UnFOURGETTABLY 4!

 Merry, Merry, Christmas from our house to yours!

It is such a joyous season and we are blessed to know we find comfort in celebrating the birth of our Savior in this chaotic world. We are happy to be living the life we have and know that we are nothing without the eternal security we hold in Jesus. This year has been challenging in unimaginable ways for so many, there has been loss, financial despair and so much sadness. And while the days have seemed gloomy we find joy in knowing this is not our forever home. Praying for the year ahead and knowing that truly our blessings are many even in bittersweet situations.

Cherish your moments, love deep and make memories...

The Grands with most of the Littles, one had already departed.

Stay safe, stay well...

This "selfie" our grand daughter took speaks for itself.

UnFOURGETTABLY 4!

After a quiet weekend we had a Tuesday guest this week, then I went North to visit the little guy on Wednesday. Thursday we made a City provisioning run and Friday we recovered! Actually, Friday I did all our in town errands, which included paying taxes. Personal property and real estate taxes are due by the 31st so I made the trek into the County Courthouse and up to the second floor to make payment. Writing that check was a BIG chunk of change. Perosnal property taxes on ROADA are severe!

While they look mighty fine, they are not!

Speaking of ROADA in the midst of our week she got new shoes. MiRV ordered them last week and they called so he made the trek to get them installed. Only they were NOT the ones we ordered so she is waiting for replacements to arrive and switch her current new shoes for the right new shoes. The originally ordered Continental shoes are evidently no longer available. However, they failed to notify us of that little tidbit of information and just installed another tire that was suitable. Well, suitable according to who? Not their own website. Tire size matters! And this one is not a good fit for ROADA. She has special needs and is a high maintenance type of girl so we had to figure out another solution. Having her speedometer off was not really acceptable to MiRV nor were the other "differences" that may or may not be within a margin of error that is acceptable even if a Continental person says it's okay. Their own website did not back up his inof!  So after A LOT of research on MiRVs part, several phone calls and moments of intense frustration we are hopeful that the new, new shoes that were ordered this time are available and will work for our girl. If you have some tire questions MiRV might be your guy. He had to become extremely tire proficient overnight because honestly you have to be your own advocate in everything nowadays or you might get screwed the wrong tires.

Quite looking forward to a quiet weekend. Then we will hopefully we welcoming the Northerns for a few days. Christmas with the family seems to be a go. Everyone is healthy and we are all excited to see each other and watch the Little ones . Looks like we will gather and enjoy a meal on Christmas Eve. We will do a small festive meal on Christmas Day and just enjoy the time together on both occasions.

Stay safe, stay well. 

Stay safe,s tay well.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Holidays are fast approaching! We received our first Christmas Card for the season. Two weeks away will be Christmas Eve, seriously. Not sure what that will look like this year. We were up North last year. Was hoping for a full family celebration this year on Christmas Day. Looks like that will be out, but a Christmas Eve gathering is still a potential if we can all stay healthy and the weather holds for travel. Otherwise we will probably go up North again.

Highlight of the week was a call from our girls. They are doing well and expecting snow today, so one of them is thrilled! She is such a Winter girl; she love, love, loves the snow. IF they get the four inches projected she will be in heaven. 

We attempted to see the Northern Lights late last night but didn't have success. Drove up North of town to get away from the lights in our little community. While it was a very beautiful night and the stars were brillant we did not see the Northern Lights. Someday I am hoping to catch them though! The stargazing was extra good and worh the trip along with staying up later than usual so it was still a win. Beautiful weather here the past two days. Though it is a bit dreary and rainy this morning.

Yesterday I spent the day with BP. We have been hanging out once a week for quite some time now. I think he likes it and I enjoy our time together. Have had a few rough moments but he's growing and seems to be enjoying things a bit more every week. He's definitely a mover, LOVES jumping, starting to sit up well, rolling over and in the beginning phases of napping in his bed along with playing just a bit independently. My how quickly they grow and change. Yesterday, we had BIG success on a bed nap! I was thrilled to be part of his journey. Sweet, sweet boy! 

Stay safe, stay well. 

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

DECEMBER! It's here. It is December, December 4th to be exact. Can you believe it? I'm certain I'm a bit ready for this year to be over but then again I am in disbelief we are already in the last month of the year. This has been a unique year for sure... so many awkward, odd, firsts have taken place and so much more. I, for one, am on the team of hoping 2021 is not a repeat.

