Girls Next Road Trip

 Me and Poppie went home for the weekend. This was his last weekend that he will be able to go home due to they will be increasing their hours at work.  So we made the best of it. 

We came home to a clean house. Dallas worked so hard. The kitchen was clean and the house was vacuumed. He did a good job.  I think he is enjoying his bachelor pad while we are gone. The weather got bad one night but our great neighbors were keeping an eye on him too.  We have awesome neighbors in our neighborhood and we take care of each other and look out for each other. Dallas is learning alot. This is good for him learning to do things on his own even if it's not the way we would do it. We are proud of him.

Dear hubby needed to get some discing done on our deer club and our property for deer plots this winter. Another member of the club will plant next week. He also bushhogged over at his mommas house so Dakota can work somemore on our new project.  

Dakota did not have to go to LA for relief efforts but he has been on call and have not got to see the girls alot. 

I cooked supper for us. Harvested our lettuce from our Aerogarden and made their own salads.

It's time for them to go on another road trip with us so they came to spend the night with us so we could leave the next day. Dear hubby took Dallas to town so he could buy himself some groceries and Dallas wanted to go to the gravesites. I got the girls and myself ready and their luggage together. Dallas is still dealing with their passing in his own. Visiting the gravesite seems to help. They cleaned up all around Nanny, Grandmothers, his brother and sisters sites. 

They got back home and it was time for us to leave. We got Dallas settled all in again and he helped us pack the truck. 

She yells,  "I'm not sleepy!!!" 5 minutes later. Good girl. 

Movies,  snacks,  drinks check. 

Handsome driver. 3rd road trip with Poppie and Gmaw.

We got back to our destination and just grabbed something to eat. 

It was time for bed and then Poppie had to go into work. Caroline was sad that he had to go to work. Poppie said that he had to work so he could buy her somecandy, so then she was fine. 😅😅

Thank goodness for activity back packs

Today we need to go get some groceries for here and I'm going to let them spend some of their bday money we brought with us.  

When you just need reassurance that you can potty safely.  😅 Yall just  don't know how many times she has tried to open the stall door on me in public 😒

They never get tired of being held or cuddled.

The next day. I took them to their favorite place again. 

You know this is their favorite place when they know the way to the donut 🍩 shop.  I have spoiled them.

Then to play

Back home to take a much needed nap. 😌

This little one, I swear. One minute she is aggravating the far out of you just like her daddy 👨, arguing with you like your a fence post,  throwing a play snake on you til you almost wet your pants. Then there's times like this. She grabs your hand and kisses it and falls asleep. Then she calls you back into the room after you tuck them in and she says, "You're my best friend!" And then she still wants to do chores while on vacation. 

Then there's Atleigh that is loving ❤,  nurturing and compassionate and just wants her own space so she can take a good nap. 🥰🥰 Bless both of them. They are Gmaws little buddies and Poppies Princesses 👸

Supper time 

Spoiling my sweetheart 💕.  I think he's enjoying this. 😉

Poppie got home, had his supper and of course was joined by his Princesses 👸.  

It was time for bed because he has to get up so early in the mornings. 

Next day, I took them to spend the rest of their bday money. 

Well, they have more bday money to spend and too many toys. So you do what Marines do. You, improvise,  adapt and overcome. You sit in the kids two seater buggy while they shop. 😅😅😅😅 Not ashamed.

The best lunch dates

Came home for a much needed nap. 

Got up and cooked supper for all of us and Poppie got home. They got to play with Poppie for a bit before it was bedtime. We just snuggled and watched TV too. 

Tucking in the girls last night went like this:

After we said our prayers:

Atleigh: When I was little, there was monsters under my bed and daddy came in and looked and said there was no monsters under my bed. ❤

Caroline: when I was little, there was a monster in my room and I punched him. 👊

I swear, Atleigh loves her daddy and Poppie keeping her safe. Caroline can take care of herself. 

Dear hubby was off the next day, so we got up and had coffee together before the chaos. 😅😅😅

We were just a little laid back today. We just relaxed and played games and watched TV

Everything was fine until I had to go potty and I get this 5 minutes later. When you lock them out of the bathroom because you want to do business alone. One is crying and the other is giving me a sun hat. 🌞 😢

After nap, we got up and got ready and took them to see the new Paw Patrol movie and eat

 

Today is the day they have to go back home. Kind of sad but kind of relieved. Don't get me wrong, if you have been following me long you know I love my grandbabies, but this Gmaw gets wore out. I think they have had a good week though. 

