What I am Thankful For...

I made it through surgery just fine. I confess it is way worse than I thought it would be! The pain is really testing me. Meaning I have a rather hard time keeping myself from going over the edge. As you can see I am looking a little pathetic in the picture. M son Louie & his wife brought me this adorable little stuffed bear. It really brightened my day!
Now I am at home , I guess I am doing fine but I have to say that the simplest of movements create an awful lot of pain. My DH is doing his best but I feel sorry for him... I am a really bad patient! The healing/recovery is going to long & hard but... I will Survive.
Now on to a better subject... Thanksgiving...
Well for some strange reason I can't get my pictures to load...
Anyway I am thankful for so many things... Family & the strength you get from having strong bonds to get you through anything.
I am thankful to have had an amazig mother that taught me to be the person I am today.
I am thankful for all of us to have our heath and our closeness.
  I am thankful for Dort (my sister~in~law) we went to her house for Thanksgiving dinner ... it was perfect!!! she prepared a meal fit for royalty, thanks Dort it was wonderful!!! I will post pictures later... I will chat more later as I need to go and rest... Love to all!!!

1 Day and counting...

I had my Dr. apt. on Wed. last week with the specialist taking care of my arm/shoulder. Last year in Dec. I fell and injured my arm. I broke it to be honest and in the process I also injured my shoulder. As a result I will be having shoulder reconstruction on Tues. the 23rd of November. I know... 2 days before Thanksgiving, are you crazy? Well here's the skinny. His schedule is pretty booked and I took what they gave me. I would have loved not to have to have any surgery at all! I did physical therapy and had the steroid injection, but sadly I report that it didn't do much for me. I figure it isn't going to really matter when, not much going on anyway. I just want it to feel better!!!
I got into a cleaning frenzy yesterday and moved the furniture in my bedroom(with the help of my DH)... it looks so roomy... I wanted it to be fresh and new since the next little while I will be spending the majority in here.
Tomorrow I am going to finish up a few last min. odds n ends and by then the big day will be here...
I am hoping to be able too do a few posts while I am recovering but I guess it will depend on how well I manage to  manouver the keyboard with just 1 hand to type with, so... if I am not here for a while I will be back in a month or so.
Have a Blessed Holiday!!!Mawhhhh!!!

W.I.N.O.S....(Women In Need Of Something) Outing 11-15-10

Ahhhhhh, I have decided today is a day for pure relaxation... I had a very busy and wonderful day with my 4 BFF'S. We had lunch, followed by a trip to a local winery. We chatted about so many things, laughed and had such a wonderful time!!!We try to get together every month or so to enjoy each others company and catch up on each of our lives. We laugh, and cry together and it feels so good to know we have each other... I love our outings and alway look forward to the next one!!!
Ta-Ta... I am off to my Grand~Daughters Graduation from "D.A.R.E." TTYL Peeps!!!

Sitting here....

Hmmm, I am sitting here helping my Grand~Daughter do her homework and I have to confess that I don't think I ever had the homework that she does. She is in the fifth grade and she has at least 2+ hrs. every night. I am not sure who it is harder on me or her. I at times feel like a total "tard"... meaning it is way harder than a fifth grader should have!!!

I am about 99.5 % ready for the big GIRLS week end. Every year we go to a hotel for the week end to scrapbook. We go on Friday and are there through Sunday. This year my niece is coming from Florida and she is bringing a few friends with her. I think we are all going to have a marvelous time together!!  I will try to post some pics from the week end. FUN FUN.... Talk to everyone soon!!!

Saying Good Bye is never easy...

Tonight was the last night for a local business after serving the community for more than 88 years. I went for 1 last drink and to see some friends I have not seen in years. It was nice to see them and catch up a little. There was standing room only and I am sure they way past the capacity allowed but no one seemed to care. There was a band and actually it was not to bad.
My Hubby and I stayed for about an hour and we decided to leave and come home.
As I stood there I was remembering all the times I had spent at "The Schutz" it's a local restaurant / bar. Every Fri. night I would go there with my friends after football games. If you could take a walk back through the streets of "The Ridge" it would be priceless... So many great memories have been shared on those streets.
I meet my Hubby at this place of many Fri. nights. After 30 years we are still together and so it was only right for us to go one last time to say our good bye to "The Schutz"
Some things change but it will still be a place of many memories!!!
Good Bye Anschutz Cafe & Bar..... I will never forget the time we shared!!!!!