Lots of little projects we would like to finish up but motivation seems to be lacking and dreary weather doesn't much help. Today did prove to be sunny which was a welcome change to the last several days that have not had much sunshine in them.

To brighten you day we have a new one set to arrive in June 2021. Our niece is expecting and will add another one to her brood. How exciting!

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Happy day after Thanksgiving! So much to be thankful for...we have heat, lights, clothes, shoes, stocked cupboards, cars that run and a family we love. And most days they love us too! We enjoyed a bountiful feast, ate more then we should have but mostly enjoyed our time with each other. The tables were full, we were together this year. Last year we were in Tuscon waiting out a pretty good storm and our crew had just flown back to the the Big O after a week at the beach. PreCovid...or was it. Bee was sick as soon as they retunred home, a fever that just wouldn't go away or break. SuperTrooper suffered as well and daughter. Shortly after we returned to MO I fell ill to some sort of nastiness, I the one who is rarely ill. Hmmm, makes us wonder if we were afflicted before the outbreak was an outbreak.

Noodles in the making!

Good stuff on the bountiful menu...

There was good food, tasty snacks and yummy dessert. The Bee had several snacks, very little good food, enjoyed yummy dessert then asked for a PBJ! Love that girl.

Her favorite moment of the day!

So thankful for being here with Bee the last couple days. Daughter and family are still settling into their new town and learning about those little DIY homeowner projects that never end. They are still unpacking and arranging, painting and making it their home.

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Oh, goodness, well our family Thanksgiving is a BIG no go. We have some who have had the 'Rona and are over it, some are still in quarantine due to that and now we have some that just got the dreaded positive. Just too risky. I'm so VERY sad. Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite celebration. I love it, the food (well, okay, not the turkey, but everything else!), the family time, the games, the food. Did I mention the food? Noodles, mashed potatoes, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, yuuuuuuummm! 

Anyway, it's off, maybe we will be able to do our Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas, maybe? Remains to be seen. What also remains to be seen is if we stay here in MO with just us or will the kids still come down or do we run north to them. Decisions, decisions. We want to be smart and safe...stay tuned and you will find out what we decide. MO and NE are "hotbeds" right now if you follow the news. So hard to decide and we do want to be safe. UGH...

In localness news the grocery run I just made early this morning was pretty slim pickings. No pie crust to be had, yes, yes, I could make my own but Pillsbury does a real good job. Low selection on produce and dairy was very depleted along with the paper goods aisle. Guess the TP hoarding is starting up again. I saw fewer then a dozen packages of all brands on the row. Paper towels supplies were low as well. So it all begins again. 

Anywaaay...

Stay safe, stay well.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Nothing new to report here, move along. 

Really seems this week has pretty much melted away without incident. Well except for the power outage that affected half the town. About three hours or so we were without power. Some were out less then that others more. Inconvenient but not too terrible. You know the days sometimes blend together and this has been that kind of week. No big news, not anything to write home about, it's been a bit bland. MiRV inquired several times this week, "what day is it?" So it was like, wow, okay, it's Friday, another week marked off on the calendar.  

Hope it's been uneventful in your world. I would say we are taking in and enjoying these slow weeks that seem to just putter by. We have accomplished some small tasks but nothing too big. Though we should probably have accomplished more fall tasks! Guess they will still be here come spring.

Stay safe, stay well.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Well, what a week this has been...we started with participating in the local TRUMP TRAIN that took a little spin around town. Nearly 100 cars participated. Lots of honks, waves and thumbs up. 

We added a little RW&B bling to SMARTie for the ride!

These were all sorts of trucks and cars, old and new it was quite a sight.

Now that this election is in the books I do hope we will get back to business in this country. As we have wasted more time and resources on this election then should ever be allowed. It really is shameful and we are still awaiting a winner...oh my!

On a lighter note, I'm now officially at the double nickel...celebrated with a little shopping, eating and indulging. Who doesn't love a good cinnamon roll! We were scheduled to celebrate another birthday this weekend but circumstances beyond our control have taken that off the calendar. There will still be cake though! Cheers to 90 years, dad! 

Stay safe, stay well.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Another week down not that many left in 2020. Gonna be interesting to see what happens next week. Took the folks to vote today. With age and stairs getting to the actual polls was gonna be a big chore so when the County Clerk offered curbside voting I thought it would be win win! Two votes cast.

She had hip replacement surgery and then broke her other hip a week later. It was VERY important to them to be able to vote!

