I Missed These Days

 This morning our girls came and they are spending the night with us. This is just like we use to do every day.  

Sleep over with Poppie  and Gmaw. They have missed their chaffles with ranch dressing and waffles with sprinkles and whipped cream. 👸😊

We finished decorating and they have two of their own trees to decorate. 

They love our Christmas village every year. 

Uncle Dallas put it up this year. Never mind the athletic shorts. He is not in his underwear.  😂

I will show the rest of the decorations when we get our star on our tree. We wanted a different one this year. 

My little best friends tucked me in at nap time. They covered me up and gave me kisses and hugs. They have missed their little air mattresses and unicorn sleeping bags. 😴

After nap, we had a snack and went out and went scouting for deer in our deer blind that Poppie and Uncle Dallas put up for us. We rode the Ranger down there and a deer was on the ridge but ran off. I was so hoping that it would come back out so they could see it but it didn't. 

Hot dog and marshmallow roast....

Popcorn and movie in the princess bed. 👸

Then it was lights out because I'm one tired Gmaw. 

Back In My Element

 Tonight, I was back into my element. I got to fix supper for 4 people again. It was us and Dallas and his girlfriend. I fixed fried pork chops,  home canned pinto beans, corn from our garden, Mac and cheese and scalloped squash and Zucchini.  

I have got the living room ready to decorate. We went and got all our Christmas stuff out of our barn. This is as far as I got today. Dear Hubby and Dallas ran some errands today and got back later than expected so I got a late start and had to start supper. 

I will finish tomorrow. I am going to get all the things put up that the girls can't help me with and then save some for them to help me with. They have a little tree to decorate themselves. 

Back Into The Swing Of Things

 Well, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things around here. Here lately I am not wanting to leave my bed. I think I have been catching up on lost sleep. Now I know how dear hubby feels when he has to constantly sleep on different beds. There is no place like home. We will be checking into getting another mattress topper for traveling. Sometimes if dear hubby has to get a house somewhere to rent he still takes some of his own stuff. Now that I will be going with him, I will too. 

I have been trying to get my house back in order. Dallas did good keeping the house somewhat clean but I am OCD and you know how that is. 

Dear hubby had the house cleaned for me twice before we came home so I could come home and relax but after we brought all of our stuff in, I've had to put it all away. Needless to say, I have organized my side of our closet and rearranged the way I have some things and also purged some clothes. I just went around my whole bedroom and did this. Even my dresser drawers. I filled up two and a half garbage sacks. 

Yes I had stripped our bed and washed sheets because Dallas camped in our room like he owned the place while we were gone. 😂

I am having to rearrange the girls playroom and move some things into there just through the Christmas holidays because I am going to start decorating and will need the space. 

They are not too excited about still going to a baby sitter even though I am home though. It is breaking my heart but I will have to explain to them that we will still need her sometimes. We are fixing to do a kitchen makeover and we do not need them underfoot or getting hurt. This project has to be done before February.  

We need to still keep this routine because when we do leave out again in February, they want have to go through the whole process of finding and getting use to someone again. They will have plenty of times to stay with us before we leave again. They are coming Wednesday and all day with us until Thursday evening. I'm going to let them help me decorate and we are going to roast hot dogs and marshmallows.  

I had to go through all the girls clothes I have here too and put away what was in their suitcases and pack up clothes that don't fit anymore. I did an inventory of what they need for the winter and will get what they need for our house. Yes, I have always done this since they were born. I have my own things here so their parents don't have to haul clothes and suitcases and diaper bags back and forth all the time. 

As soon as I get everything situated and back to normal and the house decorated for Christmas,  I am joining in on hunting. I don't even have the room to bring in my hunting gear until I get my house back in order. 

Dear hubby went to his mommas house yesterday to check on everything and I know it was hard for him. 

Dear hubby has also been hunting and working on our hunting blinds.  I am ready to take our girls practice hunting. Maybe if we're lucky we can out hunt the guys. 

It was kind of chilly when they came in from working outside, I had home canned vegetable soup and corn bread ready. 

Now it's just some relaxing time with my sweetheart. 

To Catch Up

 Boy, it has been a good few weeks. 

I'm just going to go back and copy and paste from Facebook what happened on our days, because I can't go back and remember. LOL. 

Since I posted last, I got to treat myself. Dear Hubby had been telling me since I'd been there to go somewhere and pamper myself. So, one day I bit the bullet and took his advice. My sweetheart has been telling me for three months that I need to just spoil myself, so today I did just that and I have enjoyed myself so much. I have never had a spa day until today.  Body massage,  facial, and full pedicure. I literally felt all the bad things leave my body 😂😂

Gents, if you don't know what to get your lady for any special occasion or just a "Because I love you and you deserve it " gift, get her a spa day package.  ❤

Dakota called me one day and said he was headed to AR to a duck club lease he was in and wanted to know if we wanted to see the girls. Well, yes. I didn't even let him get it all out of his mouth before I answered. So we left in the morning and I met him half way.  I was so excited and so were they.  I cried and they cried. I told him we only had a week left out here and they could just spend it with us and we would bring them back home with us. 

