little love notes...

Our Madi.

She doesn't just have a beautifully sweet face, she has a beautifully sweet spirit. Last week, while Madi was at Bible study, I picked up my cell phone to check the weather via my weather application. But, I accidentally clicked on the "notes" application instead of the "weather" application and to my surprise (I've never used the notes app.) there were five notes from Madi sitting there, unread!

The notes dated back to December 26th, which was the day after I got my new cell phone. They were short notes just to say - I love you mommy or Madi loves you or Have a nice day, but they were heartwarming and sweet! A perfect example of Madi's beautiful God given spirit.

Finding those notes made my day! And if I really pay attention, really allow myself to not be lost in the worries of each busy day, I see that there are little love note moments all throughout my day with Madi. Moments that I will over look and take for granted if I don't pay attention.

These moments are worth soaking in as they happen and worth remembering when they have past. What better way to remember them then to write them down, right? Right. I'm paying attention and I'm gonna read every little love note!

Blue thou art, intensely blue; Flower, whence came thy dazzling hue?

*the title quote is by James Montgomery.

About a month ago, Jack, Madi, Bella and I went on a Bluebonnet drive. As you may know, the Bluebonnet is the Texas State flower. A good one, I think! The Bluebonnet is a species of Lupinus, which is a beautiful group of flowers that come in a variety of colors. Here's some interesting information on Bluebonnet's per Wikipedia~ Lupinus texensis is almost exclusively blue in the wild. A random genetic mutation does occasionally create an albino white bluebonnet naturally. Texas A&M University researchers were successful in breeding red and white strains, creating a Texas state flag in bluebonnets for the 1986 Texas Sesquicentennial. Further research led to a deep maroon strain, the university's official color. I was able to see a maroon lupinus (or Lupine) thanks to Camille (mom-in-law) who called me the day after our drive to tell me about the ones growing in their neighborhood. You'll see the pictures I took of these at the end of this post. So, one beautiful sunny Saturday morning we all took off from our home and headed toward a small town named Llano, Texas. Mom & Dad Johnston had driven the route the weekend before and were so impressed with the abundance of Bluebonnets along the drive that they shared the route with us. It was a beautiful drive with amazing landscapes full of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes and lots of other wildflowers.

~all of these pictures were taken while we were driving. As you can see, Bluebonnets covered each side of the road. ~We stopped at a little place where there were lots of Bluebonnets on a corner lot just off the road. I love the contrast of the blue and yellow flowers! Makes me feel warm and happy! ~ I asked Jack to stop the car so that I could get out and take pictures of these cows grazing in the Bluebonnets. I just had to have a picture of Texas cows in the Texas Bluebonnets! Anyway, the longer I stood there taking pictures, the more aggitated I could see the cows getting. So, I tried to hurry and as I got into the car I thanked them, as any nice southern girl would do, for allowing me to take their picture. Then, I told them "By the way, I don't eat you!" and to that Madi yells, "But I DO!" That crazy~funny Madi!

~wildflowers everywhere!

~The Bluebonnet's favorite companion, the Indian Paintbrush. These flowers are very vibrant with a deep redish-orange hue. They are beautiful!

~We stopped at the Buchanan dam which was along the drive. There were even Bluebonnets here, growing right out of the sand.

We found the perfect spot to stop and take family pictures...

However, we forgot to bring the tripod for my camera. "Someone" was in charge of loading the tripod, but failed on HIS responsiblity! We didn't realize this until we were out of the car and looking in the trunk for it! So, no family pictures, but here's what we did get...

~Madi and Bella. Madi looks so beautiful! I love how the wind is blowing her hair.

~Just Bella. She was hot and a little worried about what was going on.

~ I loved all the pictures I took of Jack and Bella! These two are too cute! I played with each picture to give them a slightly different look and they all turned out nice.

~Madi, Bella and I. This is the only one of about ten pictures that I thought was alright of us. But, at least we have one! ~Jack, Madi & Bella.

