Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's been a loooong time (July!) since I participated in the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Glad to be back today! Click on the button below and go over to Joyce's blog to read other people's answers or participate yourself.

1. What do/did you call your grandparents? If it's something unusual tell us the story behind the name. If you're a grandparent what do your grands call you? Who chose your moniker?
When I was a kid I called my grandparents just plain old 'Grandma' and 'Grandpa'. To differentiate between the maternal and paternal I would add their surname. When I was a teenager I started calling one of my grandfathers 'Gramps'. No story behind that other than it I adored my Gramps.
Before we knew we were going to be grandparents, Hubby and I decided we wanted to be called 'Grammy' and 'Pops'. Our sweet granddaughter is almost 2 and has said something like 'Pop' for several months. 'Grammy' has been a little tougher for her to say, but the last time we video chatted I heard her say something pretty close! I am super excited about that! Hearing that sweet little voice say 'Grammy' is like nothing else and melts my heart more than I expected.

2. Ever taken a road trip along the California Coast? If so what was the highlight of your trek? If not, any desire to do so? If you were to take a trip along the California Coast what's one attraction you'd have on your must-see list?
The only parts of California I have been to are Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Someday I would love to drive down Highway 1 along the coast.


3. What are three things you don't know how to do?
I don't know how to do English Paper Piecing. (It's a quilting thing.) I would like to learn.
I don't know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning one side of it.
I don't know how to knit. I would like to learn someday.

4. Tom Peters is quoted as saying, 'Celebrate what you want to see more of.' If that's true what will you celebrate and more importantly, how will you celebrate?
I think celebrating something a person wants to see more of is probably a positive way to give positive feedback/reinforcement and the makes or allows for that something to happen more. I wish I had a specific example, but I don't.

5. Thursday (February 16) is National Almond Day. Do you like almonds? Which would you prefer-an Almond Joy or a macaron? What's something you make that calls for almonds?
Yes, I like almonds. I would prefer an Almond Joy (because, chocolate) to a macaron, but to be fair, I've never had a macaron. (I had to look it up.) I make Spritz cookies which have almond extract in them. I have also made something called Almond Filled Cookie Cake only a few times. My mom loved it so much she started making it and she and other family members have made it way more than I ever did.

6. What does Saturday morning look like at your house?
Saturday morning doesn't look much different other than Hubby is here. He usually is up early and out for a run before I wake up. Breakfast is fend for yourselves 99% of the time.

7. Share with us a favorite book you've read this winter.
 The Aviator's Wife, by Melanie Benjamin. It's about Charles Lindbergh's wife. I found it fascinating. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
A goal I have for myself this year is to memorize two Bible verses a month. This month's verses are from Pslam 103:11-12: For as High as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far He has removed our transgressions from us. 
It is good to be reminded of God's love for me. I will think about this verse the next time I am on an airplane. The vastness of the heavens and the earth are so much more apparent from an airplane.

Bullet Points

"Okay, today I will sit down and write a blog post..."

...said me about a dozen times over the last two plus months since I last wrote. I have barely started about four posts and none seemed to get flowing, so none got published. I think that bullet points with brief, un-jointed thoughts with a brief summary of the last two months will work best. Here I go!!!

•  We took a two week trip the end of December to the Midwest to see our kids. Oh, who am I kidding? It was really to see our grandkids! Our newest granddaughter was born eleven days before Christmas Day. She looks a lot like her mommy and that just melt's my heart. We spent a week at our daughter's house and then a week at our son's house. And now I feel obligated to insert some pictures of those sweet babies:

 

Annabelle Rose

Lydia Mae

Thomas Isaac

• I miss those grandbabies so much it hurts. I am thankful for video chatting and being able to see and hear them through the computer. Whenever I see a baby at church or out and about I have a desire to grab that baby and love on it. I haven't done that, though. Probably a good thing. 

• We finished off our long trip with celebrating my mom's 85th birthday. We flew back to North Carolina where they live now. We arrived there a day before the rest of the family. (Most of them were at the beach celebrating New Year's.) As we waited for the rest of the family, on New Year's Day Hubby arranged to have lunch with his uncle who lives in the area and I had lunch with a childhood friend. (She and I met in the 6th grade. We have been out of touch for 30ish years and just recently discovered each other again. Imagine my surprise to learn she lives near my parents! It's been so good to get reacquainted!)

• I really do like the weather here in South Carolina. When the weather turns from a nice 70s to a "cold" 50s? Eh, not so bad! We had ONE weekend of snow and ice. I can deal with that! It was -6 when we landed in Iowa in December! Brrrr!  

•  Hubby and I celebrated my birthday in early January with a couple day stay at a downtown hotel. It was kinda fun to pretend we were somewhere else, but not be far from home.  We discovered a yummy taco place that serves THE best lime gelato I have ever had! Hubby was sweet and spoiled me with lots of presents and dinner out and I thoroughly enjoyed video chat sessions with both kids.

• The end of January we had a wonderful reunion with some friends from college days. We all arranged to meet at my sister's beach house in North Carolina. It was such a fun weekend of reconnecting, memories and sharing about our lives in the years since college.  Two of us girls were bridesmaids in the other girl's wedding. I roomed with one of the girls for two years, the other two girls roomed together for a year. Hubby and one of the guys shared an apartment. I met one of the guys when he followed my roommate back to our dorm room. Did you follow all that? We all met in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

 

• I have subscribed to Shipt and order my groceries through an app on my phone and have them delivered TO MY HOUSE. Amazing! Grocery shopping has grown to be one of my least favorite jobs over the years and I have enjoyed handing it off to someone else. The $49 subscription fee has been more than worth it.

• I am finishing up Annabelle's quilt this weekend. I have loved making quilts for my grandbabies over the last two plus years, but I am excited to make some quilts just for me. I'm working on plans for a really bright one.

Well, I think that's all I can come up with for now. Hopefully posts will be more frequent from now on...