Adding to Emergency Supplies-Day 90

After having a power outage this week, I discovered our three flashlights we had stashed in our emergency supply kit would never be enough if we truly had an emergency for an extended period of time.  So on David's shopping list to Lowe's today, I added MORE flashlights and batteries!  Are you prepared for an emergency?  I've been filling totes full of supplies this spring, and have them stashed away for a "rainy" day.  What would be something you would absolutely want to include in yours?

A Surprise from Korea-Day 89

Oh, my sweet friend, Sara, surprised me with a package full of gifts from Korea this week!  The hand fan is so intricately decorated, the cups adorn sweet little faces, the placemats and table settings with chopsticks and napkins flaunt rich, earthy tones, a tiny ceramic dish daintily painted with a floral design, and the sweetest handwritten note from her tucked inside a postcard reflective of a rich and colorful culture of this country!  My admiration for Sara stems from the fact that she was the most amazing bilingual teacher of 3rd graders when I was a principal, but more importantly in my mind, she took a leap of faith last summer and embarked upon a courageous journey to become a teacher of English for the most adorable Korean children, leaving family, friends and familiarity behind!  Thank you, Sara, for the gifts you share with children all over the world, and the special surprises you sent me this week!

Container Gardening-Day 88

Thanks to a terrific neighbor with an incredible green thumb, I might add, we are attempting container gardening with some tomatoes and jalapenos!  Peggy shared a few of the vegetables she purchased at Farm Patch, and I was traipsing across the street to find pots and soil!  I became very interested in this type of gardening after hearing about a special project in progress to benefit 3rd graders and their families.  So thanks to my friend Caren, we are ready for some tiny tomatoes to begin sprouting from this one plant!  Now, I must admit that my son, Jamie, jumped on this opportunity and he is actually excited about providing the daily care for these vegetables, so it's becoming a family project.  Caren, with your recent phone call to reconnect with me, you blessed my life more than you can ever imagine!  I'm hoping to pay it forward by calling someone I haven't seen in a very long time!  How might you bless someone today?

A Day of Birthdays-Day 87

What a special day to celebrate my beautiful daughter's 29th birthday!  And Amber is celebrating on this same day 11 months with her twins, Adrian and Noah!  One year ago, Amber had spent many weeks on bed rest before and after her special day to insure a healthy set of twin boys, and a safe delivery.  My hope was to capture a photo of the three of them, but Amber is not too fond of the camera!  We showered her with a few gifts after her day of teaching a room full of kindergarteners, some sweet-smelling, freshly bathed little boys, and some yummy cupcakes.  Happy birthday, Amber! 

Antique Rose Emporium-Day 86

One cool, clear morning this week, we ventured to Independence to visit the Antique Rose Emporium.  It's only a short car ride from Bryan and offers a peaceful and beautiful setting for strolling through hundreds or maybe thousands of kinds of roses, grasses and other plants.  My goal on this day was to locate and purchase a rose that we had growing in our yard in a previous home, one that blossomed white, delicate flowers with a vengeance.  Luck would have it that only two of the Sir Thomas Liptons were left, so two it was that we brought home with us! I'm anxious to get them planted after finding the perfect spot for them!  I fondly remember my friend, Jan, introducing me to the Antique Rose Emporium and antique rose gardening many years ago! There will always be that special connection to my roses and sweet Jan!

Worship-Day 85

Steeples on churches are structures that fascinate me, and strike me with a sense of awe.  This is the steeple on our church!  I am thankful for the freedom to worship our Lord and Savior each Sunday with my family.  My week then begins with my priorities in the right order-God, family and friends!

Meeting at the Gate-Day 84

When we moved into our new home almost 3 years ago in April, we installed a baby gate at the end of the hallway leading to my mother-in-law's bedroom/bathroom suite for the simple reason of blocking our two precious weiner dogs from entering and antagonizing Mary's elderly cat, Priss!  Miss Priss is now in kitty heaven but Mary has a new kitten, and so the gate still serves a purpose in our home.  The twins have recently discovered that behind that gate is where "Mimi" lives, and many times a day they crawl with a mission and a purpose to visit Mimi at the gate.  All the way down the hallway, they are chattering in their own baby language to announce their arrival and Mary joyfully joins them at the gate.  I am so thankful she is here to enjoy her great-grandchildren on a daily basis!