It's National Breast Cancer "Be Aware" Week

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is upon us and I thought it was only fitting to post something to help the cause.

For those of you that don't know I am an active advocate of "Relay For Life". Last summer I went to a few of them with my sister~in~law to support her as a 3 time SURVIVOR. She endured Breast Cancer twice and Cervical Cancer. Not only has she battled herself she had to battle along side her daughter, age 30 and the mother of 4 young sons. Sadly I tell you that my niece lost her battle last Dec. So I truly do honor my sister~in~law... to me she is a Hero on so many levels. So I thought it would be nice to share this information with everyone so maybe help just 1 person so that early prevention might just save a life.

 

 

 

1. Know your risk

•Talk to your family to learn about your family health history

•Talk to your provider about your personal risk of breast cancer

2. Get screened

•Ask your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk

•Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk

•Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at 20, and every year starting at 40

3. Know what is normal for you

See your health care provider right away if you notice any of these breast changes:

•Lump, hard knot or thickening

•Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening

•Change in the size or shape of the breast

•Dimpling or puckering of the skin

•Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple

•Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast

•Nipple discharge that starts suddenly

•New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away

4. Make healthy lifestyle choices

•Maintain a healthy weight

•Add exercise into your routine

•Limit alcohol intake

(reference: www.komen.org)

Altered Clipboard Using The "Happy Toether" Line By Fancy Pants...

I love making altered projects. I found this on the "Fancy Pants" site and had to make it. I  thought I'd share it as some of you might want to make one also...

Here are the basic instructions to make one for yourself."

Fancy Pants Supplies:
Happy Together: Forever
Happy Together: Strips
Happy Together: Make me Smile
Happy Together: Cheerful
Happy Together: Element Stickers
Happy Together: Journal Book
Happy Together: Buttons & Brads
Happy Together: Ribbons & Trim
Other Supplies: clipboard, digital photo frames, brown ink, brown pen



1. Cover clipboard base with "Cheerful" (cream/brown dot). Trim edges, sand and ink with brown ink.
2. Cut a piece of "Forever" (blue damask) to 8" x 9". Adhere to clipboard about 1 1/4" from the top and centered horizontally. Use a brown pen and a ruler to make faux stitch marks around top and sides (bottom will be covered).
3. Cut out brown zig zag strip from "Strips" paper. Adhere 1/2" from bottom and trim off excess.
4. Add Scalloped border sticker from Elements Stickers to the bottom of brown strip. Add "Moments" page tab sticker to left side of border sticker as shown.
5. Add strip of 3 photos to scalloped edge journal page. Adhere to page as shown. Add heart stickers and large brown brad at top.
6. Add strip of 2 photos to scalloped circle journal page and adhere to page as shown. Add small flower sticker with small blue brad to top of photos. However,I wanted to fit a number of photos on it so I resized them to 2.5" wide and used a digital frame on each one to resemble a negative strip.
7.Mat "Life is Good" sticker onto "Make Me Smile" (Brown side) and cut around. Add to page with pop dots as shown.


8. Finish clipboard with a large brown brad in lower right corner and a bow from ivory ribbon at the top.

What a windy day...

Gosh, we have had some crazy high winds today... felt like I should be out looking for Toto...
I am so excited... I finally have decided to buy the Cricut Gypsy... for those of you that do not know what it is, well it is just another thing to create beautiful pages. I started out with the smallest Cricut that my niece and I bought together and boy it sure didn't take me long to find that when the Expression came along that I was going to have to have it. I went on to buying the Jukebox and the design studio shortly after the Expression. Then in Sept. Provo Craft came out with the newest version of the Cricut... The Imagine... guess what I had to have that one too. I actually got it for my Birthday. So Happy!!! I have decided to get the Gypsy for convenience sake. I love the versatility of it and yup... it's on it's way to me as I type.
I can't wait to play with it... :)
I am looking for a special cartridge called Pink Journey... it is a cancer awareness one. I want to be able to use it for our booth at the Relay's For Life. I want to do some page kits and sell them at our booth for fundraisers. If anyone knows where I can get one please let me know...

