Enjoy the Easter Holiday with kids and grands.

Such a beautiful day on Easter Sunday.

Good food and loved ones.

Finally the Weeping cherry budding out.

 Papaw, grandson and son-in-law.

Haven't seen much of the sweet boy since he started college.

 Five out of our ten grands were here. They are all in college. Busy, busy, busy.  

Notice, no flowers yet.

Just too early to safely put any out. Maybe some pansies  tomorrow.

Sweet Abby with flowers.

My dear, only brother with his sweet Linda.

They are always fun.

I am so grateful for the beautiful day we had to enjoy our family.

It is late as I write this and it is storming big time.

So grateful for today.

Joining up with Grandma's Briefs

here

FSO-theme-Street fairs

Our biggest outdoor community festivity is in the fall.

Decorating contests are held.

Street Art called Via Color done with chalk takes place on one complete street in the middle of the area.

Handmade arts and crafts are shown and sold.

There is all kinds of food.
street dancing and always a wonderful time.


Go here to see more FSO

FSO-theme- Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions in our family.

I know it said Our Town Traditions but I would rather tell about our family traditions.

Christmas Eve Mass at Holy Trinity 2013.

Cocktail party at  SIL and daughter's home after
Mass with friends and both sides of their family.
Been doing this for many years.

Just as soon as the first bow is off a package one of the grands puts it on QMM's head.
They have been doing that for years.
Sometimes I end up with 4 or 5 bows on my head.

After everyone has their fill of Country ham, hash brown casserole, Papaw's green beans, 
sweet potato casserole, sauted mushrooms by 
John, cranberry salad, rolls, homemade candy by Wendy everyone settles down for a game called "The Game."

All who are going to play bring a gift.
Each player is given a number. We had 11 players. #1 picks a gift from the pile, #2 may either take #1'S gift or pick one from the pile.#3 does the same and on and on.

Son John, got a lovely gray scarf.

He tried many ways to make it work for him
but

he didn't get to wear it long since sister Julia
took his gift when it was her turn.
She just laughed and laughed and we all laughed
til we cried.

We knew John  wanted that lovely scarf for his lovely wife Wendy.

John Ended up taking someone else's gift which 
suited him just fine.
A wireless grill thermometer.

John is quite the comedian.
We laughed til we are all crying, with tears running down our cheeks.

Grand Nikki was very happy with her
Duck Dynasty Lunch Cooler with a flash light in it but it was very popular and someone had eyes on it and she knew she would not have it long.

Who?

Her mother, Jennifer struck.
So Nikki got to choose again.

Nikki then took someone's solar candles.

Now since Nikki was #1 she did not get to choose from an opened gift, so after everyone else had selected, #1 gets to choose any of the already opened gifts.
No she did not take the lunch box back.

Since she will soon have a new apartment she took her sister Cindy's bath spray bottle and shower mat.

In the area of decorating with traditional things I always feature my mother's pewter tea pot with greenery and berries.

My mom won this when she was 15 years old in 1928. That was 85 years ago.
I have had it for almost 30 years.
It is priceless to me.

What a fun and blessed time our family has had this Christmas season.

Go here to share more family traditions.

A big booboo

We had our family fish fry on the lake Saturday.

Some were not there that have been there in the past and some new faces showed up.

Princess Holly doing some corn shucking.

Papaw holding court with all his funny tales.

And the cousins catching up with the new college going grands.

After all the loving folks that are there the favorite thing is the food and the wonderful fish brother Joe just keeps putting out.

Granddaughter Cindy with her cute baby bump,
down front left.

And my big boo boo, I forgot to take our annual picture of us all on the front steps.

 Just putting last year's photo on for old times sake.


Nothing beats family, food and fun.


Go here for more grand socializing.

Friday Shoot Out-theme-warmth

Friday Shoot Out

Theme

Warmth..

...of food

 ...of an afghan made for a grandson

 ...of a hug of mother and daughter

 

 ...of the sun on a chilly day

...of the sun on the flower

I am so grateful that I live in my world of

warmth.

Go here for sharing the warmth on FSO

Also linking up with
June Photo for the day
here
June 7th. theme-bright

 

Check out this blog, a lot of fun things to do.

Mosaic Monday after Easter Sunday

Mosaic Monday

Beautiful Easter Mass, lovely weather, loving family, good food and fun outdoors make for a joyful

Easter Sunday.

Even QMM had to give it a try.

Derek, Joe, QMM, Tim, Ellen, Thomas and John.

A fun game popular in the south is called Corn Hole.

It is similar to horseshoes.

Bags stuffed with corn are thrown with the aim of dropping through the hole on the board several feet away.

In the hole 3 points.

On the board 1 points.

Each round uses 6 bags with teams taking turn pitching.

Partners play at opposite ends.

Even old ladies can play, for a shot time that is.

My partner was my grandson. 
The handsome dude in the dark green shirt next to my darling son John in the NCAA championship shirt. WooHoo
 

I could not last the entire game so my brother Joe filled in for me.

The winner of this game was Derek and John.

Linda, sister-in-law and Julia, daughter

Cindy, granddaughter, Jennifer, daughter and Pat family friend.

My dear sister-in-law Linda in the blue is my only sister since I lost my own sister early in life.
I love her dearly.


It was a little chilly in the shade but wonderful out 
in the sun.

Most of the ladies just wanted to visit and catch up.
About half of our family was in Florida or the Bahamas  for spring break and some in Augusta for the Masters.

Go here for more MM

Tea Talk with Ruth and What in the world came over me to be singing Karaoke

I am joining my wonderful family reunion with Ruth's Tea Talk.

This morning I am having my first cup of coffee in my regular pottery cup. Yes it is hot drink time here. The end of one season and the beginning of another.

Feeling so blessed and secure in my faith even though our country and world seems to be in chaos.

We will move ahead with the hand of God leading us.

Thinking about the beauty of the changing seasons and how God is always present in our every breathing moment.

The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.  ~Muhammad Ali

 

Guest of honor

our 86 year old aunt.

This is her first time to be present.

She is the beautiful white haired lady in the middle next to this white haired lady. 

On Saturday we had our annual family fish fry at my brother and SIL's home on the lake.

Games, Karaoke, great food and loved ones.

When I head this music on the karaoke I just had to express my feelings brought on my all the remembrances of 9/11 and the knowledge how grateful we should feel for our loved ones and our way of life.
Our sympathies and empathy was so evident all over this country and the world that I could not hold it any any longer.
Laugh with us.

Well I was singing "I Just Called to Say I Love You"
 but was unable to upload the video. 
I guess that tells me something, probably better not to do that.

Host Joe and Hostess Linda start the day off with a prayer.

Loading the water balloon cannon.

 Electric slide in the street.
There is a name for this street but luckily there are only two homes on this street and it is a dead end leading directly to the river.
The neighbors always join in for the fun.
Living on a cul-de-sac has it's advantages.

 Jello Shots?
First time I had ever heard of them.
Wow how naive I am.

 In University of Kentucky land,
In case you could not guess.

Retirement on the lake.

 A glorious sunny day, not too hot.

All but three of our wonderful grandchildren were there.


A day to give thanks for sure.


Go here to visit with Ruth and other friends.