Please Mr. Postman...

I was at work when my neighbor called me and gave me a heads up on what I was going to come home to.
Apparently, a lady was driving down our quiet street at a fairly fast pace and plowed down my mailbox, dragging it across my driveway and into the front yard of our neighbors yard.  She also took out two of our driveway lights but was kind enough to at least leave my street address numbers in tact with the mailbox on top of it, with surrounding bricks and rocks shattered to pieces.
I'm told the police came, 3 in fact, a fire engine, an ambulance and the sheriff.  The woman was okay but a little shaken up.  Her car was totaled out, with the windshield shattered and the front right and passenger side mangled.  My neighbor took a picture.  But she WAS okay.
When I called Del to tell him the news, his first comment was, 'well, did we get our mail?'
Please Mr. Postman, will you still deliver our mail??
The police left their card with our neighbor for us, said the report would take 10 days to do up, and then we would have to find someone to rebuild our mailbox.
Maybe I'll go a different design this time...instead of brick and rock, maybe I'll go...hmm
rock and brick???
I just want my red flag up.

Outside Happenings

This is our first year of getting strawberries.  Last year, we planted them but they didn't produce yet.  This year though, we are starting to get some real beauties.  Last week, I forgot we had strawberries producing in the garden and actually bought some in the grocery store.  

The one on the far left is a strawberry from the store.  The far right was one from our garden - I posted a picture of the two and Del took offense to my shameful representation of our garden.  So he and Jordan went out and picked a whole bunch of them and thus, we have a better comparison of our strawberries, to the monstrous one from the store.  Ours actually tastes much better.  Just sayin'.

My newest purchase for our front porch/flower bed area.  I love the look of a wishing well.  It's just really cute to me and makes me feel a little more country...Next, will be my new front porch rocking chairs.  Can't wait.

Emerson at 2 Months Old

He's as adorable as they come...
Smiles, talks, rolls over and is just the light of his parents lives.
And he has the best parents in the world.
Such a blessing to all of us.
Love you Emerson!!!

Just a Little Behind

And we have a chicken coop.  There are still a few final touches that need to be done, but the chickens are in their new home and I have my garage back.

And now, the focus has gone to our garden.

Look how good things look - potatoes- onions, garlic blueberries and our new cinder block fence.

And here is our planted corn and the other end of the garden with our cinder block fence there too.

Easter egg hunt at Papa and Nana's house.

More Easter eggs found...

And then, she figured out how to open them and find the candy inside.

Easter Bunny even hid eggs in the strawberry patch and chicken coop.

And yes, after 38 years, I am back in braces, on just my lower arch.

I haven't blogged lots of details nor do I have time...so I'm wrapping it all up in just one blog and call it an update post.
Shirley came to visit for three weeks, and while here, she followed Del around almost everywhere he went.  She even helped him with the finishing of the chicken coop!!
It's nice to have the coop done and chickens out of the garage and into the yard.  We have let them out a few times to roam and explore the yard and garden and they have done really well to not go too far off.  And when time to put them back in, they have just hustled themselves right back home and into the coop.  It's kind of fun to watch them explore and get to know the garden and forest area...
The garden has been our next focus.  I have been thrilled with what Del has done so far - planting the potatoes, onions, garlic and some berries.  The strawberries have come back beautiful from last year and we've already enjoyed a few really sweet ones.  Next, we had the young Women come out to the house and learn how to garden and Del had them help in the planting of four rows of green beans.  It was a fun time and we are seeing them come up this past weekend and they look great!  Last weekend, Del and I planted the corn, 5 rows of it, the blueberries in the big barrels and then some new raspberries, squash, tomatoes and peppers.  All of it is beautiful - much different from last year.  I am very hopeful and prayerful that this year, we will have much better success.  Fingers crossed.
Del informed me about three weeks ago, that I could start saving for new furniture.  So excited.  I have looked and researched what I would like to get - colors - layout and from where and I think I have it pretty much decided that I would like to go blues, tans and cream colors for my living room - paint two walls a pretty blue and then the couch and loveseat will be a pretty shade of blue and then the two chairs I'm getting will be in a blue/tan/cream pattern.  It will be pretty.  I'm also going to do my little room off our master bedroom and then once Jordan and Lexi move out in like September, I will do the two other bedrooms.  He is giving me a monthly allowance to save, plus I am getting monthly bonuses at work that hopefully, by the end of the year, I will have a little over $3000 saved.
Work is going fantastic - had the best month EVER in March and Dr. Henao was very pleased - enough so that she gave me a raise and a special bonus on the side.  I was very grateful.  I love that job.  As you can see by the picture, I am back in lower braces as of a week ago.  I have wanted to correct some crookedness for over 38 years, so she is finally doing it for me...free.  I also had some dental work done from an LDS dentist that we do a LOT of work with - his office is next door to ours...  He did two crowns and some fillings for me..free...which was very kind of him.  We are doing free braces on some of his staff too so it's some nice friendships we're making here.
I have been going to the chiropractor for a little over a month now - twice a week usually, to help my shoulder and lower back issues, and it's working, for the most part.  But it is very time consuming and hard for me to take the time to go.  I only have a few more visits and then I should be finished.
It was announced almost two weeks ago, that our ward, and Kylie's previous ward, have been invited to attend the Frisco Stake Conference on May 3rd and 4th, when a new stake will be made from the Frisco Stake and we will be in the new Shawnie Trail Stake.  It has been announced, kind of, the wards that will be in the new stake and some other changes, but of course, the big news will be that Sunday, when we have a new Stake Presidency called.  Because Del is a Bishop, he will be interviewed, as will the other Bishops and High Council and priesthood brethren in the wards that this new change will affect.  I am feeling very comfortable that Del will remain as the Aubrey Ward Bishop.  The reasons we moved here and the need for him to be the Bishop have not changed.  So I'm pretty sure we will not be affected.  But it will be quite exciting to be a part of a new stake being organized for the second time since we have lived here.  Texas is growing...
Del has been traveling to Boston quite a bit and is there this week again.  His job is going well and they really like him.  He hates the travel though because he just loves being home so much.  And I love having him home.  Our callings are going well in the ward and I'm looking forward to a summer of having the youth over again and some friends for parties.  And of course, there is always the visits from the grandkids that bring me the most joy of all.  They are each growing like weeds and developing such adorable personalities.  Nothing better than being a Nana to three great kiddos...
That's my update.  I'll try to be better...I go in spurts now...

From 12:-2: Gained 8 in 4

Starting in January, Dr. Henao asked me to start wining and dining the office managers of about 20 different offices.  We have been trying to get our name and cards into these offices so they will feel the desire to send us referrals.
So since January, I have taken 14 different office managers to lunch - from 12:00-2:00p.m. - and I have gained 8 pounds in those 4 month.
Enough - I am dying.  Of course, I could have salads every day, but no, I had to take advantage of all the 'salad and breadsticks' from Olive Garden, Mexican chicken enchilada's at least 4 times, La Madeline soup and sandwiches, Red Lobster biscuits , Chili's 3 times, Jason's Deli a few times - etc etc...
Some would think they were in heaven.  I thought I was fine until I got on the scales this morning -
ARGH!!!!!  Up 8 pounds since the beginning of the year.
So, today, I told Dr. Henao that we have to think of another way to do this without sacrificing my will power, cuz I just can't do this anymore.
I just can't see me telling my one doctor that my weight gain is due to 'doctor's orders' by another doctor.  It ain't gunna fly.