Glory's Cookies

Glory surprised us with some homemade cookies this afternoon. She made them all by herself and even packaged them up so cute (as Mary always does for her cookie business). They were yummy, Glory!

July 4th Season

June 21 

The stand was delivered and UPS delivered the goods!

June 22
And so it began again....our hoopla building up to July 4th. Justin, Keelie, and the kiddos got in from their mission trip this evening. Jared, Jenna, and the kiddos came after Marlow's t-ball game this morning. Greg, Lisa, and the girls flew in this evening. Tim came over. We enjoyed our first meal (with stories and laughter) together. Marilyn and Rickie had a concert.

June 23
We had sandwiches at Marilyn's after church. The kids started sorting and stocking the stands. Jenna and Jared went back home and will return next weekend.

June 24
This was the first day that fireworks could be sold. Lisa flew home. Marilyn got to keep the girls all week while Greg worked.

June 25-27
North stand opened and had sales. The weather was great (meaning not HOT). This year two new twin mascots were added to the stand (thanks to Rickie). After two different "Name the Mascot" contests, "Bombshell Betty" and "Rocket Rhonda" proved to be fantastic additions to all the other props the north stand uses.

June 28 -30

Jenna and her clan were all back for not only the weekend but all the next week. Only Jared had to go back; he returned on Wednesday. Chad got to come through and spend the night. He had to go back home as Tara is due any time! The guys had a large private fireworks show Saturday night.

July 1-3

Sales and weather were great! All the kids enjoyed their "camp" with rhino rides, playing in the backyard little pool, smores, snacks, crafts, etc. Glory was a big help having her own craft time with the little ones that included cookie decorating and slime-making parties. Keelie took Marlow, Molly and Glory to Hagerman Wildlife Preserve for a picnic and nature time which was a hit, too. 

July 4
Marilyn and I cooked our 14th meal this evening for the clan. The guys had their three city shows tonight. 

As I always say....The last ten days were fun, busy, exhausting, and crazy at times. But what a blessing to have shared these days with ALL our family!

Can't wait for July 2020! 

Rick's Yearly MRI

We left bright and early this morning for UTSW. Rick had an 8:00 MRI, and then we saw Dr. Mickey at 10:00. We were so thankful and blessed with a good report; there was no sight of a tumor growing back.  The doctor is always sympathetic with Rick for having to deal with so much nerve-damage pain; he commends Rick in doing so probably better than most would. (We are grateful for his meds!) We will repeat the MRI in one year.

So thankful for the prayers of our family/church family!

Marlow and T-ball

Today, we finally got to see Marlow play T-ball. It was fun and entertaining to watch these three and four year old little girls and boys learn to play a fun game. More importantly, as Jenna says, it's great to give them the opportunity to listen to adults and follow instructions in a different setting.

 Jackson always supports big sis in his "uniform."

Our Memorable Trip to Maine and Canadian Maritime Provinces

Cheyrl, Marilyn, and I recently returned from a great girls' trip to the Northeast. We left DFW bright and early last Tuesday. We flew in to Bangor, Maine and picked up our rental car. It basically took us most of the day to get there as we had "three ups/downs" on our journey. (This is a little much for me and my motion sickness stuff, but I managed with some extra medicine.) We hit the ground running.

A few daily highlights for my journal...

Tuesday - drove by Stephen King's House after we picked up our car

Wednesday - Acadia National Park; Cadillac Mountain; Fresh Maine lobster meal; Lubec (the most eastern town in the United States); Schoodic National Scenic Byway; Canada by way of coast of New Brunswick

Thursday - Eight-mile Confederation Bridge over to Prince Edward Island; on the Island...Anne of Green Gables, Delvay-by-the-Sea; churches, bottle house; evening cookies and breakfast at a quaint bed and breakfast

(I did not take this photo! My eyes were shut.)

Friday - while on the Island took a morning loom knitting workshop with a local artist; lunch at PEI Preserve Co.; another workshop to make sea glass jewelry piece; purchased ice cream and sweatshirt at Peak's Wharf; left PEI and on to Nova Scotia

Saturday - Grand Pre, Nova Scotia (place of historical remembrance of the Acadian population and their dispersal from the area); drove to Luckett's Vineyard to make our call from the "Red Phone Booth;" Burntcoat Head Park (the highest tides in the world); walked the ocean floor

Sunday - Peggy's Cove; Mahone Bay; "Three Churches" on the Bay; Lunenburg Historic Walking Tour

Monday - Fundy Coast, New Brunswick, Magnetic Park (a crazy experience!); covered bridges of Sussex, St. Andrews Minister Island with the Van Horne Estate tour including driving the ocean floor to get there while the tide was low; Ganong Chocolatier Store

Yesterday, we turned our car in with our 1700-mile driving adventure logged. We returned home on an easier "two leg" flight. Let the planning begin for our next girls' trip!