picture – Page 4 – Nancy Tart: Writing for Life

Pearson Christmas Party 2018

Picture overload! My family’s Christmas party 2018.

December 22, 2018

Pearson Christmas Party

Imagine twelve adults and thirteen children racing around a beautifully decorated house and every single one of them is acting like they are somewhere in that magic child age around 5 to 8. That was our Christmas party this year. It was the best!

My amazing sister and brother hosted.

Katy is always ready for a picture!

Livy painting faces! Anastasia is concentrating on being very still. She was rewarded with a beautiful butterfly!

Jaquline got snowflakes to match her dress!

Mrs. Claus and helpers! Tina, Christina (Christy the elf), and Mandy (Elsa-elf!)

Liam was here, but jumped out of the way! Brother-cousin time L-to-R JJ, Lucas, Isaac

This video shows our baby sister’s personality – it matches the hat!

Group Selfie! Tina, Ray, Becca, Charles, Allison

The teenage grandchildren (Becky, 13, and Christina, 15)

Bouncy Hat plus Sherlock Pipe (both with accents…)

The pro (Aunt Becca) teaching JJ how to take a selfie… (He knows he’s adorable!)

Mom and the boys (silly faces): L-to-R Nathan, Ray, Tina, Charles, Louis, and Andy

Mom and the girls: L-to-R Mary, Kayla, Katy, Allison, Tina, Becca, and me.

We did not get a group picture, or a full cousin picture, because everyone was just having too much fun! The girls (my pictures come from Christina, Becky, and Kimberly) managed to get many active shots.

This was our first year without my Daddy. Katy and Andy had set up the layout so that he would have a comfy chair, a central view, close to food, close to everything in what Kimberly called “Santa Boompa’s throne.” (The chair with the footstool, Mom’s seat was supposed to be the matching one next to his.) From this view you could see Livy’s facepainting station (she is so talented), the Selfie station (which was hilarious), the “dance floor” (right in front – so much fun!), the food and beverage buffet area was to the left (easy access to refills and the silly shenanigans going on in there), and the covered porch area was just behind it (where not just the boys were showing off their strength… or trying to).

Even though he wasn’t there, I didn’t feel like Daddy was missing. I heard him in my brothers, Mom, and several of the children. I heard his laugh when the boys were showing off. I could hear him cheering each one on. I felt his smile as Anastasia passed out gifts for each of the sister- and brother-cousins. The little ones ran around giving drawings, toys, and hugs to each other and I felt him smile because he loved to give. I felt his heart as Kimberly reminded me she needed my phone to “take pictures and movies for Grandma,” because “Granddaddy always likes to get pictures for Grandma!”

My Daddy’s legacy lives as the humor and fun he always had rubbed off on us kids and our children. We love to see each other smile and laugh. We encourage each other. We share with each other. We love.

This makes me so happy I cried on the way home.

Daddy isn’t really gone. I miss him so bad; I miss being able to talk with him. No one listens to me chatter away about the story ideas I have like he did. Daddy didn’t seem to mind if it was the fifth – or fiftieth – time I told a cute something the kids did or a neat thing I learned; he never said “I’ve already heard that.” I miss that, yes.

But he’s here. I keep hearing the sing-song voice from the Disney cartoon: “he lives in you.”

Daddy lives in all 25 of us that were there (and the 4 who weren’t) in some way. His legacy is us.

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

Wild Turkeys

Wild Turkeys! And other wildlife that crosses into our yard…

December 14, 2018

Wild Turkeys!

We live in a slightly rural area. There is an apartment complex across the street, but our backyard is taken up with half of a pond. To our right is a gorgeous undeveloped swampy forest that the girls love to explore and the escapee chickens always disappear into if given the chance. Well, it is swampy if it has been raining.

Because of our neighboring forest and pond, we end up with a myriad of wild creatures in our yard. One morning we had seven deer in our driveway! Colorful birds love our trees. Majestic hawks eye the chickens. Huge owls show up at night to prey on the rodents and feral cats that are attracted to the chicken pen. (These guys are giant! The biggest guy we’ve seen has a head larger than ours! But we’ve never been able to get a picture of the owls.) We’ve moved (from the driveway) and examined several varieties of turtles, lizards, frogs, and toads.

