The World of Princess S

Thank You

2011-10-03T09:17:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all of you who read my blog!!!
I have received so many lovely comments and it does my heart good!!!
I wish I were a more disciplined blogger but I have a short attention span and more interests than any one person should have. I am on a mission to change those habits that cause me to feel overwhelmed with life and head on a path of Simplicity (this is a long journey....but baby steps will get me there). Thank you again all of my blogging family, it is nice to know I have such wonderful people thinking about me.
I will search my brain and see if I can come up with something fun to blog about soon!!!
Have a GREAT WEEK!!!!

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T08:11:00.002-05:00

The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances. ~Robert Flatt

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T00:00:00.002-05:00

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T07:41:00.002-06:00

At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet. ~Plato

Front Porch

2011-02-07T10:47:00.007-06:00

This picture is of the front porch of our house in Kansas City....I spent a lot of time sitting out there pondering, reading, dreaming and relaxing. There were also times when people would come over and we would visit....lots of good conversations were had on that front porch.

Yesterday I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some items and I was standing in the candle aisle sniffing the candles when a lady approached me (she was getting ready to make a good smelling purchase as well) and a conversation started......we talked about the scents and then to her grandson and family....it ended up being a lengthy conversation with a complete stranger......after she left I proceeded to the drink aisle where and older gentleman was reading the labels....again another conversation started, this one was not lengthy but it made me think, have we lost something? Have we traded conversations with strangers at Wal-Mart for those days when we would set on our front porches or stoops and talk with our neighbors?

Don't get me wrong, I am more than willing to have a conversation with a stranger....I am a firm believer in giving everyone a smile and listening to what they have to say. Listening is a lost art and my mission is to bring it back but before I can bring it back I want to understand where we lost it.

When I was a young girl I would spend a week in the summer at my Grandmother's house in a quaint Midwestern town where there were front porches on all of the houses and in the evenings those porches were occupied buy the inhabitants and neighbors. A walk in the neighborhood would take for ever because there were many conversations to be had at each home. Children were allowed to run the neighborhood because there was always an eye to make sure they were not in trouble. So did the conversations stop because homes were built with small or no front porches? Or was it because TV replaced our evening rituals, then computers and cell phones with their texting? Can one really hear what a person is saying in a text message?

I feel in our quest to become more connected we have become more disconnected. We have taken the emotion out of our communications...now there are some communications that should not involve feelings...that is in business matters (that is a whole other post). With a text or an email....even a phone conversation there is no touch, no opportunity to give a hug if it is needed, no eye contact to let the person you are talking to know you are really listening!!!

When was the last time you invited and elderly neighbor to dinner? They hold a vast aount of knowledge and we push them out of our way because we have so many things to get done.....are those things more important then a bringing joy to a human being? As far as that goes, it doesn't even need to be an elderly neighbor....it could be any neighbor. Take the time to make a pot of coffee and put some cookies on a plate and call someone to come have a conversation, when you are done you will feel more connected then if you had sent them a text or given them a call, mostly because you took the time to make them feel special.

Now I understand the importance of phone calls, emails and texts....in fact they have become my saving grace since moving 1400 miles away from family and friends.....maybe if I take my own advice I will soon find my front porch full of new friends with new conversations!

Give some one the gift of your time it will bless them and you!!!

When The Donner is Away...Stephie Will Play

2011-01-28T10:31:00.007-06:00

We have lived in our home for almost a year and I have been dreaming of paint schemes for all of the rooms from the day we moved in!!!

A couple of weeks ago the Donner was in Vegas at The World of Concrete....he got back the day before our Anniversary....that being said, I decided to surprise him by painting the Living room and revamping some pieces to incorporate into the refreshed space. Now I have labored over how I wanted this room to be.....I have a great fondness for antiques and items that remind me of my Iowa farm roots.....but we now live in Florida and that isn't really the style. I wanted to take things from different parts of our lives and have them reflect who we are now......that is where Home Goods came in.......I love browsing that store!!!!

I had spent the day that The Donner left with some friends cruising the Delray Beach Art Festival in hopes of finding something spectacular to put in the room......there was no such luck!!! So the next day I started painting....hoping that inspiration would come.....lets face it by the time I was done the only thing that was going to hit, was my head hitting the pillow!!! Feeling as though I had accomplished a great task by getting the living room painted I decided to treat myself to a little shopping spree. First stop, Home Depot....perhaps if I walked around long enough I would think of something to make....I like to create things (that can be a blessing and a cures sometimes).....wasn't happening that day. Next I was headed to Home Goods.....I wasn't finding a whole lot of treasures until.......I hit the clearance pictures and then I hit the Mother Load!!! I could not have picked a better picture to represent us and this time in our lives....it was a dog running on the beach......now if you have read some of my other posts you would see that we have 3 dogs and they are our 4 legged children.....each one of them are dear to our hearts.....even those little furry friends that have passed on. Not only was a it a dog running on the beach....now I know you are not suppose to have favorites among ones children but Raven is my husbands girl, their devotion to each other can be nauseating.....much like the relationship Sparkles (may she rest in peace) and I had.......the dog in the painting looks like Raven!!!!! Can I hear an AMAZING Wife shout out???? I found a few more treasures and then headed to Joann Fabrics....one of my favorite places to go....looking for some fabric for curtains....but like every trip I make there, I found items for another project.....I think that is my way of always needing to go back....."if I don't find it this time I will surely find it next time".

