Monday Morning Stuff!!

Good Monday Morning!! I know I am entirely too chipper for a Monday but this is my favorite time of year and it's almost the 4th of July, which I love. I know my good Texas buddies Kari and Donna are dreaming of Autumn and Christmas but I LOVE the summer, which is why I changed my blog to this summer time theme. What do you think? Does it have an endless Summer look? LOL Okay before I forget, run over to Kari's and enter her giveaway for her one year blogoversary. Below is a photo of the great gifts she is giving away. Kari was one of the first people I met in blogland and I so wish we lived closer because I just know we would have a good time or get in alot of trouble. LOL So run over there now and enter. Another wonderful blogger who has been so sweet and nice is Kat. This wonderful lady is always there with a kind word and is ready to help without even being asked. She is having some tests done in the next couple of days and I just know she would appreciate your encouraging comments and prayers. Go here to visit her.
Also wanted to share about the grandbabies photo session before I go. Well, let's just say it went. LOL Between the many dirty diapers and the spitting up of a fountain(by Cameron) it was an experience. Maddie wanted nothing to do with the photo shoot. She was willing to take whichever toy the photographer offered her and then run away and laugh and she was quite worried about baby ya ya(that's what she calls Sydney, we don't know why). So Sydney and Cameron were champs, poor Cameron he has that acid reflux so bad and when he spits up, it really is like a fountain but that little guy is so happy. But we did manage a few shots and as soon as they send me the email proofs I'll see if I can upload them.
I am on my way to see my OB/GYN for my yearly check up today. I want to do this as much as I want a root canal. LOL But it is important and I go and tell him all about my menopause fun and he tells me the same thing. Basically he doesn't know how long this will last, blah, blah, blah. I want it to be gone, now. LOL Anyway have a great Monday! Below is a photo of Kari's great giveaway!

Brenda's Photo Challenge

Joni from Just Joni is our hostess for Brenda's Photo Challenge today. She has picked the theme of orange for the challenge and I thought this was a fun challenge. I know I always say that but I really enjoy picking out photos for each of the challenges. I have a list on my sidebar for everyone that I know who is playing but go over to Joni's just in case I missed someone. Here are my three photos. Thanks Joni !
My first photo is when I was at Hilton Head Island a few weeks back and I couldn't sleep all night so I got up and went down to the beach and watched the sunrise. It was so beautiful and there was more orange in person then it shows in this photo. I took a bunch of photos and the sun itself was an orange color as it was coming up over the horizon. I have watched lots of sunsets but sunrises are spectacular!!
My second photo was on the same early morning as the first. The Koi fish were waiting to be fed as I walked back to the condo. They are so pretty and colorful. Click on either photo to see it better.
And this last photo I just took a few days ago. This was so funny because first I couldn't remember what this flower was called and I seen these flowers in so many yards as I was driving along but didn't think anyone would appreciate me pulling in their driveway to take some photos. So the other day I was meeting my Dad for lunch and I see this field full of these flowers, so I quickly pulled over and whipped out my camera and took this photo. And then after lunch I went to Krogers and what do I see there? Lots of pretty orange flowers that look just like this and they are called Daylilies. Hey, I knew that. LOL But I decided not to take photos of the Krogers flowers and keep my field one. I can't wait to see everyone's photos. Have a good one!!

TGIF!!!

I had a fun day shopping with my friend Vickie yesterday. We hit the Mall, had lunch, went to the bead store and then went home to rest. LOL I didn't do too much damage, just got a few things, some new beads and fingernail polish. It's so much fun to have girlfriends and just shop and talk. Mostly we just had fun shopping. Did you know Victoria's Secret has a perfume that when you pick it up, it purrs, no really the bottle purrs. I didn't get any though because I was busy looking at all of their PINK line. No big surprise there. LOL Vickie took me to a store which sells clothes she uses for her belly dancing classes. Yea, she's a hoot, she loves to take belly dancing classes and I would try it with her if I wasn't afraid of hurting my back. But I actually liked the clothes there, well some of them. LOL Now I have to try to remember how to make some jewelry again, it's been awhile. Here's a few of my goodies..........

