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Monday, December 30, 2019

...you’ve got mail...

Y’all, it’s almost over. 2019. Must admit I’m not sorry. I thought 2018 was rough. This year has been a whole other kind of WWHHHYYYYY??????

Won’t go into it. Any of it. I know at least the first three months of 2020 will be challenging. My Sweet Hubby and I have health issues. We’ll deal. And we’ll pray the next nine months are tres better. (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Dear Lord God Almighty—make it improve!)

In the meantime, I saw the following on Facebook. Loved it. So did TLC.


So read it! Enjoy it! And have a VERY SAFE and VERY HAPPY New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day! Wherever in this World Y’all are...

Smooches and BIG Hugs,
ELC

p.s.—The movie TLC and I have watched a million times? You’ve Got Mail. (And I cry. Every. Single. Time.)

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Christmassed...

Christmas was so good to us this year. It was merry and bright and full of joy. We baked gluten-free gingerbread cookies. Ate. And ate. And ate some more. Opened LOL (!!!) Dolls, WellieWisher Dolls, Cabbage Patch Dolls and a new dollhouse. We watched Hallmark movies, and today, we went ice skating! It’s been magical. I’m not ready for it to be over.

Happy Day-After-Christmas!











Friday, December 20, 2019

...ohblahdee...ohblahdah...

Stress. Feelings of being overwhelmed. Questionable time management. Health realities—and fears. I’m dealing with all of these issues. I’m betting many of y’all are, too. At a time when I should be experiencing gratitude to God and Jesus—warmth—hope—comfort and joy? I’m going from hour to hour—minute to minute—attempting to get “it” all done.

Y’all might remember my “makeup shirt.” My Sweet Hubby’s (aka MSH) old shirt(s) I put on—every day—while I apply my makeup and fix my (BIG Texas) hair. I cannot tolerate the thought of my hairspray falling on my clothes I’m going to wear. 

Last week guess what got sent to The Cleaners? Yep. My makeup shirt. Sadly, I asked MSH to look through the clothes we’d be dropping off—to make sure his were all there. So how did he not notice this shirt? Sleeves cut off? Threads dangling? Stains on the collar? Sheesh. It cost us $2.50. Okay. That’s not going to break us. On the upside? It’s been lovely wearing an ironed shirt each morning since. Wink. Wink. (I’ve also been trying to imagine what the person who processed this shirt must have thought!)


Next: I don’t profess to be the best car “parker” in this world. In fact, I typically have to go in and out of a spot 2-3 times to get my car straight/even at Hellmart or Target, etc. And I guess I haven’t shared yet that I have a temporary handicapped tag I can use in my car through June of 2020. Until I have my left hip replaced—hopefully around the middle of January—I’m in worse pain by the day and doing my best to literally drag myself around and through my daily life. I gave in two weeks ago and begged my orthopedic surgeon’s PA to help me acquire a tag. (I have shared I am NOT a person who has EVER used a handicapped parking place in a parking lot or garage or on the street. Ever. EVER. But I must confess: This ability to temporarily park up close to where I’m going? For example...doctors’ offices. Stores. Restaurants. This ROCKS. I’m enjoying this immensely and predict I’ll be sad when I can no longer do this. 

Anyway...two days ago I had to go to Hellmart for a few necessary purchases. I’ve learned, in the past two weeks, you have to get up with the chickens or stay up with the night owls to luck into a handicapped parking spot at Walmart. I drove down every aisle looking for an opportunity to get my shopping done to no avail. Every marked handicapped spot was taken. I’d decided I was just going home when I spotted an opening down by the Garden Center. I actually thought I’d parked pretty dadgum good. For moi. Apparently not. When I got back—and returned my cart to the cartstand—this is what I saw I had done:


Okay—it’s pathetic. I didn’t actually interfere with anyone else’s parking. PLEASE keep this lack of judgment quiet. I’m not anxious for MSH to tease me—unmercifully—about this. We already dislike the way we each drive. 

TGIF! Try to have a stress-free weekend! Take some time to relax and recharge. Mistakes happen. You and I might make less if we take some deep breaths occasionally throughout our days and allow our tired brains to refocus on our responsibilities. Re-prioritize. Eliminate some tasks or ASK FOR HELP. Seriously. We DO NOT have to do it all. 

We’ll get through this! Right? RIGHT.

HUGS and Smooches...
ELC

(P.S.—I may have spelled my title wrong...but The Beatles can confirm: Life. Goes. On.)

Monday, December 16, 2019

...fa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...

So last Friday, TLC and I were talking on the phone (Yes. Actually talking.) about our upcoming Family Christmas Exchange that was happening at my casa Sunday afternoon when she said this:

“I’m actually bringing you a couple of gifts. Two ornaments I think you’d love!”

I replied: “That’s sweet but I’m not sure I need any more ornaments. You don’t want to keep them for yourself?”

She then matter-of-factly stated:

“You actually gave me one of them last year. You found/bought it for me for an ornament exchange I was going to—but I ended up not needing it.”

Are Y’all catching this? TLC was going to “gift” me an ornament I BOUGHT HER.

I laughed and laughed and LAUGHED. Her unmitigated GALL. It’s simply charming, right?

I truly have to admire her chutzpah.

CHRISTMAS Countdown: NINE DAYS!

Wow.

Happy New Week, Sweet Friends Everywhere! Try not to regift a gift to the person that originally gave it you, okay? Sheesh.

ELC

Thursday, December 12, 2019

...makin’ it...

So this is going to be about another TV show I LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE. (Sadly, it’s about to be over. Like—I think—tonight. But you hip younguns that can find all kinds of shows on Netflix or On Demand or Hulu? You MUST watch this. More about Makin’ It in a bit...)

First, a little intro:

In watching Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman and the “Master Makers” in Makin’ It the past several weeks, I was reminded of a Christmas “newsletter” My Sweet Hubby (aka MSH) and I received several years ago. (I remember doing a post about it! Could I find that post now and link it here for Y’all? That would, of course, be a big—ARE YOU KIDDING? I still can’t post pictures. You’ll have to take my word that it was a fascinating story. Or roam around in past December and January posts. Try 2011. Or 2012.)

