California Trip/

Well home from Cal. /was out there to watch Finn and Scout. Angie had hired a nanny and she was to start right after I left. So until then grandma would be watching them. The nanny would start right after I leave to head home.
I spent much time with the boys and have to say C. and Angie are doing a great job with them! They have excellant manners and know just what is expected of them. They will tell me just what they can and can't do. They know when and what to eat. what shoes to wear , what movies they can watch. The kids have put alot of work in on being sure the boys follow the rules. Come nap time , one story and Scout is off to sleep with no problem. Finn has quiet time, watching his movie or plays a game on computer during this time. No more naps for Finn!
Angie and boys took me to the zoo and a pet store that was awesome! and we picked up some baby frogs for Scouts Birthday party. cute little guys. Angie also drove me around the area to do some sight seeing which was nice.
I spent couple nights at Jen's which was also a treat. She gave up her bed for me.. and we laughed watching "Deal or No Deal!" Jen is fun and I loved my time with her.
Jen and Angie took me out to eat for my Birthday {so very sweet of them.} . Took me to a seaside pier, loved that water front view , that was awesome!

On another note , Angie gave me the book "The Sunflower" for my Birthday and I loooooooved it! Read it at Leslie's and all the way back to Fl.
Almost forgot , the gals also had brownies and ice cream that night to help me celebrate . tks. Such for a great time gals! thanks for the memories, you know I love you, mama

MY BROTHER BUMP!

I have some great brothers but this is the one I grew up with! This is Paul, he is the youngest in our family of eleven kids. I call him Bump, a nickname he has been stuck with all his life. I was always told it came from when he was small and bumped his head alot. If you have a different story Bump , then share it with me. ha. Bump has a good sense of humor so don't think it ever bothered him or if it did I never knew it! Anyway he was the greatest! He and I were close growing up. We went everywhere together! To sock hops , movies, skating , rainbow beach, you name it. He has always been a special brother to me and not too many brothers would allow a sister to hang around them all the time but he didn't seem to mind it at all or if he did he never told me. ha. Tks. Bump! Growing up I felt we were a anchor for each other. In a home that was often an unhappy place to be we spent many hours at our neighbor's Don & Jean Clark who lived across the street. That place was our second home! Many happy hours were spent there and many nights we set up with Jean watching 'The Jack Parr show." Those were fond memories and often Don would fuss wanting her to call it a night and guess send us home but she always wanted to watch Jack Parr so we got to stay longer, which we thought was great! Bump and I never really wanted to go home, we enjoyed being at Jean's house more than being at our own home. Jean's husband Don was a good man but Jean wore the pants in the home as they say. She fed us many a evening meal and kept soda's in her house for us, even doctoring a sore or repairing a piece of clothing for us when needed. They were certainly the perfect neighbors for us the Todd kids! Jean passed away this year and I know she will be greatly missed by all those who loved her and I hope one day to see her again and thank her again for all she did for Bump and I. What a lady! a truly good neighbor that went the extra mile and welcomed us into her home as if we were her own!
Well, as you can see from this picture of Bump he is a handsome guy. Used to be called KOOKIE a name given to a teenage heartthrob movie star of our era. You can see why? Bump you still have your good looks! ha! Thanks for being the best brother a sister could have and I will always have very fond memories of spending many days of our youth together. love you always, your sister Dottie

Fun for Your Viewing

Todd , Randy,Val, and Angie/more to come of Stacey , Leslie & Jen.

I am slow but will add more pictures here of the rest of our little ones later. We have lots of pictures but its finding them that takes time. mama


t

Garage Sale!

Well, Kristen came over last night and we prepared for a garage sale!
I thought those days were over for me but she said " grandma I just need to make money for Sadie." Sadie is her new puppy she got and now it needs food, shots , and all that kind of stuff. Well, we started at eight a.m. and it went well until about noon and after that it started slowing down .By two we were ready to call it quits! Kristen made 92 dollars and was a happy camper! Not bad for a few hours work. Kristen kept at it , waiting on her customers and showing them her puppy! She had posted a sign saying will except donations for puppy! Some people gave ! Not sure I want to do it again anytime soon but it's just one of those things you do to make your grandchild happy!! I will add a couple pictures of Kristen and her garage sale and if I can find some from old days pass when Donna and I had ours , then I will add those also. Those were some fun times, so today it brought back some memories. mama

Family /A Team!

