Monday, April 24th thru Sunday, April 30th...

Sunday evening, April 23rd, Aubrey posted these pictures of Nelson. He is such a happy little guy!

And Katelyn posted this picture of big sister, Raelyn, holding baby sister, Kennedi.

Monday, April 24th, our day began with a Zoom meeting with Strategic Wealth Design. We each have an account with them. It was time for our annual review. I received an eMail and Claude also received an email alerting us to make our appointment through a link in the eMail. Claude made his appointment and assumed it would be for both of us. I first tried to schedule mine online at the same time as Claude. Time was not available. I then called SWD and spoke with Nancy and asked if Claude and I could be included in the same appointment. I told her when Claude's was and she said that was impossible as they did lunch at that time. She then moved the appointment a half-hour earlier for both of us via Zoom. She would send the Zoom link to Claude. Later Nancy called back to say the original time was okay for the two of us. That was fine. 

We were seated in front of Claude's laptop at the appointed hour and Claude was in Zoom with a message on the screen to wait for the host to begin the meeting. We figured she was finishing up with another client. Then, my cellphone rang. It was Nancy. It seems our host thought we were coming into the office for a face-to-face visit. Nancy said to disconnect from the Zoom link and try again as our host was setting up her computer for the Zoom call. 

When Veronica showed up on the Zoom meeting, we couldn't hear her. It seems their computer for Zoom meetings was not working so she got her laptop to use. She usually does this with headphones on and she didn't have those. She had to tweek a few things before we were sure it was her end that was causing our inability to hear her. We then had a good meeting, set up some things and left it with some homework for us. Happy that is done for another year. 

Our other biggy this day was going through some food storage. Our church has counseled us since I was very young, to have a supply of food, goods and money on hand in case of an emergency. Claude and I have diligently followed this counsel and it has often proven important for our own well being and also our ability to help friends and family in need. However, we now don't have family visit very often and our ability to rotate that food is limited to just Claude and me. We went through all that is stored under the bed and our guest bedroom and rotated it and discarded that which was too old. We'll always keep some as counseled. It is a good and valuable thing to do. But, we might keep a little less since it is now really only the two of us. 

Tuesday, April 25th, we started our day with work outside. I weeded the entire yard. Then Claude came out and trimmed the shrubs and grasses in the front yard. I helped him bag all of that and he finished the clean up. Looks so much better out front. With us in New Zealand, we were very behind on getting these things done. 

In the evening, we drove to LaGrange again. Stopped at Cook Out for a burger for dinner. The Mini's were in the Oldham County High School Orchestra Prism Concert. This is where the orchestra is burst into sections throughout the auditorium. The sections play numbers one right after the other. The kids prepare these numbers on their own time for the most part and a bit in their section studies in school. They do an excellent job. The program had 27 numbers and the entire thing was 1 hour and 45 minutes long. Amazing. I love that they sometimes do a bit of costuming to emphasize their number. They also enjoy doing things where the kids say things or clap rhythms. It is clear these kids love their music program. This makes me happy. 

Here are pictures of the program and Hayden and Bailey before the program.

The first number was "March Past of the Kitchen Utensils". Hayden and Bailey were not in this number but I thought the way it was done was adorable. The conductor wore a chef outfit and led with a whisk. The students each had a kitchen utensil that they held and marched across the top of their music stand when they were not playing. 

Hayden participated in one number entitled "Beast". This involved them playing but also reciting something repeatedly and clapping in a rhythm. The many faces of Hayden!

Bailey performed three times. The first piece was "What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor". Note the pirate hats! The many faces of Bailey!

The next number Bailey was in was "Quippy 2". 

The next to last number was also one in which Bailey participated. It was entitled "Canzon Septimi Toni 2". This time the kids were in the two corners of the back of the auditorium. The director was in the center aisle. It was a really amazing number. However, I can't turn around like that anymore. This is a picture Andie took with Bailey in the center back.

After we went to the hallway to wait for them to come out. Hayden and Bailey with Jake after the concert.

It was well worth the drive to LaGrange to enjoy this music and support our Minis.

Our little Kennedi turned 1-week old!!

Wednesday, April 26th, I enjoyed watching my hubby have his breakfast. My hubby is a sopper. Yep. He loves to sop whatever remains in his soup bowl with bread. He loves to sop whatever salad dressing is left in the bowl with bread. Any food remaining that can be sopped...he will sop. This includes breakfast. I am a convenient person when it comes to food. I don't want to dirty dishes or mess up pots and pans. Claude, as a sopper, is not that way. This morning I sat down with my cinnamon raisin bagel (not toasted or spread with cream cheese) and a small glass of chocolate milk. My hubby comes in with Spicy V-8 juice he has warmed up and a bagel which he toasted and put a slice of cheese in between. This warm sandwich he sopped in his warm V-8 juice. This is vintage my hubby. Love this man!

Claude cut the grass while I worked on my laptop. Then we went out to do errands. First, a walk in Peninsula Park. Then lunch at the Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Yum. Then to Kohl's to find two pair of pants for Claude. Lastly to Walmart for a few items we like to get there. Not the least of which was whole wheat bagels by Thomas. My favorite of any bagel on the planet. They don't have them at Kroger ever. When we are in Walmart, we look for them and I thank my lucky stars when I find them. Again...Yum!!

Raelyn had T-Ball practice. 

Home for the rest of the evening. A good full day.

Thursday, April 27th, in the morning, it occurred to me it might be nice to compare what our back yard looked like when we moved in, in 2021 to what our yard looks like this year. I had pictures taken in July 2021 when we moved in and were placing our backyard furniture where we wanted it to be. Then pictures taken in August 2021 after we had the trees trimmed. Then pictures from this month with patio, flower beds, stepping stones, steps to the shed, French drains, and brick pads in place. 

