June 26, 2026 - It's Friday!

 Well Hello!

I disappeared....again....

I am blessed to have a very FULL life and a bunch of people that love and need me. 

That often leaves me with very little time for myself, however....

I'll get right to my database dump. Last update was the day of our 30th wedding anniversary on April 27, 2026. Since that time....

Maisy turned one month old...look at her grinning already!

then....she got Baptized...

Her Godparents are Ian and Kamdyn

and here is the parents, godparents and our beloved Parish Priest, Father Dennis...

we love him! 

Granny had cooked all day and we had a big feast with all of our friends and family because if there is one thing that Granny believes in, it is celebrating the most important day of our life - giving ourselves to Jesus!

I served about 60 people and I had: 

Fried Chicken

Mashed Potatoes (I mashed 20 lbs!) and milk gravy

Green Beans

Corn Pudding

Green Salad

Homemade Bread with choice of butter or cinnamon honey butter that I made

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Angel Food Cake

Lemon Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Fresh Fruit Salad 

Lemonade

Water

It was a beautiful dedication and wonderful time of good food and great family and friends!

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Maisy and Cora took Poppy and Granny to the Indianapolis Zoo...

we buy year round tickets to any local attraction for the grandkids and their parents at Christmas.

The last two years we've purchased zoo tickets for them and the lucky part is:

they have a Family + 2 option and that means occasionally Poppy and Granny can go "free" too!

That was a busy and fun day!

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Uncle Jake got his professional headshots for his brand new job at Eli Lily!

And he is loving every minute of his new job and thriving! 

Jake has struggled in many ways his entire life. I have prayed and prayed and prayed for him. 

I never gave up. 

I STILL pray for him and give thanks too because - boy oh boy, the Lord came through for him!

 There is NOTHING like the peace a mother feels when she sees her baby, who had a rocky road to walk his entire life, settle into a fantastic life. He loves living alone - and think about this - he is 26 and never lived alone. I am so very, very thankful for the blessings showered on us. So thankful. 

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Maisy is two months old now - almost three months come July 4th - and Granny has just completed her 3rd week of full time babysitting. 

Can you say - exhausted? 😂

My day begins at 4:30 a.m. I have found that sitting in the hot tub therapy chair for one 30 minute cycle helps my joints tremendously.....

so it's up outta bed, into my swimsuit and down to the hot tub by 4:45 a.m.

Out of the hot tub by 5:15, into the shower to wash off, then my morning absolutions. 

I am hopeful to have my coffee and in my chair by 6 a.m. at the latest. Then it is drink my coffee, morning prayer and then 6:30 hits and it is HELLO GIRLS!

I've gotten them into a pretty good routine....

breakfast...

load up for our mile walk around the neighborhood...

back home for a little tv time for Cora...

while granny gives Maisy a bottle and settles her for her morning nap...

then it's educational games with granny for Cora...

- we are learning our numbers and colors -

Maisy usually wakes up within 30 minutes or so, so then it is time for our play time outside on our deck that granny has all fixed up for Cora to play while granny rocks Maisy...

by this time it is usually time for granny to fix lunch...

so back in the house for lunch...

then - this is the time granny waits for each day 🥳 - nap time!

Cora has a Tonie box and I put sleepy time bunny on it and it plays relaxing music while Cora cries that she has to take a nap (really it only lasts about 30 seconds because I brook no arguments). 

Baby Maisy drinks her bottle and it is off to sleepy time land for her too and granny will read her book!

a few minutes of peace and quiet. 

When Cora wakes up anywhere from 1-2 hours nap....

it's "Chockly" Milk time with her afternoon snack...

Some reading books time...

more play time...

then about 4 p.m. I let her watch another tv show until her parents pick them up at 4:30-5 p.m.

Whew....

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Now to the cross stitching....

I haven't stitched much lately because....well time....I also have been reading constantly on my Kindle. I go through spurts with reading....and I'm in a spurt (I've read 32 books since April 22 - I have been a voracious reader since the age of 5 and I read rather fast). And frankly after the hubbub I have all day some evenings I just want to sit quietly and stare at the wall 😁 

and since I get up at 4:30 a.m. I go to bed at or before 9 a.m. because - TIRED!

Anyhow...I am being completely monogamous to "The Wedding" by Marilyn Leavitt Imblum of Lavender and Lace.

Here's what it will look like (well similar to what it will look like because we changed some colors), when it is finished:

I'm sure you recognize it - as it is iconic and well known

I was this far the last time I posted:

Here's some progression pictures over the last weeks....

(really only a few days as there were several weeks I did not touch it)

So there you have it....

I'm doing everything except the white (yes I know I did the white up top a little - but that was to get me oriented and centered on the fabric correctly...) then once most everything is done sans the beading and the metallics....I will wash it and then put it back on the frame for the gold and beads. 

But....that's a long, long, long time away. 

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I entered two pieces this week in the county fair....yeah just two....my stitching the past year has been dismal and my finishing of my projects about the same. Anyway I entered Maisy's Stocking and a ornament. I won't know how they did or the turn out to the fair until next week. I am hopefully going to do a post because I love to share what I see at the fair. 

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Today is a Vonna day!!! Last night I did the weekly flowers at church so that today I could sleep in, stay all day in my night gown and stitch! I've already made lunch (we only eat one meal a day and I eat lunch) so that's done, and the day - after I get this blog updated is - is spread before me as a veritable stitching feast!

I'll be stitching solely on this piece until July 1st and then I'll switch to my grand-daughters' Christmas ornaments - which will be their yearly fun ornament that I choose to reflect what they like/or what age they are plus I always do a Santa for each of them because I want them to remember that their granny loved Santa when I'm gone...

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We are just  slightly less than one full year away from Ellie and Joseph's big day.... June 12, 2027.....

here are a couple of their engagement photos:

They are darling....

Joseph bought a Condo for them to live in once married. They close on it July 10 and it is....wait for it.....8 houses from us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe he will live in it until they are married, but if he chooses to stay at his parent's home then Ellie will move into it. That's all open at this point. I don't know who is moving, but someone will live there to keep it occupied because it has been empty for sometime and as we all know a home lived in is better than one that sits empty. 

So folks....

that catches you up on Vonna and family!

This coming Monday the whole family is going to Cincinnati to go to the Newport Aquarium for Cora's upcoming birthday!

I'll try to be back sooner next time...

I just get so involved in everything and everyone around me that I never take time to stop and connect with others. I've almost been off social media for a year. I can say this: I am at peace with that, while I miss to a certain extent having immediate contact with people I shared common interests with, I do NOT miss the hate spewed about on the daily. And I'm learning that people that want to stay up with me, find a way and if they don't well....they were just using me for free tutorials - which I knew was the case and I am finding was about 95% of those that called me their "friend". 

Until next time....

lots of love and big hugs!