It's A Southern Thing !

Oh how he loves his gravy and biscuits! Gage is a typical country boy when it comes to breakfast. He has this for breakfast at least twice a week! It's probably fattening (well look at me, I KNOW it's fattening, LOL) but I figure he has sooooo much energy that he burns off the calories before the day is over. Yep, using that left hand..(Daddy is so happy) but sometimes uses the right one also..don't think he's quite made up his mind yet. Anyway, we aren't going to encourage one over the other. I know back in the 'old days' people would try to discourage using the left hand, but we have two left handed children and 2 left handed grandchildren and they have done just fine. Thank God that when Kevin had is accident at work, it was his right hand.

Well, enjoy the toddies, (all you want) and the music and be careful out there on the road...people are wild these few days before Christmas.

Background is "Starlit Dreams" by cuddlebeez.

Ready For Snow!!

I'm always amazed at how little it takes to make this little dude happy. He got a new 'Boggan (as we call them here in the south, lol) and mittens. He spent the night with us last night because it was snowing and we didn't want him to have to be out in the cold to come to our house this morning. First thing when he got up this morning was to find his 'boggan and mittens..such a big boy now, he insists on doing things his way so he proceeded to put on the 'boggan and show me what a good job he did. He did allow Paw to help with the mittens and then climbed up on the couch with Paw and said "CHEESE".This was a rare occasion because he is normally not the little camera ham that I would like him to be. Usually I have to beg, plead and bribe him to stand still long enough to get a pic. lol.
I'm so glad y'all keep stopping by the parlor, though I haven't been a very good hostess lately but the door is always unlocked and toddy makings are always available. At least you can warm up and listen to some music while you're here. I promise to try to do better!!

Many thanks to Miss Boots for the lovely Christmassy blog background.

Those of you who are on Facebook know how I have been spending my time for the past few months...Gage! Well, I can't blame it all on him..I do enjoy a good game of scrabble now and then with FB friends and family. lol. Actually, I haven't been in a very crative mood in quite a while now, but now that cooler weather is setting in I thought I should at least get the parlor ready for company. You know the drill...if I'm not around feel free to mix up a hot toddy and sit a spell.

Sylvia's Page

Miss Sylvia sent me this page a couple of days ago and I just wanted to share it with y'all since she doesn't have a blog. See how tiny she is!! I look like a cow beside her! Sorry I don't know the credits for background and elements.
Also sorry I haven't been on the veranda very much. Gage is keeping me pretty busy these days. But I have been keeping the juleps stocked. I hope everyone is doing well and staying out of the heat. Just because I've been away, doesn't mean that I love y'all any less. We are all FOREVER FRIENDS!! Maybe when the snow starts flying again we will have more time on our hands.
Love and hugs to all,
Miss Scarlett

Friends

What a great way to start the weekend...visiting with dear friends and sharing a great country breakfast. (yes, Miss G, for Gage and me that included GRITS, lol). Doug and Sylvia stopped overnight in Kingsport on Friday and we met them for breakfast Saturday at one of my favorite places..Cracker Barrel. After our meal we sat on the porch in the rockers and talked, and rocked, and talked some more. lol Gage was just a little shy because he didn't know them, but he did give Miss Sylvia a great big hug before we parted ways. Sylvia wanted me to send her love to you all and we talked about how great it would be if we could all get together sometime. Funny how you can become such close friends with some who you've only met online. We all know how that works..because I think of you all as some of my dearest and closest friends. We have laughed together, cried together, prayed for each other,and watched each others families grow. That's why I know you all are blessings sent from God and I treasure each and every one of you.
OK...before I get all mushy..let's all have a julep or two! (Sylvia says save some for her, lol).
PS: Sylvia is so tiny that I look like an elephant beside her, LOL.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS BOOTS!

Wishing you the very best birthday ever and filled to the brim with blessings. I know there will be lots of memories made. Love you my dear friend!


Butterfly border by our friend and blog fairy Angelscrapper.

Word of the Day

Such a pretty day yesterday and since Gage loves the outdoors, we decided to take him to the small lake and let him throw rocks in the water. This was his first experience at the lake and, being the little dare-devil that he is, he headed straight for the water. Paw had to grab him or he would have ran right on in. Though it isn't deep at this point, it is very cold since this water comes through the dam straight from the bottom of the big lake on the other side. So after letting him put his hand in to feel how cold it was, they settled down on the grassy bank and threw rocks in the water. Paw threw several and then Gage tried his hand at it (obviously they didn't make it into the water) but after throwing several he found his new word for the day..nuh'-run. As soon as he threw or dropped one he would immediately say 'nuhrun' and Papaw would give him 'another one'. LOL

Thanks for looking in on the little guy who so completely fills our lives and hearts.

