A Weekend Visit
This past weekend was Jim's family reunion. Being overwhelmed with graduation parties {all of which we were delighted to be invited to} we reluctantly had to opt out of the reunion. Also, in all honesty, we don't know many of Jim's cousins and their children and grandchildren. Anyway, in spite of that, Jim's cousin Gary came in from Indiana and spent Friday night with us. Now, as some of you may know, Jim and I grew up on the same street. My sister-in-law Bonnie also grew up on our street. Weird, isn't it? It's not quite as bad as marrying your cousin, but runs a close second. But I digress. Gary and his brother Tom, along with their parents, Uncle Henry and Aunt Geraldine came to Austin to visit for a week every summer. Thus, I knew Tom and Gary too. Sadly, Tom passed away, as have Uncle Henry and just this spring, Aunt Geraldine. We had spent some time with Gary and Aunt Geraldine a couple of years back on our way to Vegas.
Aunt Geraldine at age 87
The four of us
We had a perfectly delightful time with Gary. He is a vegetarian -which we definitely are not. Jim grilled two beautiful portobella mushrooms for him and a steak for us to split {Yay Weight Watchers}. We sat on the porch until late in the evening enjoying libations {Oh Cheryl, I LOVE that word}. He didn't leave until about 11 on Saturday morning giving us even more time to reminisce.
The cousins
ADULT VBS
I think I mentioned previously that we were having adult VBS at our church this week. What a blessing it was. The guest teacher, a professor at a local seminary, taught on "The sermon on the mount". I have heard the beatitudes explained, I memorized them in Sunday School and have read them hundreds of times in my own devotions. Never before have I had such an understanding of them as this week. It was great. We met Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. We prayed, sang, studied and ate. Who could ask for anything more?
Here's Judy creating a ruckus!
Doug Teaching
Enjoying food and fellowship
It was a wonderful few days of learning and fellowshipping. BTW, Judy NEVER creates a ruckus. She is one of the dearest sisters in Christ one could ask for.
STAMPIN' UP
This morning after coffee with my dear Loser Housewives, it was off to our monthly stamping workshop. What fun that is. For one thing, I learn new methods of stamping. For another, I get the urge to come home and stamp up a storm. Here is what we did today.
A double pocket card
Slider cards intimidate me I still have to figure out a way to cover up my goof on this one.
I really like this one
Now I need to buy chalk
I came home from stamping raring to go out and do something so Jim took me to lunch at one of our favorite little restaurants, The Corner. We had great salads and then went to Wal-Mart to buy a curtain rod and a curtain for our front door. More about that to follow.
I ended my afternoon by walking 2-1/2 miles and taking some pictures of my garden. I will leave you with these images.
"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations
I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty,
believe in them, and try to follow where they lead"
Louisa May Alcott
12 comments:
love this post! I haven't commented on the last few posts, but I have been reading. Limited time on the computer with all the craziness of life lately!
The pictures are great, family time is great, the cards are AWESOME and I'd love to see some creations using chalk!
:)
Hi and thanks for stopping by my blog. I am from Williamsport,PA (Lycoming County). About 100 miles from Troy,NY.
Thank Heavens for family :)
Pam, this post was FANTASTIC!!! SO much good stuff in it!!!
I just love the idea of the Adult VBS. I think that's wonderful! (I've been teaching at VBS this week too and it has a beach theme. And we have had Beach Be-Attitudes. Isn't that cute??)
I am SO glad you like the word "libations." Ever since our Savannah/Beaufort sojourn, Gary use it a lot and then laugh about it! Glad you will be using the word now! :-)
The visit from your Gary sounded wonderful, as did everything from your week.
(And oh, I LOVE the cards too!!)
I meant to say "Gary and I." (And I have to hands to type with!)
thanks for stopping by and saying hi! i enjoyed this post, and your flowers are beautiful!
Thanks for sharing this post. It's nice learning things about our fellow bloggers.
The Adult VBS is such a great idea.
Your cards are so pretty! I would love to learn to do something new. I would have to close myself in a room because I would have four little furry helpers. LOL Of course, I may find they're creative!
Hugs,
Diane
Quite an interesting post!!! I keep checking for new ones from you, but this week I have been so busy running to check on Buster and feed him in the afternoons, and then all my own things to do and get at the stores. Keeps me busy! Add to that my 2 jobs, and then on top of that my housecleaning I have to do every other day here cause of the cats! So I am behind in blog reading this week! I have been up all night working my way down through my blogroll!!!
Your cards and flowers are so pretty, Pam! I would love to learn stamping as that would seem like kind of a fast project to me, which I would need something quick to do or it would never get completed. LOL
Nice that Jim's cousin dropped by for a visit! We always loved having company from back home. The grillin' sounded delicious!!!
(((HUGS)))
Just me again replying to your comment on my blog.
A tattoo? WHERE? What is it?
I'm still up!!! Haven't been to bed yet! But I got through my entire list of blogs overnight!!! I have too many to read, and some post more than once or twice a week, too! I love reading them, but it does take time...a LOT of time!
Yes, I have had my hands full this Spring and Summer with everyone's sick cats, including my own Oliver. Everyone is doing well for now! Buster has to go back for Round 2 of chemo in 3 weeks, probably just 2 weeks now since he had his first round this past Monday. He has to have bloodwork this week, so that's up to me to do, too. I get tired but have to keep going!
I can't wait to bake in my new deep pie plate! Waiting til the next time my family can all get together for dinner as I could never eat a whole pie in a week's time even!
I just cropped the photo of Hannah and reposted it, and then I saw that you had just left a comment. She is so cute! They live as children should...ice cream, outside in their slide pool, squirting the water hose, black lab to protect them, just a great family! I think I am going up tomorrow to visit them, but Tara may be working, so I'm not sure yet. Should get some more pics for my next post, I hope!
Have a great weekend!
(((((( HUGS ))))))
You seem to have a lovely family and a beautiful garden. I enjoyed my visit.
Pam, what nice pictures of lovely shared times with family and church friends. I love my church friends as well. Your flowers are beautiful and what a great quote by Louisa May Alcott! Have a wonderful week!
Hugs,
Renie
Hi Pam! I have been catching up on your last few posts. This one was just plum full of goodies to read about!
We have had adult VBS at our church too. It's lots of fun and we learn soooooo much! We had 125 kids in our youth VBS this year, that's a lot for our small church and we have it at night as there are so many working during the day there aren't enough workers for a day time one. Did that make sense?
Your stamping projects are wonderful! I do scrapbooking and love doing anything with paper. I have a lot of stamps but need to take some classes to really make use of them. I should do a post on some of my scrapbook pages.
Are those hollyhocks? I have been trying to get some going but they have jumped all over the garden instead of staying where they are supposed to be! lol! I just let them grow where they want. My original plants didn't come up again but evidently the seeds scattered and those are coming up. My mother had hollyhocks when we were kids so I have always liked them.
Thanks for several great posts!!!!
awww. Looks like you had a wonderful vsit and fun at Adult VBS..
Great pictures too..
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