Sunday, February 21, 2021

Lily Grace Meets the Family

Good Morning Friends! Can you imagine how "eggs-tatic" I was when Mommie told me we were going to a birthday party and that I was going to get to meet more Aunts and Uncles and Cousins and Friends?
And I was even MORE "eggs-tatic" when she let me help me make these pretty "deviled eggs". 
I asked Mommie why do we call them "deviled-eggs"? I don't want any "devil eggs".  Mommie said that maybe we should call them "angel eggs" instead. But she explained that deviled eggs don't have anything to do with the "devil". They are named that because spices are added to make them more tasty. Mommie just adds mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika to make them pretty.  And I helped! 


Mommie also baked two cakes!  One was chocolate, uh-oh, it was called "Devil's Food cake!"  Oh no! Not another one! What's with this devil food?  I don't like the devil and he doesn't like me either, so why are we eating his food?  Again, Mommie tried to explain that this cake has nothing to do with the devil, but it was called that because of it's extra rich chocolate flavor, and apparently they named it that because there is another cake called an "Angel Food Cake".  I said next time I want that instead!  Mommie said maybe we will have "Angel's food cake" next time because probably the next time we all get together will be for my Auntie Doris's birthday, and that is her favorite cake.  But anyway, I must tell you the rest of the story from our trip!

After we traveled for what seemed like hours and hours (actually it was 1 &1/2 hours, Mommie said), through the big forest and over big bridges and all kinds of interesting places, we finally arrived at a most lovely house.  And guess what! There were so many happy people waiting for us to arrive!

This is my "Auntie Paula", and I thought she must be the Queen of England with that pretty blue hat! Don't you just love it?  She was all dressed up because we were having a party at her house to celebrate her birthday!

And she picked me right up and welcomed me into her home and seemed so happy to meet me.

And then her cute little shaggy doggy named "Chloe" was happy to meet me too!

She sniffed me all over and licked me and let me pet her, and I think she is now another of my special doggie friends!

And then there was another big surprise! There were these two cute little "American Girls" there to play with me!  They actually belonged to my Auntie Peggy and my cousin Shannon, whom you will meet in a minute...except for some reason Mommie never got a picture of my Auntie Peggy with me because she was busy in the kitchen helping get our lunch ready! But she gave me a wonderful surprise gift, which I will show you at the end of this story.  

And sitting next to my new American Girl friends was my Uncle Billy! Can you tell that he is related to my Daddy? He is my daddy's little brother, and Mommie said he looks a lot like my big brother Benton looked when he was holding me!  It's funny how all these big guys make these funny faces when they meet me!  Makes me wonder if they really like me or not...


But then Uncle Billy broke out in the best laugh ever, and I knew he must really like me after all!! He was another "good sport", Mommie said!


But then Uncle Billy tried to put this mask on me, but it was all in fun and we had a good laugh together.


But now here is my Uncle Art, and he wasn't too sure about having his picture taken with me. He is not fond of little girls like me I guess because he turned his back...but Mommie says he is just playing and that really he thinks I am cute, but he doesn't want anyone to know it.  I'll keep trying to win his heart and maybe he will warm up to me later...Mommie says that is how it is in life. Sometimes we have to keep just being sweet and nice and showing people we care about them before they will understand us and accept our friendship.
Mommie said that it's kind of like that with God. He keeps showing us how much He loves us by the wonderful things he provides for us and all the ways He blesses us with good health, a home, family...and some people just don't recognize that God really loves them.  And that is why He had to send His Son Jesus down to earth to teach us how to live and then to die for us on the cross and save us from our sins because we just didn't understand how much God loved us until then.


Now here is my Auntie Doris, and she is my mommie's big sister! But Mommie says she is really her "little big sister" because she is much "littler" than Mommie, but she is her big sister because she was born first (but Mommie isn't allowed to tell how many years before! Ha ha).  Mommie said some people think they are twins, but they really don't think they look that much alike. It's just a sister thing...

Anyway, Auntie Doris took a good look at me and said that I was really pretty! I thought that was a very nice thing to say. I didn't know I was pretty! I just thought I was cute...but it's nice to be "pretty".
But Mommie said, "Pretty is as pretty does", which means I must be a good girl and do nice things so that I will be really pretty inside as well as outside.  She said it is more important to be "pretty" inside my heart than to be pretty on the outside and not have a "pretty heart" inside.  And only Jesus can make my heart pretty on the inside when I let Him take away my sins...things like bad thoughts or telling stories that aren't true, or being mean to other people, stuff like that.  I don't want any of those bad things inside of me, do you? I want Jesus to make my heart pretty too!


Next I met my beautiful cousin Shannon, and she really loved me a lot, because she said so.