Pray for our nation, pray for our leaders. Even though I know who is in charge it sometimes makes it difficult to find the good in what's transpiring around our country. Hoping once the election is over some recovery and forward movement on getting our Nation back on track to being the greatest nation is a priority.

Stay safe, stay well.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Oh, my, I'm tired! It's been an exhausting week...but they are moved. First night in the house and the heat didn't work. Thankfully a very responsive repairman had the unit up and running within a few hours. Welcome to homeownership! Noticed an evidently undectected leak while cleaning the hall closet, more investigation needed for sure. This was definitely not a welcome surprise. And that honeydo list is growing by the minute. You will notice your extra cash quickly gets eaten by home projects when you are the owner!

She's on the roof with her daddy and she called to let me know!

If I NEVER help anyone move again it will be too soon. Moving is a sport and not for the faint of heart I know that for certain. With approximately 15 moves under my belt I do know a thing or two about efficient moving techniques. Evidently our daughter did not internalize some of those more efficient moving styles that she witnessed as we moved about the U.S. and Europe! Lordy, I think she may be unpacking looking for things for the next several weeks months! 

Electrical work going on. 

And there was a bit of fun had as we stopped at the local corn maze...

We are back at the Meadow and in recovery mode with a plus one that we always love to host!

Stay safe, stay well.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

We have new homeowners...amidst a death and wedding getting moved in and settled has been on the back burner. The last few days we got into high gear to make this move happen. Packing and moving things over are now top priority and our plan is to have them in before the weekend is over... 

We have been on scene since Wednesday evening and already painting has happened and a whole lot of cleaning. Lots more to do with cleaning and still more packing and furniture disassembly and reassembly will be happening in the next 48 hours. As for tonight we are making some supply runs and enjoying a meal out.

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

This week we said good bye to my Uncle. He was a character, he was loved, he was ornery, he was a good guy. He will be missed by many...

This was my dad's brother. Dad is the oldest and the last of the siblings still with us. I feel like because my Uncle lived here in town we were closer and his kids often seemed more like siblings to me than cousins. They have lost their patriach, they will be facing some rough days and I hope they hold tight to the good memories and let that be their guide as they face the future.

On a lighter note we are in Oklahoma tonight for a family wedding. We added two new states for the Bee on our way here and one for SuperTrooper. WooHoo we love to get to take in new sights. Who knew that curvy hilly roads would be such a hit with the Bee! She loved it...go faster LaLa with giggles and ohhs and ahhs galore. 

Oklahoma and Arkansas state signs! 

Stay safe, stay well and RIP Unlce Bill.

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Another week has come and gone. It's been a week that has had ups and downs, highs and lows. We have made it through. We also celebrated a birthday this week and we plunged into a new month. Lots going on, lots to do and life is busy. It is also draining, sad, happy and satisfying. We are sharing struggles, enjoying wins, helping out, perhaps even butting in but all good.

Singing Happy Birthday to the SuperTrooper!

We have much to be thankful for...next week we are off to OK for a niece's wedding!

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

We've had company this week...

Oh the fun we've had, park hopping, picnicking, going to ball games, bike riding, rock painting, White Grill, pumpkin shopping and painting, garage sailing, pizza dinner, swingset playing, Grave Digger driving, hummingbird watching, tractor peddling, McDonald's Filet-O-Fish lunch, around the lake walking (or being carried if you are 4!), and so much more! We love it when you come to the Meadow. Already looking forward to next time!

Stay safe, stay well... 

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

It's been soooo quiet since the Bee went home. However, we have had Great Duty with our newest great nephew and our littlest great niece. It's a lot of fun to see them and they keep us on our toes. As long as we are spending more time in town we try to be available for "helping" when needed. So far I've been able to go spend some time with BP a couple times. We have been hanging with MGM since her momma went back to work. I'm so glad that they enjoy coming to the Meadow or that I can run to their place and be of assistance. That is exactly one of the reason we are back in the area...to be of help...if we get called. Gotta call though or we don't know there's a need!

Adorable Little people!

And usually when we have MGM we have a video call with the Bee. It's a great way for them to stay connected and the Littlest one absolutely loves it. She is sooooo enthusiastic about chatting with her Northern Cousin!

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

A day we will always be reminded of. A day to never forget. A day we cannot erase from our memory, where we were, what we were doing...a memory that I will always remember. 

I would encourage you to try and get to the memorial in NYC. It is incredibly moving. Someday I would like to visit the field in Pennsylvania. I have also been to the Pentagon but it is just not as impressive as the one in NYC.

