Yippee for me!!

We have been in our city home for almost 5 full years now. Doesn't really seem possible,  but it is definitely so. And since we first moved into this home, I have wanted one thing without change.
 I have a huge double window in my dining room and it was just BEGGING for this item. A church pew.
With a church pew, I could do so many things. Decorate it...for sure and make it look super cute, but also, it would be such a functional piece. When we have a large dinner here, and I do that quite often, I could use it for extra seating. The kids love to sit and eat somewhere besides the table.

So I never gave up on this church pew desire I had. Seems I could never find just the right one, or if I did, I couldn't afford it.

Then one day, I just happened to be talking to my son and my future daughter in law....mentioning my long, long dream of the perfect bench...when....low and behold, my sweet daughter in law said "My pawpaw has some church pews...he'll probably give you one". Well, initally, I thought she was joking...then I started getting excited!  Really????? Could it be true????

Well......turns out it was true!! I still can't believe there are such nice people in the world. In a time when the world is rampant with mean and ugly characters around every corner, there truly are good and decent people still out there. I didn't even know what the bench was going to look like, but, it was better than I expected.

Turns out this bench just needed a little tlc. It's not a fancy one from a big fancy church, but rather a very simple one from an old country church. I absolutely love it. I even love the red seat...it works perfectly with my stuff. I still can't believe how blessed I am. Just when I figured I may never get this bench, here is the perfect one, given to me freely and with love. Thanks so much Amanda. You are such a treasure....in so many ways.

He's Just Your Normal Teenager........maybe:)

 

My third son is like his older two brothers in the fact that he is indeed an awesome son. Other than that...well...let's just say he's his own person.

This summer he made some money from playing at a wedding and decided to buy an ipod. I know that seems very normal for a teenager, but what he did next was...well...a little different.

This is all he wants on his new device. Only classical music. No Lady Gaga, no Black Eyed Peas. Just Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Vivaldi......Holst, Dvorak,Haydn, Beethoven, Bruch, Mahler, Brahms.....just to name a few:)
He is totally obsessed with classical music....and I am absolutely serious. He listens to it non-stop
and when he's not listening to it, he's playing it.

He's a classical viloinist....and a VERY good one. I guess that just kinda happens when you live, breathe and eat a thing....you get REALLY good at it:)

After several years in the Knoxville Youth Symphony, he's just auditioned again. Feels like he did pretty good, and I'm sure he did.

He's a thinker, this one...always "dwelling on the possibilities". Always challenging himself to do a little better, go a little farther.....make a little better mark than the last fellow.

He's only fourteen for goodness sake! Won't it be interesting to watch him grow??????????????????????

Oh...and did I say...he loves his momma? Makes her very proud too:) I am proud of all my children for their different accomplishments, and no matter what, no matter where he goes or what concert hall he's playing in, his mother will always be his number one fan:) Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind his eccentricities at all. I think he's pretty special. Most of all, I hope he will always keep his mind and his eyes focused on God.....everything else will fall in place as is meant to be......normal.....or not. :)

Bloomin wonderful!

                              What do 55 crepe myrtle bushes look like when in bloom?

                                               Something like this. Absolutely lovely.

A Brand New Day

                           This is the way I like to start my day.......how do start yours???

                                                 Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Sophie's Got a New Doo

OK....so Sophie is our first indoor pet....EVER! Never thought we'd have one but here she is. We absolutely LOVE this sweetie. I knew we were suppose to have her groomed every so often, but we loved how she looked with her curly locks!

See what I mean? She is just sooooo super cute! Unfortunately...she did not like her fur coat as much as we did. She begin to act REALLY lazy. Like, she wouldn't even walk up a stair. Also....there were a few ugly little matts that I could not get through. SO......off to the groomer's we went. Now she looks like this.

  She looks sooooo skinny!!!!! Before the hair cut, we thought she had gotten too chubby....now she looks anorexic! Lol...Well....anyway, she seems to feel MUCH better.

And...I think she's still adorable!!!! Luuuuuuuuuv that face:)

What a summer!!!!

What a fabulous summer! I have been so busy I have had NO time to stop and post anything, BUT I have been visiting my favorite blogs any spare moment I can grab:)  Just a quick note....I just got back from my first cruise ever!!!! And even better yet.....I got to go with my beloved mother, four sisters, SWEET daughter and precious niece.

Do you think we had a good time?????? Yes....we had an AWESOME time!!!! No death illnesses from the ship.....just lots of laughing....dancing and dining. Here's to hoping another cruise will be in my not so distant future!!

Basketmaking 101

What a fun day! Years ago we made baskets with my oldest children, now again with my youngest

I LOVE basket making. I love all lost arts, so...it's really no surprise. I think I could go from here till my time
is over in this world just making things.....and learning how to make MORE things! SOOOO much to learn!!

 I hope my little angel enjoys the fascination of "creating" things...using her God given abilities to put things He gave us together to make something quite unique. She is definitely a budding artist......always doodling on something. I think she very much enjoyed making baskets also......:)