These pictures are July 2021, August 2021 and April 2023 from the east side of the backyard across to the west side.

Next is from July 2021 and April 2023 from the west side of the back yard across to the east.

Then viewed from the hosta bed across back yard in July 2021, then August 2021 and two picture from April 2022

Finally, in comparison photos, the view from the shed on the west side of the back yard to the hosta bed on the east side of the back yard. The first two pictures were taken August 2021 and the last three were taken April 2023.

These are a few photos of the back yard on April 27th of this year. We only had two plants that didn't come back this year. Those were replaced before these pictures were taken. The yard is looking great! 

We spent our afternoon in Lexington. When we got home, a package was waiting for us. I ordered a little white dress for Kennedi to be blessed in. It had arrived. So cute. I sent a picture to Katelyn. I was happy to find one that is washable. So many were not. Katelyn is happy with the choice we made.

Friday, April 28th, we started our day with a biscuit run, followed by Claude taking me to Walmart. I had a lunch appointment with Laura in Frankfort. I wanted to leave early and put new flowers on my parents grave. I found beautiful silk flowers to start their year. Both of my parents loved flowers. One of the best things I did for Papa when he was in his apartment was to keep a large pot full of flowers on his patio. He diligently watered it and loved watching them bloom all summer long. My mother had a green thumb and grew three gardens in Louisiana each summer as well as beautiful flower beds and fruit trees. It was pleasant to stand there and feel close to my parents. I chatted a bit about what Claude and I were going through and then enjoyed the fresh air and the country views until time to meet Laura.

Laura is my Best Friend Forever. We haven't gone to lunch together for several years. We met at 1pm and didn't leave until after 8pm. Zaxby's was kind and didn't have any problem with us being there. Howard, Laura's hubby, did send her a text and asked if she needed more money!! Laura and I got a good laugh at that. It was wonderful speaking frankly with a dear friend who listens and understands and does not judge. A treasure in this world. A real treasure. 

I returned home to a hubby who had made a pot of chili and was enjoying some television time. 

Saturday, April 29th, this day we started with a run to Frank's donuts. Haven't done that in a while. We carefully only got two glazed donuts each. Nice breakfast at home. 

Then we set to work on a project for our travel wall in our home. While looking for a place to store the little pins, I opened the drawer on our hutch to put the little box of pins in it. Surprise!! I found the Lindt truffles purchased to eat while making the Christmas puzzle!! I took this picture and sent Andie a text and told her I now felt the need to make a puzzle!

Todd and Nissa gave us a beautiful gift. It is a map of the world with our names and wedding date on it. It comes with a little box of pins to place on the places you have traveled to around the world. We have had the map, which came in a roll, on the dining room table for about a week with weights on it to flatten it out. We bought some foam board at Walmart. I cut a piece the size of the picture. Then put the picture in the frame with the foam board and the cardboard backing. Claude and I went over the map and he placed pins where we had traveled outside of the lower 48 states. Then we placed pins in the lower 48 states where we have lived. We were now ready to hang this neat treasure.

Claude took all the pictures on our travel wall down. We hung the new map on the wall and then hung the picture from our travels on that wall around the map. There is plenty of room to add to as we continue to travel. We really love this wall. Perfect!!

I finished the laundry while Claude worked on his travel journal from our New Zealand trip.

This picture was posted of Raelyn at her soccer game. The little boy next to her is the child of one of Drew's hockey playing friends. These two kids both look so much like their respective fathers!

Sunday, April 30th, was Ward Conference at church. The Potter's sat in front of us. Their little ones are Eli and Vivian. I loved watching the little sister and older brother with their heads together and their arms around each other reading a book. So sweet together. Also enjoyed Sam Snow. He is 12 years old and autistic. I said hi to him. Sam came over and said, "Eliza is home!" Eliza is his older sister that is in college. She came home for the summer. I said, "That makes you happy, doesn't it?" Sam grinned so big and said, "YES!" Fun interchange.

It was also the first Sunday for our new Primary president. Bless her heart she was cheerful with the kids but in totally uncharted territory. We met together for a bit after Primary and started looking at things to be done. Sarah has been a good Primary teacher and will be fine as president. It is very overwhelming and there are lots of changes coming along as we have five families moving out and that includes our bishop and his counselor. Things will be a bit unsettled and hopefully some new families will move in. 

Lunch was at Arby's. I do enjoy their BLT Market Fresh sandwich. I even treated myself to an apple turnover. 

Claude took at brief nap and I worked on my laptop. When he woke up, he and I did the bills together. It has been bothering me lately that he has an order to how he does all this and files everything. He has shown me when we lived in Sadieville. But, one time seeing and not actually doing it has left me a bit concerned. We had a friend who's car rolled down a hill and it killed him this week. We also met with the Strategic Wealth Design people recently. Both these things made impressed me with my need to know where all these files are and exactly how Claude works with them. So, we are embarking on training me in where and how he works with our finances. It was good to have this first of many more lessons. I know a lot about accounting and am very capable. It feels good to be better prepared for whatever happens in our lives.

I almost forgot to post about Emelia's birthday! Here was my post on Facebook: "This Great Gramma is not aware of the date...Goodness!! April 30th Miss Emelia Maebelle has a birthday! She is 4 years old. Please join us in wishing our little Lady a Happy Birthday today!! Love Ya Bunches!!" 

Katelyn posted this great picture of our little 4-year old!