The week went on and I slowly figured out the pieces I wanted to add to the room from the enormous stash of stuff we already had....it came together and I was pleased. The question was...would The Donner be pleased....He Was...what a relief!!!!!

There are still a few things to be done and pieces to found...or made......like life it will be an ongoing process........that and I am fickle. I have posted some pictures for anyone interested in looking at the fruit of my labors.......enjoy!!!

Before

After

Happy Anniversary

2011-01-23T00:30:00.002-06:00

12 years ago today I married the love of my life……I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and I am grateful. Marriage is not an easy job; there have been periods when we have both wondered what we have gotten ourselves into….but like a storm there is an end to those times and there is sunshine and hope once again. Those learning times have brought us to a stronger and more precious place in our lives, they have cemented our foundation. He has helped me to grow as a person and I like to think I have helped him…we are a team!!!! Here is to my friend, my lover, my husband…..I look forward to the next 12 and beyond!!!

Being Creative

2011-01-09T17:23:00.004-06:00

Being creative is one of the great joys of life for me. Recently I made a scrapbook for a dear friend and thought I would share the result of my endeavor. Paper crafting is one of the many interests I have....I like it because they are projects I seem to finish!!!! This little book was made out of small treat bags; that is how the pockets on the side are created......this little book is like a treasure hunt. I hope you enjoy looking at the fruit of my labors and feel inspired to create something yourself!!!

This Makes Me Feel Gushy!!!

2011-01-05T08:22:00.003-06:00

I have a little book that I bought several years ago called the Checklist for Life for Women; it is a compilation of lessons on topics such as Forgiveness, Providence, Family etc. (68 topics in all) and I keep that as my standard devotional (I do not read it every day....I do try though). Today's topic was on security....which seems to be the lesson God is really trying to get me to see these days. I like to report.....I AM GETTING IT.......WOO HOOO!!!!

That makes me gushy but what really brings butterflies to my tummy and makes my heart soar are 2 passages out of today's lesson.

1. He is your sure place to stand in a shaky world.

If you only knew how long I chose to stay in that shaky world....often being the shaker myself, you would understand my jubilation over those words. I was on the barter system with God (I was, He....not so much). I can remember prayer time used to be spent with me trying to convince God I had a REALLY good plan...I knew how to fix everything so that I would be happy....do you see all the I references????
Not until He pointed it out one evening during prayer time by showing me the plans of mine He had allowed and the numerous failures that followed, did I get it......I am a bit stubborn....don't tell my husband I said that!!!!
When I stopped looking at the world through my eyes and looked at it through God's eyes....even the shakiest of times were smooth sailing......God's route and His driving are much better than mine....and He is so darn faithful!!!!

2. The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling," your love, God, took hold of me and held me fast. When I was upset and beside myself, you calmed me down and cheered me up. Psalm 94:18-19 The Message

That makes me gushy because it is so true!!!
I lived a life in fear that God wouldn't catch me.....I believed I was no good because God didn't give me what I wanted (I was more into the temper tantrum part of being a child....I don't think that is what the scripture meant when it said come as a child....my bad!!!).

It all goes back to Rules or Relationship.....I followed the rules and that is where the frustration came from......I followed but only felt burdened and on the brink of failure constantly. Now I choose Relationship and as it grows I feel more and more freedom....freedom to be who God created me to be.

That makes me feel Gushy!!!!!!!

Hello 2011

2010-12-31T10:56:00.003-06:00

"Another fresh New Year is here....another year to live!

To banish worry, doubt and fear, to love and laugh and give!

This bright New Year is given me, to live each day with zest.....to daily grow and try to be my highest and my best!!!

I have the opportunity, once more to right some wrongs, to pray for peace, to plant a tree, and to sing more joyful songs!" ~William Arthur Ward

What a simple little poem, what prophetic words. I believe as humans we complicate life; if we were to follow the guiding of the Holy Spirit and invested more in our own spirit then those things that cause us angst would soon be conquered. You might find my thoughts presumptuous and unrealistic but I assure you they are not. I have lived the life where my time and thoughts were filled with ways I could manipulate my life so I got what I wanted.....I had the perfect plan and I tried with no success to make things happen that were not meant to happen. The day I gave is over to God....I mean really gave it over (I was a Christian a good 10yrs before this momentous release) and let God do what He needed done, miraculous things started to happen. When I quit trying to manipulate my life and cleared my head...I had time to think on lovely things.....I noticed things I had not noticed before......I was free to live in the moment!!!

Before you decide that I am a saint or crazy then I will reveal that I am neither and old habits can creep back in, the difference is I know I have authority over those unproductive thoughts. I am not sharing this information to be boastful or unfeeling....I just want each and everyone of you to experience a life of freedom...I share this hoping you will be encouraged and know that those mountains that you face can be overcome.

