Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Goodbye 2015 Hello 2016

Good afternoon and welcome Through My Back Door. We have coffee on, Kona, and we also have some DD donuts Beth brought out today. They are yummy. It seems a long time since we have visited and I guess it has been. I am trusting each of you had a wonderful Christmas. I know with the violent weather in some areas it wasn't the way you wanted Christmas to be. I have said prayers for those people and the towns and states. On a happier note my Christmas couldn't have been better. We celebrated forever it seems.Debbie, Beth, Amanda, Lindsey, and I went to see the Nutcracker. It was wonderful as always. Beth and I wanted to see it, the others not so much, but decided to go with us. We went downtown and walked around Market Square, had dinner at Cafe 4 and had a wonderful time. It is wonderful when 3 generations can get together and laugh and enjoy ourselves. Mollie was in a Christmas play at her Mothers Day Out and of course we all had to go. She was so cute in her angel costume sitting "crisscross applesauce" on stage ringing her bell and singing. Deb and I then went out to an Italian restaurant and had Lasagna. On Friday after Thanksgiving we kicked off the season by going to Fantasy of Trees where Mollie was dancing in a short program. Here she is in her little dancing outfit. Yes, I took her flowers.
Christmas was a fantastic time with all the activities leading up and then the big day. I had all my children, grands, greats, but 2 grands and a grand in law and a great here. I loved it
They are such a mess. I love having them together as they are always talking, laughing and just enjoying one another. Deb has always told them what to do!lol
2015 was very good to me. I did quite a bit of traveling starting in March when Deb and I went to Hershey with Dodd and Renda. Liv flew over from DC and we had such a good time.
We had just feasted at the Hershey Hotel. We are going again this year and Michael is getting to go.
In April I went to Virginia with my cousins from Michigan to visit our cousin and aunt
This old porch swing holds a lot more than the three of us. It hold so many memories as it hung on our grandparents porch when we were children. It  now hangs on our cousin Katrina's porch, where it has a forever home.
In May Deb, Michael, Amanda. Andrew, Mollie and I went to DC. We went to see Olivia who was interning in Senator Bob Corkers office. Dodd and Renda met us there and Liv took us on a tour of the Capitol.What a memory. Andrew absorbed it all like a sponge. I cannot tell you what it meant to me, being given the tour, by my Granddaughter. It truly was special. We also visited the Smithsonians, Arlington Cemetery, Mt Vernon and Monticello.  We soaked up a lot in that week, We made so many memories and had so many laughs.

 Also in May, Dodd ran for County Commissioner in his county and was elected
In June we made our annual trip to the beach. There were some short trips to Nashville to the Opry, to Pigeon Forge for the week ends then back to the beach in October.In September I was blessed to go on a trip to Cinn, Ohio with my cousin Gina, her daughter Leah, my cousin Dale and his wife Debbie. There was no laughing on this trip! My sides were sore for a week. Gina and Leah also introduced me to Ikea! In November I made a trip over to W. Va and on to Ohio for a week. Then back to Pigeon Forge for the card group annual get away. It has been a busy year and I have enjoyed every moment. so grateful for good health and for family and friends.
I was blessed to meet some FB friends, some blogging friends as well. I met Kathy Webb in September. She and her husband are as nice as I thought they would be. Then in Ohio, in November, I met Linda Rebtoy, whom I had met before, Nina Meachum and Gayle Ferguson. What a wonderful day we shared. We laughed and said after 5 minutes we knew it was a life long friendship.
I don't usually share Christmas gifts but I have to share my book and my calendar. Beth and Amanda do this every year. I love it

Well I hope I haven't bored you with my 2015. I am looking forward to 2016  and what it brings. I hope it continues to bring you Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: All my decorations are down and things here are back to normal
PSS: I have not made a decision on my blog yet. I will soon. I so appreciate all your comments, emails, and encouragement
PSSS: I am in prayer for our country. I hope you will join me