Well it's getting pretty late so I will talk to you later... Love to all...

Here's a chance to winn something amazing!!

Say what? A giveaway today??!

I am so glad you stopped by the blog today...because today is a {very special day}!

Why you ask? 

Because it's Wednesday. And we have an awesome giveaway today!

Do you remember when I gave you this sneak peek?

I asked you to give me your best guess as to what this new product was. Everyone was {hoping} that it was 12x24 stack of adhesive paper....guess what.

You were right!!!

We have changed the packaging a bit but the product is the same. You will get a 36 sheet stack of 12x24 paper...12 sheets solid cardstock, 12 sheets printed cardstock, 12 sheets solid glitter cardstock...and all of it ADHESIVE!!! It will be in your Joanns stores and the retail prices is about $40. Perfect for using in the Cricut & E-clips machines with the mega cutting mats!

Here is my machine with a gorgeous piece of glitter cardstock....ready to cut a cute halloween box.

On the new cartridges, the offer awesome boxes to cut out....but unless you want a teeny tiny box, this is where the 12x24 paper comes in handy.

                          

Even though the cardstock is adhesive, you don't have to peel the backing off! If you leave the back on like I did for this box, it gives you an even heavier piece of cardstock perfect for boxes like these.

Can you believe the Cricut cut out these tiny little spiders....1/2 inch tall! Wow. 

Do you want to get your hands on this awesome product RIGHT NOW before it hits the store shelves?

Here is how you can win:

1. Post a comment on this blog post telling me which Halloween candy is your biggest weakness. 

(Almond Joys for this blonde :)
2. Become a follower of this blog (leave a separate blog post telling me this)
3. "Subscribe" to our blog (leave a separate blog post telling me this.)

4. Share my giveaway on your blog/social media site 

(leave a separate blog post telling me this.)
*Follow our Facebook page too for more giveaway opportunities!

Happy Birthday Momma!!!

Today is my Momma's Birthday. I wish she were here to celebrate it with her. She passed away Jan. 5, 2003. I miss her so very much. Seems like my life has changed in so many ways since then. I could go on and on but I am starting to heal so I am not going to bring it all up again. I will say tho that it was the most wonderful thing ever having her as my Mom. She never ask for much and she gave way more than she had. I think it was my moms goal to make sure that everyone around her was happy and had what they needed way before she would ask. Actually I don't remember her ever asking for anything. I was truly BLESSED to have had her as my Mom!!!
I am making a special dinner tonight in her honor and then this week end I am going to have my family over and go to the cemetery to visit for a few. I want to take her something and then I will feel better. 
Seems like she is still here reminding me of things from time to time... I never had to write things down for later because she was the one that could give me the answers to most anything... actually it was her and my niece Chevon... both have gone from this earth but they are still here in my heart. Although I sure miss them and their wit... Anyway I don't have a lot of time but I wanted to tell my Mom Happy Birthday... Love & Miss you more than words can describe!!! <3

Monday night... Blah...Blah....Blah.....

Gosh today has been one of those days... nothing seemed to go right. Our puppy had surgery on his face last Thursday and as luck would have it a seroma formed and this morning it exploded... I was letting him out of his night kennel this morning to go outside and he stopped and poof... it sprayed all over... I can only imagine how it must have felt with the pressure built up to make that kind of mess... poor little guy. Anyway, I had to leave him at the vet again tonight... sure hope he gets better now that he's had all this going on.
To make things worse I am having a hard time this year with sinus issues. can't seem to get it to completely clear up. I feel pretty good for a few days and then BAM it comes right back... Why is that????
I decided I want to get a part time job... doing what I have no idea but something. I think there has to be something out there I can do. Just have no idea what that might be... All I know is being a scrub tech... love doing that but my back could never handle doing that again. I think it was the most fulfilling job anyone could ever have... and I was lucky to have done that job for 18 years. It seemed like I had just started when I left. I really miss being involved in some really amazing procedures over the course of those years. Truly amazing!!! I gave up so much for the job but I hope in the long run my family will know that I did it all for them. I wanted them to see that if you wanted to you could do anything in life. I for goodness sake went from being a nearly drop out to an honor student in college. I wanted them to see that if I worked hard they would understand they also could do the same thing and live a comfortable life with their families. I don't know if they see it as I had wanted them to but maybe someday they will.
I have been preparing for an upcoming crop in November. I have been selecting all the things I need for specific pages that I want to work on. I realized that I missed so many things. I pray that my sons understand why I worked so hard... it was all for them. They are my world... my husband is everything to me...I wanted to help him be able to give our sons the things we never had when we were growing up.
Gosh, I can see that this is going to be another night of no sleep. I have the hardest time closing my eyes... so afraid of the dark... seems like I would be over that by now... guess I will be for the rest of my life... LOL me of all people afraid of the dark... I bet there are some that would get a real kick out of that statement...I know I actually do. Until next time... have a great evening...