Don't misunderstand me....life is still messy and things are not always a walk in the park but how I deal with those unlovely things has changed. When life throws me ugliness I cry out to my Father in Heaven and He gives me the wisdom to see He will get me through what ever is headed my way, good or bad.

My New Year wish to you is to let go, marvel in the moments of this coming year and the years to come and sing more joyous songs!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-25T11:51:00.004-06:00

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale

Merry Christmas to all!!!

A Fireplace in FL?

2010-12-08T06:29:00.002-06:00

When my husband first told me about our house in FL (I didn't see it until the day I moved down) he told about all the great features the house contained....big kitchen.....pool....landscaped yard....fireplace. Now when he told me there was a fireplace I was over the moon excited....think of all the winter nights we could sit around the fire and drink hot buttered rums and watch it snowing outside.......then it hit me.....it wasn't going to be snowing where we were going....we were headed for the Sunshine State (there is a reason they call it that and it isn't because it is overcast and cool!!).

Reality sometimes is cruel....then I started thinking....why would you have a fireplace in FL.....everyone I told would say why do you need a fireplace in FL???

Well let me tell you.....it may be the Sunshine State but it still can get chilly. For the first time the other day I did not sweat....I was actually cold....so I pulled out my sweaters and my husband lit a fire in the fireplace......If I would have just remembered to make the hot buttered rums then I would have been good to go!!!!

2010-11-25T06:14:00.003-06:00

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant,
to enact gratitude is generous and noble,
but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.
~Johannes A. Gaertner

Happy Thanksgiving to all, may the day be filled with many Blessings!!!

Facebook

2010-08-19T15:40:00.002-05:00

Facebook.....it has me tangled in it's web!!!! I know more details about the lives of people I don't even know than I do current issues......I spend more time perusing through yearbooks looking for people I can't remember hoping that something will jog my memory.......I have virtual farms....I look for virtual treasure......I post pictures that my family cringes at...........I tell the facebook world what I am having for dinner, the random thoughts that go through my head and openly share my opinions about everything I have an opinion on.......that is a lot of opinions!!!!

I finds myself getting that same feeling of anxiety as I did in High School when I post something and no one responds or some one wants to be friends with everyone else but has not requested me to be their friend....yet I am friends with people I don't even know. I worry that I may offend someone if I don't respond to a post or I worry that I may have responded the wrong way......I have been reduced to a 42yr old teenager!!!!

How did we get to this.....when did voyeurism become a way of life???

Though there is truth in my jesting, there are many good attributes to facebook and can't forget those....I get to share in my family and friends lives since they are 1400 miles away........I get to be connected to friends I have not seen in years but their presence in my life is still a blessing........I get to send and receive words of encouragement when needed and there is always some good laughs.

Perhaps I do spend to much time on there but it keeps me connected to those I love and really isn't that all anyone wants....to be connected?

Summertime

2010-08-12T09:12:00.004-05:00

What a happy little poem....but summer time here is nothing like the poem!!!! I have never been so wet in my entire life.....I have things sweating that I didn't even know could sweat!!!! As hot as it is here in Florida....my poor family and friends in Iowa are really suffering!!! Not only are they contending with record highs but...RAIN....RAIN....RAIN and FLOODS....FLOODS.....FLOODS!!!!

Being hot is just a way of life in Florida but the extremes of living in the Midwest can be very daunting.....the saving grace is that the weather can change in an instant. Fall is around the corner.....MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR.......and with it will bring sweatshirt wearing days and wrap your self in a blanket evenings!!!!

My favorite times in the fall are the mornings....a cup of coffee taste even better on a fall morning......sitting on the porch watching the squirrels labor as they prepare for winter and seeing the birds fly with a rejuvenated spirit because they now they are headed for some new adventures.

I am inspired by the warm colors that dot the landscape and the smells that waft over me as I drive down the road or walk into a shop selling seasonal fare. I am giddy over the displays that the store proprietors create and I am full of anticipation knowing that the Holiday festivities will soon be upon us. I am ready to wrap myself in a sweater and sip a Pumpkin Latte and watch the show that the great outdoors performs.......Oh the longings for fall are equal to the longings of being in the Midwest during that magical time of the year. This year I will have new things to experience and new stories to add to my life....it is OK to ache a little for what you don't have....just don't forget to be open for what is ahead of you.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-11T22:37:00.002-05:00

I Missed My Callilng

2010-08-10T19:51:00.004-05:00

After running across these AWESOME pictures of my youth it has become clear to me that I missed my calling as a world famous model!!!!

I must admit....that bustline is a bit enhanced.....I wish they were like balloons now........I wouldn't need them lifted!!!

I have pondered these pictures and decided.....I haven't really changed that much....when I have an audience....I Showboat.....much to my husband's chagrin!!!

I love to laugh and I find laughing at myself can be very therapeutic.....have you been in touch with that free spirit that lives in you lately???

I think I need her to come out more often......I do wish I had her flat stomach!!!

We Aren't in Kansas Anymore Biscuit!!!

