Dancing Thru My Mind...Shelby

Oh, here comes another of my wonderful granddaughters dancing through my mind. This one comes on little kitty cat paws. With her beautiful smile, she quietly slips into the margins of my mind and before I know it, I am caught up with wonderful thoughts and memories of the quietest of my grandchildren. I'm not sure I have any really quiet grandchildren, but Shelby is the quietest of the loud. When all of the grandchildren are together, she is totally happy to be a part of whatever happens to be going on at the time, but she is equally happy to be by herself reading, on her computer, or working on some artistic project. She loves her time alone in her room, which by the way is ALWAYS neat and clean. (She may be the only one of the fifteen that I can say that about.) She is one of my independent little country girls, and like her sisters, she loves her animals. That love extends to butterflies and her room reflects that fact.

I think I have a special bond with Shelby. It's not something tangible, just a feeling. She is so appreciative of anything that I ever do for her no matter how small, and she always finds a way to gently let me know that she is wearing a shirt that I bought for her, or she shows me a card that I have sent to her. She remembers the little things. It's nice. Besides her animals, Shelby is loving her sports. She plays softball and basketball and is quite good at both sports.

And what a splendid young lady she is becoming. She is growing up so fast. She just went to her first school dance last week. Before long it will be her Senior Prom and then she will be spreading her wings and flying like the butterflies that she admires so much. I love my little country girl. I know that as she grows and matures she will be able to make the choices necessary to allow her to travel down the path that she chooses to follow. Who knows where that path may lead. It makes my heart swell to know that she is my granddaughter.

I hope you will enjoy this page I created for Shelby. It was made using papers and elements from CLO-De Colores Kit. A great kit with lots of beautiful material. Thanks for peeking in and taking a look at the people and things who are constantly dancing through my mind.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Brock

My daughter just called and was on the way to take her youngest boy to T-Ball practice. So, this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to post his picture on my blog and talk about him just a little bit. Let me tell you, when Brock dances through my mind I have to be wide awake because if I am drowsy I will miss him. He is on the go in a a great big hurry all the time. If he slows down, he's asleep! What a delight! His Dad is a head football coach and Brock is the baby brother to two brothers and one sister who are all totally involved in sports...football, baseball, basketball, volleyball,track, powerlifting...you name it, somebody is doing it. And right there with them is BROCK. He doesn't miss a game. He has been on the football field or in the stands at a sporting event since he was born. People at a football game may not know what the score is, but they can tell you how many times that little boy has kicked the football and run after it along the sidelines. He doesn't know anything but hectic! And now, he is becoming the player! He has started T-Ball and after that comes all of the rest. Soon the brothers and sisters will be sitting in the stands watchiing him, and here's betting that will be a real spectacle.

Along with all of his action he has the sweetest disposition, and just look at the smile...like his Mom's. And he loves you. It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, he just loves you and if he has a cookie and you don't have one he will share his with you. Never meets a stranger. He steals hearts. So proud he is my grandson!

Hope you enjoy this scrapbook page I created for Brock. I used some papers and elements from Scrapping Sisters. They have cool stuff. Thanks for stopping by and meeting Brock.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Casey

Oh, when this young lady comes dancing through my mind, she's tap-dancing! And, she does love to dance, and she does it so well! What a beauty. She has the bluest eyes and the curliest hair and the brightest smile. I have to be happy when she dances through my mind. There is no other choice. She has really grown up during the last year and is becoming a wonderful, mature young lady. It's hard to believe that she will be graduating from high school next year and then going off to college. My the time is passing so quickly. Casey is one of my little country girls, and besides dancing she loves her animals. She will be showing a heifer at the Houston Fat Stock Show this year and she plans on following her love for animals and becoming a vet.

I am so proud of Casey and the gracious, loving person that she has become. She knows where she is going and knows that it is going to take a lot of work to get there. She can do the work, and she is willing to put forth the effort. There is not a doubt in my mind that Casey will succeed in whatever it is that she chooses to do with her life. She knows that there are no limits and that she has the ability and the personality to do what it takes. I love my curly haired grand-daughter and she makes me proud to be her grandmother.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Dolly

One more snow picture before I go to bed. Pictures of Dolly running through the snow dance thru my mind on this cold, wet day. Dolly is our "Labranese"...part Lab and part Great Pyrenees. She is delightful. She talks to us and I swear she understands what we are saying. She loves the grandkids and is excited when they show up at our door and she thinks that my husband, Skip was put on this earth to be her playmate. He adores her. This picture was taken as she and I were walking down the road in back of our house during the snow. It was a great time. She would run ahead and then turn back to make sure that I was coming. I can guarantee that at my age I was not moving as quickly as Dolly. She had to do a lot of waiting on me!

So, here's the picture. Enjoy.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Stone

Before I go to bed tonight, I want to share this picture of my grandson, Stone. He is Maggie and Jake's big brother and he was sharing in the joy and excitement of snow in Texas. Stone is the oldest son of my youngest son and what a wonderful, wonderful young man he is...He is so smart, so thoughtful, so tender, and with such a great humor. He dances thru my mind always. I smile as he finds his place in my mind. I smile at the things he says...way too clever and deep for a person of his age, I smile at the way he takes charge and wants to make sure that everyone is getting their chance, I smile as he listens so intently to what you are saying and then asks questions that are difficult to answer, I smile when I see him play basketball...he gives it everything he has. He just makes me smile. He plays tennis as well, but like Maggie's dancing, I have never been able to watch him play. One of these days.......

