Happy Father's Day, Honey !!!

William and our first baby, Dana.

We were so young ! Too young and silly to know we ought to be scared.

What a blessing!

A few years later -- holding our 2nd baby, Colin.

Again, we are blessed!

And just 14 months after -- here's William meeting our 3rd baby, Devin.
Devin was born the day before Father's Day that year-- what a great gift, huh? -- and was of course, only
one day old on that first Father's Day with all
three kids. The next year ------...they gathered around to give him his gifts.

Parenting brings so many challenging and exciting and frustrating
and delightful moments and all the stories and all the pictures
can't be contained in a book
and certainly not on this blog.
We parents keep those precious moments of life
in our hearts
and take them out through the years
and remember.

Here are just three of my favorites of the kids and their Dad ---

William with Devin and some children of Anapara, Mexico.

Devin worked in an orphanage in Juarez for several months

and we went to visit.

Devin was certainly "in his element".

Colin and William

on a mission trip in Juarez.

A very, very emotional Daddy and a very, very emotional bride.

William walked Dana down the aisle to give her away to Blake,

then performed the ceremony.

Much emotion ---- tears and laughter !

That was a beautiful day in the life of a Dad !

I am so very thankful to the LORD who gave me this husband

and

so very thankful that He then gave us our three children.

Only the LORD could have brought us together,

kept us together,

and blessed us

in such amazing ways !

He gets all the glory and all the honor

and all the praise

for everything good in our lives !

Happy Father's Day, Honey !!

I love you so !!

G

What??? My baby is HOW old?????

Dana, Colin and Devin --- a couple years ago. And still one of my very favorite pictures of my three kids. They love each other. It makes a momma happy.................

Sweet picture of "Uncle Hoot" and his niece Lily Kate. Lily didn't feel good that day so Devin just sat and held her while she slept.

A friend of ours used to refer to Devin as a real "Opie-boy". Is this the cutest picture or what?!?!?

Brothers !!!

Darlin' boy!!!

I pray for God's very best blessings in your life!

I love you, Devin!

Happy, happy 28th birthday !!!

xoxo

Mom

Cousin Toyah got to my house around noon on Monday and just left for her home in Kerrville

a couple hours ago.

I really didn't even realize how much I needed this 3-day slumber party.

And that's pretty much what it was too.

We stayed up late, late, late -- went to bed at 3 a.m. one night.

We ate just what and when we wanted.

We made a pot of coffee every night at about 9

(decaf, of course)

and drank it with cream and sugar until the pot was empty.

One night -- I suddenly remembered the recipe for

cinnamon bites that I posted some time ago,

and since we had all the stuff --

we made them.

And then ate them - all !!!!

We spent the hottest afternoon this week at the ABA barns....

some of the best antiquey, junky, flea-markety stuff

in town....well worth the "melt-down" we endured wandering

around huge metal and un-air-conditioned barns.

We just moved from fan to fan.

Looked at everything and had a blast !

We went to Paula Sue's for dinner

one night with my mother (the above pic is my mother and Toyah)

and had a nice visit and meal with her.

Toyah went to Wednesday ladies bible study with me.

It was really good and she got to meet a few of my friends.

They all "know" Cousin Toyah already even if they've never met

her. I talk about her and our growing up

shenanigans a lot !!

This week with Toyah has been such a treat for me.

I think I really just needed a little break

from the usual. And, as a busy pastor's wife,

I know Toyah needed a little "no pressures" break as well.

There was no pressure to keep up with a schedule of any kind.

We just did what was relaxing and fun !

I think I'll take the rest of today to clean, change sheets and vacuum

and get the house ready for Colin and Ronnie

to visit this weekend

AND for William's return on Friday night.

