Yikes! It’s true. I haven’t published a post in over a month! Guess I’ve taken a bit of a blog hiatus, however it wasn’t really intentional. I’ve pretty much allowed myself to get behind take a break from all things computer-related. As a result, this is the first time I’ve combined two months of favorites in one post. So first, we will go back through the mists of time to September.
SEPTEMBER FAVORITES!
September Favorite #1
September started out great with a week-long visit from the Bovets! It always makes me super happy to have my daughter Cara, her husband Paul, and my two granddaughters Helen and Edie here.
Here’s Edie playing a little bit of dress-up wearing my necklace and make-up.
And here’s Helen also playing a bit of dress-up. She and I did a Costco run and found this dress for her…SCORE! Those are actually my ankle boots she’s wearing. Ha! I would call this is her pensive look.
September Favorite #2
Big Eagle and I celebrate our birthdays just one day apart near the beginning of September. And our birthdays were extra special this year, since the Bovets were here. They are the ones who really made it a celebration. 😊
Big Eagle’s birthday is the day before mine. The desert for his birthday dinner was brownies, and Cara had to improvise on the candles since she didn’t have a 6. She used a 1 as the stem on a 0 to make a 6. You see it, right? 😉
We aren’t used to getting gifts on our birthdays. At our age we’re perfectly happy with cards and phone calls. But this year the Bovets came laden with gifts! They gave Big Eagle a couple of the games that they introduced us to during their stay in our addition. Mexican Train Dominoes, which we all played, and Quixx. Both really fun games!
The next day (my birthday) we all left early to head down to Cleburne State Park. Unfortunately it was a misty overcast morning, but we made the best of it.
Paul and the girls went for a swim even.
Big Eagle, Cara, and I watched from the shore.
Back at home that evening, we were both presented with birthday pins to wear.
And here we are sporting them! (Me and my long pandemic hair! 😲)
What a difference a day makes! The Bovets were well prepared for my birthday desert that evening. My candles were spectacular!
And there were more presents!
The girls gave us this garden decor! Big Eagle was given the flamingo, and the butterfly was for me. 😍
I’ve been wanting a yucca for some time now, AND I have a thing for blue outdoor pottery. The Bovets came through on both counts!
And this here is just really so special. This was a gift for both of us from Paul. He’s a great photographer, and he made us a book of b&w photos he took throughout the time they stayed with us this past spring and summer. I really treasure this! It’s such a personal gift and it carries some sweet, sweet memories that we will relish every time I look through it.
Lots of birthday favorites! I probably could have done a whole separate post on that. But, hey, it only happens once a year, and this one was extra special since family was here.
September Favorite #3
One morning around the middle of the month, a feeding frenzy went on ALL morning at the hummingbird feeder!
Not the best picture, because (1) I took it through a screen, and (2) I didn’t want to get too close and scare them away. But you can see at least 5 birds in this picture. At times I counted 7 or 8. I’m assuming this was during their migration to Mexico. While we see hummingbirds at the feeder often, it’s never in these numbers and as constant as it occurred that morning. Quite interesting! Now the feeder is cleaned and stored away until next year.
September Favorite #4
This is my favorite picture that Danny texted to me in September.
He and Erin are living in Lithuania now and exploring it whenever they get the chance. Behind them is the Trakai Island Castle. Danny said it is the only island castle in Eastern Europe.
September Favorite #5
My long-time good friend Lora invited me to join a 6-week ZOOM Bible study group that started September 16th. I have so enjoyed getting to know the other ladies in the group as we’ve studied Beth Moore’s “Chasing Vines”. The study has been an inspiration, and it’s great getting to see Lora on a regular basis, even though it is in a virtual context.
September Favorite #6
A couple of times this month I looked out the back window to see a leaf dancing around in the air for me.
I couldn’t help but take a video. This is a screenshot from it. The leaves in both circumstances were hanging by a thin silk spider thread from the tree and blowing about in the wind. Silly maybe, but I found it very entertaining!
September Favorite #7
I picked up this fall bouquet on one of my grocery shopping trips to H-E-B. 😍
September Favorite #8
Every fall so many people go for ALL the pumpkin, but I’m not such a fan. For me, when it comes to fall and food, it’s all about the apples!
I love to chop them up to put in my yogurt or my oatmeal. And nothing beats a warm apple crisp, preferably with vanilla ice cream on top. Yum! 😋
September Favorite #9
When the Bovets left Nigeria back in March, there was no time to make flight arrangements for their dog. Cara has had Sunny for about 13 years, so obviously she’s a big part of the family. Leaving her behind was so difficult. All these months she has been well cared for by Tina, their housekeeper. At the end of September, Cara was finally able to arrange to fly her back to the states, so now all of the family is together again!
This is Sunny at the airport in Nigeria before she boarded her flight.
And here she is back with Cara in Houston the very next day! Talk about a favorite! 😁
September Favorite #10
And finally for September, this is my favorite Bible passage from the month:
OCTOBER FAVORITES!
October Favorite #1
We took the first overnight trip we’ve been on since before March! Sure…it was just one night, and it was only to Houston and back, but still…we actually TRAVELED!
Back in the spring when the Bovets got here from Nigeria, we bought bikes for the girls to help give them something to do. Now they’re living in Houston, and Helen was invited to a bicycle party, but their bikes were still with us. It was a great excuse to go down and spend a little time with my two favorite granddaughters and see their current digs.
We got there on Saturday and left on Sunday, so not a whole lot of time, but we managed to get in a couple of dog walks. I enjoyed seeing the neighborhood.
Snapped this picture just before we got back on the road to head home.
October Favorite #2
So glad to get this text around mid-month! I shared a similar favorite in August. First OTF froze all accounts until sometime in August, then they extended it to Oct. 22nd, and now they’ve extended it again to the end of the year. I’m more than ready to go back, but I just don’t feel it’s quite safe enough yet. Hope they keep extending it until there’s a vaccine widely available. In the meantime, I’ll keep doing their at-home workouts.
October Favorite #3
A couple of my favorite pictures from Danny in October. Erin got a fall break the last week of October, and they were able to take a trip down to the coast of Lithuania.
While they were on vacation, they took a bike ride in or near Klaipeda. Danny sent me a few pictures, and it looked like a fun ride. I just love this one of Erin with the towering trees lining her path! It definitely looks like fall!
Early in October I sent a fall care package their way, and when they returned to Vilnius from their vacation, they received it. Danny sent this picture of himself munching on the snack that I included in the box.
October Favorite #4
We were all thrilled last week to learn that Paul will be continuing on with Chevron! 🙌
They will be moving to Louisiana, which is farther away than Houston, but still a LOT closer than Nigeria! I’ll take it! 😃
October Favorite #5
We’re still getting peppers! I just picked these bells the day before Halloween. Looks like we have stuffed peppers in our near future!
October Favorite #6
Cara texted me this picture of the girls on Halloween:
It’s the cutest tooth fairy and the scariest Medusa I’ve ever seen! 💕😍💕
October Favorite #7
And I’ll just leave this right here: the best “campaign” sign I’ve seen.
