Happy 50th, Harriett!!!!

Wow - what a weekend!!!! A friend that I have known since elementary school had a surprise 50th birthday party this weekend in Houston. Her husband (who I also went to school with) and daughters pulled off the most incredible feat!!!

Not only did they keep the party a surprise - but the decorations and picture slide show of her life was absolutely incredible!!!

Four of us from Shreveport - three of us have known each other since elementary and the other we met in high school - traveled to Houston Saturday for the big event.

Needless to say, we hadn't gone down the highway 30 miles and we had to take care of the first order of business - STOP AND EAT!!!!!!

This is the place we picked - the BBQ was great

Again - the (non-blogging) friends - "Are you going to take pictures of everything we do!" "YES"!

Harriett (the birthday girl), her husband put us up in this great hotel!! Hiding us away until the big surprise!!!!

Here we are....all gussied up for the party!! (from the left - Paula, Patti, Me and Kathy)
Her party was at a very nice Italian restuarant - we had a private room. This is the cake - it was beautiful!!
....Ta Da....and this is the birthday girl!!!! She was so surprised - this is after she came into the room and they dressed her all up in her birthday finery!!!!!

Harriett and Paula
She sure doesn't look 50!!!!
This is all of us outside the resaurant - in front of the water fountain!!!

We had the most incredible time - my camera's battery died and I forgot to bring my charger - we went by her house the next morning before our trip home. I wanted to take some pictures of her patio and pool - she has the most gorgeous house. Oh well, next trip.

Have a wonderful Day!!!

Donna

Good Morning, Monday!!

Had a very busy weekend - feel like I have to come back to work to get some rest!!

Saturday, Brandi (oldest daughter) and I had a shower to go to and errands to run - she took me to her new house - this is what it looks like now - why do they always look so small when they are like this - we were walking through the rooms - thinking is everything going to fit!!!! Remember, I am the one with no vision!!!

We had a Ladies' Night at church last night - gorgeous tables - great music - wonderful speakers - just a lot of fun - here are a few pictures. Each table captain had to decorate their own table - this was the table I sat at - two of my oldest (as far in how long we have know each other!!) did our table and what a great job they did!!!!! It was very dark and I don't know how to take pictures - so use your imagination!!!!

This is Joyce and June - the two friends with Brandi.
I tried to take pictures of several of the tables - there was some breath-taking ones - but they didn't come out because of the light - here is one.
Me and Brandi - I always critize photos of myself - all I am going to say is "it was a hectic weekend"!

We also had a great style show - this is Judy - not only do we go to church together, but we also work together and she has been a "god-sent" to me!!! Doesn't she look gorgeous!!

We were supposed to bring cupcakes, or a fruit tray - I didn't cheat - I made homemade cupcakes with homemade icing!!! Brandi decorated them. They look kinda cute!!!

Have a blessed day!!!!

Donna

Laundry Rooms.....

I found some gorgeous laundry rooms on the net - most of these came from Better Homes and Gardens.

My laundry room is the first thing anyone sees when they come into my house from the carport - which is where everyone comes in - my front door is NEVER used.

My hot water heater - washer-dryer and (very small) pantry are in this room (really, nothing more than a small hallway).

So....I dream of beautiful roomy laundry rooms like these!!

I love the doors on this....

and the shelf with the baskets .....
this is really what I would love to have - something that totally covers up the washer and dryer......

isn't this neat - you would never know there is a washer and dryer under there - but you have to have just the right kind for this....and I don't!

I love how bright and cheery this one is......

Great idea!

Now this one is probably bigger than my house.....

Love these cabinets......

I went to church with oldest daughter last night to hear Ergun Caner. Had never heard of him before - he is a Turkish Muslim who converted to Christianity.

I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life!!

This guy is incredible - and his sermon was one of the best I have ever heard.

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Donna

Purses, Purses and more Purses....

I promise I really do work...Annie....sometimes!!

I couldn't think about what to talk about today and I didn't have any new pictures...my daughter went to Dallas a couple of weeks ago with some friends and came back with the cutest purse from Sam Moon's.

So today I went on the website and found some really cute purses - this is the one that I decided I wanted to get....but I didn't, I showed great restraint!!!!

Very bold, don't you think!!! I normally go in for the more practical ones - I HATE changing purses!! More like this one...and I DO love it!!!! I love having outside pockets for my phone and keys.