2010-04-08T13:17:00.012-05:00

It is official, we have made it to the Sunshine State.....it is true the sun does shine a lot down here!!!! The Dogs and I have been here about 3 weeks; we are very glad to be reunited with The Donner!!!!

Let's Go, Let's Go....there are adventures to be had!!!!

Grandpa...Are we there yet?

Dad, the dogs and I started our adventure one very cold and muddy Iowa March afternoon. We hopped in the vehicle....that was OVER packed and headed to my In-Laws in Warrenton, MO for an evening of hospitality and rest. The next morning we hopped in the over packed vehicle again and headed south....and headed south.....and headed south....do you get the picture?

I am very grateful that my Dad was able to take the time and go with me....of course being the stubborn girl that I am I was determined to drive down here by myself....but my Dad insisted that I didn't do that and so our journey began!!!

Thanks to the Tomi the GPS we made it through Downtown Atlanta with out any problems...
we were only 1/2 way though.....Yikes!!!!!

The dogs were so good...they slept most of the way and when we finally got here (4:30am) they were soooooo excited to see The Donner.....it had been since Thanksgiving that any of us had seen him. Raven was the most excited.....she cried with joy at being reunited with her Daddy again......in fact she has been just a happy girl since we have gotten here. The other dogs are enjoying their new home as well....they enjoy having their own yard again.

The house.....what can I say other than it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I had only seen pictures of it and thought it was pretty but once I got here I fell in love!!! I have a kitchen made for a cook....and boy do I like to cook.....a fireplace with a custom made mantle (I know it is southern FL...they say we will use it).......and a back room that has been designated my space for creativity!!!!! There are a few projects we need to work on but nothing major...a little paint here and a little paint there....just to make it our own.......that is such a relief!!! We enjoyed our little cottage in Kansas City but it was an ongoing project that seemed to have no end in sight......I am glad that is not the case here.

Home Sweet Home

There are so many other things to do......like Beach Time!!!!

Dad and I took a break from the boxes and headed to the beach!!!

Nothing says FL like a concrete porpoise!!!!

I do miss my Family and friends in the Midwest but I look forward to lots of visits and calls from them!!! I must get back to my pool time....Oh, did I mention it had a POOL!!!!! Come by for a visit and a swim sometime!!!!

Welcome....Come on in...we will show you around!!!

Here is some nice comfy carpet to lay on....go ahead try it!!!

This is where we get to eat!!!!

There are fish on the wall but they don't move!!!

Yikes....look at this mess!!!!
I don't know how any creating will be done back here!!!

Look a giant water bowl!!!

Let's take a dip!!!

Exciting Times

2010-01-13T21:04:00.004-06:00

My goal this year was to make a blog entry at least once a week....so far I have bombed on that!!!! I am not going to worry about what I haven't accomplished....I am only going to look to the future and be hopeful of what is to come.
We may have a house and with lots of prayers and a little luck I could be living with my husband again in February......YEAH!!!!! I have sooooo enjoyed my time in Iowa, spending time with family and friends....and it is going to be very hard leaving. My heart will always belong in Iowa but I am getting excited about the move to Florida. There are so many things to explore, so many people to meet but................Visitors are WELCOME!!!!
For Christmas I got a lovely picnic (wine) basket and I cant wait to take it to the beach and enjoy some time with my husband. Being with The Donner again will be a little weird, we haven't lived together for almost a year....I guess we are going to have to date again!!!

Those Were the Days

2010-01-12T20:00:00.001-06:00

I was making a killer fashion statement in the above get up!!!!

I Am Alive!!!!

2009-09-16T21:50:00.003-05:00

I have been a bad blogger this summer......but I have been having FUN!!!!!!

I am in IA....my home state....where the land that my family has farmed for over 100yrs runs through my veins........where my dearest and oldest friends live and are ready to welcome me with open arms.....where my family that was there to mold me and lead on my way to independence keeps a place for me at the table.....that is just a small part of this great state.

I am home when I am in IA......not to say I am not home when I am with my husband in FL (we still are looking for a place to call home) but it is different. There is comfort in history especially ones own history. Our future in another state will be exciting and I look forward to exploring our new home state but the good Lord knew that I needed this time with my family, my friends and my history to prepare for the next journey.

My friends Arlene and Bill stopped by on their way from Witchita to Wisconsin in July and we ventured up to the train in Boone, IA. If you have not done this trip I suggest it as a fun family outing....there is nothing overly exciting about it other than the landscape and the thoughts of a time since past, where trains were the way to travel, where the whistle of a train would symbolize the spirit of adventure and the anticipation of new land coursed through this nation.

I have spent time with my parents....time that I haven't gotten to spend with them for several years. As we grow older and get into our daily routines we do not get to have the gift of time we had when we were younger (a gift we did not know how to use). I have been able to have share stories, participate in family meals and fellowship with my parents with out the time restraints that I have had in the past. We have gotten projects done that have been waiting for a rainy day and we have reminisced about the loved ones who have gone ahead of us to our final home in Heaven.

I have enjoyed time with old friends and new found friends laughing, fellowshipping and reconnecting. I have been blessed with rediscovering old relationships that I thought were lost only to find they could be found again. I have traveled the path between Corydon and Ottumwa several times and discovered new things I had never noticed before.

