STEFFINEE VISITS

Steffinee rode the Amtrack Train from OKC to Ft Worth to be here for Samantha's birthday. We had some time to visit her favorite spot in Grapevine on Tuesday before her train departed. She absolutely loves the Grapevine Library.

FUN MORNING WITH LINDSAY, DUSTIN, CARLOS, AND SAMANTHA

Today this gang had a busy morning doing time machine travel into history with Mr. Peabody and Sherman. Came home and had pizza then a lazy afternoon. Thank you, Lindsay, for taking everyone.

Dustin, Carlos, Lindsay, and Samantha who hates having the sun in her eyes.

ANOTHER BUSY DAY

Steffinee is sad that it is almost time to go home but she got a lot of fun in yesterday. Books are her passion so she spent a lot of time at the Grapevine Public Library. After the library we went to Sonic for milk shakes. Last night she went out for frozen yogurt with Lindsay. She managed all that even though she slept until after noon! Below are Steffinee, Samantha, and Dustin sitting under the mister at Sonic while waiting for their milk shakes. Dustin tried the jalapeno chocolate which sounds gross but I tasted it and it was actually good. The girls choose milder more traditional flavors.

15 Years Ago Today

My how time flies! Came across this picture this morning of Cindy putting sunscreen on Lauren and Dustin before they headed out to the pool 15-years-ago today. It was a fun day spent grilling and swimming (not me!) at the Hart residence with friends from Indiana and with mom. Three years to the day later mom left us for her eternal reward. So thankful for all the good memories of her enjoying her great-grandchildren.

RIDING THE TRAIN FROM GRAPEVINE TO FORT WORTH

Samantha and Steffinee at the depot before departure.

On Monday ten of us boarded the train in Grapevine and rode in the old-fashion first class car to The Fort Worth Stockyards. We all had a great day. It has been great having Janet and Stacy visiting. We are sorry to see them leave today.

Samantha, Lindsay, Linda, Steffinee (in hat), Lauren (behind Grandma), Janet, Steve, Cindy, Stacy, and Chad in the back.

Hangin' With George

Just hangin' out with George Strait down on Main Street in Grapevine!

PICTURES FROM FOUNDERS' PLAZA ON MAIN STREET

Pictures from Founders' Plaza on Main Street.

OLD FASHION CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET

 Part of the Main Stree Christmas that reminds us of our past. Christy once built a replica of this cabin and did a report on its history when she was in middle school. She came in second place in an area contest.

SOME OF THE CHRISTMAS TREES ON MAIN STREET

There are so many beautiful Christmas trees on Main Street. I took pictures of Dusin and/or Samantha with several of them. Here are a few:

Dustin collects coke items so we had to get a picture with the coke bottle tree.

Samantha like the blue tree even though the sun was in her eyes.

The big ornament tree and the sun wasn't in Samantha's eyes.

MORE FROM CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET

More pictures from our visit to Grapevine's Main Street yesterday.

Grilling with Santa outside the BBQ restaurant on Main St.

Dustin didn't want in the pink bows picture!

Writing her letter to Santa. (She took her Indiana Bear with her so it could celebrate the Texas way!)

Mailing the letter.

Fun Times.

THE NORTH POLE EXPRESS AT THE GVRR

The old fashion train, sometimes pulled by the steam engine, is a special treat in Grapevine. You can ride from Grapevine to the Ft. Worth Stockyards daily. But at Christmastime they have the North Pole Express. Children wear their pajamas and hear the Polar Express story on their trip. We didn't do that but did get a picture in the Grapevine Railroad 'picture engine'. 

CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET

I do so love our hometown of Grapevine, Texas. I love Main Street all year but especially at Christmastime. It is amazing how the city and merchants make it so Christmasy.  It has become an annual tradition to take Dustin and Samantha downtown and take lots of pictures. We went this afternoon while the temperatures were around 70 degrees. Will have to go back one evening for the light show. Papaw couldn't handle it and spent most of his time sitting in the library. Dustin, Samantha, and I walked almost the entire length of Main Street up and back. This old grandma is one tired lady!