~Jack, Bella and I. We think the pose is a little awkward looking, but again, it's the only one that we have to show! Here's a few collages of all the good pictures from our drive. Some you have already seen above and some, you have not...

~What a great day for a Bluebonnet drive it was!

As I mentioned above, Camille called me and told me about the red lupines and on Sunday, I while visiting with her, I walked over and took a few pictures...

~Pretty, huh? Jack has planted some lupine seeds in our flower beds in the back yard. I'm excited to see what colors we get and what kind of wildlife they will attract! So, hopefully, I'll have more pictures of these beautiful flowers to share soon!

Ce-le-bra-tion...

As I mentioned in two of my previous posts, Jack and my Dad recently celebrated their Birthdays. Jack's Birthday was on April 23 and my Dad's was just six days later - April 29. So, there's been lots of partying going on the last two weekends. I've let the pictures and stories pile up to the point that I feel a little overwhelmed by it all. So, I've decided to combine a lot of the pictures into a collage and share them with some brief commentary. As usual, you can double click on the pictures to make them bigger and easier to see. I'm hoping to keep this post from getting too long, but we'll see how it goes... Starting with Jack. His Birthday was the Friday before last and unfortunately, he had to work on his special day. But, we celebrated later that evening by going to The Range restaurant in Salado, TX for an amazing dinner with his Mom and Dad. After dinner, Mom and Dad Johnston came over to our house to have cake and ice cream and watch Jack open their gifts.

~I made Jack a Chocolate Buttermilk Cake which turned out even better than the one I made for Madi's Birthday! No lopsided-ness on this one! Unfortunately, the decorating didn't get any better. I'll have to work on that and Jack and Madi will be happy to consume all practice runs on cake-making of any kind. ~I got up to take pictures and Tex took over my chair and my plate! As if he isn't bad enough already, lots of sugar and chocolate would probably turn him into a whirling dervish of yowling, jumping, running and vomiting throughout the house! Sorry that we don't have any decent pictures of the festivities but, you really don't need to see Johnny-Dad or Jack snarfing down mass-quantities of chocolate cake and ice-cream. Not pretty, not pretty at all. We spent the next day in the yard planting vegetables and flowers. I didn't take a lot of pictures that day, but I do have a few to share...

~Peas ~Black-seeded Simpson Lettuce, Bell Peppers, Chives. I have since taken pictures of the garden and I'll share them in another post. Just about all of the beds are full and the garden is really starting to come alive! We are very excited. While we were planting, Madison made some pottery with a pottery wheel that her Aunt Virginia gave her for her Birthday... ~I think her pottery is beautiful! On Sunday we went to my Mom & Dad's to celebrate Jack's Birthday. ~Madi & Dad on gazebo swing.

~Jack and Madi goofin' around on the front porch.

~Opening gifts. This past Friday Jack was finally able to take a day off. YAY! We went to Oma's Garten Pflanzen in Killeen, TX, that morning and purchased six trees for our back yard. At the time, we didn't know it was Arbor Day (we didn't find out till later) but we sure did our part to celebrate it! We spent the entire day planting trees and more vegetables.

~This is the Mexican Plum tree which we planted in Christie's memory. It was late in the evening on Friday when I took this picture, so it's a little dark, but I think you can see it pretty well. I will share pictures on a later post of all six trees.

Bella and the cat's did the usual while we worked...

Saturday, we spent the morning watching Jason's tennis tournament held at Ellison High School in Killeen. Jason played really well and surprised us with some awesome serves and backhands. He and his partner took home #2 ribbons! How exciting!