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Christmas Is Coming

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door. It is another beautiful day, here in East Tn and I am thankful for it. I have coffee made and guess what? There are donuts!!! Yes. So come in sit down and lets talk Christmas. Okay? I will bring you up to date on what is going on here. Not a whole lot, but enough. I have had you on my mind, since my last post. I appreciate so much your comments, about Through My Back Door remaining open. I am praying about it and will make a decision in January. You all have made me feel so good though. I was surprised.
I am finished decorating and ready to start fudge and cookie making. For a while I have had some painful shoulder issues. Last weekend it hurt so bad I couldn't leave my recliner, and had to cancel, not one, but 3 social gatherings.As you can imagine that did not make me happy.lol I was in so much pain, I just sat with ice or heat on that shoulder. But as you know I have a wonderful Ortho(Ryan) and he has upped my meds(OTC) and I am getting therapy. So as of yesterday I am on the mend. I love the Christmas season so much and being incapacitated is not possible. It is just not me.
Debbie made this Santa and she said only a Mother would love it. I do.


Just some decorations around the house. I love this crock, that says, All Hearts Come Home for Christmas. I found my heart "going back home for Christmas".  Growing up Christmas was so exciting. We alternated going to Ohio one year(my mother was an only child, therefor I was an only Grandchild) and my Grandparents coming to Tennessee the next. I remember riding in the back seat of whatever Buick we had singing with the radio and looking at the lights in all the little towns we passed through. I felt so loved, so secure, and just so happy. Sometimes Santa came to my house early if we were going to be gone and I would think about the gift I had to leave, but anticipating what my Grandparents would have for me. I was young and presents were important. Not so much anymore, as I have everything I need and want. Well almost. ha ha
Anyway I have been remembering a lot of happy times this week. When our kids were young we had out traditions and basically still carry them through. I am not a happy person when things change, even though I know they will. I am blessed with so many wonderful memories. But with Christmas coming those memories are just popping up everywhere. I have said before my Daddy was the Christmas lover. He always got me a 5 pound peppermint stick. don't have the peppermint stick, but I do have the peppermint.
Last night I went to Mollies Mothers Day Out Christmas program. It was 30 minutes of little children singing Christmas songs and do the motions. It was bliss for me. Mollie is a rule follower and she was good as gold. Some kids were waving, turning around backwards and flapping their arms, it was precious. After that Deb and I went out to supper. I am so thankful I have a daughter close and we can do things together.
We had our 32nd card party at Frans this week. We all had such a good time. It is so nice to have younger friends.lol  They keep me going. I value their friendship. Fran had just gotten home from the Holy Land and I enjoyed her pictures and stories.
I have several things going on between and Christmas that I will enjoy. I am so happy Christmas is coming and I am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I wish each of you a Merry Christmas, if we don't visit before Christmas. May it be filled with, Jesus, family and full of love
PSS:  If you know someone who is lonely or sad Please reach out to them.  No one should ever be alone on Christmas
PSSS: Lets remember to pray for all our service men and women who can't be home for Christmas




Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Loving These Holidays and Making a Decision

