It's blue monday and I have some fun memories of our Grandson's Junior Football homecoming game to share.  We flew down to Texas and had a great time visiting and just doing life with our daughter and her family.

Our grandson has quite the fan club!

Our beauitful daughter and her husband

Granddaughter at her track meet

Lots of fun watching track, basketball and football all in the same weekend!

 Elementary Basketball runs during football season Our Granddaughter is the one with the ball

Thanks for stopping by and sharing in my blues.

 And a special thanks to Sally for hosting BLUE MONDAY

I love old black and white vintage photographs!

This picture was sent to me by a cousin I had never met.  One of my dad's brothers, Frank, had passed away young and his wife and family moved away.  A couple of weeks ago I saw a post on facebbok, don't you love pubblic media, it was about a poster his great granddaughter had done about the Snavely heritage.  After making a comment, I was called by this cousin.  He offered to send me a copy of all the information he had!

My favorite picture is the one below that I had never seen.  

This was taken in 1923!

My father is the infant in his mothers arms.  The others are some of his brothers and sisters.

This is amazing qualityfor such an old  picture.  

Don't you love  my Grandmothers and Aunt's hats! 

Have a great week

Blessings, Debbie

Linking with Outdoor Wednesday and Vintage Thursday 

Fall is here

The cool weather of fall has arrived in Indiana.  Last year a friend and I went to a small town, Nashville, Indiana; to shop. 
 After lunch we saw this perfect setting for a picture.  I'm not sure if I ever shared it but it came up on my screen and I though 

"perfect Outdoor Wednesday and Red Wednesday!" The town was originally settled in 1809. 
Today it is a hub for tourism and craft shopping.

Hope you are enjoying the cooler weather and some long prayed for rain.

To visit more with these wonderful ladies visit 

Outdoor Wednesday and Rednesday. 

 Thanks for all the time you put 

into making these link partys available.  

H is for Heritage

left to right Ann, Debbie, Momma, Kathy and Lori

Family Heritage

A legacy worth remembering

A father of strength and Honor

A mother of love and care

Sisters to hold onto

when time changes our lives

Husbands to love and hold us

Children to nurture then let go

Grandchildren to bring us joy and laughter

Then lead this world into the next chapter.

Linking with ABC Wednesday 

G is for Grand

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Grand?

Maybe it is as simple as Grand(s) biscuits.  

or as awesome as the Grand Canyon

Possible in the busyness of life, it's the time you spend at Grand Centeral Station

Maybe you have traveled around the world and it's places like the Grand Caymon Islands

Or the Grand Palace from the 17th century in Belgium 

For me this word brings a smile to my face because I automatically think of my Grands.

Lexi and I the day she moved to Oregon.

Ena, Lexi's baby sister.  She is sitting up she is getting big so fast!

My four awesome Grands in Texas.  

Blake a Junior in High School

Kayla a freshman in High School

Nathan 6th grade

and Ashlyn a 2nd grader.

I couldn't be more blessed, unless they all lived closer...

Hug your Grands if they are close and text them your love if they aren't.

Blessings, Debbie

Linking with ABC Wednesday

F is for Fireflies

Fireflies

Fun filled nights with fireflies.

Fellowship with friends around a warm fire.

Feeling like believing in faries,

Lying in the grass gazing up to the heavens as I watch the starlite sky.

One of my favorite memories as a child was 

going out with a mason jar and collecting fireflies.  

They are such magical insects! 

In the 50's it was safe to be out after dark.  

Playing hide and seek until moms voice could be heard over the crickets and casadas, calling us home.

I love this picture of Mom holding my hand.    We were in California one of two trips as I grew up to visit my grandfather and his wife.  My sister Kathy is next to me and my older sister Ann is the brave one 
to the far right of the picture.  

Thanks for coming by!  I love your comments. 
Blessings, Debbie

Linking with ABC Wednesday

McKim Observatory

Out for an evening drive and a stop at the local ice cream shop The Dairy Castle. 

 We usually "splurge" on a baby sundae.  

Most of their dishes are big enough for 2 people to share and still consume too many calories!  

After enjoying the sundae we decided to drive home a different road . 

We saw this white building down a street and wondered what it was.  

Much to our surprise we came upon an observatory!  

The date on the building was 1884.  

As soon as we got home we whipped out the iPads and looked it up. 

Here's what we found.

McKim Observatory    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKim_Observatory  
is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by DePauw University. Built in 1884, it is located in    Greencastle, Indiana (USA)

The observatory is named after Robert McKim, who presented to the observatory a complete astronomical outfit at a cost of over $10,000.^[

McKim was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on May 24, 1816, and died in Madison, Indiana, May 9, 1887. After completing his apprenticeship as a stonemason in Ireland, he emigrated to the United States, worked for a time in Philadelphia, and moved to Madison, Indiana, in 1837. In 1855, he left stone masonry and established himself in the coal business. Income from investments in real estate enabled him to make investments in manufacturing enterprises which did well

McKim was always a lover of astronomical studies, and, after his investment income was sufficient, he purchased one of the best telescopes in the United States for a private observatory adjoining his residence. Besides De Pauw, public charities and other institutions of learning also benefited by his bequests.

Hope you enjoyed this visit to Greencastle and a peice of it's history.

Blessings, Debbie


Linking with Outdoor Wednesday

E is for Exercise

Everything we do Effects how Efficient our body works.
I have struggled with health issues for years now and something finally just clicked.

