A Visit From Grandma!

Had nice visit with Steve's Mom this past week. She rode her motorcycle all the way from South Carolina to visit! Now that's quite a long ride anyway, but I bet it was REALLY long on a bike! Anyway, it was so nice to see her and spend some with her! It just doesn't happen often enough!

It's been a while since Judy has seen Jordan. I think he is taller than she is!

Steve and his Momma

Bryson with her Mawmaw

Kisses and love from Grandma!

All 3 kids with Mawmaw.

Mawmaw and Dusty

Bo Pics!

Had a few people ask me if I had any new pics of Bo after I talked about how big he is getting. Just so happens that I do have a few pictures. He's getting huge! Doesn't even look like that cute little puppy Steve brought home. He's such a good boy and fitting in with us very well!

Kinda looks like a devil dog here!

Bo and Jordy

Not too big to be picked up and hugged by daddy!

Has Anyone Seen This Little Girl?

Bryson Renee 1 year old

Dishes are fun!

Bryson and Uncle Trevor in 1994

I'm not sure how this happened. It really does seem like yesterday that I was taking Bryson to get her 1st year pictures taken! In fact, I had to go twice. The first time, she would not cooperate at all. So, I had to take her back the next day. We got exactly 1 picture out of her that time! Which really turned out well for me, because I got an adorable shot and didn't have to choose between 10 different adorable shots and end up paying a fortune because I just couldn't decide which one to buy! On the 4th of July, my little firecracker baby turned 15! Yes, I just said 15! She still has those beautiful blue eyes. But the blonde hair is gone. It turned dark blonde on its own, then Bry decided to dye it red. Bryson started the week off at Hanging Rock Christian camp. She was there from Sunday until the 3rd. It was actually her 2nd time there this year. She had gone the week before from Sunday-Tuesday to be a counselor for 3-4 graders. Anyway, she LOVES camp. She met some friends a few years back and they keep in touch by phone and computer and go to each others house from time to time. They live about an hour away. So, they always plan on going to camp at the same time. This year, her friend Jack that goes to her school also went. When Steve and I took her to camp, she was walking along beside us and we heard a shriek and she took off running into the arms of her friends. We were literally left in a cloud of dust! It's crazy because the first few years I took her, she clung to me until the last possible moment before I left. Now, all we are good for is carrying her luggage to her dorm! LOL! I picked her up the day before her birthday. As usual, she was exhausted, but not at all ready to come home. She had a pretty good birthday. It rained-a lot! So, we were all a little disappointed about that. Steve and I got her a ticket to the Vans Warped Tour concert that is on the 7th. It took some convincing to get her dad to let her go, but he finally agreed. So, on her birthday we met Mom, Ricky and Johnny in Lafayette, so Mom could let Bry pick out something for her birthday and so Bry could spend some of her birthday money. Most of her birthday money and the money she made working at the concession stands this summer, she is saving to take to the concert tomorrow. Anyway, our first stop was at Gordman's, Bryson's favorite store in the whole wide world! We were there for what seemed like forever, but she finally made her selection! Purple skinny jeans, 2 shirts, and 2 pair of neon knee-high socks. All for about $35! My girl knows how to shop. We then went next door to Famous Footwear so she could look at shoes. There she ended up with a pair of high top Converse Chuck Taylor's that were black and looked like they been written on with sidewalk chalk. They were half off, so she only spent $25! Next, we went to Sam's Club so we could buy fireworks for Steve to set off later that night. The big boy has to have his toys too! She chose to eat Texas Roadhouse on the condition that we did not tell them it was her birthday, because she didn't want anyone to sing to her! I thought we were heading home next, but she conned me into stopping at JC Penney's. She went straight to the clearance racks. There she ended up with a red pair of skinny jeans and 3 shirts. For only $29! I tell you after her last shopping trip and this one, her back to school wardrobe is looking pretty good! But if I know her, she'll con her way out of more stuff when it's back to school time. She knows all she has to do is bat those big eyes and flash a pretty smile and we're all mush in her hands! I am so thankful for this wonderful girl of mine. She is so unlike most teenage girls. She is so respectful, kind and compassionate. She's the kid that the adults know they can count on. I could brag for days on her. I don't how we ended up so lucky. All I know is, my little blonde haired, blue eyed baby girl has turned into quite a spectacular young lady!

Bryson with her friends Brooke and Nikole at camp

Bryson with Nikole, Brooke and Jack at camp.

Bryson on her 15th birthday holding her concert ticket for the Vans Warped Tour.

Bry, Jordan and Ricky at Texas Roadhouse

Happy Birthday, Bry!

Bryson and Megan at Rick and Sandy's for a 4th of July cookout and fireworks.

Hanging out drawing, oblivious to mess around her!

Bryson b-day purchases. 2 pairs of jeans, 5 shirts, 2 pairs of socks, 1 pair of shoes, all for about $90! I have a savvy little shopper.

Happy Birthday Memaw!

My Memaw was one of a kind! She wasn't the pie and cookie baking kind of grandma. Instead, you would probably find her at the Thanksgiving table telling a dirty joke! Her loud cackle could be heard across the whole house!She wasn't the huggy, lovey kind of grandma. So, how did I know she loved me? Maybe it was the way she spanked my butt all the way from the road to the house when I was about 4 and decided that playing in the road would be fun. At the time, I thought she was being mean, but now that I'm a mom I realize that I scared her half to death! Or maybe it because she knew how much I loved her beef and noodles and baked beans, so she made that meal everytime I came to visit. I don't know what she did to those baked beans, but they were awesome! Poor Mom tries to get hers like Memaw's, but they are never the same. Very good, but just not like Memaw's! Or maybe it was because no matter how much she despised the Superbowl Shuffle, she let Travis, Trevor and I listen to it the every time it came on the radio when we were going to Michigan. And at that time, that song was played constantly! Or maybe it was the fact that she never had much money, but each and every one of her kids and grandkids had a gift under the Christmas tree. She would start shopping the day after Christmas for the next year. Some of my very favorite gifts came from her. She got me the western Barbie and Ken that had a little stamper that made lip prints. And this past week after Michael Jackson died, I was reminded that she bought me the super cool parachute pants that I longed for. When I got to be a teenager, I collected Christmas bears every year. I always knew she would get me my bear. My very favorite gift though, was the afghan she made for me. I think she made us all afghans that year. I pull that afghan out on cold winter nights and snuggle up in it. I always think of her when I get it out. It's a way of always keeping her with me. I always loved her Christmas tree. She always had those silver icicle things on her tree. And all her gifts had the ribbons that you curl with scissors. I remember going Christmas shopping in Lafayette with her. We sang Christmas carols all the way up there. Winter Wonderland was our favorite. We both sang at the top of our lungs. I'm sure we sounded like 2 howling dogs, but we had fun. When my birthday came around, I always knew there would be a card in the mail from her. It always had $5 and a long newsy letter about what she had been up to, what the weather was like. I think that's when it actually sunk in that she was gone. In 1998 when my birthday came around and there was no card. That nearly broke my heart. I loved Memaw with all my heart. I wish she were here today so my kids could know her. I know she would be proud of them. She would have been 80 years old today. And she would probably still be beating Grandpa Tom at Scrabble! He didn't have a chance against her! LOL! I could go on and on, but I have way too many memories and there just really aren't enough words to tell you how much I miss her. Happy Birthday Memaw! I love and miss you!