...this one is Owen.

Here is Adam making a face with a mouth full of applesauce.....AND

...and here is Owen making a similar face minus the applesauce!

I see some resemblance, do you?

I think that Adam's face is a little longer, while Owen's is rounder. Adam may also be a bit older in these two pictures...

No matter what, they are both cuties!

Now I need to get some of Jenny's old pictures and do another comparison... : )

More "O"

Owen is enjoying a day in the heated (thank heavens!) indoor pool in chilly Minnesota!

He looks like he is saying: "Soooo, this is what swimming is all about, huh!" Now, could someone please pass me my bottle of milk? : )

Oh, how I miss him!

Some new Owen pictures....

Hook 'em horns!

Owen is getting ready for University of Texas to go to the Final Four!

Mommy and Daddy think that I am listening to music.....BUT....

... I'd really rather chew on the wires! : )

SPRING has "sprung"!

My Wednesday Walk

"Spring, thy name is color." Libbie Fudim

"Spring is nature's way of saying 'Let's party!'" Robin Williams

"Spring hangs her infant blossoms on the trees/Rock'd in the cradle of the western breeze." William Cowper

AH CHOO!

Sneezes are abundant as allergies are again on the rise.

Spring is on its way!

Again, with camera in hand, I documented some of the beautiful early changes occurring in my neighborhood while taking my morning walk.

Enjoy the beauty of the emerging blossoms as they begin to peek out from the starkness of the bare limbs of winter...

What I have learned so far...

It's a great life.

Most people mean well.

You get back what you give.

The older I get, the younger being 70, 80, 90 sounds.

Trust your gut instinct.

I cannot change others, but I can change the way that I react to the things they say or do.

Not everything can be explained or understood.

When people come to you with their problems, they just want to be heard and not "fixed".

No matter how old we get, we always carry a little of our childhood inside of us.

Words don't have to be hurtful unless I allow them to have that effect on me.

Love comes in many forms.

Just because someone doesn't do things the way that you would, doesn't mean that they are doing it wrong.

At times, the best thing to say is to say nothing at all.

Gentleness is a strength.

Reality shows are just that: "shows".

Sometimes it is best to just walk away from an uncomfortable situation.

Always think before you react...words spoken cannot easily be taken back.

Everyone just wants to be validated.

The supply of an individual's love is not diminished just because you love a lot.

Giving when no one knows what you have done is the most important kind of charity.

Sometimes, the more you have, the more you want.

Talking to yourself can be very informative and freeing.

Cherish the people in your life.

Spend a lot of time taking deep breaths.

Appreciate nature as much as you can.

Nothing solves things better than a hug.

Life's not always all about you.

"Letting go" is one of the more difficult things to do.

Keep some spontaneity in your daily life.

Smile a lot and keep people guessing.

It's okay to be wrong.

Everyone's life has its challenges.

Divorce's effects can be far-reaching.

Wrinkles happen no matter how expensive the creams are that we use.

Love yourself.

Celebrate life's little events as well as the big ones.

Accept differences and learn from them.

Take time to play.

Vegetables actually do taste good.

Confidence can make one beautiful.

Most photos of models are air-brushed.

Being a grandmother is a lot like being a mother without all of the anxiety.

Sometimes my cat is the only one who really understands me.

Good horoscopes are always accurate....the not-so-good ones are a bunch of whooey.

Accept compliments gracefully even if it embarrasses you.

Religion is very personal.

Family doesn't only have to consist of blood relatives.

Never stop learning.

Chocolate covered raisins contain a fruit...which makes them a health food.

When you look in the mirror, you still see a young person.

Learn to identify poison ivy.

Take risks.

When all is said and done, good health is one of the greatest blessings.

Use hot flashes to your advantage in the winter.

Keep dancing.

No one has all of the answers.

Wear comfortable shoes when you can.

Everything looks better when I don't have my glasses on.

The true test of friendship isn't how the person is when things are going badly for you, but, how they are when things are going well for you.

I wish that I had known then what I know now.

And, most importantly, I have learned that...

I still have a lot to learn.

What have you learned so far?

Polka-dotted Hospitality Bags

If you look closely at this picture, you can see me and two of the 'girlies' behind the mass of bags!

In preparation for a dear friend's daughter's wedding, a group of us got together yesterday to assemble 120 Hospitality Bags. These are to be delivered at the end of the week to all of the out of towner's coming in for the weekend wedding. Some will go to individual homes hosting some of the visitors and the remainder will be given out at the hotel.