Anyway...I actually DO read those Christmas newsletters we all get. Yes—I’m not even fibbing. I read them! And, honestly, enjoy them! Around 2009–or maybe 2010–MSH and I received a LONG one from a couple we’d known for approximately sixteen years. They lived about 150 miles from us—but we saw them two to three times a year. The wife wrote about each of them, each of their two kids and their spouses, and each of their six grandchildren. The end of the newsletter was when MSH, TLC and I lost it! To hysterical laughter. The wife shared that she simply needed their 18-year-old dog, Prissy, to pass away. She was certain their future would be brighter!

Y’all, she was serious. In this woman’s defense, the dog had apparently been ill for many years—costing them oodles and oodles of cash at their Vet’s office. Still...in a CHRISTMAS newsletter—she expressed her wish for the family dog to die.

Should we have laughed? NO. But WHO DOES THAT? It cracked us up. Still does—when we think about it.

By the way: Y’all KNOW we love our Buddy Bear and TLC’s Henry! We adore and cherish all animals. (Snakes and armadillos? Okay, no. Not them.)

Fast Forward to Makin’ It. Trust me when I say you do NOT have to be a “Maker” to think this show is AWESOME. I’m not a cook and I TREASURE The Food Network. I’m not an interior decorator or house flipper and I obsess over HGTV. I can’t sew a button on or tell you if I still have a glue gun somewhere in my casa. Still...this show (This was the second “season” for it, too.) intrigued me and I got hooked immediately. The first time around and this time!

AMY POEHLER and NICK OFFERMAN are the executive producers and hosts of Makin’ It. They are, IMHO, geniuses. GENIUSES. Clever. Fast. Sharp. HILARIOUS. I laugh out loud every show. EVERY SHOW. (I don’t want it to end.)

The Makers competing are extremely interesting peeps themselves. Charming. Kind. Unbelievably talented. Unique. SMART.

Now...how does my Christmas newsletter story relate to Makin’ It?

The Makers were to build an animal shelter. Or home. For an animal of their choice. They chose the following animals: a cat, a couple of dogs, a turtle, a calf and butterflies. One of the Makers made her “cat house” look like a condo in Palm Springs! She shared that she and her family have a female cat named Bella. She’s old. And apparently extra cranky/catty. Rebecca—the Maker—called her creation a “Purr-a-dise” for cats ready to retire. It was incredibly swanky! Rebecca said they (everyone in her family) were all ready for this cat to pass away. So they could get a puppy! Amy and Nick cracked up at her honesty.

Do I admire honesty? I do. I really do. I value it in my own life. I totally get striving to being diplomatic and even telling little bitty white lies. But honesty? Not enough of it in this world.

Watch this show!!! If you don’t get major tickled by Amy and Nick? I’m sorry to tell you but this retired therapist will be forced to suggest you search for some counseling sessions. I mean it. You’ll need to find out why you don’t think these two are EVERYTHING.

(Did I mention Amy and Nick are comic GENIUSES?)

Happy Friday Eve and BIG HUGS...

ELC

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Merry-Making...

Little Leighton opened her 8th Advent “charm” (she and Elle are building charm bracelets) today, and exclaimed, “Can you believe it’s already December 8th?” I truly can’t! She spent the morning wrapping presents. Y’all. She’s unbelievable! She did amazing and had such fun! She was excited to place them under our tree we picked out on Saturday morning!



After trimming our tree, we made gluten-free peanut butter cookies and had an impromptu play date with friends! We even had a yummy dinner out at a restaurant (which is a real treat, given the nature of Celiac Disease)!



This afternoon, we watched Christmas music with ELC and My Sweet Dad at their beautiful church! We are feeling extra merry and bright as we begin a new week. I, unfortunately, am still struggling with my ear infection. It’s making me quite bonkers. It’s also given me such empathy for ELC and what she deals with on a daily basis, after completely losing her hearing in her left ear.




I hope y’all have a merry-filled week! Christmas is coming!

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

...a sad start...

...to TLC’s favourite month of the year.

After being the quintessential SUPER Hostess with the Mostest on Thanksgiving Day, TLC’s body totally turned on her and she has a HORRID ear infection.

Monday she made the BEST decision—in a moment of pain and despair—to visit a CVS Minute Clinic. (Elle was sick for a week with some kind o’ cold virus and we all were pretty sure it’d be a miracle if we didn’t get it, too. TLC had been fighting a cold. I, actually, have been sick ra myself.)

I was able to care for Elle and pick Little Leighton up from her after-school Art Class so TLC could get the help she desperately needed. The Nurse Practitioner at the Clinic confirmed what TLC had had to face: She had an extremely infected left ear. Full of...well...never mind the gory details. I’ll just say EVIL stuff.

I was also able to help her get the Little Princesses’ dinner fixed. Baths taken. (By the way: TLC’s Hubby was out-of-town for his job. Always when any kind of crisis hits, right? Happened to me alot when TLC was growing up and My Sweet Hubby—aka MSH—was traveling for work. You can count on child drama or home drama or your own illness to begin the moment your spouse drives or flies away. Murphy’s Law.)

I drove home Monday evening praying TLC would feel better by the hour. And get some sleep. And was comforted by the fact that Her Dad and I are twelve minutes away. In an emergency.

Yesterday she got the little girls to school—sans makeup—then went home and headed straight to bed. After an early doctor’s appointment for me, MSH and I picked up Diet Cokes, Dannon yogurt (A must when taking strong antibiotics—maybe not Dannon, specifically, but probiotics!), and Chick-fil-A chicken noodle soup for TLC. (She, by the way, refuses to eat any kind of canned chicken soup—but she loves Chick-fil-A’s. I’m not saying it’s canned. I’m simply confused by TLC’s standards. MSH and I really like Progresso’s chicken soup.)