I got to visit Donnie in Florida and to my relief, I am excited to have the opportunity to live there. It was nice to be with my husband, to feel a little bit of normalcy again. I will blog of my trip in a future post....I promise!!!!

This has been a summer of refreshing of regrounding. I was lost in the ebb and flow that the world has conditioned us to follow. I was lost in the lie that more is more and if you aren't busy every minute of the day you aren't doing your part. I have relearned that the gifts of the day are the cool breeze on a warm day, the song of the cardinal as he sings for a mate and just being in the presence of the ones we love.

Alllllll Aboard!!!

2009-07-07T10:19:00.005-05:00

Before I left Kansas City my friend Arlene came up from Wichita with her husband Bill for a visit. One of the things they like to do is travel around and ride trains......so we headed to Belton, Mo and rode a train......Oh My Goodness it was so FUN!!!!!

Here was our chariot!!! We sat on the outside car....soaking up the sun BABY!!!

Belton was having a big car show with a live band that day......so it was a bonus to the train ride. I never realized there were so many fun shops to explore in Belton so we explored the shops, looked at the cars and rode the train. It was fun getting to walk through the different cars of the train and imagining the people who use to ride them as their mode of transportation.

The official Train Ride Sign!!!

Here is my TICKET!!!

Bill and Ar posing for me!!!

The best part of the trip was getting to spend time with my friends, they are a blessing to me. So I get a call the other day and they are going to be coming through IA and of course we have the Boone train so we are going to go on an adventure in Boone, IA!!!! I will try to take lots of pictures to share!!!! Side note: Johnny on the Spot was the nicest one I have ever been in.....it was clean and it smelled nice.....I am telling you it was a great day all around!!!!!

I can't leave out the car show!!!
I would have more car pictures but I used my new phone and I am still learning how to operate it!!

Goodbye until next time!!!

Good Bye Little House in Kansas City

2009-07-06T08:39:00.003-05:00

We will miss our sweet little home in Kansas City!!!!

It is official....we have moved out of Kansas City!!!!
It was hard to say Goodbye to our friends and our sweet little house but now we are on a new adventure. We are in the transition phase so the dogs and I are in Corydon, IA and Donnie is in FL....Andrew our son decided to stay in Kansas City........we will miss him but we are excited for him to claim his independence.

Corydon,IA is a fun little community, I can take a walk at 10:00pm and not have to worry about being bothered......very different from Kansas City!!! I have a bike that I use to get around town and my first full week here I helped with Vacation Bible School.

My mom has decided that it is time to downsize and I am here to help her get the job done. We are going through over 50yrs of stuff.......we have gotten a lot done but have quite a ways to go. We have found lots of treasures and memories of those who have left this world come flooding back when we run across those special treasures.

I will be spending time with my family in Ottumwa, IA too!!! I am excited to have this time to be surrounded by family and friends. I do miss my husband very much.....this time in IA would be sweetened if he could be here with me. He is busy with work and checking out Open Houses, looking for our next home.......we know it is going to be different from what we are used to but excited to start this new adventure together.

Happy Independence Day!!!

2009-07-04T12:48:00.002-05:00

This nation will remain the land of the free
only so long as it is the home of the brave.
~Elmer Davis

Happy 4th of July!!!
Have a Safe and Enjoyable Holiday!!!

Happy Memorial Day!!!!

2009-05-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

They are dead; but they live in each Patriot's breast,
And their names are engraven on honor's bright crest.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Happy Memorial Day!!!
Thank you to all who have served our country!!!!

Why I love the Blog Community!!!

2009-05-19T21:08:00.003-05:00

I am quite tardy on blogging about my special Blogging Angel!!!
Miss Mildred at Nalley Valley surprised me with a delightful treat last week. She is a ray of Sunshine in a rather chaotic time of my life..........she is such a thoughtful and kind woman and when I read her blog I am transported to a much gentler and simpler time (something I am striving for in my own life). After leaving a comment among many she picked out something that speaks to me on many levels........Cardinal Birds have always symbolized the love that God has for me....when life is getting to me, it was never very long before the song of the Cardinal and that flash of Red reminded me that I am not alone.

When I opened my package I found this..........

Isn't it precious???!!!!!!

Look at the AWESOME card!!!

Here is a shout out to my friend Mildred!!!!

Thank you Miss Mildred.......I love your spirit and the beautiful person you are......don't EVER change!!!!

Style

2009-05-10T14:20:00.000-05:00

Those of you who visit me frequently (big THANKS by the way) have probably noticed I don't have a specific style.....I tend to be a bit (OK, maybe more than a bit) eclectic. My problem you see is that I like to many things (which could explain why my brain is always spinning) and I want to put it all on my blog.

Since I am home alone today and I had a VERY productive day yesterday I seem to have given myself permission to play. I have created some new headers......amongst catching up with my blogging friends (I do love that I have gotten caught up on my blogging....I love to visit my blogging friends!!!!), playing on Facebook and watching TV (I tell you I am a real slug today!!!).

