Tag Archives: grandson

Family Time

Last weekend Brian (our oldest son), Lauren (his wife), and Liam (their son) came up to celebrate Michael and my niece’s birthdays. Michael wanted carrot cake, so of course, I obliged! :)

Brian frosted it for me and then added a bit of decoration to it, sprucing it up a bit.

It was pretty good. It was a THM S (healthy fats) dessert. I don’t remember where I got the recipe but it was online somewhere.


My niece likes the Shopkins real minis. She got two packages (like small mystery packs or grab bags). In one she got Boom Chicka Pop and Pringles sour cream and onion.

The other package had chocolate pudding pack and whipped cream can. I didn’t get a picture of the pudding but the whipped cream was adorable.

They are adorable! Thankfully, both packs were different and both included ones she really wanted. :)


Liam enjoyed being outside. Sean and Tiffany took him outside while we were at our house.

Tiffany and my niece took him out while at my parents.

It was a fun day. I was surprised how loud we were when we all arrived. I nearly had to shout to be heard. :D

My parents close on their old home next week so we’ll be going over and helping get the remaining things from there this weekend. It shouldn’t take terribly long and then it will be done and they can just enjoy settling into their new home just a few minutes from us. :)


I’ve finally gotten some reading done. I read the second in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry and am sad to say I didn’t enjoy it very much. I’m hoping the next one will be better.

I started Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and am really enjoying it sans the curse words. There isn’t so much that it is intolerable for me yet and I’m already halfway through it but it is definitely something to be aware of before you pick it up. I’m sure we’ll be talking about it on Joyous Jabbers soon since Tiffany plans to read it too.

I have to admit that it feels really good to be reading again and to be excited about it. I read the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt book on my Kindle Paperwhite and I am really enjoying reading on that device. It isn’t hard on the eyes like tablets and other devices can be. It’s a lot easier than reading on my phone. I read one of the books in the Stormlight Archive on my phone and that was not something I’d like to do again. ;)

Well, I’m going to go for now. I’m not sure what the day holds for me, probably some tangling since I’m a week behind on Inktober. :D

Until next time,

Michele ºÜº

Summer Birthday Celebration Weekend Fun

I got my grandson the Duplos, that Lauren put on his birthday list, when I ran errands a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, they were $7 more than what the price was on his list from the Walmart website. Ugh! But I got them anyway. When I talked to Lauren, I mentioned it and she said that it was a different price on site than in store, which made no sense to me. On the way home (Tiff was driving) I looked and it was even $2 less than that. So I ordered it from the site, had it delivered to the store, determined to return it the next week.

I have to tell you, my experience was NOT good. ;) Tiffany went on to begin gathering the items on our grocery list while I checked in and awaited the package the next week on errand day. I waited about 15 minutes or more and still hadn’t seen anyone.

Finally, I’d had it and asked the next employee walking by how long it should take and she started to look into it when another associate came over and said that they’ve been trying to get them on the phone, that something was wrong with it that day. Well, of course it was, because it was me! :D I’m the challenge wherever I go. :)

Within about a minute a heavyset guy came up to the area, went inside the door nearby and brought out my package. Well, unfortunately my tale does not stop there! I got home and a couple days later opened the box. Inside I found a box with a big crush on one side, completely crimped. I took pictures because I couldn’t believe that I’d returned a perfectly good box and got this one in return. Ugh!

 

 

 

 

Since I didn’t want another trip into town, I just went with it anyway. I never kept boxes so I don’t  think they will either, opting to put them in a bin for storage.

I then went online and found where to send feedback to the company. Of course I couldn’t tell the whole story because they limit you to a certain number of characters. :p Well, Monday morning I got a call from my store’s manager. 8) He wanted to make it right but couldn’t because I’d already given the gift.

He did tell me though that if the situation ever arises again where the price is cheaper on their site (from them, not a third party) that they will comp ad it at the register but of course, they’ll have to get a manager to approve it. So that is nice to know because it happens more often than you’d think.

While I was on the phone I decided to voice my frustration with the lack of cart return thingy on the end parking aisle and was told that although they’ve ordered two new ones to replace the two that got taken out by a storm a few months ago, they won’t be receiving them until the remodel next April. So! Our Walmart will be getting remodeled next spring. Huh. Interesting. :)

Well, on to the cute part of the weekend. :) Liam was here!!!

He was opening presents from Michael, Tiffany, Sean, and I. Such a cutie! And has a bundle of energy!!!!!

To say he liked his gifts is an understatement. Although I’m sure some of them will be appreciated a bit more at a later time–sorry glow in the dark insect stickers. :) He used to love stickers and I thought this was a cute twist on it.

PJMasks and Toy Story are his big favorites right now. He got two or 3 PJ Masks toys and they are already well loved. I didn’t get pictures of him playing with them but he did, right out of the box. :)


We got a small wading pool for him because it was crazy hot and our air conditioners struggle a bit in the near 100º heat. He loves the outside and water, so this was a huge hit.

