Wednesday, October 31

HALLOWEEN

The kids had a pretty great Halloween this year
(My three pumpkins with their carved Jack-o-Lanterns)

Madison and her sweet friend, Claire decided to match this year and they dressed as 50's car hop waitresses. They chewed lots of gum and talked in funny accents
 My Sweet Savannah and Little Nicholas were Ninjas...they had a blast pretending to be invisible protectors!

As in years past, we have hosted a huge Halloween party with our great friends!  All of the host mommies dress up a like and this year we took it old school and dressed as the "Pink Ladies" from the musical, Grease.  It was a lot of fun.  I just love my girlfriends!
(Me, Michele, LeAnn, Carey, and Lori)
PUMPKIN CARVING

 The kids are in charged of cleaning out their own pumpkins, but Daddy does most of the carving

SIDE NOTE ABOUT CLEANING THE PUMPKINS
We even toasted the pumpkin seeds this year.....I found a yummy recipe online for some spicy seeds, using Worcestershire sauce


 Here are the seeds toasting.  The house smelled so good.  It was a cool evening and just felt like fall.  I love nights like this

BACK TO THE CARVING
Here is our Daddy carving the pumpkin faces that the kids drew on their pumpkins
Grammy even stopped by to see our work
Madison carved most of her own pumpkin this year....she is such a big girl!!
Savannah thought it was so funny to trick us into thinking that she had a REAL pumpkin for a head
(Actually quite creepy)
Therefor, Nicholas thought that it would be really funny to trick us into thinking that HE had a REAL pumpkin for a head too

(Jeremy's scared Halloween look)

HALLOWEEN DECOR
We don't do a lot of decorating for Halloween (so much of what Halloween has become disappoints me) but here are a few pics of our Fall/Halloween decor
 Spooky pumpkin eyes watch as you pass by the old creepy buffet
 A haunting pumpkin display on the rickety old kitchen table
 Our scary light-up houses by the old haunted stove
The kids begged for some special Halloween accents on their table in the kitchen as well

That is pretty much all that I can say about Halloween.  It is always such a child's delight and seeing my children so excited and happy blesses a mommy's heart!

Saturday, October 27

OUR BELOVED PAPA

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James Russell Belew
5/18/1919 - 10/27/2012

James Russell Belew, age 93 of Devine, passed away Saturday, October 27, 2012 in Southlake, Texas.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur Elmer and Odell Elizabeth (Gaston) Belew; daughter, Janet Denise Belew; brother, Wayne Paul Belew;
sisters, Pauline Elizabeth Hill, Modean Knox, and Betty Jo Maxwell.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred (Lawrence) Belew; daughter, Lana Gayle (Belew) Lustig; sister, Phyllis Jean Barrington; grandchildren, Dr. Jason Harold Lustig and wife Destin, Dr. Jeremy Russell Lustig and wife Kerry, and Jennifer Lustig McBee, Esq. and husband Michael; great-grandchildren, Madison, Savannah, Nicholas, Lindsay, Elizabeth, and Rebecca Lustig, Madeleine and Jason McBee.

Russell and Mildred celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on October 13, 2012. He and Mildred traveled the world, many times and enjoyed fifty-five cruises and countless land trips.

Visitation will be held Thursday, November 01, 2012 at the Hurley Funeral Home Chapel in Devine from 2pm to 9pm. Funeral service will be held at 10am Friday, November 02, 2012 at the First Baptist Church with interment to follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Martin Lustig, Jeremy Lustig, John Williamson, David Maxwell, Jason Lustig, Michael McBee, Kenneth Cox, and Jack Kelley. Honorary pallbearer will be Jim Weber.

 During Papa's last weekend, Jeremy spent the night by Papa's bedside.  He loved his Papa so very much.....we all did.  Papa has been my Papa for over half of my life, now, and longer than any of my own grandparents.  Nana and Papa have so sweetly adopted me into the circle of their grandchildren.  I truly feel loved by them and I just love them so much!!

His final weekend of life was a beautiful reunion of our family coming together to be with him.  God is so great how He plans moments in time so very perfectly!  
 The cousins made "thank you" signs for the nursing staff at the Carlyle.  They are just so sweet.  The great-grandkids played a very special part in Papa's life as well as in that heavily blessed weekend
 We hung them in the hall by Papa's room


Just so many miracles happened over that weekend, that I could not even start to explain them.  We just saw Jesus' beautiful Face in everything.....so often He is hidden in our world, but in the moments of life and death His Holy Face is truly glorified, and Papa's last days with us on earth were no exception.  Papa had been preparing to see his Holy Father's Face his entire life!  This is what we were created for....we were created for Heaven! To be with our Holy Father....to live in His house for all of eternity!
PRAISE BE TO OUR LORD JESUS!

But....as we are created for Heaven, we are not designed to say goodbye and so that is why our hearts, while filled with so much faith, ache with pain....
I cannot imagine not ever seeing Papa's joy-filled face on this earth or hearing his silly laugh, or hugging him, or kissing his soft cheeks!!


As our Nana bravely and lovingly said to her one true love, into his ear, before he was taken by our Father...

 "I love you so much!"  "It is okay for your to let go now and go up to Heaven."  "I am going to be okay, but wait for me there.....I will be with you in Heaven soon"

WE love you so much Papa!

JUST A CUTE PIC OF THE COUSINS

My kids absolutely LOVE their cousins!! It is such a gift to have family living so close to us.  We all decided to wear matching glasses when we went for a quick lunch at Chilis
(Nicholas, Madison, Elizabeth, Lindsay, and Savannah)

Saturday, October 13

HAPPY 70TH ANNIVERSARY NANA AND PAPA

Our Nana and Papa have been writing their true love story for more than 70 years now!!  Today they celebrated 70 years of marriage!  What an amazing example of true love and dedication
 The girls and I (the boys were hunting) picked up Nana and brought her over to the Carlyle, where Papa, her love bug, was staying while he heals and hopefully soon will be able to be home with our Nana
We brought them a special Anniversary gift.  It is proof that their love has created our family!  We love you Nana and Papa!   You are a true inspiration to us all.

Thank you, Lord for giving us our Nana and Papa, they are so very special to us

Thank you Nana and Papa for adopting me into your family!  You have been my Nana and Papa for over half of my life now......longer than any of my original grandparents had!!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY NANA AND PAPA!
WE LOVE YOU!!

Wednesday, October 10

MY DADDY'S BIRTHDAY

You already know how much I adore my daddy!!  His birthday was today and so we took a ride over to visit him.  We gave him his gift and then had dinner with him and my mom.  Then we all sang "Happy Birthday" standing around my dad and an angel food cake (the traditional birthday cake in my family)
(My Daddy and Nicholas)
I put in this random pic of my Dad and Nicholas, because it ties into an fond memory about him

My Daddy would always wear a suit to work (now he is retired).  When his long workweek was finally finished....he would put his suit on again for Mass on Sunday.

Our Lord only deserves the best and so my daddy dressed up EVERY Sunday in his best suit to attend our Holy Mass.  Where did all of the importance of dressing go these days....everything is casual now....nothing is "important" enough to dress up for.

My Daddy never lost that importance, especially for our Sweet Father in Heaven, Jesus!

  My daddy is so handsome and kind.  He is just an all around amazing person!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!
I love you