~We are all so proud of you, Jason! ~hanging out during and after the tournament. Just what is Jack doing? After the tournament, Jack, Madi and I meet up with Mom and Dad Johnston for lunch, then went home only to continue the never-ending work in the yard. Saturday night, as an early Mother's Day gift, Jack and I ordered the Mayweather vs. Mosley pay-per-view boxing match. We were pulling for Mosley and boy, were we disappointed! It was still the perfect gift for me! Thank you Jack! How cool is it to have a wife that wants to order pay-per-view boxing for her Mother's Day gift?! (*Jack wrote this last line...but, I'll keep it because it's sweet!) After Church on Sunday, Jack, Madi, Gennie, Jason and I met up with my Mom and Dad at The Texas Roadhouse for Dad's Birthday dinner. After dinner, we went to my Mom and Dad's to hang out, eat cake and open gifts. Even though the water temperature was only 76, Madi got in the pool, at first by herself because it was "too cold" for Jason. But, after much ribbin' from us, he got in with Madi.

Mom made a red velvet cake per Dad's request and since it was such a nice day, we were able to enjoy it and have the Birthday celebration outside.

~Dad blowin' out the candles on mom's gorgeous and wonderfully delicious cake! ~Gifts! We love you Dad! So we've had a very busy last two weekends and this weekend promises to be just as busy since it's Mother's Day weekend. My Aunt Edna will be coming from Mobile, AL on Sunday (Mother's Day) and will be staying with my Mom and Dad for a few weeks. We are all very excited about her visit. After Thursday, I will be out of school until the Summer Semester starts. I'm hoping to write a few more posts this week in order to catch up. I've been wanting to write about a Blue Bonnet road trip we took the first weekend in April. I have the pictures loaded, I just need to do the writing for it. Hopefully, I can post that one tomorrow. Also, I want to start writing little things...things that I want our family to have written down to look at and remember. It's especially for Madi. I'm going to call these posts "Sweet Nothin's" (yes, another 60's song title which I'm sure some of you are singing right now!) and I'll set up a label on the side of the blog with these posts. That's my plan anyway! Have a fabulous day!

Christie Leigh McCardle-Toole

Sadly, last weekend a childhood friend of mine, Christie Leigh McCardle-Toole, passed away suddenly. She and I were friends in junior high and high school, but had lost touch after school. Thanks to Facebook, Christie and I reconnected about a year ago and talked or commented on one another's posts often.

Christie was truly a wonderful person. She always had a kind word and a positive attitude. Soo many people have commented on how happy she always seemed to be and how she had a contagious and constant smile. I remember that smile. I remember her kind words to me just days before she passed and I will always be thankful for this last year which allowed us to share small pieces of our lives with each other.

Since I was not able to attend the funeral services, which were held yesterday in Columbus, Georgia, Jack and I planted a beautiful tree in memory of Christie in our backyard. This is our way of showing respect and continuing life in her name.

The following was taken from Christie's funeral program...

The Final Flight Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free I'm following the path God laid for me. I took his hand when I heard his call, I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I've found the peace at the end of the day. If my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, Ah, yes, these things too I will miss. Be not burdened with times of sorrow, I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. My life's been full, I savored much, Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch. Perhaps my times seemed all too brief, Don't lengthen it now with undue grief. Lift up your heart and share with me, God wanted me now, He set me free.

May you rest in the everlasting peace and love of our Lord, my sweet friend.

Dad is great! Give us the chocolate cake!

Today is my Dad's Birthday! It's the first time he's been at home for his Birthday in many, many years, which makes today even more special!

When I think about my Dad I think about his strong, silent personality and hard work ethic. I guess that's because those are the qualities I witnessed as I grew up and the qualities I most admire about him.

But, Dad also has a funny, goofy, playful side. He always has. He loves to cut up and can be quite a character, as you can see in the picture above where he poses with a new "Dawgs" coffee mug and models a new hat.

Every time I see or hear something of Bill Cosby's, I think of my Dad and laugh. When my sisters Melanie, Gennie and I where growing up, my dad was famous for passing gas and blaming it on imaginary animals. Usually an elephant.

As a child, I had never seen (or, if I had I was too young to remember it) the "Bill Cosby:Himself" stand-up act. However, about four years ago I had the opportunity to watch it. It is Hilarious! The funniest thing ever!