I bought this pretty white blouse and tee at Ann Taylor Loft. You can't really see the detail in the tee but it has white beading around the neck and I love the color and it was all on sale--yea!!
This was my deal of the day. This is a Ralph Lauren jacket, in a mint green color. This was selling for $99.00 this Spring but I found this last one on the clearance rack for $22.00. Woohoo ,that's a good deal, I thought it was a mistake because the other jackets were $59.00 on clearance but the gal told me if it said that price it was mine. I was a little worried because I would normally take a medium in a jacket and this was a small but it fit fine. I took it as a sign it was meant to be. LOL

And has anyone tried these candles yet? Oh my goodness, these things are wonderful. I had to drag Vickie in the Hallmark store because they sell these candles next to the Yankee ones. They have a wood wick which when you burn the candle it crackles like a fire in the fireplace and I love the different ones they have, I've been looking for the Sunset beach one, which smells like coconut and pineapple. The only thing is they are a little pricey but I like the look of them and the smell and the crackle sound. I've seen them at Hallmark and Dillard's. That's about it for me this Friday, but before I sign off I need to ask, what do you think are the odds? We are taking all three grandbabies to get their photo taken today. So I'm asking what are the odds of getting a good photo of an almost 2 year old, a three month old and a one month old at the same time??? Is this mission impossible?? LOL Cameron is at such a good age, he smiles at anyone who smiles at him. Sydney just started to smile this week so I'm just hoping for eyes open. And Maddie is the wildcard because she could go either way. Call us crazy but we are going to try. I'll let you know if we survive. LOL Have a good weekend and stay cool in this heat!!

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's off to Shop I go.............

I'm off for a fun day of shopping with my best buddy Vickie today. We are going to try to do our best to boost the economy. LOL Just kidding sweetie, those words really will send him back to the emergency room. :-) I used to make alot of jewelry, nothing exciting, most was pretty simple. Vickie taught me how and she can make awesome jewelry. Someday I'll have to show you some of the things I made. So we are off to the bead store and it just so happens there is a mall down the street from the bead store. How did that happen??? LOL And that mall has Ann Taylor Loft in it and Trade Secret in it.................... A girl has to go and look, ya know? It's been so long since Vickie and I had a fun day out so I am looking forward to catching up with her. We've been friends since high school and her and her husband are coming with us in September to Hilton Head for vacation. We go for two weeks, our kids come the first week and Mike(her hubby) and Vickie come the second so it's the best. Anyway, hopefully I'll have some goodies to show you tomorrow. Don't forget Brenda's Photo Challenge this Saturday. I finally have a link up on my sidebar showing everyone that I know of who's playing along. If I missed you let me know and I'll put you up there. And please play along if you want to, everyone is welcome. The theme this time is orange. I already had my first two orange photos picked out and yesterday I am driving along and I see my last one so I pulled over on the side of the road and got my last orange photo. LOL I can't believe I am now whipping out my camera and stopping my car on the side of the road to get a photo. Play along if you can, these gals are just so nice. Well, gotta go, the stores are calling my name. Just kidding again sweetie.........

Tuesday Funnies!!

I received these in an e-mail and thought they were funny! My diet and exercise program has been going downhill, so I need to get motivated fast. My sister June who walks with me has ditched me for Las Vegas this week. LOL I find Summer a hard time for me in terms of my diet because there are just so many good things to eat this time of year. But I am hoping to get a handle on this fast. LOL My hubby is doing great, thanks for all of your sweet comments and prayers. But really any kind of chest pain is nothing to fool around with, alot of times acid reflux mimics heart attacks. There are so many of us with a family history of heart disease so never delay when or if you even think there might be a problem. Not much else going on around here (going to the ER was quite enough). I am just trying to catch up with my work around the house and my travel work. Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!

