new beginnings

 Nice dorm room!

Happy camper.

Savannah across the hallway.

New friends.

Friends sharing a new life adventure.

Having a happy, excited daughter makes the pain of parting much sweeter.

Denise 

Birthday girls

Erin and Michelle enjoyed their birthday on Wednesday.

They love sharing a birthday on the Fourth of July!

Happy weekend!

Denise

Friday night

Pacers game a week ago.

I love going to the Pacers and Fever games.

We don't go very often.

This game was special because the Pacers

honored ten students for

academic and community service.

Michelle was selected to be part of this group.

 Little man August also enjoyed the festivities

(except when he burst into tears when Mama went to the bathroom.

He told her later that he just missed her too much!)

Take care,

Denise

Enjoying Michelle

Life moves along at high speed these days.

But this week, we have had some enjoyable

breaks celebrating Michelle.

On Sunday - Michelle's last Christmas piano recital.

Ten years of enjoyment.

I wondered if I would be sad.

No, wasn't sad.

Just took pleasure in the moment.

The high school presented the music department's

Christmas program.

Loved the music and watching all the musicians.

Michelle was honored by the local DAR, along with young ladies from

Ben Davis, Covenant, and Ritter High Schools.

Each read their essay (Michelle's essay was very much the "voice of Michelle.")

Steve and I couldn't have been more proud.

Take care,

Denise

This Week

Gus loved carving pumpkins with Aunt Meesh for Halloween.

 Michelle spent an afternoon sewing her owl costume.  It is quite lovely.

There was a little dinosaur trick-or-treating at our house!

Steve put in the first new window in our kitchen.
Since we will have cabinets under the windows,
he has to build the wall up for the smaller window to fit.

Michelle was the Speedway High School Student of the Month for October.
Here she is with her favorite teacher, Mrs. Harrison (who nominated her) and Steve.
Steve was able to leave work for an hour to attend the little ceremony.
The teaching profession doesn't allow me to leave for an hour.
Bummer for me.

Gus came over to play trains with Papaw.
He loves putting together the train track.

What a busy and fun week!

Take care,

Denise

Great Performance!

Yesterday, the Speedway High School jazz band went to competition.  

(Michelle just recently joined the jazz band, playing the piano, and has enjoyed it tremendously.)

I was unprepared for how good this band was.

They sounded wonderful and came home with a gold medal!

Congratulations Michelle!

Denise

Small Boy with a Book

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I received hand-drawn Christmas presents from my daughters.

Small Boy with a Book was drawn by my daughter, Erin.

That small boy reminds me of another small boy who can often be found with a book.

Both boys are simply adorable!

Denise

The Lady in the Red Apron

How lucky am I?  My two daughters, son, and daughter-in-law are artistic and creative.
My son-in-law is a graphic designer and photographer.
My sister-in-law is a photographer and loves to create.
I share my home with a man who is a master carpenter.
Wow!!!

This Christmas both of my daughters gave me hand-drawn art.
Of course, anything made by my children becomes extra special and these pieces are no exception.

In my kitchen I have an old iron hook that I picked up for pennies
 at our wonderful antique store in town.
I love to display older, handmade aprons on the sturdy hooks.

For Christmas I hung my red apron with some hearts I made years ago for our Christmas tree.
What a perfect place for The Lady in the Red Apron!
 Thank you dear Michelle.

(I think I will keep these hearts and my apron up through February-very fitting!) 

Denise