Fun Family Time in Rogers

My niece from the posting below this one, Shawna and husband Nathan, spent a few days at one of Kaye & Rob's lakehouses in Bella Vista recently. Since Josh, Erika, Andy & Carman as well as Kaye's son, Matt and wife, Kristin live in NWA, they wanted to get together with their cousins while they were here. So they invited us to come down and join them for dinner, which we did at Abuleo's in Rogers (a favorite Mexican restuarant of mine!). Erika's folks, Walt & Paula Sherman were in Springdale visiting Josh & Erika, so it was an extra treat to get to see them too! Here are a couple of table shots:

Walt & Paula Sherman....


After Mexican food - it was a must for Brahms ice cream :-)

Two cute pregnant gals....Shawna, due in March and Carman due in May......

Kristin made a face for this picture - silly girl.........

Evidently Jeff is giving Andy some fatherly advice -- most probaby, Pastor to Pastor advice....

Momma and her boys (Josh & Andy) - love you both!

Family times are always fun times. Thanks for including us, kids, in your evening!

Trip to Conway, AR then to Tyler, TX

Mom and I had a beautiful drive to Conway......the Boston Mountains were "alive" with color. Loved it!

We spent the night in Conway with Kaye, who would then accompany us the next day to Bev's.

Kaye & Rob recently built a very pretty pergola on one of their decks.........

Mom and youngest daughter, Kaye Lynn.....

Kaye & Rob have also spent hours and hours of work on their landscaping. It is beautiful!

This is one of two pretty waterfalls, they have........

That night (which was a Wednesday), Kaye & Rob were hosting their Antioch Home Group. Such a special treat for me to see many old friends and to fellowship and study God's Word together. This is my good friend, Glo Jensen and I....

Another sweet friend, Kerry Stitch.....

Kerry & Rachel in the background....Suzanne Pebbles, Helen Moore and Lisa Martin on the couch....all great friends and so much fun to be around!

Some of the guys....Paul Jensen, David Martin, Rob Harkness and Ricky Gray visiting before we started the Bible study.......

Another pic of some of the girls: Vicki Thomas, Suzanne Pebbles, Helen Moore, Kerry Stitch and Lisa Martin....
Paul is the group's facilatator and did a great job:

So glad Rachel got to join us (it was great to spend time with my girl before and after the study)! We left Conway Thursday morning (after eating a delicious breakfast at Stoby's) and drove to Tyler -- the first half of our trip was in pouring rain! No fun! But thankfully, we arrived safely. Bev had fixed chili and Peggy had fixed Mexican soup and we had a delicious supper and fun evening visiting. In this picture, Shawna and Nathan are showing us how their tutors converse with their sign language. It was funny!

Friday, it was just us girls......it was a really chilly day for East Texas - here are some pictures on Bev's pretty front porch:

That afternoon, we went to Tyler to see a movie. Friday night, we all went to Pasado's in Lindale to eat a delicious Mexican food meal. Then back to the house to play games.

Saturday, Shannan and her kiddo's came: Madyson and Zachary. I hadn't seen the kids for over a year, so they had really grown. So cute!

Both of Bev's girls are expecting babies. Shawna is expecting her first (a baby boy) in March and Shannan is expecting her third in April. They won't know the sex of their baby till around Thanksgiving. Pretty girls and cute little boy!

Great Grandma and Madyson:

Madyson singing for us :-) (She used to be just "Mady" but insists on her full name now - ha!)

Bev's pretty porch and new pot Kaye brought her from Little Rock:

Saturday was a much prettier day and we enjoyed some of it outside.....

Maydson and her Nana singing and doing the actions to a song:

Saturday evening, Bev fixed a delicious meal for us:

Sunday morning, Mom and her girls before we headed to FBC, Hawkins, TX for church where Nathan and Shawna were the guest Missionary speakers.

Shawna signing to "Not Guilty" by Mandisa - it was beautiful! Shawna has a Masters Degree in Sign Language and she and Nathan had an active ministry with the Deaf Community in East Asia. Nathan speaking to the congregation. Please pray for Nathan and Shawna as they discern God's will for their lives. Due to some health issues, they have returned home from East Asia and are now seeking the direction God would have them to go in serving Him!

A picture of the family after services including Don's parents, Peggy & Wesley Ferrell.

Bev & Don -- thank you so much for hosting us, for feeding us and for sharing your children and grandchildren with us. It was a great visit!!

Mary's Birthday Party

October 20th was Mary Mooney's birthday. Since her son, Craig was in town visiting, I wanted to have a little birthday dinner for her. Craig suggested we make it a "surprise" - so that is what we did. Craig had told her he wanted to stop by and say hi to us and she noticed when coming to the front door that my dining room table was all sit for a meal and told Craig and Paul, "We can't stay long, looks like Debbie is having company" - ha! So this picture shows her reaction when she realized it was set for her (and her family!)

I had also invited her daughters, Paula and Becky, so was thrilled that they were able to come, along with Paula's husband, Lee and daughter, Heidi and Becky's son, Aaron. Mary couldn't remember the last time she had celebrated her birthday with all 3 of her children present.

I had made my homemade spaghetti sauce with meatballs, spinach strawberry salad and garlic bread. We had blackberry cobbler and ice cream for the Birthday "cake."

Mom was also here, as she and I were leaving the next morning for a road trip to Texas.

Paula and her Momma.....

Sure did love having the Mooney family in our home -- it had been YEARS since I have had that privilege!