Happy Tuesday sweet friends. I have not posted a “this & that” since last June. I think it is time to catch up!
“Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”
Psalm 51:6
I enjoy sharing all things beautiful with you dear readers. But, I also enjoy sharing some of the day to day stuff…you know, the everyday living! The blog serves as a personal journal that hopefully one day my grandchildren will read. Warning: this post might contain photos of the three wonderful blessings that we call “grands”.
Why did I start out with a Monday Morning Blooms photo from a couple of years ago?
The latest edition (Jan./Feb.2022) of Southern Lady magazine featured my table on their Instagram page. I have subscribed to the magazine forever and I am always so excited to see one of my photos make it on this page. A couple of you noticed when you received your copy in the mail.
The Sunshine Cottage serves as my adult play house where I enjoy staging vignettes, displaying dishes, reading, and sometimes relaxing. But more importantly, it is a play house for the girls. We play dolls, read books, take naps, and have spend the night parties. They also love having a picnic on the floor, so why not? Chick-fil-A furnished the chicken nuggets, fruit, and waffle fries. Clean-up was easy.
The girls were overjoyed when they received a package from one of our lovely readers, Roxanne. When she was a little girl, her godmother gave her beautiful books for Christmas and birthdays. What a perfect gift when she passed this delightfully illustrated book to my granddaughters. If Wyatt follows in his daddy’s footsteps, he will be a fan of Peter Pan. His daddy had a Peter Pan costume that was in daily rotation with his Batman costume. The girls love the book and always ask me to read it to them, but before too long EM will be reading it. Thank you again Roxanne for this cherished book!
EM and EK have loved playing with this doll house that was given to them from a long-time friend of mine. Most of the time they play well together. Occasionally I have to intervene when an argument arises!
I don’t think I ever shared the first tea party in the cottage. Emma wasn’t old enough to join us. There wasn’t any furniture and the cottage wasn’t quite finished when Ella Mae asked if we could have a tea party. With a stool for a table and paper napkins for our cloth, we sat on the floor and I loved every minute. Iced tea and chocolate chip cookies completed the party! I can’t believe how much she has grown since August of 2020!
Snuggles, the bear, lives in the cottage. He was so loved by Seth and the girls love him as much. He is wearing Seth’s first overalls. I just hope Wyatt will love him!
Seth and Allison gave me a wonderful ??th birthday party in October. Allie made my favorite cake…hummingbird! The girls made the crown for my special day and of course, they blew out the candles.
Future gardeners learning from Da who said he knew nothing about planting bulbs! He has planted them before, he just doesn’t remember.
EM started taking ballet in late summer. Her first recital, only for parents and two grandmothers, lasted a total of two minutes. I think she will be a star ballerina one day!
My Renaissance Man retired on December 17th. This photo was taken a couple of days before at his retirement party. I have asked him to write a post and share his thoughts, I hope he will. He will still work as a consultant on a part time basis.
Christmas morning!
Later, they came to our house to open presents and have our family Christmas and dinner! We think WL liked his wheels!
My favorite Christmas present was a beautiful family album that my daughter-in-love made for me. Most of the photos shown on this particular page were taken with the grands great grandfather’s (Butch’s dad’s) Canon AE-1 film type camera which is over 40 years old. Seth cleaned it up and restored it. That kind of makes these pics unique and extra special!
Yes, I am on a trampoline! The photo is fuzzy because the girls were jumping and bouncing me! I might be too old for this.
It is always fun when Instagram accounts share your posts in their stories. The middle photo was shared on Southern Lady’s page.
If you are not following me on Instagram you can click here.
Long time readers know how much we love to travel. We have missed it so much the past two years. We were able to squeeze in a couple of trips in 2020. But, last year we only left the state of Alabama to go across into Georgia to visit Gibbs Gardens! I occasionally take out our travel photos and reminisce and am hopeful we will travel once again. This photo was taken in 2013 in Ephesus, Turkey.
Thank you for your visits and gracious comments. Wishing you a delightful week!
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Happy Tuesday Pam! Love seeing your sweet smiling faces of your adorable grands! What a beautiful album and gift and how wonderful Seth was able to restore Butch’s dad’s camera. Congrats on your features and on Butch’s retirement, hopefully you two will be able to travel again semi-normally soon. ♥
Thanks so much, Mary. I have really missed travel!