One day a lost rooster decided to claim our hens. No one claimed him, so Red has been a part of our flock for almost a year now. A beautiful peacock thought he should join our chicken flock too, but I hope he made it back to his farm (several farms are down the road past the forest).

Then we had the wild turkeys! They showed up and in our chicken-farm-mentality way, Jaquline shrieks, “Mom! We don’t have to buy a Christmas turkey! We can just eat one of them!” (Of course, you can’t hunt wild turkeys without a license, so no, we didn’t get a wild Christmas turkey.)

Becky tried to sneak up on them and get some close up camera shots.

Aren’t these turkeys beautiful? I love watching wildlife!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

My Hero, My Hope

My way of processing emotion – to write. I love you Daddy. Merry Christmas at Home.

December 10, 2018

My Hero, My Hope

Be not downcast, my soul…

My Daddy’s favorite time of year is Christmas. He loves the songs, the movies (queue “White Christmas,” “Holiday Inn,” “Miracle on 34^th Street,” “Bells of St Mary’s,” my favorite, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the 1985 Disney Channel Christmas, “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” etc. on repeat), the giving (he loves to make people yelp with happiness!), the story, and the general mood.

My Daddy has had declining health for quite a few years. Some days were better than others. He always tried to pretend like nothing was wrong.

My Daddy went to heaven today.

He always said he prayed that when God wanted him, He would let him just “go to sleep” in his own bed and not wake up. We just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Not near Christmas. Truthfully, not anytime.

No one expects to lose someone they love. Never. No matter how sick they are or how many times they’ve been close or how many doctors have said “he can go at any time.”

No one ever expects to not be able to hear their voice again… No more long discussions about book ideas, parenting, the vastness of God’s amazing universe, the connections from one smile to a healed heart to God’s blessing.

We are human. We never expect separation from those we love.

God didn’t intend that either. In the beginning, there was no death. No separation. We were to live forever. In today’s fallen world, we do have death – “separation.”

Those with God’s light within them know this is only a temporary separation, and that gives us tremendous hope. We know, know, know that we will be reunited once again in heaven. My hero and my hope as a child was in my Daddy; as an adult, I learned that God is both of our heroes and both our hopes.

And that led my mind to an image that made me cry with joy.

My Daddy lost his mother when he was 12 and his father when he was nearly twenty. It had been nearly 50 years since he’d seen his dad and almost 60 since he’d seen his mom.

I imagined my Daddy running (yes, in his new body!) to be gathered in a hug by his mother and father. They’d be joined by his brother, two older sisters, and family gone before. My Daddy gets to go home where he is dancing, running, jumping, enjoying the beautiful garden he’s always imagined was in heaven (he used to say he would love for God to let him tend a garden).

I know we will miss him.

The child growing within me will not see Granddaddy Pearson on this Earth.

God did grant his request. God allowed my Daddy to die at home, in his bed. Daddy went into what Mom thought was a seizure. Mom caught him, called to God to help her, then she says Daddy took a huge breath, looked at her, and told her, “I love you. We’ve had a great life together… …I know I’m fading. I want to go home.” They got to say goodbye.

Those we love are never truly gone. They live on in our memories, thoughts, and hearts forever.

Thank you, Jesus, for giving me an amazing wonderful father. Thank you for the memories I hold dear. Thank you for allowing him to die at home in peaceful surroundings.

Hold those of us pained by this Earthly separation as we grasp the hope that is salvation. We know we will be reunited with Gaylord Pearson again in heaven. My goodness, what a l-o-o-o-o-n-g conversation Daddy and I will have when we meet again!

Daddy & Mom – 1982

Pearson family reunion – 2002 (Gaylord’s family – aka Daddy, Mom, & all 7 of us kids)

My Daddy with 3 of his sisters L-to-R: Mary, Dolores, Carol – Reunion 2002

Mom is about to get Daddy to dance with her!