Gwynie Pie

I just have time for a quick few words before my company arrives. But a few words are better than no words. Right? Since William is gone this week to Guatemala, I thought it was the perfect time to get my cousin, Toyah, to come hang out with me for a few days. That way we can stay up late, sleep late, come and go as we please. Toyah and I grew up together. We spent many a summer together, pretty much the entire time. So, this week just feels like "old times". Instead of riding our bicycles all over Mereta, though, we will most likely spend most of our time sitting on the back porch, drinking coffee or maybe rummaging through some junk shops. I'm sooooo looking forward to this!

Oh.....these seemingly random pictures that have seemingly nothing to do with this post? They are just that! Random pictures with absolutely nothing to do with this post! They are pictures of areas around the house that I just love. This one is my living room coffee table top. An bunch of baseballs, collected by my Daddy. I arranged them in a cut crystal Fostoria bowl. I love baseball. That probably comes from growing up watching my Daddy play. He LOVED baseball !!!

Sooo, it's a little tribute to him and to summer and to baseball..................

The other picture is on my counter top in the kitchen. I have had a drawerful of old "silver" ware for years. Emphasis on the old, not so much on the silver. I just decided this would be a fun look. I tied them in bunches with tiny jute twine. I've had the GRACE plaque for a long time. It says "GRACE each day, with Thanks". It always is displayed somewhere in the house. The initialed linen towel, that looks like an antique.....not! I found it a few weeks ago at Tuesday Morning. And it just "went" with all the rest of the mess !

Okay. That's all I got this morning! I'm preoccupied with "when will T. get here?" and "what will I fix us for lunch?" and "what are we gonna do first?" I'm looking forward to a fun week. Hope you are too!!!

Gwynie Pie

On the Road to Guatemala

Cute picture !!!

I love that man !!!!

William in his Guatemala Missions shirt, work hat, passport around his neck and his sack lunch for later today on the way to San Antonio. Egg and bacon burritos from Corner Stop, in case you are interested.

We ate breakfast there this morning --- so good!

I kidded him about looking like he was going off to first day of school.

Especially, when he had on the backpack also.

AND ---- they're off !

San Antonio by bus, SA to Houston by plane,

then Houston to Guatemala City,

arriving at 9:00 tonight.

Tomorrow, will be a lengthy bus ride up into the mountains

of Chichicastenengo.

Please pray for the entire team and

for the four widows and their children

that will receive the houses they will build.

Gwynie Pie

Ready for Summer Fun

I've had good intentions since about April, but finally yesterday finished getting the screened back porch ready for summer fun. Here's the rocking area next to the back door --- perfect to sit in the mornings with my Bible and a cup of coffee. A great place to begin the day !

Across from the rockers is this sitting area. The heavier -than -lead, sure -to -give -you -a- hernia, table was made by my Mamaw. The frame is iron and the tabletops are tiles set in concrete !! Concrete !!! She designed the mosaic tile layout and it says "Rodeo Motel". They owned a motor court on Oakes Street in San Angelo by the same name. I love this table so much!

They always had it out in their yard under the pecans trees where they sat and watched the world go by.................The old door wedged in there between the screened wall and the futon is the front door off my grandparents old house. AND it was William's idea to put it there....I must give credit where it's due, you know. I think it looks really cute there.

At the other end of the long porch is the eating area. I just found some candles I had in a drawer that were all in the same color, sort of, and put them in some old containers I also had hanging around. The stack of saucers serve as coasters for sweaty summer drinks.

The old punched tin chandelier is one of those things that just never worked anywhere in my house, ever. I "inherited" it when my mother moved into a patio home and had to pare down her belongings. But I never really had THE place for the thing. It's been in every garage sale I've had over the last five years and then it would go back to the barn to wait for the next one.

Suddenly.......it had a place to belong. It is just perfect hanging over this old bent bamboo table. It gives off just a soft glow at night. Enough to eat and visit by....soft and cozy. I'm soooo glad I no one ever wanted it.

Well, that's the back porch tour. Come sit and visit with me. We could rock and drink sweet tea and solve the problems of the world.

It'd be fun !