I picked up Belle at her school, Little Leighton at her school, and delivered them home to a Mama who felt a teensy bit better. A Mama who was determined to keep Tylenol and ibuprofen in her at all times until fully back to her healthy self again. A Mama who this Mama will always want to care for and help when she’s sick.

I’m hoping TLC wakes up this morning feeling even 25% better than yesterday. She LOVES December! With all of her sicky little heart.

I wish Y’all a WONDERFUL Wednesday. Wherever in this World you are! Take care of your body, heart, mind, soul and spirit. Avoid those danged old germs out there, Friends...

Smooches!
ELC

Monday, December 2, 2019

FAVOURITE

It’s officially December! Time to deck the halls and jingle all the way through this month!

Yippee, y’all and happy first Monday of December!




Saturday, November 30, 2019

READY

I am thankful...Thanksgiving is over!

LOL. Don’t get me wrong: I adore my family. I love to cook. BUT, I’m tired and ready for DECEMBER!

The girls were out of school all week (though, technically Elle has been out for two weeks because she was so sick). We’ve seen Frozen 2, art camp-ed, sleepover-ed at Grammy’s, done lots o’ baking, trimmed the playroom tree and hung our stockings. We’ve also played nine million games of Sleeping Queens. My precious sister-in-law gifted this to us, and it’s the most fun game EVER! (This would be a fabulous Christmas gift for kids of all ages, FYI.)

It’s about to get real festive, y’all! TTFN.





Thursday, November 28, 2019

...triumphant gratitude...

From page 351 of Every Day in His Presence by Charles F. Stanley (portions of the devotion):

The Choice to Praise

I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, because you have seen my affliction.
PSALM 31:7

As you ready yourself to face the day, you have a choice: you can either grumble about your troubles or you can turn your mind to your Father in praise. Before you decide, realize this important truth: there is power when you give thanks to the Lord. Not only do you honor God as He deserves, but you also refocus your attention to His positive attributes rather than your negative circumstances—and that sets you up for victory.

...And when you understand His ultimate purpose is for you, you’ll see why it’s so wise to thank Him  in every circumstance.

Lord, I adore You! You are magnificent—worthy of honor and always triumphant! How grateful I am for Your love, amen.


From ELC:

Today I praise my Lord God Almighty and His Son, Jesus, for the many blessings They have given to me—especially my life, breath, family and friends.

Happiest Thanksgiving to Y’all! Our Dear Friends EVERYWHERE!

#turkeydayhugsandsmooches

Sunday, November 24, 2019

...amen and amen...

TLC has had a sick baby girl. For days. And is now sick herself.

May we both say:

We are NOT grateful for germs. Damn them.

I’m praying I avoid whatever it is these gals have...because it is clearly NOT FUN.

What am I grateful for today? Our church. The pastors. Especially Pastor John. The choir and orchestra leaders. The choir itself. The orchestra members. The amazing musical guest singers. The members and the visitors we meet every Sunday. (My Sweet Hubby—aka MSH—and I became members about seven months ago. A decision that truly was not hard to make. At 65 and 75? We HATE to miss church. That. Is. Big.

Our church has over 15,000 members. That’s alot, right? For what I’d call a “mega church?” It is warm. Friendly. Inclusive. Impressive. Lovely. It is a gorgeous church. The main sanctuary takes my breath away. Every Sunday. The music? Brings MSH and me to tears every Sunday. Every. Single. Sunday. The sermons/messages? Important. Inspiring. AMAZING.

I’m thankful for White’s Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas. Thank You, Dearest God Almighty, for the founder and original members of WCMC. Such a gift to this World. Such a tremendous blessing to me/us.

Amen and Amen.
ELC

Thursday, November 21, 2019

...bless this perfect harmony...

I am sincerely and TRULY thankful for comedy shows that make me laugh out loud! I adore getting comfy in my jammies and parking my olf self on my spot on our davenport after the sun sinks. If a show makes me laugh? Like REALLY loud and for the entire thirty (25-ish minus commercials) minutes? I couldn’t ask for better entertainment. (TLC can have The Sopranos. I believe she’s beginning her third session of watching every show from every last season. Again. No. I haven’t watched ten minutes of this series. Don’t intend to. Ever. Yes. I completely understand it is/was highly acclaimed. I have strongly urged her to heed my comedy recommendations. To no avail. Sigh. A mother can only do and say so much before she realizes she might as well talk to a wall.)

If Y’all have been reading our blog for a few years, you know that me sharing my excitement for a new comedy series is often the kiss of death for said series. (And my heart gets broken-er.)

I simply cannot stop myself tonight. I MUST praise—PRAISE—one semi-new series and a new one that give me pure JOY:

Bless This Mess on ABC—Tuesday nights.

And...

Perfect Harmony on NBC—Thursday nights. (This one is actually my ALL-TIME fav comedy in at least TEN years. Maybe TWENTY. For me it already ranks right up there with Designing Women, Murphy Brown and Friends. It is that TREMENDOUS.)

Both of these quirky, creative, HILARIOUS shows have helped me get through the past several weeks with giggles that help heal my very soul.

I believe both are now over until January. I’m 80% certain they’ll both be back. (Picture me crossing my fingers...)

Record them. On Demand them. Netflix them. Whatever Y’all do to enjoy HIGHLY recommended television shows. Binge them. Savor them. Embrace their AMAZINGNESS and the TALENTED writers and actors that will blow your sweet minds with their genius.

Sending BIG hugs and smooches to each of you for a LOVELY weekend...BE GRATEFUL, okay? It’s November. Winky. Wink.

ELC

#anditisfridayjr

Saturday, November 16, 2019

...speedbumps...

ELC here. I’m up to bat for the latest “gratitude” post.

