Danny and Sherry

Happy New Year, 2010 !!

2011-04-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

New Year's Eve Party at our house. Plenty of family and friends to play board games, eat too much food and share a great time and plan for the new year ahead. The year is 2010, what will this year bring, well I know for sure, alot of work, 2 trips to Mexcio, car trades, work on the house with new windows and time well spent with family including our grandsons. Lake trips, a long vacation to Myrtle Beach, yearly hayride in October. As I look at this year again in pictures, I look forward to fond memories of days that have passed us by and remember the good times. This should be fun and I hope, when I get my self caught up and into 2011 I can reflect on maybe things I could have changed and things I would never change. Talk to you again soon.

Christmas, 2009

2011-04-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

What did we all get for Christmas in 2009, well I don't really remember except to look at pictures. But what do I remember the most, that we all got to be together as a family, Danny and I, Laura, Jared and the boys, Krysta and Brian and of course baby Pete. Family is most important, things we buy, things we do, places we go, they really don't mean alot if you don't have home and family to come to. We never know what a new year will bring, we hope peace, happiness and contentment and of course pain, sorrow and sadness are a given. As I prepare to restart this blog, I hope to remember not only the good times in the last 16 months, but also a few of the sad too. Thanks for allowing me to return, hope to see you soon.

A Relook At Blogging

2011-04-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been gone much too long and decided that I wanted to revisit this old blogspot for kicks. After reading my old entries, I was homesick to blog some more, so I think over the next few weeks, I am going to try and catch up from my last entry. I guess all I can do is my best, of course this is all based on how difficult my work schedule remains, but I think I will try to start blogging my life again. I need to do updates and changes to the look of my site, and this will come with time. So look forward to new and exciting entries to come in the next few weeks.

Picking A Pumpkin From The Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

My own home-grown pumpkin, the only one to survive this year.
Jayce and Jordan in Memaw's pumpkin patch.
Uncle Pete hauling out the "harvest" this year.

Every year I want a pumpkin patch, you know like the Great Pumpkin , Charlie Brown? I want a huge one, so all my little friends and family can have one to choose. Well, this year due to a cold and wet spring, we were slow to get anything out, but I did have 1 home grown pumpkin to call my own, not very big, maybe kick-ball sized, but I grew it. But, I wanted my little boys to have one to make a jack-o-lantern for their front porch, so I bought 2 and "transplanted" then for the little guys to find. It's the thought that counts and I can't do it forever, they will finally figure it out, so I have to be on my game next year and get a bigger and better patch going. Watch out Linus, Memaw is going to have a shining patch for the Great Pumpkin to visit and bring toys to all good little girls and boys!!! Happy Halloween.

Crazy Fall Hayride 2009

2009-10-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Not everyone was willing to brave the cold for the hayride, just a few brave souls.
Everyone getting here, bout ready to start eating, in the picture, Jimmy, Steph, James, Kayley, Jordan, Pete.
Miss Kayley, the cutest girl there!

Grandma Helen picking out a kitten from our newest litter, anyone else want one???
Jared and the boys going for a ride before the party.

Last night we had our annual fall hayride, with quite possibly the largest crowd of friends and family we have ever had. At a rough count we had over 30 here. Pleasantly pleased to have nephew, Jerry, his wife Krista and baby Maddie with us, also James, Steph and Kayley, family newly transplanted to Rogersville, via Arizona. Of course our faithfuls, Brian and Krysta, Grandma Helen, Grandpa Long, Jared and Laura and our little guys, Uncle Pete, David and Florence, Dwane and family, Uncle Jackie, Mamaw Barb and boys, wow I'm gonna miss someone, oh yeah, Jimbo and Suz with baby Heather with Alex. Thanks to them for furnishing the trailer. We had homemade Chili, Chicken and noodles, hot dogs, chips, almost any kind of pie you wanted and stuff to make s'mores. We always clean out the garage/polebarn and have it down there, it was cold but not uncomfortable, until we loaded the trailer for the hayride, then it was cold! We went on our usual journey around by Shields and the dead-woman corner, near the old Bear Thicket School, it is dark and creepy and not too long for the little ones. I hope I never get too old or tired to have this each year, everyone looks forward to it. Hope you can make it next year.

Brian's Birthday Blog

2009-09-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

On their first wedding anniversary, really acting silly, but it came out good.
Brian and Krysta at Dad's 80th birthday party.
A fun game night, Pete and Brian with questions from Men vs Women game.
Wedding day
Engagement on the beach at Gulf Shores, look at how sweet they are.
Brian with his flounder? We didn't quite know what to do with it.
Popular new music group with Brian on the drums.
Fishing on the beach, what a catch!
On vacation at the Gulf.
Brian with Jordy.
Brian and Krysta with the Audi.

Our son-in-law Brian will be celebrating a birthday very soon, since I am now working a normal schedule, I thought I had better knock this blog out this weekend. Brian and Krysta have been together for many years, I wish I could remember exactly how many, but as I get older the memory capacity fails. The first time they met, I think they both knew they were meant to be together. Brian is from a Navy family and moving has made him somewhat an adventurous person, he is really into scuba diving, loving any time he can get exploring under water in the area lakes. A favorite weekend get-away is his grandfathers home on the lake near Branson, just hanging out with family and being on the water are two of his passions. Brian is a very patient person, he loves animals, especially his dog, Shasha, his love of animals is very evident because their little family includes, Shasha, Peanut, 2 cats and little Pinky (RIP) who died this weekend accidentally. Brian is also proudly serving in the Navy Reserves for 2 years, he has worked very hard to advance quickly through the ranks and is planning on his Officer test on Monday, with the hopes of becoming active full time in Officer's training. While this will involve moving, they are both up for the challenge and adventure. Brian loves my daughter very much, he trys to do things to make her happy. Brian is kind, patient and loving. Smart, talented, (he plays drums), funny, but can also be a perfectionist and deep in thought. He loves my Mountain Dew cake, salmon, seafood and Pepsi products! We wish Brian a wonderful birthday and very much luck on the test tomorrow morning. Love Mom and Dad

One More Chance.

2009-09-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

The sign at the end of the hall, this was my home away from home for 6 years.
Looking back towards the nursing station down the long hall, my last look as I was leaving.
My empty cubby, my name was about to get torn off by me.....
My farewell note to my friends on Rehab.. I will truly miss most.
Part of night shift on Friday night, Matt, me, Gwen and Linda S.
Me on the phone at the nursing station.
Part of the party food that evening shift send me out with, I only worked with them 4 hours an evening, from 6pm until 10pm, but they were very good friends and I always appreciated them including me as an evening shift person. The love and respect shown towards me was wonderful.
Night shift on Thursday night, Mandy, my girl, me, Pat, Velda and Ree, all nurses.
Me and Mandy, I love this girl, she is like one of my kids!!
Miss Ree, One of the finest nurses you will ever find, solid, honest, sweet and caring, but don't be fooled this girl can light a fire under your tail if need be.
Pat, our only guy nurse setting up food for overnights on Thursday night.
From Jeanette, I will miss her dearly, what an outstanding person and aide.

I spent almost 6 years on the in-patient rehabilitation floor at St. John's Hospital. I have seen a lot of crazy things, lots of spinal cord injuries from car wrecks, head injuries, strokes, burn patients, amputees, dialysis patients just to name a few. People who have done maybe crazy or silly things, maybe on purpose, maybe accidental, the outcome is the same, their lives have changed..... Relearning to eat, talk, pee, poop, laugh, smile, walk, write, drink, LIVE AGAIN. Folks have fell out of tree stands, many, bike wrecks with broken necks, motorcycles with missing limbs, falls from roofs, ladders, steps, top of vehicles, buildings and balconies. Strokes of all kind, massive to mild, burns from accident to mishap to drug production, Debility from cardiac, renal failure, cancer, diabetes, dialysis and old age. So many car wrecks with teenagers, I can't even hope to count, if they are with us, it probably was pretty darn bad, non-restrained with alcohol on board, they were invincible. A journey to a new and different life, usually different from the one they left the other morning as they were on their way to work, play, a brush with death, church, family reunion, school or jail. Never thinking for a moment they would in up in the hospital and then a rehab unit, to make changes and rebuild the rest of a shattered and altered life. I am proud to say I have helped many, many people rebuild a life, I have set-up tube feedings for those who can't eat, IV fluids for those who can't drink, in/out caths for those who can't pee, bowel program for those who can't poop, a cheerleader always, a shoulder to cry on, an advocate for those scared and alone, a tiny flame of security on a long dark night, a voice of comfort, reason, hope, love, sternness, faith, compassion, education and strength. I have always worked night shift, we get little glory, little recognition, never treated as equals, but I would always work overnights in the hospital, this is when we are needed the most, the confused and the tired, the scared and the alone, we reach the folks, we take care of your mom, your dad, your granny or poppy, your daughter or son, your best buddy or your wife, we cover them with extra quilts, we hold a wash cloth and a puke bucket when they are sick, we give pain medicine or help get comfort from repositioning, we get them a bowl of chili at 2 am cause they want it, we wheel confused granny to the nursing station to sit with us so she won't be afraid. Yes, I am a nurse an RN and proud, but some of the most satisfying care I give is the hands on, aide type of work. Do we get reward, praise, thank you's from family or patients, no, very rarely, but that is not why we are here, it's not the money or the thanks, it's a way of life we couldn't or wouldn't change. I am moving into the Hospice field, usually end of life, yes, I have seen death, I have felt it on my face, in my hair, I have also seen life, the first breath of a newborn, I think it is only fitting that my next step is to help people complete this cycle of life and be a friend and helper onto their next journey. I am excited for a change, while I am looking forward to this new area of my nursing career, I will sorely miss my co-workers and friends on 2C, Barb, my first preceptor, so much like my aunt and so wonderful to work with, Ree, Gwen, Mandy, Dene, who remembers the 70's with me, Pat, Jeanette, Linda S., Linda L., Matt, Eric, Lois, Velda, Krysta, Steph, Michelle, Wendy P., Wendy my special girl, Toni Joyce, Marilyn, Brenda, Shawna, oh the list could go on and on.......... I have learned so much these last 6 years, maybe my biggest thing I have learned is not to take life for granted, enjoy life while you can, we never know what the next minute, hour, day or week will bring, also, please never gripe in line at Wal-Mart at Christmas, I know alot of people who would gladly change places with you for one more chance to stand in line and deal with the crazy Christmas crowds, one more chance to walk on two healthy strong movable legs, one more chance to feel the fresh cool air on your face, one more chance to taste a fresh orange, one more chance to drive a car, one more chance to see their child, grandchild or mom. I will update all on my new job and how it is going. I love you all!!

Dinner With A Friend

2009-08-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

My senior picture, class of 1980
Sonjia's senior picture, class of 1980
Futue Homemakers of America Club, officers picture, can you spot us??

Sonjia, Ms Merry Christmas runner-up, she should have won!

Thursday I drove to Clinton Missouri to spend a day with a good friend. Sonjia Crawford Sapp and I met each other as babies, have "known" each other since 6th grade, and have been close friends since age 16. Our birthdays are a day apart, March 12 and March 13, we are and have been very much alike. Our history as friends goes back to when my mother and Sonjia's grandmother went to the same laundry in Conway to do the weekly washing, of course I played in the floor while my mom did her washing and Sonjia's grandmother would bring her, of course I don't remember this, but I think it is pretty neat just the same. When we were in 6th grade Sonjia and her family moved back to Conway to build a new home near her grandparents, she was in the same classroom as I was, but we really weren't "friends". In high school we were involved in a lot of the same activities and clubs like FHA and became friendly, but our real friendship began when she started working at Nickerson Farms Restaurant with me as a waitress and our teenage days of laughing, running around, chasing boys and bowling started. She would get me into trouble, but I enjoyed going, of course our trouble was pretty mild compared to today's standards, ours included racing on the wrong side of a 2-lane highway, chasing a group of boys on a twisty highway out near Joel E. Barber and going off in a ditch, but coming right out again, a very late night to Sleeper, again to chase boys, cruising around with John Stone, Mike Mulligan, Jill Deckard, lots of others for fun nights of bowling and cruising Lebanon, either in her Ford 4 door LTD or my 1966 Chevy Impala, 2-door, of course mine was cooler. Her laughter is contagious, she is caring, honest, fun, kind, beautiful, smart and funny!! We have always tried to remain friends and our connections through the years, she was my Maid of Honor at my wedding, she attempted to attend the birth of Pete, our last child, but he was stubborn and didn't arrive until after she left that night. I have called her with the births and deaths in my family and she called me for moral support in her decision to got to nursing school, after I had made it through. I must say, I consider her my best friend, besides my husband, I know I could turn to her for anything and she could turn to me, we have kept each others demons and issues close to our hearts and have encouraged each other, even when we haven't talked for months. We are both Grandmas now, I am Mamaw and she is Nanny, crazy that us two young and fun girls could be grannies. I love her with all my heart and hope that as we get older, maybe we will be able to do more things together, although we will be working until we are 90 with our late career choices. What a wonderful day we had together on Thursday, hours and hours of visiting and sharing, it charges me back up for a while and makes me smile to think of her, I'm so glad we have remained good friends through out the years and can't wait for the years ahead. Thanks for being such a great friend.

Just Close Your Eyes And I'll Take You There....

2009-07-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

We decided to take an impromptu vacation to the Gulf a couple of weeks ago, mostly due to the fact that Laura and Jared had the opportunity to rent a condo on the gulf side for a very reasonable price. We were able to adjust our schedules and while Danny and I drove down with all the suitcases and plunder, Laura and family flew. We stayed 8 days and they went by way to quickly. Days of heat, sun, saltwater, waves, shrimp and being lazy. We celebrated Jordan's second birthday, I discovered a wonderful shopping experience called Publix, which carried so many cool food and grocery items, like 3 kinds of sweet corn, Irish butter, celery root, oh my too many cool things to mention, this was a top-of-the-line grocery experience for me. I could have looked for hours and spent many, many dollars. I think the whole trip went well, I don't think we got on each others nerves and to tell you the truth, I think Jared and I really hit it off well and talked a lot. It's not that we haven't gotten along, it's just we have never really talked too much, with me Jared has never been a big conversationalist. The kids were really good and I enjoyed the quality time with each of them, also sharing the experiences of the water and the fine art of castle building. We spent a day at the local Naval museum at Pennscacola, shopping at the Tanger Mall in Foley, high style looking at the Wharf, including a wonderful supper, a Ferris Wheel ride and Dippin Dots, hours on the sugar sands making castles or playing in the surf, hunting for sandcrabs or seashells and deep sea fishing for the guys with the promise of fresh snapper for supper the next night. I highly recommend a beach vacation with your grandkids, it is the stuff that memories are made and I hope we can repeat this over and over for many years to come. Thanks for letting me share my pictures and wonderful time with my husband and oldest daughter's family, including my grandboys. Love you all!! Do to problems with the Blogger site, I am unable to post pix at this time....... Sorry.

The Amazing, Jordan Alan O'Quinn

2009-07-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

Jordan, born a little blue and a little grunty, quickly on o2 and shipped to Columbia.
Dad and Jordan in the NICU at Columbia.
Great-Grandma Helen, finally getting to see her newest grandson.
Our little Jordan, at home.
Jordan at about 6 months, helping me to fix food.
Jordan;s first birthday party, he is loving his cake.
Favorite Aunt Krysta with her look-a-like, Jordan.
Jordan at the zoo last summer, he loves animals.
The Pirate Brothers last Halloween, we all went to Spooktacular, so much fun.
Our little monkey, last week on vacation at Orange Beach.
Jordan's second birthday, at the beach.