Gwynie Pie

3rd Post of the Day

Today was a busy day in "big town". I drove in to San Angelo this morning

and spent the day running errands for my mother -- getting groceries,

picking up a few things at Hobby Lobby,

and I took her to coumadin clinic.

Coumadin is a blood thinning prescription that she takes

and a bi-weekly blood test is required to make

sure her blood is not too thick, not too thin, but

just right.

I am glad to help my mother out with all these things.

It gives us a chance to spend a little time together and

visit some.

Usually, I drop her off at the front of the building and then find a spot to sit in the car

and watch for her to come out and go pick her up and we're on our way to something else.

Sitting there, watching people, as I love to do, is very hard on me.

I see people entering the building for cancer treatments, cardiologist appointments or

coumadin clinic. In any case, none of it spells "great health" and I usually leave

there a bit depressed.

Well, today was different.

And I've just gotta share it with you while it's fresh on my mind.

I found a spot to sit and wait, right in the front of the building....Primo people watching

spot.

Out comes this couple --- moving very slowly. He is walking with

a bit of a limp and his left hand is turned a bit -- possibly recovering from a stroke?

He is every bit of 90 and she is at least 85.

They are holding hands.

She is wearing a lovely hot pink sweater set with a very pretty, bright floral skirt, heels,

great jewelry and the hair....wow!

She has brilliant white hair that is teased

to within an inch of its life and shaped into the classic "helmet" shape. So cute!!

A beautiful lady, still very shapely and walking tall.

He is dressed in a charcoal gray suit with a light gray stripe, a light gray shirt

and a matching gray tie. He's wearing a black belt and shoes.

And THE worst toupee I've ever seen. Really.

But he was so cute !!!! Just so adorable !

This couple was holding hands, talking and laughing from the time they exited the building.

They obviously enjoyed each other's company.

She just had the sweetest, adoring countenance and he

had such a sweet, huge smile -- the kind that you could see all the dental work

he'd ever had done every time he smiled.

There was just that something about them that drew me.

They were so happy !!! I don't know why they were there today.

Don't know which one is the patient, which one is sick, but they were so

different from everyone else that I saw while sitting there.

They were just so obviously glad to be. Just glad to be, ya know?

They got to their car just helping each other along.

He opened the door for her and helped her in.

Then, he went around and got in. They drove off and I just sat there

smiling. What a treat the LORD let me have this afternoon.

I saw something very, very sweet, very moving, very special.

Very encouraging.

A very old couple still very much in love!

I 've had a good feeling the whole rest of the day.

Gwynie Pie

Second Post of the Day

Yep, some days just require more than one blog post. This is one of those days !

I just got back from eating dinner with William before

he went to the church to help with packing all the big stuff

they are taking to Guatemala.

AND it's worth telling y'all all about it ---

We ate a Hot Dog Combo at Sam's.

If you've never had this DE-lightful culinary

concoction,

go at your earliest opportunity --

run, don't walk

it will sooooo be worth it !!

Now, I'm a fan of the hot dog.

BUT, not just any dog.

I try to eat only the dogs that have been

blessed by the Rabbi.

No, I'm not kidding.

You thought I was kidding??

Oy vey!!

That does mean I'm rather limited when it comes to

hotdog brands -- it's either Nathan's or Hebrew National

and I much prefer Nathan's, which is exactly the brand SAM'S

serves.

Now, when you get your Hot Dog Combo at SAM'S, you will get

a 32 oz. cup to be filled with a delightful beverage of your choice

and a juicy Nathan's dog in a fragrant and fluffy bun.

At the condiment bar, you may add mustard, mayo, ketchup,

relish, onions, and there are cute little packages

of sauerkraut --- Frank's sauerkraut to be exact.

Now,

I don't know this Frank, but the man makes a mean

sauerkraut --- even better than my German grandmother.

You MUST try the kraut.

You will not be sorry.

