KEEPERS

I READ AN ARTICLE THIS PAST WK. AND HAD TO BLOG IT.

KEEPERS

Growing up in the old days you recycled things, meaning then you reused them. Old shoes were fixed didn't always get new ones. Marriage was worked at, was usually good , couples forcused on their dreams . Their best friends lived barely a wave away. Dad worked in trousers, tee shirt, and mom in house dress with dishtowel in hand. It was the time of fixing things, curtain rod, radio, screen door, oven door ,lawn mower, hemming a dress, repairing what needed repaired. Things you kept, it was a way of life. You didn't throw things away , you recycled them or passed them down.
When my mother died, it hit the family hard . The mother was the center of the home, she kept things moving. Mom was always there, that was the name you called out when you got home from school. And as life is , it is painful learning that sometimes there isn't any more. sometimes what we care about most gets all used up and goes away, never to return.
So while we have it, its best "we love it... care for it...fix it when its broken..and heal it when its sick.

This is true for marriage.. old cars... and children with bad report cards..dogs with bad hips... aging parents...and grandparents. Keep them because they are worth it, because you are worth it.
Author Unknown

"BABY'S DAY OUT"










How many of you have seen this movie? It is adorable! Not only is it a cute movie but
< the baby in it is soooo cute , just like Jayden.
Anyway I am blogging today about my day spent with Jayden. Jayden is my one year old grandson and Todd & Heathers little guy. First I got to say he is sooo cute and very smart and he reminds me of the
baby in the movie
" BABY"S DAY OUT." To start our day together we played and played and everything ran smooth as clock work. Jayden's mommy & daddy had ask me to care for Jayden while they got away for the day to see a big football game in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl. We had a fun morning playing in his toy room and then we went outside on the back porch in afternoon/ sometime after lunch to play and check out the weather thinking it might be nice enough to take a stroller ride that Heather had suggested earlier so we headed inside to get a stroller. To our surprise the door was locked! COULDN'T GET IN! First thought , don't panic, checked other doors and sure enough they were locked, NOW THIS SICK FEELING CAME OVER ME and my heart rate must have jumped up I'm sure! Here I am locked out of house with this baby and likely he would be getting hungry in a hour or so and I could invision us outside and baby crying and oh it would be awful, let alone the kids would not be returning till 10:30 pm! Well as far as Jayden was concerned nothing was wrong and he was loving his baby day out. ha. At this age I was thinking children fear nothing! ha. Ok, maybe a neighbor has a key, we keep one for our neighbor Jackie so headed over to their neighbors and he did not have one! Do you have a cell phone he said, yes, its inside with all the numbers! Ok, so he trys to work with getting it open but no luck! Do you have Todd's #? I did not. Neither Todds number nor Heather's. never felt I needed them , everything on cell phone INSIDE!. Lets try Joey's # I thought, maybe he can call Todd. But thought sure didn't like the idea of pulling the kids away from their big day. Ok, try dad. by now I was getting pretty anxious. Gave what I thought was the number and he said it didn't work. I was so nervious that I tried twice or so and couldn't get it right. Nerves or what I couldn't get that # right and really didn't know what step to take next. So I said lets just call a locksmith . In back of mind I thought got to get baby inside, he will be getting hungry, he is getting heavy so getting him inside is the main thing... had a check with me so that wouldn't be a problem.
Now for my miracle! Mind you I have been praying all this time literally in silence. As I walked around the house it came to me/ the lightbulb went on in my head, [ check Todd's car ]and I walked over to it and sure enough the door was unlocked. just like that, I reached in and hit the garage button and sure enough the garage door opened and I had this overwheming burst of Hope! I pushed the button to lift the garage door and up it came, Hooray!! now if the other two doors into the house are unlocked I am home free!! They opened and I ran into the living room and the neighbor was outside the french door and I waved my hand saying" I'm in I'm in." I proceeded to put Jayden down by couch and ran to the garage entrance to tell the man's son I was in and didn't need a locksmith which he was on the phone with. I ran back inside house fast and the neighbor , older man said, "Jayden opened the door "and went out. That fast!! What a stinker! The whole episode could not have been more than thirty minutes but seemed an eternity. Later that evening Todd texted me and said they were on their way home. I said ," do I have a story for you" ha. so as soon as they arrived home , Heather said did Jayden get hurt? I assured her he was fine and likely enjoyed the whole day. Told the kids the story of our day and let them know they have one smart little guy! He and I played all day, he was inquisitive, curious about everything , searching out everything and YES, it was BABY JAYDEN'S DAY OUT!! locked out! haha.