Oh, and stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

 She's heeeeeeeere! Oh, wow, we are just over 24 hours in and LaLa is worn out with BeBe close behind! The trip down was uneventful as if there were any doubt. We've had a great day with yard sailing this morning which led to bringing home a new red bike as well as a Barbie complete with purple high heels and sparkly dress. 

This is probably the BEST quarter I have ever spent!

There were also cinnamon rolls and cookies, oh my! 

After a rest but no nap in the afternoon we geared up to have a family farm night. There was a good breeze and shade so very pleasant for a nice farm evening. We look forward to fall so farm nights can happen more frequently! 

G-Pa and Bee

Lots of running, jumping, ball hitting and throwing; but the biggest hit of the night was HUGE marshmallows and limon chips. Just kidding, it was riding and driving Grave Digger. My dad will tell you it was the best money he ever spent. The next round of Littles are thoroughly enjoying this little machine after the older Littles had lots and lots of adventures in it during their tenure.

We had quite a late night this evening so hopeful for great rest for all as we will be going to a Cousin wedding shower tomorrow!

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

Found ourselves up North this week. Enjoyed some more time with the Bee! Next week if plans firm up she will be at the Meadow for a few days! WOOHOO!!! Mom and dad are gonna go take a little time together on the river and do some floating!

While in the North it was fun to tag along on some of her weekly routine. Play group and story time at the park was fun.  A Sonic stop made for an unexpected but welcome treat. Grape slush was her drink of choice this trip and a red Charms Blow Pop was thoroughly enjoyed as well! Slipped in a tasty Mexican meal and grilled up some steaks for another nice dinner. Her tomato was finally ripe and ready to pick. She let BeBe eat it! She has two more little green ones she is watching. While it was a short stay we savored the moments and packed it in. She is growing so quickly! Her vocabulary amazes me most days. I mean, seriously, her verbals are there.

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

It was a whirlwind week with the Girls from the North. We enjoyed every minute. Lots of fun for sure. We were sad to make the trip North today for their return but so thankful for our time together. Lots of cousin playtime, some chores, planting with BeBe, park hopping, giggles, animal spotting (who knew an ostrich and camel would be seen!), scissor practice, laughing, waffles, reading, making things with LaLa, driving Grave Digger, snowflake cutting (this kid loves winter), hummingbird watching, rock painting, coloring and a snow cone run were just a few of our many activities this week!

Stay safe, stay well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

 Finally, spending some moments with this girl...

Perhaps she will return with us to MO on Sunday. She has for sure gotten taller and is also asserting her independence. Sometimes much to our chagrin. She is a good, good kid and for that we are so thankful. Looking forward to our moments with her this trip for sure and the ones to come. Also doing more house hunting as Daughter still needs a new place to call home! Deadline is looming and it is slim pickings in their desired area and price range. Who knew Covid would cause such a Seller's market.

Hope you are staying safe and staying well!

UnFOURgettably 4 Friday!

 Rainy day...missing the girls and life is still marching on.

These two on video call this week was a highlight! They did a lot of giggling for sure! And of course before saying goodbye the Northern girl really wanted to speak with LaLa.

She needed him to see her and showed him some more roping skills!

Just wishing for life as normal I suppose. This whole pandemic thing is still lingering and quite frankly I'm tired of it. It's just putting a damper on life in general. It is not business as usual, it's not normal and it just feels all out of whack. How much longer? Is this really the new forever normal using mask and being hyper vigilant about hygiene habits along with social distancing?

One other little bright spot this week was grilled peaches...yes, grilled peaches. We hit up the local farmer's market a few weeks ago to secure some of the best local peaches. Went back again this week for more of those peaches as they were sooooo sooo good. The man said he loved peaches in all ways but really loved them grilled. Hmmmm....grilled. Well, if you haven't tried them this way it's definitely a little treat you might want to add to your to do list. We've indulged twice this week and what a treat it has been! 

Quick version is slice slightly firm peaches in half, remove pit, lightly grease with olive oil or spray with cooking spray and grill five minutes or so on each side over medium heat (350*ish). PRO TIP start with the skin side down first (I know, you don't even need to peel them!) Remove from grill, drizzle with honey and add a scoop of ice cream. I think you could also use maple syrup. And if you are into cinnamon sprinkle that on when you do the honey drizzle. YUMMY! And so easy.

Stay safe, stay well. And try yourself some grilled peaches...you will thank me next time you see me!