Good morning you all and come on in Through My Back Door. I do have the coffee on and  there are some cookies to nibble on, lets just sit here by the fireplace and have a good visit. There are some things I really need to talk to you all about. Take which ever chair you want.
I am loving all the things going on right now. There has been parties, luncheons, I went to the Nutcracker with Beth, Amanda,Deb, and Lindsey, then out to dinner. What a good time we had.Went to  Fantasy of Trees and watched Mollie dance.What fun. If the Fantasy of Trees doesn't get you in the Christmas mood, nothing will.I went to Renda's play, It's A wonderful Life, and it was just perfect. Have been shopping with friends and  Deb and I have shopped and had lunch, so all in all I have enjoyed every day of December.  I am loving these holidays. There are a few more parties next week and friends coming for dinner. It is so exciting, Christmas is.
My shopping is done, not all wrapped, and I have made only one batch of fudge. Have to get going on some for gifts, later. So I am just sitting here today enjoying myself. Listening to Carols and just being.
I will share a bit of the decorations Through My Back Door.
These are just a few of the decorations Through My Back Door. I hope you enjoyed the little tour. I always enjoy our coffee and your visits.
Now what I wanted to talk to you about. I am thinking very seriously of closing my Back Door. I think blogging is dying. FB has opened other door and means of communicating, so I am not sure how many people actually read blogs. I know by my dash board I get a lot of hits. People don't comment like they used too. I am guilty as well, but anyway I am seriously thinking about  this. I always felt like blogging could be a good witness, but as Eccles says, "There is a time for all things".So many of my good blogging buddies have quit. So I will pray about it and make a decision the first of the year.
But for today I am so glad you came Through My Back Door where life is good
betty
PS: I was so happy to see my blog fairy had been by. She has made me look good for several years and I am grateful
PSS: Everyone isn't happy during the holidays as we may be. Lets lift them up in prayer
PSSS: I know we don't have to be reminded that Jesus IS the real reason for the season


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Hello December

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door on this first day of the last month of the year. I can hardly believe it is almost Christmas.Where has the year gone? I have had a good year and am truly thankful for it. I have met some new friends and taken several trips. We will save those for another post. Today I just want to welcome December with a cup of White Christmas coffee and some sugar cookies..We can sit in the living room and just visit.
It has been raining here for three days and I am sitting in a chair with a heating pad on my shoulder most of the time. I am eating too much and drinking too much coffee, but that is what it is. I will share a few Christmas pictures today and post another post real soon.
some of the Christmas books in a basket. Others are here and there as I love having them out.
As you know this is one of my all time favorites. I also like the sequel, A Memory of A Cup of Christmas Tea.
I love this one. I can still hear the bell. Can you?
Well I am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS My friend Al's son Matt is having open heart surgery today. Will you pray?
PSS: Also please pray for those who can't come home for Christmas this year. Some mama's are deployed, some daddies, and always someones child
PSSS:I hope you enjoy every day between now and Christmas. I am giving myself a gift a day on my FB page. Will you join me?

Monday, November 16, 2015

Thanksgiving Memories and Other Stuff

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door. We are having Cracker Barrel coffee this morning and it is soooo good. I am glad you came to visit me and hope you will just relax and visit. I hope when you come Through My Back Door, you feel welcome and know that I love having you.
It is amazing how my back door has changed. It now looks like this
It used to look like this
Now I am waiting for the front door to change. It will soon have a screen door like this
This is one of my favorite doors in Williamsburg. My dream is to go see it decorated for Christmas one year. all of Williamsburg, not just the screen door.lol
I have been so busy this fall. We went to the beach in October and then I went over to visit my friend Sandi Stevens at her home, Daybreakplace in W. Va. Another friend Nicole Rosier came over too and we had such a good time. I left there and went on to Ohio to visit my good friends, and to see family. I loved every minute of it.
On Thursday while I was there, Nina Meachum, Gayle Ferguson, and Linda Rebtoy, and I met and went to lunch and antiquing. What a wonderful day! Nina has the most spectacular home I have ever seen. I am going to ask her to let me do a blog on her house. I have to say she is spectacular too!lol On the right is from back to front, Gayle, Nina, and Linda. That is my friend Nancy behind me. I look horrible as I forgot my makeup  and looked a mess the whole time. I didn't kn ow I was vain until that happened.lol As Debbie's minister said one time, "Any old barn looks better with a fresh coat of paint"