Annie (we work together....and I use the term "work" loosely) decided to order this one.

This is the one Brandi came home with - it really is cute!! Everyone keeps calling it "that cow purse" - she whispers "it's giraffe"!!

Well, that's all for today!!

A Beautiful Day......

Well, it is a beautiful day here today - and I have the best view in the building - so I'm not complaining about being stuck in this building all day...I said I was NOT complaining....just so you know!!

One of the ladies I work with has a small retail shop and she gets BOXES up here at the office - you know the ones that come from the suppliers - we all gather around to see what goodies she has - I might as well have my check direct deposited into HER account instead of mine.

Look at this precious purse - it is Kelsi made over - so I got it for her - I would like to say that I will keep it for a special occassion to give it to her....not going to happen - if I buy anything for Christmas in October...you're getting it in October - I am just horrible about stuff like that!!

The handles have these huge wooden beads on them - so cute!

I know you probably won't be able to see this very well, but THIS is what was sitting outside my window yesterday - a hugh VULTURE. I don't know what that means for me if the vultures are circling!!!!!!!

He keeps pecking at the window - he sees himself!!!

I must say - close up these are about the ugliest things alive!!!
Last night we had our book club meeting at a great Chinese restaurant, Ming Garden. I'm not a big Chinese food person - but I can handle shrimp fried rice.

I forgot to take pictures - it will take me a while but I will get used to having the camera attached to the other end of my arm!!

Tonight is our first meeting of the Evangel Eagles Football Booster Club - my daughter goes to Evangel Christian Academy and has since she was 3 weeks old (daycare) - I was single and had to get back to work and they very graciously took her for me. These people are like my family and I love them all very much. Although I live in a fairly large city - being a part of a church and school that is connected - it has a small community feel to it. Anyway, I LOVE high school football and especially the Eagles. My oldest daughter also went to this school from daycare until the 11th grade and decided she needed to see the world a bit before heading off the college so she went across town and graduated from a public school!!!!! I will be the new secretary of the Booster Club and I am very excited. It will mean some work and lotz of fund raising and meetings, but it will be more fun than work.

Ok - I'm going to get some work done now.

Have a wonderful day.

Donna

Wow - here I am again today!!

We were on our way to take my Mom to a birthday lunch yesterday at Roadhouse - Brandi was driving us and she had on the most gorgeous bracelet - I am learning to take my camera everywhere with me and take pictures of everything - but have any of ya'll noticed how your children do not want to walk beside you and they start looking at you rather strangly!!!!!

Anyway, pretty bracelet, huh!!!!

This is on the other end of the bracelet - Brandi - oldest daughter....going to have my first grandchild in November!! She was on the other side of the table at the restaurant so she got a picture by herself - my Mom refused to look at the camera~
This is my brother, Kelly, youngest daughter, Kelsi and ME!!
We did get a picture of my Mom outside with the rest of the girls - that's me with my eyes closed - how most of my pictures turn out - don't you love Brandi's purse - she has the greatest taste - don't have a clue where she gets it!!!!!!!

These are a few of the candles I made this weekend - I am working on the labels - I think these are too big for these jars - This is still very much a beginning effort!! But I am loving it!!

Well, it's back to work - I have my book club meeting tonight - we read The Friday Night Knitting Club and it was soooooooo hard to get into - but then it took off after about 150 pages and I really liked it - cried my eyes out at the end.

Ms. Pat has a wonderful blog, Back Porch Musings (don't you just love that name) - she takes the most wonderful pictures and always has lotz of action going on - give her a visit!!

Guess I better get back to work

Bless, Donna

Blessed Sunday....

I'm not going to make it to church this morning...I have some kind of head-throat thingy going on..so I am going to stay home and rest this morning. However, I do want to share my devotion with you this morning... the title of it is When your're on overload..I think that could speak to a lot of us.

When I was beside myself, You calmed me down....Psalm 94:19

Before a violin can produce music, stress must be put on the strings. But pull them too tightly and they'll snap. The same's true of you. Enough stress gets the juices flowing and helpsyou so what needs to be done, but beyond that you snap. Someone quipped, "You know you're on overload when you've no time to cook a TV dinner, the cat's on tranquilizers, and family reunions have to be mediated by law enforcement!" Seriously, before it gets to that point, do 2 things:

Ask for help: During Hurrican Katrina 8 dolphins were swept out of their aquarium into the sea, but because they stuck together they were rescued. If one had tried to go it alone he'd have perished. When you are alone too much you lose perspective. If the enemy can isolate you, he can influence you. God designed His family to stay connected. Or as Paul says, "So that all the members care for each other" 1 Cor 12:25.

