Shellbelle's Shells!!

I have been wanting to write about this great new Etsy shop since I received my very own piece of art!! Shellbelle's Driftshell Heart!! She has a wonderful blog, Shellbelle's Tiki Hut http://www.shellbellestikihut.com/ where she talks of all things beachy....among other very fabulous topics that will make your belly rumble with laughter! But lately, she's been very busy working on her brand new etsy shop, Creations by Shellbelle, where you can find some of neatest items for your home or yard! Ya'll go check it out. Meanwhile, take a gander at my treasure, that I "heart" everso!! One of the coolest things about my heart is that I visited the very beach where she picks up alot of these driftshells a few months ago at Sanibel Island in Florida!! Just look at the detail and placement of the shells! and it hangs by a hangar made with shells! Now... I spent a while this morning walking around deciding exactly where I want to put it....

on a palm tree close to waterfall?in the pergola? which is in full bloom with white jasmine that smells d-i-v-i-n-e!!

with the one legged gator? Or with the angels?But I think I've decided to keep it inside the lakehouse because of its delicacy.....don't want the hot summer temps to hurt it. Prolly by the dining table right inside the front door!! Soon as I decide, I'll show you!! Thanks rhonda.....you are a real gem......er, um.....shellbelle!!

A Surprise Wedding Guest?

Let's just put it this way. When I get a text from a Pacific Northwest (ho!)...um, I mean girlfriend, that says she's gettin' on a jetplane and heading south for a certain wedding..........well, this chick gets pretty darned excited!! Yes! Yes! So, on top of watching my babyboy marry the girl of his dreams, I get to have one of my very best peeps share it with me...how cool is that? And to top it all off, she's staying with me for a whole week, before AND after the wedding, so we will have time to play!! Chill. Soak up some rays by the pool. Eat. Cook. maybe partake in just a few cocktails....heh! Downtime. Girl time. Friend time. I am so lucky!! You prolly remember some of our stories.....you know, she's the straight -laced very serious one!

Not!!!!

Memories and My Girls!

A month or so ago, I made a post about the trip to Dallas for some serious shopping for the wedding. Remember the story about the coffee cups we found? http://constantchatter-jmac.blogspot.com/2011/03/just-coffee.html Well............looky!We had the opportunity to use our cups together on Easter weekend.........just like we planned!!
Oh, what a fun, wonderful weekend that was!!

Da Easta Bunny came......

...and the annual Easter egg hunt took place!! I gotta tell ya....I'm not sure I laugh at anything as hard as I laugh when I watch my grown sons hunt for their eggs!! hmmmmm....31? 25? is that too old to Easter Egg Hunt??? Nah............I don't think so! Nor do they! As I've told before, they are held back by the Cap'n and his broom at the top of the steps until the "Go" is signaled. Then they take off, while the rest of us hope that there will be no injuries involved..............Well, just take a look. I think the pics say it all!!Firstborn finally found the Golden egg!!! It took yrs and yrs of practice for him to finally find it! He scored Big Time this yr.....heheheheh. Big Boy!!

And of course, ms. thang had her first hunt as well!

He is Risen!!!

We should all take a moment in silence to talk to Him and thank Him for saving us. Praise be to God!!

And just look what He made!!!
HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!!

Happy Easter!!

That crazy bunny has been in my yard again dropping eggs like there's no tomorrow......and I've got some little boys, um...er......30 yr old boys.....who have been doing wind sprints to practice up!! A crawfish boil this afternoon with all my chillin around me! Doesn't get much better than that!!I praise God everyday but especially during Holy Week. How a man could give up his son, to save all of us, just bewilders and amazes me. I could give myself up..........but NEVER my sons.

Glory Allejuiah.............His day of rising is tomorrow!!!!

Chuckling!!!!!

Bwahahahahahahaha..........everytime I see that last pic of All My Girls in the previous post, I chuckle! Cuz my whole adult life, I've only been surrounded by males!! And now, I'm seeing myself in the middle of four beautiful women.....well, 3 women and 1 perfect "little" girl......and it's just SO strange!! Strangely wonderful. I am having a blast being around girls who are actually IN my family!!! And I am so lucky to have ended up with not one, not two but THREE great daughter in laws.........man, oh man............so lucky I am!!
Ok. That's all. I've been thinking it and just had to get it on paper...heh!

bridal shower...cont'd!!

Tables.....Flowers......Peoples!!

Bride....Bride's sister....Bride's Grandmother.....PRICELESS!

With all the sweet gifts and all the sweet people.....guess who was, at times, the center of attention??!!! Oh yeah.....I have many pics to share of ms. Lilli's first bridal shower!!

A Fun Happy Day!

"Each day of our lives we make memory deposits into the memory banks of our children."

~~charles r. swindoll~~

And Saturday we made many!! Hailey's bridal shower was such fun. A beautiful day filled with sunshine, many smiles and hugs that made hearts warm. So many of Hailey's family and friends, along with some very good friends of mine, filled my home to show her how much she means to them. We had good food, lotsa cake and too much chocolate flowing in a fountain and champagne punch.....stories were told, laughter was shared, presents opened and yes, memories made! I've only gotten to a few of the 300 something pics taken!! so I'll show you some of the images now and be back later with more.

I am such a lucky lady. I've got three of the neatest sons a mom could ever hope for and now I've got three of the sweetest daughter in laws, who love my boys as much as I do. What more in this world could a mama want?!!

I begin with this because there is a story to it....isn't there always??!!! This is one of her engagement photos that was taken out at our tree swing. This huge tree sits beside the pond out in the pasture. I've often posted pics of this red swing with sophie or lilli. I love this spot. Often hop onto the four-wheeler and ride out to just sit and reflect or think. So, I was honored when my babyboy wanted one of their pics made here. If you look closely, you'll see them sitting in that swing.....but what I really love is that this is truly a landscape image.....of that magnificent tree on our property. But there is a sad ending....it has died. We don't know why...maybe the drought we had last yr and the hot, steamy temps. But it will soon begin to fall apart. So, how wonderful is it that I now have a big beautiful portrait of my little boy with his bride in the "swing tree" to hang in my home and treasure forever?? A few of the happies from the party...

Lip gloss for guests to take on their way out as a momento of our day. Every day that their lips shine, we hope their hearts shine with thoughts of our newlyweds!

The picks for the fruit in the chocolate fountain stuck into a watermelon that say "I DO"!!

Time is ticking down until the big day.......be back later with more fun!!

Is it raining?....I feel a shower coming on!!

I am so honored to be able to have Hailey's Bridal Shower in my home tomorrow!! All the girls will be gathered round, including ms. Lilli cuz Aunt Hay is her best friend!, to toast, taste and tickle Ms. Hailey's last days of being a Miss instead of a Mrs!! I will be back after tomorrow to share pics of our day and to catch up on my blobbing....been a crazy few weeks!!

All work and no play...

...makes for one grumpy YaYa! So, what better way to play than at the park with some sweet Lilli Love?!! Yesterday, I was invited by a precious daughter in law to tag along on a picnic to the park on a most glorious sunny day! There were alot of pre-school babies there with their classes and Lilli loved that. She also had her jackson along with her, so between Mom, YaYa, Jackson and all the clover and grass she could want to crawl in..............we all had a blast! I even got to teach her how to blow the feather weeds and make a wish!! heheheh.....

Bridal Shower work week!

It's here next weekend, so......work, work, work!!

A Clematis kinda day!

Took the clematis pics while this "crew" prepared for their day at the race!

while I enjoy the views from land!