I have been busy around the house today! Chelsea, Erik and I ventured to Main Street last night for the annual Christmas parade in downtown Fredericksburg.  It was in the low 30's by the time the evening was over, so it felt like Christmas.  

Erik and Waylon did a great job the other day hanging the lights on the house, today I decorated a tree on the deck and I love the way it all looks.  The other picture is taken in the den looking out the window to the tree.  I still have several rooms to complete, but all in all the house is looking good.

I hope you are having a wonderful season so far. Though I do love all the trappings of the season, I remind myself every day of Jesus and if not for His birth we wouldn't even have this wonderful holiday.  Though it has become more than about Him for many and even though I surround myself with the material items of the holiday season - my love for Him is first and foremost - His saving grace is the blessing of my life.  I pray the same for you!

What a whirlwind life has been at our house! Chelsea and Erik planning to move here (still jobs to be found, preparations to be made before the baby arrives and much more!) But the weather is cooling off, I have been enjoying fires in the wood stove and it is finally December so the house is looking 'happy' with Christmas decorations going up.

I'm going to be a Grammy soon....... Chelsea is 7 months along, and feeling good. Such fun!!

A Tribute to Millie

Summer 2000, “I just want a dog!”
Someone to love, play with, cherish and hug-
“No, no more dogs, they’re too much of a pain,
We’re not going through all that again!”

“Please, Daddy, please – that’s all that I want!”
What man could resist, now for the hunt.
There were pups up the street, all covered in fleas,
We rescued a female, the best one – if you please!

Millenium Dog, or “Millie”, we chose
Black, flying nun ears, brown eyes and white toes.
A terrier mom, mystery dog for a dad
She would become the best dog we have ever had.

Leave a door or gate open, off she would run!
Chase was on, tears were shed – oh but the fun.
Pecans and odds things she would chew every day,
Millie always was ready to cuddle and play.

Chelsea taught her so well, to sleep in the house,
To avoid going out she would hide like a mouse.
Storms or strangers a comin’? Millie always would know,
Keeping the big dogs in line – she put on a great show.

Gone much too young, our little black dog,
She’s missed by us all, leaving our hearts in a fog.
But her memory we’ll cherish, forever we will
As we lay her to rest on our Fredericksburg hill.

Good bye our sweet Millie, from all that you loved
Chelsea, Connie, Waylon, Magoo, Jax & Mo – til we see you above.

Well, the pics don't do it justice - the hallway isn't nearly as narrow and claustrophobic as it looks! Anyway, the faux stucco turned out great, and I'm still searching for the perfect runner and track lighting fixture. At least the walls are done......

Waylon and I decided to make good use of this long weekend, and tackled the hallway. While we did do the faux stucco treatment in the living room and kitchen in the fall of 2006, this small hallway has been in an unfinished state since then. The before pics show the walll prepped, and the others show the progress of applying the new finish. We will let that cure, take tomorrow off for a lake day with friends, then Sunday afternoon we will paint, and Monday apply the glazes. By Monday night we should have a wonderful hall, all ready for family pics to be hung! We also are going to replace the ceiling light with a track light to have task lighting for the pics and quilts I plan to hang in this hall.

A 'before' shot of the hallway

A close up of the wall condition when we started this morning

Waylon in action! He 'slops' the goop on and I follow to put the pattern in the faux stucco

He is such a hard worker!

Here are a few pictures taken by the groom's Dad. Still don't have real good ones of Chelsea in her gown, but these are some fun shots! I particularly love the one of our family. It was obviously taken right after a "real" picture was taken because we are all going in different directions, talking to kids etc - but the bride and groom are still posing! Love it.......

Rehearsal time...... she's actually getting married!!

Bridesmaids at rehearsal: Rebekah Elliott, sister of the groom

Kerry Henson, cousin of the bride

Jennifer Ragain, cousin of the bride and matron of honor

Dancing with Dad to Cinderella by Stephen Curtis Chapman, get the hankies!