Baby Shower and a Trip to the Emergency Room

These are the only photos I took at the baby shower. The top one is of my nephew David and my niece Nicole. He is not the nephew who is having the baby and the bottom photo is of my sister in law Karen and her boyfriend Doug. Really all I took is about two photos, me the queen of taking pictures. You can't tell from the photos but there had to be fifty people in my house. I think most of them were gone by the time I took these.
But right after the shower my son-in-law and I took my sweetie to the hospital. He was having chest pains and numbness down his left arm during the whole shower and I knew he was in some pain. He had been having the numbness on and off for a few weeks and just didn't want to worry anyone. We made him go to the hospital. He kept saying he didn't want to go and so on, but I lost my mother and brother to heart attacks and wasn't taking any chances. Anyway, they gave him all kinds of tests and he passed with flying colors. It turns out he either pulled a muscle in his chest or it could be acid reflux or a combo of both and they think he has a pinched nerve in his neck that radiates down his arm. They don't fool around with a male over 50 that has any kind of chest pain. My sweetie lifts weights alot so the doctors think he over did something and they want him to see our regular doctor and get a stress test, mainly because of the family history of heart disease and he might need physical therapy for the neck issue. Either way I am thanking God tonight for taking care of us.

All worn out!!

I spent the day getting ready for the baby shower I am hosting tomorrow. My house is clean, my grass is cut and all the things I had to do are all done and I am beat. LOL
We made pretty pink cupcakes and put them in the cupcake trees. I have them covered tonight with saran wrap.
Here are the baby bottles full of candies that I made for party favors. They have pink ribbons tied around them. I had to give up my search for all pink candies for the little girl my nephew is having and just go with multi colored ones. I did try to get all pink ones but it just wasn't happening. I worked most of the day and then my sweetie took me to a movie. We went to see The Happening, let's just say it was different. It wasn't boring or anything but it was different. I do like M Night Shyamalan but some of his movies are a bit out there. I'm not a fan of really scary movies but I do like movies that have suspense. Anyway it was fun to get out for awhile.
My granddaughter Maddie and my daughter Christina had fun with Maddie's new bubble machine. This little machine is really cool. Why is it that kids love bubbles so much? Well, I'm off to go to sleep early tonight. I do love a clean house! LOL

Cielo's Garden Party

Cielo from House In The Roses is having a party today and everyone is invited. You don't have to ask me twice to go to a party, I'm there anytime. This is a special garden party and while I don't have much of a garden, I thought I would share a few photos. Go to Cielo's blog and see who has come to the party.

I really like how this photo of my flowers turned out. I used my macro setting on my camera and the flowers just look so vibrant and pretty
Okay, this is not really part of a garden but it does sit outside. It is my birdhouses with a few gerber daisies. I love these little birdhouses that sit right outside my patio door, they just look so cheerful and nice.
For some reason this photo looks washed out. This really is a pretty little area in my front yard with the little girl and bunny statue.
And this photo is hard to see also but these flowers are sitting in a very old rocking chair that my sweetie's Grandfather made many years ago. I love this little old chair.
And this photo..................Okay just kidding. This photo is actually at our Krohn Conservatory here in Cincinnati. I only wish I had a garden clock like this. LOL Happy First Day of Summer!! The fireflies are out,the pools are opened, kids are playing outside, we are grilling out, eating watermelon and peaches and corn on the cob, ice cream cones, sitting on the deck enjoying that first cup of morning coffee..........gardens are another thing to love about this time of year. I wish summer would never end.

Moon Doggie, Gidget and Surfing

Moondoggie and the Gidget.

Sandra Dee looking oh so cute!

I think this movie came out in 1959 and I was just a few years old but I do remember watching Gidget and Tammy movies growing up. I think Moondoggie's real name in the movie was Jeff and Gidget's was Frances. Okay, now don't tell me you don't know what a Moondoogie is or Gidget because you'll just make me feel old. LOL

The other day I received a catalog in the mail for surfer girls. It was a catalog for young women who surf and it was addressed to me. Now I don't know about you but I live nowhere near a place to surf. Last I looked no one was surfing on the Ohio River and I have never picked up a surfboard in my life. So as I looked through the catalog I was reminded of my favorite surfing movies when I was growing up. I loved Gidget movies especially the ones with Sandra Dee and James Darren in it. Gidget and Moon Doggie and surfing in sunny California. Didn't you just love Sandra Dee not only in Gidget movies but also in the Tammy movies? She was just so pretty and who didn't dream of Moondoggie? My friend Cherie loved Bobby Sherman but I thought James Darren was it. He has to be at least 20 years older then I am. LOL Maybe getting this catalog is a sign I need a new hobby. So I think I'll buy me a surfboard and go find Moondoggie. Have a great weekend!