Mommie said that I am a lot like Shannon was when she was a little girl, full of fun and adventure.  I love my cousin Shannon.  

And here is my other cousin Nicholaus, who is Shannon's big brother. Isn't he handsome? He is another "good sport" because he didn't mind holding me and having his picture taken. He even smiled really big like he was happy to meet me.  I love my cousin Nicholaus too!


Now here is a better picture of my Uncle Art. He looks like he is starting to like me a little bit better...at least he is smiling.  He's really a very nice man and I love him a lot too. Mommie said he just likes to tease a bit and that he thinks Mommie is kind of "crazy", but in a nice way.  

So now, here is why we were at my Auntie Paula's house in the first place: To celebrate her upcoming birthday, and to also celebrate my Daddy's birthday that was this past week with the rest of our family. There are the two cakes that Mommie baked for the party.  Auntie Paula's cake is a vanilla cake with strawberry jam in the middle and chocolate frosting. It is something that Auntie Paula has always liked and always requests for her birthday, so my Mommie makes it for her.  Mommie said Auntie Paula isn't really an "auntie" but is a very good friend that they have known for many years, and she is just like family!  It's nice to have special friends who are just like family, don't you think?  

Oh, and Daddy's cake is the one on the right with the blue buttercream frosting. It's the "devil's food cake", which is really just chocolate and not devil's food at all!  Daddy let me help him blow out his candles again! That was fun.

And everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Auntie Paula and Daddy too. I am learning how to sing it too.


Daddy looks very happy!


Auntie Paula got some very pretty gifts.  Mommie and I gave her this pretty butterfly wind chime so when she hears it chime she can think of us and smile and remember this happy day.


Daddy got this case of something called "Spam", which he actually loves, but everyone laughed and thought it was funny.  I've never had spam before, but Mommie said we might have it for breakfast sometime with some eggs and toast.  Sounds good to me! I love breakfast!


I am holding a cute little monkey ink pen that Auntie Doris gave my daddy because he collects pens and people love to give him all kinds of interesting pens.  

I don't know if you can see it very well in this picture, but when you press down on the pen to write with it, the monkey's arms fly out. It is funny!  It's fun to get silly gifts.  

Well, all in all we had a wonderful time at our birthday party. Soon it was time to go home and everyone was sad to leave but also happy to head back home.  
When we got home Mommie let me try on my new surprise that Auntie Peggy gave me. (Again, I am very sorry we didn't get a picture of Auntie Peggy, because she is so pretty and sweet and I love her very much) 

Looky what she gave me!!  It is a Brownie Scout uniform!! It has a little hat, which I was wearing at the party, a cute little vest with badges already on it, a pretty blue blouse with a bow tie, and pleated skirt and some brown socks!  Now I can be a real Brownie Scout and do lots of fun stuff that the Brownies do. My mommie said that she was a Brownie Scout and a Girl Scout when she was a young girl. She said it was a lot of fun and she earned a lot of badges for things like swimming, canoeing, cooking, camping, baby-sitting, nursing, all kinds of stuff! That sounds like a lot of fun to me! I wonder if there is a Brownie Scout troop that would let me join them?



Well, that is my Big adventure for yesterday!!  It sure was a lot of fun, and now I have lots of new family and friends.

I hope you enjoyed this, and I hope that you also know how to have a 'pretty heart' inside as well as outside.  Mommie says that's the most important thing to know.


This is one of Mommie's favorite old hymns:
"Nothing But the Blood of Jesus"

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Glory! glory! this I sing
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
All my praise for this I bring
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus


 Have a Happy Sunday!!  Bye bye for now! Love, Lily Grace xoxoxo

12 comments:

  1. I'm just squealing with delight, so much fun seeing how much you enjoyed visiting your family and singing Happy Birthday to Dad and Auntie Paula. So many new faces for you to remember, one thing for sure, I know they'll remember you. And Mommy, I loved the hymn,
    Oh! precious is the flow
    That makes me white as snow
    No other fount I know
    Nothing but the blood of Jesus
    I'll be hearing that in my heart all day!