AND are you ready for this ---

the total of this sumptuous feast for two

$3. 48 !!

Total !!

Yum !!

Give it a try sometime,

Grins,

Gwynie Pie

Happy Birthday Grammy !!!

Today is my mother-in-law's

birthday!

She is 84!

Some of the family took her out to

Cheddar's last night for

her birthday dinner.

It's always fun to get together

and

just get to hang out

and

visit with the family !

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth !

We love you !!!

It's Already Tuesday !

My husband is leaving this Saturday for a week long mission trip to Guatemala.

I am so excited for this to be happening.

It is truly an answer to our prayers.

William had the privilege of going on his first mission trip

to Guatemala in January 2008, with the entire staff and all the lay elders

from our church.

This was truly a life-changing experience for William

and he has been looking for the chance to return ever since.

We began praying for this opportunity for him to return

almost as soon as he got back and we believed

that the LORD would make a way for it to happen.

When the trip was offered and sign-up began, we knew William needed

to put his name on that list, believing that the LORD

was going to provide the money ($1600), even though we

weren't seeing "the how" with our physical eyes.

We just believed the LORD had said "Go" and

He would make a way.

Through a series of wonderful and sometimes surprising avenues

ALL the money has been provided and our faith

has been rewarded.

Don't ya love it when that happens?!?

And

Don't ya love it when the LORD confirms

that the path you are moving down is The path

He has laid out for you

"for such a time as this"?

One of the most amazing ways the LORD has provided all this money,

almost half of it,

has been through William's second "job".

He is an ordained and licensed minister.

His 1st job is working at Hospice of San Angelo.

One of the "hats" he wears is that of part-time chaplain.

So he gets asked to preside at funerals

and also to officiate at weddings.

Well, he was asked to preside at two funerals a couple of months ago,

both in the same week.

(And just a couple of weeks from one of the

financial deadlines for the money for the trip to be turned in.)

Now, understand.....this is remarkable on so many levels....

first of all, sometimes he gets paid for these services, sometimes

not....in any case, it is a ministry on his part and he is always glad to help people out,

money never being the object.

Also, for weddings, a minister can be more specific and just tell

the couple "my fee is $___".

But, for funerals -- he has never had a fee nor expected any payment, but is sometimes

pleasantly surprised by $50 or $100

from the family.

So, imagine the surprise when in the course of this week of two funerals,

he is handed $750.00 !

THAT was from the LORD !

The LORD put it on these families hearts to give William such a generous

amount and he turned around and turned in the amount

that was needed for the next financial installment

for the trip -- $750.00 !

Now THAT'S God !!

And William had the privilege of then further ministering to this sweet widow by

telling her how he was using the money she had given.

That her gift to him was going to be used so that

he could go to Guatemala and help build

houses for four widows there.

Sweet !!

God is good !!

And I am so excited that William gets to go wield a chain saw and a hammer

and help build these houses.

He gets to return to see the apple trees that he pruned last trip, now

producing their fruit.

He gets to hand out plates of food to the people that come for

what is the only meal they'll have that day.

He'll no doubt play a little basketball or soccer with some kids.

And, if I know him, and I do....he'll be holding some babies

at some point in the week.

Please pray for William and the entire mission

team from Paulann Baptist Church,

as they are leaving on Sat. morning and returning

the following Friday.

God is going to do some great things...

both in the hearts of the people there

and

in the hearts and lives of the ones He is sending to them.

With great excitement and anticipation --

Gwynie Pie

A Weight-y Matter

Okay, I know you are going to "feel my pain".

Not, perhaps, because you have experienced the exact

same pain.

But, I know you have experienced

something very similar.

You do live on planet earth, after all......

First, a little background ---

Since I was about 12 years old, I have been on one weight-loss plan

after another.

In the early days, it was NOT my choice to be on a diet.

But, I was encouraged to lose weight in order to become more

likable, more appealing, to become, in a word...attractive.