The O'Quinn Brothers, both very cute. Look out girls!!

Jordan Alan O'Quinn was born on July 13, 2007 via planned c-section. so, we thought it would be a quick and easy delivery and things would be perfect. Well, that is the best laid plans, but Jordy had another idea. He was born with respiratory problems that could not be fixed at Lake Ozarks Hospital so he was taken to Columbia Children's. He spent his first week of life there and we got to know him with feeding tubes, picc lines in his tiny head and other cords and lines. We were very grateful out time was short, other parents endure months of this. All of us including, Laura and Jared, Jayce, me and Danny and Grandma Barb helped out how ever we could. Pa Q'Quinn and Dori and also Scott added their support along with prayers and well wishes from the rest of the extended family including uncles and aunts. Jordan has always been a familiar face to me, I don't know why. I think it was because he always looked and still looks so much like Krysta and the Hillhouse side. The shape of his little mouth, teeth, his head, so much like them. I remember looking in his little eyes when he was a baby and he also reminded me of my mom, who had died just a couple of months earlier. I guess the hardest thing for me was wanting to tell her about Jordan and having her hold him and having her agree with me how much he looked like one of my own. No one else could give me this reassurance, except her. He is a stubborn and hardheaded little guy, a dare devil and a little copycat. He has to do whatever big brother does, always and sometimes it leads to him getting a scrapped knee or a knot on the head. He is so quick, you have to watch him closely, he is a lover and a snuggler. I can't wait to see how he turn out, he is talking more and more and that is so much fun, when he will repeat anything you tell him too. I hope I will get more grandchildren has time goes by, but each one has a special place in my heart. Happy Late Birthday our Jordy. With much love, Memaw and Papaw.

Krysta Keya Lynne Hillhouse Combs Birthday Blast

2009-07-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Krysta Lynne Hillhouse was born on July 8, 1983 at Breech medical Center in Lebanon.
Krysta at about 5-6 months old.
Krysta at one year old, learning to walk.
Krysta and Aunt Susi at her second year birthday party.
Krysta's 4th birthday, she loved her baby dolls and it was a sure bet she would get at least one each year.
Laura and Krysta celebrating Krysta's 4th birthday, always hot, hot summer days.
Krysta with little brother Pete, you wouldn't realize how much they fought and carried on.
Krysta on Kindergarten graduation day at Conway, wonder how big that tree is now?
Another birthday, maybe 5th or 6th, she loved her Barbies now and really wanted a Barbie cake.
The girls at the zoo, we couldn't afford to do much, but we did make it to the zoo, once.
Krysta on the computer, thanks to family owning a computer store, we had one pretty early.
A very lovely young lady, probably on her birthday.
Junior High cheer leading, 8th grade.
This is what happens when you have a two car garage and an older sister driving, Laura's is nice and clean in the second bay, while poor Krysta got to clean hers off, but Krysta's was a 4-wheel drive!
Finding her a sailor at the Gulf, to bad he was only a dummy, she later on found her a real sailor, skip the dummy part.
On the beach, probably one of her favorite places to go on vacation.
Graduating with her Bachelor's Degree in Education from Drury.
Is it Kevin, Brittany and Jaden James, NO, it's just Brian, Krysta and Jordan acting silly at Christmas.
Engagement on the Beach, or should I say in the air, Krysta's proposal was in a bi-plane over the Gulf of Mexico and the sugar sands of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Wedding day, our baby girl is all grown up.
Graduation from Drury University with Master's Degree in Instructional Math, we are so proud of her.

Krysta Lynne Hillhouse decided to come into this world on July 8th, 1983. Danny and I lived at Lebanon in a little apartment and we already had Laura who was only 16 months old. So, when I started labor the early morning hours of July 8, I drove myself to the hospital across town, so that Danny could stay with a sleeping Laura, I figured they would send me home anyway. But, I stayed and she was born, just before noon, thankfully dad made it, after getting Grandma Long and Susi in to watch Laura. I was so happy to get another little girl, first I had all girl things, plus I figured as they grew up, it would be easier to have a sister to share things and do things with. But, really, I remember one time, before children, seeing a young mom with two little girls, dressed alike, close in age and I knew that would really be my choice if possible. Krysta was born into the hot month of July and she had no choice, but to be a good baby. With no A/C, and a toddler to entertain, she had to sleep and be good, which she was. Krysta always says, she was never the first to do anything in our family, since Laura is older, but she does have the bragging rights to potty training, she was potty trained before Laura!! Of course she did everything her sister did, I had remembered not to long ago, Grandma Helen had bought them a swing set and it had a little slide on one end, well, the slide was maybe 2-3 feet off the ground and while Laura handled it fine, it scared the water out of me to watch that little blond haired girl toddle up those stairs and slide down. It took everything in me to not let her slide, but she was very headstrong and she would have done it anyway. Time goes by, along with our little girl, the little girl who broke her thumb by avoiding hitting Bobby, the dog, she went to school, casted, she could swim like a fish at an early age, she tried to pee in the floor at Bass Pro because I wouldn't listen and take her to the bathroom quick enough. She likes the ears off the chocolate bunny at Easter, she has always loved dolls, baby and Barbie, she has always been generous to a fault, kind, sweet, hard-headed, stubborn, "the baby, gotta love me" until Pete bumped her off that throne, a hard worker, never afraid of a challenge and finally met the man who swept her off her feet. She had to follow in the big footsteps of her older sister and also try to break a trail for her baby brother, and that is a job only a middle child can do or understand, sometimes things have seemed unfair, being in the middle, but she has became a stronger and better person for it.
She has graduated from college with both a Bachelor's Degree and a Masters Degree, all while working full time. Her and Brian have been married for a year and are learning the odds and ends of married life, but even though she has grown up and married she is still our baby girl and that is something she can be first at. Happy Early Birthday Krysta!! WE love you sooooo much! Mom and Dad

The Great Jayce Andrew O'Quinn

2009-06-28T14:17:00.000-07:00

Newborn Jayce Andrew O'Quinn, look at that hair!!
Great-Grandma Long with Jayce and me, Mom was so excited, she insisted Grandpa drive her down to see Laura's new baby.
Papaw and Jayce at home.
I know we kind of skipped a bit, Jayce at the Ozark Empire Fair, he was just over 1 years old.
Jared and Jayce on the merry-go-round at the fair.
Jayce O'Quinn, about 9 months.
Aunt Krysta and Jayce, just trying to walk.
Thinking about walking, but very good at stair climbing!!
At Memaw's playing in the sink.
Uncle Pete and Jayce with matching t-shirts from vacation.
Jayce with his new trike at his 2nd birthday party, Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian got him this cool ride!
The birth of little brother Jordan, a week long stay at Columbia and a very tired little boy who wants his mom.
Aunt Krysta and Jayce with there Navy T-Shirts on, Uncle Brian had left to Go Navy for a bit.
Papaw and Jayce at the park, one of our favorite places to go when he visits our house.
Jayce at 2 years old at Great-Grandma Helen's Christmas, eating a bread and butter pickle, yummy!!
At the new house, Jayce loved riding his bike on the hardwood floors and running over Uncle Pete.
At the Dickerson Park Zoo last summer, who could miss the water spray fountains, so cool on a hot and fun day at the zoo.

Jayce Andrew O'Quinn was born on Tuesday, June 28 at 6:06 pm at Lake Ozark Hospital. He weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces. It was a pretty hot day and we had started early, the day went on and on, waiting and waiting until finally the doctor decided to complete with a c-section. Jayce arrived in good shape with a wild head of hair. Everyone there, including his Aunt Krysta and Uncle Pete, Uncle Jackie and Aunt Stacey, Pa Jack, Dori, Grandma Barb, Scott, Memaw and Papaw and I'm sure others were thankful for his safe arrival into the world. How fast has time flown, he is now a big boy four years old!!! He start pre-school at Camdenton this fall as a mentor, he is a very smart little boy, always thinking. He comes up with some of the most wonderful stories to tell, he loves to draw and swim and play with his brother, Jordan. He loves to ride on the ATV's especially Memaw's red one, he like sweet/sour candies better than chocolate, he is like his dad this way. He loves to fish with his dad on the dock and go out on the boat. He is loved by many, many people, he is a very lucky little boy. Many kisses and happy birthday wishes and blessings are sent his way by Memaw and Papaw who had to work today, WE LOVE YOU JAYCE!!!!!!

2009-06-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Jordy with his pirate hat on ready to party!!
Welcome Aboard Matey, Watch out for all the pirates!! ARRRHHHHHHGGG
Jayce and Jordan give you permission to board the ship of fun!
Papaw used his airbrush skills to give tattoos to anyone who wanted them, yes, we used non-toxic, water-based paint for the wonderful piratey tattoos.
Even Jared got into the fun by getting a pirate tattoo.
Let's eat, even although it was hot, hot, hot, we ate grilled chicken, hot dogs, brisket, all all the fixins
Yes, we are ready for the cakes!
Jayce blowing out the candles on his Dead Man's Chest cake, complete with gold coins, two drunken or sleepy pirates, fish and sugar candy coral.
How cool is Jayce's cake!
Jordy's cake with a very colorful fish and a Happy Birthday Fisherman!
Another look at the pirate cake
Another view of the really cool cake.
Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian, hot but glad to be here.
Great-Grandpa Long, yes that is his happy face!!
More of the crowd watching Jayce and Jordan opening gifts.
Jayce mainly opened all the gifts, because Jordy was just too busy playing on the playground stuff and running around.
So many gifts, what a wonderful surprise for a birthday boy.
One of the fav gifts of the night, foam swords for each boy, they carried them around all night, wacking on everybody. Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian were clever enough to get those pirates new swords.
J ordy taking a break, he found a new package of Hot Wheels from Great-Grandpa Long, of course Jordy had to have the package open and one in each hand.
Watch out for the pirate.
Papaw and Memaw with 2 very tired, sweaty and dirty little guys, as you can see Jordan had had enough of sitting still and look how big our Jayce has gotten!!!
Me and Danny, we look pretty good for a middle aged couple, I was only running on about 4 hours sleep.

Laura and Jared had the boys a combined birthday party last night at Bennett Springs. Jayce's birthday is tomorrow (Sunday) and Jordan's is July 13, so this was a good time for all the families and friends to come help the boy's celebrate their 4th and 2nd birthdays. We had a good crowd there, of course Laura and Jared and boys, Grandma Barb and Scott, me and Danny, Uncle Pete, Aunt Krysta and Uncle Brian, Pa Jack and Dori, along with Christopher, Great-Grandma June and Great-Grandpa Long, Uncle Jackie and Justin and Jaymen Great-Aunt Susi (Kooky) and Uncle Jim with Heather, Rhonda and Brixton, the O'Quinn cousins, Kim and Kathy with mom and little ones, I am probably forgetting someone so I will stop. We had the party under the pavilion near the Susi hole bridge, which was very nice but still hot. The boys wanted a pirate theme, so me and Papaw made flags and helped with decorations. Hot Dogs, brisket, chicken and all the fixins tasted pretty good and of course the cakes were wonderful. Jayce had a Deadman's Chest cake that had golden coins, two funny looking pirates, fish and crystal candy sea coral, it was very cool, kind of like Ace of Cakes!! Jordan's was a colorful fish with mulit-color scales on it and was as tasty as it looked. the boys got a lot of really nice gifts and we were all glad when the sun went down for the cooler air. What a wonderful birthday party and lots of people who love these little guys, thanks to all who came and helped them celebrate. Two very tired and sweaty boys were loaded up in the car with the left over cake and headed home for a good night's sleep. Love to you all!!!

Two Great Men, Our Fathers

2009-06-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

Dad at the Grand Canyon, May of this year.
Dad with his brother, Harley.
Dad as a very young and handsome soldier with the Army/Air Force
Robert, with family. Left to right: Robert, Dale, Faye, Donnie and Grandma Bessie.
Robert with Dwane, David and Helen, what a sweet family.
Helen, Robert with the baby, Danny.

I decided to post a blog, honoring our fathers, our dads, our daddy o's. First I want to start with Danny's dad, Robert Hillhouse. I never met him, this makes me sad, mostly that our children were short-changed out of another grandpa, another person who could tell stories about when their dad was little and bounce them on his knee and tickle them and be so proud of the wonderful young adults his grandchildren have become. I didn't get to know this man, I think he would have liked me, I think he has always been a guardian angel to our family and watched over his baby. I think he would have been proud with how his own boys turned out, all three outstanding men, solid, fair, kind and loving just as he was. He loved children, but that is a trait of the Hillhouse guys, they love children, they love being around kids, teasing and tormenting, giving hugs and lots of praise to not only their own but to all around them. He loved horses, I guess you could call him a cowboy or a horseman, probably a cowboy would have suited him better, one of his saddles is displayed proudly in my kitchen, any child who enters the house is allowed to sit and rock on it, I think he would highly approve. He loved sweets, especially chocolate, he was skinny, a hardworker, a loving husband, a father that took the time to teach and love his boys and he also died too young. Danny was only a teenager when he lost his dad, the impact will always be with him, he has always tried so hard to make sure he did everything he could with his kids, "just in case". I think Danny is probably like him in a lot of ways, but he is also very strong like the mom who finished raising him into adulthood, together they scratched by to make a home and living after Robert passed away, it takes a lot of faith and courage to hold everything together, and they did. I wish he was here to see all of the great-grand babies, all 6 of the great-grand boys and the soon-to-be 2 great-grand daughters, how thrilled him would be. Here's to Dad Robert in Heaven looking upon us each day, Happy Father's Day!!!!

My dad, well he is 80 years old and still going strong, he comes from hardy stock, old country people, not hill people, but maybe holler, river and cave people. Dad's family was a bit dysfunctional, a term we use currently for single parent, low income, issue filled homes. When dad was born and small, during the depression, his father left the family to follow his itchy foot, the problem was, is that he left behind a wife, 3 sons and a daughter, no money, no food stamps, no welfare, no help from anyone. Luckily, they had a small little house and a small piece of land from her father and with the generous help of neighbors they scrabbled by a living. Gardens, gathering roots, berries, herbs. Hunting, kind neighbors who shared meat kept the family fed. My grandmother did not have time to be a real nurturing mom, mostly because she was to busy trying to keep the home fires burning and clothes on their backs. So, my dad didn't really get father/son time, his older brothers probably did most of the teaching, he only graduated from 8th grade but got honors from the school of hard knocks. Still he served his time in the Army/Air Force, worked rode motorcycles, traveled and finally settled down to marry my mom and have us kids. Dad has a dry sense of humor, he doesn't like nonsense, he doesn't like yapping women or screaming kids, in fact he really isn't that crazy about kids, he kind of tolerates them in a fashion, oh I'm sure he loves them and cares about his kids, grandkids and great-grand kids but isn't a huggy and kissy kind of dad. He has always worked at very hard jobs, with a hurting back at times, putting in hours and hours, 7 days a week, rain or shine, sick or well. I have learned a lot from him, he showed us how to find wild greens to cook and eat, how to hunt mushrooms, loves his "woods and trees" he really knows how to swing an ax, or a splitting maul and operate a chainsaw. He never, never took help from any one, any man or government, never!! and raised us kids to do the same. He cut the wood and had it sawmilled to build a house for his family, it still stands and is lived in. He is very independent, can be funny at times, has a strong opinion of anything, believes in UFO's, reads, is a very smart man and likes Kentucky Fried Chicken. He would rather have cake than pie and comes to everything I invite him to. He misses my mom and spent a year in darkness from her death, he has found the light again and decided to have some old-age fun, like traveling by rail to the Grand Canyon in May. I love my dad, I don't always agree with him or get along with him, but his has tried to do right by me and at least he stuck around even when he felt his foot started to itch with a travelin' bug. Happy Father's Day, Dad. Love to you all.