Let me know what you think....after looking at them you may think I have multiple personalities....which might not be that far off!!! They are all different the one I have currently is one of them (I thought it was whimsical and sweet) and here are the other 2:

Here I am getting in touch with my heritage...I guess you could say this is reminiscent of my interior decor......I don't have real roosters or hens but I have a lot of fake ones!!!!

I thought this was a cute one...kind of fun and flirty......
maybe I was trying to channel my 25 year old self!!!

What do you think???
I thought they were fun to make and wanted to share, comments are always welcome.

Part of what has spurred this on is I am purging getting ready to start a new life in a new place but I am having a hard time letting go of some stuff. I will keep the family heirlooms and the stuff that really brings a smile to my face.....but there are those things that I am on the fence about; items that I have carried from place to place with me for years. Who knew purging could bring up so many feelings!???!

Don't get me wrong I have parted with a lot of things so far and maybe it isn't so much the letting go as it is letting go of these treasures to strangers that I am having a hard time with. If a friend came to my door and asked for any of the items in question I would hand them over gladly (let me know when you will be here). I tend to be a bit of a pack rat but not as bad as I used to be.....I don't need someone to come into our house and unbury us.......I have things in their place (for the most part) and like to keep things that have a purpose or some sense of value to me. Do you have problems letting go of things???

What is the one thing you would never part with (people and animals don't count...I am talking things)?

If you had to move tomorrow how much would you keep??

I guess I have gotten off on quite a tangent and hope that you were able to keep up with me. I am interested in how you all deal with change...good, bad or otherwise.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T08:49:00.003-05:00

A little girl, asked where her home was,
replied,"where mother is."
~Keith L. Brooks

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers, no matter what form you come in.

Ode to Spring

2009-04-28T09:47:00.005-05:00

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

It is here it is here....Wonderful Spring!!! That time of the year when the cold winter that has held us hostage is being defeated by the warm sun. The time of the year when new life springs from the ground and and the birds nest in the new foliage of the trees; so that their song can be shared with all who listen. Spring is the season where hopeful gardeners dream of the harvest to come. The refreshing comes and the new hope fills the air with it's perfume.

Who can not love spring and all that is symbolizes??

The sleeping occupants of the earth are awake again, ready to entertain the humans who think they own the earth (silly humans...it is only on loan, so treat it well!!). The bare arms of the trees are clothed again in their beautiful leaves and the brown carpet of grass turns to a brilliant green dotted with bits of yellow and lavender.

Perhaps I am romanticizing this glorious season but what is life with out a little romance.......winter????

Life Update

2009-04-19T11:57:00.002-05:00

Well we have listed the house. That was a very hard thing for me to do......I never thought I would have such a hard time with it. This is a season of loss and God gives you double for your trouble so I am excited about where He is going to lead us.

The Donner seems to really like it in Florida and can't wait for the rest of us to get down there. It has been hard having him gone so much but we have been through it before and made it so this time will be no exception. He is home this week so there is a list of projects to work on.

My usefulness at work is getting less, so I am going to be going down to part time. It all works out because Donnie stated that he has a big list of things for me to work on when he is gone. I have lots of projects I would like to work on before we move too......I will miss the little family I have gained by working but the time has come to move on.

God has been allowing me to deal with a lot of things I thought I had dealt with so I know it is a season of growing and for that I am thankful. After a season of learning life seems to be a little sweeter. I guess you could say that the purging going on in our lives isn't just physical stuff.

I hope that I will become a better manager of my time and get back to the blogging community. I appreciate all of you who have stopped by and really appreciate your comments. Here is to more blog friendships!!!!

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T23:16:00.003-05:00

Happy Easter!!!
Of all the holidays we celebrate I believe this is the most precious. Easter commemorates the the greatest gift given to man kind. Our God became a man and suffered for our sins to conquer death so that we could have eternal life. Thank you Jesus for the greatest gift ever given!!!!

Grandma Bunnie

2009-03-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

I am sorry I have been away from my blogging friends; I have missed each of you. I was in Iowa with my family; we were saying goodbye to my Grandma Bunnie. She was headed to the next great adventure or should I say her final destination. She passed away on March 21, 2009 with loved ones surrounding her. It was a very bittersweet affair; it was very hard to say goodbye to this remarkable woman but we knew where she was headed. She was 89.5 years old and if there is anything you could say about her life it would be that she lived it to the fullest.

My Grandma's name was Margaret but when she was a little girl her Daddy thought she was as cute as a bunny........it stuck, from then on she was Bunnie. She grew up in a poor family (granted I think that was the state of most families during that era) because of that I think she learned to be pretty frugal and to manage her life so that would not be the case as she matured.

"Bunnie"

My Grandparents met at a dance at the YWCA in Ottumwa, IA. My Grandfather worked on the family farm about 13 miles outside of Ottumwa and my Grandmother was in the bookkeeping dept. at the John Morrell & Company plant in Ottumwa (I find the whole story enchanting and catch myself wondering what they were like at that age). After a fairly quick engagement (by today's standards) they were married and Grandpa moved Grandma to the family farm. There was a family car not individual cars and because times were tight Grandma was moved into the farm house with Grandpa's family. My Great Grandpa was a stinker but he was quite taken with my Grandmother.....she would not put up with his shenanigans and got things whipped into shape in no time.

