Potpourri Friday

Happy Friday! I don't know why but this has seemed like a long week. And even though the weekend looks to be crazy busy - there's just something fun about a weekend. During the week I get up anywhere between 5:30 and 6:00. On the weekends - even though I always seem to have a thousand things going on - at least I stay in bed until 7:00 or so. And then I always, always, always drink 2 cups of coffee with cream on the patio and just enjoy the morning. That's my most favorite time of the day and it rejuvenates me to just enjoy it while sipping my coffee with my sweet dog Josey sitting on my lap.

Let's see - just what kept me so busy this week? Last Sunday we had our annual Family Fair and Roundup Sunday at the country fairgrounds. We literally move church to the areana. We have Cowboy Church. This year we had over 650 people attend. We bring in musical groups who entertain all afternoon. We had lots of inflatable toys for the many children to play on all day. Of course there is tons of good food. And the afternoon holds a team roping competition. It is a HUGE day for our smallish sized church. Typically we run close to 300 - so this more than doubles our size - and our work! But it's all worth it.

Then on Sunday and Monday night we got to have Michelle and the baby spend the nights with us. Brad went hunting for a few days and it worked well with Michelle's schedule to stay with us. What a joy to have my little grandson stay with us overnight! He is still just melting my heart with his winsome smile.

Here he is playing "so big" with Mia!

See what I mean? He just makes me laugh! He recognizes who I am now and breaks into a huge grin when he sees me. Have I mentioned how crazy in love I am with this little boy?

And then we are still adjusting to Jess being in college. And she is still adjusting too. Her roommate situation didn't turn out to be a good one at all. Just two very different personalities that weren't meant to be together. Her roommate ended up moving out this week. Jess went back to her room after class one day and her room was empty. Let's just say I have struggled a bit with keeping the "mama bear" in me subdued. I know I am probably biased when it comes to Jess, but honestly, she is just the sweetest kindest and gentlest person around. And she has a very tender heart. This whole episode has done nothing to help her adjustment to college or her self esteem. But we agree that God is using this for her good and in the end she will be better for it. But oh how we hate these hard times. She has a new roommate now and it seems to be going much better. Hopefully, this is all going to settle down now. Hopefully.

On a happier note - my sisters and I hosted a baby shower for little Ava Claire who is scheduled to make her debut in 3 weeks. 3 weeks! I can't believe it - in just three weeks I will be snuggling a sweet brand-new baby girl in my arms. I cannot wait. I am taking a week off work like I did for Michelle and will be staying with Jayson and Andrea helping them take care of this precious little girl. Her shower turned out very well and let me just say that little Miss Ava Claire will be the best dressed girl in the county!

Instead of a cake we had a chocolate fountain - which was a huge hit with the little girls who were in attendance. Don't ever try to tell me that girls don't have a genetic disposition to chocolate!

It took quite a while for Andrea to open all these gifts!


Andrea's mother-in-law made this sweet flannel blanket. I just love these kind of quilts - they are so snuggly. She also made her a really big Raggedy Ann doll - I forgot to get a picture of her.


Isn't Andrea just so beautiful? She has handled this pregnancy so well. She started teaching kindergarden this fall - 8 months pregnant! She is doing such an incredible job holding it all together. I know she will cherish each day of the 6 week maternity leave she will have.




This is the quilt that I made for Miss Ava Claire. I enjoyed sewing every stitch of it. Michelle and Andrea are going to take the babies with their quilts and have their photos done. I love that idea! Quilts are the kind of gift that carry special meaning that only gets stronger with each passing year.



What a lot of wonderful gifts. Our friends and family were so generous.

Another thing that has kept me hopping is that I have 2 litters of Yorkies ready to go to their new homes. Three of them have left but I still have 4 to go. I cannot begin to describe to you how much work and effort this takes. Just imagine how much pooping and peeing 7 puppies can do. Even if they only weigh a pound, I swear they poop 10 pounds a day! I have a real phobia about my house not smelling like I have had 10 dogs living with us.

I know.

10 dogs is about 7 dogs over my limit. I believe this is the last time to breed. I have been doing it for about 10 years and you know what? I'm ready to stop now. I'm ready to stop a lot of things now and just focus on being a grandmother. That's all that fills my thoughts and heart these days. So I think after these last 4 pups go - that will be the end of it for me. I started breeding these dogs to help fund my girls through college. And it did. But this particular breed has become quite trendy thanks to Hollywood, and because of that everyone and their brother has decided to get in on the profit fun and because of that you find all kinds of dogs passed off as purebred. It is a really frustrating thing to me and I'm really weary of the whole thing. If you ever pick out a dog - really do the research on the breeder and their dogs. Just because you have papers - well, I hate to say it - but that doesn't always mean anything.


I pride myself on my breeding program - I think I turn out some great puppies. Here's a couple of my current litter.

My magazine writing class is turning out to be a lot of work. I knew it would and I am really enjoying it. But it adds extra "to do" stuff on my already very long list.

This weekend I have to work Saturday - another testing day at my job. And then I am hosting about 20 people at my home for a progressive dinner. And then Sunday, well, Sunday is a day all of its own. And Monday is back to work.

Life goes on doesn't it? And that, my friends, is a good thing!