Great Notes and Some Not So Great~

Morning to all!

It's time to check in with my blogging buddies, I hope everyone is having a great summer!

We have had such a happy, wonderful and busy summer, so far! 

Love every minute with our grandkids, the visits and sleep overs are a blast!

Oh goodness, I love being a kid right along with them!

Here we are doing a little gardening!
Lucky for me, she has a green thumb~
She is a great in the kitchen too.
Helped make a delicious meat loaf the other night!

Arts and Crafts Galore~

The decoupage frames look great, scrapbooking was a blast. This smart little sweetheart, the queen of all crafts and enjoys every minute! We are peas in a pod!

Best teacher of all time. She ran her own school and ran a mighty organized school.

Her dolls are the best students too...no fussing. 

We have our own little singing star from Frozen!

She can sing "Let It Go," no kidding, as great at Anna!

The entire second floor was used as her stage, a beautiful performance! 

Can this little munchkin play card games? Oh yes and is a little competitor and is a winner! 

She even makes up her own games and they are quite good~ 

She wants us to send her game ideas to Mattel! 

We may!

Batman, Cape Crusader, he's a star in his own right! 

This boy loves to play and play hard! 

Cars, airplanes, more cars, all kinds of games and oh, can build anything! 

He's our little scientist, he loves to experiment!

He and Pop...

Constructing Buzzsaw Logs!

Of course, hours in the pool! 

Nana even get her hair wet and goes under water and even enjoyed it!

Okay to the Not SO GOOD kind of notes...

Well, I got the dreaded call I've been waiting for three months for. Some of you know I have a heart that's not up to par. I have had a pacemaker for a few years and now I must have a defibrillator! So, I'm getting an upgraded pacer and and defibrillator. A dual, so I'll be super bionic. Oh joy!
I thought and the cardiologist mentioned it was possible I might not need to have this procedure done. I was not expecting this news, of course! I was doing so well, I thought. Oh well, I am ready to feel even better, just want to get it over and done with. 

We have had roofers hammering away on our new roof. First crew, started Friday.
 NO SHOW on Saturday or Sunday! Poured down rain on Friday night. Saturday, our roof leaked, so now a room has to be painted, carpet and all be linens have to be cleaned and dry cleaned!
Roof was finished yesterday morning...
Rained yesterday afternoon, more leaks. They were out yesterday evening, fixed it.
More walls to be repaired inside. 

One of our large palm trees and our neighbor's tall pine tree were hit by lighting a month ago!
Such crazy weather! 

Had to have them cut down, what a sight! 

I was scared just watching! 

I'm ready for this cloud to clear out from over me and want the sunshine back!
I know it'll happen! I believe in the power of positive thinking and prayer!
I'm off now to start another day...

Have a great and happy week, think of y'all often!
I'll be by to visit everyone soon! 

Historical and Glorious Walking Tour~

 Historical Walking Tours....I love them!


When we lived in Austin, Texas, I was lucky enough go on a walking tour of some the the oldest and most elegant and historical homes! What a treat. 

These gorgeous old homes were just stunning, to get to walk through them was magical
and so very interesting. 

Take a look~

Eugene Bremond House

This house was built in 1873. In 1874, Eugene Bremond paid $15,000 for both the house and the empty lot next door to the east.  In 1872, Eugene Bremond was a widower with four young children to care for. He married again in 1874, this time to Augusta Palm. He moved his children and new bride to this house on the southwest corner of the block. Eugene and August had two more children. 

  Walter Bremond House

At first this was the home of a sister of Eugene Bremond, Josephine Bremond Crosby, who lived there briefly with her husband Josiah.  In 1887, Eugene decided to remodel it.  Local master builder George Fiegel was hired to add one and a half stories to the stone house, transforming it into a fashionable Second Empire home.

It was a wedding gift from Eugene to his son, Walter, and his bride Mary Anderson.

North-Evans Chateau

The North-Evans Chateau, aka The Bellevue Chateau, located on the Bremond Block at 710 San Antonio Street, is supposedly haunted by Athalie North, the daughter of Harvey and Catherine.  She was a pianist but died young coming back from a music school in Europe.  They say she plays at various pianos throughout the house at all hours and her apparition has been seen.  Today the house is lovingly maintained and preserved by the members of the Austin Woman’s Club. Features and amenities from the late 1800s include:

The Bremond Block Historic District is a collection of eleven historic homes in downtown Austin, Texas, United States and was constructed from the
1850s to 1910.

Bremond Block

Eugene Bremond, an early Austin banker, established a mini real-estate monopoly for his own family in the downtown area.  The homes in this block now serve as exquisite examples of elaborate late-19th-century homes.