The first dance.... to Ballerina Girl, by Lionel Ritchie

So what do you think, is Dad happy or what?

This photo is SOOO like our family! The bride and groom standing in the middle with everyone else milling around, tending to kids, talking..... what a snap shot!

Things are getting back to normal, whatever that is, around the Cowan household. Here are the 'boys' just coming back from a walk. Mo (black lab) is Waylon's - he will be a year old on Sept. 1, Jax is the beautiful yellow, he's Connie's and is about 5 & 1/2. Sadly, Jax is wanting to be a black lab. Since moving to Fredericksburg he has come down with black skin disease, so he is getting leathery and his underbelly skin is turning black! His medicine helps a bit, and he is a happy dog - just looks a little ragged! But he is still 'the cutest' to me.....

The 'cousins' of the bride (more like sisters really) were having a great time at the nail salon. Kerry, is also excited to finally be an aunt! The new mom, Jen, was enjoying her pedicure as well. Chelsea truly loves her cousins and was honored they served in her wedding.

Flower girl, Kayla and her brother Luke (ring bearer) stayed part of the festivities by playing word games on the computer in the kitchen while prepartion activity carried on around them. They were cold after a swim in the pool so were 'sharing' Grannie's robe to keep them warm!

We had a great group of friends all pulling together to fix some fabulous food to feed the approx. 70 or so guests who would attend the wedding. This is Tanna - who did a beautiful job on the fruit bowls.

A little pre-wedding fun: Father of the Bride (Waylon) and Aunt/Godmother of the Bride tying ribbon bows onto the fans to keep the guests somewhat cool! Of course, we had a bit of wine to help the process along.....

This was taken at the Bridal Luncheon: front row - Kayla (flower girl, Chelsea's second cousin), Chelsea - the Bride!, and Kerry- (Kayla's Mom).

Back row - Rebekah - groom's sister, and Jennifer - the Matron of Honor, Chelsea's cousin who just had a baby 8 days before the wedding! Kerry and Jennifer are sisters.

Kayla, flower girl, and the Bride!

This is Jen (matron of honor and Chelsea's cousin) with Chelsea. We all think Jen looks FABULOUS considering she just gave birth to her first child only 8 days before the wedding!

This was taken at the tea room in Montgomery, TX where the Bridal Luncheon was held.

Wedding week had lots of fun moments, but a very special one was when Waylon (Dad) showed up at the nail salon with sparkling cider in hand and a white rose for the bride to be! Chelsea was surprised and all the bridesmaids enjoyed the cider.

What fun we had today! Some wonderful friends in Fredericksburg hosted a Pampered Chef Bridal shower for Chelsea and Erik. Yes, Erik attended too with all those women -he loves to cook. The food was wonderful, they had a great helping prepare some of the food, and making a wish list. Two weeks from today is the 'big day' - so lots of fun to look forward too.

July 19,

Pampered Chef Bridal Shower

Erik, "Mom" (with my new do!") and Chelsea

Evening at the campfire, what a great place!

The Ladies:
Connie Cowan, Bobbi Russell, Gaye Couch, Lynn Ragain, Marti Boone, Rachael Miller

Rosemary Massey, Judy Cauthorn

Tanna Cornwell

The Gents: Ron Ragain, Chuck Cauthorn, John Hull
Bill Couch, Waylon Cowan, Larry Miller

Mike Cornwell

Just spent a fabulous week in Estes Park, Colorado - it was so great to be in the mountains for a few days! Waylon and I were with a wonderful group working at Wind River Ranch, a Christian family guest ranch.

Check it out: http://www.windriverranch.com

We worked hard, scrubbing, organizing, cleaning and sometimes dodging hail and snow! Us 'old folks' managed to get things spruced up and ready for the summer college students who are arriving to work for the summer. Still a lot of work to be done, but at least we helped a little.