Mother's Day

I guess most of you are mothers and are going to be waiting to see what you got or where you are going to be taken. Perhaps you are the one that is going to be doing something for your mother or you'll be waiting by the phone in hopes of that phone call from one of you kids. Soo many ways we celerbrate this day.

For myself I will be spending the day with my bf while she sits and waits for that phone call from her son who probably already sent her some flowers. Then it's on to visit with daughter Jennifer and the grandsons. Most of our Mother's days are spent with hubby's mom, a lunch at Luby's or her favorite seafood joint. Apparently that is not going to happen this year, if it is..then we wasn't told about it.

Do you see a pattern here, my mother! Where is she in all this? Well...I just saw my mother last week and the week before. I already gave her her presents (I should be good till Christmas (jk mom)). It is kinda sad that I have never been able to see her or spend time with her ON Mother's day, but I know she understands. (I hope she understands) Besides, my brother is taking her out for dinner.
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How interesting. I just looked up Mother's day in Wikipedia and was surprised and intruiged that the first idea of Mother's day was not as it is today. What started out as a protest of war with the Mother's Day Proclamation and then a more personal celebration of mothers (introduced by Anna Jarvis and passed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914), became a commercialized holiday. Anna hated what became of her holiday so much she spent the rest of her life protesting against her own creation.

Very interesting reads if you have the time.
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Well anyway I do hope you all get the Mother's day you are wishing for and have a happy one!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Watching the Lunar Eclipse

6:00pm

For the first, time I got to see the lunar eclipse. Yes, there have been many partials and and totals in my lifetime, but for the life of me I don't ever recall seeing one before.

Apparently last night was a once in a life time event for us, unless we figure out how to live hundreds of years. The last total eclipse to happen on the day of Winter Solstice (first day of winter) was 372 years ago.

Hubby and I knew it was coming and were watching the clock. Hubby crashed out on me at 9pm (way past his bedtime). I stayed vigil in my quest.

12:30am come and I was outside looking up at the sky. Slowly, there was just a smidgen of a shadow in the southwest edge. I guess I thought it was going to go by fast (silly, now that I think about it) cause I went and woke the hubby.



Shortly after 12:30am

We were standing on the porch with heads held back, eyes to the sky. Waiting...Watching...
Hubby's head started hurting and my eyes were losing focus. Lets go in and wait a few minutes. But before we could get to the door, suddenly we was surrounded with the howls of what seemed like every dog or coyote in the area. It was very strange and eerie. Chaquita, who went out with us, got really scared. (so did I)

Around 1am

Around 1:30am

The fog has rolled in pretty thick and the vision is getting harder to see. This really tested my knowledge of my camera to get any visible shots.










Around 3:00am

That is it, folks. That is all we were able to see. By the time that we should have been able to see the reverse side the fog was so thick we couldn't even see the trucks in the driveway.

Nothing but the street light was visible

Hubby said...That was cool and thanks for waking me.

Pretty neat.

Family Reunion - Day One

Friday evening I was a ball of anxiety and excitement. I felt like I wasn’t getting anything done or prepared right. Thankfully hubby went through the check list and we confirmed everything was A. Okay. BUT of course I still had that nagging little voice in my head that I was forgetting something. I had to walk away and turn it down to a whisper just so I could try to get to sleep. I slept four hours and walked out to the living room to find hubby still up. I asked him what was the matter and his reply was “I’m too excited to sleep!”

For my hubby this day was a lifelong dream that was finally coming true. All of his kids and grandkids together at last. It’s a miracle he slept at all! I had to remind him that if he didn’t get SOME sleep then he wouldn’t be able to make it through the day. That got him to sleep! BUT I had to wake him at 5 am to get the brisket fire going. Then I went back to sleep.

Hubby woke me with “They’re on their way!!” Son called to let him know and get directions. Hubby told me the directions he gave and I briefly said “They’re going to get lost”

The rain had been threatening to pour down all morning, but I don’t think anything could have dampened our moods. It did drizzle and then sprinkle, each passing wave of moisture seemed to be harder than the one before.

