Let's Go To The Circus!

Abigail made her dance debut tonight on

 The Florida Times Union

 stage in Jacksonville.

The circus theme could not have been any cuter.

How precious are little girls in tutu's?!

I was so proud of her keeping up with everyone on stage.

She did not get that talent from me.

It was such a treat to go back stage where previous productions had paintings on the wall to commemorate their shows on this stage, with autographs of the cast.

I was a little impressed.

Abigail is so patient with the gazillion pictures 

this MiMi had to take.

 This girl has a big fan club who came out to see her dance.

We love you Abigail and are so proud of you 

and all your hard work!

Pinky & Joy

Today Pinky & Joy

celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary!

I am blessed with parents who have loved 

each other

 my whole life.

They met each other when they were kids in Miami Springs.

They grew up together and fell in love.

I can't say thank you enough for the gift of being raised in a home where Jesus was of most importance

& also where true love was always right in front of my face.

Happy Happy 60th!

I love you.

Backyard Happenings

I realize I haven't blogged in forever.

We have been ridiculously busy and overwhelmed since Irma.

I try not to say her name. 

Because of HER, it got us to thinking about how to be better prepared,

just incase we ever have another hurricane. 
Let's just say "h" word.

First we decided to raise the sea wall.

Everything dominoed. 

The dock was damaged, so we dismantled part of it.

Building the sea wall higher,

required bringing in dirt.

Bringing in dirt meant new plants.

Thankfully, I had help from this missy.

That made us realize the pool deck wasn't going to work. 

We tore it down.

We built a new one.

Can you see the light at the end of that tunnel.

We chose cable fencing around the deck and pool 

which I am in love with.

We finally ordered grass.

Can you say a prayer that it'll grow?

Can't believe that I am hoping for rain.

All in all,

Mark & I love big projects.

It has been fun.

The dock still needs work but it should be soon.

Another prayer please.

We know we are so blessed and we know Who is in control.

I have this sign in my kitchen to remind me when I need reminding.

I am glad to be back at documenting our lives.

So many have switched to Instagram but I apparently have the need to talk so this works for me.

Hope you are all doing well.

Have a Great Weekend!

Who Needs Disney?

Don't you just love a hardware store?!!

Me too! 

Recently...

I had 3 of the munchimunchkins in Lowe's.

Do they ever outgrow the racing car shopping carts?

I hope not.

"MiMi! Are you sure these are free?"

"Look at me MiMi! Are you kidding me?

How many can I have?"

Within the last year,

I painted the kids room pink.

I wanted teal to go along with all the other teal in my house

but NO! Abi had to have pink.

 "MiMi, Pleeeeeeze let me have this color for my room!"

Educational reading materials while we wait for Pops.

I'm not kidding you.

This is late at night.

These kids were way passed their bedtimes 

and look how happy they are!

You just don't get that at Disney World!

Take my advice...

Take the kids to Lowe's.

I absolutely love these two!

Come see your mother!

XXOOXX

Magnolia Farms

Recently...

Mark planned a weekend getaway for our anniversary.

He knows how to make me happy.

We flew out to see our Kristen & her hubby. We spent a couple fabulous days in San Antonio.

Then, we drove to Waco to see the Magnolia Farms.

We arrived after it was closed so we did a walk-about

and snapped some pictures.

Bright and early

the next morning,

Finally, I was able to check it out!

It was exactly like we have seen it on Fixer Upper.

Pristine little garden.

Who doesn't love food trucks?

The infamous Silo's.

 Mark & I had fun walking around 

and plundering through the store.

We ended our visit quicker than we planned so we did a tour bus ride through Waco which was educational and fun.

They drove through and showed some of the homes that have been featured on the show.

They drove through Baylor.

It was neat to see all the places Chip and Jo have talked about through the years.

They sure have made a mark on that small town

and even a bigger mark on all of us who love our own 

"Fixer Upper" projects.

This Girl

You go through life with high hopes and goals.

High School, college, marriage, babies, making your house a home and raising your kids.

It happens so quickly and it's over before you know it.

Then what?!!

That's where I found myself. 

Then came my first grandchild!

Life just keeps getting better.

Then came #2, #3...

All perfect, wonderful, precious kids.

Then came Abi!

What a beautiful baby.

There is no one like this girl.

She was the easiest baby.

She would lay happily on our 

bean-bag watching her siblings run around.

I scrolled through my photo library and chose at least 50 and finally narrowed it down to some of my faves. 

 Fast forward a few years later.

Yes! Abi is still happy and sweet

but she is much more.

She is the life of the party. 

You know it when she enters a room.

You know it if she is absent.

She is so fun and knows no strangers.

You know that awkward feeling when you run into someone and can't remember who they are or how you know them?

No worries when Abi is along.

She will get to the bottom of it 

before you embarrass yourself.

Oh how I love this girl.

One quick Abi story.

She and I tagged along with Mark this year while he was working in Miami. We stayed in a quaint little hotel that had a small pool.

A baldish man happened to be staying in the same hotel.

He came in the pool and she went right to him.

It wasn't weird, it was a really small pool.

Jumping to his arms and on his head.

She kept announcing, "I'm Abi!"

Finally, he announced, "I know, You are Abi."

Maybe he was a little annoyed?

Surely not!

Finally, the ladies around me told me he was Billy Joel.

I played her his video of singing Piano Man.

Made us a fun memory.

Fast forward to this present day.

Abi is celebrating her 6th birthday!

Abi loves riding her pony.

She plays soccer and is taking dance.

She loves playing with babydolls and 

spends many hours playing 

with her Barbie Dreamhouse.

She is smart, perspective, brutally honest,

opinionated, loves music and dancing.

She is sharp as a tack.

Blunt

and funny

and to narrow it all down...

she is just wonderful!

Here is her K-5 photo that we just received.

Happy Birthday Abigail!