Get real with God: Under stress the surge of negative emotions can be overwhelming, and unless you unburden your soul before God you'll explode at the wrong people. The Psalmist addresses this: "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you". Ps 55:22. "Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us". Ps 62:8 It's no mere coincidence that many of the Psalms start out with the Psalmist crying out to God for help, and end up with him rejoicing because he vented his pent-up frustrations.

I hope this speaks to your heart like it did mine this morning!!

Well, here it is - THE CAR!! My youngest daughter's first car. She was outside yesterday washing the paint off the thing - hope that last!!

You couldn't wipe that grin off her face with a sand blaster!!!! - Remember those days of youthful independence!! I'm on my own!!!! Is she only knew!!!!!!

The last time I saw her - she was leaving the drivway in her new "ride" - another chapter has closed in her life and brand new shiny one has opened!!

You wonderful ladies are always showing all the neat and beautiful things around your homes. I really don't have a collection of anything. Since I have been reading your blogs - I have been so inspired to spruce up the house and yard - it won't happen overnight - but I'm working on it!!



Here is a cute little elephant that I ordered from Lillian Vernon about 25 years ago. After 14 moves and storage for years at a time.....it is a small miracle he is still around. I really like him and don't have a clue why!


I'm off to make some more candles - I forgot to take pictures of those - will do that this afternoon and post tomorrow.




Today is my Mom's b'day - so my brother, me and the daughters are taking her to eat at Roadhouse this afternoon - so glad she picked that place.... I love it!!!



Bless
Donna

Busy, Busy, Busy.....

Well, I have got to get better at this posting thing. If I was so intimidated by loading photos, knowing what to say....having something to say worth sharing, I would be better.

Played Bunco a couple of weeks ago...had the best time. I have been in a few groups and have always loved playing. This is a new group that we have started and it was our first night and I think this is the loudest group I have ever been in.....and this is a group of women from my church.

This is my oldest daughter, Brandi, (the pregnant one) and a friend of mine visiting in a little sitting area at the house where we played.
The hostess put together a Mexican buffett that was to die for....12 of us and we all sat around her huge dining table.

Look at this green serving piece - the containers around the sides go together like a puzzle...they are all shaped differently - it is gorgeous.

The girls from work and I go out to lunch most Fridays. Our TGIF celebration, a couple of weeks ago we went to this little Italian place called Monjuni's. It is local favorite. The shrimp pasta salad I had could have feed a small country for a week. Sorry, don't have a picture, was too hungry!!!

I know we had the "rooster parade" a while back - and I found out that I don't have ONE rooster in my house and I really like them. I went to a friend's house for dinner last Saturday and she had lotz of roosters - so I took pictures of hers for a late "viewing".

This is the rug in her kitchen

A beautiful lamp in her kitchen

a better view

Her house is so gorgeous I took pictures of the whole thing.....I started to tell ya'll this was my house....

the living room

other side of the living room

dining room (sorry, alittle dark)

sitting area off of the dining room

the guest bedroom

another one of the living room (I don't know how to load these pictures in order!!)

the outside patio

looking out from her patio (that is small "finger" from the Red River) with a fountain in it!

back of the house

another view of the back

another view of the water (there will be house on that dirt before too long)

my precious friend, Joyce, and my daughter, Brandi

Joyce and I went for a walk after wonderful steaks and we were on the other side of the water and I took this picture looking back toward her house as the sun was setting.

So I am learning to take my camera with me everywhere I go and I guess this will be like documenting your life.

Today I have just stayed around the house - I made some candles - will take pictures of those - a new venture I am trying.

Went for a 2 mile walk today.

Watched the NFL draft today - I love football - mostly high school and college - was checking out the LSU boys and see how they line-up. One went #5 - not bad at all.

Kelsi, youngest daughter, got her first car today. She has been driving for months, but when she drove out of the driveway today in that little white car....I just cried my eyes out. It was just different....and I'm sure things will never be the same.

Miss BJ is having a give-a-way over at her house - a darling black bird hook rack....and she has one of the best blogs I have ever visited. Go by and pay her a visit, you will not regret it!!

Good Night!!