At Main Street and Dallas Road. Samantha had to shade her eyes in the bright sunshine.

In the park by the log cabin. More shade her so Samantha didn't have to shade her eyes. I have their pictures next to this large ornament for the last two or three years. So interesting to see how much Samantha has grown. Dustin hasn't changed much.

DUSTIN'S 22ND BIRTHDAY

Saturday our oldest grandchild turned 22. It was a quiet day and he helped me with yard work, quite the birthday celebration. Thank you Dustin for all your help. Our annual birthday ritual is that I make him his favorite Coca-Cola cake. This year he ask if I could make it a cherry coke cake so we added some things and he was very happy with his cake. We got him a new desk chair and his mother gave him a tablet. His Bowman grandparents are in Vietnam but he got a card and a check from them. All-in-all, he had a pretty good day.

Once a Grapevine Mustang, always a Grapevine Mustang!

Colleyville AG Block Party

This afternoon after church our church hosted a community block party. Beautiful sunny day, good food, fun, and fellowship. Dustin, Carlos, Isabell, and Samantha enjoyed watching a BMX performance, a game truck, pizza, and food from the food truck. They cooled off with snowcones. Grandma's tired but had a good day.

Dustin Ready for TV

Dustin is very excited that he will be at a live taping of the Glenn Beck Show today. It is a show where Glenn and Mike Rowe will be visiting with some high school and college students, possibly some recent graduates, too. He reluctantly allowed me to get a couple of pictures before he left for the studio. I am thankful I have a large monitor on my desktop since we will have to watch on the internet since Verizon doesn't carry The Blaze. I was lucky and got a one month trial subscription for $1 and it started immediately.

We are so proud of Dustin for taking advantage of this opportunity. He is on the Autistic Spectrum and doesn't normally do anything like this. This was his idea and he has handled it all by himself. We are hoping he enjoys this and will step out more.  Evidently it is an open topic show as he got an email this morning to reply with any questions he might have for either Glenn or Mike or both.

Lindsay in Rock City

Lindsay enjoying Rock City during our Summer of 2000 trip to the Smokey Mountains. Lauren, Dustin, and Cindy also in the picture. Grandma is feeling old. Lauren is 19, Dustin is 21, and Lindsay who is almost 2 in this picture will be 16 this month. Precious memories.

FUN LOVIN' COUSINS

These two cousins live in two different states but they always have fun when they get together. Last Friday they spent the day enjoying Hawaiian Falls Water Park thanks to tickets from cousins Lauren and Lindsay.

Eleven Years Ago Today

July 4th changed forever in the minds of our family eleven years ago today when my precious mother left this life for her reunion with my dad. Losing her was especially hard as I had been her caretaker for 18 months after she had suffered a massive stroke. She worked hard to gain back as much as possible and she did remarkably well. But she was tired and ready to go on to her eternal home. We miss her very much. The highlight of her life was her great-grandchildren and they returned her love. This is a picture of her with the first two four years before her stroke. This is one of my favorite pictures because it shows her doing what she loved. Two of her favorite things were to see the Texas wildflowers in the Spring and to spend time with her great-grands. Here she is shown doing both. Our youngest granddaughter Samantha never met her great-grandma yet she feels she knows her. One day she said to me, "Grandma, I feel like I know Mam-Mam because Dustin and Steffinee have told me so much about her." What a great tribute to a great mam-mam.

Mam-Mam, Helen Sowders, with Dustin and Lauren.

Gaming

Samantha, Tucker, Steffinee, and Dustin getting July off to a lazy, gaming day. Samantha and Dustin are glad to have Steffinee here. Tucker is here while the Harts are at St Kitt's and he is glad to have so many buddies.

DUSTIN & LEE

Dustin returned from Tyler this afternoon and it is good to have him back with us. He is a help to me and I miss him when he is gone. He went to Tyler to spend a week with his dad and his paternal grandparents. His dad is sick and had been in the hospital the week before Dustin went. He said they had a good visit.