Lennox's First Snow, Alisha Turn'e 39, Iowa Game, & Dinner at Lambert's

                                                             December 22, 2015
                                                                    

On December 22, Tiffany, Blake, & Lennox flew back to Iowa for Christmas with Blake's Mom and dad. Lennox was hoping for "REAL" snow and look, it snowed after he arrived.

Who didn't eat fresh snow as a kid!

And you can make snow angels with real northern snow unlike the fake Alabama snow that they make down here for a day.

Tiffany, Blake, & Lennox with Blake's grandma and grandpa.

On Jan 3rd we celebrated Alisha's last year in her 30's. Her husband, Jamie, prepared a shrimp boil, which is popular here in the south.

Alisha looking to dive into the feast.

Yep, I can't believe my little baby is turning 39.

Alisha with two of her children Maddie and Noah.

Before mom left, Alisha's old bestie, Trisha and her family visited from Iowa to enjoy warmer weather. Left to right, Mom ( of course she had to cover her face), Trisha, Alisha, Hayleah  (Alisha's oldest daughter).

In January Iowa played in the Rose Bowl against Stanford. Tiffany and Lennox supporting Iowa.

Blake watching the Iowa game outside on their patio.

Before mom left,  I took mom out to Lambert's Cafe, "Home of Throwed Rolls". We had never ate there before, so I was always curious about the restaurant.

They do throw rolls at you and they are really hot and yummy.

The place is always packed. I have heard of only two opinions of this place from others- It's great or not good .

The pot pie was really good, but all the pass around side foods tasted like they were out of a can. Like I said before, the rolls were yummy, though not good for you. My review: like most restaurants, good if you like food that is not healthy for you.

More Time With Nana Kids & June Bug

                                                      December   2015

One day we got Lennox for the day because school was out for Christmas break. We took him golfing to entertain him for a while. He would jump off the cart and grab an iron, then follow Joe up to his ball.

Joe tried to help him with his swing the best he could.

He liked driving the cart the best. He sat in my lap and I would push the gas petal. I also had my hands on the wheel with him; as if he crashed and damage the cart, it would be at my expense.

It was fun watching him follow and imitate Joe. At about hole 5 or 6 he started to get bored with golfing and had more fun driving the cart.

On another day when we had the kids, we took them and grandma June Bug to the library. Maddie and Grandma June reading books in the fire truck.

Then Noah and Lennox had to ride the Library fire truck book booth.

After the library, grandma promised them ice cream at McDonald's.

When we went to Alisha's to drop off Noah and Maddie, Robin sat next to mom and decided to make friends with June Bug.

Robin is such a Lover Boy! He was putting the moves on grandma June.

Soon Noah decided he didn't like Robin getting all the love, and cuddled up to grandma. Robin didn't like sharing grandma much.

Maggie-May snoozing away like she always does.

Robin , is such a handsome boy.

Yet another day, when the weather was pretty nice, we took mom out on the golf course. I played a few holes, then mom decided to play a hole.

Bless her heart, she played the whole, hole. She said she did it in about 9 shots. At my count it was more like 20, but she didn't quit and gave it her best shot. After one hole, she was done for the day. If she had'nt, it would have been a very long day, because Joe had to wait forever before he could play also.

Golf With Joe, Nana Kids, Tacky Jacks, & June Bug Comes

                                                           December 12, 2015

Joe started using the golf course at Emerald Greens almost every day when we first got down to Gulf Shores, AL. This is the first Tee on the course. As you can see, you have to go straight across the very large pond. Here come the ducks looking for a hand out!

View from the other side of the pond, looking back at the Club House and the Tee for hole #1.

This is another one of the Tees. After losing so many golf balls in the ponds in previous games, Joe now starts at the senior Tee's. It is not as far to get over the water.

Here is a view of some of the condo's that have golf course and water views.

I would love to rent one of the units on the second or third floor. They have really pretty views. Last year, we looked at a couple for sale.

These units also get sun all day in the winter, which is real important to me. If I came in the summer, I would hate it, as I would rather have the shade, like in our present unit, because of the very hot and sticky summers.

