Cousins

Schroer kids visit Aunt Allie in 2006

Meet Jesse and Kylee Schroer...my sisters kids...pronounced like SHORE with an extra "rrrr" after the "sh." They live in Arlington. Jesse will be a Senior and Kylee will be starting the 7th grade. These kids are precious to me...right up there with my very own!! You see, the boys are spaced 3 years and 11 months apart between each one...Travis (Nov. 90,) then Jesse (Oct. 94,) then Jack (Sept 98.) How's that for not planning? Then the girls came along and threw all things off; they are 5 years apart ...Kylee (March 00) and Kate (April 05.)

August 2012

When Jesse was born, my sister was in college...and yes, I was too, STILL! But some of my very best memories of Jesse are during that time...little pudgy cheeks and fat ankles. This kid...ok toddler...was eating quarter pounders at age 2!! Yup, the whole thing!! Plus some fries. I don't remember him being cranky, ever. Of course that's not really saying much...that I don't remember it because after birthing my 3rd child, all memory cells must have been needed to produce that little cutie pie! Back to Jesse...he was almost always happy...AND TALKING! Now this boy could talk!!!!! Ramble! Ask questions! Anything...random...whatever he thought of...whatever he saw. I'm just saying...a 4 hours drive from his house to mine, well it was entertaining to say the least.

Sweet Kylee was born in Arlington when we lived in Colorado...I don't think I saw her until she was about 2 months old. Cutie Patootie!! Happy most of the time! Beautiful, big dark eyes! She and Jack had a ball together over the years...and still do. Once we moved back to Texas, we got to see them several times a year. Our families tried to vacation together at least once a year. I would say these cousins are pretty close for never living closer than 4 hours apart.

2004 Vacation

2008 Vacation

You see, I don't know what it is to have a cousin. Both of my parents are only children! Maybe that is one more reason my sister and I (5 years apart,) were always so close. None the less, for my kids to have cousins is pretty special to me...maybe more so than to them! And as time has gone on and children have grown, the time they spend together becomes more meaningful! What I'm saying is, it was a very special weekend to have them all together one more time...and for us to share in their  lives. FAMILY!! I don't ever want to take it for granted...I am blessed with the relationships we share.

August 2012

Empty Nesting for 10 Days

So Jack and Kate are away at their dads for a week and then their grandparents in Arlington. And what have Terry and I done while they are gone??? A whole lotta nothing, at least for the first 5 days or so...enough of THAT! Terry & Adam made some GREAT headway with the hunting lease on Saturday...set up and loaded 4 feeders, set up 4 blinds and placed one of the campers. They are so excited...so was Jack when he learned that he missed out on all the FUN!...rather HEAVY & HOT work from sun up to sun down because it did take all day, in 100 plus degrees. They are glad to have the bulk of it behind them.

Translation for me: I CAN WORK ON A PROJECT WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS!! What to do? What to do?

My front porch

Do you see a problem with this picture? My parents graciously gave us a new Adirondack chair as a housewarming gift. Dad said "go to LLBean website and just pick your color and let me know." You see, they did not have the same color anymore...that particular BLUE. Yes, the blue is the old one...notice the chew marks on the arm from Hank as the likes to sleep in chairs and really liked to chew when he was a puppy. So I get the opportunity to choose another color! Yeah (with a smile!) Yeah (with sarcasm!) Another translation...Allison will get to try to match the paint and redo the blue chair!  Here goes...

First: Sand

Thank goodness for company, even if they did have a bit of doggie breath!

River

Hank! Making progress...some of the chair is RED!

While I was waiting for the red paint to dry after coat 1, 2 or 3...I forget...I had another little project. You may remember the front door...rather bare. I thought it needed a new wreath...something fallish. Do you Pinterest? I love Pinterest! Found some great recipes, neat organization tips (no pun intended,) cool fashions I love but will probably never wear and just-right, home decorating ideas! So at this point, I have already walked around Hobby Lobby with my handy smartphone and the picture of the wreath I like so much picking out all the different pieces that will make the fallish-like wreath that I cannot wait to have hanging on my front door. I'm thinking "these fall colors will look so pretty on the red door"! Ok, so here it goes...

a bunch of stuff to make a wreath

The W turned out pretty good

Finished!

How does that look? I am rather pleased with how it turned out! However, notice the backdrop color is NOT red. Ends up, the wreath was too big for the door. Not to mention...H-E-L-L-O...the door has glass windows. None the less, I like it on the wall in the cove of the front porch. Now back to the chair...

It finally dried after what seemed like up-teen coats of paint. Yup, its RED! Yup, it matches the other chair! Yup, I LIKE it! And Yup, I'm good to not paint anything else for a while! With that said...the door is next! That kick plate is not my style and will be coming off soon...well, as soon as the flies are gone so I can leave the door open a while!

still a work in progress...but one step closer

So, like I have said before, the offer is open...when will you come have a cold glass of "something" with me on the front porch?