So...here I sit...in our home I love. Watching a CUTE Lifetime Christmas movie. (Yes, Virginia, there are other channels besides Hallmark that have Christmas movies.) Snacking on a YUMMY Weight Watchers’ brownie mug cake. In my cozy flannel jammies. Feeling...grateful. For every one of the above blessings. And SO MANY MORE.

For...

My Sweet Hubby. My Darling TLC. My Princesses: Little Leighton and Belle. Wonderful family members and precious friends.

For life. Breath. Decent health.

Yes—the pain in my left hip gets worse by the hour. My second hip injection I just had? Not helping as much as the first. Sometimes my pain level feels like a 15. On a scale of 1-10. 10 being the AWFULEST.

And I got a speeding ticket—in a school zone—three weeks ago. (I. Do. Not. Speed. Truly. I. Do. NOT.) I was on my way to a Weight Watchers’ meeting for my monthly Lifetime Member weighin. Two policemen were picking drivers/speeders off one after another. I actually didn’t realize I was in a school zone!when I saw them. The drivers in front of me who escaped being caught? I wasn’t even keeping up with them. The young policeman was not a bit moved by my explanation and sincere apology and tears. $159 later I’ll be doing a 6-hour Defensive Driving on-line course soon. Yippee.

Visiting my mother at her assisted living home nearby two to three times a week? For the past several months? Exhausts me. We’ve had an extremely difficult relationship for 55 of my 65 years. I’m trying to FEEL forgiveness—not just SAY I forgive her. Maybe I’ll get there.

All of the things I’ve mentioned? My stressors? Not as hard as what many people in this world face every day. For me? Speedbumps. Annoying. Frustrating. Insignificant in the big picture speedbumps.

I’m grateful for this day. For the love I feel and share. For comfort. Warmth. Hope. Good people that surround me with kindness and support.

Most of all—MOST OF ALL—I’m grateful for My Dear Lord God Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ. My Savior.

Hope Y’all have had a marvelous day! May tomorrow—Sunday—be a day of worship, peace, and SWEET, SWEET JOY!

Hugs and Smooches...
Moi


Monday, November 11, 2019

Method...

... for my madness!

So, I’m incredibly grateful for our newly-ish remodeled master bath. However, I soon discovered how hard it is to keep clean. While I love the subway tile in my shower, there are SO. MANY. grout lines, and we have impossibly hard city water. (Meaning: hard water stains, etc.) I was reading a Real Simple article about a month ago. It had something to do with simplifying the bathroom cleaning routine. They recommended this product:


Method Daily Shower. Y’all. I’m already down to maybe a 1/4 of the bottle. I ADORE IT. I spray it all over my tile (though I don’t spray it on the glass) after I’ve showered. That’s it! There’s no scrubbing. Just spray and go! It smells DIVINE. Very spa-ish! I’ve already purchased the refill. This is my first experience using a Method cleaning product, and I’m officially hooked. I purchased this at Target. I think it’s actually on Cartwheel right now, too!

Give it a whirl and be grateful for a clean shower with minimal effort, too!

Thursday, November 7, 2019

...unending gratitude...

A month of gratitude! Love it, TLC! I’ll go first and this will be super easy.

I need my left hip replaced. Apparently arthritis—and genetics—has pretty much destroyed my hip. I’ve been in pain for way over a year. But I’m trying to delay this surgery until June. I don’t think I’m going to be able to. Dadgummit.

So I opted to try injections this past summer. Had my first one on July 3rd. It was a good experience. The hospital I was sent to is topnotch FANTASTIC. My orthopedic surgeon wanted me to understand he had no way of knowing if an injection would help. Or, if it did, how long the relief might last.

I’d say it lasted about two months. A month ago, the pain started getting worse for me. Yesterday I had my second injection. I was in excruciating pain for five days. I didn’t realize how much a new-ish medication was helping me until I had to stop it prior to being anesthetized.

Last night I had problems getting comfy. To sleep. Am I bit concerned? Yes. Yes, I am. Am I going to be able to put off replacement surgery until June? No. NO WAY. I’ve told My Sweet Hubby and TLC I can’t stand this pain for seven more months. I will lose what’s left of my mind. I’m praying I can get to at least 2020 with some comfort from this injection procedure.

Sooo...I am deeply THANKFUL for doctors. Nurses. Physician Assistants. Lab Techs. Even kind receptionists and business office people. I THANK My Dear Lord God Almighty that He gives a gift of medical service to those of us who cannot imagine ever being interested in this line of work. A person who can’t grasp slicing into bodies. Seeing lots of blood. Etc. Not for me.

My gratitude is IMMENSE.

Happy Thursday to each of you, Dearest Friends! I wish you a Friday and weekend full of FUN. Safety. Laughter. GOOD health. Peace.

Hugs and Smooches!
ELC

Sunday, November 3, 2019

November


It’s November!

This month, I thought we might share things we are grateful for! It could be anything: something that makes our lives easier, something that brings us joy, a favourite place. I hope you’ll follow along!

Have a restful, peaceful Sunday!

TTFN.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

octobers...

From October 4, 2017:


ELC actually just ordered this quote on a t-shirt for me and I. Am. Excited. (Thanky, Mama!) I think it might possibly be my most favourite quote ever (despite having never read Anne of Green Gables). The final three months of the year are my jam. I'm in my element. October, November, December? They make my spirit bright!

I hope my girls love this time of year as much as I do. Little Leighton seems to and Baby Elle will soon learn! I snapped this picture of them (and Buddy!) when we were visiting ELC and My Sweet Dad two weeks ago. The light lends so much warmth to the photo. It just says, "FALL," to moi. (The cute "cat ears" LL is wearing probably helps, too. Winky. Wink.)



May your upcoming weekend be filled with pumpkins, pumpkin pancakes, candy corn and coziness.

TTFN.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

lots o’...

From October 21, 2016:

...excuses as to why I can't seem to type any coherent sentences lately.

Number One:


Obviously. But aren't they just so darn smoochable?