Grand Canyon Adventures, The End!

2009-06-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

Big old palm tree outside our hotel room, very pretty and tropical, felt like I was at the beach.
A view from our ground floor hotel room across a very pretty courtyard.
Me, thinking of heading home to a cooler Missouri and my own bed.
Yogurt Berry, a very pretty in pink shop!
Oh Honey, look at those raspberries, yes they were as good as they looked!!!
Me by a palm tree in front of the hotel rooms and courtyard.

Okay, this is my last entry about the Grand Canyon adventure of May 2009, here is a random few pictures that didn't fit in any where so I will add them to the end. We arrived in Phoenix and checked into our room at the Crown Plaza which was very nice and the cheapest place we stayed at the entire trip, less than $80 per room. After resting a bit, we drove over to see Steph and her family, my sister-in-law was visiting so I got to see her also. We had good pizza and a lot of fun with Miss Kayley, she loved showing us her room, her baby and crib that papaw made for her, her Bob the Builders and lots more. We had a nice visit and then a very tired crew returned to our rooms for a good nigh sleep. We had a wonderful breakfast at Denny's and then just drove around the Phoenix/Mesa area looking and killing time until our flight. We stopped at a very nice upper end mall, which was all outside stores and lots of walking, so none of us felt like trying out the 107 heat, but I did get some very yummy yogurt at Yogurt Berry, topped with beautiful real raspberries. Probably the highlight of my day, we got to the very small airport two hours early, but really needed all that time to get through the ticket area and security. Our flight home was quick and easy and we got to fly into the new terminal in Springfield which is really nice. After finding our car in long term, we headed home, thankful for the cool, fresh Missouri evening and our own beds. Thank you Lord for helping us have such a great journey and a safe and mostly pleasant trip!! Love to you all.

Grand Canyon Adenture, Continued

2009-06-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Cactus with flowers
Closer view of flowers
Me with a very old cactus, I bet Indians and cowboys roamed around this area when this guy was born.
Burr Holes for the birds and varmits to live it.
Beautiful country side near Sedona, Arizona
Scenery near Sedona

After visiting Bedrock and an aviation museum, we started the long drive to Phoenix, where we would spend the night and also see Stephanie's family. We took the scenic drive through Sedona which had been highly recommended for the beautiful canyons of red and the cutbacks up and down the mountain areas, well, I got so sick, I never get car sick, but I guess from the antibiotics I was still on I felt like crap and really don't remember much, except popping Rolaids to keep from throwing up. After a couple of Chicken Nuggets at a McDonalds farther down the road I felt a bit better, it kept getting hotter and more dessert like, then we started seeing the soldiers of the dessert, the Saguaro cactus, a little history about the cactus is that the large tree-sized cactus are native tot he Sonoran dessert in Arizona. They have long life spans and it can take up to 75 years to develop a single arm, these cactus may live for 150 years, its illegal to harm them and they supply homes for woodpeckers, purple martins and finches. To me, I know this is crazy, but I thought it was more interesting in some way than the Grand Canyon, they were right out of a John Wayne movie and I was thrilled to have a photo with one, there were bunches and bunches everywhere as we entered into the Phoenix area. Look for one more blog to complete my Grand Canyon adventure. Love you all!

Today I Met The Boy I'm Gonna Marry, Brian + Krysta

2009-06-12T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Mountain dew cake and the remaining layer of the wedding cake.
Brian and Krysta, guests-of-honor get to start the food line first.
You are looking at the Chinese chicken wings and the Asian salad with noodles that Carol made.
Brian and Krysta, almost one year married.
Acting goofy, this wasn't really a serious shot.
She still fits in her gown, yes it completely hooked, snapped and fitted perfectly
She got her dried bouquet from the china cabinet and carefully posed with it.
Brian and Krysta
Up close view of her dried roses, when they were fresh they were called sunset pink, a beautiful glowing pink with lillies and greenery.
Out on our front porch steps with the long train spread out.
Krysta and Brian

Brian and Krysta will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary on Sunday, so we decided to have a little celebration dinner for them. They had an Asia buffet for their wedding dinner, so that was on the menu for tonight's supper. We had Springfield style cashew chicken, pork lo mien, egg rolls, Asian salad with crunchy ramen noodles and fried rice. For desert we had Key Lime pie, Mountain Dew cake, Brian's favorite and also his grooms cake, and the remainder of the top of the wedding cake that has been stored in my freezer for a year. The white cake with raspberry filling, white icing and pearl glow pink fondant held up amazingly well, it was very moist and very flavorful right down to the raspberry filling. Cameo Cakes did an outstanding job on replicating her cake to look like her dress and for a cake to hold up that well through freezer conditions, well worth the money. A good little group came together, including Brian and Krysta, his parents, Larry and carol, Grandma Helen, Grandpa Long, Uncle Davis and Aunt Florence, me and Danny and Pete even drove down from his new residence in Springfield. David gave a wonderful and heartfelt blessing for the young couple to bless their continued unity to each other. We all ate too much and I am pooped after cooking and cleaning up all evening, but it is always fun. Pete was glad to take home some leftovers and we all helped to clean up afterwards. Krysta tried on her wedding gown and it still fits perfectly, she was pretty happy about that. so, we had to take a few pix with the dress and the dried flowers too. Plans are to go to Brian's family lake house for a nice weekend, out on the lake and just relaxing. Happy Anniversary! Much love, Mom and Dad

A Visit To Bedrock

2009-06-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

I am in front of the huge Fred Flintstone sign that overlooks both the highway to the Grand Canyon and the Bedrock museum and town, a true to size replica of the village of Bedrock and the home of those wacky guys, Fred and Barney.

I am checking out the Flintstone's car, ready to take people for a ride on the track that circled the replica city of Bedrock, I keep saying replica for those of you who might think it was the real place.
I am helping out by turning the huge spit that had a dino carcass on it, cooking for dinner. I worked so hard I lost a leg, just call me Peg Leg Sherry.
I am helping out at the local grocery store, eager to check out anyone who might need raptor eggs, dino steaks or teradachtal wings on their grocery list.
Yes, look at my hair, you can see for yourself that I need a haircut and style badly, the dry heat just made my poor hair curl up and dye!
Pretty cute of me, checking out my new hair-don't from Ms. Pebblebottom, herself. I look lovely!!
Remember at the first of the cartoon, where Fred slides down off his working dino to clock out for the day, well folks here it is, the original workasauers, it even has a built in slide, just wait.
Yes, I am at the top, and it was pretty high, I would have slid down in normal situations, but considering I still had a drainage tube in my groin and a compression garment giving me a wedgie, I decided not too.
Time to visit Fred, very nice home, although Wilma need to give it a better cleaning, the bird-operated Victrola was on display, but not giving us any music, I wonder why, and by the way no one was home, not even Dino.
A visit to the good old school house, pretty small but you could still learn something here, like how hot it can get in these little buildings.
Inside the classroom, must be one of Betty's cousins, they kind of look alike.
The nurse at the clinic, seemed nice enough, but I don't think I could even squeeze into her uniform, I think she is one of Wilma's sisters, she had the red hair thing going on.
One of the last stops was the creepy movie theater where they had a continuous loop of the Flintstone show running, this is where, in the horror movie, a mutant, in-breed giant clubs you in the back of the head and drags your lifeless body away, then the normal looking cashier takes your car keys, credit cards and ID and dumps them in the hot, rocky, dusty badlands of the remote southwest and you are never heard of again. Just kidding, we got out alive and it was pretty cheap entertainment for $5.00 each. Please continue to watch my blog for more of our Grand Canyon and Phoenix adventure.

Going To The Beach, South Beach That Is !

2009-06-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

As many of you know< i had a tummy tuck on April 2. There were several reasons for doing this. Foremost of all the reasons was the 13 pound apron or pack of loose skin and fat that hung down to my groin. I know gross, but after three pregnancies and many, many times of weight loss and weight gain the skin stretches out and there is not a thing you can do about it, nothing. So, you live with it in envy of other people who have flat tummies, you tuck into snug undies or pantyhose and hope for the best. It bothered me the most when trying to move quickly, example with a code at work, or exercise or even just getting in the floor with my little guys to play. I had lost about 40 pounds since nursing school, this over a couple of years and had maintained that lower weight, I so desperately wanted to continue to lose, trying to get under 200 pounds. Yes, for vanity, but for also health reasons, to prevent many of the issues that drug my mother under, high blood pressure, diabetes, artery disease that affected her circulation, hence losing both legs, renal failure and so on. So, I decided last October to get a abdominaoplasty or a tummy tuck along with liposuction, to push me to work harder and motivate me to continue my weight loss journey and feel good about myself in the process.
Well, here I am, 2 months later, yes a very hard journey filled with multiple drains, out-patient IV therapy, wound packing's, many, many sutures, depression, crying jags, days that I thought would never end, photo-sensitivity from Bactrium, rounds of antibiotics and finally healing with the support and care of an excellent doctor. So, I told myself as soon as I could I would be back on track with what my sister calls, a life change, watching the food I eat, so sugars, no breads, no junk for 2 weeks, this is a trial, It's a watch-see change, if it isn't for us, then we will try another path, if we see success through weight loss and feeling better we will continue. I am 9 pounds from 198, this is my first mini-goal, then we shall see. I am planning on going to the fitness center with Susi on Thursday night and restart the walk/run plan I wanted to do a year ago. I want to run, maybe not races, but I want to run and feel the lightness of a new body that is healing and only getting better each day. I thank all of you for your continued support through all the days of my tummy tuck journey, all the calls, cards, and well wishes. My co-workers were fantastic checking up on me and worried about how I was doing, my wonderful husband who was with me through thick and soon to be thin, who helped change those dressings and reassured me when I cried over biscuits and gravy, helped me get up from the couch and into the truck for those bi-weekly doctors visits, he gave up his days off to go with me and listen to my moans, whines and blubbering.My poor son who also endured days of mom having mini breakdowns and getting her things from the kitchen. All is good now, I am back at work and getting better everyday, I love my still slightly swollen and a little funky looking tummy, it's tight and no flapping skin, It will all mellow with time, at least 6 months and then maybe a touch-up. Enough rambling, I am headed to the Beach, egg white omelet with veggies here I come!!!

In Rememberance Of Me.

2009-05-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Mom's marker, I think she would have really liked this pinkish rose color of the stone.
Front view of mom's stone
Another angle, I think the real flowers are from Wanda, the pinks from me and Dad's arrangement is behind Wanda's, Susi had not made it yet.
Debby and Danny, the twin, I always place something there for mom.
From right to left, James, mom's younger brother killed in the Korean War.
My grandparents, Clyde and Opal Davis Stevens
Another shot of James marker.
Aunt Shirley, Uncle Donald's wife, a very funny lady who enjoyed good food and good fun!
Aunt Loretta, Uncle Junior's wife, skinny as a rail but was a very special person and worked very hard to make her family a good life.

Memorial Day or Decoration Day as the old folks called it, is a holiday for some people from work, a time to go out on the lake or rivers, have a few drinks, grill up some burgers and dogs and relax. As a kid, we never did any of the above, my folks never even owned a bbq grill, ever! But one thing we did was go to the cemeteries. We visited those with our family members resting in peace and even cemeteries without family members. Us kids loved climbing on the tombstones, and I like to think that those folks buried and dead kind of got a kick out of the laughing and racing around on the mostly quiet and solemn grounds. We took flowers to the graves of great-grand parents long gone and especially to the tiny grave of out older brother and sister, twins who died right after birth, babies who if not for their death I might not have been born. The weather is usually pleasant this time of year, mild with sunny skies, just right for a picnic somewhere. For many years we traveled with other family members to a local rest area near Conway to enjoy the nice clean shaded picnic tables. I'm afraid the tradition of taking flowers to the graveyard is a quickly dying tradition, most people don't want to spend the money or time to decorate a marker for a couple of weeks a year. It is one tradition I am holding true to, I will continue each year to buy the flowers and decorate graves, It's something I want and need to do, not just that I think it will help me remember mom, but I think of her everyday and miss her, but it makes me feel good to know that others See her stone and know her family cares about and misses her. It's just important to me! Have a safe and healthy Holiday weekend. Love you all.

A Grand Canyon Adventure

2009-05-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

James, Stephanie, Kayley and Rhonda in front of us as we traveled to the Grand Canyon. Check out the beautiful mountains in the background.
A mountain with snow on the peaks.
Price board for entering the Grand Canyon, south rim, like I said in the blog, we got lucky cause we had an old guy with us and he got our carload in for $10.00, I really don't know how, but it was good!
Me!!!
Rhonda and Kayley looking over the edge, look at the tight hold she has on Kayley.
AAHHHHHHH!!!!, OOHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Dad, James, Kayley, Stephanie and Rhonda on a short rest break for dad, the high altitude got him slightly short of breath at times.
Beautiful!!
He made it, this is his birthday present, a train trip and the Grand Canyon for becoming 80 years old. I wish mom had been here for the trip.

Me and dad.
Some crazy foreign guy risking his stupid life, and I'm sure no insurance, I hope the stupid fool made it off the rock safely so we don't have to pay for his hospital bill.

Danny, Pete and Dad, I love these guys, but especially the one on the left, he is such a wonderful and kind man to go on this trip and be patient with my father.

We all left Flagstaff and headed North towards the Grand Canyon, the drive was pretty, some mountains, but lots of flat land with mostly scrub cedar and sagebrush. It took us a little over an hour to drive up and enter the park. We were at the south rim entrance and got a pleasant surprise when we found out by having dad in the car, we all got in for only $10.00 a carload, because he is old, so take an old person to a national park today, you can save a few bucks. Within the south rim area there was lots of places to pull over and look, we stopped at several and really enjoyed the surreal view, it almost looks photo shopped in the pictures we snapped. A beautiful, but hard to grasp park, even with looking at it it's hard to realize the enormous size and vision of it. We drove around and looked a lot, the weather was perfect, cool, with a slight breeze, kinda reminded me of a fall day in Missouri. About noon, we all drove back to the small town at the south rim for an expensive McDonald's meal, (value meals were $7.00) and there we split company, we decided to sight see on our own and James and Steph needed to head back to Phoenix, it was a long ride with a very tired little girl. We went back to the canyon and took more photos and enjoyed the scenery again, Pete and I threw rocks into the canyon, helping to fill it up and we all speculated on how many people fall to their deaths each year. (about 1 per year) We headed back to the small town we had lunch in and back to the Holiday Inn Express, which was also very nice, to spend the night. The next day the plans were to travel back towards Phoenix, visit an airplane museum and Bedrock, home of Fred Flintstone, more photos and blogs to come soon. Love to you all.