Guess what that planted in my little pre-teenage brain about what it

takes to be "successful" in the world???? I know!! But....

that's a whole 'nother post(or twenty). I can't go there today :)

I've been "dieting" in one way or another ever since then - 40 + years now.

Man, am I tired!!!!!!

And I have discovered that all diets work. They do. You can lose

weight on any diet where you deprive yourself of food.

Not all of them are healthy. Not all of them are maintainable.

Not all of them have a result of keeping weight off for the

rest of your life.

But they work. I am at a place in my life, being older and wiser now,

where I want to lose weight for reasons other than lookin' good.

That ship has sailed, know what I mean?

I just want to live long, live strong, live loud, live right up until I die!!!

Sooooo, after several months now of having a very desperate need for,

yet really rotten attitude about attempting any more

"diets", with the accompanying tears, hunger, sadness and anger that a

diet always brings me,

I decided "Okay, I'm gonna give it another try."

Really, I'm very tired of being overweight, very tired of

being tired.

And besides, this was one of those "God-given"dreams I blogged about

earlier this year. I still truly do believe it is God's desire for

me to be healthier -- and that translates into

thinner.

I got my hair cut 10 days ago. I know this because I've been on this new eating plan for 9 days now.

My hairstylist is a living testimony for "low-fat" eating.

She has lost over 200 pounds!!!!

And is today, healthier and happier because of it.

I asked her advice. She laid out for me exactly how she did it.

It made sense to me.

Everything in me said "yes, this is what I need to do".

I prayed about it, had confirmation from the LORD.

Felt so encouraged. In a way I haven't felt in so long.

I was hopeful. I was going to eat well, eat low-fat, lose weight,

feel great, live long, live strong.....

I didn't realize really how very radical the change from my

usual diet to the low-fat diet would be.

But, I stayed on it --- to the letter !!!!!!

I've been hungry many times....painfully so.

But I've been hungry so many times in my life and
I know it's not always "stomach" hunger.

Most times, it is "soul" hunger.

Eating disorders are about soooo much more than

the food. It is such a big, emotional deal.

Many people sit back and wonder why, if a person is

overweight, they don't just stop eating?

OR just start eating right?

"Step away from the candy and ice cream!!"

THAT person has never had a struggle with

food as their addiction. Their comfort.

Their, dare I say it?.....God.

For some who are trying to lose weight, it may be just that...

they are just trying to lose a few pounds, get healthier.

For them, they will cut out all bread products

or

make some adjustment in the time of day they are eating

and

voila, they will lose the extra pounds.

And ..... I'm glad for them.

I truly am.

But for me it's about so

much more than the food.

For me, and I know this, I know this, I know this !!!

It is a spiritual issue.

It's about God wanting to be GOD in my life!

It's about desiring the Giver more than the Gift!

It's about the LORD growing the fruits of the Spirit

in my life.

It's about me letting Him do His work in my life.

It's about me cooperating with Him as He

refines me.

NOT so that I will be pretty and pleasing

to man.

But so that I will be who He has created me to be.

ALL that He has created me to be.

I need to tell you here that after 9 days of this eating plan,

I have gained 2 pounds.

Talk about discouraged.....yesterday, I was so low.

I'm thinking "come on, what do I have to do here?"

"give me a break!!!!!"

By this morning however, I was righted....I'm back on track.

And I know this.....

the LORD is showing me something

so good,

so priceless,

so BIG....

THIS

this experience

is the only way I'm going to "get it".

So, today, I submit again to the LORD'S leading

to His showing me what's good and right and healthy

to eat,

to Him showing me to turn to the right or to the left.

And I so desire

to follow where He leads.

Thanks for listening to me share my heart.

Maybe you relate.

In any case,

Blessings on your day!

Gwynie Pie

Camp Pops 'n Pie

It's almost time, once again, for Camp Pops 'n Pie !!! We've been talking about what fun we're going to have this year. Last year was great! Lily Kate is our only camper so far. But we're certain there will be more as the years go by. What a fun time we had last year. Pops takes the week off work and we just play the whole time.


