Rain, Rain, Rain, Rain . . .

Rainy days and Mondays and Tuesdays

 and Wednesdays . . .

basically every day for the last two weeks, it's been raining!

We have definitely had our share and more of

rain this year.

Usually the farmers are praying for rain  --- 

this year, they're praying for

NO MORE RAIN!

Evidently, there are bumper crops waiting

to be harvested, but it's too wet!

Look at how nice and green our grass is -- 

this is not normal for this time of year!

Even my dog wants boots and her own little umbrella!

Weather alert -- the sun may peek out tomorrow,

but more rain forecast the rest of the week!

I think we should all have a day off work

tomorrow to celebrate seeing the sun again if,

in fact, it does come out!

Let's don't even talk about  my hair and this weather -

it's not good people, not good at all!  

What's new in your area??

Please send sunshine!  

I'll even take cold temps

if only we get some sunshine!

Rain, Rain Go Away!!

There's a New Store in Town!

When Maddie and I heard that Scheels (a sporting goods store)

was building a new bigger and better store, we both gave a 

shrug and said " hmph - big deal - we don't shop there much 

anyway."

Not her red jeep, but a very cool monster jeep and great photo op!

But . . .

the new store is AMAZING!

Holy cow -- it is gigantic!

One of the biggest features is a Ferris Wheel!

Yes, let's go on the Ferris Wheel while we're shopping!

What. A. Blast!

According to their press release -- there are 60 different 

specialty areas!  Some of the highlights

include a gorgeous aquarium as you walk in; 

Do you see the little fishies swimming behind her?

Plus, a bowling alley, a yummy cafe (with free samples

of fudge -- how many is too many when 

requesting free fudge samples??? No limit, I say)!

There's also a gorgeous home decor section, LEGO World, 

a candy store, BIG RED stuff, of course, and

also loads of stuffed animals (I don't mean the kind you take to bed)

 in addition to the

the usual sporting goods stuff!

Yikes - is that an Elk??

Oh, there are also some animatronic characters including

Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.

Don't want to study your social studies book -- 

check out what Thomas Jefferson says as he

works on the Declaration of Independence! 

If you haven't been to Scheels yet and you are local, 

run, do not walk, circle that parking lot repeatedly to find a parking space 

and spend some time there.

Don't forget --ask for a sample of fudge!

Well, Hello Fall!

And just like that . . .

Fall arrived!

At the Sunken Garden - enjoying the flowers before the frost gets them!

Amazingly enough here in Nebraska,

on the first day of Fall, our temps dropped

over 50 degrees from record highs of 96

to an early morning low of 40-something

on the first day of Fall!

Wow -- life could not be more perfect!

Yes, we were definitely ready for cooler temps!

All the rain has kept our grass looking like spring!
Holmes Lake area

Of course, the temperature has boomeranged a little in the last

week, but we are avoiding the 90s

and that's a good thing!

Someone, Miss M, has been ready for Fall for the

last month or more!

She's been putting together her plaid button-downs and vests

and sweaters and boots . . . 

you get the idea, right!

The girl likes the changing fall colors and leaves and fall clothes!

:)

Rocking that dimple!

And while she kind of hates to admit it, 

she's following in my footsteps of loving vests!

Welcome Fall --

we've been waiting for you!

So Long Summer!

Dear Summer:

Thank you for the warm and humid days and nights that
have made me long for cooler temps!
Summer frizzy hair days (and there have been too many to count)
help me appreciate winter and low humidity!
Low humidity = better hair days for moi!
And, as you all know, it's always about my hair!

Today is the last official day before fall arrives tomorrow!

Fittingly enough, yesterday we had a record high temp of 96 degrees!

Today, maybe 76!

We Love Nebraska and our up and down and all around crazy weather!

So . . . . 

Time to say farewell to summer and pool time!

Maddie loved going to the pool and having

every pool flotation device out there!

This year her favorite was the chocolate donut!

Seems appropriate as I have been eating way too many chocolate donuts!

I was not able to fit into find my 

favorite all-spanx* swimsuit this year.
Look below at how great I looked that year I had one! :)
Now, I've heard there is also spanx* for your arms -- seriously --
spanx* for arms!
  What next I ask???
Spanx* for chubby fingers?  Sign me up!

Anywho, thank you Summer for the warm temps, Maddie's big smile,
ice cream and, of course,
chocolate donuts!

See you next year!!

Catching Up?

Summer seemed to have sped by at warp speed

and somehow I've gotten way, way behind on blogging.  

Sometimes, I have a bit of blogger's block

and simply cannot put together a sentence or

two and thus I get behind.

I'm going to try and catch up a bit here

and there.  Sorry if stuff is out of order,

but that's life -- it often seems out of order, doesn't it.

Me, Philip, Maddie, Connor and the Littles

In mid-August, my sweet niece returned to town for her

second year of college!

How she can possibly be in her second year already is

simply beyond me!

Grace, Todd, Amy and Philip's little kids

Amy (my little sister) and Todd brought Grace back to town from Florida!

We don't get to see them as much as we'd like, so

we nabbed the opportunity to go out to eat with them

in the always fun Haymarket area.

We had such a beastly hot summer and it was sweltering that day,

but being from Florida -- they didn't seem to mind!

They got Grace all  moved back into the dorm and she's

back into the college-coed groove!

I'm sure Grace is looking forward to temps cooling

off  . . . soon I hope!

Being a Florida girl, winter was her favorite time of year here

in Nebraska last year!

The Chronicle

Thank you for the sweet messages on the death of my Dad.
Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Earlier this year, Maddie was interviewed for an 

article in our neighborhood newsletter/magazine, 

The Country Club Neighborhood Chronicle,

about

her doggie bandana business - 

The Happy Hound Collection!

It was a fun chat with the writer about how Maddie started it all

with an instagram account of Miss Muffy, our Scottie Wonder Dog, and

how it has grown and changed through the last two years.

Maddie has sold over 700 bandanas!

She wrote a fabulous article about Maddie and the business!

Maddie has expanded the business to include tie-on bandanas in addition

to the original over-the-collar bandanas

and plush doggies!  She was sewing up those pups at the end of summer

so quickly.  I think she made 18 one week!

Soooooo, if you're looking for a doggie bandana

for Christmas photos or to get your pup looking stylish, let us know!  

Classic plaid is a great look for every pup

at the holidays!

So proud of her hard work and her sewing skills!

Thinking of Dad

I'm having the hardest time starting and writing this post,

for you see, my Dad died on August 22nd,
only 2 days away from his 95th birthday!

Me, Dad and my sister Amy - a few years ago

While we are so sad to lose him (and at times I still cannot believe that he's gone),

he had really been suffering.  He had a fall  the week before resulting in 

deep cuts on his forehead, black eyes, a

 broken nose, broken wrist and an unstable neck fracture.

Mom with me, Dad with Judy (the twins)

A celebration of his incredible life was held last week.
I often called him Al and he loved that --
 he also loved that Mr. Tennis would call him Alberto and he called him Ricardo.
He would have been so delighted to see so many relatives and friends there and
would have talked to and
reminisced with each and every one of them.
We are at peace knowing that his pain is gone and he is enjoying eternal life in heaven
and with my Mom and nephew . . .
and probably wondering why we didn't have
any beers at his funeral.

He was truly the best Dad ever!
My sisters and brothers and I were so lucky to have had
such incredible parents and such wonderful memories to comfort us.

There are special people in our lives who never leave us . . .
even after they are gone.
My Dad was one of those very special people.