My Grandparents

I grew up on that same farm and have very fond memories of my Grandmother. I remember chasing headless chickens during butchering time (I know it sounds gruesome but it really was great fun), I helped her make lye soap (it was used to clean the work clothes in the ringer washer) and I remember how I loved sleeping on the crisp sheets she had on her beds. These are just a few of the many small things that stick out in my mind but the small things build up to very big wonderful memories.

I was 11 or 12 when my Grandparents moved to town.....this was not an easy task for my Grandmother to do......my Grandpa went screaming and kicking!!!!! By this time my Grandma had been involved in doing bus tours around the United States and was expanding to other countries. She got to see the world through her tour guide business. She was a sought after guide; her hospitality and can do spirit were valuable assets for this line of work.

Grandma also had a rich sense of family history and created for us some priceless treasures in the form of a couple of books documenting our family history. I can spend hours reading the stories and gazing at the pictures trying to capture a sense of who these predecessors of mine were. I want to understand why they made the choices that they did and how it got them to where they ended up. It is like a puzzle and putting it all together can me intoxicating.

Now before you think I am trying to turn my Grandmother into a Saint I must add that she was a very opinionated woman and did not have a problem letting you know her opinion. There are many instances where my Grandmother would frustrate (that is being kind) a member or members of her family or friends. Though her ideas and opinions weren't always appreciated, it was that spirit that accomplished many amazing things in her life.

My Grandfather did not have a warm and fuzzy upbringing and much of that was reflected on his family. He could be very unkind to my Grandmother (words are very powerful weapons, especially harsh ones) but he loved her in his own awkward way. When Grandpa passed away my Grandmother took care of him to the very end; he passed away 3 days before their 49th anniversary. Grandma would always say after he passed that she was lonely and what a couples world it was. She had many friends to do things with but it wasn't the same, then she met Frank. Frank is the opposite of my Grandfather....he is so laid back, happy go lucky and rarely seen without a smile on his face. His friendship to my Grandmother was one of the greatest gifts she ever received in her lifetime. Frank stated at the visitation that they never had a disagreement (my cousin and I looked at each other...we had not had that kind of relationship with her). His friendship was not only a gift for Grandma but a gift to her family as well; her demeanor changed around Frank, he brought out her beauty; she was much softer around him, she was truly happy. As hard as it was to lose my Grandmother my heart cried harder for the loss that Frank had to endure. I had just shy of 41 years to know her, he had 8.

Frank and Grandma Bunnie on an adventure!!!

I cannot even begin to explain to you the impact this dynamic woman had on my life and the lives of those around her; what I have told you is just a small morsel. I was lucky enough to have her in my life long enough to have become her friend as well as her Granddaughter and that is a gift no one could ever take away from me.

Grandma Bunnie beautiful to the very end!!!

Let the Adventure Begin

2009-03-01T16:00:00.003-06:00

As some of you know my husband was laid off the week before Christmas. Well after searching, calling, flying and a lot of PRAYING.....God is leading us to a new location. Drumroll please.......We are moving to Florida!!!! I KNOW!!!!

I never thought this Midwest girl would move out of the Midwest....that is what I get for thinking. I will have to say that I wasn't that thrilled when The Donner first mentioned that there was a job down there he was going to apply for. I had always envisioned that we would move back to Iowa and buy a small farm to play around on........again it was my vision and it isn't usually very clear.

I am a prayer or maybe I should say a bargainer......I am very good at telling God what I want and how I want it and He is very generous to listen and even indulge me on occasion.......but when I get what I want, it doesn't always work out the way I had planned.....go figure!!! Well I have been pleading with God for several months....maybe even years.....throwing my little tantrums and acting like a brat wanting my way. It finally occurred to me one day.....I wouldn't let my children act like that and I certainly wouldn't listen to it.........so what made me think that God was going to jump right in and give me what I wanted. Don't misunderstand me I believe that God is very generous with His giving and likes to give us the desires of our hearts, but......the heart has to be in the right place to receive the gifts.......HELLO!!!!! Steph how many time do you have to learn that lesson?????

So I conceded and prayed, God you know what needs to happen in our lives to fulfill your purpose to glorify you so let your will be done in our lives....be careful what you wish for.....one week after giving up and giving in Donnie lost his job......not quite what I had in mind.

Here is the kicker........by submitting to God and leaving it all up to Him, I knew He would see us through and lead us to an even bigger adventure (not to say I didn't have my moments......Boy did I have some moments....I still knew no matter how scary it got He was there).

I have never thought of myself as a controlling person but I sure like to try and control God....I start out asking for something and I ask and I ask and I ask.....when I don't get exactly what I want......then starts the woe is me and if you really loved me God you would make everything work the way I want it to......you must not love me......I must not be worthy........you must be mad at me (I am kinda making myself sick thinking about it). He apparently thought I was worth it or He would never have sent His son to save me.....how easily my flesh forgets that.

