June 27, 2012

We're here. We all made it to Primitive Gathering and it's early in the morning. Lynn, Denise and I are having coffee and "better than sex" cake for our early morning breakfast snack....I'm sure we'll eat healthier later.

This morning we are going to the warehouse and store to shop!!! Yippee!!! (it's all about the shopping). Tonight well be having lasagna, salad and yummy garlic bread.

I need to get busy soon and get some cookies baked.

Tomorrow we are heading to two shops JJ stitches and Country Sampler!!! Oh my gosh. Wait until you see the pictures I'll be sending you!

I'll add more tomorrow for you. It's time for more coffee!!!!

Hugs to all!!

Gloria

June 25, 2012 - Monday

Help me.... I'm drowning!!!

Wow... in case you've been living in a cave and haven't seen the weather conditions in Florida... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!  I've never seen so much rain in my life!  Debby GO HOME!! (wherever that may be...just out of Florida!)

Did you notice that Thursday I didn't get to post?  Well... a gremlin attached my hard drive and I had my on-line computing service company getting it OUT of there!  I couldn't do anything.... don't you hate those kind?  However, with their magic it's all cleaned up!  I tell you what... I love this company - www.cyberdefender.com.  You purchase a 1-3 year program... and ANY thing that you need help with on your computer.. you call them.. they have you do a few things to help them get signed on... they take over your computer... and fix it all!  It's simply wonderful!

We did all make it to our Girls Retreat!  I have 3 GREAT friends that work on the Camp Blanding base and they love to sew and quilt.  They are new to this whole thing so a couple times a year we all get together and sew and we teach them new things.  They are all SO FUNNY and I simply LOVE THEM ALL TO DEATH!!  There is NEVER a dull moment when they are all together! 

Paula and Maryellen came too!  Paula and Cynthia (girlfriends from Texas) flew in from Texas... and Maryellen drove over from the Tampa area.  Say HI to them!!

They are so funny... when we all get together they laugh about all the tables and room they need!  They LOVE lots of space.  We told them we were going to have to charge them more $$ for the space they took.  hahahahaha!  See the window in the back?  Well... we got to watch grey rainy clouds the whole time we were sewing!  Lovely...but on the brighter side.... what better thing to be doing when it's raining than sewing?

Here is my sweet Heather and her best high school buddy KIM.... They are such nuts together!!  I'm sure you can just imagine if you've been around Heather!!  Kim is the mommy of twins (boy and girl) that are now 3 years old.  She deserved a weekend break.  Plus she got to visit with her mommy that lives in Middleburg and SLEEP.  10 - 11 hours each night!  What a treat for her.  She made the cutest clothes for her little girl - Bella!  And... and adorable frog pillow for Luke!!

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We all had to say our goodbyes on Sunday... sniffle... I hate it when everyone has to leave and go home!  NOT GOOD!!

Thanks to Wynette, Barbara, Diane, and Donna (she left us for a vacation in Washingon DC) for putting up with all of us.  WE HAD A GREAT TIME!

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Today is another busy day for me.... I'm washing, packing, going to the bank, getting toes done.... because tomorrow I'm taking 13 girls with me to Wisconsin to Primitive Gatherings Retreat!!

What fun this will be... I can't wait to get behind that 15 passenger van (I get to drive) and haul our fannies around the state on a fun Quilt Trip Shop Hop!  Oh...that reminds me.. I need to email the shop owners and let them know we are coming!  Plus some gals from Primitive Gatherings are going with us!  Those poor shop owners won't know what hit them if I don't!!!  They'll think they are being invaded!

So...here's the schedule... we leave with the chickens in the morning...so NO BLOG POST... then when we get to Wisconsin... I should be able to take photos and share them with you...they now have WIFI at the retreat...so that should be fun. 

While I'm gone... I sure hope it dries up here!!! 

That's all for today gang... so sorry!!! Gotta get moving...then it's lunch with Jack and on to Cinnamon's to drop off my Baaaad Girls Club projects for Karen !!!

Chat with you on Wednesday morning... if we're not swimming to the Ark by then!

Have a happy and keep on sewing!!!

Gloria

June 20, 2012 - Wednesday

YES!!!!  I did get to hold my baby great granddaughter - Aubree... what a sweet baby girl.  I love it when they squeak...and then stretch real big... so darn cute!  Here's an updated photo... (or two)...