Fun filled day with Hubby...

Today I spent a big amount of it with my hubby at Menards & Home Depot looking for a few things to do a few projects. I decided about a month ago to take the wall paper down in the bathroom on the main floor in my house. Needless to say I could not decide what color to pain, what if any wallpaper/border to put up... so I waited. We also have been trying to decide if we want to stay in this wonderful & beautiful home I have & have loved or if we are going to put it up for sale and find a "much" smaller one. Our sons are all out on their own and we really don't need a home this big... but do we want to leave. Big decisions to make, but in the mean time I decided to paint and make a few changes. We have not updated in a few years so I wanted a fresh look. I ended up with paint, a border, a light fixture and a mirror for the bathroom. I bet you are wondering why the mirror... well the one in there had a special meaning & I won't be leaving it. I didn't have a light above it because it was so big, there wasn't room for it, so it is going to be like a total redo for it.
I actually have my eye on a smaller house, but just not sure about all of it just yet.
So with all that said I better get to sleep so I can get up and get busy with the second coat of paint so it will be dry so I can get the mirror up and have my hubby hang the light and then if I can I would like to put the border up. I am guessing it won't be until Wed. for that but I can be hopeful ... right... if I ever get the pic issue resolved I will post pics when it's done. Good night all...

Just a thought...

I came across a video on a friends blog tonight and it made me think about my life and it's richness. I have been having a very hard time for the past year. Things come and they go but sometimes when they go it is just to much to handle.
I slipped into a "severe" depression for several months. I separated myself from my friends, family and everything that made sense to me. I wanted to be left alone and didn't want to be alone all at the same time. I was so afraid of everything, getting close to someone ... gosh, I was afraid that if I cared to much that I would loose them. I lost my Mother, a few months later my Grand-Father, My Grand-Mother soon after and if that wasn't enough I had to give up my job that I worked so hard to get to where I wanted to be and a job that I very much loved due to a back injury. Then shortly after these things I lost another person dear to my heart. I am getting better but I am still afraid to go to sleep. I am so afraid of the death and I know that in time it has to be easier... and actually it is getting better, I don't think about it as often. I don't leave my house very often. I don't travel much anymore and sometimes it is just so hard to get up and to face the day. But I force myself to do it everyday. I know that God is with me, I can feel his presence but I am so filled with feelings I find hard to explain ... I am not ready to allow him to heal me. I want to but I can't figure out how to get there.
I am married to an incredible man, he is patient, kind, and for the strangest reason has not walked away from me. I don't know if he loves me or if it's just habit that keeps him here but I sure am glad that he is.
I struggle with so many things, funny I have been told that I appear to be one of the strongest people, but if they could only see me from my eyes. I show confidence, strength, determination but actually I don't feel that I have any of these things on board.
I cherish my husbands family but they don't feel the same toward me. I wish they could feel the way I feel... they simply tolerate me. I secretly drive myself over the edge each and every time I am expected to go to a family function because I know they would probably rather I not be there. I guess it isn't what they say it is how they say it that hurts the most. I shouldn't say all of them but the majority do feel this way... I hope that someday it might change. I have only been in this family for just under 30 years so there is still hope... right.
I keep telling myself that be thankful and praise God for every day and every moment because life is so short and after watching the video( I think it was "My New Life") it just confirms that somehow I have to get the strength and courage to face my fears and find my way back to ME.
With all of this said that is my challenge to myself to make baby steps and do something each day that is a step toward being me again...
Until next time... good night all...