In the 1840's this block which is just a short walk from Congress Ave. was still a wild place -- complete with mortal danger and Indians. But by 1866 it was becoming a residential neighborhood. Austin is rightfully proud of it: it is a rare example of a Victorian-era neighborhood still intact, beautifully landscaped with lush planting and giant live oaks. Interested architecture buffs can find a few more homes from this glorious era in the neighborhood blocks just west of the Bremond Block.

The block was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and is considered one of the few remaining Victorian neighborhoods of the middle to late nineteenth century in Texas. Six of these houses were built or expanded for members of the families of brothers Eugene and John Bremond, who were prominent in late-nineteenth-century Austin social, merchandising, and banking circles.

The John and Pierre Bremond houses are currently owned by the Texas Classroom Teachers Association, and the John Bremond house serves as the headquarters for the association.

Information and More History on Bremond Block Austin, Texas

Have a glorious day and weekend!

Telluride~ Put on your Bucket List!

Our Trip to Telluride, Colorado!

Oh my, the beauty of this old town is just incredible! 

Telluride, Colorado 

 went from a mining town to a world-class ski resort 

and is now the festival capital of the west.

What a wonderful, beautiful and charming place with such a rich history!

We had such a wonderful time and if you've never been, 
put it on your bucket list now!

 

Old Brick Fence

Downtown Telluride~

It was hard to choose just
one
Good Fence, Tex!

Joining Good Fences~

Tex hosts a huge party, Head over now!

WEEKEND BLAST!

Happy Monday!

Oh my heavens, we are expecting more rain and it's going to last several days! Crazy weather! I'll be wearing fins and goggles soon. No biggy, you should see my cpap machine. Ekkk.. thank goodness Mr. Notes goes to bed before I do and wakes after I do! Not a pretty sight! No more in the middle of the night sightings for me anymore. Okay, if you can't sleep, get a sleep study done ASAP. I feel like a new person. Sleep is good- who knew!

Okay, back to the birthday bash. It was for our son and daughter. Saturday they were both the same age! Twins, you ask?? Nope! Just 11 months apart and this is that magical time when I'm invariably asked my kids ages and it's the month they are the same age!

Anyhoo, I've got pictures, oh do I have pictures. You can imagine with all the cell phones around and of course they all take after me, love photography! So, warning now, tune out if you don't like family pictures!!

Sorry, no picture of our fancy paper china! 

My granddaughter who is 8 is the bestest little decorator.

 Birthday Boy and Girl! 

Aren't they just too cute for words! 

Granddaughter who helped decorate picked out their name tags..

The

Daughter-Aged to Perfection and Son- Hot stuff! 

 Everyone can't wait until to sing and to blow out  up  the candles!

And many more!!!

 Aww, here are my three munchkins! 

Yes, big brother and big sister with baby sister. 

They are 8 and 7 years older. 

She was their baby too! 

Just happen to have a cute collage of them! 

Here we are...

Nana and Pop and the grands!! 

1. Here they are! 
2. Love these kids! 
3. 
4. It was a day for BBQ and Ribs are a favorite. (can you tell? )
5. BBQ Ribs,Chicken and Brisket.

I tried a new potato recipe, it was a hit. 

4 ingredients.

Hash Browns

Heavy Cream

Cheddar Cheese

Butter

Heavenly- I'll be paying for it for awhile! I ate my fair share and maybe yours!

1. Birthday girl and grands with their Aunt Cari! 

Birthday kids again!

Our grandsons~

HAPPY GRANDSON! 

He loves to swim!

Granddaughters~

Daughter and Birthday boy's sweet other!

 With this crew...
You know it!
Girls-

Of course, they started it!
The boys-

Fun times!

Youngest daughter and husband!

Daughter in law and her son, our grandson!

 Birthday girl and our grands.
One is blue top is birthday girl's daughter.

I just had to share this...photo is not clear, but clearly she's having fun!

Yippee! Party was a blast.
This one said.
" I'm sad, we won't be able to see everyone again till probly Easter or Christmas!!"

So funny, we see each other often!
Love the fun!

Have a great week~

Bird Friend Dropped In - Help me with naming it! Wish I knew...

Good Saturday Morning Friends!

 There's nothing like holding a camera and catching that moment! Right? 

Well, this little guy dropped in for a quick visit and gave me the chance to take not one photograph, but two! 

Posing to the left and posing to the right, so cute!

Problem is this, I don't know what kind of little friend dropped in!

Is it one I should know? 

I've looked him up and can't find him in my book. 

Do you? 

I'm joining Viewing Nature with Eileen today!  

Check out....

Saturday's Critters

Have a great day!