An Experience On Amtrack

2009-05-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

Danny waiting in the distance, Dad walking slowly towards the Union Station in Kansas City, where we were going to board our train.
Amtrak waiting area, I shot on the angle for more creativity.
The ceiling at Union Station, such beautiful art work, moulding, light and windows and such history of the people who walked on the beautiful marble floors.
Dad and I waiting for the train, I look so excited, if I only knew what was coming up I wouldn't have looked so darn happy.
Dad trying to rest on the lower berth, I took the picture while hanging out of my upper berth.
Dad and I at breakfast, I had a spinach omelet with hash browns and had had cold cereal with fruit and yogurt, I know I look pretty rough, but I didn't have time to mess with my hair or makeup and I was riding on about 4 hours of restless sleep. Larry and Wink our breakfast table friends took our photo.
Somewhere in New Mexico at a siding, I probably took this for the mountain inn the back not the sided rail car that dad took such great interest in.

Due to problems with my computer/blog site/self, I didn't get all the pictures posted of the Amtrak trip part of the adventure, so here are the rest of the photos.

An Experience On Amtrack

2009-05-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

A view of our dining car after lunch and before supper.
Where we sat for breakfast.
Watch your step!! One of the 2 sliding door that you went through to cross over the juncture of the two cars, it was creep.
Dad trying to walk on the moving train between our car and the dining car, down a very narrow pathway.
The same narrow path, between the outside wall of the train and the upgraded sleeper suites.
Narrow walkway to sliding door to adjoining car.
Country side in New Mexico.
Dad looking at the map, trying to figure out where we are.
Off for a break at Albuquerque, NM, the locals had set up tables to sell jewelry and crafts.

Well, as most of you know, Dad wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, by train for his 80th birthday. Danny and I took it upon ourselves to arrange the trip and make all the connections happen. While I was still on sick leave, Danny took vacation time to help me make this happen, no this was not a vacation for us, this was a challenge. With a vacation, you kind of do what you want and get to relax without worries, well all I have to say is travel with your dear old dad in a 4X6 foot cubicle for 24 hours and then we will talk vacation. Okay, enough said, except I may get an extra ruby in my crown of gold in Heaven one day or maybe an extra marshmallow to roast with Lucifer. We left Kansas City's beautiful union station last Thursday evening at about 10 pm, we boarded the train and was slightly shocked at the size of our sleeper berths, I am serious as a fish when I tell you it was 4 foot deep by 6 feet long. We quickly threw our bags on the lower berth and sat down until the train got started. I got the top berth that folded down, it measured about 3X6, with a small cargo net to help keep you from falling off of it. Luckily we were close to the bathroom, or should I say water closet, but it was about, well, lot's smaller than a closet, you could pee and brush your teeth at the same time. It was a fit full night, once we slid our door closed and locked it, it became a very warm and close place, which causes me a slight anxiety of thinking I am in a coffin. I slept about 4 hours, mostly after about 4 am when it suddenly became cooler, who knows. The train was about 1/2 full, so we really had no one else on our car except the porter and another couple towards the end. Our porter Simon was great and got us extra bottles of water and even canned soda for free. We got up for breakfast at around 8:00 and went to the dining car, because we had purchased the roomette option, we got our meals included in the dining car, which was kinda cool, we had a nice breakfast with a couple traveling with a senior travel group who was headed for the Grand Canyon also, Larry and Wink (his wife) were a very sweet couple who we were lucky enough to also have supper with. The meals were top notch, plenty to eat including dessert. The rest of the time we spent either in the observation car, which has a domed glass ceiling or in our little cubicle with the seats in place, I read and dad looked at scenery, New Mexico is all dry, hot, sandy, scrubby, with lots of old junk cars and trailers. WE did see some pretty mesa's, in red and orange, Albuquerque was one of the stops we got to get off the train for a bit, dad declined,but I got to check out the vender's from the local reservations, with jewelry and crafts. The only thing I bought was a a plastic horse with saddle for the boys, along with a diet coke and popcorn from the depot. Towards the end of our 24 hour trip we were bought ready to get off, enough already, our skinny butts hurt and our legs were cramped, we were tired of being bumped and jostled for hours, but he got his train ride and I am thankful for it. We left the train in Flagstaff, AZ with lots of other folks at about 9 pm, thankfully it was a very renovated area, fresh and lively with lots of lights and activity, we caught a cab to our hotel and was sooooo ready to lay our weary heads on a nice soft pillow, in the mean time, Danny and Pete had caught a plane in Springfield and were flying towards us, to land at Phoenix, get the rental car and drive to Flagstaff that night, I slept off and on until I heard from them, because of plane delays, they didn't arrive at our room until about 3am, both worn to a frazzle. We all slept well and woke up to a nice Holiday Inn Express breakfast, which is really good!! Biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, fruit, cereal, muffins, juice and coffee, I highly recommend it, this was a fantastic hotel, on Lucky Lane in Flagstaff, free bottles of water and chips were waiting for us in room, free of charge, nice pillows and linens. We got ready to meet up with my niece Stephanie, her husband James, little one, Kayley and my sister-in-law, Rhonda for a fun trip north to the Grand Canyon. Okay, stay tuned for the next blog about the Grand Canyon adventure with the Hillbillies from Missouri. Love you all!!!

Branson Air Show

2009-05-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Pete at the air show, in front of the Warrensburg, Central Missouri Sate area, along with a plane from Whiteman AFB. Pete spent his first year of college at Central Missouri.
A cool plane
The long line-up of cars and buses traveling out to the new airport at Branson.
One of the several parking lots to wait for the bus transport.
The on/off load area at the terminal.
Me, all by myself enjoying a snack of Harry and David's honey roasted nuts, you couldn't do this if children were along, they would all want a package of nuts and you would leave Harry and David's a lot more broke.
The guys coming from the bus after a long afternoon at the airshow.
Just for fun, the Titanic exhibit, I have been to it before, pretty neat with lot's of old stuff and information, just thought you might want to see it.

Branson had a huge airshow at their brand new airport and airfield over the weekend, Danny really wanted to go, he had requested the time off months ago, little did he know I was still trying to get over this simple tummy tuck. He had almost talked himself out of it, but kind of at the last minute we decided to go. We rented a room at the Radisson, off of Priceline, so wouldn't have to drive back home and I would have a spot to take it easy. We got to Branson about noon on Sat. and after checking in I drove the guys out to the airport. It was CRAZY, many, many parking area, school buses hauling folks in, but we trudged down the line and after about an hour to go 5 miles, I dropped the guys off at the terminal. They were very excited and it looked pretty cool, but I have learned my limits and walking up and down an airstrip all day was not in my best interest. I went back to the outlet mall and walked up and down sidewalks all afternoon:) I did get me a few new things, as most of my clothing is about 2 sizes to big. The guys called for a pick-up at about 4:30 and they rode one of the buses back, so I only had to meet them at Hollister. We ate at Olive Garden for a pre-mother's day dinner and Pete got my dessert. I love that salad and I made myself sick on it and then couldn't eat my seafood pasta dish. We cruised the 76, looking at all the cool lights and complaining about the out-of-state plates and the traffic. We headed back to our room and had an ok rest, we came home Sunday, after stopping off in Springfield to do a little shopping. All-in-all it was a fun weekend and nice to get out for a day. I am slowly feeling better and really ready to head back to work soon! Love to you all.

Boo Kitty becomes A Mommy.

2009-05-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

Our Boo kitty, that somehow showed up at our door last year became a mommy, OK, I know we should have had her fixed and believe me we will try and get it done before she decides to find another boyfriend and have babies. My wonderful husband knew she might not be smart enough to figure out a safe birthing area so he kindly fixed a cozy warm box on the back porch safe from other critters
This is Jayce putting one of the 4 babies back in their box, I think all of us were going, "Be careful and don't squeeze to tight"
Jayce thought they were pretty cute and thought it funny when they tried crawling in and out of their box.
Boo kitty had 4 babies, 2 smokey whites and 2 blacks.
This one is pretty cute and very lively.

Happy Anniversary Baby, Got You On My Mind!

2009-05-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

Kayley coloring at the restaurant, she a very good girl.
Stephanie, James and Kayley at Bass Pro.
Our 29th wedding anniversary picture, just a little gray and grisseled.

Danny and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary yesterday. while I am still recovering from surgery, it was not the most exciting and romantic day we have had. I am not going to write a huge blog about us, I think, but just say that I hope we have 29 more years together. Like all couples we have good days and bad days, but as we get older, I think we have lots more good than bad. We respect each other and love it when the other excels in whatever they do. We don't count dollars and hold grudges if the other "makes more", we are just excited that we can do a few things we want to do with the money. We have never cursed or swore at each other, maybe we thought it, but we have never tore each other down just for the satisfaction of having them feel as badly as we do. We have both worked hard all our lives and will continue to do so, next year on our 30th, we hope to be ocean side with our toes in the sand. We celebrated last night with Pete, and my niece Stephanie along with her husband James and little sweetie, Kayley. I was a great night of good food and excellent company. You know it's crazy, I was 14 when Stephanie was born, and I have always been crazy about her, even though she has always lived away from us, but last night I realized what a fun, smart and interesting adult she has become. We visited and enjoyed there company very much, I missed my own girls, but realize they are busy beavers and have things they need to do, they both called with well-wishes. While the weather was cold and damp, not at all like the beautiful wedding day I had, the day was a good day and I look for ward to many more.

Easter Sunday Hillbilly Style

2009-04-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

Kayley with Grandma, sorting Easter eggs for prizes
Both the old men, Danny in the floor, looking for eggs and Steve getting ready to shoot off a popper that Kayley did not like.
Pete just taking in the fun of an indoor Easter egg hunt with a 2 and 3 year old.
Stephanie and Kayley checking out the prizes in the Easter eggs.
Jared giving Jordan just a little help, Jordan was just excited to get a piece of candy.
Two little angels, Kayley and Jordan, Grandma Long would have been so happy to have hugged on them.
What a crew, Stephanie, the oldest grandchild, holding Kayley, Matt Spangler, husband of Tiffany, Tiffany is number 5 in the line-up, Heather, the baby of the grandkids, Pete, number 6 in the line-up holding Jordan, the baby of the great-grandkids. We were missing,James, Steph's husband, Laura, number 2, Jared who was there but I hated to torture, Steven, number 3 with girlfriend Jenna, Krysta, number 4, with husband Brian who had made plans with his family and of course Jayce, great-grandchild number 1 who was in California with his mom.
Steph, Matt, Tiff, Heather, Pete, note that the girls wedding photos were in the back, so officially they were there.
Oh no, was the circus in town, if so they had better check the freak show for missing freaks!!!!
OK, no circus in town, well check the county insane asylum for a few escapees, I think we have found them.
Faces only our poor dearly departed mother could have loved.
Nope, none of these folks are from Ethiopia or any other country that needs a food shipment dropped. So, please no donations for supplements or chicken wings.
Look at the guy on the end, he works in Washington DC, we pay him good money from our paychecks, he has some control over our country ??????? Also, the chik-a-dee on the far left, she cooks food for our poor little school children, need I say more? The excuse for the middle one, she was on high dosages of narcotics and had to have an indoor easter egg hunt.

On Easter Sunday, we had a nice dinner at our house and were lucky enough to get most everyone here. Steve and Rhonda had made plans for a family mini vacation at Branson for their family including Steph and Kayley and Steven and Jenna. We were able to have a wonderful afternoon of visiting and eating, all thanks to my wonderful husband who prepared the brisket, salads and desert with just a little armchair advice from me. I am so thankful we had the chance to be together and take photos, the little ones, Kayley and Jordan got to have an Easter egg hunt and a tea party. It was good to see everyone and we sure missed those who couldn't attend, Laura, Jayce, Krysta, Brian, James. Sorry this is so long in getting posted, but I am feeling better and hope to do more. Thanks for all the love, prayers and support during my recovery time. Love to you all.

Flying Solo

2009-04-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

Jordy is his Uncle Pete's boy, whenever daddy is not around, Pete is the go-to guy, for fun, food, naptime or anything else.
Jordan decided that we needed to fix one of the plastic doughnuts because it was broken, I gave him a wheel of tape :)
More tape please!!
One of the old "new" toys, the stacking do-nuts, both boys just love this toy right now, mostly to put the pieces on their arms like robots.
Playing with the stacking rings game, that was about as much fun as memaw could handle.
Helping to clean the strawberries for Easter dinner, Just a few with a bite or two out.

Time For Two !

2009-03-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

Jordan at Burger King, showing papaw where his ears are, he has gotten really good at knowing where everything is located, even his knees, which papaw is tickling.
Jordan was so ready to head to the indoor playground that even Pete's big old shoes would work for him, lot's easier to put on.
Jayce riding the little old motorbike, which used to be Krysta's many years ago, it still rides around pretty good.
Yeah, I told you the chair would be happy and smiling, two little boys had a time rocking, climbing over and tipping it. What a great size for them.
Watching BOLT, about a very cute dog, both boys LOVED it and Jordan especially was entranced by it, I placed his vanilla wafers on the arm of the couch and he would feel around to get one so his eyes wouldn't leave the show.
Playing music for memaw, any woman loves a guy who can sing and play music for her, I'm so lucky that I have two!! I am not sure what their song was called, something with a lot of sharp notes in it.
Jayce and Jordan stayed on Friday night with memaw, papaw was working but got home on Sat. to play for a while and go to Burger KIng with us. We had a good time, even though the weather was calling for snow. We played and played and I think on Sat. afternoon we are all very tired and ready for a nap. The boys are home now and it is quiet around here, except for the basketball game. Hope it will not snow tonight as I return to work tomorrow. Hope you all have a great weekend, love you all.

Little Blue Rocking Chair

2009-03-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today we drove down to Osage Beach to pay my money to the doctor for my upcoming tummy tuck and lipo. Danny and Pete went along, mostly because Pete wanted a few new clothing items for summer and I think Danny came because he just loves me a lot and wanted to be with me, I guess. Anyway, we stopped at one of my favorite thrift stores, Dogwood Thrift Store in Camdenton. All the money they raise goes to the Humane Society of Camden County, so not only can you get some cool used items you get to help out the homeless animals at the shelter too!!! These are the two items I bought, I am most proud of my little blue rocker. It is built just right for my two little guys, very sturdy, even my fat bottom sat in it, blue and vinyl covered for easy cleaning. I thought it would be hard to judge size by the picture so I put my Easter bunny on and by it so you could see how cute and small it is. Danny looked it over and wants to make a pattern to make another one, which would be so great, cause I am afraid we are going to have a fight with just one. I love this little blue rocker, it MADE my day. It also only cost me 8 bucks, can you believe it. Happy Thrifting! Love to you all.

Memaw's Fun-filled Birthday Weekend

2009-03-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

Jordy tormenting Pete with his bottle.
Suppertime, yummy mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken and strawberries.
Being spoiled by memaw, leftover Japanese noodles and rice while soaking in the tub, note all the hot wheels drying on the edge of the tub, he gave them a good scrubbing.
Looking a the fresh pineapple at the store, we were picking out Jayce's favorites, strawberries and bananas.
Stocking up on 2 new power ranger phones, these are very important when playing power rangers at memaw's and papaws.
After walking up to the ball field, we were lucky and found a baseball, Jayce was excited.