Here we are having mani/pedi day.

Lily Kate is a great helper and wanted to rinse the dishes.

She's also a really good cook. She loves to help put the meal together.

Wonder where she gets that ??

Lily Kate and Pops went for a long walk every morning after breakfast while Pie straightened up the house a bit.

Checking out the peach crop. And as the summer went on, WOW! Did she love those peaches!

Stopping off at our neighbor's field to visit with Trouble was a regular stop on their walk.

We got out my old metal doll baby bed and high chair for Lily Kate's baby to sleep and eat.

She needed to try it out first.

Yep, that's pretty comfy.

Every day we went out to the pool to "jump watti". Lily Kate is a little fish and loves being in the water.

Lily Kate and I were eating some potato chips and well....I guess I taught her a bad thing....a very bad thing!

"Hey look! See food!" Mercy, what kind of grandmother am I????

We went in to town one day to visits the Grands and to eat pizza at Double Dave's. Yummmm!

Lily Kate loves my toaster oven and "cooks" all kinds of delicious pink and purple playdough cookies in there.

"Oh man. I'm tired! Somebody take me home so I can get some rest.

Pops and Pie are wearing me out!"

So, that's some of last years pictures from camp. This year camp will be July 8 thru 12. We are already making plans -- lots of swimming,

probably some more neighborhood walks. We'll visit the Grands too. Also, we are going to take a little trip down to Sonora to visit Ronnie and Colin (and Jigs and Chrissy and Ranger). Looking forward to the 2nd Annual Camp Pop 'n Pie. This year maybe we'll get t-shirts made......

Gwynie Pie

Last Night's Dinner - YUM

As I mentioned yesterday, I fixed Swiss chard for dinner last night.

It was so good! Along with that we picked our first

yellow squash - 4 of them -

and I fixed those also.

I usually just slice them, almost cover with water

and then boil just until tender -- drain completely

and then rough chop the squash

and add 2 or so Tablespoons of butter.

I have this on-going inner debate over the question --

Butter OR margarine

Butter is certainly more natural, but unless

it is organic and hormone-free ???

But then, most of the newer margarines, the

good- for -you kinds are loaded with

chemicals and are just one step away from being plastic....

so ---- whatdayagonnado????

You choose.

Back to the recipe --------

I throw in a pinch of kosher salt and a little pepper

and usually about a small spoonful of sugar

and

it's done.

So good, so clean, and pretty healthy !!

In addition to the chard and squash, I made tuna patties.

My mother always made them from canned salmon,

also good, but I've always preferred tuna.

This is really pretty economical as well as tasty.

Here is the recipe as I did it last night ---

3 small cans of tuna, drained

4 eggs

1/2 cup Zatarain's Fish-Fri

1/2 cup cornmeal mix (or 1 Corn-kits pkg)

1/2 finely diced onion

or

1-2 finely diced green onions(with tops)

Onion is totally optional -- I love it!!

William does not love it!!!, therefore, no onion

at our house.

Mix it all up, make it into patties

Drop in small amount of hot oil in frying pan.

Brown on medium heat, flip over, brown the other side.

Serve with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce or ketchup.

This is the first time I used Zatarain's but it will definitely be included

in the future. Zatarain's, as you would expect,

has just a slight kick to it and it worked

great in the patties.

Hope you will try this.

Let me know how it goes.

Gwynie Pie

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We had quiet the storm last night! Lots of majestic lightning, lots of rain.....it was wonderful !!! I went out to check on the garden this morning, to assess any damage that was done. None. Lookin' good !!!

Our garden spot isn't huge, by livin' in the country standards. We are trying a garden again this year after several years of not even trying because of our enemy, fire ant.