Then:

Two weekends ago, ELC and My Sweet Dad graciously offered to board Buddy Boo Bear and come "babysit" Little Leighton (LL), Baby Elle and Henry. God bless them! My Hubby and I wanted to see a concert at WinStar Casino in Oklahoma on a Friday night. We were going to spend the night and have all day Saturday to do as we pleased! It was going to be my first night away in MONTHS--long before Baby Elle's arrival. Of course:  Murphy's Law. I get SICK. It started with a scratchy throat the Sunday before. Mid-week, I thought I had turned the corner and was on the mend. Then I woke up Friday feeling just miserable. At this point, I didn't want to cancel. I stuffed my purse full of cough drops, Tylenol and Ibuprofen and powered through. Despite my general malaise, the concert was AWESOME. (Gary Clark, Jr. Blues-y. Rock-y. Country-y. From Austin!) I even won $100 at the slots that night, too! (My Hubby won $1 playing blackjack. LOL!) I hoped to wake up the next morning feeling magically healed, but I think the hours of second-hand smoke made it so. much. worse. We cut our day super short and came home Saturday afternoon. I ended up at the local CareNow clinic first thing Sunday morn and quickly had a prescription. UGH. I clearly should have gone to the doctor beforethe trip. C'est la vie. Lesson learned.

Finally:

It's been too dadgum hot in Texas! Maybe that's not an excuse. At least a good one. However, it's making me very bitter. It's October. I want scarves around my neck, boots on my feet and soup in my Crock-Pot. Last weekend, we took LL to a little pumpkin patch, and I was sweating. That is simply WRONG. A cold-front blew through yesterday and things have cooled down significantly! In fact, we should be in the 40s tomorrow morning. Hallelujah.

I hope all of you sweet, sweet readers have a wonderful weekend! I will try much harder to come back SOON.

TTFN.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Witch...

From October 24, 2015:

HAZEL!


(I felt this would be a very appropriate Halloween-themed "yummy.")

So, I follow Brooke White (of American Idol fame) on Instagram. She is LOVELY. She happens to have a doll of a daughter about two months older than Little Leighton. Brooke is funny and sweet and entertaining! A couple of weeks ago, she posted a picture of this exact Witch Hazel on her IG feed. She said she has tricky skin and her Mom had just discovered this at her local Sprouts. She had been using it for a bit and had fallen in love. I knew I had to give it a whirl, as my skin is a hot mess because of pregnancy hormones.

On Tuesday, LL and I ran into the Sprouts right down the road from our house. We needed a few necessities--Katz Donuts and a pumpkin. Priorities, right? I also picked up this Witch Hazel and promptly used it that night. I have used it every day and night (after I wash my face) since. I personally think it rocks! And, now, I have ELC hooked, too! She just purchased a bottle! It's not drying. It's soothing. I genuinely think it's already making a difference in my complexion.

Give it a try! I don't think you'll be disappointed.

BOO to YOU!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

ELC’s TOP TEN Favourite Things About 10-10

From October 12, 2014:
Last Thursday, TLC and Little Leighton (LL) came to the country for a 2-night visit. My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I cleaned, shopped and got all of LL’s toys out the day before. We waited, anxiously, all morning long, for them to come up the hill!

Friday (10-10) morn, MSH had to leave for Ft. Worth for errands and a lunch meeting. TLC had a hair cut and color in town and also had to leave early. That left LL and I free to play and play and PLAY! Which we did.

From the moment TLC and LL arrive until they leave, and except for meals, naps and bedtime, LL is One Busy Little Bee! It’s been three weeks since her last visit. She always acts like it’s been six months—running around in “her” room, checking out the toys in the master bedroom and my office, looking for Morty, The Cat, and talking to Buddy Bear, The Dog. MSH and I savor every single second she’s here.

Here're my favourite things about 10-10 (Because you’ve been waiting patiently, for days, for this, right?):

  1. Once MSH and TLC were gone, LL and I finished up a good breakfast of oatmeal and strawberries. While I washed dishes, LL played in her/The Guest Room. It’s right by the kitchen, so it’s easy to keep an eye on her. Since she currently runs (or as she says, “Zooms!”) everywhere (“I zooming, Gwammy!”), we all have to be ready to stop what we’re doing and follow her. She came out of the bedroom with her stroller and (doll) diaper bag. She told me she was going to “Go see the ducks, Gwammy!” (This is what she and I do when I’m at her home—we do this A LOT!) I asked her if she wanted to take one of her “babies” in the stroller, as it was empty. She said, “Yes, Gwammy. I get Sweetie!” We decided the “pond” would be in Grammy and Pa-Pa’s room. When we got in there, I suggested that the rug, by our French doors, serve as the “pond.” We always take a Ziploc bag of bread when we visit LL’s ducks. I got a baggie and some of her “pretend” bread and then thought of the two ducks in our tub that she plays with during bathtime. We put them on the rug and VOILA. A duck pond extraordinnaire. She had such fun! I’m confident this will be a new “regular” thing we do at some point during a visit.

  1. I tried to sneak off to put in a load of laundry. It took LL approximately 15 seconds to realize I wasn’t in our room. “Gwammy? GWAMMY? Where are you?” she loudly says as she “zooms” around trying to find me. Can you tell I adore the way she says “Gwammy.”

  1. We read books in “her” room. She sat in my lap and listened to every single word I said. Of the five books we read, we read two twice. I’d read them ten times each if she wanted me to. Fifty. I would.

  1. Once TLC got back home, we caught her up on our shenanigans and then started to think about lunch. I also needed to get our dinner prepared and in the fridge. I’d figured out how I could make my Hot Chicken Salad “gluten-free.” We sat LL up on the island and she watched, intently, as I cut up the grilled chicken and TLC cut up celery and red bell peppers. She asked for some of everything. I got her some Ranch dressing so she could dip the celery and bell peppers in it. Lunch on the island instead of in her high chair? Scandalous. She thought it was grand.