So Very Sad...

We r suckers for dogs. At any given time we have always 5 or more dogs and usually we have a female ready to have puppies. Well, this week is no different than any other time with the exception of this week we had 2 females have pups on the same day ... one had 13 and the other had 6. Out of all that we now have 1 left from the one that had 6 and 6 left from the one that had 13. Never have we had mothers not take care of their pups. they have sat on them, not fed them... I don't know what the heck is going on... We took in these 2 dogs cuz they were not being taken care of and now we have had nothing but issues from them... the one that had 6 & 1 left ended up having a c-section because 1 was so big it got stuck... maybe that's why she is not wanting any part of the mothering thing... Never the less it really sucks when you are trying to keep them alive and they keep dropping like flies....
I think I will not be so kind and take other peoples headaches anymore. I have 2 of my own dogs and I think it is time to just keep my own from now on.... My heart breaks... Just pray that the ones still alive stay alive.......TTYL

Good Morning!!!

Holy smokes I have been browsing cyber space looking for some ideas for my page kits that I have been working so hard to get put together. I guess there are a bazillion ideas and all I have to do it to weed through and find what I am looking for... Hmmmm, right ..... Anyhow I have found some page maps that I will be using but as for actual pages... not so sure.
I am going to try to get up and use my "Cricut" to get a few things cut so I won't have to lug it around. just not sure... I am getting pretty stoked for the week end to get here. I think there are maybe 4 weeks left.
I also give myself some ideas to chose from when I am doing page kits. These are just prompts that sometimes help me figure out what I might do on some of the pages. Here's my list so far...
(1.) I am a survivor; this page I am going to tell why I am (or someone else) is a survivor /or what make me a survivor.
(2.) Something old/Something new; use a new photo/old photo also use a new tech.and incorporate an old along with it.
(3.) Favorite Room; do a L/O of your favorite room. Explain why its your favorite take a pic.
(4.)Name Acronym; using your first name or initials do a L/O with an acronym that describes yourself.
(5.) Sketch; if you are the type that draws a sketch from time to time to help with a L/O use it on a page.
(6.) Journalistic Photo; use a pic that tells the story for you. don't journal to much just let the pic. do it for you.
(7.)Challenges; find a pic. of something that was a challenge for you and do a L/O of it.
(8.) Reality TV; use the title of the show for your page. ex. Big Brother, Survivor, Am. Idol... have fun with it...
(9.) Inanimate Object; journal from the perspective of that particular object.
(10.) Flowers; use anything except pre-made flowers... stamp some flowers,doodle or anything just don't use any pre-mades.
(11.) All about you. choose topics and do a L/O include a different element on each one.
*design w/paper piercer
*fabric
*repetition(color,accent, shapes...)
*stitching
*doodles
*title on a photo
(12.) Game On; use your favorite board game. use the design of the game,colors, patterns...
(13.) Spring Ahead; do a page about what you think the future will hold.
(14.) Before/After .. before /after baby...before/after college...
(15.) Brad Design; create a design using brads to make a design. ... circle around a shape or picture on L/O.
(16.) using ink, paint or anything RED... on a L/O also try using a tool from a kitchen to do this L/O.
(17.) Roses R red, Violets R Blue, Sugar is Sweet n so r U. Using the word "Sweet" and a pic of urself do a L/O.
(18.) Chipboard; use any pc. of chip board to do this L/O just make sure it is the focal point of the page.
(19.) Current Creation; create a L/O w/something current ... news, TV, music, movie(Twilight)...
(20.) Stamp... create a L/O using stamps...
Well, that is a long list. I do this each time that I get ready for a crop. I do it so that I have ideas for my pages. Now realize this is not written in stone but I like having options that may jog something so that I can have Beautiful pages every time.
Soooooooooo, with this said... I have to get busy...
Talk later Peeps. <3

Page Kits...