We were going to do a water balloon toss but struggled with getting them filled and with patience. As soon as a balloon was filled, it got thrown. Funny thing was that they wouldn’t burst when they hit people but did when hitting the ground. :D

It wasn’t too bad when you got wet. I think we’ll get some water guns for next summer. ;) And maybe a bigger pool.

It was a fun weekend. I’ll share more next Friday. :)

Until next time,

Michele ºÜº

 

Heat Relief and Other Happenings This Week

It has been a hot week! I hate triple digit temperatures. I’d much rather single digits than triple digits. Thankfully yesterday’s cloudiness and rain, gave us a slight reprieve from those horrible temperatures! It would be really nice if it would stay in the double digits, although to be honest, I don’t like 90º temps either. ;)

So on another subject, sadly, I have not made any progress on the patreon thing, so I guess I’ll give myself until the first part of September to get it all figured out. ;)


This little cutie had a birthday this week! It is hard to believe he is already 3 years old!

I wish they lived closer. They are a couple hours away from us but I have realized that I have it better than so many people whose grandchildren live much further away.

Brings such smiles to my face. :) I know Lauren works hard to make sure he knows us, in spite of the distance between us. I’m so thankful for video chats and such; it makes things so much easier than if we’d lived in bygone years and had to rely on postal mail and pictures (let alone back in days before even that).

I’m looking forward to next weekend when they’ll be coming up to celebrate birthdays. :)


Tiffany and I have been more productive this week than we have in past weeks this year. We got some much needed cleaning done that we just haven’t pushed ourselves to do. Things like cleaning out the refrigerator and the utility room–the later so that the hamper can be moved into it and out of the master bedroom. We even found time to go visit my parents, thanks to them living so close.

We launched our youtube channel last Saturday and filmed this week’s chat yesterday. It’ll go up tomorrow. (You can find the link to the channel at the bottom of every post along with the facebook and instagram links.)

Well, I guess that’s all I have for today, so I’ll run.

Until next time,

Michele ºÜº

 

 

Liam, Bradford Pear Trees, and Flowers

Wow! Another week has passed, March has arrived, and the weekend is quickly approaching. The only big plans I have for the weekend is time with my grandson. :) I didn’t see him last week and I hear he managed to crawl a few ‘steps’ since last I saw him.
Liam Crawls a Little ~ Lifeofjoy.meMy sweet daughter-in-love sends me pictures on occasion, unsolicited. :) It brings a smile to my face to see this cutie.

On the other hand, Michael will request pictures from Brian from time to time. Here are two that he got last week sometime. Of course, I have them now because I asked him not to hoard them. :D

My son with his son ~ Lifeofjoy.meNow that is adorable. :) <3

Liam in the Hood ~ Lifeofjoy.me


My peach blossoms survived the freeze we had last weekend. I was concerned about it but prayed and it seems fine. Thank you God!

The Bradford Pear tree was in full bloom this week. Tiffany was outside the other day and took some really good pictures of it.

Full Bradford Pear Tree in Bloom ~ Lifeofjoy.meBPT ~ Lifeofjoy.me

Bradford Pear Tree Blossoms ~ Lifeofjoy.me
I love how she captured the sun in this one.

Nice picture of the blossoms in the shade with sunlight kissing them.

Bradford Pear Tree Blossoms ~ Lifeofjoy.meThese bring me joy. :)

Bradford Pear Tree Blossoms ~ Lifeofjoy.me
Look how close these are to the trunk.

You could see the stamen pretty well in that last picture but look here.

Bradford Pear Tree Blossoms ~ Lifeofjoy.meI read an article this week blasting the Bradford Pear Trees and their relative the Cleveland Select. I’ve never seen that one but I like the Bradford Pear Trees. I don’t know what thorny ‘ornamental pears’ he’s talking about because I don’t have any in my yard.

I have a few wild bradford pear trees on our property. Unfortunately the old one up here in the front part of the property must’ve gotten hit by lightening recently because its top if broken off–or it might’ve happened during that bad storm that came through last July. Sadly, we’ll have to chop it down now. But I love these trees because they signal that spring is here (or at least on the way, some years).

I like the Redbud trees for the same reason. We have several tiny wild ones on the property too. I’ve tied strings on them, so I know which ones they are when we clear paths and such. I don’t like to chop those down. I will request those be relocated if they are in the way. They haven’t bloomed when last I checked but with the Bradfords in full bloom, they’re surely not far behind.

Look what else popped up.

Narcissus ~ Lifeofjoy.meRecognize it?

Narcissus ~ Lifeofjoy.meNarcissus ~ Lifeofjoy.meA lovely spring flower. :) I like the bright yellow trumpets but really prefer the full yellow flowers. I’m not sure which are daffodils and which are jonquils but I prefer the yellower ones, which I don’t have any of any more. Don’t know what happened to them but these are all I have left.

I did notice that my irises are starting to grow their stems now too. They are in the back in a shadier spot. The narcissus are up front in full sun.

Well, I’ve rambled enough for one day. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Until next time, God bless,

Michele ºÜº

Save