When Bill Cosby said ~"My father would pass gas and then blame it on imaginary animals" I laughed hard and thought, "WOW, my Dad did that too!!" um, well as Jack pointed out, he probably got it from this hilarious skit performed back when I was just 6 years old.

I think one of the reason's I found the stand-up routine so funny was because it was so spot on! So indicative of the lives of parents and their reactions to things.

In celebration of my Dad's Birthday, here are a few funny Bill Cosby quotes that remind me of my Dad and the role he played in our family...

*I am not the boss of my house. I don't know how I lost it. I don't know where I lost it. I don't think I ever had it. But I've seen the boss's job... and I don't want it. ~HA! I know this is exactly how my Dad viewed it! *Every father says the same thing: "Where's your mother? ~I heard this and, "Go ask your mother" a lot from my Dad! *I asked my father for a dollar for the school picnic, he told me how he killed a grizzly bear with his loose-leaf notebook. ~Oh we heard all about it, except his story involved bare feet, a hill, miles of railroad tracks and peanuts! And here are a few things I know my Dad witnessed and, what he must've thought... *My wife grabs a yard stick... holds it like a samurai warrior... and announces that the beatings will now begin... by saying, "I HAVE HAD... ENOUGH OF... THIS!". Now these three brain-damaged people have the nerve to looked surprised! ~HA!! This one cracks me up every time! Just for the record though, it wasn't often and it was with a belt and not a yard stick! haha! I know having three girls, for my Dad, wasn't easy. He was the only male in an otherwise all female house. That couldn't have been easy! But, he did it and he is still mostly sane today! (again refer to the photo above) :) Dad we love you and wish you a very, very happy Birthday today and a loooooong nap in your favorite chair!!!!

Happy Birthday Jack!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK! I'm so proud to be your wife and so very thankful that you chose me to spend the rest of your Birthdays with!

Thank you for all that you are and all that you do for Madi and I. You are a special guy and deserve all special things on your special day!!

~I love your smile, your silly faces, your shy faces and your serious faces ~with or without glasses!!

~ People always say they "fall in love."

Well, I saw you and saw how crazy adorable you were,

and talked to you and realized how ridiculously smart you were,

and kissed you and discovered how wonderfully addicting you were...

and I didn't fall into anything!

I JUMPED into love with both feet,

Screaming "YahooOoOOoOoo!!!" all the way.

~taken from an American Greetings card (which is perfectly true and says is so much better then I ever could).

~

Madi and I love you so very much and wish you the happiest Birthday yet!

Happy Birthday Jack!

Easter with our peeps.

We started the Easter weekend off by dying our eggs. Madison's best friend, Carly,

spent the night with us and when they got up

on Saturdaymorning, I put them to work. They didn't consider it work,

they were

thrilled to do it. They are two very creative young ladies.

~Madi and Carly

~Carly dippin' her egg.

~our organized mess ~We think the girls did a great job on the eggs! While the chicks and hen were in the house working on the eggs, Jack (the Rooster) was outside strutting his stuff in the yard and working on the new beds for our garden. He did a really good job building and laying out these beds. Thanks to Jack's hard work, we'll enjoy a much bigger garden with lots of spacious rows this year. The rocks that litter the back yard in these pictures are not normally just lying around. Along with putting in the garden beds, Jack created four new raised flower beds around the back yard using the rocks as a border. I took these pictures just after he layed the beds out, before leveling them and before he created the flower beds. So, other than the grass still being very brown it looks much better now! Jack worked really hard and I'm super proud of him! He was able to accomplish all of this on a very busy Easter weekend. That tell's ya, he was focused. Focused...like a duck on a June-bug! Like Bella on a cat turd! Focused! Good job honey! I'll take pictures of the completed garden and flower beds and post them, but maybe not until the grass is actually green again! ~ We had our Easter dinner a day early, on Saturday evening at Jack's Mom and Dads. I didn't get any pictures (which I could just kick myself for!) but, we had a great time nonetheless with two of our favorite peeps! On Sunday (Easter) morning, Jack and I gave Madi an Easter basket with a few goodies.