We had alot of catching up to do on our snuggles. 

First thing I did was give them their princess dresses I bought for them and they loved them and had to play in them, even outside and even doing chores. More on that in a minute. 

I still had all their things out there from the last time they came to see us. It's a good thing I did. They knew right where everything was. 

I had also went to a thrift store and bought some new things for them. Going to thrift stores pays off sometimes. We will be having church this morning. 🙏

Atleigh had gotten up at 6:30 am that morning and had already made up her and sissies bed. Didn't even ask her to. 

This man said I was grounded from going anywhere else cause I done bought them a toy today. Guess who walks in with bags of candy. He said,  "They're sick!" 😅😅😅😅😅

The first thing Caroline says to poppie is,  "Let's fight. 😅😅😅😅

Caroline is a fighter and all she wants to do is wrestle. Atleigh is a lover and just wants to read books or do school.  

He didn't  miss them one bit 😂😂

They crawled up into his lap and played on this little piano and he sang to them. 

One night they asked if they could wash dishes, so I said why not.  I'm cooking. Team Dixon. I said Poppie is gonna come home to a clean house and clean children.  Now Atleigh is saying, "Clean house, clean children." She understands the assignment.  She is going to make a great wife some day. I am already praying for their future husbands. ❤🙏

Some things never change. This man is at it a second time around. You see, when the boys were little and we were home all day, cleaning, cooking, chores and home schooling, the minute dad came home from work, he would take over.  I was able to finish what ever I needed to do. 

This was the highlight of his day was coming home and playing with his boys. 

Now he does it with our girls. He never ceases to amaze me.

These girls have not forgot a thing I taught them. While I was in the shower, Atleigh had cleaned up the living room. When I came to look at her work, I saw Caroline sweeping. I did not even ask. They surprise me so much. 😇 and I also found my next corn shucker 

They were so good to help without being asked and they were on their best behavior, I took them to their (and mine) favorite place one morning. 

Yep, donuts 🍩 

And then to a little play place they like because it was too cold to go to the park. I didn't get any pics of them playing because they had met a few little friends and were busy. But they and their friends kept bringing me stuffed animals to keep me company while they played. 

Then Poppie comes home with little donuts for breakfast the next morning.  😋 

And this happened one day:

Oh my gosh. This child. I am about to cry. Atleigh came and told on her sister for getting into the candy. I did not know until later that little Miss Atleigh was the one who snuck and got the candy and gave both of them some. She got her sister in trouble but didn't tell me she was the one who did it too. 

When I finally got the truth out of her, I told her to go to her room and sit and tell God and talk to him and tell him she's sorry for lying to Gmaw and getting her sister in trouble. 

Ya'll this child is pouring her heart out to God and crying. My heart is breaking but  I am not going to intervene. This is the way it should be when you have a repentive  heart and you ask God for forgiveness. If more grown ups were as remorseful and repentive like a little child, this world would be a better place. 

Bless this child and her little heart. ❤

Finally the day came for us to pack the vehicles and head for home. They were helping Poppie take things outside. 

These girls have enjoyed road trips all summer coming to see Poppie and Gmaw at his "job house" but bless their hearts they said they were ready to go to  "home home" which you know where that is. Yep, Poppie and Gmaws house. ❤❤ Bless our sweet girls. But, I know exactly how they feel and now I understand how David Dixon feels coming home after being gone so long. 3 months was a long time. There is no place like home. I have never been so ready to sleep in my own bed in all my life.

We got back home and Dakota came to pick them up and of course they wrapped themselves around my legs and said they weren't leaving. They were staying here. Bless them. ❤ 

They did have to go though because they had a get together at their other Grandmothers house for Thanksgiving.  I told them I would see them in a couple days.  

We go the best nights sleep two nights in a row in our own bed. 

Thanksgiving day was kind of tragic because in the late afternoon hour, we heard ambulances close by and low and behold I looked out our dining room window and they were at our neighbors. I ran real quick over there and they were leaving with him. I went inside and found the wife and she was so distraught. They wouldn't let her ride in the ambulance so we helped her throw some things together and she left behind them. He was DOA at the hospital. She got to see him and collect his belongings on him and she came back home. I went back over around 9pm and sat with her and let her cry and talk.  Then she sent me home because it was 11pm. She needed her rest. We have loved beside them for 15 yrs. They have seen our boys grow up. She is a school bus driver for our local schools. We will continue to care for her. I invited her to our dinner the next day but I guess she just needed time to her self. 

Today is the day after Thanksgiving and my parents came and spent the day with us. 

