This Girl

Today this girl turns two.   my granddaughter MaryElla...

This is how she looks at me and runs toward me...absolutely melts my heart...

 With 3 brothers, she has to love soccer...

 Probably my all time favorite of her..captures her personality so well....she's playful and confident..

She looks to the future fearlessly.surrounded by family that loves her..

And she will one day do great things..this granddaughter of mine...oh how I waited and waited to have you in my life.....

Happy Happy Birthday my sweet girl. May you always be as beautiful and confident and fearless as you are now.

And may you  love our God all the days of your life...

You are truly a blessing beyond words..

the desire of my heart...

I love you, Honey

When Gentleness Rules

I have heard the saying that dogs can sense a person's spirit and react accordingly....We have a herd of 5 Australian shepherds..the oldest is Bonnie at 11 1/2 years old..  She has pretty much been running from my grandsons since they were born...for more than 7 years...

Yesterday, as my granddaughter played near the Christmas tree, Bonnie was near by...and never made a run for it...

As you can see in this sequence of pictures, Bonnie has made a new friend..a very gentle one.MaryElla..

I was so surprised as Bonnie just lay there while MaryElla wallowed all over her...there is definitely a different spirit about this lovely girl....she is a GIRL!  and boy are they different from boys..  LOL

This is my very favorite...ME just completely laid down and Bonnie just let her ..for a few minutes..this picture makes my heart glad...my two girls....I love them both dearly.....

  MaryElla with her little mirror....amazed at her reflection..did I say I adore this tiny girl?

Gotta start that makeup young...

I hope you all are having a Merry Christmas...Now that all of the preparations are done and our family dinner is over, I can focus on the meaning of Christmas..  and the extreme business of the last few weeks has subsided...we are now returning to a semblance of normal.....

Christmas Eve service at our church...
Two visits with children and grandchildren on Christmas Day...
Then the quietness of our home on Christmas night....

Yes, I love Christmas and this year is a very FULL and joyous one...I am so very thankful to God for all He has done for us....

Love, Mona

My Granddaughter

Today is my precious granddaughter's first birthday.  She was the answer to many of my prayers as she was born into a world of lots of (5) grandsons...She is our one and only girl and she is adored...

She was so excited to get to this piece of cake and Honey was trying so hard to get a picture.LOL  and this is our compromise....

I am so thankful for this girl...She reminds me so much of the wonderful relationship I had with my own grandmother, Mamama.. I find myself many times feeling just like her.  Now I know how much she loved and adored me because I feel the same way about MaryElla...It is grand to be a grandmother...

I had just about overdosed on blue when she came along and breathed a breath of fresh pink air into my world...My daughter's daughter......

Happy Birthday my sweet MaryElla..

You are much loved..

Love, 

Honey

Marvelous MaryElla and the cashmere blanket

My gorgeous and marvelous granddaughter came to visit this weekend...Have I told you that I am in love?

 She was deep in conversation with her Mama.....a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e  she was making all of us laugh out loud....


I finally made her a cashmere blanket from upcycled sweaters...I have been working on it for years.. but now I have a muse...MaryElla...... and that makes sewing easier..

One of the reasons she is so special to me is that I had resigned myself to only having grandsons..and getting a granddaughter after 3 boys..well, pretty darn amazing to me!  and my son has 2 stepsons now so that means she is the lone girl in the midst of 5 boys...

I promise to try NOT to spoil her or to shower her with more girly things than she can imagine...grin..wink, wink

Most definitely 'getting my girl on'  lately..Yes, indeed.  it is nice to have a granddaughter...

I hope you enjoyed my precious girl and her new blanket..  now, what can I make next?

Welcome November

Whew...these past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity....I am finally slowing down to catch my breath before entering the busiest time of the year...preparing for Thanksgiving at our house...it is my favorite holiday based on a life of thankfulness...I have a lot to be thankful for and I like to celebrate that in a big way every November...I spent one day this week sorting through china and crystal and the beginnings of getting ready for the big day....I love my china...my sweet husband bought it for me a few years ago..it is rather hard to find and I look all year long for new pieces to add to it. The name is Historic America by Johnson Brothers...my Mama had a set of it that we used for Thanksgiving and Christmas..and I wanted to carry on the tradition so we bought a a huge platter and 12 plates several years ago and the collection started for us....and I do love to start a collection..LOL

 The thanksgiving cactus is beginning to bud..another sure sign that fall and November is here..

I just love this time of year.......it refreshes me...and reminds me to be thankful.....

and last month, I became grandmother to a sweet baby girl..after 3 boys...she is a welcome addition to my life...
and here is what I spent a lot of time doing instead of writing my blog......such love..I now understand my Grandmother's love for me....just wish she were still here to see this baby girl....

I am so thankful for you my readers....Please come again soon.....

I am always surprised and so encouraged to see how many of you visit here.....

THANK YOU!

Mona

MaryElla

It seems like I have been missing from blogland for a while.  I have a new grandbaby born this week......My first granddaughter after 3 boys....and I am in heaven...and in love..she is adorable and beautiful and healthy and every other good thing you can think of.......

Honey and MaryElla

wide eyed newborn

on her way home

MaryElla Grace was born  10-11-12.......9lbs 12oz...21 1/2 in long

longed for, prayed for, absolutely adored by all of us

Surely, my cup runneth over.

thank you for stopping by today

I hope to see you again soon

Mona (Honey)

proud grandmother to 3 boys and 1 girl

Almost There

 From where I sit, I can see October......it begins in just a few days....where has this year gone?  it has passed so quickly......this is a grand birthday month in our family......My husband and I both have grandmother's born in October....we went on our first date in this lovely month.......

BUT.......

the BEST thing about this month.......my first granddaughter will arrive...and I can hold her in my arms and see her sweet face......and the three generations of women living on this earth will be once again......yes, indeed a grand wonderful women filled month is right on the horizon.....

Jerusalem artichokes

Confederate Rose

the same Confederate Rose--day two

Confederate Rose is a wonderful old fashioned flower that I got from my grandmother whom I called  Mamama  every October she is full of blooms.....beautiful....large plant...

goldenrod

chrysanthemum buds

holly berries turning

I love outside in the fall...the colors are breathtaking to me....I met my husband in the fall and it contains many great memories for us.......

These are just a few of my favorite things...

mountains

apples

warm fires

cozy cashmere blankets

smell of cinnamon

brown transferware dishes

pecans, acorns, caramels

sweaters, boots, and jeans

beautiful fall foliage

What does fall mean to you?  

thank you for stopping by today and I hope to see you again soon...Happy fall weekend to you...

Mona