  1. At breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that occur while in a high chair at the kitchen/dining room table, LL reminds us “Buh-wessing?” (LL uses the letter “W” for her "L's" and “R’s." Sometimes, if I’m having a teensy bit of trouble understanding what she’s saying, I substitute the letter “W” in there somewhere and can figure it out 98% of the time!) We typically start her out on something like toast or a salad or some fruit while we’re getting everything together. As soon as we’re all seated, here comes LL's "Buh-wessing?": “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen.” We all say it loud and proud! She says every word with us. It makes me get tears in my eyes. If she has “seconds,” or when it’s time for her to have a cookie or some kind of dessert, she’ll say: “Buh-wessing, again?” Yep. We do it again. We figure we can never, ever thank God enough for everything we have. At Our 10-10 Special Island Lunch? We said our buh-wessing.

  1. After a great nap, TLC and I surprised LL with a trip to The Pumpkin Patch at Lone Star Family Farm near Stephenville, Texas—about 16 miles from our home. It was hot—this is Texas—but it was FUN. We took lots of pictures at their cute little “photo spots” they’d set up. LL saw a charming cow (or it could have been a bull!)—in a pen. Eating hay. Two horses. Two corn mazes (We didn't have time to do either one.) We went on a hayride—a flatbed wagon of hay bales pulled by a big tractor. Although a tidbit dusty, it was worth every minute of the experience. We were actually the only three on the hayride. That made it quite special. Y’all know how we like to pretend we’re “Royal.” It's now a treasured memory!





  1. After dinner, LL entertained TLC, MSH and me on the back porch. She sings the ABC song and misses not one letter. She dances. She twirls. She giggles. She makes silly noises. She laughs out loud and with gusto. She's a hoot.

  1. Bathtime has always been a favourite time of the day for LL. MSH and I have a big garden tub with lots o’ toys. LL gets into her own little world and needs no entertaining. She’ll occasionally ask me if I’d like a “latte?” (She can say that “L!”) I, of course, think her lattes are the best I’ve ever had. Could she think I’m really tasting the bubbles? Hmmm. I don't know.

  1. It’s quite the process to get LL’s jammies on. She’s still in diapers. So there’s that. Then she needs a saline nose solution every night. For on-going congestion. TLC has done this almost since she was born, so there’s really no fussing from LL about it. TLC will let her hold that container when she’s done. Friday night LL said: “Gwammy, this is gwuten-fwee!” Oh. My. Bless her precious little heart. TLC is educating her about her medical situation. Which, of course, is an excellent idea. Jammies. Teeth-brushing. (In cold weather, the final step is getting her hair blow-dried. Right now, in Texas, it’s not cold. In fact, it's still darn hot. Sigh.) LL isn’t a huge fan of brushing her teeth. She has to be reminded that Daniel Tiger brushes his teeth. And Elmo. And Abby. And Sofia, Doc and all the Disney Princesses. Eventually, when The Bedtime Process is complete, it’s time for books. Three, to be exact. Two prayer books and a Ladybug Girl.

  1. Saying good night to LL is THE BEST. She’s super-cuddly and loves a hug and a smooch. She says: “I wove you, Gwammy.” Sigh. My heart smiles bigger than Texas.
Hope Y’all have had a FABULOUS day…and that this week will be full of peace, joy, wisdom, magic and some sparkle here and there!

Monday, October 14, 2019

shut all the doors...

From October 12, 2013:

…not just the front one...


 Let me explain:

“My name is ELC. And I’m a sugarholic.”

Guess I’ve known this for about 49 of my 59 years. I’m not proud of this addiction. I’m grateful not to have some other addictions. Truly. But this is not a good one. Every morning I get up and tell myself I’m going to minimize my sugar intake. (Trying none at all really is my only hope. Haven't succeeded in that endeavor very often.) Five out of seven nights a week I go to bed mad at my weakness.

I got home from two days at TLC’s casa around noon yesterday. Unloaded my car and then had to run to town to pick up two flats of pansies (One of my most favourite bedding/potting plants because My Sweet Nana adored them.) I’d bought from a friend’s daughter. A fundraiser for her school. I also needed to run into a drug store to return/exchange a broken mascara (The wand was, as I told the cute little Assistant Manager fella, “wonky” and didn’t work right. Y'all know I can't have this problem. TLC and I spend way too much time and effort finding the best mascaras made for the best prices. Not working properly is not an option for moi.).

After taking care of both of these errands, I should have headed straight home. Instead, I decided I needed a large VCZ (Vanilla Coke Zero). From Sonic. Would you believe My Sweet Hubby’s truck veered, instead, into a McDonald's? Why? I don’t know. (Let me admit this: I also have a sort-of-controllable junk food addiction. More controllable than my sugar addiction. I’ve always liked McDonald’s. Yes, occasionally, I’ll stay away. For a few weeks or even a few months. Worried the news’ reports about their meat, etc., might be accurate. But Big Macs? Yes, please. Grilled Onion Cheeseburgers? Absolutely. I can’t make myself apologize for this.)

While waiting in the Drive-Thru line, I noticed a new McFlurryflavor. Well, new to me. Pralines and Cream. Wwwhhhhaaaaatttttt? Pralines and Cream? Since I’d had a chicken sandwich on the way home with NO FRIES or TOTS, I made the decision I could have six bites of what sounded like a heavenly treat. (The pretty picture ad by the order-speaker said a snack-sized Pralines and Cream had 500 calories. 500. Calories. Sheesh.)

I did it. Also ordered a large Diet Coke. Clearly, I had no shame. 

The first bite I took—as I drove away from the window—was amazing. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was one of the yummiest bites of an ice cream concoction I’ve had in a very, very, VERY long time. Especially one that didn't have any chocolate in it.

I decided I could eat a third of it. Then it became half. Did I manage half? Ha. Right. And then we all woke up. I practically licked the cup clean. Shut All the Doors!!! It was totally beyond exquisite.