A few weeks ago dear hubby  barely wanted to come home because this is a hard month on him because it is his Mommas birthday, his birth mothers birthday,  and his sisters birthday.  💙  He is having a hard time.  Thanksgiving and Christmas was his mommas favorite time of the year. He has been a little depressed and wasn't even sure he wanted to come home. 😕 

I told him that we still had to keep going because get togethers is all our boys have ever known all their lives and we couldn't just not be here. Nobody needs to celebrate alone. I think he thought on it more. Now that we are home he is excited. He's been able to get some hunting down and is happy. 

We are going to be soaking ourselves into a kitchen renovation project.  When he first told me I thought he had lost his mind. During the holidays? Then I got to thinking and I now know it's his way of staying occupied to help him make it through this season without his loved ones. I get it now, so I didn't say a word. 

All I can say is, hold your loved ones close because you never know how long they are lent to us. Cherish family. Get off your phones and spend time talking again. 

I hope everyone has enjoyed their break and Thanksgiving holidays. Now, let's bring on Christmas. 

I've got alot of unpacking to do and things to clean so I will go for now. 

Happy Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours. 

Still Here Still Learning

 Yes, I am still here. I have just been pouring myself into my computer and reading. I have been teaching myself how to use IMovie to edit videos and I'm almost there. I was going to purchase a videography class online and watch it, but I have found helpful videos on YouTube that have helped me get the basics. I had to record a practice clip so I could just play around with it. I did that last night. So today I'm gonna branch out and test the waters. I have been trying to create some images for my intro and outro to my videos. I didn't know how time consuming all this was. But this is what I wanted to do so we are on this road. 

We are so ready to get out of here and get back home.  Each day, dear hubby will come home    and say, "Do you want the good news or bad news first?" They keep extending his release date. Now they have cut us very close to Thanksgiving. Y'all this is the time of the week that I have all my baking and cooking almost done for 2 households. AND I'M STILL HERE!!!!!! I am freaking out. We are heading out WEDNESDAY the day before Thanksgiving. 😠 There is no way I'm calling off our Thanksgiving and not feeding my family....

 So....... I was scrolling through FaceBook and saw an advertisement from our local grocery store for Deluxe Thanksgiving meals to preorder. So guess what I did. Yep, I placed and order for our dinner. I was so excited. I have got to make this Thanksgiving just as special since this is the first one without his mother. You see, every year, we cook big meals and the whole family gathered at her house. We had a feast. Got to spend time with all his relatives. Same at Christmas. This was her two biggest holidays she loved the most.  Not to mention, in November is his deceased sister and Grandmothers bday. He is having a hard time the past month trying to move forward. It is just so different this year. He is having a hard time dealing with it, and so is our boys. I told him we had to keep going. This is all our boys have known, just like you all your life. I have to make this special. I will pick the dinner up on Thanksgiving day and will add more to it. Our guys always go hunting the morning of and the morning of Good Friday. I guess its a southern thing. It's expected. Maybe when he comes in from hunting he will be better. 

He came home from work yesterday and told me that they asked him could he stay longer. Well, this time he said, "NO, MY WIFE WILL KILL ME." and he is right and I will probably go after them too. I am so ready to see our girls too. My dear hubby is even relieving one of my anxieties for me and having my house cleaned two days before so I don't have to rush in and do it when we get home.  I am so relieved. 

I finished my book by Mrs. Sharon White and was sad. I loved it so much, I ordered some more of hers and they are awaiting me when I get home. In the mean time, I brought this one with me and I will finish it first. It is very good too. As you can see, I love anything to do with The Proverbs 31 Woman. She is my idol. 

 I also brought this little devotion book with me and I am enjoying it as well. 

 Dear Hubby has not complained about one thing I have cooked while I have been out here but one night he saw this on Pintrest and wanted to try it. It turned out delicious. It is Frito Pie or Frito Casserole. There is so many versions, just pick the one you like. 

Well, I have more classes to watch if I'm ever gonna learn this YouTube stuff. So I'm off but nap first. I will be so glad to get home and sleep past 4am. Except for when we go hunting. Y'all have a blessed day. 

Veterans Day

 Today we pay tribute to our Veterans and I have alot of special ones dear to my heart. 

My dear Marine Sweetheart 🇺🇸

My Grandfather who is called PaPa 🇺🇸

Here he was stationed in California.  

My nephew Thomas Ratliff 💙 serves in the National Guard in Tupelo, MS. He has served two tours in Afghanistan. 🇺🇸

My Uncle Benjamin Franklin Oliver Jr. Served in the United States Navy. 🇺🇸

My Uncle Jimmy Rudolph Oliver served in the United States Navy. 🇺🇸

My Brother in law Wayne Dixon. Served in the Unites States Army. 🇺🇸

Thank you to all who have served and are still serving today to protect our freedoms we so gratefully enjoy.