This is a picture of Stone with the taste of snowflakes upon his tongue. Again, he and his brother and sister were totally in awe of that beautiful, cold, white softness that was floating from heaven. The wonder of it all!

Share a smile with me as you look at this scrapbook page. It was made with papers and elements from Kubivet and Rainy. Wonderful designers.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Maggie

I'm not through with snow pictures yet. This one is of my youngest grandaughter, Maggie. She is Jake's big sister. Don't you love this picture? It's one of my favorites. Just look at the pure joy showing through those bright eyes and beautiful smile. She was showing me a big icicle that had formed on a Christmas ornament. She was in total awe, "Look, Grandma...look at that great big piece of ice hanging from your roof! It's so pretty!" Oh, the innocence and wonder of a child. Is it not a beautiful thing? Too bad it is gone so soon.

Our Maggie is a beautiful child who comes dancing thru my mind in ballet slippers. She loves to dance and does it quite well. She just had her first ever solo ballet performance and from everything I have heard she was outstanding. She dances through my mind as I wonder about her dance recitals. I have never been able to see her dance and that bothers me a great deal...one of the disappointments of living so far away. But, I have seen pictures and heard rave reviews and there is no doubt that she will be a great dancer. Like I mentioned earlier, she has the best of both of her parents...looks like her Mom but acts like her Dad! Should make for an interesting combination as she continues to grow into the teen years.

This scrapbook page was created with papers from Kubivet and papers and elements from Rainy's Candycane Dreams. Such wonderful things they create! So talented.

Hope you smile with Maggie and me as you enjoy this page.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Jake

This cold, wet, blustery day here in North Texas just seems like the perfect time to post some pictures of some of the grandchildren in the snow. We don't get the opportunity to have snow pictures very often, so these are especially special. This first post is my youngest grandson, Jake. Oh, Jake! What a delightful creation God made in this child. He is busy, busy, busy, constantly curious, has the bluest of blue eyes, and the most endearing way of saying "Grandma." Just melts a grandma's heart. He dances thru my mind regularly, those blue eyes shining and that mischievious mouth smiling all the while. These dances are pure waltzes, no worries. He is still so innocent and I know that all of his needs are being taken care of by his wonderful parents. And, besides, his other grandparents live near by so when he needs something besides his Mom and Dad, all he has to do is say, "Grandma." That grandma can't resist him either. How great it is that he has her and his other Grandpa there so close.

This picture was taken when we had a couple of inches of snow. That's a lot here in Texas. The children were loving it. Being from Houston, snow is extremely rare, so they were able to enjoy it with all of the childish pleasure you can imagine...except for Jake. He said, "It's too cold to play outside. Going in the house!" He was content to sit at the window and watch his brother and sister run and play in the winter wonderland.

Hope you enjoy this scrapbook page of Jake in the snow. And of course, I had to include those baby blue eyes. This page was made with papers and elements from Kubivet and the snowman comes from Candies Creations. They both do beautiful work that makes it easy to do these fun scrapbook pages.

Dancing Thru My Mind...Brittany

As I sit here and post this note tonight, my oldest grandaughter sits at my dining table writing a paper that is due on Tuesday. What a warm, fuzzy feeling it is to have her here with us for a weekend visit. She is my oldest daughter's only daughter and she spends a lot of time "dancing thru my mind." She is a sophomore in college and far enough away from home that she doesn't get to visit anyone very often. She keeps my mind busy wondering if all is going well, if she is happy, if she is studying, if she is having a good time, if she is meeting lots of people who will be important to her for the rest of her life, if life in general is treating her with kindness. Lots of nights with no sleep; however, she seems to be handling this process of growing up quite well. She knows that everything is not always going to go her way and when she gets down, she bounces right back up. When she is happy, she is positively giddy. Love to hear her laugh. Love to watch her eyes sparkle. Love to have her here with us as often as possible. She is my determined one, the one who thinks she knows exactly where she is going and what it is going to take to get there. She is an independent thinker and doer, and I feel certain that she will make all the right choices. We are proud of our oldest grandaughter. She is everything a grandparent could hope for.

Please enjoy this scrapbook page that I created for Brittany using an "orange flower" quick page by Rainy and BoHo Teatime Papers by TMG Scraps. Thanks to these artists for creating such beautiful material with which I am able to make these fun scrapbook pages.

These two people dance thru my mind always...my Mom and Dad. They are the ones who gave me everything that I ever needed to succeed in life. We were not wealthy, but we were rich in love and friends and family. They showed me what love is all about, they didn't have to say a word. Oh, the memories...peach cobblers, pecan pies, pot roast after church on Sundays, friends over after church on Wednesday nights eating peanut butter and crackers, the house full for every holiday, the table groaning from the food on top, Daddy picking up pecans, cracking pecans around the table with Daddy, Mother's quilts, the sound of Mother's sewing machine always making something new for me or Judy or Peggy or Ann, or my girls. Oh the memories that dance thru my mind. I miss both of them every day since they have gone from me, but I know that when I need them they are still always there. I can feel them when my heart is heavy...they comfort me. I can feel them when my heart is light...they laugh with me. I am who I am because two people fell in love and continued to love for a lifetime.

This layout was made from pictures made during World War II. Daddy served in the Army overseas and Mother served at home. Hope you enjoy this layout. It was made with love.

The top picture is a portrait of my Mom and Dad after they had been married for fifty years.