Her little eyes are still a little puffy.  Of course...she was asleep the entire time I was there... boo hoo!

Here's her mommy - Elizibeth!!!  She'll make a great mommy...

she loves children!!

They got to go home yesterday... so I think I'll give her a call today and see how they are getting along.  They grow up so fast... I told Elizibeth.. I remember when she was as little as Aubree!!!!  Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... my little boy is a GRANDFATHER!!!!  (whew....this is unbelievable!)

Oh well... it is what it is and we're as  young as we feel.... right?

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What a fun day I have going on today!!!  My friend, Denise, has retired from teaching school.  So some of her other teacher pals are giving her a retirement party at Cinnamon's!  We are all going to sew together ... all day... and have lunch together... !!  I can't wait.  They are all such a wonderful group of gals... so much fun to be with!

Then...tonight... it's my favorite show - "So You Think You Can Dance" !!  I love this show... it's so great to see  young people go after their passion and DANCE!  Thank you Nigel.. for producing this show.  It's one of the highlights of my week.  Then...when the choreographers get their hands on the dancers ... some of the dances are simply breath-taking!  You would think I was a dancer... but no... not so much!  Haven't taken a dance lesson in my life.  However, I do love watching it!

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Look what I found for today...

I so... so... so... wish I owned these.  They are "frogs" but they are with jars!... for flowers - antique ones.  I think they are so lovely.  Can't you just see sweet daisies in them?  I've never seen this type before... !!!

Now... I've decided this is a pretty smart idea.  We have lots of cutting boards... and they are currently leaning up against the side of the cabinet wall.  However... they are heavy.. and before you know it.. I've moved a pan and they go sliding down all over the place.  I could just have one of these installed and my "sliding" problems would be over.  I think I'll put this on my shopping list...so I can find one the next time I'm out and about!  Then...getting it installed... that's step 2!!!

Ahh... the little red wagon!  Did you all have one?  We did.. only ours was pretty good size.  We used to haul each other around in it... pull it behind our bike... fill it full of toys.  What great times. 

I have one now... a tiny one - remember them?  Well... let me tell you... it is adorable sitting in the middle of your dining room table full of fun things for the season.  Then.. sometimes when we're not using the fireplace... I put it inside  fill it full of white candles and burn them.  It looks so cute... I have an old wooden goose that sits in front of it.  LOVE IT!!

It's also adorable on the front porch full of ferns and geraniums!

Ha!  I thought these were pretty funny for Halloween.  They are oranges with faces painted on them with a permanent market.  What a fun project for your kids to do!  Let's see who can make the scariest face!!  These are all pretty happy little fellows!

Are you on a diet... are you only allowed to have 1 stinkin' cup of cereal (why bother...right?)  Well...here is a clever idea.  They have applied one of those sticky hooks to the outside and then hung their measuring cup to it!!!  Now...that's pretty darn clever I think.  Why can't I think of time saving things like this? 

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Ha... I thought of Toby and all of his "girls"(4 of them!!)  at his house!  You know how girls are...they have to have all of these foo-foo things in the shower...there just is never enough shelf space in a shower to hold everything.  These are little plastic (open weaved) baskets they have attached to the shower hooks.  One for each girl!!!  Isn't this clever????

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And last... look at this cutie picture!!!  She's ready to "Ride em Cowboys" isn't she?  I love the baby rolls!!!  They are cute now... but not when she's older... right?

Have a super Wednesday.... enjoy your family and friends!

Hugs to everyone!!

Gloria

Wednesday - June 19, 2012

Well... we are now Great Grandparents!!  OMG... I'm so excited to have lived long enough to have great grand babies.  Please meet the newest member of our wonderful family - Aubree Payton.  She was born last night weighing 8.1 oz and was 20 1/2" long!  She's only a few minutes old in this photo!  Grandpa and I laughed... we think all babies look alike as soon as they are born!  Then in a matter of hours they change into their own cute little personalities.  Heather and I agree... Aubree looks like Elizibeth (her mommy)... She's going to have the same pretty lips and those beautiful eye brows! 

We get to hold her today!!!  I can't wait!!

Here's some cool things for you today!!