~Madi's Easter love basket.

~This bunny was Bella's Easter gift. The Easter Bunny loves Bella too! ~Madi had just gotten up, so her face is still puffy with sleep...cute. ~Goofy and his Easter card. He was ready to get the Easter gift giving over with so that he could get back in the yard before church.

~Happy Easter Madi!

~Bella getting her gift. Daddy had to hold her so that I could get a picture of her getting her toy.

~Bella wearing (or being forced to wear) her bunny ears. She hated it and they didn't stay on long. She's so cute - looking over at me as if to ask me not to take a picture of her in the silly bunny ears! After church and short trip home to change, we went to my parents house for "Easter Dinner part Two (The Feasting Continues until someone loses a button)". The food was soo delicious and there was soo much of it that we continued to enjoy the leftovers from both our Easter meals for days! Since the kids (Jason and Madison) are much to old for an Easter egg hunt, my sister, Virginia, came up with a really great idea for the kids..... A Pinata!! Jason and Madi took turns "trying" to give this pinata guy a beat down. There were some hilarious moments where they totally missed the pinata and were beating on the tree, thinking it was the pinata! During which my mom and dad would yell - THAT'S IT, YOU GOT IT. Poor tree! ~Jason spinning Madi. Madi's blindfold - a lavender scented, soothing spa-mask belonging to her Aunt Gennie. How relaxing...now give me that stick! I want some candy! I don't care who I have to hurt to get it! ~Other way Madi! Other way! ~And this is right about the point where we had to take a break to rush a hapless squirrel to the emergency vet. Sorry about that, little guy! ~Mom (a little fuzzy in this picture) and Gennie laughing and teasing the kids.

~ and my dad...well, that answers the question as to why my mouth is always hanging open in pictures.....;o) ~ Madi got in a few good hits on the actual pinata. ~Jason's tie-dyed bandanna didn't work very well, so he also wore the spa mask as a blindfold. Nice! ~Madi giving Jason a good spin.

~Jason finally found the target and went to town beating it.

~you can see, the bottom of the pinata is just opening... ...and the candy pours out! YAY Jason! ~that's one proud guy!

~the pinata was full of candy and MONEY that Aunt Gennie stuffed into it. The money was snatched up quick! So quick that I didn't get a chance to take a picture of it.

~Jason and Madi picking up the goods.

~Mom watching the kids pick up candy while Leo gives her a hug. Poor Leo had been extremely sick the whole weekend so, he wasn't feeling like doing much other then laying in moms arms. Poor guy, we were really worried about him, but thankfully, he is much better now.

We all hung out on Mom and Dad's gazebo and I tried to get a picture of some hummingbirds. Those jokers are just too quick and so, I was only able to get a few. I got one of a hummingbird setting in a tree, which I forgot to attach to this post (it's too complicated to attach it now, so it will have to wait) and this one...

~you can barely see it, but it's there, drinking from the feeder. It's on the left side of the feeder almost covered by the bush.

~Dad and Jack chewin' the fat.

While I was patiently waiting for the hummingbirds, a small group of Cedar Waxwing birds came flying in to eat the berries on one of the trees. It was amazing sight to me! I had never seen one of these beautiful birds before and was thrilled at the opportunity to capture pictures of them!

Mom made a delicious coconut cake for dessert which we enjoyed with coffee and conversation.

We had a great Easter weekend with our peeps! It really made us happy to spend it with Mom and Dad Johnston, Mom and Dad Lewis, Gennie and Jason and Carly! You guys make all of our holidays extra special and memoriable! Thank you. ~ I wanted to share that on the following Monday, I came home from picking Madi up from school and saw three Cedar Waxwing birds in our Wax Myrtle tree! Wow! It was pretty amazing that we saw them just the day before at my Mom's. Even more amazing that we don't have any berries to offer on our trees and have never noticed these birds in our yard before so, they obviously liked having their pictures taken so much that they followed us home. What camera hogs!

We hope you enjoyed your Easter weekend!