The Biggest Show In Town

Sometimes if I ask David how his day was, the answer is something like "busy - the circus is in town."  In his case, he literally means the circus is in town.  He takes care of the tire needs of the circus whose winter quarters are just north of our town.  

 

The circus travels all over, but once a year does a weekend of shows close to home.

 There is just something about it that I love.  This year in particular it was the aerialists, because I just happen to be in the middle of The Orphan Train - a book about a traveling circus which is set in Europe during WWII.  The main characters are aerialists with the circus.

It was a spectacular show as always!

Mulch Mania

I may have mentioned before that someone who lived in our house before us, sectioned off about a third of the back yard and (we assume) mulched it.  By the time we moved in, it had been sorely neglected and we have found to tame it ever since.

 The rock and the mulch help give it that "park like setting" look, but my oh my it's a lot of work.

 We ought to do it every spring, but sometimes we get lazy or busy and don't get around to it.

A note for future David and Erin: 7 cubic yards of mulch just covered the main area.  We'll still need another scoop or so to do the small beds and the front.

Happy St. Paddy's Day

This year's St. Patrick's Day Parade extravaganza might have been one of the best yet.  The weather was absolutely perfect!

Hippity Hoppity

I love the season of spring, but I'm not usually big on spring decorating because of the pastels and bright colors.   

 Time to take matters into my own hands and paint some paper mache eggs in colors I like.

New Year's Eve

We had a great time at the lake on New Year's Eve.  The weather was even pretty nice!                              

It's not easy to get 2 dogs and 5 people to cooperate for a picture. ;)

We played games and ate, watched the NYE special and ate, and tried to stay awake until midnight (by eating). :) 

 Some party goers did not make it to midnight and couldn't figure out why we were up so far past his bedtime.

Christina and I have spent a LOT of New Year's Eves together over the 36 years we've been friends. :)

Christmas at the Cabin

We celebrated this year with a cozy Christmas at the cabin.

 Just ignore the tree lights that are slowly giving up.  By Christmas evening, it was completely dark.  It will be delightfully twinkly next year. :)

On Christmas Eve, we had a delicious meal of cheeseburger soup, then opened presents.

 Christmas morning, I made cinnamon rolls...and by made, I mean I opened two cans.

 For lunch we had a big ham dinner, followed by comatose naps in the afternoon.  It was such a nice way to spend Christmas!

Christmas on Fremont

So I'm a little belated in getting a Christmas post up, but there were a few new decorations this year, so I'm going with better late than never.

 I still love this tree in the guest room.  This year, three ornaments were added that were Grandmother's.  The Santa was also hers, and Mom remembers it coming from a display at the drugstore where my Grandfather was a pharmacist.

I liked this little area even better this Christmas with the addition of some old and some made to look old toys.   I made the Santa pillow in the chair, the tree skirt, the Raggedy Ann doll, and the stocking (though none of those were made this year).

 Riley's room got a new tree this year.  I'm normally an all white lights kinda girl, but I thought for the Peanuts ornaments, some colored lights were in order.  The little tree came with the small colored lights, and I added a string of the bigger lights.

 After a few days of the green gingham tree skirt, I decided a Peanuts tree skirt would be more fun.  Thanks to Grandmother's sewing machine, I had one made in no time.

 This is still one of my favorite little trees. I like it's teeny lights and the way it sits in a crock.

 This poor dog has just learned that only one of the packages in the picture below is for him. ;)

 I've lost count but I think this was this tree's 12th or 13th Christmas.  It's a bear to get set up and taken down, and it's showing some signs of wear, but I still like it!

That's it for the Christmas tour in March!

One Hundred

My Grandma recently turned 100 years old.  Hard to believe!  I heard lots of people say that she doesn't look 100, but I'm not sure what 100 is supposed to look like.  

Many years ago, Grandma (left) and Helen (who is 104), knew each other in Neosho.  Helen and her husband had moved to Monett, but later joined the same camping club as Grandma and Grandad.  Who would have guessed that many years later, they'd be neighbors in a nursing home! 

 There was a great turnout for Grandma's party.  Lots of family, but also lots of people from the Methodist church she attended in Neosho for many years.  She seemed to have a great time visiting with everyone.

 These two young men are the sons of my cousin, David.  This was our first time to meet them, and they were the kindest, sweetest boys.  I remember my cousins being pretty ornery as kids, so I'm not quite sure how this happened. ;)  David credits his wife, Amy.

 This picture of David and my Aunt Beverly cracks me up.  He looks so skeptical of whatever she's telling him!

 Cousins Mike and David.

 Uncle Lane and my cousin Sarah.

 Aunt Beverly and Grandma's neighbor.  Right after I snapped this, Beverly stuck her tongue out at me...that's the picture I really wish I'd gotten! ;)

 Weston and Marshall - sons of cousins Jennifer and Sarah

 Me and my mama.  She was busy most of the time keeping punch and cake flowing.

 Looks like some serious business!

 Lane and Aunt Opal looking through a photo album.

 Grandma and her "kids."  They're still kids, right?  The family resemblance is pretty strong, isn't it?

 Me, Grandma, and Cousin Sarah

I'm so glad we got to celebrate this milestone with Grandma.  Not many people live to be 100, and to be well enough and sharp enough to have a party and visit with so many people is pretty amazing!