COOKIES... who doesn't LOVE COOKIES?  (me...I'm raising my hand at the moment...)  I saw these sweet ones and had to show them to you....

I love lavender...don't you?  I think it's the sweetest flower... here's a HUGE basket full of bundles... I sure wish I had several of these.. PLUS... I want the basket too!

Then... look how the cookie artist has designed this wonder piece of art!  This is a REAL cookie.  You know my friend - Paula Barnes?  Remember... Bonnie Blue Quilts/Red Crinoline Quilts... well... her daughter makes gorgeous cookies (I've blogged about her before - her site is on my blog). She could make these in a heartbeat!  She's so good and a true artist!

Then...Look at me... I'm peaking around the door at you... I'm not quite sure if I should be afraid of you or not....bbbbaaaaaaaaaaa !!!  My fur is a bit of a mess...wouldn't you say?  Such a sweet, sweet face!

And...here I am again in a sweet cookie!!!  Such patience these people have to make these cookies... NOT ME!!  I'll write a check for this type of artwork!  hahahahahaha! 

Remember Jill - she worked at OGC for me... up front???  Well, she is an awesome cookie artist too!  Remember when she used to sell her cookies.  My customers loved them!  Hey Jill...   I MISS YOUR COOKIES!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!

And... here is what I would call a relaxed family!  What a hoot!!!  The little one on top... they must have thought the ground was a bit to hard for napping... I'll just crawl on top of mom...she's nice and "fluffy" !!

Then I saw this and thought...what a super - great idea!  These are the cotton facial cleaners that you can buy in bags... ever use them?  Well... they've coated these in wax and use them for "fire starters"!  How clever is that?  Save all of your OLD icky candles...where there isn't much left.. put them all in an old pan together.. melt them - remove any old wicks.  Then dip the cotton facial circles into the was (with tongs) and cool on aluminum foil.  When dry... package them in Ziploc bags or a tin with a lid.  You're good to go.  Great to take camping with you!

For some reason...this paint - Annie Sloan - has come up over and over lately... in my chat on Facebook, on Pinterest - I must try some of this.  I think there is a shop in Ponte Vedra that sells it.  It's the old fashioned chalk looking paint and you are supposed to be able to use it on furniture... best part... you have to do NO sanding and NO cleaning to the piece of furniture before using the paint. 

Now...that's what I call pretty darn wonderful!!  Have any of you used this before?  I thought I would go on-line and see if they have a color chart.  brb...let me go look right now! 

Below is her website... and it does have her color selections... they are gorgeous...

Annie Sloan Paint Website

This is Annie!!

And these are the brushes she recommends we use.

She even uses her paints on fabric and then applies a wax...what a fun technique... I'm going to read more about it!

And last but not least.... a sweet picture of a new baby... I need to see if Great Aunt Heather can get little Aubree's hands like this for a picture!  What do you think Aunt Heather???

Have a great "hump day" and get some sewing done.... I'm going to finish cutting out my quilt today!  Have I told you how much I DO NOT enjoy cutting out quilts????  NO!!!  NOT my favorite part of the process!

Later chickies...  Gloria

Monday - June 18, 2012

Well... I certainly hope everyone had a great Father's Day weekend!  We sure did... Jack and I played around shopping and goofing off on Saturday...then ate with our Heather, Keck and Lexie at Carrabbas' on Sunday ... man that food is scrumptious!  Then we got to bring Lexie home with us to spend the night.  She's such a great little girl!  This morning about 4:00 am I felt this little person crawl in beside me in bed.  What a wonderful feeling to snuggle with a little one.  Of course... I was now wide awake!  Ha!!!  She is now happy cuddled on the couch watching her all time favorite - Scooby-Doo!!  What a silly peanut she is!

This is ONE BUSY WEEK and I'm lovin' it!  Today.. .I MUST get a quilt cut out for the upcoming "girls" weekend of sewing.  Some of my friends are traveling to Jacksonville and they along with some of my other buddies are going to spend the weekend sewing!  I can't wait!  I need some girlfriend time!  THEN... Tuesday I will be taking 13 gals to Wisconsin... to Primitive Gatherings Retreat!  OMG... I can't wait.  I've rented a 15 passenger van (for all of us to go shop-hopping in) along with a mini-van.... FOR ALL OF THE LUGGAGE!  I get to be the tour guide and chef on this trip and I can't wait!