We got morning snuggles. 

Well, for Poppie, the snuggles didn't last long. She wanted to fight. Lol 😆

We got ready and had to leave. We are meeting Dakota half way so we don't have to drive all the way home. He has missed them so much. He has been on call and then we had them for a week so it has been a long two weeks for him. 

It's gonna be a long road trip. One is bored and already sucking on her toe and the other is not amused and thinks it's gross.

It has been a good week and Poppie and Gmaw are gonna miss the chaos and snuggles next week. But they have new things to do and see and Gmaw and Poppie is very proud of them. 

Missing In Action

 I'm sorry I've been missing in action the past week.  I've just been giving my sweetheart all my attention and he is loving it.  

Over the past weekend, dear hubby had to go home for one day to take care of some business for his birth mother who passed away recently. I didn't go with him because he left and then spent one night and came right back.  My poor ankle and knee would not let me make the trip. The sneaky thing got to ear supper with our little buddies and love on them. They were so excited to see Poppie and of course wanted to know where I was. So he let them video call me. 🥰 . He got home and got to have some one on one time with Dallas and watched a movie with him. The next morning he took care of business and then headed right back here. 

These girls love their Poppie

Dakota was on standby for his crew to leave to go to LA  for relief efforts for Hurricane Ida. So many power companies from many different surrounding counties,  cities, even other states responded and had already left and was waiting on the storm so they could already be there. Dakotas crew did not have to leave. Reports say there were two linemen from  a company in AL that lost their lives due to electrical shock.  Even our linemen needs prayer anytime they are called out. 

I have been in another book by Elizabeth George.  I love her writings. I have let some young ladies, that are friends with our oldest son, borrow some of my books after I read them or they want to know the title and they just go buy themselves one. They love the books too. I'm so glad I can share what I have learned and then a younger generation glean from it. Just like it says in the Bible.  They older shall teach the younger women. 

Oh, and Guys, women aren't the only ones who can benefit from a good book. Especially if it improves your way of life. ❤❤

One night I  made a new dish that we really enjoyed and he had left overs to take to work and he bragged to his coworkers. 

It is called One Pot Enchiladas. Or Lazy Enchiladas. Just the ingredients you see. Brown the ground beef, drain, then throw everything in and let simmer. Cut the tortillas into small squares. Wholah. 

Last night we were going to go to dinner and then a movie but dear hubby was having an off day with his sugar so we just made it to our most favorite place to eat. 

We switched movie night to tonight. We had left overs from our dinner out last night so I added salads to it and some fresh garlic knots. 

Then we headed to the movies. 

Dear hubby is enjoying all this attention and getting up together having coffee in the mornings. He said his day goes much better. ❤ 

I'm not really knowing what to do with my free time. 😁. 

I went to town yesterday and they have started stocking for Christmas with their toys.  So next time the girls come out,  I will take them to let them spend their bday money. 

No Words Needed

 I don't even have to write a post to say how distraught I am feeling at the moment as to what is even happening. 

My heart is breaking for 13 families right now. And for Christian martyrs.  

God Bless and Help Us. 

Just Me and Dear Hubby

 Well, we decided not to go home this weekend after all. We do miss our little buddies but at this time we chose to have quality time alone. You see, for 23 years we have poured our entire being into our own two sons and sometimes put ourselves on the back burner. My husband patiently waited all the time for my attention. Bless his heart. He never once complained. He knew I wanted to be the best mother I could be and he also was comforted knowing that I took such good care of his children. However, sometimes at the end of a long, tiring day, he only got what was left of me if there was anything left. He should have been first and foremost. Fast forward 23 yrs and now both kids are out of school. One out of the house and his own family and one still waiting on his entrance to his future. 

Ad you can tell, we are also heavily involved in the care of our grandchildren.  I wouldn't have it any other way. We want a good relationship with our grandchildren and we have that. So much as sometimes they never want to go home. They want us all the time. They are part of our flesh and blood. We have a bond with them that can't be broken. 

However,  this season in our lives we need time now together for us. We have been preparing our son and their mother that after Dallas graduated high school that I was going to start going on small trips here and there to where dear hubby is working. I can't travel long distances but I can only travel so far due to my RA. 

