For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21

Larry often comments that my treasure is my family.   I could not agree with him more.   Because of my extensive wealth in the love of my husband, children, grandchildren, parents, sister, extended family, church family and dear friends...I am the richest woman in the world.  

June has been a lovely time of visits from some of our family and friends.   Our good friends Howard and Erika spent a few days with us traveling from London and Washington D.C.  It was so nice to catch up on our life's events since we last visited in November.   We had our traditional Sam Moon day and this time our menfolk came along to see what all the drama was about.  Ten minutes in the store convinced them to head for the nearest bar.  

Erika adores Sassy 

I love Sam Moon, but I love more listening to Erika's exclamations of joy as she views the merchandise on each aisle.  She makes every aisle experience delightful.  I cannot resist the urge to look a bit for myself and after several hours of Sam Moon shopping drama we head home to check on Miss Sassy and then enjoyed a very nice evening at St. Martin's.   Erika convinced me to try a champagne I cannot pronounce but I so love to hear her say it in beautifully spoken French. She is from Austria and her accent is music to anyone's ears.  We gave a toast to our friendship and promised to return on another trip.   Howard kept us laughing with his stories laced with a bit of adventure and intrigue and all too soon our time with them ended.  

Howard & Erika when they visited with us in November

Hostess gift from Howard and Erika
It is a tea towel and mint chocolates from
the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!  

 Erika loves the purple sage bush by our 

front door.  This is for you Erika. 

 Purple Sage showing off in full bloom 

Native Yellow Lantana

Purslane always happy to oblige

We didn't have long to be sad about their departure because Larry's sister Brenda and her new family were on their way from Tennessee.  They arrived late and after settling everyone in we all headed to bed for some rest anticipating days of fun and family. 

Hostess gift from Brenda, Taylor and the girls

  The next morning over breakfast we had some quality time with Taylor and his 11 year old daughter Mallory.   I have retold many times my introduction to Mallory.   She walked right in the front door and parted the crowd like the Red Sea and wrapped her little arms around my waist in a big hug and said I am so glad to finally meet you Aunt Elaine.  I melted on the spot of course and fell instantly in love with this beautiful child.   I will always cherish that memory.   My other Mallory story is when she asked if she could take a peek at my Craft room before she went to bed.   Brittnie told her about our special time together working in the craft room on her last trip and Mallory had great hopes of her own creations.  I love the way her eyes glazed over in eager anticipation and hopes of a little time spent in that glorious room.  Of course to a non crafter it is a cluttered room filled with "things" waiting to be turned into something.   To a crafter it is heaven.  It was wonderful to share with  Brenda and Brittnie through out the day and we ended with good ole Tex Mex at Matt's for the best chili relleno in town.   

Mallory, Larry, Brenda, Taylor and Brittnie

Saturday we decided to give Taylor and Mallory a bit of a tour of Big D.   Lots of good photo opps at the convention center and the bronze cattle drive.   We toured lower Greenville, Lakewood, White Rock Lake and dinner at El Fenix.  Later at home Brittnie, Mallory and I designed a Father's Day gift and card for their gift giving.  That night I had plenty of help with the food prep for Sunday's Father's Day gathering and then we were off to bed for some beauty rest for our big family day.  

 Brenda and Mallory reading the history

 Larry gives the bronze bull a little sip

 Brit, Mallory and Brenda

  Good Longhorn...easy there podner. 

 Walking the trail of the bronze cattle drive 

 Beautiful!

 

 A little pose from Brittnie

 Taylor is a very good photographer...as

evidenced by the size of the zoom lens. 

Couldn't resist a shot. Taylor said the bird 

 rinsed off the bug it caught and was about to eat.  Wow!

Yee Haw!

Sunday I began the day with my re arranging the house.... party routine.  As people woke up they joined in until we were a hive of industry.  Guests began to trickle in by afternoon.   We enjoyed meeting  Taylor's oldest daughter Micah.  She is currently working at a youth camp at Glen Rose and was able to drive over to spend Father's day with her dad.  We learned of her upcoming marriage plans and enjoyed getting to know her.

   After everyone arrived ( with the exception of Missy, Wes and Katie Bug...who sadly has the chicken pox and Jimmy away at college and my Mom and Dad who were not able to attend ) we prayed a blessing over our Dads and let them begin our meal of spiral honey ham, my family recipe of baked beans, tossed salad, cheeses and crackers, dips and chips, strawberry shortcake, key lime pie, lemon bundt cake and the favorite dessert of the day.... cake pops.   

 Father's Day Meal

 Dee, Ashton, Micah, Brenda and Mallory

 Pierson  with his iphone.  

Katelyn, Justin and Ashton

 Micah, Mallory, Brenda and Lara

 Dee Dee

 My expressive daughter

 Jeff, Taylor, James, Christina and Josh

 Grandpa Alvarez and Big Daddy Abbott

In honor of Father's Day our dads are first in line

 Dessert!

 Micah checks it out

 

 Luisa, Justin and Lara

 Katelyn, Pierson, Josh and Jeff

 Pierson and Katelyn

 Lara, Micah, Mallory, Taylor and Brenda

 Micah and Mallory

 Luisa's dad Carl Alvarez...alias Grandpa

 Pierson and Katelyn

 James

 Taylor

 Mimi, Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Jeff listening to

Christina sing her ABC's

 Christina singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

 Christina

 Jeff

 Dee

 Christina and Luisa

 Christina's pose

Luisa's mom Reggie ...alias Grandma Alvarez,Jeff

Christina and Luisa

 Dee, Ashton and 
Elaine (also known
as Mimi )

 My beautiful Grandchildren

 A hug for Aunt Dee

 Johnathan ( also a good photographer) gets a pic too

Sweet Mallory reads a book to a very tired Christina

 Christina's cup

 Christina's look

Our Father's Day gathering

 And don't forget Katie Bug

 or her shoes ( she picked out this combo herself :)

  Mappy Hour

 now where have we seen a pose

like this....why that would be our Missy

when she was little.  :) 

 Our little poser with Jessie

 K Bug

 Missy, K Bug and Wes

Happy Father's Day Love to you Wes!

 Our sad little girl.  We love

you Katie Bug and praying you are 

over your chicken pox soon!

Justin, Katelyn and Jimmy

We love and miss you Jim!

 Jimmy, Katelyn and Justin

Mimi, Jimmy and Big Daddy

A very special Father's Day wish for my Dad.
I Love You Dad!  
 

My Mom
Mom and Dad you were missed
and we love you both very much!

After last summer's brutal heat I admit to a bit of anxiety about the house heating up and as it continued to feel delightfully cool throughout the day I was not only thanking the Lord for our time of fellowship but also for a cool house to enjoy it in.  :)  All too soon our time with family ended and we are left with our hearts full of love and happy memories and photos.   

"We are all pencils in the hand of a writing God, who is sending love letters to the world."

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

May the Lord Bless you and keep you,

Elaine and Larry

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the
days of my life. Psalm 27:4