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    1. Oh Miss Mary! I am SO happy this made you "squeal with delight!" That makes me want to "squeal with delight" too! It makes me very happy when my little adventures make other people smile. Mommie says she thinks that is why I was sent to her, to make everyone happy! She said people have been so lonely and sad because of this awful "Covid" thing, and that we need some fun and joy brought back into our lives, and she said that I am doing just that! I hope so. Mommie says some people don't understand how a little "girl" like me can make older people like her so happy, but when they allow themselves to relax and pay attention to what I am doing and saying, they seem to get happy again and have fun along with us. Mommie said that is a good thing, and that she thinks God is pleased with me being here and doing that. Mommie said she is glad you liked the hymn. I liked it too. It makes me feel happy inside to know that Jesus has made me "white as snow" inside, and so I must be pretty inside as well as outside! That's what really matters, Mommie says! Bye bye for now. Love, Lily Grace xoxoxoxo

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  2. What a great day, Lily Grace! ...and such a beautiful array of smiling faces. Those ole' devil eggs are making my mouth water. I wish you and mommie could come visit and show me how to make them. You look so cute in your Brownie uniform. Maybe you could start your own Troop on-line with Cousin Tracie and Sunshine Joy? Talk soon!

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    1. Oh Miss Myra! What a great idea! I could start my own Brownie Troop with my friends Tracie and Sunshine Joy! I will have to talk to them and see what they think! We could work on badges together and stuff! Wait until I tell Mommie about that great idea! Thank you! Oh, and Mommie said she follows a recipe found in the Better Homes and Gardens old cookbook for the deviled eggs. She said you could probably find a good recipe on line too. They are fun to make and taste SO good! I hope you can figure it out!! Bye bye for now. Love, Lily Grace xoxoxo

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  3. Oh Ms. Lily Grace! You are a ray of sunshine. I am sorry that the George Monkey family hasn't come around to play or introduce themselves online yet. We did get a new family member, Stephen the Sloth. The George family welcomed him in and he is fully liked and loved a lot, especially Baby Georgette, she loves Stephen. Why, she even asked him why he was a called a sloth? Why a sloth? Stephen said its because he is real lazy and likes to sleep all day, but he said he is not sure about all this snow we have, he likes the tropical rain forest. Anyways, he is settled in now and likes the George family. Even Astronaut George has been keeping him busy with tall tales of space, grin.

    Ok, bye bye Ms. Lily Grace, we hope to see you soon...well... not sure where we will be moving, but if we move to Fl. I am sure we can arrange play dates with the George family and Stephen. I bet you would just love meeting the monkey family oh and the sloth too. smiles.

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    1. Oh Miss Linda! I would so love to meet your George Monkey family and Stephen the Sloth. Mommie says maybe you will come to Florida sometime and then we can meet your monkey family and we can have SO much fun! Please let us know if that is going to happen. We would be so "eggs-ited"!! LOL. Bye bye for now. Love, Lily Grace xoxoxoxo

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  4. What a wonderful day you had with all these loving folks, Miss Lily Grace! And I do love your new Brownie Scout outfit. You were made for having adventures, just like the scouts do. And your Mommie is so right when she told you that pretty is as pretty does. Jesus gives us a new heart when we receive Him into our lives, a heart filled with love and the desire to do the right things, ones that would make Him proud of us. Hold fast to the hope that can only be found in Him!
    Blessings, little one!

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    1. Oh, Thank you, Miss Martha Jane! I was so happy to meet so many nice family members, and I really believe they enjoyed meeting me too. And yes! I am already having so many fun adventures, Mommie said I will make a very good little Brownie Scout! And Mommie agrees with you exactly about Jesus living in our hearts. She said that Jesus living in our hearts is the ONLY way to really ever learn to be truly good. He helps us do the best thing when we sometimes might want to do something not so good...He helps us to be strong so we don't give in to "temp-tay-tions" to do bad things. I'm so glad I love Jesus and He loves me! I hope everyone will love Him too. I hope you have lots of blessings today too, Miss Martha Jane. Love, Lily Grace xoxoxo

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  5. what a great day you had looks so fun. Love the new outfit very fitting. I was a bluebird and campfire girl your mommie can tell you about them have a great day and that song is one of my favorites

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    1. Mommie said she has heard of the Bluebirds and Campfire girls too. They are a lot like brownies and girl scouts. Hey! Guess what! We have a Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird living in our bluebird house in our back yard! We hope they are going to have baby bluebirds someday soon! We keep watching! Thank you for visiting. I hope you are having a nice day. Love, Lily Grace xoxoxo

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  6. Lily Grace: It is so much fun to celebrate birthdays with others. Most of our family members are gone. Our son lives just over two hours away. The weather is not always good in January, so we don't get to celebrate with him. We try to do things with him when we can but with this COVID pandemic, it has been hard not being able to see him.

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    1. Oh Miss Quietspirit, Than you for writing to me. I am sorry that you don't get to celebrate with your son very often. Mommie said sometimes we just need to celebrate everything when we CAN be together to make up for the times we can't be together! Mommie says life is too short to not celebrate, so we should make every occasion an opportunity to celebrate. I hope you will be able to see your nice son again soon. I am sure he misses you too. (((hugs))) Love, Lily Grace xoxoxo

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