Facial Time

Brandy is giving facials to all in need. Ruben and Brady are getting one daily now.
While letting his mask set, Ruben got an arm massage and a leg massage.

Ruben will admit, his skin has never looked better and his stress level is way down.

My New Toy

This is my new toy. It's the Bissel Sweep and Steam (something like that). I tried it out yesterday. The vacuum works pretty good, it just doesn't get the corners and the edges really good. The steam options is great. It works better on the hardwood than the tile because of the grout lines. I just to hate my hardwood, but after using this little machine yesterday and today I have changed my mind. My hardwood looks great.
Say hello to my little friend.

Shots in the Dark

We were on our way to the other house to help the kids set up for the camp out. We flashed some pictures in the dark truck. They turned out really cool considering that we had no idea what we were taking pictures of.
This is what one looks like at ten at night after having been up since 4:30 and working like a borrowed mule all day. Scary!

Brady and Ruben are too cool to act silly with the rest of us.

Elias was along for the fun too.

Wedding Dinner Party

I hosted a little dinner party to celebrate Dustin and Megan Dyke's wedding. They were married on Tuesday, October 5. Being a mid-week event, they did not have the opportunity to celebrate, as they both had to work the next day. Here are a few photos of the party. Above is the cake I had made. I decided that sense my house is completely decorated in fall colors, that white and silver wedding colors would not work. I went with a half sheet cake with an 8 inch round on top. We wrapped up the round cake for them to put in the freezer for their 1st anniversary.
Cutting the cake. They were so surprised that we had a cake for them. These pictures are adorable.

They promised not to push it into each other's face.

I set up a table in my entry way to decorate in a theme for them. It is hard to believe, but I managed to decorate a for a wedding dinner party with pumpkins to coordinate with my other decorations. I found creamy white pumpkins on sale at Micheals (and I had a great coupon I had been saving) and with a little imagination, we had success. The table decorations were also their gifts.

I threw this little tower together with a 90 cent pot from the Dollar General, some spray paint from the garage, and some ribbon that Lou had in her closet. Total price, less than $4.

The plate in the middle is just a Dollar Store plate, on a Dollar Store plate stand. I wrote "Congratulations to Dustin and Megan" with their wedding date on it in dry erase marker. I added ribbon to the pumpkins. Three cream colored candles, 30 cent each. The "LOVE" wall hanging and the items behind it in coordinating colors (a large bowl, dish towels, oven mitts, leather photo album) were for the wedding couple. I got all their gifts at Hobby Lobby at 50% off and I had a coupon.

I love having parties and I love decorating on a budget.

After dinner and dessert we all went over to our other house for a huge bonfire and more fun.

Scarecrow Season

It's time for the Scarecrows to come out of the attic. I have been collecting scarecrows for about six years. I have no idea why I started, but I can't seem to stop. I love them. I usually bring them out the first day of September and they don't retire to the attic until the day after Thanksgiving. Here are just a few of them (I think I have over 50).
Actually, these two pictures are not scarecrows (obviously), but I made these things the other night when I was bored. I don't really like the way they turned out, so next time I get bored, I will take them apart and try again.

I'm really disappointed in this project. I was tired and rushing myself. I should have waited until another day to attempt to make this. I will fix it, eventually.

This is hanging in the dining room. I got this at Hobby Lobby.

This fellow is on the front porch in my rocker. Just a note of information, I bought this rocker used 20 years ago. I used it to rock all my babies to sleep. It's still in great condition, even with a few chew marks on the rockers from puppies we have had.

Front entry table.

I am so proud of this fellow. He is new this year and was a gift from three very thoughtful young men. Elias, Robert, and Bradley bought him for me because they thought I deserved something nice done for me because they said, "You are always so nice to everyone else and never do anything for yourself." I was so moved by their generosity and thoughtfulness. There are very few teenagers who would use their money to do something like this for an old mom like me.

Front porch.

Front porch.

Kitchen counter.

This is actually a portion of my bar area. The entire bar is decorated with leaves, sunflowers, pumpkins, scarecrows, candles, and this year I added a string of orange lights that Ruben bought for me from the Dollar General. The lights really put the display over the top.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few of my scarecrows. I could not even begin to post all the pictures. My favorite area of decorations is over the cabinets in the kitchen, but it is impossible to get a good photo, I tried.

Pumpkin Bread

Last night I made pumpkin bread for the first time in my life. I decided at ten to start making it, by the time I had finished, there was no one awake to taste it for me.
I took two loaves to my Seminary students this morning, they LOVED it. I call them my "little crash test dummies, only cuter because they're not made of plastic". I try out all my new recipes on them for two reasons. 1. My kids are food cowards. 2. My Seminary kids will eat anything.
They gobbled up both loaves along with cups of hot chocolate. That's right people, it was under seventy degrees in east Texas this morning, we needed hot beverages to get us moving.

