STILL HERE!

This is just RIDICULOUS! I'm here and have been, just busy or babysitting!!!
I'll post a HUGE post this weekend, when I'm home. All is well!!!!
Joan

Present and accounted for!

I'm here! Just got ANOTHER new phone and I'm keeping this one. I LOVE the IPhone 4S!!!
Anyways....more news to come soon!!!!
All is well-
Joan

Video

I'm adding this on here so HOPEFULLY, Ashley can see it on her boat. I emailed it to her and she couldn't receive it. I put it on Youtube, she couldn't view it. SOOO, lastly, I'm adding it here. WHO KNOWS! Maybe she can view it here. She can't get Facebook on her boat either. WOW!!!

ASHLEY! I hope you can view it because it's PRECIOUS!!!

We love and miss you!!!!

Infant and Tierras!

Not really. I had the best time with her while Britt was at work! Tee hee!

Our Squishy Lily

See!

I'm back...'cept I didn't go anywhere!

But my brain did! I have been in total baby-bliss as I knew I would. Lily has completely, totally and happily taken over our entire universe. It's like a huge bubble has settled over our family and we are perfectly content to stay inside it, only to venture out to work or go to Wal-Mart. hee!!

Now, it's time to stretch the bubble out and poke my head thru and get back to reality. It's been nice tho!!

Let's see what all has happened during my sabbatical. Mom, after walking around in extreme pain for 3 weeks, learned that her hip was fractured. She had surgery and is now home recouping. Dad has been inspirational in his care for Mom. I have been SOOOO blessed to have him as a Dad and also my wonderful father-in-law in my life. It's a complete puzzlement to me how apples can fall so far from trees, but they do! Nuff said.

What else....MY BABY GIRL ASHLEY is doing SOOOOO good! She's happy, in love and happy. She's also very far from home. She will be home for a visit coming up and will be bringing "The One" home with her. "The One" is Jonathan. His family lives in Chicago and he has absolutely made my baby happier than I've ever seen her. I believe he is very happy too. We haven't met him...yet...and I hope he likes us! hee!! We are very southern, which should never be confused with ignorant. We are Southern in every sense of the word. Ash told me Jonathan went and bought a book on.... Southern etiquette. For one, I didn't know we had any. Or where it came from, cuz we don't know nothin' about it! HAAAAAAAAAAAA!! I hope he leaves his book at home. I will say, Britt's boyfriend and Court's fiance (more about that in a sec...) can't WAIT to spend some time with him. I think they've begun making plans. I don't ask any questions.

Britt (and I'm saving Court for last on purpose) is doing wonderful! She is a wonderful, beautiful Mom and Mike and I are beyond proud of her. The smiles that Lily has when she looks up at Britt says it all. I have never seen a baby look more like her mother, than Lily. And Summer's (cousin) daughter Alex to Summer. Anyways, Lily-Belles is a very happy, content, squishy baby! Her boyfriend Brandon has been like a miracle! He loves Britt and Lily and is so content to spend evening with them doing nothing but staring at Lily! His family has been so gracious to Britt and Lily and we are so SO lucky to witness their budding relationship!

Courtney, last Friday, became engaged to Dillon! If Mike and I could have hand-picked Courtney's life-mate, we couldn't have even come close to Dillon. He cherishes Courtney and she him. They aren't all sloppy with each other, but respectful, thoughtful and happy with each other. Dillon reminds me of Dad and also of my father-in-law. Quiet and content to let their women shine! hee

he also can pick a guitar, laugh, work, plan, console and sing! OK...I'm done gushing over Dilly-Bar (that's what I like to call him!!) They don't plan on marrying for a couple of years. Court's neck deep in her pursuit of a Radiology degree and Dillon is working at the Fire Department and getting settled in his new career.

Court's 20th birthday was Friday and of COURSE we had a party!

Yup! Both in the same day! My Aunt Aurelia made Court's cake and it was so cute and delicious!!

Ashley had ordered her a clock and she opened it at the party.

She got her and Dillon's favorite movie...(notice her engagement ring...)

and she got a laptop and much needed software for school...Dad captured her face as she first saw it!

HAAAAA!!!!!

Now, on to Lily.

Here is Lillie holding Lily...

I've never witnessed a relationship that Lillie (Grandma T.) has with Lily. Sr. loves Jr... Jr. loves Sr. Period.

look at Sr.'s face as I take over....