Yes! Babies day out! that was enough excitement for grams. haha.
Oh, got to tell you that J's cell phone is sooo important to him. He holds it nearly all the time and sticks it up to his ear and listens to the soft music. so cute! Oh how I love this little man! Watch this movie over the holidays!! you and the whole family will totally enjoy it ! funny!

The Good Old Days

Living room ,thats where we all congregated. Were no family rooms and no tv in your bedroom, it was a family affair when you watched tv. everyone together!
  You shared the bedrooms with another sibling/ had fun talking to each other before you fell asleep.  One tv , maybe two channels -always something worth viewing , and weren't concerned  if the children were watching along with you.  Only one flavor of potato chips- not lots of snacks to pick from.  Did most everything together as a family, going to relatives to visit , staying home, or just hanging out on front porch. Gosh, even going to church together on Sunday when everything was shut down.  Sometimes we did do our own thing, playing outside alot.   Seems we knew where everyone was even without having a cell phone No video games, action games.  Our time playing ment out in the front yard.  Doctors were family friends, didn't need insurance back then.   Nothing to swipe or punch, cashiers had to count back the change.   For just a nickel , machines had little bottles of coke.   Spending a fun day might just ment playing kick the can in the front yard.   Waiting for the mailman was always a big deal,  no email !   Enjoying music was done on a big turn table called a victrola record player.  or small records  called a forty -fives.   Saving up bottle caps or milk carton labels for the big Sat. matinee was a Biggie!

Our lives were so different but wouldn't change a thing,
Love the new technology but sure miss those Good Old Days!

Christmas / Gifts of Giving

Read a article this morning on giving and what it does for others as well as what it does for us. It is even known to help us spirituality and health wise. It helps individuals toward a well balanced life that ultimately brings about personal fulfillment and a true sense of belonging.
Giving, it's a good thing!
10 percent to your church
a organ donor
Feeding the homeless
Caring for the sick
Cheering people up
Selflessness/ lending a helping hand


Giving gives us a good feeling , they say endorphins in our brain are released when we reach out to others and they cause us to have that GOOD FEELING! Wow! and who doesn't want that!!
Best treatment for any condition is to step out and help someone less fortunate. this can be more effective than all the medications and therapy in the world. So everyone profits.
MERRY CHRISTMAS !
"JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON"

Christmas Decorations at the Shappards Home

LIGHTS EVERYWHERE!!



Merry Christmas Everyone!












Randy made an angel like this one with pleats but out of gum wrappers and it hit the dust, sad, Stacey did the apple in 1986, Angie did one out of old Christmas card with glitter/ thinking green one at top is hers . Todds ornament with his two D's backwards/hadn't been spelling long, and his club scout ornament. The "Wisemen Still Seek Him" was given to me by Carol -Frankies daughter. Uncle Damon did wood raindeers, had several yrs ago. He made them by hand. Needle point" Noel" by Jen , also girl praying 1993 on ornament was Jens, Aunt Donna gave me santa on ski's , plus a santa that holds door open, rudolph with RED lite up nose given to me by Frankie, Val did the angel praying with wings in 1975, Leslie, gave me the rooster ornament in 2006. As for other stuff just my collection over the years.


































LOVE
CHRISTMAS! Putting up the decorations to me is sooo much fun and exciting. I guess I am like a kid when it comes to this. Here are some of my things I put out for the holidays.