I was home for just a few days when it was time to leave on my card groups annual get away. We have played 32 years and you know them by now. We went to Pigeon Forge and I must say the weather was wonderful. We shopped a bit on Thursday then went to the cabin and chilled until Friday night when we went to the Lodge at Buck Berry to eat dinner.
There we are with the handsome moose looking over our shoulders. Fran is missing this year as she had gone to visit her daughter, son in law and granddaughter in another country. FYI  In this group are 2 Bettys, 2 Linda's, and 2 Regina's. go figure.
I am now home for the winter. It is always fun to go and always nice to get home. This has been the other stuff and now for Thanksgiving memories
We always had the same ritual for Thanksgiving. My Dad and Curtis always went rabbit hunting early on Thanksgiving morning. When the boys got old enough they went along. One year my Dad was very ill and we weren't doing Thanksgiving.  Curtis, the kids and I celebrated alone. Determined to keep up tradition, Curtis and the boys loaded up to go hunting. I was going to take them, because our beagle would always come back home if they walked. I took them quite a way and drove back home. It wasn't long until I saw Sam slipping in the back gate. He was not a hunter, nor was he ever. I don't remember if there was any hunting done on Thanksgiving after that. I cooked my first ever turkey that year. Wish I had a dollar for everyone I have cooked since. If we were going to my folks for Thanksgiving, which we always did except that year, and then later I started hosting it and my family and Curtis' family always came. However when we went to my folks my Dad was always on the porch and he always said the same thing, "Where have you been? You should have been her 15 minutes ago". We still say this on holidays and still get a laugh.
Another Thanksgiving memory was one year Doug told me not to buy a turkey. He was going to a turkey shoot and would provide the  turkey. Imagine my shock when he brings in a very small turkey to feed over 20 people. We went back to Krogers and found a large fresh turkey and he never knew it wasn't his. I guess he thought it was like the loaves and fishes. Nothing like memories is there?
Do you ever wonder what kind of memories you are making? I do. I have the best memories of my grandparents, and my family traditions. I hope one day my grands will remember the fun times we have had and I also hope they will remember the values we have tried to instill. I know one thing, they all remember coming to my house and having ice cream for breakfast.
Well this will be my last post until after Thanksgiving. I am going to start my Christmas decorating this week. I love the holidays. Everything about them. I find I miss my Daddy so much at Christmas. That will be another post.
I am so happy you come Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: Let us pray for France and all the families of the victims
PSS: I have a special young man who has been deployed for 7 months on a ship. Not good with all that is going on. Would you please pray for Alex and  MaryKate?
PSSS: Looking forward to having you come visit during Christmas





Sunday, October 25, 2015

Crowe-Onial Decor and Other Stuff

Good morning and welcome Through My Back Door on this gorgeous morning. It is good to have you and we have fresh ground coffee (Kona) and some Halloween Cookies. It is a bit chilly to sit outside as I have been sick. Beginning to feel almost human again this morning. I checked on my blogger dashboard and saw where a lot of people were checking in and decided I better do a quick up date. This is my back door now.
Quite a change from the old. We still have painting to do and that will be done one day. As you know we go back to the beach in the fall. This year we went later because all of Debs kids went along. I had a lot of greats to entertain me.lol I have not felt well since we came home, as I came back with bronchitis. Today I actually feel a little better, so decided to catch up.
Of course we always enjoy going to Seagrove and eating at our favorite places. This year was different as all of Debs kids joined us. Having 3 little girls and one handsome guy just made it more fun
Clay, Andrew Ryan, and Michael. We were at Whiskey Bravo and they put us in a room by ourselves. It was perfect
Four generations of women. Beth is holding Caroline, me with Mollie, Amanda, and Deb with Amelia. We had so many good laughs and just enjoyed one another
Love this place. I always think Dear God, your sea is so vast and my boat is so small. I am always so happy and contented here. A place where you don't have to do anything but be.
I did an antique show with Deb and Dodd this past weekend. What fun just being with my kids and chatting up a storm. I bought a trunk from Dodd, but I don't have a picture of it yet. It was one of the ones used on a stage coach, as it is a small dome top. I have no idea where I will use. I did sell my bucket bench, but this trunk can't go where it was. I t wouldn't work. I will have a picture next post. I had such a good time visiting with the customers too. However it brought back a lot of memories.
I will share a bit of my fall with you. Didn't do a lot, but am enjoying what I did.
I only have one whisk broom and it is one Curtis used doing his furniture. I Have replaced the room deodorizer with a pumpkin.lol These spoons were my great, great grandmothers as you know.
I had to keep this mirror out somewhere so I took the painting Deb had done many years ago and replaced it with the mirror. This is a walnut one and is pegged together.
I am so glad you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: I have a beautiful new great granddaughter. Her name is Harper Kristine, after her paternal grandmother. She is Douglas and Anastasia's. Gabe is now a big brother
PSS: I have 2 more trips before Christmas and then I will be home for the winter. I saw we are to have more than usual snow. I may try to do like a bear and hibernate
PSSS:Let's pray hard for our country. There is just so much sadness and turmoil








