Room for Improvement - Entertainment Wise

Sean, Emily, Julie Anna, Megan and Patrick




Megan making bubbles for Patrick and Anna




Patrick tooling down the road. Paul tried to bump him up to second gear but he hit a mailbox.



Anna


The hardest part of entertaining, for me, is figuring what to serve for meals and how much to buy. I have a small refrigerator and hate have it full of leftovers. I mean, how can I justify going out for dinner if we enough leftovers to feed a small army? Just saying. And what does anyone like to eat? I remember when Katie and Julie were 8 and 10, I would make their school lunch. And one would like mayo and one would like Miracle Whip. Who liked what changed daily. I had a new baby and a four year old, my brain was busy. Plus you lose 25% of your memory with pregnancy amnesia , I was running on empty. New rule, make your own school lunch the night before. Julie, of course, took it a step further and wore her school uniform to bed. Takes all the stress out of getting to school on time. What's a few wrinkles? By the time you walk a half mile in the dark in a snow storm, it's all the same.

So, sorry about all the hamburgers this week, although everyone seemed to like them. I will try to be more creative. So, Andrea, what do you want to eat?

Keenan Visit

Megan, Anna, Patrick and Grandpa Paul



Anna enjoying the lake for the first time!



Patrick driving the John Deere

Ellie's First Visit to the Lake

Ellie and Grandma



Ellie Bellie



Paul and Julia




Paul and Charlie

The rain stopped for the weekend so we could have some fun. Paul got a battery for the little John Deere Gator that our neighbor, Brennan, gave to us for the kids to use. He has gotten too big to ride in it. Charlie drove kind of jerky, Julia was fearless and seemed to take to it naturally.

Ellie was adorable and good and snuggly. Great traits in a 3 month old baby!

Birding With Paul

Hummer at the Oriole feeder, Katie got me a new one last summer, with a bee guard that works great!




Oriole on the jelly, Rose Breasted Grosbeak on the feeder


Male Cardinal




Paul's picture of a male Oriole with the Ruby Throated Hummingbird waiting in line

We winter in an amazing area of Texas, full of native birds and winter birds and migratory birds, and we hardly ever get pictures of them. One reason is my camera isn't good enough to get great pictures, I think the other reason is we are too busy having fun.

Shout Out

I was just looking at my Sitemeter stats and am surprised at all the hits I had this week. I never get any comments so I figure my girls read it and maybe my brother Dave, and some random folks who hit the "next" button. There are a lot of hits from the same areas.

I see lots of hits from Mt. Pleasant, always some from Holland, MI, I know Heather looks in from Belgium, but who from Grenaa, Arhus? Edmore, MI? Monroeville, PA? I would love to know and to read your blog. Anyway, I appreciate your interest and hope you are entertained by my pictures and stories.

In case anyone missed Paul's video of the Bald Eagle trying to snag ducks doing it in the lake, I have downloaded it. It is on face book. He didn't know how to do video with the camera, it is very short. Neither of us knew it had audio also, Steff mentioned it and yes, there it was.

I have been feeling crummy the past few weeks, allergies and what not. Took antibiotics and they make me feel worse. Oh the joys of spring. Half thinking it is the shock of coming from a warm and moist climate and lots of fun to cold and dry Clare. No fun comments here.

Paul has taken many bird pics, mostly on dreary,rainy days, since that is the only time he sits and looks out the window at the feeder. I will edit them and get some on the blog soon. Today is sunny, I am hopeful we get some shots. This year our female Orioles seem smaller and the males are so orange, when their wings are spread out, for a landing on the feeders, the entire back is orange with two black triangles of wing. Very pretty.

A shout out and thanks to all you who stop in regularly, I would love the occasional comment from you. I feel that my blog is a diary of our retirement and to keep the kids updated. As Julie says, she hasn't had to bail us out of jail yet. And we are thankful for that and now we know who to call.

Mother's Day

Cardinal and Gold Finch



Paul's photo of the Gold Finches decorating the Japanese Cherry Tree, no buds yet.



Tiny garden flowers, yellow Primrose and Grape Hyacinths

We had a beautiful weekend at the lake, Steff and Tyson came up Saturday night and took us to Maxfield's for dinner on Sunday. I just can't eat as much as I used to, but I gave it my best and that was good enough. Great food and conversation.

I got a surprise call from Julie in the airport in Newark, NJ, and also talked with Charlie and Andrea and Katie and Lane. Fun to visit with the little guys.

Grandkids Will Love This

Patrick asked Julie to bring him a big truck he could drive back from Paris. She figured he got that idea from Grandpa Paul. Yup. Told him about the John Deere Gator he had for him to drive around when he came to visit.

Sunday, Paul and Tyson got out some of the smaller vehicles to take a picture to drool over, the big blue bus, the riding lawn mower, the little blue truck, the Gator and the golf cart. Get ready to rumble, girls and boys!