We got everything ready and waited. Hubby was outside sitting on the patio and I was pacing all over the place. I looked down at hubby and asked are you still so excited and all I got was a shake of his head and a grin, but his eyes never wavered from the gate. It was like he was using all his will power to force a car, any car to come on in. I was getting worried, yeah I can’t help myself. I called to see how far they are. AH, they stopped at the store. I told her she didn’t have to bring anything but I sure am glad she didn’t listen to me.

The girls and their families arrived and yes we were all having a wonderful time seeing each other and learning about the grandkids and life at home, but you could tell we were all waiting anxiously for the main event. The son and family that none of us have met. Well that is, except for hubby. Hubby was there when son was a baby and toddler, but had only seen him once since and that was nearly 10 years ago. The girls and I have talked to them on the phone and corresponded through Facebook, but it’s just not the same as getting to hug someone and experiencing them in real life.

It had been another hour since I talked to them and they still hadn’t arrived. Yup I knew it…they were lost! Not badly though, they were here before the kids and I could get to the stop sign. I quickly ushered all the kids back, I couldn’t wait to get son and family in my arms!

The day was wonderful with lots of food, hugs, catching up and playing around. Hubby smiled from ear to ear all day long!! He was having a glorious day; rain had no affect on his moment!

The kids and I went for a short walk, but if you ask Bryan he will tell you it was a long walk! We played, climbed, walked and talked. We did some Baby Shower Bingo, lots of fun there! Then the computer got turned on and let the games begin! Lots of fun playing with the umbrellas in the rain. The umbrellas didn’t survive, but I’m glad nobody got hurt while playing with them. Yes, I was a little worried of that.

There were tiffs and there were tantrums and even an ant attack, but all in all it went really well for eight kids in my small trailer and yard. Funny how what I perceived to be a large trailer and yard doesn’t appear to be with nearly 20 people in and around it.

Granny and Aunt D arrived and I have to say watching the reunion from that perspective was very touching. Seeing granny play Free Cell with her great granddaughter was awesome. Four generations in one house, I honestly never thought it was going to happen. We are so grateful that the kids pulled this off, they are the ones that planned it.
AND from my understanding there is already one in the works for next year. Fingers crossed!!!! I’m going to start saving NOW!

The day started too wined down and granny had already left. The younger grandkids were starting to look kinda tired and so was I! I rushed everyone outside while the rain had given us a break and tried to get some family group shots. I did get some good spousal shots, but I do wish I had managed to get some individual family group shots. You should have seen how difficult it was to get a pic with all eight kids in it. That was a riot! Hubby wanted a whole clan pic, but that didn’t happen either. Maybe next year!

I was under the assumption that this was it, we weren’t going to get to see them again till next year, thankfully somebody told me that the plans had changed and we were all meeting up at granny’s house tomorrow. So letting everyone leave wasn't nearly as painful as I was prepared for it to be.

One last thing… A huge thanks to daughter K! That girl cleaned up my whole kitchen, even though I was continually protesting that it wasn’t necessary. Oh and for not listening to me about bringing anything, she made the most delicious cheesecake dessert I have ever had! Can’t wait to get the recipe!

Thanks to everybody for coming and making history happen! I loved every minute we got to spend together!

A Momentous Moment In Our Family History Is Happening TODAY!!

Well today is the day I have been waiting for since I meet the hubby.

Hubby has 3 children all by different mothers and we have had somewhat of a relationship with the oldest daughter and just in the last few years a great relationship with the youngest daughter. BUT we have never been able to have any relationship with his son.

Hubby got to meet him once a while back, but I will be meeting him for the first time ever TODAY! Noonish to be precise! Not only will I get to meet him, but also our daughter in law and our grandson. Oh I should mention that we will also be meeting another grandson from the oldest daughter.

The last time we saw her, she had just given birth to her 3rd child, now there are 4.

We have missed so much in all of their growing up, I hate that but you can't change the past only the future.

This is going to be a momentous moment in the history of our family. All three kids in the same place! The girls will be meeting their brother and his little family for the first time also!

All the grandkids will be meeting each other too!

Can ya tell I am excited, well I am!!

Nervous too. I don't know why but I am.