This season he is working close enough that I can go back and forth and make frequent trips. 

We chose to stay home this weekend for us. Our time together. Dear hubby knew this was hard for me because I have been the active grandmother in our grandchildrens lives for the last 4 years. 

What makes it easier is I can go back and forth and we can rotate with sometimes I come alone and sometimes I can bring them put here to see Poppie. We will do this for the rest of the fall while he is here. This works out perfect. We get some us time and we get some grandchildren time ❤

The past few weeks, other grandmothers have stepped up to the plate and helped so this was possible. I am forever grateful.  

I have one more year with Atleigh before she goes to Kindergarten and two years with Caroline before she goes unless they want to put her in preschool.  Next year I will have Caroline one on one. 

After both are in school, I can go on other trips further away while he's working but want have the option to go back and forth. Once we hit the road, we will be there until the job is through. It will be hard but we also have to think of our time now. 

We've waited years for this.  

Until then, we are just going to enjoy this time and small trips here and there. I'm Thankful for this weekend with my sweetheart. It was about time. 

Don't know what we will do or where we will go but as long as we are together I don't care.  

My sweetheart has also enjoyed seeing me relax and worry free. He worries that I am always stressed because I'm always thinking about others and serving others. I am always worried or stressed over our children's lives and such. I've always just wanted to be there. However it plays an emotional toll on me and I get overwhelmed and distraught.  That's just part of being a mother. But as our children get older I have realized I can't live my children's lives for them. I have to learn to LET GO and LET GOD.  Loosening those apron strings have been hard for me. I took my position as mom very seriously. Well, now it's time to embrace WIFE position and so far dear hubby says I'm doing a good job. He has enjoyed seeing me relax and have a good time. In order to do that I just hated to remove myself from the equation for a spell. It has freshened my mind and relaxed me at the same time.  So this is what vacation feels like. 😁😁😁

Random Things and Quality Time

Monday I had a dr appt with my rheumatologist.  I did not really enjoy my visit this time. I have to go every two months and have blood work done and follow up. The last appt two months ago, I told him I was hurting really bad in my knee. I thought I was just having a flare up and inflammation. Well, after sending me to the xray room 4 times we discovered that I have a degenerative disc in my back and it is the one that is connected to my knee. Well, this visit, when he was manipulating my joints like he always does, he got to my knee and I reminded him to take it easy because it still hurts. He then asks me what's wrong with my knee. Ummmm.......really doc? This is not the first time this has happened.  Alot of times I'm having to remind him of things we discuss and things we do. I respect all doctors. I know drs see alot of patients every day for months however, this is a specialist and I have seen him for years and my appts are so often......you see where I'm going. In other words, we see each other on a regular basis, you would think we develop a dr patient relationship after a while.  I would like to think that he "knows" all about me and my history. But here for some time I have felt differently.  I'm having to remind him of too much and there are some appts he listens and some I feel like he doesn't listen. Also, every visit is almost the same. We talk about the same stuff and he performs the same stuff. I don't really know why he has me coming every two months except to just do my lab work that I have to have done frequently or to have x-rays done that they have to keep up with. I can have blood work done at my local primary care dr and they fax him my lab work. This visit Monday though kind of made me really upset. 😕

The nurse came in and took all my vitals and she asked me if I had the vaccine yet. I told her no. She then said, Why? In a tone I didn't particularly care for. I told her because I don't want it.  She wrote that on my paper. So, after a bit, in comes my dr. The first thing he asks is the same thing. I didn't like his tone either.  😕 . For the past few visits he is really pushing this on me and I don't like it.  I explain to him I do not want it and why and he doesn't seem to like my answer. He kind of acts like he gets slightly irritated with me. After, he does all he's going to do, after me having to remind him of what we discussed and discovered at my last visit,  he walks out to the nurses station with me like he does all patients. He then tells the nurse to put in my file that I don't want the vaccine because I said I was immune to it and wouldn't get it. ARE YOU KIDDING ME DOC! I   did not say that. What I did day was that I did not want the vaccine because I did not feel it was safe just yet due to being pushed through too fast and not studied enough like all other vaccines. Also, people have already died from the vaccine and even vaccinated people are getting Covid. This is my conviction and my opinion right now and I'm entitled to it.  My husband had it back in May and we were locked in our home together the whole time. I did not get it.  I was very upset that he would mock me like that. So he schedules my next appt 6 mths out and says I can let my local Dr do my blood work and fax it to them to put into my files. I feel like he is brushing me off now due to him not wanting me to come back for a while since I am not vaccinated yet. This bothers me. He may fear for his own health and I have no problem with that but to push someone and act the way he did is not acceptable to me.  I am going to have to think on this for a while meaning, if this keeps up, and he has this attitude towards me,  I may be asking for a referral to another specialist. 