I am starting to think about getting ready for my "Girls Weekend' coming the first week end in Nov. I have started to plan out what I am going to bring and the pics that I will need to get developed.
I went to the Event Board this morning and found that my niece Robin has started a challenge of 30 page kits in 30 days. I am assuming she has something interesting planned for everyday in Oct. to help us get ready for the crop. She always has great thing planned and I am going to take advantage of her planning methods so that I will be prepared for my week end making the most out of every min. to get as many pages done as poss. and to have a FUN and to be very PRODUCTIVE at this crop.
With that said I also have had a very busy few days...
2 of our dogs had their puppies on the same day. Lilly had hers first and then Bella. Lilly lost 7 and 6 survived. Bella lost 3 and 3 survived. Bella ended up having to have a c-section. She had a very large pup that was stuck. She is doing ok but she is pretty sore and doesn't want to get up much. I don't blame her at all... We are feeding the pups to help the mamma's out as they recover.
So I have been a little busy with the dogs but I am getting a little done in between...
I also have been helping my son with some paperwork from his office, trying to help him get caught up with his logs. Now that is a job in itself but I figure all I have is time so I have been trying to help him some.
Well, time to get back to these puppies and then off to my scrapbooking room ... I will post a pic later to show you what my room looks like all put back together. Have a wonderful day everyone!!

"Imagine"

Ooooo, I was so excited ...I got the newest Cricut to hit the market. The Imagine. I actually couldn't believe it was for me. I had watched the program that was on HSN for the launch of this new marvel. I was drooling over it. I tried to talk my DH into it and he said NO... I was so sad...
:(( but sorta didn't think anymore about it... the next day was my birthday and we all went to diner. My youngest son got me a bead for my Pandora bracelet, a heart that he had "Forever Love engraved on. I love it!!! Then my DH gave me an envelope with was a sheet inside the card. It was the receipt for the Cricut Imagine!!! I can tell you the entire restaurant knew I was super excited...
Well, It finally came and have I ever been having fun trying to figure it out. The options are endless on what you can do to create with this new jewel!!! I think it is new favorite toy. I have the Expression also and I think I will be keeping both of them. For awhile at least. I can't use my design studio until the updates are available but I am loving it more and more every time I use it...
Well, time for diner... gotta go get something made and then off to my scrapbooking room to create more beautiful creations.

Awesome Evening!!!

Last night I took my sister in law to a cancer charity event in Saginaw. This even was sponsored by Avon. It was at a lovely little cafe. There were different stations set up and you could get a make over, a pedicure, a skin analysis or if you wanted there was blackjack and a few other game for you to try your luck at. They even had a 2011 Camaro for you to try to win.
My sister in law is a 2 time breast cancer survivor. We didn't win the car, but we really are winners we have life, love and we laugh... so in my book we are big winners!
My sister in law has been through so many horrible thing in addition to her having to battle cancer herself she lost 2 sisters, 1 brother... each to cancer and worst of all she lost her daughter this past Dec. to cervical cancer. I was with her throughout the battle to try everything to save her precious life. But as many of you know cancer really doesn't care who you are , how old you are, how much money you have... it just takes....
The thing that I learned and have taken with me is that no mater what never take anything for granted... always expect the unexpected...
I will be attending 2 other cancer events in the next few weeks. The important thing is that we must continue to fight to find a cure for this disease...

Now on to a lighter note... I think I am starting to get my mojo back... I am slowly starting to do some of my crafting.
I did a few pages and surprise I even was satisfied with the way they turned out. I have not really done anything for so long... I just have been in a rut...
I have been trying to post some of my pages but for some strange reason I can't get them to load... I think my internet server is not strong enough... and if that' the case then I am not sure what to do to get them loaded... But I will continue to try...
Well, my dear friends I must get moving... many things to do today... <3 U all...

Good Morning...

Gosh, I got up at the crack of dawn...
I got up and did a little cleaning and then decided to do a little scrapbooking. I have a few pages stared for my Calender for next year. I surprised myself at how quickly I was able to partly complete 12 pages for it. I have it ready with photo boxes and embellies, now I need to take some pics. I think that I am going to take pictures at the beginning of each month and use them on the pages. I know it is a little different but then I will have completed a page for my scrapbook for that year. Now just to remind myself to do it... (-:
I have a few appointments today and if I get them all done will a miracle...
However I am going to have to miss out on an outing with my friends because I had an unexpected event come up. I will be looking forward to another time!!! I will make them each a gift for next time... then they will forgive me!! sneaky right... (-:
I need to get some pic of some of my pages up on my site, but for some strange reason I am having trouble getting them to load. Well, I need to get moving... TTYL

Life is Good....