Lessons from the Geese!
Geese in the fall fly south and in a V formation. There is a reason for this. Its been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, they create a uplift for the bird immediately following. This adds 71% of a greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. They are a team , making it easier than flying alone. they help each other sharing a common direction.
The Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep their speed. Word and support and inspiration help energize those on the front line.It helps them to keep pace in spite of the day to day pressure and fatigue. It is important that the honking be encouraging , otherwise its just honking! Finally when a goose gets sick or is wounded and falls out , two geese fall out of the formation and follow the injured one down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly again{like us in hard times} or until he is dead. Then they catch up.
When one of us is down its up to the others to stand by us in our time of trouble. We get to where we are going more quickly and easier if those we are traveling with lift us up along our way. When ever a goose falls out of formation or feels a drag or is trying to go it alone , they help each other out, we all just like geese need to help quickly to get them back into formation to take advantage of the power of the FLOCK!
If we have as much sense as a Goose we will help each other. When the lead Goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wings and another Goose takes over. You know if we think like the geese, we will stand by each other when the flying gets rough and we will stay in line working together to help the others make it. So remember remember:
It is a wonderful thing to be part of a family! A challenge sometimes yes, but also a privilege. I hope we will always be a team who loves and cares for each other! love, mama

FOR JENNY/SMILE!

Jenny, are we smiling yet? A while back I sent Jen a smiley face to hang up in her apartment. It looks just like this big yellow one on the left. I wanted this to be the first thing that she saw every morning when she woke up so she would smile and it would start off her day happy and she'd have a wonderful day! I also sent her a pkg. of gumballs with smiley faces on them. Now I want Jenny to see lots of smiley faces everytime she goes into this blog! So many in fact that she will burst out with a big SMILE! So here they are Jenny!!!!!!!! HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY! LOVE YOU! mama

UNCLE DAYMOND

This morning around 9:25 a.m. our Uncle Daymond passed away. Gone back home to our Heavenly Father after being sick for quite some time. He was such a sweet man! I was always in the habit of calling him Uncle Daymond , Dad would say ," he is not your Uncle" but because of the children I got in the habit of calling him that and continued. Kids loved him so! Mine included. I remember he used to called Leslie, Stacey, & Jenny -one two & three because he would forget which name went to who!
We will all miss him. I will remember him for his fun teasing manner. I know for me every time I went over to his home he would have a caffeine free pepsi in his frig for me. Frankie would say, "she doesn't need that she is trying to lose weight" but I always took one because I knew he derived pleasure from having one ready for me. If that made him happy, then thats what I wanted to do! I would say sure! and for sure I will miss hearing him say" Dottie! theirs a pepsi in the frig for you." thank you Uncle Daymond for the memory! we love you! you will be missed. Dottie

Going Back in Time!

Well, here they are! All seven of the Shappard bunch! Adorable aren't they!

Socials/Decorations for church

You will find here pictures of the socials I do in the church. This is # ? Will add more as I look them up.

My beautiful daughters-in-law

I can't write in my blog without mentioning my two beautiful daughters-in-law, Heather and Sherry, the women my sons have chosen to spend the rest of their lives with. You both are special to my sons and that makes you special to me. They chose you and I am glad they did. I will try hard to be a good mother-in-law and not step over my boundaries.

Did you know we are in love with the same men? I love my sons too! I fell in love with them when I first saw them!

I LOVED THEM when they were just babies and would cling to me.
I LOVE THEM when they were just little boys and would fall down and get hurt and came running to me. I would comfort them.
I LOVED THEM when I tucked them in bed at night and read them their bedtime stories.
I LOVED THEM whenever they cried and I cried with them. I often wondered if any mother could love their child more.
I LOVED THEM when they were teenagers and going through those tough years.
I LOVED THEM when they were wandering and trying to find their place in this world.
I LOVE THEM even more today if that is possible and I will love them forever!

Enjoy your years with my little boys, they will always be my little boys.
Remember I loved them first!

mamashap

A Mom's Life!

I AM SURE I USED EVERY ONE OF THESE!

- You better hope that comes out of the carpet!
- Because I said so , that's why!
- You'll sit there until you eat that last bite!
- If I told you once , I've told you a million times!
- There are lots of kids out there who would love to be in your shoes!
- Just wait till your father gets home!
- Just don't bring that inside!
- Straighten up your room!
- It looks like a tornado hit this place!


and it can go on and on...

Of course in my day it wasn't all work and no play! But for sure times have changed alot and kids have alot less to do and more time on their hands because of what we call PROGRESS! Bringing up a family is nothing like it was when I had my children. Work was a big part of the day,things took more time. But one thing hasn't changed, a mom still has to work at all the chores around the home but modern conveniences make it more enjoyable!

YOUR A MOM WHEN YOU: VACUUM, WIPE UP SPILLS , DRIVE, WASH DISHES , DUST, SHOP, COOK, BAKE, PICK UP, IRON, SWEEP, PAY BILLS, BUDGET, CLIP COUPONS, FOLD CLOTHES, CHANGE BEDS, BUCKLE, FEED, CHASE, PUSH, CUDDLE , PLAY GAMES, AND you get up at 6 am and you have no time to eat, sleep, drink or go to the bathroom before your day starts over again and yet tomorrow, you'll get up and HAPPILY do it all over again!