LOFT Coffee House

We are trying to make it to the Loft for lunch at least once a month. We braved the rain today and headed out just as it was letting up. So here is my mom studying the lunch menu. Few new items were added. Yummy! We selected our favorite, chicken salad with fruit, chips and a special iced coffee drink. :)

The Loft has a play area that is getting a face lift. Here is the beginning project of the play yard. It's going to be loved by many children. Can't wait to see the rest of the project. I'll post as it grows.

Here is the walk way from the Loft to the play yard.

Malyn this is for you sweet girl. I have a snail on the back porch wall. Sorry it's a little blurry.

Fun Day Sunday...

with Auntie Jenny.

Jenny's new home has a pool so Jessica and the boys and I headed out to visit her new place. She lives in a room in the house. Thanks Esther and Evans we really enjoyed our afternoon.

Needless to say Lola LOVES it there. She can run free and loves the country. She brings gifts to Jenny every once in a while.

Ryan is swimming and going under the water and loves his goggles. Mimi has been teaching Ryan to swim and has some of the neatest ideas to get him to go under. (Zip lock bag with M&M's and toy car to weight it down.) Mimi, I need some practice going under water, can I come over? 

Mother and son enjoying the Sunday sunny/cloudy day.

Ryan learned about the difference between a boy and a girl today. Ask Jessica the story! So cute. Mimi, Ryan has a question for you.

Grandsons are So Precious and Loving

The eyes, the eye lashes the button nose and the Gerber baby mouth I can't take it! I love you my sweet sweet precious baby grandson.

Sometimes we can play on the dining room table! We play on the dining room table when we play with trains at Nama's house. :) It's just what I do as a Nama. Dessert before dinner, jumping on the bed. I'm really a mom's worst nightmare. :)  But only when mom and dad aren't looking.

Thomas loves playing with Ryan as much as Ryan loves playing with Thomas.

This is Ryan playing with his trains. This black train is named "Neville".  He talks to them and has imaginary play for sometimes over an hour or longer.

Busy boy getting everything just right for the next trip with Thomas and Neville.

Sweet Samuel sleeping. Precious baby boy.

It's Our Turn

So the work begins...

After two days of trimming, cutting, hauling to the front, up and down the ladder, our pick up spot was filled.

The pile is from the walk way to the lot line. It took up the whole sidewalk.

One of many trees trimmed by non other than Chesley. Thanks honey, it looks great. You worked very hard and it paid off.

Hey... what's all the noise about Mr. Kady-Did. sp?

Nama Dotty is full of surprises...

Ryan loves trains. Thomas the Train is a favorite. Nama Dotty has a friend that has a miniature train or so we thought... miniature - yes but a huge room full of a complete train world.

 We walked into a very large room filled with trains that traveled through tunnels, mountains, bridges, towns, farms, a steel factory and exchange station. 

Poppy was even taken back by all the tracks and levels. 

 Our conductor showed us how it all worked and gave us all turns on being the engineer with the controls. Behind him is the mountain and tunnels. (again a failed photo of the overall picture of the whole room and close up of the Mt.) I was pretty overwhelmed.

Our train left San Antonio and traveled past a farm...

a steel refinery

and back to the station. Ryan was pretty spell bound by the whole experience. He didn't take his eyes off the train and all the mini world around him. What was he thinking???

Leaving the garage size room that was almost wall to wall train world Ryan found trains all over their house. Here he is looking at the glass trains. He started counting them but gave up because there were so many. What a fun and special day. Thanks Nama Dotty.

Chesley taking the controls for the round trip leaving SA and back. Every little/big boys dream.

Surprises and Memories

Another day with going through boxes with my mom. More stories and experiences that kept me listening to every word. We opened these boxes and what a fun surprise when we saw all these goodies from Israel. My mom took a trip with a friend many years ago to Israel for one and other countries in the Holy Lands. She kept all her goodies and notes and pictures and itineraries from the trip. I'm so glad she did because not only did she get to relive her trip I got to hear more of her life history.

Dorothy Pierce bears the title of ~JERUSALEM PILGRIM.

Above you will see cards and letters. Some from me, some to me, some to other family members etc. What a laugh and ahhhs and memories of friends that wrote a note of fondness of one of my parents. Or of a memory they enjoyed with them. We looked at them and read them and then sent them on their way. But how fun to reminisce.

Wonder what's in the last few boxes that are left??? I'm so blessed to have these special times with my mom.

The Finale

Happy Fourth Finale. Chesley and I ended the Independence Celebration Weekend at a dear friends beautiful home that was high above the city of San Antonio. The view was like experiencing about 10 firework shows. It was spectacular, like looking at a diamond bracelet laid out in front of us, twinkling in the night with explosions of color here and there along the diamonds.

Seriously, I think I captured the only pose of silent straight faces the whole night. The men were talking like crazy and we didn't think they were even paying attention to the fire works. I guess I was wrong. They did solve some problems and had some funny conversations.

I didn't capture the beauty of what we saw and I hesitated putting this picture up because we were looking at a panoramic view that went for miles. O well, my camera and my photo skills aren't very good so go with the description above. :)

Happy Fourth of July

Happy 4th of July 2010 blog friends.

We began to celebrate the 4th on Friday night. What better way than hot dogs and corn on the cob.

Caught my mom with a grilled hot dog in her mouth. Notice my dinner, Slim Fast. Had my tooth implant so cold liquids for me. O well, the smell reminded me of the picnics we used to have.

Chesley did the shopping for the dinner while I was resting after the tooth implant. I said bring something red, white and blue home to decorate the table.

Ryan come to visit. Jessica made something very special for us from the tomatoes from our garden. Thanks Jessica. Dad loved it.

Poppy and Ryan sharing time together eating the May favorite, desserts!!!! Ryan wanted a Red cupcake. Poppy wanted a white one since his blue one last night turned his beard blue.

Apartment sale

Six moves in my family in the last 5 months. This is the second to last. Cousin Chris/Jill will be moving mid-July. My clever daughter decided to invite her friends over and shop for free. Jenny was cleaning out and simplifying her life. These are some of her treasures/gifts/re gifts/projects she was going to start, etc. So she told her friends BYOB- Bring Your Own Bag or bags and fill it up for free.

So while I was there helping her pack we fixed up a little store.

Old jewelry, books etc.

AND Jessica began to look through her clothes and we heard a loud giggle and "JENNY" I wore these pants for my sorority pictures in 1995. Seriously? After going through more clothes and shoes Jenny had a lot less to pack up. 

Jenny's fun friends that helped her get some of her packing to a minimal.

Now this is the best of the evenings goodies. Yummy yummy. Apple slices, cream cheese/powdered sugar, Carmel, crushed heath bars.