Walking to the the ball field behind Nelson Park, Jayce kept saying, " They have a baseball, right? They have a baseball, right?" and in fact there was one.
Rolling rocks down the slide, fun only a boy would love. Very noisy.
Papaw swings Jayce, but it didn't last long until Jayce bailed out, luckily it was soft dusty dirt.
Trying out the new slides at Burger King, we usually go to McDonalds, but decided to try something new, Jayce was so wound up and made new buddies who played train with him.
Yes, papaw is fine, just wrangling the carseat for Jayce, No child was injured during this process, Jayce was the only one with us at the time. After coming back from the circus and restaurant on Saturday night, Jayce decided to stay overnight with us, he didn't bring any clothes, but memaw dug through drawers and found some stuff that would work. We had alot of fun, played Mariokart on Wii, of course played shark attack and watched Chicken Little the Movie, one of Jayce's favorites. This time he slept on the couch under the new quilt memaw had just finished. On Sunday morning we had french toast and played some more before going to Burger King and the parks, and then went shopping at Wal-Mart for important things (Power Ranger phones, strawberries, bananas, a new movie and some candy). That evening, we traded off boys and Jayce went to the airport with mom and dad to pick up his Grandma Barb and Jordy stayed with us, but for only a couple of hours. We didn't have as much time together but he did get his own time with memaw, papaw and his favorite Uncle Pete. So we had a very fun and busy weekend and lots of time with our little boys. Love you all.

Hinode Japanese Resturant

2009-03-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

After the circus, we all got together at Hinode's, which is one of the fun and interactive Japanese steakhouses that probably everyone has been to. We have eaten here a few times and have always enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Our chef prepares the grill and get ready to fire it up, Jayce was ready and had his eyes covered, he knew what was coming.
Wow, what a blast of heat, do any of us have eyebrows after that?
To my right, Jayce, Laura, Jordy and Jared on the back wall, he was watching basketball and keeping track of an ever active Jordan.
I wanted to try sushi, I've had it once, but didn't like it, so I took Brian's advice and tried California Roll, made with rice, Norri, avocado and crab. If they had left out the Norri or seaweed paper, it would have been pretty good, they also put a small sample of fresh tuna on the side and I tried it and found it to be firm and crunchy, like a fresh apple or pear, kinda cool.
The far side, Krysta, Brian, Larry and Carol, Brian's folks, we really like them alot and are always fun to have around.
On my better half, my better half and my baby Pete, I don't know if he was worried about the flaming grill or if he was just tired.
Krysta getting to see her Jordy, he is talking so much now and is a very active little boy, goes non-stop.
The very full, with plenty of leftovers and tired crew, Brian, Laura, Krysta and Jordy, Danny, me and Jayce, Carol, Pete and Jared, we had Larry taking the picture for us. We had such a nice time,and thankfully I was feeling better after being out sick with double pink eye and strep throat. I know, I am getting old and falling apart, but I still, love you all!!!!

Come To The Circus, The Greatest Show In Town!

2009-03-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Again, I put the pictures in backwards, I always forget to put them in from last to first. Oh well, I am another year older and closer to senior citizen discounts. For my birthday weekend, I decided I wanted to go see the big Shrine Circus that is held each year at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield. The above picture was Laura and the boys having a snowcone as we waited for Jared to pick us up. I remember going at least one time when I was in grade school at Phillipsburg. The whole school, all probably 100 of us (whole school grades 1-6) went to see the circus and I will always remember it, I even remember the area we sat in and watching the clown and the trapeze artists were my favorites. so, I decided I wanted to take my little boys and anyone else who wanted to tag along, and seriously, you really must want to take this madness on or just go somewhere else. The takers were Danny, me, Laura, Jayce and Jordy. Jared truthfully decided he would rather go to Bass Pro, but was sweet enough to drop us at the door and return to pick us up so we didn't pay for parking or walk 5 miles. Krysta and Brian declined and poor Pete had to work until 4pm. The Shrine Mosque was as beautiful as I remembered and maybe a bit smaller, including the seats, but the moment you entered the arena, WOW, the lights, smells, sounds, excitement were all there, simply amazing. Luckily plenty of Shriner's were on hand directing people to seats and we got 3 pretty amazing seats with a clear view of the entire floor and rings. We were in close quarters with our neighbors and thankfully they were very nice, I sat by a Downs Syndrome young lady who was so excited to be there, you couldn't help but get caught up in her pure energy and fun. The show lasted about 2 1/2 hours, but at the 2 hour mark Jordy had taken sitting still long enough and we made a break for it, it was a wonderful show and the trapeze artists were as good as I remembered, the show girls so pretty, the clowns as festive and funny and the popcorn was even good. I am really hoping to make this an annual event for my grandkids, and if anyone else wants to tag along, well that will be just fine. Love to you all.
Memaw, Jordy with a couple of funny looking guys.
Two more friendly and festive clowns.
The tigers and their trainer, it was good, but I always thought the tigers looked annoyed and bored.
Jayce with his own box of popcorn that Jordan kept trying to steal, even though he had his own box, also.
The elephants on parade, they take them right out the front of the building and down the sidewalk beside St. Louis street to their trailers to rest.
Just look at the colors and crowds and vendors selling all those cool things.
I think this was right before the show started, but it was so pretty.
Laura, Jordy and Jayce who was sitting on Danny's lap, I just got part of his shirt in the short, like I said it was very close and warm quarters, but a wonderful birthday treat.

The Rag Quilt

2009-03-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

Two squares from one of Grandma Long's cotton blouses she wore every day, a very pretty red gingham with flowers. It is now a part of my little boys' quilt for their playroom. cowboys, horses, plaid and gingham.
A rag quilt, the rough or reverse side, which becomes softer and cuter with every wash.
Called a Rag Quilt, is was very easy to put together, the hardest part was to cut the 160 blocks for piecing. All the squares are made from flannel except the Grandma square and it is cotton. I am so ready top make another, I love this quilt, it is so homey and comforting, I just can't decide who to make one for next, I am thinking Kayley, as I can probably pack it and travel with it on the train in May. I have seen lots of pretty girly flannels in lavender, pink, soft baby blue and mint greens. Or maybe she would like the hot pinks, electric blues and lime greens? Lots of love went into each square!!

Three Playgrounds In One Day

2009-03-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

While I put these in really reverse order, you will see a very busy day with Memaw from end to beginning. Two very grungy little boys were put to soak at the end of a very fun exciting day. Jordan plays in the tub with the toy dishes while Jayce wanted to wait his turn.
One can Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle soup, $2.50, a hungry little tummy, Memaw letting him drink the rest out of the bowl, Priceless!!!!!

It's not all play around this house, Jayce is a good helper by feeding Boo Kitty.
Yeah, Betty Crocker star shaped decorations for cookies, that's how we roll at Memaw's.
Hot Wheels, fold-out track and Chicken Little, an easy way to relax.
Coming home from the park, a very tired little guy with a vanilla ice cream cup and a bottle.
Yes, very good balance, he walked the entire balance beam, by himself, no help the entire length, without stepping off even once!! Not bad for a 3 year old.
Hiding out at the play log home, at playground number 2.
Just a nice spin on the little merry-go-round, more kids joined later.
Jordan loves the slides, he is really daring and will go down these by himself.
Help me, I' m in a pink jail cell, let me out!!
Aunt Susi, or Aunt Kooky, joined us at McDonalds playground and then traveled on to the other two we visited. it was a beautiful day, in the 70's and a nice breeze. I think we wore Aunt Kookie out, but Jayce loved having her along.
Hey, If brother isn't going to eat it, pass it on over please.
It's all about the basketball with Jordan, if he finds a ball he looks for the hoop.
Jayce and Uncle Pete playing MarioKart on Wii, the first thing Jayce wanted to do today. We had a very fun day, the boys stayed with us and Pete agreed to help, we also had Aunt Kooky come along to the playgrounds with us. The day is never long enough to do all we need to do, I think Jayce could stay 2 days and not get all the playing done. I think, though 2 tired little boys were ready to go home when mom and dad got back, since Jayce couldn't take the Wii home, (it's Pete's), he took home his 3 pine cones from the park and a can of enchilada sauce. Why the sauce? I really don't know, but if Jayce wanted it, he could have it. I miss my little boys after they leave, but we will have a fun and happy day again soon, I hope. Love to you all...

Jolene Turns 27 Today!

2009-03-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

Laura Danielle was born at 3:22 am on a Tuesday at Oliver Anderson Hospital located in Maryville, Illinois. She weighed in at a whopping 6 pounds and 14 inches. We were so excited for her arrival, I guess looking back, her delivery and birth was pure textbook, I didn't realize it at the time, I thought this is how it always was supposed to happen. I started having labor pains on Sunday night, we had returned from a Disney movie at a local theater, I think Cinderella, we had just went to bed when I started having contractions, boy were we excited we had plans to stay up and play cards and get ready to have a baby in the morning. Well, never mind, the pains were scattered and we just went on to sleep. The next day I saw my doctor and he confirmed that I was in labor, he said just go home, walk around and call me later it will be a few hours. After 1 false run to the hospital, and they sent me home, I was determined not to go until the last minute. We arrived at the hospital at about 11 pm and as you can see, she was born about 4 hours later. At that time they did not do the routine ultrasounds, so we had NO idea if she was a girl or a boy, Surprise, it's a girl, I think this moment was better than all Christmases and birthdays combined, it is an instant feeling of awe, of opening a gift and it being ten times more precious than any thing you could think of. There can't possibly be anything better, no way, no how. We took her home after a couple of days, a perfect baby in our imperfect little world, at one point I remember being in Wal-Mart with her in her little pumpkin seat and thinking, Wow, she is mine, all mine and she will be with me forever and I always have to help and take care of her. It wasn't a scary thought, just more of an "AH HA moment. Laura grew and was such a happy and content baby, when she was 6 months old we moved back home and were pleasantly surprised to find we were going to get another little one in our lives, so Laura got a sister at the old age of 16 months. Sometimes I feel like she was shortchanged, like I didn't get to hold and squeeze her enough, I made her be a big girl before it was time. I missed her baby years as we struggled to pay bills, she grew up a very independent little girl and continues to be a very strong and independent woman today. Laura was always quick to giggle, sucked on 2 fingers until she got retainers, lol, potty-trained after baby sister Krysta. She always did great in school and wanted to be in everything that came along, including girl scouts, pageants, cheer leading, plays, choir and music contest. She had a boyfriend in Kindergarten, his name was Timmy, he was in love with her, she probably broke his heart, in fact I'm sure she has left a few hearts shattered and scattered along her path in life. She has always been a major blessing in our lives, a huge source of entertainment and given us a purpose to work harder to help make things easier for her, especially in college. Our first little girl, called Critter then later Jolene, turned 27 years old today, it can't be possible, she is probably down the hall talking to Angela or Ronda on the phone, at work at Wal-Mart or over at Jared's house. Maybe she is at cheerleader practice or going over to Sandy's after Girl Scouts or just needing something to eat. But, I know time has marched on down the line and she is all grown up with a husband, 2 little boys and a house and job. she is one busy person, finishing her Master's Degree in Administration this last summer and already accepted in the Doctorate program at University of Missouri at Columbia. Jared and her boys are the most important things in her life and she still juggles it all with style and grace, she is kind hearted, generous, honest and trustworthy, sometimes snippy if things don't go her way, bossy, gets mean when hungry, stubborn and very smart, can sew up a dress without a pattern, can make anything she puts her mind to, (this is from her father), if she wants something, she will find a way to get it. Okay, enough from a proud mom, I am so lucky to have her in my life, If I never do another thing, My biggest blessing and accomplishment in my life would be my three children. Lots and lots of love to my sweet daughter on her Happy Birthday !!!!!!! Love you.
Krysta and Laura celebrating Master's Degrees last summer, Krysta's in Instructional Mathematics and Laura's Administration.
Laura and Jordan Alan OQuinn, baby boy number 2.
Laura with Jayce Andrew O'Quinn, baby boy Number 1.
Mr. and Mrs. Jared O'Quinn on their wedding day.
Laura and friend/sister-in-law, Joanna on an O'Quinn family trip to Hawaii.
Laura and best friend, Angela Bagley at high school graduation.
Laura and Jared at Laura's senior year prom, they make a cute couple!
Laura candidate for Homecoming her senior year, she placed runner-up, her escort was David Gunter, a very good friend since Kindergarten.
Laura and Donna-Jo, cheerleaders for good old CHS.
Laura's eighth grade graduation, Grandpa and Grandma Long pose for a picture.
Krysta and Laura at Laura's birthday, I think she was turning 6 years old. Look, they are holding hands, this was highly unusual, they mostly were fussing with each other.
Laura and Krysta with dog, Goldie, I put this one on because of the jewelry she was wearing, earrings, necklace and ring, she always, had to have her jewelry on.
Okay, the boots, this child had to wear these crazy winter boots the entire summer when she was 3 years old, how embarrassing to take a child to town and her wearing winter boots with her shorts. It was easier not to fight with her, she was very hardheaded, so I don't want to hear a word about Jayce and any shoe or clothing issues, he comes by it naturally.
Laura at 2 years old, what a sweetheart.
Laura at about 1 1/2 years old, maybe a little older, you can see the meanness popping out of her.
Laura at one year old, she was always happy and was never scared of people.
Grandma Long and Laura at Laura's first birthday, she got a photo album and a pair of Nike tennis shoes, just like Aunt Susie's.
Her first snowfall, she was about 10 months old, not walking yet.
Out little shining star, Laura at one month old, she had such a nice round head and lot's of hair. When she was only a couple of months old, I could put the phone receiver to her ear and when Grandma Long talked she would make little baby sounds, it always tickled mom, (Grandma Long) when she would make little gurgle noises back.

Child Number ONe Turns 27 Today

2009-03-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Laura and Danny racing Mario kart on Wii, Grandma Helen watching intently.
I don't know who is winning, but Laura looks determined.
Grandpa Long is in the next of audience members, he was thrilled by the race as you can see.
Jayce was all too happy to open Mom's gift, along with his own, but it was only shoes.
Something fun for Jordy from Memaw and Papaw.
Jordy just having a seat that's handy, the boring shoe gift is on the floor.
Time for dinner, thanks to Memaw, B-B-Q brisket sandwiches, juicy and good, macaroni salad, fresh fruit, creamy cheese and hamburger queso dip with chips and a yummy peanut butter cake with 27 candles for the birthday girl.
Jayce always love to help with the candles and blowing them out.
Jordy wanted to help but kept putting the candles in upside down.
One, two, three, blow em out before the fire and rescue spot the smoke and flames!!!
Laura and Jayce make a great candle-blower-outer team, they seem to agree.
A family group, but both boys were snotty-nosed and it's hard to get them all to smile at the same time.
Laura and Jordan, he was being a clingy daddy's boy today, he didn't feel so good.
That family that Wii's together ?? Jared and Jayce racing against each other, Jayce was so excited he lost his britches.
Jayce OQuinn concentrating on Mario not Memaw, but made plans to play with us again some day.