This is history in the making folks and I am blessed to have it happen, finally!

Will have all the details for you next week.

Gotta go wake the grumpy old man to get the fire started for the brisket. Yumm..BBQ!

Forgotten Church

I have driven past this place many times, considering it is right downtown on Main St.

I always wondered what it was.

Last week while I was walking through town, I ventured over to check it out.


I don't know why but when I peeked into a broken window, I was surprised to see that it was once a church. I don't know if it has always been a church or not.

I did notice that it had been updated probably in the late forties to mid fifties (I'm guessing about the era) with windows and a small extension of a little kitchenette and bathrooms. The stove was still there, I did get a pic of it but it was blurry cause I had to run away from the bees!

It did appear that had been in use up to at least the seventies. There were still books and other junk in the back portion.

Church doors are supposed to be always open, right?

Walk With Me Through Lytle, Texas

When I come into town and turn on Main St. this memorial is the first thing I see.


Then the lovely gazebo and park bench area.


Directly across the street is this really neat looking building that is currently a parts and old farm equipment store.


A look up the street. I will be turning left at the second large mass of trees.


I have turned left off of Main St and I am headed to the railroad tracks. See those pillars there at the side of the street, those can be found through out the town. I don't know why, YET.


The railroad was at one time the center hub of the town. As you will notice all the older buildings face or at one time faced the tracks.


The building to the right used to be the Seed or Feed Dock (I couldn't tell exactly what it said).


This red building has me so intrigued as to what it used to be. As you can see it is nothing now, but still looks great!


This is a little strip of business which houses the newspaper I didn't know we had.


A little Barbacoa joint. I just think the building looks really neat. (if you don't know what barbacoa is...well, lets just say...I don't like it)


Across the street is a fabulous building that reminds me of an old bank OR some rich persons house. It is now the office of a Chiropractor, who I would love to go see! That is it below on the right.


The arches in those windows are stained glass. Very lovely.


This old building (I was told) used to be the jail. It was closed when I went by, the inside is just as appealing and I was hoping to get pics. Maybe next time me and hubby go there, it is his favorite store in the whole town.


These set of buildings seem to be the oldest and a great example of what I was saying about them facing the railroad tracks, they are currently used as the backs of the business's. As you can tell they are not kept up as well as a store front would be.


This has to be my favorite old building in the whole town. The bricks have so much character. To me, it looks like an old carriage house or stables.

Well, that was a short walk through the backside of Main St. and Adam's St. that flank the railroad tracks.

There is still more to come like the mill and the old church, just for starters.
I hope yall enjoyed the tour.

Lytle Cummunity Cemetery Part 2

So yesterday I was talking about the local cemetery and giving you some of it's lovely history, I didn't get to the parts that really got to me or caught my eye.
Lets start with what caught my eye.
Vases...





A mind could go wild as to what this is doing in a cemetery or what it says about the person it is for.


Benches...




This is a piece of one of the poorer quality crosses. It was laying under a bush with a sea shell laid on top of it.

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Now on to the more interesting stones...

Thy life was beauty, truth, goodness and love. If I was to get buried and have a headstone...Yup, I want that! The sweetest definition of someones life. Don't cha think?


A real live (umm..no. I meant dead) Texas Ranger! How cool is that for this little tiny town?!


This angel is awesome! Although she looks to have had some really rough times trying to protect her cemetery.

Another thing I noticed was that all the headstones are facing the east. Anyone know why?

This little decoration tugged at my heart. A little five year old boy, who would be nine today. He was truly loved and is sorely missed. I'm sure.


This stone was hiding in a bushy tree and all you can see is the years. Yes folks he/she was only a year old, but that is not what bothered me. It was the fact that if you didn't notice it when standing in a certain spot, then you would never notice it at all. You see the green bushy tree to the left of the angel's head (above pic), it was hiding under the other side of it.


Another thing I noticed is that if the grave was in an enclosed gate or framed with a cement border, the upkeep must be up to family members or someone else cause this poor grave needs some maintenance! I find that curious since the rest of the place is kept up real well.



I have one more stone that has consumed my brain, but you'll have to wait for that post cause I am currently trying to gather some info on it.