I have not blogged in a really long time... Things have been crazy bad for so long. I think I am getting better, still have a hugh hole in my heart, but I am getting better everyday! It has been 7 months today that our Lord and Savior took her home. I have such wonderful memories and I feel so very honored to have had 30 years to build a wonderful relationship with my niece. She taught me so much about life and I cherish everything she gave to me along the way to keep in my mind and heart!
I am going to be doing more things with my scrapbooking... I at least am going to try. I for sure think it is time to get busy because I am so far behind on Marisa's books!!! Time to get busy!!!!
I am so excited tomorrow I am getting my new phone!!! Evo... here I come!!! I sure hope that I can figure it out... hehehehe... I am a very spoiled girl!!! Love my DH !!!!!!!!!
Well, the rain finally got here today, sure is coming down out there, thank goodness it's not the thunder storm they said we were going to get!! However I do enjoy a good thunderstorm every now and then...
Seems like I just don't understand some ppl's wiring... why do men think they can be mean to women????? I just can't get it!!! My thoughts go out to a friend... she stays so I guess it has no bearings on me.... I worry tho....
I have a very busy day again tomorrow... things are finally picking up, no more staying in my room alone... I am ready to face my challenges and move forward and enjoy my family and cherish them and whatever they do.
I am getting ready to start out a new adventure with my son... very excited to get this up and going... Life is good....
TTYL...

So many changes...

Wow, 1-1/2 days of school left for this year... Seems like yesterday we were buying school clothes getting prepared for a new school year to begin and here we are ready to close out another year.
My son and his family will be moving from our house into a new home. Now mind you I am very excited for them to begin a new chapter in their lives but on the same hand I will be sad to see them go... What will I do with all of my time. I guess I will need to find some volunteer work to occupy my free time... which there is sure going to be an awful lot of that I am afraid!
I still for some strange reason can't get myself to do any scrapbooking???? I for the life of me can't figure out why...... So very behind and I have lost all interest in doing anything!!!
I am looking forward to a few things this summer, I love going camping and spending time with family... hopefully we will get a chance to do a little more this year.. Well, I am taking Marisa to see Shrek 3D so I better get moving... TTYL...

Easter Already...

Gosh, can you even believe that Easter is already upon us... I just wonder where does all the time go??? Seems like it was just last week we were all at my Mother~In~Laws at our families Eater gathering. We always have such a nice time getting together!! This year is going to be way different because my mother-in-law is going to be out of town and everyone is going to spend Easter with our own families, however all of mine are not going to be in attendance. My oldest and his family is going to his in-laws for a gathering. So it will be my other son & his wife and my youngest son and his girlfriend. I think it will still be a nice day getting together and sharing memories together, oh and making new memories to share in the future!!! I will miss my Grand~daughter but I see her everyday, so it is only fair to share her with the rest of her family.
I think if the weather stays as it then I will have a BBQ, if not well that will be a different story. I am going to be serving Steak, Beer can Chicken, twice baked potatoes, another veg, undecided, rolls, lemon merange pie, german chocolate surprize, and I think that about covers it. I wish everyone a wonderful Easter Holiday!!!

Things just aren't the same!