Laura will be celebrating her birthday on March 2, which is Monday, but we all got together on Sunday to do a family celebration. Krysta and Brian couldn't come because Brian was sick with a fever and Pete had to work from 8-4, so Danny, me, Grandma Helen and Grandpa Long came to visit with food and fun, (Wii). We ate , visited, played Mario kart on Wii, went upstairs and played some more and sadly left about 7pm for home, we had to get the old folks home before they turned into pumpkins. We all had a fun time and a visit with my cool little guys didn't hurt either. I will be sorting pictures and posting a blog about my oldest daughter's years of happiness they have brought to us. Be prepared for sappiness, cause that's just the way it goes, I love all my children and very proud of what they have accomplished so far. Hope everyone had a great weekend. Love to you all!

Like A Lion

2009-03-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

Our little corner of the world received a snowfall early Saturday morning. I had worked on Friday night and had anticipated the snow to come during the over-night hours, but it had just started about 5am and made things messy for the trip home, everyone drove like they were on the Indy 500 track and it was good old summer time. I crept home at about 40 mph and felt okay about that. It was a very pretty snow and hopefully the last one for this winter. Just a few snaps to show how pretty the snow was, but it's going fast. Old man winter had to shake the dust of his robes one more time before he tucks himself in for his spring hibernation. Love to you all.

Sunday At The Lake

2009-02-22T19:56:00.000-08:00

Jayce, after bath time, getting ready to either shoot a hoop or bean memaw with the ball, it's hard to tell.
Jayce and mom, this was taken by Jordan with a little help from memaw.
Is someone getting very, very sleepy, just after bath time?
Jordan and Jayce in the big tub, with all the dishes and junk memaw brought with her, they had fun pouring water into cups and pouring it out. They are both little ducks.
Jordan in the playroom, top of the slide saying, "Cheese".
Jordan being the little daredevil he is, had just vaulted over the back and was now nicely sitting with a big smile.
Oh no, the car is going to run over me, his little Tikes car had kind of backed over him.
Jordan and Jayce with their older cousin, Justin OQuinn, they just love their cousins, Justin and Jamen, put them all together and what a pack of rough and tumble boys they are. Justin has been a close buddy of mine since he was very little, he used to come over to the house and we played dinosaurs together, he was only a little guy and could name all the different type of dinosaurs. Justin will always be special to me.

I worked overnight on Saturday, and after I got up, around 2-230pm, I didn't want to just sit at the house, so Pete and I went down to Laura and Jared's for a couple of hours. I had not seen the boys in 2 weeks, so I was really missing them. Danny was at work, so we sneaked off and stopped on the way to get them each a grape and orange slushy from Sonic. We had a fun time, just playing and helping with bath time. As usual, Jayce had to stand at the doorway of the garage yelling Goodbye, until he could no longer see us, it's required of Memaw to yell back through her open window and of course Pete cringes, think that all the neighbors in their gated community, know the rednecks are leaving. Oh well, one of these days he won't want me to do this anymore and he too will cringe at Memaw giving him kisses and screeching goodbye from a car window, but believe me I am doing it as long as I can get a way with it. We had a sweet night and I am re-energized to start a new week. Love to you all!!

Old School, Conway Homecoming 2009

2009-02-20T19:35:00.000-08:00

Jimmy and I at homecoming, yeah Susi was there too, we had some fun reminiscing about the "good old days" when everything seemed bigger, especially the seats and the cafeteria.
Heather, right hand side in front, cheering for the varsity boys.
Heather and boyfriend Alex, acting goofy
The winners, Katie Clanton and Larry Deckard, both very nice kids!!
Heather and her escort during the line-up for the candidates to walk.
Heather an her escort
Heather and escort walk down the line
The boys huddle up, ready to play.

Tiffany and Kayla's little girl.
Tiffany with Kayla's baby
Heather, putting her shoes on, cool effects right
Conway High School had it's homecoming tonight, and I decided to go. I hadn't been since Pete graduated from school. I thought it might be a fun way to spend a Friday night. I called Susi and told her to save me a seat and we had a great time talking and laughing and trying to watch the game. Heather is a freshman and a cheerleader, so it was great to watch her out on the floor, she does a super job. It was good to see Tiff and Matt up from Branson for the weekend, also. Homecoming court was held and a beautiful young lady was crowned homecoming queen 2009. I saw lots of people I knew and chatted with a few, tried to get a snack in the alumni room, but it was too crowded and took several pix for your enjoyment. It was hot and stuffy but very exciting in a crazy sort of way. Hooray for the big girls, we won one tonight!!! Love to you all.

Mamaw Is Starting A Quilt....to be continued

2009-02-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

About Christmas time I decided to make a quilt for either Jayce or Jordan. It's called a rag quilt due to the fraying of the unfinished edges. It is made with flannel material and is so cute when finished. It didn't look too difficult so I started buying material to attempt this quilt. I bought my first hunk of material at the FM store on Sunshine, a very old, used to be 5 and dime, but now they only carry gads of material. I bought a beautiful blue print with bucking horses and cowboys, I decided to carry on with the western theme by buying a few yards of blue plaid, red plaid, horses running, grizzly bears and Indian blanket style. I started cutting right after Christmas, but with work and my 2 blogs, time to work on it has been little to none. Tonight I decided to start sewing, I completed 11 blocks, I need about 80-90 to make a nice size quilt. I am going to try and work on it as much as I can, I also want to make one for Jordan and Kayley, I am going to incorporate one square from Grandma Long's cotton blouses, which I saved and have made into quilt squares. I also save all the buttons for other projects. I hope to get these done somewhere in the future, maybe 2020??? I am not much of a sewer, but I am giving it a good try. Wish me luck, Love to you all!!

Phillipsburg From My Camera, 1974

2009-02-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

The old store on the corner, at the time of this picture, it was owned and operated by the Lindley's. She was a mean and hateful old lady who thought she could paint. I did not like her at all. When Helen and Francis Massey owned it, us kids really liked Helen because she was so nice and patient with us little visitors who were bored and had no money to spend at the rival store. Every Christmas when Helen and Frances owned it, they always had a beautiful window display, in the right, first window, a silver aluminum tree with the revolving disc light of colors and wonderful gifts under the tree for sale. One year she had a little set of cardboard suitcases, bright orange and hot pink and I really wanted at least one, I got it and still have it now. I still love that little case. The post office was in the immediate back towards the highway and we made trips down to the box to check the mail for the day and visit with Felix Marshall, who was a really nice guy and very kind to us kids.
My brother and his cool car, with Bob Allen leaning over the top, this was in front of mom and dad's store and Greasy's barber shop.
The old road district building where dad worked and tried to keep the road grader going and in one piece. You can barely see, but Susi and Ethel Bunch are standing in the front of the building. There was an old well to the back of this building, it's a wonder us kids didn't get injured with all the snooping we did.
Taken from the front of the old grocery store, a view to the northeast, railroad tracks and in the distance, Silver Lake Mills and millpond, again it's a wonder we all didn't get killed or drowned from ice sliding on the frozen pond and creeping around an empty mill building.

The old canning factory, straight across the tracks from mom and dad's store, when there was an additional crossing there. The old building, as far as I know was used for canning produce, especially tomatoes, to send off on the train and also the workers could can for their own home us. I would be curious if this was used for anything else in it's earlier state. It is long gone now, along with the Chaffin's home that sat next to it and was a hotel for train travelers when Phillipsburg had a layover and a depot. I was an active resident of Phillipsburg from the age of 6 until 16, so believe me I crawled all over that town and road miles and miles on my Apache boys bike.

Proof

2009-02-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

Okay here is actual proof that Stephanie can be grouchy in the morning.

4 More For Steph

2009-02-16T17:52:00.001-08:00

Taken in October 1978, a quick weekend trip to North Dakota, wasn't she cute.
I wrote this on the back of the photo, " What a ham. I had to act like I was taking her picture while she posed. She had been drinking kool-aid. October 1978. Taken at Minot Air Force Base in Minot, ND, Her sweatshirt had been one of Susi's that mom had saved when Susi was a little girl, it had Charlie Brown and Lucy on it, I wish it were still around for Kayley to wear,
I had written on the back of the photo, which is evidence that she actually has woken up grouchy all of her life. " Stephanie, right after she got up. Looks kind of grouchy. October 1978." I will actually scan the back of the picture so you can see.
Stephanie at 6 months.

I found some more old photos in an album in the bottom of my cedar chest, thought I would post for fun.

Two For Stephanie

2009-02-10T23:53:00.001-08:00

Okay, in 1978, when I was 16 we decided to go to North Dakota to see Steve, Rhonda and Steph. I was madly in love with my boyfriend and really didn't want to go, but I wanted to see our baby Neffie, so I bought a ton of things for her birthday and left my boyfriend behind. This picture was taken at a rest area, after they had traveled down to meet us, I'm not sure where, but of course Stephanie loaded up with us and we had a very good time on the drive into the their home. This was pre-car seat and of course none of us wore seat belts either. Stephanie usually stood in between mom and dad in the front seat, but turned around so she could torment me and Susi, or maybe the other way, we tormented her, it usually ended with "Girls, stop teasing her", meaning the little girl in the front seat, not the 2 bored teenagers in the back, all hot and sticking to the seat, cause Grandpa did not believe in using A/C, with our hot pants and Susie with her tube socks to her knees. Back to the picture, Stephanie is a busy little girl playing in the gravel and look in the phone booth, no it is not Superman, it was me calling Danny, of course this was also pre-cell phones and I called him at every rest stop across the several states we traveled. Thank goodness I was a waitress and had saved my change for weeks to make the calls.
Oh my, Stephanie a few weeks old, we were so proud of her, we just wanted to hug her and squeeze her and call her George! Look at us, we were both holding her little hands. You can tell it was July by our good tans, mine came from picking blackberries for weeks, Rhonda also picked along side me, it's a wonder Steph didn't turn out sun tanned or with blue fingers from all the picking her mom did. Susie and I were so excited to see you arrive, well me more than Susie, I thought you were the cutest baby on the earth.

Check Me Out!

2009-02-10T23:33:00.000-08:00

Actually my Grandma Opal Davis Stevens, in this picture she was probably getting close to 40, maybe 37 or 38 years old. This is where I get my body shape, just look at her chicken legs, just like mine, exactly, look at her Davis gut, her round belly, really the only thing big on her except her height. She was a tall woman, I also have her arms, mine don't have a lot of fat on them. I guess I am proud to look like her, she was a very good, kind, patient and hardworking woman. I will keep everything else as long as I can get rid of the Davis gut.
Oh boy, I am 18, newly married, thought I had the world by the tail. Just check out that groovy Toni Tenielle, form the Captain and Tenielle, you know Muskrat Love and Love will Keep Us Together group, haircut and what about that camel toe with my very tight shorts. I remember this trip, mom and dad had just gotten a new Volare' and all of us went on a road trip, mom, dad, Danny, me, Susi and her stinky boyfriend Jimmy, we down into Arkansas and it was hot! Dad wouldn't use the A/C so I was wringing out a washcloth from the cold water in the ice chest.
Susie and I at the Laclede County Fair, we were probably 15 and 13, while I don't look fat, I sure felt huge. I had sewn patches to bottom of my jeans and look at the tennis shoes, blue swede with white stripes, right on!
I was probably around 5 years old, I think this was pre-store, I think we had been over to Buffalo to the fairgrounds with Wanda, Tommy and Phillip, to only find nothing was open, I remember mom getting a pot holder from a gas company and we got an umbrella and a tiny plastic poodle, I'm guessing from a vendor willing to open during the day. I think Susie either wet herself or threw up and our day ended.
I should have saved this for my birthday entry, but it is too cute to resist, wasn't I a very cute baby, YES I WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

One Of The Two Cutest Babies On Earth!!!

2009-02-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

I took this photograph about a year ago of Jordan. Laura, Jared and Jayce decided to go watch basketball in Springfield and left him with me for a Saturday afternoon. He was such a good baby, I decided to make some meatball soup and I brought him with me into he kitchen. He looks very interested in helping if he could only get the spoon into the bowl. Oh, they grow up too quickly, just last night he learned how to say Pete, so we heard it many times, he is a little mockingbird right now and wants to do everything his big brother does. I had just found this while looking for Danny's photos and wanted to show off my little grandguy, Jordy. Love you all!

Danny Hillhouse, Circa 1960 And Beyond

2009-02-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Two crazy kids who fell in love in 1978!
Danny with Jordan, whom he traveled to Columbia with and stayed with at NIC, isolette side with Jared to make sure his little guy was taken care of.
Just look at us cuties, this was our 25th wedding anniversary pictures, taken by Krysta.
The Hoo-Haa Gang rides again, Danny with his brothers Dwane and David, all members of the Missouri 5th, a Civil War group.
Danny and Pete fishing, a picture tells a thousand word, just look at that little boy smile.
Danny, paramedic for St. John's Hospital.
Danny with Jayce, our first little Grandson, what a happy day that was!
Great white hunter, he was proud of that buck, I think the antlers are still hanging around here somewhere, sorry PETA.

I first meet Danny in the early spring of 1979, he was working with the Sheriffs department and would drive to Phillipsburg and cruise around the empty buildings and Nickerson Farms Restaurant where I worked. The first time I knew about him, me and a couple of my friends thought he was breaking into Nickerson's because he drove around the back of the building and didn't come out for a while, we reported him, only to find out he was one of them. We figured he was old and ugly anyway, probably married with 4 or 5 kids. Later we found out he wasn't old, ugly or married and one of my friends decided she wanted to go out with him , which she promptly did. I really wasn't that interested, for one thing he was too short and I wanted to date a taller guy. Well, he only dated my friend a couple of times, then she moved on to other prospects, he started hanging around waiting for me to get off work, waiting by my car and pestering me to go out with him. I finally said yes and we went to the Queen City Drive-In movie. I guess we had a good time because we continued dating the rest of the summer. We were married the next May, I was getting ready to graduate from high school and back then, you either got married or went to college, and since I was not college material and my folks had no money to send me even if I was, I decided to get married. We were poor as church mice and thankfully borrowed his mom's furniture, as she just had went on the road with Wal-Mart, setting new stores with the management team and had needed to store her stuff anyway. By fall we both worked at Nickerson's, me as a cook/waitress and he started on their management program. We ended up living in St. James, Missouri, Newton, Iowa and Edwardsville, Illinois. We were both so homesick and very poor that we moved back home. Danny has always been such a good provider and family man, while he is not perfect he has tried really hard to make things better and easier for all of us. Many years he did without a lot of things, just so his kids could have, like the year he sold his compound bow so the kids could have a new Nintendo set like all their friends. He has driven piece of crap vehicles and held them together with gum and baling twine when others had brand new trucks. He can fix or repair anything, and I mean anything, from swimming pool pumps, to tractor engines, to any part on a car, boat, tiller, mower, or toy. If he can't fix it, toss it cause it is not repairable. He looks for good in others, doesn't gripe or complain much and hardly ever speaks bad of anyone or anything. He has had spinal meningitis, several motorcycle wrecks, ruptured appendix, back surgery with ruptured discs, several heart attacks, with double by-pass and stent placements, just to name a few. He still works and works putting in loads of overtime each pay period. He just started college classes to bridge to RN, because I wanted him to, well he wanted to also but I want him in a safe dry hospital in a controlled environment instead of a blistering hot day on a busy highway working a wreck or a icy and slick February day trying to unwedge a 500 pound woman suffering from a panic attack and shortness of breath from her 1972 single wide trailer in the back woods of Dallas county, I'm kinda selfish like that I guess. We are now working towards retirement, we have almost successfully raised 2 beautiful daughters and one son into adulthood, 2 are done and the 3rd is about half-baked :) He loves hamburgers, steak, anything sweet, fried potatoes, ice cream and coffee with sugar and cream. He doesn't care for anything green or weird. He will dance with me if I ask him to, he will act silly sometimes out of the blue, which always makes my day, he tries to sing, but can;t really carry a tune but he can play a mean Alley Cat on the piano without any effort. I can't imagine life without him, we have been together 30 years now, married almost 29, longer than I was in my father's home, longer than I have been with anyone else, we know each other so well, we still get aggravated at each other over silly things, it's hard for us to paint or wallpaper together as we will be yelling at each other. I support him in all he has or will ever do unconditionally and I know he will always have my back, front, sides and everything else. Happy Birthday my wonderful husband, I hope we have many, many more together. Love you all!!!!