Pam, I love catching up with your everyday living. In that album your dil made for you, that top L photo of EM in the pool is a gem. EK as a tiny dancer makes my heart happy. Her new bangs growing underneath…I can remember when she was bald for so long! And Wyatt’s eyes are those of an angel! Life is good….especially when you can still get up off the floor from having tea and from a cross-legged position on the trampoline. Lol. Congrats again to Butch on his retirement and you on your features.
Thank you so much, Rita. I hope I am not boring our readers with photos of our grands. I was worried that I could not get off the trampoline🤣
Good morning, dearest Pam! I always love your This and That’s because it is a good reminder of all the blessings we have in our “everyday living”. I am always thrilled when I see Southern Lady feature you. One of the first things that attracted me to your blog was how much you treasure your family heirlooms, especially from your dear mother. And it’s becoming evident your sweet daughter-in-love is raising EM and EK the same. It makes my heart happy they will treasure Peter Pan.
Roxanne, like you, I adore
Sorry, hit sent before I finished. We have much in common, for sure we both treasure family heirlooms!
What a lovely and precious selection of pictures. You are very blessed to be able to get down on the floor and on a trampoline with your grandchildren. I remember those special times with my littles. I’m so glad you all show pictures of your grandchildren. I really enjoy them.❤️
Thank you, Nancy. I always hope I am not boring my readers with pictures of our grandchildren! I am so happy you enjoy them!
Pam, What a wonderful post! Congratulations on being featured in the magazine and on Instagram. The children look so content and happy in every shot. It’s a joy to see them. That trampoline shot is priceless! Love it! The bulb planting class is adorable. The calendar shots are so special that were taken by Butch’s Dad’s camera. Enjoy your day. Clara ❤️
Thank you dearest Clara ♥️
Loved seeing your everyday living! Congrats on being featured in the magazine!
Thanks so much, Penny!
Congratulations on all of your beautiful features, sweet friend! It is so well deserved! That opening photograph is stunning! I so enjoyed reading about your “everyday living.” I always love seeing the photographs of your precious grandbabies. They are absolutely beautiful! Congratulations to Butch on his retirement. My daddy retired in early November and is serving as a consultant as well. He still works every day-lol. He says he will officially retire in May, but we will just have to wait and see. I hope you have a most wonderful day, my dear friend!
Thank you, Shannon. Butch is still doing work from home. I agree, I will have to see how this will work out!
Congrats on all of your featured photos. I love seeing the happy faces of your sweet grand babies. EK is. Darling ballerina. Congrats on your hubby on retiring.
Thank you Linda!
Your grands are adorable. Your blooms are always amazing and so magazine worthy so I am happy for you to be featured. Such a great compliment. Happy Tuesday. xoxo
Kris, thank you for your sweet comments. Happy Wednesday!
What glorious God/Family/Home centered photos…they bring joy to view them. To get up straightaway from the floor and
survive jostling on the trampoline…now that is age defying. Hope Butch is settling into his retirement with ease and is adapting well to the new routine, The world Grandma has created for the little ones is magical, judging from their smiles and delighted expressions as well as your own. Who is not moved to collect by your grand pictures of blue and white? Beautiful.
Age-defying 🤣🤣🤣 You are funny dear one! Thank you, Mary!
I love to the max seeing your real-life photos, Pam. It’s been such a joy to watch the girls grow up! I’m so happy for you that you can spend so much time with them and in your magical, beautiful world. They will have experiences they will never forget. Congratulations on the Southern Living shout out — it’s so well deserved! And three cheers for Butch! I hope he’ll write that post but till he does, pass on my congratulations. I wish him a beautiful, happy retirement and somehow I have a feeling he will not be short of projects!
Thank you, Jeanie. His to-do-list is long! It will keep him busy for a while.
What an honor Pam to be featured by Southern Lady! I love your “this and that”. Those grands are precious and I know that you and Butch enjoy them so much. I am so happy for Butch with his retirement. How wonderful. God surely has a plan for our lives doesn’t He? I hope your week is wonderful. Hugs and blessings, Cindy P.S. Girl, I jumped on the bed with two of my grands in a hotel recently and it wore me out! LOL! And of course we don’t jump on beds at home. LOL!
Thank you, Cindy. Thinking of you as you retire dear friend!