Pure worship!

I'm sure I've left out many events in our lives, but these are some of the highlights.

OHHHHHHHHH....I also became a convert and proud owner of....

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I love it! Mom got one too! Ashley will get one when she comes home so we can Facetalk!!!!

Gotta go feed Lily-O's!!!

More soon!

Joan and herd

Still here!

I'll be posting a ton very soon! Don't give up!

Aunt Rheba

Yesterday, Aunt Rheba and her daughter Lisa came down to visit and see Lily. We all had the best time and it was so SO wonderful seeing them!

We visited awhile, then we all went out to eat at Longhorn.

That's Mom, Aunt Rheba and Dad. Lisa sat beside me on one side and Brandon on the other with Britt and Lily on the other side of him. I didn't get any pics of them!

Here's Dad....

I want to say here that he made us all a Banana Pudding to take home and mine was the biggest and the bestest! It was SOOO good and a work of art!

This morning, before I sat down to blog this, I had laid Lily down to sleep. I HAD to take this picture of her asleep. She sleeps ALOT, so I don't have alot of pics of her awake yet.

We love her SO much!!!!

Also, Mike's Grandma Terry finally finished Lily's quilt. She hand embroidered it, mostly hand sewed it and hand quilted it.

The picture here looks nice, but to see it in person and really study it, you see how intricate her stitches are and appreciate the time she put into this.

It's a keepsake Lily will always have and will be treasured by all of us!

Here is a picture of Dillon and Brandon taken recently. I can't wait for Ashley to come home with her boyfriend so I can get a picture of the 3 of them!

Brandon's the one with his mouth full of DIP! whatev.

Welp, that's it for the moment. Let me go so I can see what else this day will hold and possibly get more pictures of!

More soon-

Joan

MY turn!

Today, I'm off work, the girls have gone fishing with the boys and I'm loving up Lily!

She's asleep in her crib and I had to grab my camera for this picture...

HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE! Her little hands just get me!

More soon!

Joan

Nashville 2011

As I had mentioned earlier, Court, Dillon and Mike went to Nashville for Court to audition for The Voice. The audition was brief and didn't pan out. I'm not quite sure what they were looking for, but it wasn't quality!

It was Dillon's first time in Nashville and Mike really enjoyed showing him the highlights of the city.

After the audition, the three enjoyed all the sights and sounds that Nashville had to offer. Court even was able to sing around town and everyone loved her.

Here Court is headed to her audition at like, 5am.

Here Dillon is checking out "E" as his fans love to call him...

"E" was EVERYWHERE!

They went to Ernest Tubb's

went by Tootsie's

and the back alley that so many of the country stars used to get from the Ryman auditorium to Tootsie's back in the day...

Court left her mark in Nashville!

and got to sing with the band at Nashville Palace. Alot of the band members here play for some of the big stars during tour season.

They went to the Country Music Hall of Fame...

You can find all the pics here....

https://picasaweb.google.com/112298489614175847253/Nashville72011#

Even tho Court didn't make it onto The Voice, they had a great time and will DEFINITELY go back!

More soon!

Joan

The Tadpole for Grandma Terry's 93rd Birthday!!!

Can you believe she's 93!

I lost count as to how many family showed up, but it was a bunch!

And of course, Lily!

I think everyone got to hold her.

It was a great evening and great food!

Here are all the pictures from that night...

https://picasaweb.google.com/112298489614175847253/Tadpole

More soon!

Joan

News.

DON'T FORGET...if you want to keep viewing my blog, send me your email address so you can get an invite. A few more days and you won't be able to view it. I received a few address already.

Yesterday, Court auditioned for The Voice and didn't get in. Apparently, neither did ALOT of other fantastic singers. OH well, their loss. All I know is she handled it very well, and their isn't a parent alive more proud of her babies than this one!

SPEAKING of babies, I don't have any recent (the last day or two) pics to add on here because Mike took my big camera with them to Nashville. So, I'll put this on here...

I put one similar to this one on here a few days ago, but this picture is so stinking cute!