{When TLC reads this, she’ll be a tidbit shocked and majorly disappointed in me. I’d lost ten pounds (that I’d gained back from my original 20-pound loss two years ago) recently. However, I’ve been back up five for three-ish weeks. She’s had to listen to my constant whining and complaining about my lifetime of dieting. She’ll be a little hurt, on my behalf, for my lack of self-discipline. We both can be a little too judge-y of each other. After her initial reactions, she’ll remember she went to her favourite local ice cream shop yesterday afternoon and had a cup of Heath custard. Okay, yes, she's lost more than her baby weight gain, at this point. She weighs what she did in her early high school years. I'm hugely proud of her. Possibly a little jealous. But I think she’ll understand.}

Today I’m doing my best to recover from my unfortunate slip in strength and good sense. So far, so good. True. It's barely past noon here in North Central Texas. I can only hope and pray this confession will be good for my soul. And scales. That tonight I get in bed not angry at myself, but proud.

Y’all have a Sweet Saturday—full of happiness, joy, fun, laughter and, what the heck, maybe even a few sprinkles of sugar—Wherever in the World you are…

Thursday, October 10, 2019

We’re Famous!

From October 4, 2012:

Look what ELC just discovered whilst browsing the "Winter 2012" Garnet Hill catalogue:


We're over pumpkins.  We've moved on to Christmas!

P.S. Just kiddin' about the pumpkins.  We LOVE 'em.


Sunday, October 6, 2019

100

From October 16, 2011:

How much one or both of us weighs now? The total number of cupcakes the two of us would like to eat in a month? The number of Louboutins TLC owns? How many pints of non-fat greek yogurt the two of us have consumed in the past three months? (No. Yes. Ha—funny. Probably.)

This is our one-hundredth post. 100. Ciento. Honderd. Centum. Mia moja. Hundra. Cent. Hundert. Isang daang. Sto.

We don’t know about y’all, but we find this incredible. We thought sixty was a lot. Eighty = Really? With the speed of passing hours, days, weeks, and months, time has zoomed by, causing us to be amazed at where we find ourselves today. Now. At this moment. It sort of tickles us that we’re still attempting to keep up these shenanigans. That we continue loving to work together—as a team. Team Leighton. Tee Hee Hee. We’ve actually been quite surprised at the lack of conflict and crankiness between us. (We’d venture to guess our Hubbies are equally shocked.)

We want to thank everyone who has told us they’ve enjoyed our bantering/thoughts/observations/memories/cRaZiNeSs. We hand-counted—took us one hundred non-stop hours—and there are ONEHUNDRED ZILLION blogs/websites out there to entertain/educate/challenge us all. Exactly that many. Trust us. For those of you who have loyally stuck with us—week after week—from not only Texas and California and other equally fabulous places in the U. S. of A., but also from several countries around the World—we want you to know how much we deeply appreciate YOUR time and interest. Consider yourselves officially HUGGED.

We especially send out heartfelt gratitude—through cyber-space—to Autumn and Kacy. For their funny/sweet/clever comments/encouragement! Y’all ROCK. We hope you’ll always remember how much we adore you! 

Stay tuned… We’re pretty sure we have at least one hundred more posts in us! Maybe one thousand. (Oops, we can sense that really scared y’all. Sorry.) We’ve got some tricks up our sleeves we hope will give y’all a giggle or two. Or, at the very least, make y’all smile. As we keep skippin’ down our own paths, we think we need as many giggles as we each can find.

Cheers and Merci, doux amis! Grazie, amici Dolce. Obrigado, Amigos Doce. Diolch i chi, Sweet Ffrindian. Gracias, amigos Dulce. Dankie, Sweet Vriende. Hvala, slathke prijatelji. Tirima kasih, Teman Manis.

Cheers and Thank You, Sweet Friends!

p.s. We Heart The Texas RangersWow!!
American League Champs! Next Stop: 
The World Series. YIPPEE!!!

Thursday, October 3, 2019

...rewind...

So—it’s October. TLC’s second favourite month after December. July (Little Leighton’s birth month), March (Elle’s and Grammy’s birth month and TLC’s wedding month) and February (TLC’s birth month) would all be, I suspect, actually tied with December. But, Lawdy, TLC LOVES her some October, Y’all.

After almost nine years of blogging, I told her I thought it was time to recycle some past October posts. Because there seems to be little hope of writing anything new. Original. Fresh. In terms of all things Fall and, well, you know, pumpkin/pumpkins.

I’ll start Sunday—so stay tuned...

And have a WONDERFUL weekend!

ELC

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

October FIRST!

Y’all know we love the quotes we find on Pinterest.


Happy day!

Monday, September 30, 2019

little leightons’ fav #7

Y’all. It’s the last day of September. WHAT? It’s also 90 degrees here (though it feels like 98 degrees). If it doesn’t start to cool down soon, I swear I’m moving. I’m tired of sweating in my flannel (albeit lightweight), while I drink my PSL. It’s just ridiculous. (Or maybe I’m ridiculous? Who knows? The heat exhausts me.)

It’s been a bit since I wrote a fun list. Y’all know I love a good list! Since we’re currently sharing My Little Ladies’ Favourites, I thought I would document all of their current random must-haves.


Up first: Little Leighton!

1. Favourite Show? Hallmark Movies! Yes, y’all. She ADORES them. Nothing brings me more joy! We currently watch them on Saturday mornings before everyone else gets up (because, God bless her, LL wakes up before the crack of dawn). I drink my coffee. She eats her Lucky Charms in a bowl. It’s delightful.
2. Favourite Color? Purple, though she would also add pink and teal, too.
3. Favourite Toy? LEGOS!
4. Favourite School Subject? Art, with theater a very close second place!
5. Favourite New Trick? Tying her shoes!
6. Favourite Clothes? SKIRTS. A skirt layered over leggings is absolutely mandatory. Every. Single. Day.
7. Favourite Thing To Do Outside? Scooter!
8. Favourite Stuffed Animal? Hallmark, the Bear, from Grammy’s house. (See #1 above.) Lola the Lion (that I purchased before she was born). Fuzzy, the Beanie Boo that shares her birthday. (He was originally named Gatsby.) Glamour, her OG Beanie. Glamour will always make the list.
9. Favourite Thing To Pretend? Grocery Store at Grammy’s!