Saturday, October 3, 2015

A Nip In The Air and Some Other Tid Bits

Hello to all of you and welcome Through My Back Door.It has been a while since I have posted and I have missed you. Sometimes I think no one is coming through and then I look on my dash board and I see you have slipped in and left very quietly. I love having you visit and I always hope you leave feeling good for having visited. My blog fairy slipped in and out too as you see. She does such a wonderful job and I never know when she is coming. That is the way of a fairy isn't it?  I am so blessed to have her at all. She never, ever wants any attention drawn to her. Anyway I thank her.
Do help yourself to a cup of pumpkin spice coffee and some cookies. Not home made but good.
There has been a lot going on Through My Back Door.  This is the way my mantle has looked. It is now changed.
A while back I was going through some more of Curtis' things and found a pattern he had made of a whale shelf. He had drawn it out and cut a pattern. I wouldn't or couldn't stand to throw it away so I gave it to Michael, as he is the furniture builder in our family. As you know he has built several things for me, as well as the girls. Of course Deb. Well when I gave it to him I said maybe you can use this one day. He and Curtis were very close. We love Micheal as a son, not a son in law. He took it and I could tell it made him sad to see it. A few months before Doug had taken him some beautiful Tn black walnut boards. Fast forward to this past week when I get a call to come pick out a shelf. He had made 4 of these whales tail shelves from Curtis' pattern and the walnut from Doug. One for me, Deb and the boys. I actually cried. I was so touched. You all know Curtis was in the nursing home and suffered from dementia for 6 years before he died. We actually lost him twice. But now God has given us the good memories and the bad, sad ones have faded.
Here it is all decorated. He came after work last night and hung it. Deb and I decorated it and I just love it. I look at it and think how proud Curtis would be that Micheal had completed a project he wasn't able to.
A couple of weekends ago I was invited by my cousin Gina and her daughter Leah to go to Cincinnati with them to see Rascal Flatts. My cousin Dale and his wife Debbie were going to be there too. Gina is a month older than Deb and her daughter Leah is Olivia's age. Dale is closer to my age, just  not quite as old.lol We had the best time. I don't think I have laughed as much in I don't know when. The concert was wonderful and Scotty McCreedy, whom I think is the best new male country singer to come along in ages opened for them. We were actually eating at Steak and Shake at 2:00 am. What fun! I just am so grateful that they invited me. They also took me to IKEA and I was hooked. I had no idea it would be so interesting.
This past weekend I went to Pigeon forge with Regina Matney, Linda Attanasio, and Linda Young. We have been doing this for 8 years. We love the shopping and the eating. Also a lot of laughs and relaxing. They are all still working and just love the quiet weekend. This time we went to Wonderworks and I encourage anyone with children to go. Even I liked it.
My fall decorating is done. I didn't do much outside except mums on the porch and deck, along with pumpkins. I may add pumpkins when I come back from the beach. That will be a while so may not add anything else.
I love this Smokey bottle stopper that Michael made.
You have to be tired of fall pictures so I will leave you and thank you for coming Through My Back door where life is good.
betty
PS: It will soon be 2 years since I lost my Daso. I still mis that dog
PSS: Will you join me in continuing to pray for our people in uniform.
PSSS: I will show what it would look like if you actually came up the deck to come into my Back Door today
Wet and Rainy