Homer's Odyssey-Day 83

Since retirement, I have started participating in a monthly book club called "Literary Ladies".  It's refreshing to get out with other ladies, visit the home of the monthly hostess, and to engage in enlightening conversations surrounding a great read!  This month, we read the sweetest book about a blind cat named Homer.  Cat lover or not, I highly recommend this book as there are important life lessons the main character learns from all three of her cats, but especially the one she adopted when no one else would consider taking him home!  This book will bring you a heartwarming smile.

Locomotives on Parade-Day 82

What an exciting and attractive way to celebrate the local railroad history in our community!  I spotted this train on William Joel Bryan Parkway.  I'm thinking a scavenger hunt of these creatively painted trains would be a fun little outing.  I learned that the George Bush Presidential Library sponsored "Locomotives on Parade".  Various businesses sponsored the trains, and then artists designed them.  Little did I know that there is a bronze plaque at the base of each telling who sponsored and decorated each train.  Now I need to take another tour through town to check out the information on each plaque!  I love that these trains help raise funds for art exhibits at the Library.  It's been a while since I have visited the George Bush Presidential Library, so I'm anticipating a visit soon!

Historic Structure-Day 81

What a beautiful sunny and clear day in March when David and I enjoyed a drive in historic downtown Bryan!  We continue to discover exciting new developments especially on Main Street, and rediscovered this structure on our drive.  Although I am not sure what this building was, my dear husband believes it may have been the old cotton warehouse.  I attempted a little research on the internet, but to no avail.  I would love to learn more about this site from any of my readers!  Wouldn't this be a wonderful new home of tiny local shops and businesses tucked inside to draw further interest and excitement in the downtown area? 

Welcome, Spring!-Day 80

Well, good morning and hello to spring!  We've experienced thunder, lightning and an abundance of rain with more to come throughout the day!  Such a dreary sight from the rocking chair in our sunroom as I rock a baby to sleep!  So maybe I will curl up with a good book, listen to some soft music or sneak in a quick power nap!  I am thankful I am able to avoid venturing out in this weather on our first day of spring in 2012! 

Aggie Women's Basketball-Day 79

The Madden's jumped online and purchased tickets to attend the second round of an NCAA tournament game at Texas A&M.  I snapped a photo of the scoreboard before the game began, but forgot to pull out my camera to visually capture the win.  Whoop!  The Aggie Women's Basketball team is now off to play in the Sweet 16 after a last-minute victory over Arkansas on Monday evening.  What an intense and exciting game, to say the least!  Women's basketball is one of the sports I truly love watching, especially at Reed Arena.  Way to go, Aggies! 

Baby Lizard-Day 78

One of the signs of spring I enjoy is God's creatures, and on Sunday, we spotted a baby lizard exploring and partaking of some cool water in the fountain near our front door.  I can just imagine that he will enjoy climbing and hiding in our new flowers and plants.  Believe it or not, when I was younger, I had great fun trying to catch green lizards and and play with them.  They are much cuter than our numerous geckos we have all over our front porch!

Jury Summons-Day 77

With Saturday's delivery of mail, I received that all important "Jury Summons Letter" and an opportunity to serve in our community!  The last time I was summoned, I was selected for my very first time to serve on a jury and it was for a capital murder case that lasted several weeks!  I experienced the case of a lifetime, and unfortunately some of the memories of the murder scenes, and details of the crime will haunt me forever!  I am hopeful for a less intense case if I am selected on this next jury.

Hide and Seek-Day 76

Funny little three year old our Miss Kyleigh is!  She spent part of the weekend with us, and wanted to help Pop and Hunny plant all of their new flowers!  Please take note of the way she has arranged all of our new purchases!  Wish you could have heard the lecture she gave David for not placing them in a straight line!  Is this a sign she is going to be super-organized or one that even in preschool a straight line is absolutely a must?  After getting them all arranged just so, she asked me to play hide and seek with her!  Can you please help me find her? 