Some Father and Son Time

Just a simple page of Gage and his Dad. Gage is an outside boy...loves anything to do with being outdoors, especially picking Mamaw's flowers. LOL. In this pic it's just a dandelion but he is really fond of my peonies!! and would love to pluck some of my roses but he has learned quickly that they 'bite'.

Kevin is still a little down because of his accident. He's not happy because he can't play and wrestle with Gage right now like they used to do. Also, surgeon says his injury is not healing as well as he would like it to be. Still no guarantee that he will be able to save the little finger. But we have hope, we believe in prayer and we know that God answers in His own time..not ours. Kevin has asked me to thank you all so very much for your prayers. He says "Mom, these ladies don't even know me and isn't it wonderful that they are praying for me anyway?" So, from the entire Hill family....THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!

Ya Gotta Be Quick !

One busy little girl and quick as a wink! Trying to keep up with her is a full time job. She always has mischief in mind when she gets this expression, so you have to be on your toes! She has a regular baby-sitter now, so we don't keep her anymore but she visits often. No way could we manage Gage and Miss Fluff at the same time. LOL. Gage is also a very busy little guy, walking, running and exploring and inspecting everything in sight. But would we have it any other way?? Nope, not for all the money in the world.

Kit is 'Pastel" by Suhrfer. Word art is by my dear friend Linda at Random Thoughts by Linda.

Happy Easter From Miss Fluff

Oh, how fast they grow! Seems like only a few weeks ago, she was our 'fluffy little girl baby'. Now she's such a busy little toddler!
Just wanted to update you on our Gracie and wish you all a very Blessed Easter.

Kit is "Beautiful Spring" by JaelopDesigns.

Gage

Humm...wonder what's going on over there. I would ask 'cept I got a mouthfull of banana right now!



Background page "Spring In My Heart" by Verascraps.

A Day At The Park

Walking before his first birthday, he seems in such a hurry to grow up. Not quite sure I like that idea but he is such a little adventurer. He wants to see everything and inspect it all. Always pointing to things that intrigue him..well, later on we will learn not to point but right now it's as if he's saying "look at that!", "what is that?", "do you see that, Papaw?" I can only imagine the thoughts that run through that sweet little mind. Oh, this little one has become our entire world and what a fascinating world it has become. Not to say that we love him more, it's just that we spend so much more time with him.

The Veranda is open for business!

Though I haven't had time to decorate yet, the veranda is open and the welcome sign is out. It was a whopping 78 degrees here today and very sunny. A welcome change after yesterday's storms. Small tornado in Johnson City, about 10 miles from the veranda. Lots of huge tress down, some buildings at the VA center down. It's been really strange weather here. Cool one week, storms a few days later and today I had to turn on the air. Got a call earlier this evening from dear friend, Sylvia. So good to hear her sweet voice and we caught up on the latest happenings. It seems like I have been MIA for the longest time. Lots of goings on here. Tragic deaths in families close to us. The one last week just tore at my heart strings. Young mother age 38 (we have known both her and her husband since they were little tykes). She was killed in a car wreck on her way to pick up her young son from his grandmother's house. So sad, it just breaks my heart. But I am a firm believer in the fact that things happen according to God's plan. Of course, we question things like this but it's only human nature to wonder why such sweet loving people are taken in the blink of an eye. I trust God completely and know that it is His Divine will, still it's a hurt that our earthly minds can not comprehend. As you may have seen on my FB page, nerve block on cervical spine was done last Thursday and seems to be working well. I can actually turn my head side to side and even look up and down, which is pretty much a requirement when you are in charge of a 1 year old. LOL Gage has got this walking thing down to a fine art. No more crawling, he pulls himself up and just takes off..I find myself wondering just how many miles a day does this little one travel. lol Weather here is very unpredictable. Last week pretty chilly, yesterday strong winds and thunderstorms, a small tornado in Johnson City (dear friend Mat's hometown)about 7 miles from us. We had lots of lightning, thunder, rain and even some hail, strong winds but thankfully no damage. Oh, for those of you who like to read, I have discovered this wonderful sight called booksneeze.com. It's a spiritual, inspirational, Christian fiction and non-fiction sight. If you join you can choose new books that have just come out and they send them to you for free. You just post your review of the book on your blog site after you have read it and the book is yours to keep. I will be posting it on my inspirational site. I love to read and the my first review will be posted tomorrow the 11th. It was a truly AMAZING book. Hope everyone is doing well and all the snow up north is melting so that you will be able to get to the veranda soon. I really must try to get into some sort of creative mode so that I can post some of the latest pics of our little man, Gage. He's so adorable and has developed the most loving little personality. Lots of hugs and kisses when he's around. Yep, lots of memories being made here. Love and many hugs to all and thank you all for the concern and prayers during my latest health problems. I have the bestest friends/blog sisters ever!!