We are growing cucumbers, yellow squash, spinach, tomatoes and Swiss chard. We wanted to keep it simple so that we don't get overwhelmed by the garden work, since we both have other things in our lives that need tending. Past experience has taught us that the "overwhelmed" stage leads to the "discouragement" stage which quickly disintegrates into the "feghit about it" stage, at which point the garden is done for, "sleepin' with the fishes" stage. Might as well get out the tiller and turn it all under....a sad day of personal defeat for all.

THIS, though, is the "lookin' good" stage!

Here is the Swiss chard. I can not adequately express to you my deep love of Swiss chard. I could eat it every single day!! They sometimes carry it at HEB in the big cellophane bags alongside the turnip, mustard and collard greens. Chard is very mild, doesn't have a spicy bite like mustard greens, and really is more similar to spinach. Here is how I fix chard or spinach or any kind of greens :

* Prep the green by stripping the leaf from the biggest part of the stalk

* Of course wash and wash and wash again to remove all dirt

* In large skillet or pot, drizzle olive oil, maybe 3 Tablespoons, on bottom

* Smash and peel 3-4 garlic, add to the oil and heat. DO NOT let the garlic brown.

Remove garlic and set aside

* Add the chard, stuffing it into the pot -- keep on stuffing it down

* Cook on medium heat until the chard begins to shrink down, then with grabnabbers

(that would be kitchen tongs to all you who do not watch Little Einsteins on a

regular basis) turn the chard over until all is cooked. Takes maybe 7-10 mins.

* Mince the garlic you removed earlier and sprinkle over the chard

* Also, sprinkle with Kosher or sea salt. Any salt will do, but don't overdo, because

chard is naturally salty tasting.

ENJOY!!! It is soooooo good -- good for you, tastes like heaven. I can't wait until tonight when I cook it for dinner again.

OH ---- IMPORTANT -- I started out with a large laundry basket FULL and it cooked down to a half a skillet full. Chard and all other greens reduce down dramatically !! Just wanted you to be forewarned.

And yes, this does "fly in the face" of everything you ever learned about Southern-influenced vegetable cooking. And know this --- I can cook a mean pot of greens, Southern style. You know the kind where you cook them in water for waaay too long, with a slab of bacon or salt pork in the pot. And then eat them in a bowl with all that yummy juice poured over a huge slice of cornbread......oh, yeah! I love those kind too!!!! My recipe however, is much healthier and I'm trying really, really hard to be all about healthy !!

And finally -- a picture of my backyard. Well, the cotton field just beyond the back fence. You can tell how much it rained last night. If you look really closely, you can see the cotton already coming up. It was planted on Memorial Day, just 9 days ago. But it was up and growing at about 6 days. I love !!!! watching this field go through all the changes as the year goes past. I am my Daddy's daughter, after all. A real farmer's daughter!

I am very thankful today for the abundance of my life. There are the big things -- Jesus in my heart, a husband who adores me, children whom I adore, a wonderful shelter to keep me warm and cool, a great church family and many friends. And then there are also hundreds and thousands, millions even, of blessings of abundance that the LORD has given me...not enough space, even here, to list them all. I am just so aware that this garden and this field and the rain that fell last night are all on that list.

Blessings on you today,

Gwynie Pie

Tuesday !!

Here it is 5:53 on Tuesday afternoon

and

I feel like I'm really just getting started

with all the things I wanted to accomplish today.

I've worked all day long at something, but turns out much of my "work"

is not visible to the naked, untrained eye.

It's all been "undercover" kind of work, I guess.

At least that's what I'm claiming.....

Here's just a sampling of what I did today --

* I started off in the kitchen this morning.

There were no less than 2 yards of dishes to wash. I measure this by how much space

they take up on the counter top when they are drying.

Yep,

'bout 2 yards worth.

Just cleaning the kitchen always makes me feel like I'm almost done -- no matter how

much more is left to do.

* Went searching in my closet (the biggest closet in the house) for items for the

yard sale this weekend.

