I WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Well, life is finally settling down a bit at the old homestead.  My grandson is doing great and we are so very blessed and thankful for his recovery.  Hubby has had some health issues but after a hospital stay, medication and a lifestyle change, he is recovering also.  I have tried to keep up with the blogs but just didn't take the time to post.  Thanks to all who have emailed and kept in touch.  I sincerely appreciate your prayers and concern. 

I wanted to stop in and wish you all a very Merry Christmas!  It will definitely be merry at our home this year.  God Bless!!  Chatty Kathy

PRAYERS PLEASE....

We just learned this week that our eight week old grandson, Bradley, will have heart surgery on August 24th at MUSC in Charleston, SC.  When he was born, we were told he had a slight heart murmur but that it would probably correct itself.  We were not too concerned since our other grandson had the same problem and after one month it was gone.  Bradley's did not go away so his pediatrician sent him to a cardiologist and he found a coarctation of the aorta which is basically a kinked aorta.  He will be admitted on Monday, the 23rd for pre-op testing and another ultrasound and then surgery early on the 24th.  He will be on a ventilator for 24 to 48 hours and if all goes well should be released in 5 to 7 days.  Please pray for this little guy.  I know God is in charge but a few extra prayers can't hurt.  I will try to post more details as we learn more.  Thanks!!  Chatty Kathy

Happy Father's Day and new additions!!

I miss my Daddy but I know he is celebrating Father's Day with my brother so all is good.  I have the greatest memories and think of him every day.  He will always live in my heart.

Happy Father's Day to my husband, my son Toby, my son Lee and my son-in-law Todd.  They are all wonderful Dad's!!!  Lee just gave us another beautiful grandson on Thursday.  Meet Bradley~~~

Weighing in at 6 lbs 14 ozs and 19" long.  He came home in the same gown that his Papa (my husband) wore almost 60 years ago!!  What a wonderful Father's Day gift!!

We have another new grandbaby too!!  Toby blessed us with this little bundle of joy~~~Meet Jaxon~~

He weighs 4 lbs. and is 10 weeks old!!!  LOL!!!  I am puppy sitting him today. 

We have had an eventful week with these two new additions.  God is good!!!

Have a blessed week everyone.  Hugs to all, Chatty Kathy

Have a great Memorial Day!

Gosh, I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted.  Spring has been really busy.  Three of our grandchildren were playing ball, of course, all at different fields and times (although some were at the same time!) so we were all over the place.  But it was fun!!  Glad it's over for now. 

The house is painted!!  FINALLY!!  Took the painter a while to get started but he did a great job and we have now hired him to paint the porch railings, stain the deck and replace the screen on our porch.  Did not plan on spending the extra money but time has not permitted us to get much maintenance done on the house this year.  I also did not plan on spending over $2,000.00 on a new washer and dryer either!!!  Not happy about that but when the repairman told us it would cost over $800.00 to fix the washer we decided we could probably get a new one for not much more than that.  So shopping we go and hubby wants a matching set.  Yes, I said hubby, not me, wants a matching set!!!  My washer and dryer are behind closed doors so I really don't care if they match or not.  Anyway, we got 'em and they will be delivered after we get back from vacation in a couple of weeks.  Anybody have the ones with the steam features?  I have heard they are really good but haven't used them myself so we shall see if the "steam" is worth the extra money.  I sure hope so!!!

My post on this Memorial Day is in memory of my brother, Kenneth Allen Mason, killed in Vietnam on January 5, 1969.  Thanks brother....I love you and miss you.....

Have a wonderful Memorial Day folks!!  Don't forget to says "Thanks" to our military.  All gave some.....but some gave all.  God Bless!!!  Chatty Kathy

GOD IS ALIVE!!!

Happy Easter everyone!!!  Enjoy the day with the good Lord, family, friends and chocolate bunnies!!
Hugs!!  Chatty Kathy

I'm baaccckkk.....

but you didn't know I was gone, huh?  Took a trip to San Antonio, Texas for a few days.  Enjoyed absolutely beautiful and warm weather and came home to cold and yuck.  LOL!!  Except for spending 14 hours in airports trying to get to Texas, the trip was great.  Don't think I want to fly Delta again.  The first delay was because of weather conditions in Atlanta with fog.  That delay caused us to miss our flight out of Atlanta and the next flight was 6 hours later.  Well, we got reassigned to the later flight and when we checked in the exact words out of his mouth were "you are not on this flight, you left on the 1:42 flight".  Huh, do you not see me standing here?  After about 15 minutes, he finally confirmed our flight and we were on our way, thank goodness!!  It only took a little over 5 hours to get home and that was with a one hour layover in Dallas.  Here is a view from our hotel on the Riverwalk.

On Saturday that river was lime green!!!  Yep, St. Patrick made a visit and turned it green.  There was lots of festivities with music, food, street parade and then a river parade.  Lots of people and we had a great time!! 

I haven't been up to much since my last post so nothing really to tell.  Maybe something exciting will happen soon!!!  Heading off to work, take care!!  Hugs, Chatty Kathy

I'm a scatterbrain...

can't seem to keep focused lately.  I am on this computer every day but don't seem to get anything done.  I log on with the intention to post to this blog but then never get to it.  I start reading emails, then answering emails and before I know it the clock says its time to leave for work.  I get home, get dinner done, clean the kitchen and do whatever needs to be done around the house, get on the computer with the intention to post and.....well, you know the routine.   Do you feel like you waste a lot of time by not getting to what you intend to do or is it just me?  I think I'm getting old and forgetful.  LOL!!