It'a been an up and down week

Gage had his first birthday party a week ago on Saturday. It's so hard to believe he's a year old already and he looks so cute walking all over the place on those little short legs. Once he found out he could take a few steps, he was all finished with crawling...now he's trying his best to run.lol. It was such a fun time for all and believe me, I have many more pics, just can't feel like scrapping right now. That was Saturday, the 12th. ....3 days later we got the news that a 15 year old boy who goes to our church had meningitis..that was on Tuesday. He passed into God's loving arms the next day, Wednesday. Such a good Christan boy, was not afraid or ashamed to share his faith with everyone he came in contact with. Our whole community has had such a hard week. On the one hand, we know that Adam was ready to meet his Saviour...on the other hand, it's so hard to let go of a child. The celebration of his life was last night at our church, today was the burial service and the youth group sent balloons into the air at the cemetery. It was heartbreaking. But we know that God has a plan for every life and because of Adams death, 40 people gave their lives to Christ this week. What an impact this little child had on others. Only 15 years old, the same age as our Cory (Gage's older brother). It's amazing how all the youth in the community gathered in support of each other. There are 5 high schools here and they all came together during this time.
I can't imagine what his parents are going through right now..this week we've been holding our children and grandchildren just a little bit tighter..bigger hugs..more kisses..and praising God that we have the chance to do it.

Didn't mean for this to be such a downer of a post..just remember to let your loved ones know you love them at every opportunity and as Miss Boots always reminds..make those memories and fill them to the brim..maybe even let them overflow.

Love and hugs to y'all. Hope to get myself back together and join y'all soon.

Future Fashion Model ??

Our daughter-in-law had recent surgery on her shoulder and today she had to go for physical therapy so we kept Gracie aka Miss Fluff. I love the little outfit she had on, love the colors...where the boots came from, I have NO IDEA!! To start with they were a size to large and everytime we picked her up, one or both would just slip right off. BUT..be that as it may..they were HER boots and SHE wanted to wear them!! Her poor Nana, didn't feel like it was worth the fight to make her wear different shoes. Can't say that I blame her because Miss Fluff is certainly developing her own little attitude, if you get my drift. LOL. Thanks for looking in Miss Fluff's fashion statement of the day.

Kit is from SBM "Girly Girl".

You'll have to excuse the mess

but it's always been my thinking that if there is a child in the house you should be able to tell it the minute you walk into the room. To me, it's the sign that a happy child lives here. I've never been the kind of Mom (or Mamaw) who says "don't get another toy out until you put that one away". Now don't get me wrong..I like a neat house as well as the next person and at the end of the day (or the end of the visit, in the case of these two), we pick up and put away. Until that time comes, they will play with as many toys as they want, be it in the living room, kitchen floor or Mamaw's 'office', cause that's their job and they do it very well, as you can see! lol.

After playing hard, Gage is always ready to crawl into Paw's lap and take a nap. Gracie, on the other hand, fights nap time with every ounce of energy she has left. She still wants her bottle, still wants to lay her head down, but her thinking is..if I lay down I'll go to sleep and I can't have that happen, even if I have to stand up!! LOL


Kit is "BrandNew" by LillyBelle

I am so very blessed

It has been said that friends are angels in disguise. I am blessed to be surrounded by angels. These are some of my very closest friends. Though I've only met one in person, I feel as close to them as family members. They know my heart, they are in my heart. We have shared much together. I just wanted to thank you all for the birthday wishes and tell you all that I love you dearly.


kit is "Classy and Fab" by Angelscrapper (aka CJS).

Paw and Gage catching some z's.

They played so hard...I had to put them down for a nap! LOL.
Best buddies, these two.


Background and staple from CU freebies "Sweet Spices".

I'm back...

I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year's Day. It seems that I've been out of here forever, but real life must come before blog life and real life has been pretty busy lately. I'm glad to see that you all have continued to visit and make yourselves at home in the parlor. I've tried to keep the refreshments amply supplied.

I've been a little under the weather for the past week. Nothing serious, just a really bad cold, bronchitis and laryngitis. Poor Rhett has waited on me hand and foot, bless his heart. I've tried to stay away from him and the babies as much as possible. Can't have them getting sick. But I'm starting to feel a little better now (Rhett hopes the laryngitis stays with me for a while longer, lol).

Gracie aka Miss Fluff is walking now and little Gage is crawling and pulling up on everything. He thinks he can just pull himself into a standing position and start walking too. Gotta be really quick to grab him before he tries it. Oh my, they are growing way too fast for me.

SNOW!!! Do you all have it also? I'm sure everyone, with the exception of our dear Texan friend Mat, has plenty of snow. We are suppose to get at least 4 more inches over the weekend and according to the weather man it will continue to snow into the first few days of next week.

I hope to get into a creative mood soon and post a few holiday pages. Right now I just can't seem to get very creative.

Well, just wanted to check in with you all and let you know that I hadn't disappeared. Please continue to make yourselves at home and don't let all those toddies go to waste!