Britt is doing SOOO good and so is the baby.Ash is gone from Seattle to return back this fall. She's doing really good too, but is pretty homesick. NOT because of us, but for the baby. I know how hard it is on her and I will SOOO make up for it when she comes home. I'll feed her and smooch all over her till she can't MOVE! We love her beyond the moon and back!Welp, let me go. We're trying out cloth diapering and I need to refresh my memory as to how it works. I cloth diapered ours for periods of time....depending on how much money we had that pay period. Mike was in the Air Force and we was PO, baby! Poor but happy!

More soon!

Joan

An afternoon in the life of....

It's time to get to business here. I am making my blog private for various reasons and I hate to do it. Anyways, if you want to view my blog, send me an email with your email address (gmail preferably) and I'll grant you access. Even if I don't personally know you and you've enjoyed my blog, PLEASE send me a request!

This blog started out to be for family and friends and other family's who related to us, to view and that's what it's still for. I don't think it's necessary for computer hackers in China, Taiwan and other countries to read about my family or what Ashley's doing in the Coast Guard.

My loyal readers, friends and family, PLEASE feel free to email me a request! My email address is JoanSC@charter.net.

I'll give it a couple weeks, then it's private!

NOWWWWWWWWWWWW.......

HAVE YOU EVER!

She is SOOOO YUMMY! SQUISHY! SMOOCHY! She has just captured our souls! Can you tell!

Yesterday, she decided to go to the bathroom as only baby's can do...

Not much left to say about THAT picture! hee

It's been so much fun to watch everyone interact with her. Even the dogs have gone crazy!

So, yesterday, Mike decided it was time for her to get a swing. I don't know WHY because she's perfectly happy in our arms or in her crib or pack and play. BUT, a swing she got.

Notice how happy and content she looks in it! NOT!! We all sat around it and watched her squirm and wiggle. She stayed in it MAYBE 3 minutes. To be held once again by....

She is certainly going to be a well socialized little girl!

SOOooo....what else is going on around here....

Ashley finally made it to land and we SKYPED last night! That has got to be the coolest program in the universe. She got to see all of us and we saw how beautiful she is as we talked in real time. This has become my most treasured program on my puter EVER! Her ship pulls back out today, but when she make land fall again and finds a WiFi spot, we SKYPING BABY!

I have been off work alot lately and I has discovered the hospital can indeed run just fine without me! WHAAA!!!!!! I think I like this!

Courtney, Mike and Dillon are leaving Thursday for Nashville where Courtney is auditioning for THE VOICE. They are so excited to go, but Mike has already started missing the baby. I'll keep y'all informed on how it goes out there.

That's about it unless you want me to add another 500 pics of the baby! ha

It's Granny Terry's 93rd birthday this week, so we're all going to the Tadpole tomorrow night for supper. It will be the baby's first outting and it's only fitting that it be to celebrate her namesakes birthday! YES, I will take loads of pics! : )

I go back to my guitar lesson today after 3 weeks off. I haven't picked my guitar up except to move it. I gotta get back on it!

More soon!

Joan

Happiness!

Isn't she just beautiful! Britt is doing great and so is the baby!

Here are Lily's boots -

HAVE YOU EVER??!!

This is Lily getting bored...

and Lily when we showed her the bottle...

She had company yesterday...her cousins!

Here's Lauren with her...

and her "Uncle" Alex...

She sure is popular!

OH...I've decided to learn a lullibie on my guitar and play it for her! My creativity knows no bounds! It will be sweet!

That's it for this morning...more soon!

Joan

The BIG even has OCCURED!!!!!

YUP! Little Lily Arnold has arrived and we've just lost our minds in her!

Mom and baby are doing great! Harley too!

Court has just fallen head over heels for her...

I don't have to tell you all how MUCH Grandma Terry (who Lily was named after) loves her!

Deanna does too!

Between Dad and I, we have taken well over 500 pictures and video! ha

Here we are headed across the street for some supper...

Did you see how great Britt looks!

See!

Grandma Terry rocks her every second she gets...

Here is my Dad holding her....GREAT Grandpa! hee

Here all the Grandma's are...

Here is Mike's Mom and Grandma...

and Mike's Dad...

Here is 5 generations...

I'm wanting everyone to get purty'd up here soon so I can get a good picture of them. I will of course, be the photographer! ha

I'm going to be photographing Lily today. I want to get some creative pictures of her. She looks SOOO much like me, it's just phenomenal!

Sorry it took so long to post these! It's hard work helping take care of a baby AND her mother AND everything else!

More soon-

Joan