So... that means I'll be out of pocket for Friday of this week and Tuesday through Monday of the next week.  We don't have a computer at our Wisconsin Retreat House !!  I'll try to hook up with Vic's wireless (she's going too...yippee!) but I'm not sure if that will work.  We'll have to play it by ear!

Let's see what I have for you today....

I've finished knitting my fingerless gloves!!!  All I have to do now is stitch them together!  I sure hope my sister-in-law loves these things... if so.. .I'll make her some more!  I think her hubby and sons may like them too... they all have a landscaping company together (Indiana) and these will be perfect for that not so freezing weather...but "I still need some gloves on" time of the year!

I burst out laughing at this cartoon... OMG how I can relate to this.  The extra fabric waving on my arms should just be out-lawed!  Don't you just hate the "sagging" years!! Disgusting!

I've mentioned before how I love bottle-brush trees... well...this one is even more awesome... it's on an antique box with an adorable sheep!  I WANT THIS!!!!  It would look ever so lovely with my little collection!

Now.. I don't know about you... but I think this is the perfect tag to own!  You know... for those projects that actually take forever...whether it's the project itself... OR... because it took so long for me to finish!!

Now...this my friends... is a gorgeous picture! 

 Hubba... Hubba!!  No more needs to be said!  Yowser!!

I've always wanted one of these dress forms... and it seems the older it is and looks - the better for me!  I've asked this questions before... "why in the heck do they cost so much"?  It's just NOT FAIR!!!

This bag is so attractive to me.  Now... I must admit.. I'm not a fan of (what appears to be) the small opening at the top.  I'm a gal that wants her bags to open BIG and WIDE so I can find things easy!  Especially my stinkin' keys.  I swear... I can toss them into my bag and in a nano-second they have found their way to the bottom... and hiding under something!  What's up with that?  My mind is working, and working.... and working... on an improved design that I think I just might have to make!  I think I may have to make mine from blue ticking... I even have some awesome trim for it!!! hhhmmm....

Heeee Heeee.... isn't this adorable.  He's got him a mouse!!!!

Now...this is one talented puppy dog!  So funny... he looks like he's smiling with a mouth full of yellow teeth!!  hahahahahahaha!

Well... I just told Lexie we would go to Denny's this morning for breakfast.  I'm not sure why...but she loves that place... Go figure!  She's jumping all over the place with excitement... it's pancake time!

Yumalicious!!!  I'm off to the shower, get dressed... and headin' for Denny's..!

Have a great Monday... we'll chat tomorrow! 

Gloria

p.s.  My granddaughter may have her baby "Aubrey" today!!  She's being induced!!!

June 15, 2012 - Friday

How was your trip down memory lane?  Did you laugh... did you get a little teary eyed remembering fun times (I sure did).  Today I have more for you... then I get to scoop off my cutting counter and cut out a NEW quilt... I'm making for a sample for Cinnamon's.  It's an adorable Christmas Quilt from Primitive Gatherings.  It's just wonderful and I can't wait to get started with the piecing portion of it.  My wool applique is all finished (with the exception of some extra stuff that I have to add after the quilting is finished).  Here it is!!!!  I'm going to be making a ton of half square triangles... Don't you just love this?  I'm so excited!!!  Thanks Lisa for making this adorable quilt!!  You're the bomb!!! (that's Lisa Bongean - from Primitive Gatherings)  p.s.  See you in just 12 DAYS!!!  (I'm taking a group of gals to her retreat house... 14 of us!)

Ok.. here we go down memory lane...

SHORTHAND!!!  Did any of you take this in high school?  Vicky and I did...we loved it.  We would practice and practice so we could be faster with our dictation!  Then you had to read the silly stuff and type it into a letter.  You know... I still remember a ton of it!!  I even remember how to write my name in shorthand!!

Oh My...this brings back tears to my eyes.  Jack and I used to eat at Shoneys when we were dating.  I can remember the first time there... like it was yesterday... he ordered a Big Boy, fries, chocolate shake... then he had that wonderful strawberry pie...remember it?  I had the hot fudge ice cream cake (oh my gosh ... it was so good)  THEN... he was still HUNGRY and ordered a Buddy Boy - you know ... the one with the hot ham and cheese?  I can remember thinking..man this guy eats alot... and he was as skinny as a rail.  I do believe his waist was a 29 at that time....hahahahaha....