2009-02-08T09:23:00.000-08:00

Although today is Danny's official birthday, we decided to celebrate with family last night. He decided he wanted dinner at home with all the kids there and that's what we did. His menu choices were, lasagna, corn, Olive Garden style salad, and any kind of cake, so I made a butter sponge with strawberries and Cool Whip. I also made brownie bites and a really nice shrimp and pasta with a pesto style dressing, which turned out to be a real winner. We had a pretty good turnout for such an impromptu party, my dad, Danny's mom, David and Florence, his brother and sister-in-law, Laura and family, Krysta and Brian and of course Pete. The evening just flew by and by the time I had to fit in play time with the boys, it was time for all to head home. Grandpa Long is excited about the Grand Canyon trip and wants plans made, Grandma Helen was in her usual crazy and fun mood and the kids were very lively, only getting in trouble a couple of times, but not from me! I am going to post pictures and more about my wonderful husband later, but this is all for now. I will try to update Kitchen Dandy in the next couple of days also. Have fun in the beautiful 60+ weather today. Love to you all!!
w

Boys, BBQ and Bones

2009-02-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

End of an evening adventure with a ride in the yellow Tonka truck at Wal-Mart.

Pete and Laura choosing dog treats for Dutchess, Laura is taking this very seriously!

"Help Memaw" This is a really big bone for some lucky dog, just not Dutchess.

Two snakes for Dutchess, what a good dog she is.

Just a little pre-supper snack in Papaw's truck.

Jordy, so serious.

Laura and her boys, Jayce now likes to whisper what he wants in your ear.

Dutchess, her royal doggieness.

Jordan getting ready to slam dunk the basketball.

Watch out for this kid, 15 years from now. He will be high points shooter.

Our Jordy

Since Papaw hadn't seen his boys in a couple of weeks, we had to head to Camdenton yesterday afternoon and while I was very tired and snotty-nosed from yet another head cold, I wanted to go too! We didn't get to see Jared as he was scouting a basketball game at Rogersville, but I think we were a source of entertainment for Laura and the boys on a slushy Saturday afternoon. When we got to their house, of course we had to head upstairs to the playroom for basketball and what ever else we could fit in before supper. Of course basketball with Jordy, coloring and stickers with Jayce, meeting the new family dog, Dutchess, who is so cute and very well mannered. She is so sweet, she can fetch and sit,and seems very devoted to Laura, as she met us at the door with a bark and warning, stranger danger. After playing for a while, we decided to go for a ride in Papaw's new big truck and decided to eat BBQ at Osage Beach. It was very busy there, I guess everyone had cabin fever and wanted out. I think all of us had ribs except Laura and Jordy who had a baked potato with bbq and a grilled cheese, respectively. We decided to stop by Wal-Mart and while we were their we checked out the pet aisle and Laura and Pete had a hard time deciding between the microwave bake pet cake or the cheez whiz in a can for doggie biscuits. Jayce also found a very large bone, that I think was almost as big as he was. We didn't get the bone, but we did get the snake for Dutchess to play with. We also picked up a new toy for the playroom, a couple of the $1.00 boxes of movie candy, I think Gobstoppers and Good and Plenty and Jordan picked out a nice fresh fruit cup, purple pears, in produce he wanted, food is very important to Jordy. After finding the guys, Pete and Papaw, who abandon us for the electronic department, we loaded up and headed back home. We all had a fun time and Memaw was worn out, but we always enjoy our time with our little guys. Love to you all!

Let It Ice, Let It Ice, Let It Ice!

2009-01-27T14:45:00.000-08:00

Everyone was prepared for the worst, a not so distant memory of downed power poles and lines, no electricity for 2 weeks and dark despair not ever having lights again. But, so far the ice and sharp as shrapnel sleet has decorated our highways and walkways locally. Danny and I traveled to Springfield yesterday, because I had to re certify my CPR and we figured we could beat the storm home. Well, at 3pm, I excited St. John's and within 30 minutes or less the roads turned to ice with a wet rainy glaze over everything. It took us over 2 hours home, with speeds averaging about 10-15 mph. Semi-trucks, car and vans sliding into ditches and guard cables in front us blocking travel, thankfully no one hurt. It was so good to pull onto our little gravel road and see the lights from home. This afternoon I went out to take a few pictures with my new camera and really enjoyed the crunch under foot and the sharp bit of the wind, we tossed food to the birds and I chopped an apple for a treat for them. Boo kitty followed me around and then returned to the warm garage where Danny had started a fire in the wood stove to thaw out iced vehicles from overnight, (too many cars or too small of a garage). I hope everyone stays safe, thankfully Danny or I haven't been called into work, yet. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee, tea or chocolate on me and keep your feet warm. Love to you all.

Kitchen Dandy

2009-01-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

Above is the ingredient list for my first listing on my new food blog, Kitchen Dandy. I came up with the name by looking at the names given to old wood burning kitchen ranges used in the late 1800's. Several names came along with the article to include, Mealmaster, Kitchen Queen, Farmer Kettle and Kitchen Dandy. I liked the last one best, I thought it had a nice homey ring to it. I am going to try and up date each week, probably on Sunday or Monday, a new recipe, either from my secret cook book or from requests. I also got a new camera, because I really wanted one and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to purchase a nice one, I am still learning how to use it. It is a Kodak Easy Share Z1012 IS, if this means anything to anyone. What a fun new hobby to include three of the best things I love to do, cook, photography and writing. I hope you find this of interest, but if not I am having a heck of a time doing it. Love to you all.

Blasts From The Past

2009-01-25T21:22:00.001-08:00

I am going to randomly scan in old pictures of my liking without any rhyme or reason. The three I picked to scan tonight include: An old copy of a photo of my paternal grandmother, Anna Chastain Long. I'm not sure of her date of birth, but I think she was about 17 when this picture was taken. She was at a local carnival/festival/gathering. This had to have been in the early 1900's I guess, probably over around the Blackfoot community where her family lived . The family was actually pretty prosperous, her father owning many, many acres of land and was well thought of in his community. She is holding hands with Charlie Berry, who was a cousin, I hope farther back than first or second, maybe they were just best buddies, who knows, I guess she didn't marry him or my name would have been Sherry Berry (ouch!) Oh, the torture I would have been put through in school. The next picture is of my favorite brother Steve, when he was 2 years and 11 months by my mother's handwriting. He was the favorite, the oldest, the golden one. The reason I scanned it was that everytime I look at it I see Jayce, I think it is the eyes. I just think he is awfully cute in his little ironed shirt and his little head tilted. The last one is of Krysta and mom, about 3 years before she died, I thought is was a very good picture of the both of them. They both were smiling at the camera and looked so happy. I know Krysta was always very close with her grandma grandma and really enjoyed her birthday spent with her. Well, I guess I will end this blog for now, look forward to many more lovely old photo's at my choosing. Be careful of the ice and snow tomorrow or if you live in Arizona, be careful of heat stroke? Love to you all.

Just About Jayce

2009-01-25T17:41:00.001-08:00

Jayce Andrew O'Quinn was born in June, 2005. He was our first grandchild, from our oldest child. It had been like 15-16 years since I had been a part of a newborns life, I felt like maybe I was 3rd in command, you know like a retired General called back into active duty, very exciting and scary, hoping it's like riding a bicycle. I remember his sweet round head, so much like Laura's when she was a newborn, perfectly round with lots of dark hair. He looked very much like Jared though, and It took me a while to get to know this little creature. Jordan on the other hand, felt like I had known him for years. Jayce was always serious and kinda hard to get a smile or laugh from. All of his baby photo's show him with a little old man look on his face like he had to think about things before he had a decision. I never want to treat my grandchildren different, I want to enjoy each one for whom they are, I want a specialness with each one, I want them to know how much I love them and how incredibly special they are to me and papaw. But, having said that, I can't help but have a little special place for my first grandchild, I'm sorry, I can't help it, I won't love the others any less, but Jayce was the first. Now, Jayce decided to come to stay overnight by himself on Saturday night, I picked him up and after shopping for jeans for Pete, we went to their house to pack an overnight bag. Jayce traveled back over the hills and hollers with me and Pete for a night of fun and adventures. We played shark attack, where we move furniture to line up a pathway between the recliner and couch. This is like a gangplank of the ship and you have to be careful not to fall into shark infested waters below. At any given time, the shark could be memaw, Pete or Jayce. We also had a tea or coffee party in the living room. Did you know that they don't make little boy tea-sets? Well, they should, maybe a coffee chat set, or does that sound too gay, maybe a lumberjack mug-o-coffee break time playset, anyway, I had to buy a Tinkerbell set, but the point was that we had fun, he got to serve me fresh coffee (water) into my cup, we got to stir with with the spoons, we had tortilla chips and salsa on the plates and bowls. The we played Hot Wheels with the old garage set from Pete, also fishing from the pirate ship (recliner). All the fun slowly dwindled down to a big foamy bath, with all the tea party set in the water. Afterwards, we watched some good shows on Sprout and then got ready for bed. Jayce got to sleep with memaw in her big comfy bed since papaw was at work, it took alittle bit of flashlight time and ceiling watching before he drifted off. Memaw slept pretty good too, considering she had a monkey in the bed who slept sideways. The morning brought french toast and more playtime, then regretfully time to pack up and head back home. We made a drive-thru stop at McDonald's for a Happy Meal, with not too much of a breakdown over not getting to play in the playground. We met mom at Decaturville, about 1/2 way home and I think Jayce was getting droopy from too much fun at memaw's house. With sweet hugs and kisses until next time, we always make big plans for next time, Jayce went back home to mom, daddy and Jordy, but memaw has an awfully quiet house now. Goodnight Jayce, Love to you all.

Amazing Apple Dumplings

2009-01-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

While I give credit for this recipe to PioneerWomanCooks.com, I have found this same recipe from several other folks who have made this amazing and wonderful fruit dessert. I have made this recipe three times in the last week, I must stop or things are going to get uglier than they already are. Here is the following recipe:

2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls

2 granny smith apples

2 sticks real butter, salted

1 1/2 cups sugar

cinnamon to taste

1 12 oz. can Mtn. Dew (not diet)

Peel and core the apples, then slice each into 8 slices for a total of 16 slices. Unroll the crescent rolls, each one forms a triangle, so place the appleslice at the wide end and roll up into a precious little bundle. Place each bundle in a buttered 9x13 size pan, continue until you have all 16 bundles wrapped and neatly tucked into the pan. Then, in a sauce pan over medium heat, melt the 2 sticks of butter and add the sugar and cinnamon to taste, just mix a little, this can be lumpy and bumpy, it's ok. Pour this melty, buttery, sugary sauce over the dumplings in the pan. Then, final step, open and pour the entire can of Mtn Dew around the edges of the pan. That's right use the whole can, it will be soupy and sloshy, but it will make a delicious sauce that our little beauties will soak in. Finally bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm and to cut the sweetness, just add vanilla ice cream. While the cinnamon rolls were from Satan's sister, these little jewels are a bit of Heaven, maybe they are little angel poops, okay this probably grossed most of you out, call them angel kisses if you have a thing against bm's.

These were so easy and so tasty, make them for someone you love today or someone you want to impress, like your boss. Look forward to a new blog from me, hopefully soon. I will be formatting a new blog site with lots of pictures and recipes, exclusive to cooking. Many from my top secret cook book. Love to you all!!

Circa, 1991 ?

2009-01-19T21:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, this will be fun. All the Long grandkids except Heather who wasn't born yet. All of them were sitting on the front steps at Grandma and Grandpa Long's on Easter Sunday, maybe 1991 or 1992, I'm not sure. It seems just like yesterday when my kids were this age, now they are all grown up and have given me 2 little grandsons so far. Sigh........ Please enjoy your little ones all you can, because it will soon be gone. Love to you all.

When Mom Was Young

2009-01-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

I recently went out to my dad's and borrowed some old pictures that I wanted to save and later make reprints. I have had fun looking at the old photos that I hadn't seen in years. My mother was an avid photographer and took many, many photos of her family and surroundings with a little Brownie Box camera. The camera was near and dear to her, as it was her brother James' and he had been killed in the Korean war, second tour of duty. My mother never thought herself beautiful, she wasn't that kind of person, but as you can see she was a very spiffy dresser and her saddle shoes looked spanking clean. The little boy in one of the pixie prints is my first cousin, Robert. He was the first grandchild and my mother thought he was just it and he remained a favorite of hers always.

Just About Jordan

2009-01-18T11:14:00.000-08:00

Jordan Alan O'Quinn was born in July on 2007, only a few months after my mom had died and things were a little bit crazy. He was born with respiratory problems and had to be taken to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at University Hospital in Columbia. I got to hold him right after delivery, but then everything happened quickly and of course there was Jayce that I was caring for who needed my main attention. It seemed like I missed a small bit of Jordan being a baby, I guess because I always wanted to make sure Jayce got plenty of attention. Jordan is an amazing little guy, I guess I have always know it, I just haven't really watched him as closely. Well, I did last night, he is so quick on his little feet, I think he has the makings of a track star one day. He is also really good at playing basketball, he even fakes out a pass to make the basket. He easy to get a smile and giggle out of, Jayce well you had to work harder to get one. Jordan is a little scrapper, if he falls or runs into big brother, he just keeps going without a whimper. He is starting to talk alot more, I got him to say Krysta, which kinda turned out like Ta, Ta, but he can say alot of thinsg, especially if you listen. He is definitely different from his big brother, like day and night. I look forward to seeing him grow and learn more things and I am going to try harder to give him his share of memaw time, hopefully without taking away from Jayce. It's hard being a grandma sometimes. I love my little Jordy, he is one of a kind. Love to you all

Babysitting the Grandguys

2009-01-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night Danny, me and Pete got to go to Laura and Jared's to watch Jayce and Jordan while mom and dad went to a post-Christmas party. It's always an adventure in babysitting at their house. I also get a got work-out because their house is three levels and for some reason we have to go to all three, numerous times throughout the evening. We started on the main floor by the boys eating supper, we proceeded down stairs to the family room to watch, "The Bee Movie" and for the boys to race around the room on their riding toys. Pete tried to disappear to "PeteLand" ie his laptop and headphones, but Jayce kept saying, I want to go to Peteland, I want to go to Peteland. Papaw watched all this from the comfort of a recliner and his laptop. I was in the floor keeping the cheese curls picked up, being run-over occasionally by the toys and chasing Jordan around the room on my knees. Then, Jayce decided that we needed to go to the upstairs playroom to play, so we loaded up and moved upstairs 2 levels to the playroom. We played Elmo's kitchen, we played basketball, we played hot wheels, we played throw memaw in jail for no good reason. This went on a long time, or until memaw was getting tired, so then bathtime began, with Jayce dumping lego blocks into the tub to play with. After baths and jammies we all traveled back to the main level to watch television and play with the box of toys in the living room. All in all it was a good night, with Jordan hitting the hay around 10:30 and Jayce staying up until midnight with the return of mom and dad. We had a great time and as we waved goodbye, we had already made plans to ride in papaw new big truck, look for fish at the lake and eat shrimp at Captain Ron's. Good night boys! With much love memaw

Dad's Big 8-0hhh!!