We bagged malted milk balls into individual plastic bags that were then tied with brown ribbons. We also measured out snack mix into bags that were later also tied with ribbons along with a recipe card for the mix. The mother of the bride miraculously found the time to bake and wrap 120 individual delicious blueberry bread loaves and we ribboned these, added a plastic knife and the recipe card to each one.

The final step was to pack these goodies (as well as bagged chips and bottled waters) into individual white bags, stuffed with brown and white polka dot tissue and adorned with a label on the front with the name of the bride and groom.

We laughed ourselves silly as we tried to get the bows just right and the tissue fluffed correctly. I must tell you that by the time we got to the final step (hours later) we were quite giddy and began to rip into one of the leftover malted milk ball bags and hungrily devoured them! Prior to that we had begun snacking on some of the extra snack mix as well as some popcorn... so we were quite stuffed by the time we finished. (*groan*) Other than the large number of bags needed, this ritual is something that we have all been doing for each other for years. Putting together these welcome bags and hosting a Hospitality Room and lunch is our way of helping our the bride's parents during their big weekend.

I don't know if this is done all over or if this is just a "Southern tradition" but for us...

... it is truly a labor of love... : )

ding....ding.....ding......

What a way to start my trip to the casino!!!

I began my day on a really good note as I sat down at a 25 cent machine, put in my two quarters and within a couple of spins found myself winning the "progressive" amount of $250.00!! Had I found my "lucky machine"? Well, I stuck with it and within a little while found myself winning another $150.00! So, I was able to put away part of my winnings and use the casino's money for the rest of the time.

One of our favorite penny machines to play was the "Deal, or No Deal" machine. It was set up just like the real game and was so much fun to play. Carol and I both did really well on these machines and had a great time. The only thing missing was Howie Mandell and the girls...!

We decided to meet at the luncheon buffet both days. We laugh at ourselves as we pile up our plates with the strangest combinations of food...but it is so tempting when it is put out there for the taking. What a spread! They have everything from Chinese food to a beef and ham carving stations, a salad bar, soup, fresh fruit, pizza, fried and baked chicken and fish, millions of veggies, and every carbohydrate that one could ever imagine. It is pretty incredible....and, then of course there is the dessert area where one finds themselves eating sweets that they wouldn't even think about at home. Yum. Luckily, Carol and I start each day with a walk outside in hopes of burning off some of these extraneous calories!

For dinner we dined at two of the restaurants in the casino and really enjoyed those meals. Of course, all of our food was "comped" (free) : )...the only thing that wasn't covered were the tips!

When we checked out our total bill for two night's stay with each of us in our own suite was $9. each. Not bad, eh?

One of the most fun parts of being in this Mississippi casino is doing a lot of people watching. You can see the most eclectic group of people there. Carol and I are both similar in that we get energized from the people around us, so we both end up talking to lots of fellow gamblers and/or the people who work in the casino. One can learn so much about people if you just take the time to listen to their story. I loved the elderly couple in line at the buffet who walked in holding hands. Her comment to us was that "...she kind of liked him and that they had been together 44 years." She continued to talk while he just grinned and didn't say much. That was probably the pattern in their whole marriage! They were cute. And then there was the casino host whose work schedule was from 4 in the morning until 12 noon...and the sweet little older ladies who clutch their purses as they slowly and methodically spin the slot machine wheels in anticipation of some big winnings...I always manage to find someone who plays the slots by rubbing their hand back and forth across the screen as the wheels spin hoping that the gambling 'gods' will look down and help them win. I must admit, I even tried that once myself. It didn't help.

Heading home yesterday we both had smiles on our faces as we had gotten our gambling "fix" . More importantly, against all odds, I even came home with more money than I had arrived with! Imagine that. : )

Carol and I have this trip down to a science now and are the perfect pair to do this kind of trip. It is something that the two of us have shared for years, and I am grateful to be able to experience this with her. I can just picture us well into our 80's still making these trips together!

Well, back to reality today as I get ready to get back to work as well as doing laundry, grocery shopping, etc. ...

...and in the meantime, I'll be saving my quarters, nickels, and pennies for the next gambling girlie getaway...

When Carol and I plan our casino getaway we look at it as just a wonderfully fun escape. We are very cognizant of exactly how much money we are going to be willing to gamble and stick with that plan.

Like anything else in life, this tempation can be dangerous for some people. There are many people out there who have become addicted to gambling and the downside of that is that they can put themselves and their families in troublesome debt.

Unfortunately, that is why the pawn shops and "get money quick" places are strategically place enroute to the casino. I snapped a picture of one of these many places along the way.