Elle’s Turn!

1. Favourite Show? Peg + Cat
2. Favourite Color? PINK! She loves all shades of pink!
3. Favourite Toy? Her dollhouse, which is actually a hand-me-down from LL. She plays with it everyday. Word on the street is, Santa might be bringing her a “big girl dollhouse” this year!
4. Favourite “School” Subject? Music! She LOVES music.
5. Favourite Book? The “Amelia Bedelia” Early Readers. She wants to read them every night!
6. Favourite Food? Cucumbers and Fruit Chews. (Not necessarily in that order.)
7. Favourite Lovey? Her “DD.” It’s half-blankie/half-bunny. DD is almost always in her little hands.
8. Favourite Thing To Do at Grammy’s? Playing with the rocks outside.
9. Favourite Animal? A penguin!

Cheers to September! Hello, October!

Thursday, September 26, 2019

little leightons’ fav #6!

So ALL Leightons—and Elle—ADORE ice cream! Alot of ice cream is inherently gluten free. But, of course, this family MUST have ice cream specifically labelled gluten-free. No guessing. If a container is not labelled? But we think the ingredients seem to all be GF? We go to websites or make phone calls.

Haagen Das? Many MANY flavors of this DELICIOUS ice cream are gluten-free. And labelled that way. This Grammy found these teeny containers a few weeks ago! They’re in front of a pint of Haagen Das. To give you context of size. Have they been around awhile? Probably. New to me! And TLC.


Little Leighton and Elle? These make them truly happy. We start by letting them eat about a third of the container and THEN we add whipped cream. Chocolate syrup. Sprinkles!

They’ll be coming Saturday to spend the day with me and Pa-Pa and they’ll be super excited when they find out these will be their afternoon snacks.

Happy Friday Jr.! (Have some ice cream. Soon. It’s good for our souls. Winky. Wink.)

ELC

Friday, September 20, 2019

little leightons’ fav #5!

These. Books. (There’s actually at least one other. About a hamster. I currently have no clue where it is or if I still have it. When I bought it, I didn’t “preview” it before reading it. I dove in to it with Little Leighton—cold turkey—one sleepover-with-Grammy-and-Pa-Pa-night when she was about four years old. I confessed to TLC later that I should have checked it out first. I feel that that one is more appropriate for an older child. Maybe eight or nine years old. Just my humble opinion. There’s a really mean cat. FUNNY. But, still...I think it’d be easier for an older child to see the point of the cat.)


These are HILARIOUS. With stories that are teaching life lessons in a CLEVER and hugely humorous way. 

A very dear friend of ours originally gifted Little Leighton with the goldfish book. Her two precious sons loved it. Then we discovered there was one about a parrot and the hamster story. 

We all love the goldfish book THE BEST. The parrot is truly CUTE, too. 

The illustrations are beautiful. 

These would be GREAT birthday gifts. Individually or as a pair. For children around two and older. 

It’s FriYAY! Been a pretty brutal week in my life. Long story. (Actually a brutal three months. I’ll share with Y’all what’s been happening soon. October. Ish.) 

In the meantime—ENJOY the weekend! Read! READ to a child! LAUGH! Be grateful for God’s blessings...

Hugs!
ELC

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

little leightons’ fav #4!

Today, I’m sharing FOUR of my girls’ most favourite items from Trader Joe’s! (They are, obviously, all gluten-free!)


First up—Little Leighton LOVES these tortilla chips. They have a hint of lime and pair perfectly with guacamole.

Second—The TJ’s version of “Pirate’s Booty.” We ALL actually prefer this to the name-brand. It’s puffier and cheesier!

Third—These taco shells ROCK. Bonus? They’re only $2!!! Bake them in the oven, versus microwaving. They are legitimately so delicious.

Fourth—STOCK UP. I literally just bought FOUR boxes of this GF Pumpkin Muffin Mix. Both of my girls LOVE muffins for breakfast. If we ever had a lot of leftovers, I would freeze them. They are so quick and easy to heat up before school.

Y’all know Trader Joe’s can be hit or miss for me. What I love? I LOVE. I especially love TJ’s during the FALL, though. It’s MY most favourite.

Happy Tuesday, Friends!

Thursday, September 12, 2019

little leightons’ fav #3!

I’d first like to comment on TLC’s last post. When I first started reading it, I wanted to call her and tell her she got an “F” on this assignment. This month is to be The Little Princesses’ Favs. Not hers. But as I read it, I remembered that Little Leighton and Elle have both told me they really like that spray. They actually asked me, the last time they spent the night with us, why I didn’t have any of it at our casa. So I calmed down and knew TLC had presented the “fav” accurately.

Also, I immediately recognized the fact that she’s transitioned from calling Baby Belle to Elle. And I’m still saying Belle. For Baby Elle. Elle is My Sweet Hubby’s and my youngest grandchild. Of seven. I’ll try to switch to Elle. (I think I’ve done it in past posts. I’m not consistent. I’m 65. It’s part of aging. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.) After today? I can make no promises. She's THE BABY!!!

Now their Fav #3!


This game is SO MUCH FUN. Elle loves Olaf. She’d been seeing a picture of this game for several months when we played the Princess Cupcake game. Grammy finally got Mom TLC to order it for my house a few weeks ago. 

This is another game that says 3+. Elle mostly loved the little Beanie Olaf you hide. The actual game? Notsomuch. But I LOVED IT!

I CAN’T WAIT to play it with Little Leighton this weekend! She and Elle are spending Saturday night. She is going to ADORE it!

Happy Friday Eve, Friends EVERYWHERE!

Be safe. Be happy. Be kind. Put up your cells. Turn off your iPads and the TV and PLAY A GAME!

Hugs,
ELC