Yall, I am by no means saying this virus is not real, nor am I down playing it.  It is real and it has taken many lives. I will not go into debates with anyone on it.  Not on social media nor my blog. I will say, that as Americans , we still have a right to choose right now concerning the affairs of our bodies and we also can act on our own conviction,  concerns,  opinions and etc. This is all I will say on this matter. 😉 

In other news....😅😅

That evening after I got home from my Dr appt, I went outside to get somethings out of one of our sheds and bam!  I sprained my ankle. I heard it pop and I went down. I am not exaggerating when I say that I do this all the time. I am constantly twisting my ankles or falling down or tripping on thin air. 🙃 I made it inside and didn't realize how bad it was at first. I just knew it was burning and sore at the moment but I had things to do. This is two days apart. 

I had packing to do and get my things ready. After that,  hubby was concerned and told me to ice it. 🧊 

The next day, I cut out to be with dear hubby again. This time I traveled alone.  

I got here Tuesday and had enough time to unload truck and make supper before he got off work.  I made some super salads 🥗.  We needed to eat light after all the stuff we ate from Caroline's bday party.  🎂

We just relaxed the rest of the night. 

The next day I got up with him and we had our coffee together. He left for work and I read and prayed. I got ready and went to town to pick up some things for supper. I was so tired and my ankle and knee was just hurting.  I unloaded truck and put groceries away. I laid down to take a nap but only slept 45 minutes 😩.  I needed a good nap.  Oh well. 

I got up, waddled into the living room and read a little and propped my legs up. 

It was then time to make supper and I was so excited. I wanted to try a cauliflower crust pizza. Dear hubby is watching his carbs and sugar. I made one a few yrs ago and we liked it but the boys were not crazy about it.  So, I thought I'd do it again. It turned out so good. 

As I was cooling,  our little family of deer came out and came so close to the window. 

Maybe they could smell it,  I don't know. 😁 

We cleaned the kitchen and just watched some TV until it was time for him to go to bed. 

Got up the next morning and we had our coffee ☕ together again. ❤ He said he was enjoying this time together with me in the morning.  It makes his morning more enjoyable before he goes to work.  

I then proceeded to go back to my favorite spot for some sunshine and water therapy:

I took this time to do alot of praying for my family. I connect better with God when I'm in my own element. I began praying for our oldest son whose divorce became final and he has accepted the fact that he is a single man even though he didn't choose to be. He held on as long as he could and finally just signed the papers. It became final and it hit him. He is trying to move on but momma knows his heart. He hides things really well. He goes out and he tries to date but it's all new to him again. He's afraid of starting over. He is scared and is afraid of being hurt again.  Every time he meets someone, it will be OK for a few days but then he gets cold feet and let's go. I am ready for him to just find happiness now with someone. He deserves it. I will have to keep praying. 

I've had to pray for our girls again. Their mommy has moved in with her acquaintance and the girls have started a preschool there. Atleigh loves it but Caroline not so much. So many changes and she doesn't do change well.  It will take them a bit to adjust again. 

Got back to the rent house and rented and then got ready. It was date night with my sweetheart  💕

Tomorrow we will go home for the weekend and see our little buddies. Poppie and Gmaw have missed them. 

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was our Little Scrappies 3rd bday. She has brought so much joy and happiness in our lives not to mention alot of other things. 😇😇 She is who she is but she is also so much like her daddy. She knows what she wants, when she wants it,  and wants it her way. 😏 if she doesn't get it, she will give you the stinky eye. She is tiny but fierce. She is like an onion, you have to peel the layers back one at a time. She is a go getter and you have to see through her facade to see her sensitivity. She's got sass and she will go far in life after getting sent to her room alot first. 😅😅. We love her dearly and she's gonna stand up for her self and her beliefs. ❤ Happy birthday sweet Caroline.  Poppie and Gmaw love you whole bunches.

We celebrated her birthday with a party at our house.