It’s Friday

The weekend is finally here.    Poor Jake stayed home from work sick today.  Bad sinuses.  Hopefully he will be better tomorrow.  Got Jim’s cake baked this morning and after all my distress yesterday trying to find the flavoring, I had enough left in the opened bottle 🙄.   Made a yummy 😋 supper tonight.  Homemade stroganoff, peas and rolls.  Jim was home at a nice time today to enjoy a sit down dinner with me and a Jake  

Got a little creative today also.  Emily has been wanting a wreath with black and white buffalo check, so I made her one.  It screams southern...buffalo check, hydrangeas, cotton and a personalization.  An “H” also covered in checks.  I have to guard my decorative pieces now that she has her own house.  It has been pointed out to me that all of my “H” items will also fit her decor and if/when she and Zack marry, her last name will still begin with H.  Anyway...I really enjoy creating decorative items and hope at some point to do something with them. Maybe Etsy or restart my Facebook page when life settles down some.

Don't change things on me!!!!

Long story......I got up this morning thinking that to make easier, I would make a menu for this weekend.  Made my grocery list according to some of Jim and Jake's favorites and a couple of quick lunches.  In my menu I decided to make a cake.  Jim is not a cake eater, but I make ONE that if you don't watch him, he will just get a fork and disappear.  Butter Nut cake with roasted pecans.  It uses vanilla butter nut flavoring.  I have some, but not enough for the recipe I use.  I add it to my grocery list.  I search the flavorings and nothing....I text Jake to check his store (Publix) and see if they have any.  No, but he brought home a flavoring called "Cake Batter".  I told him I didn't think that would work but I would keep it anyway.  I'm sure I can use it for something.  Fast forward....Rachel and I meet in Gainesville for our Thursday night Mom & Rachel outing.  Before we meet, I stopped at 3 different grocery stores and nothing.  After dinner, Rachel and I go shopping and we stop at yet another store....nothing.  But they ALL have this "Cake Batter" flavoring.  Strange.  When I get home, Jake and I get on the Publix website to see if it can be ordered.  It can...no problem.  Jake notices that the picture on both flavorings is the same.  I open the bottle I already have and take a sniff...butter nut flavoring...I open the "Cake Batter" flavoring...butter nut flavoring...can't be....I google to see if they are the same or equal enough to substitute and this is what I found...

McCormick has recently changed the product name to Cake Batter Flavor. It is the same great product with anew product name. Same exact ingredients. ...McCormick Imitation Vanilla Butter and Nut Flavor is a bold blend of butter, vanilla and nuts.

NO NO NO!!!!!  You can't just change the name of things.  I'm 56.  I remember my Grandmothers using butter nut flavoring.  If something has had a name that long...LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!

OK  rant over.  Otherwise I have had a pretty good day.

Good Day

Logan spent the night last night and his mama wouldn't be home until after lunch to get him, so.....we had to do something!!!!  Our day started off with Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch...Logan's fav... then we decided to get dressed and go to Hobby Lobby.  This kid loves this place as much as his grandma.  We inspected every science experiment box on 2 aisles, picked up every plastic fish, dinosaur, and dragon,  then looked at the "man cave" decorative items (this boy is into cowboy decor..who knew), then to the art section where he picked out a few posters to color.  Believe it or not, I knew what I was going for and got it first with little fanfare.  As we are checking out, he turns to me and says "Grandma, my stomach is growling".  Well, there was nothing left to do but feed the boy.  He decided on Chik-fil-A.  Not my favorite, but he was happy.  Then home to color and play more Wii.  Of course Jenny beat us home and was waiting on him, but he stayed a few hours longer.  Spent my evening watching crafting videos and trying to learn a few things.  It always relaxes me when I get into "creative mode" and make things. 

Ho Hum Day

It was just one of those days.  Got up, got dressed, changed sheets on bed, took care of cats and litter.....then ran totally out of steam..  Had no motivation to do anything.  Tried to clean some but never made any headway.  Tried to find something for lunch, but nothing looked good.  Decided I needed to get in my room and "create" something, so I decided on a wreath, but didn't have the mesh I needed (guess that means another Hobby Lobby trip tomorrow...bwahhaha)...

Jenny and Logan came over and broke up the silence which was a good thing.  Then my wonderful son comes home with supper 💓  He brings pizza for everyone.  Logan is spending the night tonight because his parents have to work early tomorrow.  He has been busy on the Wii.  No gaming limit at grandmas.  It's getting close to bedtime now, so I guess I'll go read awhile. 

Our Weekend

Just another normal weekend at the Holcomb House.  The baby (Emily) came home for the day Saturday.  She called while Jim and I were out for breakfast to ask why we were not at home 👀👀  I had to make it up to her by boiling cajun peanuts.  Jon, Brittni and kids are home from vacation and came by to see us.  Sounds like they had a great family vacation...I remember those vacations with small children...😂😂😂 ....Went to Browns and got fresh corn to shuck and boil then to Fryers for chicken.  Great meal!!!!  Rachel and Cory came over later in the afternoon and we all played trivia games on the TV that Jake had set up for us. 