Ghetto

What else can be said, but ghetto. Yes, we just bought this house. Its a project. It will eventually be nice, after a lot of $$ and a lot of work. I don't know if I'm trying to convince y'all or myself. Nah, just kidding, it will be great one day. Maybe next spring I will be able to show you some real progress photos.
We have gutted the entire house. It is completely empty. We are starting on the littlest bathroom and moving out from there.

We have done a good amount of work on the outside for the horses. They are loving their ten acres of freedom and grazing. This house is surrounded by 100,000 acres of National Forest so that means unlimited riding and hunting.

Who Dat?

You know what's cool about this time of year?
Fake facial hair is available at most stores.

And it looks good on everyone.

Right?

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 3/10

These pictures are from the spring and now it's fall. What does that say about me? Well here are the Rodeo pictures from this year. We saw Jason Aldean and Brooks and Dunn (their last show as a duo).
Brady only passed out once this year. Once she goes down, the only thing to get her going again is large quantities of food and water. She recovered and we went on shopping and eating, while we waited for the rodeo and concert to begin.

Brandy actually went to the Rodeo five times this year. I can't remember everyone she saw. She had a blast with her friends and she had awesome seats every night.

This was at the end of a rainy, cold day. It was said to be the wettest, coldest day in HLSR history BUT on that same day an attendance record was set. The Houston Rodeo is the greatest rodeo on the planet. If you have not attending this event, put it on your bucket list. There is so much to do there. There is a carnival, FOOD, shopping, the rodeo each night and an entertainer. There is an education center and tons of animals and farm equipment on display.

Whiskey River Willie

This is Willie, aka Big Daddy. In about six months he will be our stud dog for Babe. He is a Catahoula Cur and Babe is a Texas Blue Lacy Cur. They are going to throw some great pups.

For those of you who do not know what a Cur dog is, I will provide you with a little information.

History of the Southern Cur Dog

The Cur dog is one of the few working breeds that originates right here in the United States. Most breeds of Cur dog date back to the pioneer times and were used to put food on the table, guard family and lifestock and announce approaching strangers. A pioneer family's Cur dog played a huge role in their life and often times determined whether a family was successful in surviving the harshness of the wild frontiers. A dog had to provide for his family and could not be a liability or it may become dinner. Today, Cur dogs work cattle and guard livestock, are used to hunt wild hogs (yes, for those not from Texas, we have a huge wild hog problem in this state as well as neighboring Louisiana and Mississippi), they are used to track a blood trail, they guard property and homes, and keep a secure watch over their families.
I can confirm that these dogs are beasts. Though they may look unassuming, never underestimate one. The average male cur gets to be around fifty pounds and doesn't look like much, but these dogs are working animals and they do work. Babe is only six months old, and when I am home alone she will not leave my side. When it gets dark she goes out to the front porch to stand her post until Bradley comes home to relieve her of her watch. Willie is only seven weeks and he is already possesive of us and is looking for a scent to track. These dogs are awesome and are just another reminder that things are still better in the south. Now, go get a hog, y'all

White Trash Party

Brandy had a "White Trash" party to attend. We dressed her "trashy" and she teased that hair and applied as much make up as possible. Apparently we just don't know what's really trashy and what's not because everyone thought she was not in costume, but that she was "beautiful", really people.

The funny thing is that I found this hideous Ed Hardy tshirt, brand new at a second hand shop for eight dollars, and she was actually complimented on it. What is the world coming to when this look is considered attractive? She was floored by people's positive reactions.

Another party guest came in cut offs and a tank top with a pool float under her shirt and a unlit cigerette in her mouth. Her boyfriend looked like a mullet headed Larry the Cable Guy...they were the "best" dressed.

Facial Time

Brandy always need practice "dummies".
We are always willing to help her out.

Facials, massages, pedicures, it's all for Brandy...we get nothing from it personally.

All dressed up for Brandy's College Graduation

Brady Lou and Ruben.
Ruben and Bradley. It's Dr. Pepper y'all, chill out.

Big Bro and Lil Sis.

Last Lake Day of the Summer

Y'all don't laugh. Yes, that is me on the jet ski. I'm a pro.
Bradley loved it, of course.

Brady Lou and Ruben.

Ruben on the way to the lake with his Fritos and Bean Dip.

Brandy is so excited to get out of the house and on the water.