At Becca’s Wedding – 2012, Pearson family

Daddy and Becca (her wedding!)

Mom & Daddy at our family’s “Snow House” getaway in January 2014

At Christmas 2016 : Daddy, Mom, & the older 5 siblings

Thanks for reading!

Hold those you love tenderly and treasure the memories of those who’ve had to go home before you…

~Nancy Tart

Surprise!

Our children surprise us for our anniversary! <3

November 23, 2018

Surprise!

Wednesday evening when I came home from work – the girls had this waiting!

It was a decadent chocolate sponge cake with a chocolate buttercream icing and melted chocolate sauce. They had decorated it beautifully with “Happy 16^th Anniversary” piped across the top. (Aunt Becca, pastry chef, had helped by telling them how to get the eggs “all white” – Christina goes, “it took 10 minutes!” and Daddy had been delivering special ingredients.)

It was three layers!

I took a picture of the crew trying to take a picture of their masterpiece.

And they wanted a picture of us…

It took a few tries! (But I love these pictures!)

I’m so blessed to be surrounded by such love! Thank you Jesus for my family!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later…

~Nancy Tart

First Dance Pictures!

My teenager and some pictures from her first dance!

October 18, 2018

First Dance Pictures!

I said I wouldn’t post pictures in my Facebook album… but I am going to put them in a blog! (Okay, so I’m one of those devious, literal word-means-exactly-what-I-say moms.) I’m happy for my little girl and proud of the woman she’s become. And, well, since my first “boy-taking-me-to-a-dance” was my wedding reception, I thought her first dance (homecoming at a friend’s school) was a big deal.

As previously mentioned (dress shopping blog), my eldest daughter isn’t much of a shopper. She had a dress in mind and set out to find it. She tried on one from my sister, Becca, and LOVED it (still likes it best) but learned black was the rival team’s color so of course, she just can’t wear black. So she decided on green.

This was the result. (No, that’s not our truck)

We met her date’s family at a restaurant (they were going to eat before going to the dance) and the moms and aunt took pictures!

^ (Jaquline called, “why can’t you get closer to each other?”)

^ Becky got a bit of a smile.

I’m sure this was either his aunt or mom, (His family made the girls each a wrist corsage) but the next three are my favorites!

Especially this one ^ – probably after they heard some tease.

After all the pictures were taken, just before she left for dinner, she makes Becky promise not to post them to Facebook – and I said, “we’re not posting anything to Facebook tonight.”

Becky rolled the window up and smirked, “mom, you’re going to post them in a blog, aren’t you?”

Kimberly and Jaquline laughed in the backseat and I heard one say, “that’s what Mom does to everything… write a blog about it.”

Yes, either I write it in a blog or hide it in a book somewhere! (Where else am I expected to glean inspiration?) My children know me well…

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later…

~Nancy Tart

Three Little Pig(let)s

Three big pigs and three little piglets! Raising our babies for joy!

October 12, 2018

Three Little Pigs

Today’s post is for complete cuteness! (pictures and a video)

We have three Guinea Pigs who are adults; Taylor, Toby, and Avery.

We are raising the three little piglets; Rocky Road, Cheesecake, and Custard.

Cheesecake is very unique (to us) because he looks like two different animals depending on what side you see! Notice:

Yes! Those pictures are both of the same little Guinea Piglet, Cheesecake!

Cheesecake and Custard go to their new mommy on Tuesday! The girls are very excited and have been talking to these two little piglets about their new home.

Ready for a cute laugh?

This is how Guinea Pigs eat…

So adorable!

Soon our three little piglets will be in their new homes – we love raising baby animals to bring joy to others!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

First Try at Makeup

First time I “madeup” my whole face & poked my eyeball many times… Giggle Girl Time

October 3, 2018

First Try at Makeup

So, Sunday afternoon, Louis and I went “out” (with our current budget that means a couple games of pool or walking on the beach or downtown, you know, zero cost but couple time!) and I’d received my Younique package in on Friday. (You are supposed to let the makeup “sit” at room temperature for at least 24 hours after shipping if you live in a hot climate… 96 degrees might be hot.) So I figured this was as good a time as any to try out makeup.