Geraniums-Day 75

One of my highlights this week was our trip to Lowes to purchase new flowers for our front porch entry!  Geraniums are one of my favorites!  It's beginning to look a lot like spring at the Madden house! 

Fruit in Waffle Cones-Day 74

How much fun it was to prepare these Pinterest-inspired fruit-filled cones for our pastor's family during this past week!  They were so simple to make, and seemed to be quite a hit when the children saw them as we set up their buffet line for dinner!  I think these would be a great treat for a children's party! 

If Teacups Could Talk-Day 73

This treasure by Emilie Barnes has been a favorite of mine since I first discovered it on my mother-in-law's coffee table back when she lived in Rusk, TX.  Each time we visited I relished a few quiet moments to enjoy a cup of hot tea, and the words of wisdom within the covers of If Teacups Could Talk.  This quote always jumped off of the page right at me as I wrestled with anxiety and stress about either my classroom, my campus, or my district:  "one of tea's most beautiful benefits-the blessing of slowing down to enjoy it."  So you see, this was one of my ways to breathe deeply and calmly for a brief period of time before my children discovered my quiet hiding place in the dark living room of Mary's house.  Who would have thought to include a list of things to do while you were waiting for the water in the teakettle to boil?  Emilie Barnes did, and also included a blending of story and other facts on making and enjoying a cup of tea.  I love all of the recipes she collected in this beautiful book, as well as suggested menus for a variety of tea parties for many different reasons to celebrate.  I proudly display this book now in my home, on a stand directly in front of my china teacups David purchased in England for me before we married.  This is a blessing the author includes at the very end of her book, and I would like to share that with you.

"A Teatime Blessing"

"Lord, grant that our time together

be steeped in serenity, sweetened by sharing, 

and surrounded by the

warm fragrance of your love.

Amen"

Shower Shadows-Day 72

I chuckle every time I take a peek at this priceless picture of the twins helping mommy(AKA Amber) take a shower!  Amber earnestly wonders if she will ever be able to privately shower again without her little shadows!!  Enough said....:)

Healthier Days Ahead-Day 71

How many times have I thought about getting to really know what lies in store for those who wish to improve their health, energy and stamina?  My trip today to Brazos Natural Foods was no different from any other time I have ventured through the doors to find the perfect solution for a health issue I may be having!  I went in to purchase a product recommended by my friend Richard, for my nagging cough, and just like all other visits, I was overwhelmed with the hundreds upon thousands of products available.  Thankfully they did have the herbal tea remedy I was looking for called Gypsy Cold Care, and after making a quick purchase, I exited the store wondering what all of those bottles, boxes and cartons offered for those seeking ways to improve their health in a more natural way.  I am terribly intimidated in this store, and yet I so want to learn more.  While I will admit that the employees are very helpful when I pose a question, I'm positive that I should know more than I do about homeopathic remedies!  Any suggestions for becoming more knowledgeable on these topics and products is greatly appreciated.

Toys, Books and Supplies, Oh My!!-Day 70

One of my favorite stores in our community is Jacque's Toys and Books because of the overwhelming selection of educational supplies, toys, books, and fun notepads, pens and papers.  I have always loved school supplies and continue to enjoy frequenting this store.  Even though I have retired from education, I find myself cruising down each aisle to preview the latest and greatest available for student learning.  The best part about my shopping trips to this store nowadays is to select shiny new books for Kyleigh, Noah and Adrian, as well as cool new toys and craft items for all of my grandangels.  During my last visit to Jacque's this week, I purchased some fun new items for filling Easter baskets in the very near future! 

Recycling-Day 69

After my retirement, I was eager to begin recycling in our home so with David's assistance, we purchased the bins we needed and located the perfect spot for them in our garage.  We collect newspapers, clear glass, aluminum cans, and plastics throughout the week, and then load up all of our recyclables and drive them to our local collection center.  I am so appreciative of the young men who graciously and patiently unload all of our "treasures" out of the back of our Trailblazer, and off we go with our empty bins for yet another week of collecting.  I've never been interested in recycling because I mistakenly thought it would be too much of a hassle, but I must admit that I do look forward to visiting our recycling center on a regular basis. 