Lots of words Wednesday!!

Cielo at House in the Roses is hosting a garden party this Saturday, the first day of summer. My garden is pitiful at best but I do have a few potted plants with some shade impatients that I can share. I wish I had some roses to share photos of like alot of you guys do. I love seeing your photos of your roses. You have to go and visit Cielo because a visit to her blog is like going to your favorite Bed and Breakfast. Go here to read all about the garden party.
Okay, now on to Brenda's Photo Challenge. Joni from Just Joni is the hostess this time and she has picked the theme of orange. Go over to Joni's and play along with us. She has a link on her sidebar of everyone who is playing along. I am working on adding a link on my sidebar also so you can just click and see everyone's great photos. The next challenge is on June 28th so you have plenty of time to play along. Most of these gals are new blogging friends to me except my good buddy Donna but everyone of them have been so sweet and encouraging and I love making new blogging friends. I also like to see how creative everyone is in choosing their photos. So check out both of these fun things going on in blogville.

Okay, on to grandbabies. LOL Do I post too much about my grandbabies?? Oh well, I just can't help myself. I thought this photo was so cute. My little old kitty Cleo decided to take a nap with Sydney on our bed. Cleo has decided that this little one is okay. She can't pull on Cleo's tail like Maddie does. Maddie loves Cleo and thinks it is so funny to pull her tail as she walks past her. Cleo is not amused. LOL So to make up for it, every afternoon it is Maddie's job to give Cleo her treats. Maddie takes great pride in this job and throws all the treats on the floor for Cleo and then claps for herself because of doing a great job. LOL Poor Cleo, once the queen of the house and now banished to a servant.

And I love this photo. Maddie and Papa went swimming in the pool the other day and look at her face. It's just plain joy. I am having a baby shower at our house this weekend for my nephew and his girlfriend so I am OCDing over the house and preparation. I'm in charge of the desserts and party favors and decorations and his Mom is taking care of the food and beverages. I had this idea of filling up small baby bottles with pink candy(it's a girl) but am having trouble finding what I want. Do I stress myself out or what? Anyway that's what's going on around here, busy, busy time of year but summer is my favorite time. Have a great Wednesday!

Visiting the Jungle and Father's Day!

Warning, lots of photos with this post! LOL Yesterday all of the kids except Christina, who had to work, came over the house for Father's Day. Even my son's dogs came over to visit. I just had to post this photo because it looks like they were posing for me. That's Stella on the left and Chinsy on the right, not sure of the spelling of Chinsy. They are good pups but they get a little excited sometimes.
Maddie played football with Papa and Daddy. She was having a ball having the undivided attention of two of her favorite people. And this little girl loves to play with balls. It was a fun day, we grilled out some turkey burgers and I made a special dessert of strawberries, blueberries, angel food cake and cool whip. Yum! Then I went over my sister Gail's house to visit with my Dad for Father's Day but I left my camera at home on the kitchen counter.

But on Saturday while the guys were at the Red's game, all of the girls made a trip out to Jungle Jims. Jungle Jim's is a grocery store in Fairfield, Ohio and if you ever make a trip to Cincy, it's worth a visit to see it. It is more then a grocery store. Jungle Jim thinks grocery shopping should be fun and it is at his store. It's so big and a bit overwhelming so plan on spending some time there if you go. Here is a giraffe that sits outside the store. Look at how pretty the sky was on Saturday.
And a waterfall with all kinds of animals in it. Hey, you mean your grocery store doesn't have this? LOL
Inside the store is just as much fun. I love this display of the Lucky Charm guy and Trix rabbit, all on top of the SS Minnow. Maddie thought all of this was so funny.

Fish and boats overhead in the store.
A firetruck in the middle of the store.

He also has food from all different countries. I would guess he has the best selection of foods from other countries in this area.

And lots of animals everywhere to entertain you. He also has the best selection of Boars Heads meats I have ever seen. Has everyone tried Boars Heads lunch meats? I have always loved their turkey but have recently discovered their lemon pepper chicken breast. If they slice it real thin, it is the best!! Hope everyone had a great weekend! Happy Monday!