I have been trying like crazy to get back into the swing of scrapbooking. I sit down to start and all of my memories start flooding me... I lost my niece in Dec. and since I am having trouble getting my scrap on! I am sure she is shaking her head saying "what's wrong... why are you crying"... She always was telling me that she didn't want us to spend to much time in the mourning stage... what she didn't realize is that when you loose someone that is that close to you it takes a while... I am getting better...
The other night I sat down at my computer to check out emails and things. I came across an email from a friend asking me if I had checked out a digital scrapbooking site. Needless to say I had not. I actually wasn't even interested in even looking... well as they say curiosity kills the cat... LOL
I decided to peek to see what she was so stoked about... I finished six 2 page L/O's in just about 2-1/2 hours this morning. Now mind you I love my stuff and love the demention of a traditional page but these pages look pretty good. I am wondering what they are going to look like when I get them... I used "Studio J, it's the new digital line that Close To My Heart just launched. I liked the fact that there was many options to choose from and that everything matches. So maybe I will be able to do some hybrid pages and that way I will be able to add a little demention to these flat pages... I don't think I will ever change to just doing digital but it was very fast and VERY easy!!!
I have to get moving... it's a nice day and I want to go out and enjoy it!!!
Talk To You All Later!!!
<3 you all!!!

Getting my craft on!

Gosh, sure seems like I have been away for so long! Well last night I went into my craft room and spent some time in there playing around with some of the projects that I have been filing away for some time. Anyway, I made 12 mini photo albums and 12 book marks. I am giving them to a lady in the community that puts together a care bag for people with long term illnesses. These bags are such a nice gesture, my niece got one given to her while she was battling cancer. She passed away on Dec. 12th, I know she did so enjoy the things that were in the bag. However I realized that she wanted pictures of her family and didn't have anywhere to put them, so I thought it would be nice to have a little mini album to put them in so she could look at them. Anyway, that's what I did last night. I will post them later today.
Another thing I am going to work on today is a card to give my DH for Valentines Day. I have found a card that I like on splitcoaststampers. It is an easel card. I think it's pretty cool looking. I might even make one for my daughter-in-law for her birthday. Guess I better get busy or I wont get them done. So later today I will be back to post my goodies.
Have a great day everyone!!!!

Just sitting here... hmmmmmm

As if things couldn't get worse...
I have an injured arm (shhhh, it's broken, I don't want to say it out loud)
I decided it wasn't gonna let it hold me back, so I went to my Zumba class... big mistake!!! About 1/2 way through I felt like my arm & shoulder felt and still does feel like it's gonna explode and fall off! I wouldn't stop because I didn't want to let those young hot bodied young ladies think I couldn't make through... so foolishly I continued and probably injured it more by doing it. But I finished!!! So, for the next several days I sat around and had the heating pad on it... resting...
So. I figured that today I could go to a scrapbooking Event at one of the local churches. I made it about 5 hours, so here I am back with the heating pad resting more...
I am so disappointed because I was hoping to get caught up on some of my pages that I keep putting off. Wrong... now I am thinking it will be there when I can get it done it isn't going anywhere. Well, I am going to take nap and then I am going to get back atcha... Nighty Night...

A month has passed...

Ya know,
time passes but sometimes your heart stays behind.
A month has passed since the death of my precious niece Chevon.
Seems like just a few hours ago that I sat at your bedside talking to you. Little did I know it would be my last chat with you. I think I told you everything that I could think of that I wanted to say to you. There was no unturned pages.
I told you what you meant to me,
I told you how much I loved you,
I told you that I couldn't imagine life without you,
I told you how I was going to miss you every single day...
I told you so many things.
I value everything we ever did together,
the long talks that we had,
the excitement of waiting for the new Coach purses to come out,
going to get our nails ,mani's, & pedi's together.
I could go on and on about the things I miss.
I feel so honored that you chose me to be one of the ones that you wanted in your life at the end. The months of treatment after your first surgery and your time spent at CTCA and then when you came home. I was so lucky to have been able to show you what you meant to me. There was nothing I wouldn't have done for you...
I didn't want to let you go but I knew that I couldn't be selfish by wanting to keep you here when you were suffering so badly.
I know that you are painfree and happy now and that helps. I was wondering if you could find my Mom and tell her how much I Love Her & Miss Her Each & Every Single Day Also!!!!!
I will be thinking of you both and will talking to again too... Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that I saw your guys on Fri. night last week they are doing ok. Nodin misses lots but I think he's ok. He's a very wise young man, he said to me why are you crying ... you should be happy ... she's not in pain anymore...
I guess what I am really trying to tell you is that the tears are still wet on my cheeks and flow often, (I know you hated all that but I am getting better...) they don't come as often and that I just straight out miss you so much!!!! I Love You Sweetie!!!!