Let me see… (digging around in this really cool purple bag that Becky claims “is so hers” once I’m done with it.) I didn’t use everything in this try, but the pieces in the picture are mine. (Becky or Christina claimed the other goodies that came in the set – the value of the “starter set” and my realization that my girls would be buying makeup from now on were two of the reasons I signed up.)

I knew the hardest part for me would be mascara. I hate anything going near my eyes. Period. Probably, another reason I’ve only tried makeup once before. I used the Epic Mascara and managed to get it on my eyes after only poking my left eyeball three times and smearing it all over my nose, cheek, and eyebrow like five times. I honestly wasted more than I put on.

This brings us to Younique’s Cleaning Stick – it looks like a glue stick but goes on and removes makeup in strategic spots. It is perfect for this newbie. (And I was glad I did mascara first.)

Foundation was easy enough, (I got both the liquid and the cream foundation, this try was liquid because it appeared to be easier!) Younique’s liquid foundation has a dropper applicator so you drop it in a few places across your face and blend in. I used my finger because it felt like lotion going on. I used the setting powder on top lightly – that got rid of the slightly shiny afterglow of the liquid foundation.

I discovered that I didn’t have blush so I used bronzer (I thought “probably not what it is really for”) to highlight my cheeks lightly.

I have done my eyeshadow two or three times before – between that and a few lipstick tries, that was my only “adult” experience with makeup prior to this.

I was opting for a natural look this time, so instead of deep blue, which I’m sure, will be my favorite eyeshadow, I used a nude pink with smoky accents. I think it turned out okay. Next time I’ll use the eyeliner pencil (never done that before!) and the deep blue cream shadow with smoky accents. (Becky was like, “that would look awesome, I’m going to help.”)

I’ve never used liquid lip color either, so this Younique lipgloss in “lovesick” (the name sent Becky and Christina into rivers of giggles!) – I told Louis it was “pink” – was a first. It lasted all night, a first for any lipstick I’ve ever tried.

I was rather pleased with the results. The only “downside” (actually a great thing!) was washing it all off before going to bed. (It was easy enough, warm water, cleanser, scrub, rinse) I’d just never worn makeup that didn’t wear off after a couple of hours. My research told me this would be good, and I’m super pleased! (Plus, I’m allergic to lots of stuff but nothing in this ensemble irritated my skin at all!)

(Oh, and I’ve probably taken just two or three “selfies” ever, and not very good at it because I had the girls trying to give me pointers and giggling along with me at the hilarious pictures that landed on the camera for mere seconds; so the picture was taken by Becky.)

Next order, I’ll remember to get concealer, blush, and lipstick to try!

I have to admit, I’m totally enjoying this experiment with makeup! (AND loving the “giggle girl time” with my little women – should I call this “art class?”)

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later…

~Nancy Tart

Look Who’s Famous!

The girls find their cousin’s face on a Family Fun Fest 2018 poster & are super excited!

October 2, 2018

Look Who’s Famous!

During our thrift shopping day, we found a gem!

I’ve been a vendor at the Saint Augustine Family Fun Fest for two years – and yes, it is an amazing family venue! (Not the best for our sales yet, but most of our neighbors do very well.) The kids LOVE it so much that they plan to be at the next one each time we are leaving.

My 12+ girls volunteer (last time, officially), and Kimberly and Jaquline trade between “guard duty” (where they walk Jillian, Anastasia, and Lucas around to play on rides, watch the shows, and visit vendors) and “working the booth” (helping to mind the booth and try to sell our crafts).

On a “Family Fun Fest 2018” poster in the Alpha Omega Thrift shop, was Anastasia’s smiling butterfly-painted face! (In the little bubble just above all the sponsors.)

We even checked our pictures to make sure (because she had two different faces during the course of the day). Anastasia is the “butterfly.”

And yes, it was their cousin, smiling down from the poster.