Wonderful photos and year in review Pam & Butch! Now you can start a new adventure in retirement! Such a lovely gift is the photo album and your beautiful tablescapes should be featured often by Southern Lady. Your grands are adorable, so sweet and smiley…my oldest, Super Boy is 13, yikes how did that happen?? Cheers to 2022 and hopefully travels for you!
Jenna
Jenna, how can Super Boy be a teen? Time passes so quickly. Happy Wednesday!
Pam, this post is wonderful. Of course, I love seeing the children and how they have grown. What a special gift from your friend, Roxanne. And the photo of Emma with the bear is priceless.
I hope you and Butch will be able to travel once again. Covid has changed so much. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Thank you, Sandra. I am so thankful for wonderful friends like you and Roxanne and many, many more from all of the blogging years!
This is a favorite post Pam. I can never get enough of your grands. I have received Southern Lady since the beginning. But I missed recognizing your photos. I must be losing it. I love Snuggles and I think Wyatt will too. Many years ago I bought myself a little soft bear. I was in my 40s. That little bear traveled with me every place. I still have him and he was and is a great comfort to me. I never intend to “grow up”. Your ballerina, as are all ballerinas, is beautiful. You must tell her that. Looking forward to seeing longer performances.
,
Alice, you have been a wonderful blessing. How fun that you have bear, yes don’t grow up! Thanks so much!
How adorable your post is! How many blessings. Thank you for sharing such beauty and happiness.
Thank you sweet friend♥️
Happy New Year, Pam! Oh, what a lovely post and that tablescape is gorgeous – no wonder it was picked for the magazine. You little grands are adorable and I can see what a joy they are. I know you had a nice Christmas. Here’s to blogging with you in 2022!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Thank you. Shelia. Wishing you a wonderful new year of blogging!
Oh how I enjoyed seeing you with the grands! Especially you on the trampoline!
I am always so happy to see your special features on Instagram! Well deserved my friend.
Congratulations to Butch on his retirement! How exciting! I enjoy Your Everyday Living!
Happy week to you!
Thank you, Nancy. There won’t be many photos of me on the trampoline!
Happy Birthday, sweet friend! May God bless you with many more. And congratulations to Butch on his retirement! What a smilestone! And congratulations on having your photos featured!! God is blessing you in so many ways, and it is so wonderful that share your blessings with us here. May He continue to pour out His goodness on you and your family in this new year!
Thanks so much, Cheryl!
Congratulations, Pam, on your well deserved features. Your family is so beautiful and I enjoy them so much. Thank you for sharing your life, beliefs, and amazing talent. Be careful on the trampoline.😀
Thank you Dianne. I won’t be on the trampoline often 😂
You provided a delightful visit, Pam–so many wonderful photos. Loved the cottage tea party, your birthday party complete with one-of-a-kind crown, Christmas in Red, WL’s new car (!), your trip to Turkey, etc. And, add another congratulations from this corner for being featured in Southern Lady Magazine!
Thank you, Nancy.
Happy New Year Pam! Love all the photos. The grands are growing up and so cute. It looks like the holidays were good at your place. A big Congratulations to Butch on his retirement. That is so exciting. Hopefully, you can get in some much needed travel this year. We all need some more of those vacation photos. 🙂
Thanks so much, Lynda for your heartwarming comments.
Congrats on being featured in Southern Lady … and for surviving the trampoline with those fun little girls!
Here’s hoping we can all live out our dreams to be out and about, to explore and enjoy God’s creation in the days ahead.
I’m sure you guys will love every minute of retirement.
Thank you dear, Linda. Wishing you a wonderful week$
Should have been ! instead of $
Congratulations on being featured in Southern Lady! I so enjoyed hearing about your This &That. Blessings.
Visiting today from Imparting Grace #4&5
Thanks so much, Paula!
Ha – Pam! You’re NEVER too old for the trampoline – way to go! Congrats on your feature too, that’s exciting! And those kids – they’re just darling and it’s obvious that they so love their grandparents! Best wishes to Butch on his retirement. My husband is taking a work break for a while too, and it’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing the special AND the everyday. You’re such an inspiration for both!
Thank you so much, Barbara. I hope your husband enjoys the work break!
Congrats on your magazine feature! That’s fabulous. I love that trampoline photo of you with the kids. So fun.
Thanks so much, Joanne!