Anyway, let's see what has been happening around here.  I finally got my trashy swap items complete and will be mailing those out tomorrow.  I didn't mean to wait until the last minute to finish up but with all the snow we have had, I didn't get to the thrift stores until just a couple of weeks ago.  I will be so glad when winter is over.  We don't usually get much snow but this winter we have had more than we have had in many years.  Maybe that's what is wrong with me, my brain is frozen!!! 


Oh, look at what I got.......

and look at what I did with it......

I am having lots of fun!! This is one of those market totes with the zippered top that I embroidered on.  I have been invited to two baby showers this weekend and have embroidered on some receiving blankets, burp clothes and socks.  Still have lots to learn though.   I put Shelby's initials on one of her pullover tops and they ended up being inside out.  LOL!!  She was so sweet about it and said "Nana, that's OK, I can wear it when we paint together."  Thank the good Lord, I never do wrong in her eyes. 

Speaking of painting, the house is still not done.  The painter called Monday and said it would be another two weeks before he could start.  I'm glad he has plenty of work but I really want this house DONE!!  I don't like living in a mess...arrgghhh!!

Well, I want you to look at this, I actually got a post done!!  Ha, ha~~big hugs my friends.  Chatty Kathy

Need a chuckle? Read this....

A taxi passenger leaned forward to ask the driver a question, gently tapping him on a shoulder to get his attention.  The driver screamed, lost control of the cab, nearly hit a truck, drove over the curb and plowed through the window of a store.   Still shaking, the driver turned to the passenger and asked "Are you OK? I am sorry, but you scared the daylights out of me."  The badly shaken passenger apologized to the driver.  "But I didn't realize that a mere tap on the shoulder would startle you so badly," he added.  "No, no," said the driver.  "It's my fault.  Today is my first day driving a taxi.  I've been driving a hearse for the past 25 years."

Enjoy!!  Chatty Kathy

We got SNOW!!!

This is what we had when I got home from work yesterday.  Not bad, just a dusting....

Now, this is what we had when I got up this morning!

It is beautiful, but dangerous.  Three to four inches of snow that is covered with a sheet of ice and it is still sleeting.  It was so bad during the night, both hubby and I woke up to the sleet hitting the windows.  So my plans of working in my woodshop today are not going to happen.  I will try to stay warm inside and pray that the power doesn't go out.  The winds are picking up and that together with the ice is not a good thing with all the trees we have. 

We are having a birthday party tomorrow evening for my daughter.  She will be 36!!  Now, how she got to be 36 and I'm only 39, I don't know.  Started very young, I guess!!  LOL!!!  Have a wonderful day all.   Chatty Kathy

Got a few before and after pics

Family room before  

and after.  

Only the fireplace wall was painted to match the rest of the room.  We haven't found a firebox to fit the fireplace yet.  I think we will have to raise the outside cabinet floor to make room for a different firebox, so that is another project after painting.  I made a box frame to put my sign on and hang a few items above the mantel. 

Dining room before

and after

Moved my buffet to one side and turned my table a different way. 

I didn't find a before picture of the back door entryway but it was the same green as the before dining room pic and all the doors and trim were white.  It is now sienna walls and bittersweet trim.

Foyer before

and after

Walls are now oatmeal and I added a table with lamp and my Miss Liberty doll.

Still got some tweaking to do that I will get to sooner or later.  This painting is taking way to long to suit me.  I had wanted to hire it done in the beginning but got lots of resistence from Hubby.  You know how it goes....why do we want to pay someone when we can do it ourselves?  Well, he finally gave in and decided to hire a painter.  Of course, he has several jobs lined up so it will be next week before he can come by and give us a quote, but that's OK.  I can live with the mess a while longer but I won't have to come home from work and pick up a paint brush.  I have some orders I need to get done so now maybe I will have the time. 

Here are a couple more pics of my great-grandson.  One with me...

and one with Great-Grandpa....

Hope you enjoyed this picture heavy post.  I'll have more when the painter finishes.  LOL!!!  Hugs, Chatty Kathy

I'm a Great-Grandma!!

Yes, you read correctly, as of a little over two hours ago, I AM A GREAT-GRANDMA!!!!  Technically, I guess I am a Step-Great-Grandma, but I'm not a technical person so I will wear the label Great-Grandma with lots of pride.  Look at this little bundle of love.  Little Bentley weighs 6 lbs. 9 ozs. 

I haven't seen him yet except this picture but I will see him and hold him in the morning.  Just wanted to share some exciting news.  He-he, I think I'm in love........Chatty Kathy 

I'm not lost.....

I'm still painting.  At the rate this is getting done, I may not see you again till spring.  LOL!!!  I had to change my plans for the dining room.  You remember (not you don't remember, who am I kidding) anyway I had picked out the paprika for the dining room totally forgetting that my table and hutch are RED.  Big clash!!!  So, the dining room is oatmeal.  I went from paprika to sienna which is a little more brown instead of orange and will use that in my back door entryway and in my bathrooms.  The bittersweet trim is a lot darker than the paint card so I may leave the trim in the bedrooms and bathrooms white.  Who knows, by the time I get to those rooms, I may not paint at all.  I so want to be finished!!!!  As soon as I find my camera among the mess, I will get some pics done.  Take care....I miss you!!!  Chatty Kathy

The painting is underway......

and I am wondering what in the world I have gotten myself into!!  Why didn't someone warn me?  My house is a disaster with furniture in the middle of the floor, ladders blocking doorways, paint cans scattered around and I have more paint on me that the walls!!  LOL!!  I'll be posting some pics soon.

Today would have been my Mom's 82nd birthday.  Happy Birthday Mom!!! I know that you, Dad and Ken are having a wonderful celebration.  I cooked a good ole' chocolate pie in memory of you!!  I love you and miss you very much.....

Have a great Sunday everyone!!  Hope 20~10 brings you much love, happiness and good health.....Hugs, Chatty Kathy