We have a couple of herons that are always fishing the ponds.

He/She didn't like me getting too close!

This year I did something different with the Nana Kids for their birthdays. I am not here for Noah's and Lennox's birthday, so I usually mail their gifts. Unfortunately I don't get to enjoy watching them open their presents.

This year we even missed Maddie's 5th Birthday, because we didn't get here until December 1st.

This year we  handed them $50 to spend, but first they had to give the first 10% to the church, and the second 10% to themselves  (piggy bank). Then we took them to Wal-Mart and handed them the $40 that was left. It was so much fun to see how they spent the money. On this day we only had Noah and Maddie. Joe shopped with Noah and I shopped with Maddie. Maddie would pick out something and I would tell her she had so much money left over. Then she would find something else, and I would have to tell her she went over the $40 and had to return the first item. This went on for a long time, trading one thing for another. When she finally got what she wanted, she went to the register and she handed the money to the cashier. When she got money back she wanted a pop (I normally don't let them have pop, but this was a money lesson), leaving her still $5. Noah on the other hand, picked out one thing and Joe had to pay the tax on it. Maddie then gave Noah money to get some candy. As we walked out of the store, Maddie saw the claw machine with the toys. She had $2 left and wanted to try to get a toy. Joe said, "Oh Maddie that's a waste of money, no one ever wins". I let her do it anyway because I was teaching her how money works. Maddie put $1 in and immediately the claw grabbed the sunglasses she has on in the above picture. We all went nuts. We couldn't believe she got them. Now Noah wanted to do it, so Maddie gave Noah her last dollar. We told Noah it was a waste of money, because it was a miracle Maddie got something. Nobody ever gets anything from these machines. He wanted the headphones he saw in a box. Noah put his money in and immediately the claw grabbed the box with the headphones, which he has on in previous pictures. We all went nuts again! I told them both, when you give your tithe to God, he always takes good care of you! What a great lesson on tithing, saving and spending. This will be a yearly birthday event!

Before Christmas, we went to the annual Christmas Boat Parade.  This year we went and watched from Tacky Jacks Restaurant.

Tacky Jacks sits on the canal that separate Paradise Island from the mainland. Alisha and Tiffany live on Paradise Island and our condo is on the mainland. When ever we go to their home's, we cross a bridge. All the colorful sticky tape have people's names on them through out the restaurant.

A lot of the seating has views of the canal.

View from the restaurant.

View of the restaurant after it got dark for the Boat Parade. We had dinner with the girls, and family and some of their friends, before the parade.

The best boat in the Christmas Boat Parade. Before we left I made sure I got my name on a colorful piece of tape.

Mallery has been doing really well in her Snowbird Nest.

She has been eating real well too. I use to make real food, blended into like baby food. She stopped eating that last May when she went into kidney failure. At that time the only thing I could get her to eat was real meat, and veggies. This meal is hamburger, steel cut oats and peas. She eats 2 meals like this and a 1/4 of a apple a day.

On December 17th, my mom flew in for Christmas. She usually likes to stay for only a week, but we needed to keep her flight cost down, plus have her here when Hayleah and Tiffany would be here.

Mom (Junebug) at 89 years old with Madalena June, her great granddaughter age 5.

Mom has 8 great grandchildren, so she flies many places every year to see as many as she can.

Finally I got mom to smile. She hates pictures.

Grandma June with 4 of her great grandchildren - from my two girls, Alisha and Tiffany.
From left to right, Lennox (7), Junebug (89), Hayleah (18) but turned (19) on December 24th, and is in college at SCAD Savannah College of Arts and Designs, Madalena (5), and Noah (7). After a few days, after mom arrived, Hayleah flew to St Paul, MN, to her dad's for Christmas, and flew back just a few days before mom left. Tiffany, Blake and Lennox left a few days after mom arrived, for Iowa and got back a few days before mom left. Mom was with us for 19 days.

Mom and her first great granddaughter Hayleah. Hayleah stayed with in our guest room a few days before mom arrived. Her bedroom had become her brother's bedroom. A few days later she flew to her dad's.