BUGLES!!!  I still love them to this day... and you know what...we used to put them on our fingers...just like this!  We would pretend we were CATS!!!!!  They are sssssoooooo good dipped in Ranch Dressing... YUM! (I think my tummy just growled....)

Here is the popular "Friendship Bracelet"... the one you always wanted to wear that was your boyfriends!!!  Did you all do that too?  Then... remember when you got to wear their class ring??? Of course it was WAY TOO BIG... so we wrapped them all the way around in Angora ????  Are you with me?  I tried to find a photo of one on the Internet... but no luck!

Ha!!!  I remember our phone in the country...it didn't even have a dial on it.  When  you picked it up the operator would answer!  Guess what... I still remember the phone number !  2135W 

It was a party line and the neighbor lady up the road... she would always pick up and listen to your conversations!  Mom... she knew who she was... so when she heard the phone click...she would say - "Betty... hang up the phone!"  hahahahahahaha!!!

Now...this is delicious!  Can you tell what it is from the picture?  If not...it's FRIED BOLOGNA!!  i LOVE IT TO THIS DAY.... and even make it once in awhile.  It's so good on FRESH white bread with mayonnaise!  YUM YUM!!!  (there goes my tummy growling again...)

A couple more....

Did you ever get one of these tablets?  We loved them!  Grandma Grunawalt - every year for Christmas would buy all 3 of us girls one of these... along with some new pencils and a coloring book.  Then she would bake us a cake - called - Poor Man's Cake.  It was in a bundt pan...and was dark in color - had one cup of cold coffee and raisins in it.  We LOVED that cake!  She never had the recipe...she knew it by heart and to this day... I still DO NOT know how to make it.  It was so good... thanks Grandma for the sweet memories.  She left us at the age of 98 !!

Okay... now these candy lipsticks left a scar on my childhood.  I remember finding a broken one on the floor in the dime store (Schultz 5 & 10) one Saturday on our trip to town.  I put it in my pocket and was playing with it when I got home.  MOM had a fit... she told me it wasn't right to steal!  I tried to explain it was broken (cracked and falling apart) on the floor... she didn't care and would have it no other way than to haul my silly little butt back into town.  There she made me promptly apologize to the old man that ran the store (he was pretty scary looking...as I remember)!  I cried all the way home.  However, I NEVER took another thing in my life.... well.... that's not a true statement... we used to sneak cigarettes from Grandma Rawleys pack - unfiltered Lucky Strikes - and try to smoke them in the basement of their lake house.  Wow...were those things disgusting!  Of course we got caught...but she never told Mom... whew!!  Grandmas are great aren't they?

And my last photo for you today... is my all time favorite show (when I was a kid)... Shirley Temple movies.  I just thought she was wonderful... I wanted to be like her so much!  She got to sing, dance and have fun... I must try to find some of these movies and see if my little Eden and Lexie would like to watch them.  You never know...they may fall in love with her too..

Well... the weekend is upon us and I'm hoping you have fun, fun things planned for you and your family.  We're taking Jack to Carrabba's for Father's Day!!  OMG I love that place...it's so darn good!  I haven't been there in ages so we're looking forward to it.

Have a great weekend... I'll see you on Monday... and GUESS WHAT?  I didn't get through all of my "memory" photos so I'll have some more for you.

Take care... keep sewing!!!

Gloria

Thursday - June 14, 2012

Today... it's a trip down memory lane...especially for those of you that are around my age... you know...being kids in the 50's - 70's!!!  One of my friends - Lori - posted a ton of wonderful things from my childhood on Pinterest this morning... I just have to share with you.  It make take two days of posting... there are so many memories... I hope you have wonderful ones from your childhood...

Let me take you on this ride.............................

Sweet little hats and white gloves for special events.  I remember wearing little white gloves and home made dresses for our 8th Grade graduation.  I'll have to find that picture, scan it in the computer and show you... it's a riot...with our red hair - WHITE cat shaped glasses...we were a site to see...let me tell you!