Sunday was a lazy day.  Cooked breakfast for Jim and Jake then put on a sizable rump roast for later.  Most of the day was spent doing laundry and watching movies.  When the sun went down and you could walk outside without spontaneously combusting, I helped Jim load his luggage for his trip back to work.

Monday was spent getting up at 3am to send Jim back on the road to Columbia, then I snuck off to go back to bed.  Back up to make Dr appts for annual exams to be done before we suddenly have to move.  Made some more progress on packing/organizing my craft area in garage and also worked in front living room.  Lots of work to be done and lots of downsizing to do, but I'm working on it. 

Hobby Lobby

A mother never breaks her promise.  Keeping that in mind, I promised to take Jennifer to Hobby Lobby today for their big summer sale.  I made a big mistake and did some shopping on my own.  $150.00 worth of shopping.  Now I have to pack it up to move (or so I've been told).  Got lots of galvanized metal organizers and odds and ends.  Love everything I got.

After leaving Hobby Lobby naturally Logan started wanting McD's, so what's a grandma to do but take the boy to McD's.   Yuk on my part.  I can live without ever having it again.

We decided to go to Rural King which was across the street and the boy went nuts when he saw the chickens and ducks.  Got upset with Jenny when she wouldn't buy him the minimum 6 baby chicks...hahaha.  Sometimes it's good to be Grandma.  You can just say that Mama won't let me.

Went to Brown's to get fresh veggies then home. 

Have had my sister-in-law Kristie on my mind today.  They had her Daddy's funeral today. 

 Jim came home early today so I actually cooked supper.  Surprised even myself. lol   So nice to have him home for the weekend.   

Everyday Life

Life is moving on.  Yesterday was nothing but thunderstorms, so I worked on organizing and sorting my craft room.  It's hard to know what to go ahead and box up or keep out to use.  Got the ironing done...yuk.   Late afternoon the rain slacked off some so Jennifer, Logan, Jake and I went to Sonny's for beans, fries and "eggneck eggrolls"  Then a short trip to Walmart and back home again.  Exciting day 😀

I spent today in Gainesville.  Had a hair appt and fun visit with Todd.  Roamed the mall until it was over run with teenagers (school's out) then headed to Hobby Lobby where I accidentally ran into an awesome sale.  Found a galvanized sorter, beautiful dry erase calendar and a few odds and ends.  Promised Jennifer that I would take her tomorrow ( boy I'm going to be in trouble...lol)  Hopefully there will be something left 😻   Also had my Thursday dinner ritual with Rachel.  These are the things that I am going to miss badly when we actually move.  I enjoy the times spent with my children.

Vet day for Sherbie

Poor Sherbie had a vet appt today.  He hates vet day...age is showing on him.  He's 17 and slowing down.  His blood work is good and he still interacts so he will be around a while longer thank goodness.  We did have an eventful visit though.  All of his vaccines were due and had to have blood drawn.  He was taken out to the lab and when Brittany (the vet assistant) brought him back, she had on long gloves and Sherbie wrapped in a towel.  He was NOT a happy camper and was hissing and trying to bite her.  Dr. Sailor said that we are all getting old and grumpy. 🙀  Grocery day today too.  Yuk!!! 

Cleaned my desk and shredded TONS of useless papers.  Bought a tote to store my winter clothes if I ever get started cleaning my closet.  Seems like I just can't get my brain in gear and organized enough to get things done.  I'm sure it will get done in due time.

New Life in Progress

SO much has happened in our lives over the last 2 years...too much to go into right now.  I have decided that if I don't start to "chronicle" our happenings, we will get so caught up that we will forget the little things.  That is something I never want to do.

Let's start with the last week.  After 2 attempts at trying to move to the Charlotte area where we actually found 2 different places to live only to have the office building for Jim's new job be in question, he decided to take the week off and regroup.  We came home on Friday.  Saturday was dedicated to a home cooked meal, laundry and catching up with our children.  Sunday - Tuesday was spent in Ft. Pierce with Mom and Papa.  We had a great time visiting, walking thru town, by the beach, and taking Papa out for his Father's Day dinner @ Red Lobster - his choice.

Wednesday was spent cleaning, watching it rain and a night at the Hippodrome to see "The Million Dollar Quartet".  Excellent play with excellent music. 

Thursday afternoon was spent at the movies with Logan -- "The Secret Life of Pets 2".  Logan and I laughed and giggled at the movie and at Gpa asleep in the seat head bobbing and snorting 🤣
Thursday night was Yamato's with Rachel and Cory for Jim's Father's Day. 

Friday - cleaning the shop - Misc. errands -

Saturday - Jake hosted a hamburger dinner for Father's Day.  Jenny, Jerry & Logan, Zack and Emily, Jim and I had a great time and Jake cooked a fantastic meal.  Emily and Zack took her bed home with them for their guest room.  Another sad change in our life.

Sunday - Father's day - Bitter sweet - missing my Daddy but glad to have Jim home with the family.    We are unsettle in our life right now, but blessed beyond belief.  God has watched over this family and I know he has great plans for all of us, just wish he would give us a sneak peak so we could see the big picture but we are told to trust Him, so that's what I will do.