The girls got so excited!

Becky had to take a picture and send it to Anastasia’s mom with the line, “look who’s famous!”

Maybe not “famous,” but it certainly launched the girls into discussing their happy memories from the two fun fests and their hopes for this coming year’s event! (The cutest part for me, is that almost every time I pick Anastasia up from school, she asks me, “when are we going to the next Family Fun Fest?” – she will love seeing herself on a poster for an event she loves!)

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

Baby Guinea Pig Names

Rebeccah’s creative naming scheme for the cute little Guinea Pig triplets!

September 22, 2018

Baby Guinea Pig Names!

Today we get to introduce our baby Guinea Pigs by name!

Rebeccah decided to use dessert names this time. Since we won’t have them forever, she gives them “temporary” names that match their color or personalities. We’re raising them to sell once they are at least six weeks old. (They will be six weeks old and ready for their forever homes after October 20^th.)

So this beauty is “Rocky Road.” She is the one who looked like a squirrel at birth. She is a gorgeous mottled brown color.

This solid tan one is “Custard,” and she follows the dad, TobyMac, all over the run! She is super cuddly.

The third one is currently called “Cheesecake.” He is the only male in the triplets. He’s a half-and-half mix of Custard and Rocky Road as far as color goes. He is Jillian’s new baby!

The girls love being the Guinea Pigs’ caretakers. They spend a lot of time cuddling and loving on them to make sure they will be just as cuddly and friendly as their parents. So far, they are thirteen days old and super friendly.

Here is Daddy (TobyMac, big tan blob), and all three triplets!

Mama (Taylor, big tan/brown/white) takes good care of them!

Near the end of October, we’ll be saying “goodbye” to Rocky Road and Custard as they find loving homes. One thing I know, these cuddly, snuggly critters will forever leave their tiny pawprints on all of our hearts!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later…

~Nancy Tart

Field Trip

What to do when your big sister’s college class has an amazing field trip? Double it as a homeschool nature exploration day!

September 12, 2018

Field Trip

Rebeccah’s first official school field trip happened recently. She got to go to the Guana River Dam with her Marine Biology class. She often jokes that she was inspired by Finding Nemo to be an orthodontic surgeon with a hobby in Marine Biology. For her Biology Major degree, she will need many sciences with labs, so this semester it was Marine Biology plus Lab. She loves animals and has a special love for aquatic creatures so Marine Biology is a double love.

We drove her up to the state park and since we were there, just walked around and explored the estuary. (The younger children got a field trip at the same time!) Kimberly took pictures because I had to keep both eyes and one hand on Lucas at all times.

We saw armies of crabs.

We found a tiny oyster.

We took a walk around the preserve. One of the brush-covered walkways hid dozens of golden orb spiders. Jaquline quoted, “if you look up, they’ll drop on you.” To which Jillian instantly laughed, “I’m looking down, Pooh!”

A lovely bird allowed Kimberly to get pretty close.

The view was gorgeous and we watched many fish!

Another lovely view.

Although we tried to stay out of the “way” of the class, we got cornered watching the armies of crabs. Kimberly snapped this picture to “prove” Rebeccah was at the estuary too. She hadn’t taken her shoes off yet, but when she loaded up in the van after the trip, she was covered mid-torso with water!

The Marine Biology class left some tiny minnows floundering and the girls made it their mission to find all of them and flick them back into the water so they could live. Most darted away. This one kept darting back to the edge as if saying “thank you!”

Jaquline showing off some shells.

Kimberly’s selfie.

Kimberly also got some video of our excursion. (Above, a crab & conch; below, the crab army)

It was a lovely day for a field trip. Thank you, Jesus, for the opportunity to be able to enjoy such natural wonders with my children!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

Tag: picture

Pearson Christmas Party 2018

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Wild Turkeys

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My Hero, My Hope

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Surprise!

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First Dance Pictures!

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Three Little Pig(let)s

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First Try at Makeup

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Look Who’s Famous!

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Baby Guinea Pig Names

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Field Trip

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