2009-01-13T21:28:00.000-08:00

On January 3, 2009 my dad celebrated his 80th birthday. We had a big party as you have seen from other blogs. We had balloons, great food, lots of fun friends and family, a lovely cake with 80 candles and even fireworks. I don't think you could do much better than that unless you can Dolly Parton come sing Happy Birthday to you in person. My dad was born to Harvey and Anna Long, near Phillipsburg on a cold January day. He wasn't ever such of the exact date, because a doctor did not help with the delivery and a birth certificate wasn't issued. He was born, the fourth child and the baby of the family. He was received into the family by his older brothers and sister, Harley, Carlton and Sarah Jane. He was given the name William Hoover, the middle name for the current President of the time, Herbert Hoover, who some felt was an outstanding president, even thought the country was in the beginnings of the Great Depression. I'm quite sure my father was born into poverty, in fact in some ways born before his time. He was a child of poverty, with a father who left the family and a mother who struggled to raise four children by herself. While no one had much during the "hard times twenties and dirty thirties", I'm sue his family had even less. His father was an itchy-footed man who rarely showed up and wasn't much influence on his children. Anna, their mother on the other hand, was from what I have heard, a very hardworking, good souled person, who would do anything from hog butchering to laundry to feed her kids. (This was pre-welfare, foodstamps, AFDC, etc.) Ever drop of water was carried in a bucket from her neighbors, and wonderful neighbors she had, who helped this little family survive. Dad only knew work as he grew up, he also served a stint in the Army/Airforce, between WWII and Korea, but got to travel to places he had only dreamed of, like San Fransisco and Okinawa, Japan. He rode an Indian motorcycle, had many good friends, only an eighth grade education and had a little bit of an itch to his foot. Thankfully he scratched it before he settled down to marry and have kids. Dad was never given any favors not did he expect any, he worked for what he had, he had no one to give him anything, no transferring of land from father to son, no cattle, no dynasty. He worked hard and earned every penny he made. He and mom bought 80 acres of land and needed someone to sign a loan for him, thankfully a kind and trusting neighbor signed with him and that was never forgotten. Before dad got married he had started driving a canned milk route for a gentleman and eventually got to buy his own truck and route, but the work was long hours each day and 7 days a week. Later, when the company switched to bulk, he was not given a chance to change over, those favors were given to others, so he began driving a roadgrader for the local road district and also being a very part-time partner to my mother and their small country store. Dad is a good dad, he was very strict with my brother, but easier on me and my sister, especially my younger sister who was also the baby. Dad is hardheaded, stubborn, humorous, enlightening, very updated and educated on world events, believes in aliens, the space kind, not the Mexican kind, likes any kind of fried chicken, especially KFC, cake rather than pie, his many cats than fill the open area by the back porch, his trees and land, traveling, misses my mom, I'm sure by the hour, barely tolerates giggling women/girls and silliness. Dad asked for his party, he also asked for me to throw his 90th party in 10 years, to which I quickly agreed. I love my dad, he made me the independent, hardheaded and stubborn person I am today. Love to you all

Better Than Anyone's, Even Mine Cinnamon Rolls!!!

2009-01-12T20:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have been making an excellent cinnamon roll recipe for a while that I got out of Southern Living magazine. It was great, fantastic, everyone raved about it and I'll admit, it was good enough I didn't make them often because of it. (Because I would weigh 100 lbs more than I already do) But, I found a recipe this evening that beats out every cinnamon roll I have ever eaten in my life, EVER!!! I mean it, you have to try this recipe, I'm begging you, believe me when I tell you this cinnamon roll was so tender, so melt-in-your-mouth perfect, so beautiful, I had to blog about it. It was also the easiest yeast roll recipe I have ever made. Please, try this, you really need to, if you hate it, then okay, go back to your own pitiful excuse for a cinnamon roll. I have never steered anyone wrong, so please make these the next chance you get.

In a 4 quart or larger pan, bring to scald, (edge of boil):

2 cups milk

1/2 cup veg. oil

1/2 cup sugar

When it comes to edge of boil, remove from heat and allow to cool 30-45 minutes, this important, it needs to be baby-bottle warm not hot when you add yeast.

Add 1 package of dry yeast, mix and allow to set for a couple of minutes to get nice and foamy.

Then stir in 4 cups of flour, cover and sit in a warm place for 1 hour, covered in same pan. I placed mine in front of my Eden-Pur heater, covered.

This should about double in size, don't punch down, just add to the top of the dough:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 T. salt

Mix together as best as you can, dump onto floured surface, I very gently kneaded in the ingredients to mix, just a few times, rolled out thin, covered with melted butter or oleo, covered with cinnamon and sugar and rolled up jelly-roll fashioned.

I sliced into about 1/2-1 inch slices and placed into a buttered cake pan. This should make about 1 and 1/2 dozen. Allow to rise for 20-30 minutes, again I placed in front of the heater covered with a cloth. They won't quite double when they are ready to bake, place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes or until nicely brown. I covered mine with a buttercream and vanilla icing. Let's just say I really blew my diet this evening, and I had been doing so well.

Please make these luscious rolls on your next day off, unless you are on a diet and want to try and be really good, I think Satan's sister makes these for her family, because they are so sinfully good.

Love to you all!!!

It's A Girls' Night Out

2009-01-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

Krysta getting in my car at their apartment in Lebanon, ready to roll!

What size did you need a 00p, come on no one wears that size????

Do these work for me or make we kinda look like the old and fat Elvis???

Krysta sweet talkin' to Brian over the phone. Laura taking Krysta's pix in Applebees while I took her picure, we were stuffed with good food.

To the left, Froggie glow rings at Pier One? They jiggled around and glowed and were rings, I don't really know who they were targeting with these, kinda creepy. Below, Krysta's "catch of the day", ornament wreaths for $8 each

Since Brian was going to be away for the weekend to reserve duty, Krysta and I decided to go see the new Kate Hudson movie, Wedding Wars. We invited Laura along and went to Osage Beach to catch the flick and do a little shopping. I picked Krysta up at their apartment and then continued on to meet Laura at Camdenton. We made the 4:10 matinee and the girls' enjoyed the crazy high-priced popcorn they have at all movie theaters. After the show we went along the adjoining outdoor mall and did some sale shopping. We all found a few bargains and decided to have some dinner at Applebee's. Laura and I had Margareta Chicken and Krysta had steak. It was nice just to sit and visit with each other without kids or husbands. After our wonderful dinner we stopped at Pier One to check out their "All Christmas 75% Sale", Krysta bought 2 really cute ornament wreaths for next year, Laura bought a red painted wooden chair for her kitchen work station and I bought a wreath made of feathers, tambourines for the boys and a holiday photo album. We had such a good time and hope we can maybe do it again in a few months, I think time goes by so quickly and we don't stop to treasure the times we can and believe me what fun and memories we made for our treasure boxes. Thanks girls for a great night. Love mom

Two hours with Memaw

2009-01-05T19:33:00.000-08:00

Laura came into Lebanon on Monday evening to get her hair done and I got the joy of watching Jayce and Jordy for a couple of hours. I picked them up and we went straight to Mcdonalds to the playground. Thankfully they have a huge treehouse and secure area with bathroom(although it was pretty nasty). Even Jordan got into climbing up the inside of the tall tree and coming down the curvy slide tummy down and feet first. They were a few other kids there, and thankfully they were all pretty nice and good about taking turns, I'm talking about not only my 2, but the others also. We had a hamburger Happy Meal and a chicken nugget Happy Meal, we got an extra toy and they actually ate most of their food. We had a great time and they weren't ready for the fun to be done when mom got there. Jayce even made a new friend, a pretty curly-haired girl, whom he helped up onto the "log". I love my little boys and it made for a great Monday to get to see them. Love to you all.

Time For Winter

2009-01-04T22:59:00.000-08:00

While no many look forward to the winter snows, except school kids and teachers, I thought I would drag out a few old pictures of cold and snowy winters past. Kinda starting at the top and left, a huge snowfall, with Danny trying to dig through the drifts from the garage and the girls all bundled up, exited about their 5 minutes in the snow, that's about how long they stayed outside. Next pictures to the right, Laura and Krysta skating on our pond, one winter when Laura was about 14-15 years old, we had a very cold and hard winter and the pond froze solid, we borrowed skates from our dear friends Janice and Diane and both the girls skated, well Laura skated the most, she became obsessed coming in right after school each day to head to the pond. The next picture is a group of Bobby, Krysta, Pete and Laura enjoying a snowfall, Bobby seems to be smiling, he was our Walmart dog we got for free. The bottom picture is one of the cutest little boys, Pete was maybe 2, he was all bundled in his snowsuit ready to ride the sled with the girls. No matter where you live, these photos of winter are sure to warm your heart, they did mine. Thanks for traveling down memory lane with me. Love to you all.

Dad's 80th Birthday Party, continued

2009-01-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

I didn't forget the following pictures, I just had issues with my computer, me or the blogger site, I don't know but I will try it again. Everyone stayed to visit a long time and it took a while to say goodbyes, it was good to see Steve and Rhonda and Steven and Jenna, whose happy announcement of their engagement and upcoming wedding plans was a wonderful addition to the party. We missed Stephanie, James and Kayley who are in Arizona and couldn't be here and Tiffany and Matt who are in Hollister and had to work, along with Jimmy who was ill. Thank you to my wonderful girls who helped with the food and made it easier for me. Happy Birthday Day Dad and yes I will have you another blow-out at 90! Love you all.

Dad's 80th Birthday Party!

2009-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

After dinner , we had arranged for a fantastic fireworks display and the oohs and aahas were plentiful, we also heard cheering from the neighbors on the hill. After everyone was back in the house, a cake with -count em- 80 candles was ready for dad to blow out with a little help from his oldest great-grandchild, Jayce. I think everyone maybe got a bite of melted wax, as the candles melted very quickly.

Yes, we have a crazy family, from Aunt Kookie, to having Steve tell us to pose with our mouths open, (I don't know why) and looking thru wedding photos from Krysta and Brian's wedding. Oh yes, I took a picture of Steve's ear, cause I could. Everyone had a great time visiting and eating, and standing around the food and eating some more.

Dad wanted a party, my dad has never asked for much, so when he asks I generally try hard to do what he wants. So, a couple of months ago, he asked for a party for his 80th birthday, I don't think he has ever had a party, so why not try to have a big one. Many people were invited, I ordered a cake with blue icing and Laura and Krysta were a big part of the food. I just cooked a turkey and potatoes. I would label this a success, we had 23 people here, 23 VIPS who truly wanted to wish dad well. He had his 3 kids, a son and daughter-in-law, 5 grandchildren with in-laws and a newly soon-to be chickadee from Texas and 2 great-grandsons who helped eat his blue cake and blow out candles. The food table included, turkey and ham, supreme mashed potatoe bar with toppings including cheese, bacon bits, onion, gravy, a beautiful winter salad with nuts and cranberries by Laura, a lucious shrimp and wildrice bake by Krysta, fresh fruit, cheese spread and crackers. The food was all really good and obviously enjoyed by all.

2008-12-31T23:54:00.000-08:00

At midnight we all, including Jayce toasted in the New Year with sparkling grape juice and fancy glasses. Jordy had already hit the hay about 9:30 and slept the New Year in. Nothing better than sharing a holiday with family and preparing to look forward to the upcoming year with new hopes and dream. Happy 2009 to everyone. Love you all !!

Happy New Years Eve

2008-12-31T23:40:00.000-08:00

This year we didn't go to our ususal New Years Eve Party spot which was Dwane and Rose's, due to illness, we have went there every year for a long time, so instead we planned on Laura and Jared'd house. Well, I ended up being scheduled for the evening and with great dissapointment I sent Danny and Pte on down for a fun evening. Well, about 8 pm, when I called to check my backup status, I found out that another nurse had volunteered to work my shift, so I headed down to Camdenton for the last few hours of 2008. We played Battle of the Sexes game which was fun and had chili and homemade cinnamon rolls, fresh from Laura's kitchen.

Happy Birthday, Mom

2008-12-29T22:22:00.000-08:00

December 28, would have been mom's 80th birthday. She was born to Clyde and Opal on December 28, 1928, the second born of 9 children total and the oldest daughter. She was raised on a farm, helped to raise her younger brothers and sisters, wash out canning jars, pick beans, wash alot of dishes and diapers and pretty much had to do anything her Ma didn't want to do. When mom was in her teenage years, she started having vision problems that couldn't be helped with glasses, this didn't stop her from working away from the home for neighbors and staying with families as far away as Buffalo and Phillipsburg. In her 20's mom started working for the Carter family in Phillipsburg as a waitress in their cafe on Route 66. She lived with the family and became good friends with their daughter, Marilyn. She always said that Mrs. Carter was like her mother and she always held her in a high regard, enough so that she named my brother Steven Carter for her second family. Mom made our tiny home as clean and snug as she could, I can't even imagine raising 3 kids in a house that small. My folks bought a small country store when I was about 6 years old, came as a complete surprise to us kids, we weren't told much back then. I think it was my mother's cross to bear and she came to down right hate being there 6 days a week. She was also trying to do laundry on an old wringer washer and no dryer for years, can you imagine? Also, heating with wood at both the store and home, her trying to keep heat in one place and then coming home to a deep freeze of a house in the evenings and restarting a fire, about the time it got warm, it was time to go to a cold bed. Mom was steady, truthful, patient, ruthless, quick to laugh, but could get quiet and distant at times. She was ornery and spiteful too, but loved any child that came around. I didn't want this blog to get long like my Myspace one did, but how can you sum up all those years into a few sentences? Mom didn't drink, smoke or cuss, she tried to treat everyone fairly and was really a pretty open-minded thinker at times. She loved westerns, like Lonesome Dove, which she actually wore out a VHS copy, she loved John Wayne, George Jones, white tennis shoes, cotton button front blouses, orange circus peanuts, anything chocolate, Captain D's fish, good "her" potato salad, a drive along the back roads, making a snowman, Easter Lillie's in the spring, the frogs "hollern' " a new perm, oil of olay lotion, Wanda and Betty Sue, most of the time, the color rose, her grandkids and great-grand kids. Thanks mom for the memories, I miss you everyday. Love to you all.

2008-12-29T20:24:00.000-08:00

Laura and Jayce Racing from William Hillhouse on Vimeo.

Snack Time

2008-12-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

After a fun afternoon of playing outside it was time for a snack, Jayce had applesauce, Jordy apples and oranges and memaw and Jayce say, Horray for a fun day.