Sharing a Snooze-Day 68

For those of you who have been faithfully following my blog, I am planning to catch up TONIGHT!  I got behind when I suffered through many drug-induced coma kind of days!  LOL!  With my very annoying seasonal coughing continuously, I have tried every NON-DROWSY antihistamine on the market but my body does not respond well to any of them.  Today is a day filled with hope as I have not coughed incessantly but rather just a little.  This afternoon, I was able to run errands, buy groceries, and even catch Kyleigh and Pop sharing a snooze(ok, it's pretend) on a hammock at the Mills' house.  This sweet scene brought back a flood of memories of Lynsey and David swinging in a hammock under our trees in Corpus Christi, just a few years ago!  Well, maybe 30 years or so ago since Lynsey turned 30 last fall!  I'm quite sure Lynsey will not be so pleased that I shared her age with the world!

Snail Rescue-Day 67

Well, I continue to be amazed at photo opportunities, and blog topics when I am not quite sure when I wake up each morning what I will write about for that day.  Upon leaving a neighbor's home, who shall remain nameless, we were saying our goodbyes and briefly celebrating the rain when I spotted the happiest little snail trekking right down the middle of the slick, wet sidewalk, fully extending his interesting little body in all his glory.  I quickly alerted David so he would not accidently step on him, ending his life, when my neighbor boldly stated HE did not like snails and would be squashing him when I left.  I knew I had to come to that little snail's rescue and provide him a chance to thrive this spring, so I promptly and gingerly swooped him up and planted him safely in the front beds of our home so he could live happily ever after! 

Oreos-Day 66

I learned this morning while watching Good Morning America that today was the Oreo cookie's 100th birthday, so of course we had to purchase some and enjoy a couple with a glass of cold milk!  Isn't it fun to celebrate even the smallest things in life?  Who knew that this cookie has been around for a century? 

Mommy's Muddy Buddies-Day 65

What fun we had today when Peggy shared a fun and crazy experience with Amber's twins!  Council had filled the back of his truck with dirt for the yard, so we introduced Noah and Adrian to dirt and then mudpies!  They had a messy blast, and then got to come back to Hunny and Pop's house for a bath!  I'm not sure I will ever get all of the mud out of my garden tub and mats, but all in the spirit of creating wonderful memories!

Nicholas Sparks-Day 64

Sunday was such a beautiful day for teaching, attending worship and then reading a wonderful book.  The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks was my book of choice to begin.  I have loved each and every book he has written so I feel like I will not be disappointed in this title.  The muted scene on the cover illustration really peaks my curiosity!  Anyone of my friends read this one?

Willow Tree-Day 63

I was thrilled to receive a "just because" kind of gift today from David while I was shopping in our local Christian book store.  Willow Tree figurines are so beautifully simple, and yet mean so much to me.  My surprise today was "A Lifelong Love of Learning", and I think David picked the perfect sculpture to describe my passion!  I will proudly add her to my growing collection!

Sunroom-Day 62

I love the feel of spring in the air, and preparing my home for a new season to celebrate!  During the twins' morning naps, David and I tackled our sunroom with dust cloths, mops and brooms so that the room sparkled in no time.  Then we headed to Lowe's, with babies in tow, to purchase a few items to add a fresh, new look to the room!  Our sunroom is one of my favorite areas in our home for napping, reading, and visiting with friends!

Mary-Day 61

Back in the fall, Mary's friends visited us in Bryan to present her a placque, recognizing her for all of her dedicated years of service in the Rusk HS Alumni Association.  What a joyful day this was at our house!  Congratulations, Mary!

Happy Birthday, Lauren-Day 60

My niece, Lauren, was born on February 29 in a Leap Year 20 years ago, so we are celebrating her 5th real birthday this year!  She has grown up so quickly into a beautiful young woman, no longer a teenager!  Happy birthday, Lauren!

Madi-Day 59

Madison Rose, our beautiful 12 year old grandangel, is an active, energetic 6th grader.  Volleyball is the love of her life-she lives to play the game!  We are so very proud that she is the team captain of her tournament team.  She is also a terrific big sister for Kyleigh.  Love you, Madi!