You practically need a passport to go in this thing -- it's pretty cavernous.

It isn't as luxurious as it sounds. :)

Actually, it gives "walk-in" closets a bad name.

My clothes closet holds all our luggage,

2 Christmas trees - no kidding - a 4 ft. tree and a lighted 6 ft. tree.

Of course, it isn't lighted while in the closet.

You knew that!,

the feather beds,

all manner of partly full and completely full paint cans.

I keep the paint cans in the house so the paint won't freeze and

be useless after spending the the winter out in the barn.

There isn't any other place indoors for the paint --- so, my closet, it is.

Also in this closet is all of my clothes, shoes, purses; all winter outerwear;

the footspa and all mani/pedi stuff; AND

a chest of drawers. And that's really just a partial listing.

I really have to psych-up for searching the closet!

I must be brave!

But, I came out with a big box full of

yard sale items. AND the closet is all straightened up

and neat.

* It was "fresh sheet" day yesterday, but that didn't happen, soooo-

today I took sheets off our bed and washed them -

then took them out to the clothesline to line-dry them

in the sun -- ummmmm!

Only just as i got the big, heavy flat sheet muscled over the line and

all spread out and clothespinned down,

an E-nor-mous !!! whirlwind hit!

I probably would have been knocked to the ground

except that the sheet whipped around me, grabbed me up and trapped me!

By that time, I'm talking to myself.

AND to the sheet.

And I just give up,

fight my way out of the sheet,

wrestle the sheet off the line

and take all the wet clothes back inside

to the dryer, muttering the whole way.

BUT ---

being very thankful for my "servant girl",

the dryer.

* In addition to the sheets, I've washed

and dried 4 more loads of clothes today

with a couple more waiting in the wings.

* While cleaning off my desk and computer area today, I stumbled upon a bill from

the electric company.

In my busyness of the last couple weeks, I had neglected paying it on time

and was perilously close to sitting in a dark, hot house tonight.

Oooops!!

I tell ya -- bills and the paperwork that goes with them, that

is my Achilles heel.

I would love someone to teach me a great system

for this on-going, never-ending chore.

Anyway, I paid the bill on-line. It's so quick and easy to do.

But then I was afraid

it might not go through immediately -- you know how things

sometimes go. So -- I spent at least 30 minutes

of my life "on hold" to talk to

a real human, so that I could make

certain they knew I had made a payment.

They knew.

* I folded more white bath towels today than I even knew we had.

I love white towels !!! You can bleach the dickens out of 'em

and know they are truly clean. We just had a bunch of

dirties, I guess!

Not any more!!

* The aforementioned white sheets that assaulted me about the head and neck

are dried and back on the bed. Ahhhhh!

I love white sheets !!!!

AND clean sheet day is just the best !

They will feel wonderful by bedtime tonight.

* I remembered to take the pork chops out of the freezer - yeah !!!

Then pan fried them for dinner tonight. I made brown sugar glazed carrots and

brocolli to go with them.

We are trying to eat "low-fat", counting those

pesky fat grams.

I'm trying to stay around 20 grams of fat each day

and I gotta say --

I'm a tish bit cranky!

You probably couldn't even tell that.

Why, oh why, can't losing weight be easier?????

* In addition to all of this,

I tidied the rest of the house.

Tidy, tidy, tidy

Love that word!

My kids hated that word!

Probably because I was always urging them to

"Tidy up your room."

Tidy, tidy, tidy!

:)

* Now - William is home, dinner is eaten -- very yummy!

and we are heading out to the barn

to drag out stuff for

the BIG yard sale

on Saturday !!!!

Our goal is to make a little money for his upcoming trip to Guatemala

AND

to be able to park at least one car in the

two-car garage

next time there is bad weather

in the area.

SO

If you are in need of something

in particular....

just ask,

I'll tell......

Sure do hope you had a productive day as well !

Whew, I'm kinda tired....

Gwynie Pie