 If I don't want to be the one who can't ride the bike as far as everyone else. 

 If I don't want to be Exausted 

just carrying a basket of laundry 

I must take care of this body. 

SOOOO starting 2 weeks ago

I Elected to 

Experience a new me.  

I started to EXERCISE.

I  must EXERCISE self discipline in how much I put in my mouth.

I chose to use myfitnesspal app on my phone to watch my calorie intake.  UCH!  Do you realize there are calories in EVERYTHING? 

Well, Except water...

And I joined Curves.  A friend joined with me and I was Excited to have someone to be accountable to then... she couldn't go the first day we were to go.
Hmmm I had to be Extreme in my determanation!

 I went alone.

I look more like this cute elephant than sleek little Betty above. But I don't care.

I have to do this for me.

I have now managed to go 5 days a week  and actually buttoned a pair of pants that I had felt like an Elephant pouring myself into before.

I have a long way to go,  but I have a goal!

Hope this might inspire you to get out and do something good just for YOU because YOU are worth it.

joing in the fun with ABCWednesday

Blessings, Debbie

D is for Denim

For a couple of years I have been collecting different denim  childrens jackets, 

overalls and dresses to paint. 

 The perfect time is NOW.  

My sister at Tin and Sparkle is opening a booth at a vintage and craft store.  I hope to have several items for her soon. Here is a picture of my Granddaughters and peices I have painted in the past. 

 woops...looks like the youngest had sit in something wet....

We took the family to Cancun for Christmas one year and I had fun painting "tropical" christmas clothing.  I especially loved the surffing snowman and palm trees with lights.

Hope you enjoyed my D for denim.

Linking with Blue Monday   ABC Wednesday

Thanks to some great ladies for these fun parties.

The perfect FIT

I am indead a blessed woman.  We are selling my 2009 blue honda fit to our oldest granddaughter for college.  We went looking for a low milage used car to replace it.  We just could not find anything that fit my style of living better than the fit.  The used ones were only a couple of thousand less than brand new.  Hubby decided to get me the new one!!!

So today I am driving around in a new RED honda fit.

I love to "drive by trash dive"  If I see it out on the curb for the trash I will take it home, clean it up then either use it or sell it in the next yard sale.  So the fit is perfect to bring home my trash finds.  The only requirement is that I leave room in the garage for the cars.

 Have a great week. Blessings. Debbie

Linking today with Sue for Rednesday.  Make sure you go back and visit others who have linked in!

Blue Monday at the Lake

My wonderful "older" sister came to visit with her daughter, son in-law and their two daughters for a visit.  Aunt Debbie's at the lake is a must every summer now and they have so much fun.

Today while playing in the water my sister, Ann of Tin and Sparkle, had a very interesting time trying to conquer the flat raft to get her back tanned.

Getting on when you can't touch bottom wasnt going to work.

So, she swam up to where she could stand up.

Hmmm, maybe if I fold it up...

Granddaughter trying to help

Woops, that didn't work

Oh my....I don't think I have seen her laugh this hard in years!

Son in Law to the rescue.

I'll hold it while you get on the ladder and maybe that will help.

Swan dive onto the raft.

Finally after a lot of fun and laughs.

And I do have her premission to post this

Blue Monday Blessing

Debbie

Make sure you go over and visit the other blogs that are linking with Sally at Blue Monday

and a new link I found today straight out of the camera Sunday

and Susan for Outdoor Wednesday 

Flip Flop wreath

It's a flip flop kind of day around our place.
Living on the lake I wanted to do something different for our front door.


I started with some simple things I found at Wal-mart and Hobby Lobby.

I used some glue and sand to cover some of the pink wreath as a background for the shells.
I decided not to use the fish.  I liked it better with just the natural seaglass and shells.
I cut the back straps off the baby sandles so they would look more like flip flops.

Hope you like my sea inspired, Pink wreath.

Blesssings, Debbie

Linking with Beverly's Pink Saturday

  

Alphabet Wednesday

As I continue my letters of things I am thankful.

My Saviour
   He doesn't wear a suit with a big S on his chest
My Saviour
  Instead he chose to wear a crown of throrns
My Saviour
  He didn't wear a cape of royality
My Saviour
  Instead he chose to be stripped and beaten
My Saviour
  Three nails in his hands and feet
My Saviour
   Died for you and me.

Blessings, Debbie

Day 8 Driving to Venice, Ist evening in the city

Day 8 Driving to Venice, 1 st evening in the city


Our last change of rooms for this wonderful vacation.


We decided to leave fairly early from Pisa for our drive to Vencie.  We knew we wanted to get off the tole roads and would be driving through more mountains.

What a wonderful relaxed day.  
We arrivved at the apartment fairly late in the evening and walked several bridges over to the main square for a late dinner of pizza.

Here are a few of the beauitiful evening shots we took. 

Summer has been crazy.  I have been to Kansas to help with harvest on my husbands parents farm and spent time in Kansas City while one of my sisters went through cancer surgery. 

 Last week while my husband was in India for business, a different sister came and spent a few days, 

another is coming with her daughters family next week! 

I do promise for those who care to get back on the computer on a more regular basis.  I miss it and you.

Blessings, Debbie

Linking with

Blue Monday

MellowYellow Monday

Outdoor Wednesday

Watery Wednesday  any one out there know what's happening with Watery Wednesday?  The newest I see to link into is March...