers in this sweet little book,

no names follow their answers, only their age.

Amazing how the age of the person answering the 

question becomes as important as the actual answer.

I am in love, swooning over the whole entire book.

It costed only 6 dollars and think I have to buy 

a few more copies for gifts.

As for mine, it is highlighted all over,

ear tabbed, marked, 

In the next few posts, want to share some of these wonderful 

sentences. Today:

I'VE LEARNED THAT REGARDLESS OF YOUR

RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR PARENTS, YOU

WILL MISS THEM TERRIBLY AFTER THEY ARE GONE

     age 53

I'VE LEARNED THAT IF YOUR CHILDREN FEEL

SAFE, WANTED AND LOVED, YOU ARE 

A SUCCESSFUL PARENT.

age 39

I'VE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN'T HIDE

A PIECE OF BROCCOLI IN A GLASS OF MILK

age 7

See what I mean? How the ages become so important

in the sentence?

More later as I now go get ready to have a school lunch with 

my favorite little name sake...

the pride of grown children

Our job as parents,

HOBL and I,  was not to coddle them

but to teach them how to care for themselves,

how to give them wings, to be independent.

Then they grow into adults and I beam with pride.

I am so glad we are able to see them as adults

and to now be able to share adult things with them.

Gypsy has always made me proud and

I have written about it here before, how

she is one who has never suffered from low self esteem

and in a new relationship, working at a new

job and making me so proud.

Such is also the case right now with Baby Boy.

Not only is he about to become a Daddy again

but ground has broken on the new home that

he and Kd have designed.

He and I met there this afternoon, just he and I,

and he walked me through the plan.

He is a grown up and yet I am thrust back into a 

period of time when I was the Momma, he the young son

and he was eager to show a new accomplishment to me.

He is calm and yet, i hear it, the remote pride in his

voice. I too am beaming, what a man he has become,

to be 28 years old and he, along with is beautiful wife,

building their own home.

He is a "hands on" daddy and I am so so proud.

I know I have had a hand in the two adults who

now stand before me and sometimes I just could cry

as to just how proud I am of the both of them.

I can die tonight and know that my life, my calling

I have done very well.

Of course, I don't plan on going anywhere tonight,

I mean we have another pookie to have fun with!

THE NOTICER

My newest pal, Becky M.  has also turned

me on to a new author by the name of Andy Andrews.

As I said, she and I are like kindred souls, loving the

same type of things. She just knew I would appreciate these books.

She and her "Pappa" were lucky enough to go and hear the author speak

and bought me signed copies of two of his books.

It was my excuse to invite myself to her home,

to get my books.

Now, I have about 12 books waiting to be read

as well as about three that I am reading at the same time.

When bringing these books home though I want to begin to 

read them right away, they have been calling to me.

They are books that you just cannot read through fast

as there are too many lessons to be learned as you read.

THE NOTICER

is the one I have began and already,  although on only page 15

there are things I want to underline all over the pages.

I just can't write on a collection book but I want to!

"NOW THEN, YOU ARE HAVING MARITIAL PROBLEMS.

'HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLE KNOW THAT?

'EVERYONE KNOWS IT."

...THE HANSONS LOOKED STRICKEN.

"EVERYONE?"

JONES SMILED GENTLY.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE MARRIED."

HE SAID..

"WHEN YOU ARE MARRIED, THOSE ARE THE PROBLEMS

YOU HAVE."

NEITHER JAN NOR BARRY KNEW WHAT TO SAY.

..."YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL PEOPLE-

ALL LIVES-ARE EITHER IN A CRISIS,

COMING OUT OF A CRISIS, OR HEADED FOR

A CRISIS...

MARRIAGE IS AN EXTENSION...

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THINGS ARE

NOT AS BAD AS THEY SEEM"

These words are those of THE NOTICER who is the main

character in this awesome book.

Isn't that paragraph so true?

It hit me like a "ton of bricke" because we are all in this

life one of those three things, 

in,  coming out or heading into a crisis.

A thought provoking book having me think hard

about things in my own life.

These books are just another way that Becky M. 

and I are bound to be friends for a very long time.

Looking for a good read?

THE NOTICER BY ANDY ANDREWS

Thanks again, dear Becky and "Pappa"

ANOTHER WEDDING!!

Yesterday, the beautiful ring, the beautiful couple. 

 Kris and gypsy baby

 halloween a few years ago

(two mommy's with their two babies)

MY sis, C and her hubster, Ted

have two sweet and grown sons.

So much alike and yet so much different....

Arthur is marrying Amanda in a few short weeks

and we all were wondering, when Kris, the younger son

would pop the question to his long standing and 

wonderful girlfriend, Kaylee.

We have all speculated and some of us also thought

he would beat his brother to the altar.

Kris, though, he is the sweet soul type.

He may have wanted to ask Kaylee to share

their life together before his brother and many times since.

In true Kris fashion he would not have done that

so as not to take away the limelight from his brother

and his soon to be sis in law.

Then, yesterday, he had already made plans to

take Kaylee's two very best friends ring shopping.

Yes, you heard it right, he and her two best friends.

He knew no one would be able to pick out her

beautiful ring better than her two besties.

We learn later that he, having asked her father

for her hand,  also planned for her Mom to take her for the day.

from what I hear, when she and her mom returned 

from shopping he was in a suit. with a ring. 

on the knee.

This is our romantic Kris.

We. his family who have known and loved him

from the first day he became ours knows 

just how lucky Kaylee is.

Kris, however, is also not lacking on the winning

factor. Kaylee is a gem and will be nothing but a wonderful

companion and the best Mommy to any children they are blessed with.

Both are from parents whose marriages have withstood the 

test of time and because of that, they know it is what they

also want.

Kaylee has an old soul and everyone wants her as a maid of honor

because of all the love and care she gives to the bride 

and the occasion. I sure hope all those, remember that

and spoil her to the hilt as no one deserves it more.

Now, for me to speak of my dear, dear Kris.

He and gypsy, being only 8 months apart they

not only were each others first friends,

but also were best friends and inseparable while growing up.

To the point that some believed they were siblings instead 

of cousins. They were only happy when each weekend was

spent together. I am close to al my nieces and nephews,

but the relationship with Kris was somewhat different

as he did feel like a third child to me in many ways.

Always a sweet child, he grew up as a very responsible young man

but not so grown up that he forgot how to play like a child.

He and Kaylee are always having some type of fun together.

I am blessed to be his Auntie Lil.

Now to officially become Kaylee's auntie also is making me

smile big, big!

Another wedding in the family and then hoping for my sis,

many little "sugar babies"

in their future.

Love you both, my surrogate son, Kris

and his soon to be beautiful bride, Kaylee.

Sister, C and her new daughter in law to be