I can't tell you how I hated these chairs.  They were so uncomfortable and never enough table space.  We not only had them at our grade school - but in the high school too!!  I remember when I wore my back brace (for 4 years) I couldn't fit into this thing and still have enough room to bend over from the hips to see my desk top.  They had to bring in a table and chair for me!!  How embarrassing...!

OH MY GOSH... I LOVED STIRRUP PANTS!!!  Didn't you?  The only thing...they had to be the perfect fit... if they were to short... you could feel them creeping down your waist and your crotch would soon be falling around your knees.  If they were toooooo long... you would get huge bumps in the knees!!  hahahahahahahaa!!!!!  Too funny!!

Hey...we used these in typing class!  Erase your mistake and then brush away the crumbs.  You couldn't keep making the same mistake over and over or you would have no paper left from all the erasing!!!  All those crumbs sure had a bad effect on the inside of the typewriter.  I'll never forget going to my typing class in high school and looking down at the keyboard to see NOTHING on the keys.  We learned from pure memory!!!  eeekkkkk!!!  Oh how I LOVED TYPING CLASS!!!!   LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT!!

Remember these????  This is the card inside a library book they would stamp when you checked out a book!  I used to love to look at it before checking out my book to see if I knew anyone that had already read it.  My sister, Vicky, worked in a library the entire time we were in high school.  She sure has touched MANY of these sweet things!!

I can remember shopping in K-Mart when I was a kid with my parents and hearing the announcement of the Blue Light Special.  Mom would always stop and listen for the item...then if she wasn't interested... we would keep on shopping.  Remember when K-Mart was the ONLY big box store to shop in?  Now I'm not sure how they are staying alive.  The one closest to us NEVER has more than 12 cars in the parking lot!!  So sad! 

Oh My Gosh... I love cigar bubble gum... STILL DO!!!  Is it made any longer?  I'll have to check that out the next time I'm in the Gate station...they have every kids candy in the world!  These tasted so darn good... my favorite was the banana!!!  Yumilicious!  I can taste it right now!

Heck... I can remember all of us girls taking turns sitting under these!  We look like space people.  I also remember the plastic (hot) smell from them... do you?  It sure did the trick of drying your hair fast when it was full of rollers!!

Now...this my friends ... brings back WONDERFUL MEMORIES.  Jack (my honey) and I used to go to the drive-in movies when we were dating... I remember the first movie I saw with him.  James Bond - Goldfinger!!!  I had to be home early.... (darn it) and we didn't even get to see the end of it.  What wonderful memories... I loved him so much (still do)!  For those of you that don't know what these are...they are the speakers that you would pull up beside and hang the speaker on your drivers window.

SILLY PUDDY!!!  We would beg Mom for this... and we would do exactly what they are showing... press it on the cartoons every Sunday!  Then smash it all up and do it again.  So silly but so much fun.

I LOVED these glasses.  Let me tell you...there is nothing that tasted better than drinking ICE COLD Kool-Aid from one of these glasses (aluminum)... I wish we still could ... it tasted so good.  These were a "staple" in every one's kitchen during the 50's!

This was one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.  Vicky and I wanted a baton so bad....sssssooooo... badddddddddd.  Mom and Dad took us into town - to the music store (they sold REAL ones)... they had us measured, the baton was weighted for us.. and then we paid for it each week with our allowance.  I loved twirling!!!!  We had a lady at the grade school that taught us how to do it.  I was never very good at the tosses in the air and then catching it... pretty darn scary seeing that silver thing spinning and coming at your head!

Remember wearing barrettes... these cool ones?  I sure wish they made this kind today.  This was before we had much plastic and they were made from bak-o-lite (spelling?)  Wow... I sure wish I owned them now...they would be worth some $$$$$$$$$$$$$  !!!  Aren't these colors so pretty..this is back when girls wore soft colors...pretty pastels!!

And...this.... girls and boys... was my all time favorite show!  The Red Skelton Hour.  Oh my gosh...this guy could make me belly laugh like no one else ever has!  What a talented, funny man!!! 

I have so many more... I'll share with you tomorrow....

You know.. all of these things are so special to me... it's the memories I guess.

We have a saying in our family... "Remember to make memories with your family"! 

It's so rewarding and so wonderful to look back....  are you making memories with your family? 

Now is the time to start....

Chat tomorrow...

Gloria