Does anyone else go through this or am I the only one??

I know it stems from not making time to be in fellowship with the best friend I could ever have; my sweet Jesus. I am easily distracted and entertained by things that don't really matter. When God is top priority in my life everything else falls into place with out a hitch. He had to teach me once again that He has my back and He will take care of us beyond any thing I could ever imagine.

I didn't start this post with all that in mind, but it is an important part of this whole process.....all the Glory goes to God...He is taking us on this adventure because He has things to share with us that could not have been seen had He facilitated my little ideas of what life should be. He wants so badly to share with us, Play with us and Love on us......could it get any better than that?

The Donner has started driving down to Florida today to begin our new adventure. I have to find someone to take my place at work and then get things ready here for our impending move south. I will admit I am a little scared and sad to be leaving all that I have known but I am so excited to see what God has in store for us next. My focus is on Him and my heart is trusting Him. He has proven over and over to me that by simply entrusting my life to Him, He will get us through stronger and wiser.

Pay it Forward

2009-03-01T14:30:00.004-06:00

OK, I don't know why I am doing this now but it just looks like so much fun I want to participate. My friend Missy started this so I had to play along....that is what friends do they play!!!!

Here is how it works......

The first three bloggers to leave a comment....

will get a handmade gift from me sometime this year!!!!!

You then post this on your blog so that three people

can leave you a comment and that you send them a handmade gift!!!

The gift needs to be handmade.....any price you want......and has to be sent out sometime this year!!!!!
Remember

It is the thought that counts!!!!!!

And when you receive your gift make sure you blog about it!!!!
Soooooo????

Who wants to pay it forward?????

Have fun!!!!!

Questions

2009-02-17T20:49:00.000-06:00

My Friend Missy had sent me these questions about a month ago and told me I had to answer them on my blog so here you go.

1. If you were given $1 million dollars what would you do with it and why????

I would build a camp for hurting grown-ups. A place where the hurt can relax and have the
tools available to them to find their healing. I would love to create a safe haven a retreat a place of comfort for conquering the aches we carry. I think we get so caught up in the everyday tasks of life and need a place to get away and find who we are.

2. What is your biggest fault?

I am an over thinker...I can turn a simple decision into an arduous task. That fault leads to many more but we don't have time to walk down that path.

3. If you could choose a job/career for yourself what would it be and why?
(no schooling you could just go to work or stay at home and do this job)

I would like to be a Home Ec Teacher. I enjoy the art of being a homemaker and would love to share that joy with younger generations.

4. Name one person who you have come in contact with in your life that has made a lasting impression on you (good or bad) and why?

My 4th grade teacher Mrs. Sheesley. Some who know me may think I am out of my mind but for a greater part of my life I have felt like I was invisible and there was very little faith in my ability to do anything. Mrs. Sheesley made me feel that I was capable of doing anything I set my mind to.

5. If you could change one thing in your life what would it be and why?

I would live closer to my family and friends in Iowa. There is something so comforting about being surrounded by the people you love.

How would you answer the questions?

The Girlcave Gets Some Attention

2009-01-28T21:47:00.005-06:00

The Donner has been working like a busy little beaver around here......I wish he had a job but it has been nice the projects he has been getting done. There are 2 yes 2 man caves on our property, one is the garage and one is the upstairs office. Now there are gross things done and topics of discussion I would not want to be included in when in the man caves so I have a little oasis in the basement of our house. The latest project the Donner worked on was in the girl cave....he ran me a bunch of outlets and gave me another light!!! I must say I was quite elated....it is really coming together!!! He says that paint is the next step....I need a super organizer to come over and help me get it put together!!! Andrew likes to say that they have pimped my girl cave(they helped), they have been a big help to Donnie and I know he appreciates it.

Just one little light for me to see my treasures

Then this one was added

I really do have to brag on my husband a little, he has not taken one day off and done nothing....he has been a working machine in between the job hunt. I am so blessed to have him in my life and I am sure I don't tell him that often enough. Way to go Donner....I love YOU!!!

The girl cave is so bright!!!!

A happy little switch to control my lights

See the outlet behind the computer....stupid Facebook you are taking over my life!!!!

The craft table run amok!!! See I need Help!!!!

I know it is not the prettiest room in the house but I like being surrounded by items that will be turned into something some day.....it is a room of possibilities and creations to come. Who wants to come over and play?????

Happy Anniversary!!!!

2009-01-23T19:26:00.003-06:00

Happy 10 Year Anniversary to US!!!

1 Day to 10 Years

2009-01-22T21:47:00.003-06:00

One more day......actually less than that now. It is a very funny thing time, it tricks my mind one moment to feel like we just got married and the next moment I feel like we have been together for ever. The 23 of Januarry has been a very big day in our lives we were married then, 4 years later on that exact date we signed the contract on the home we live in and tomorrow Donnie has a job interview with a company in Florida. I believe God likes to give us hints regarding His plan, what are the odds that 3 significant things would happen on the same day in our lives. I think He shows His sense of humor I mean one of His greatest Psalms would be the 23.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, ^[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Could He make it any more clear that He is in charge of my husband, me, our marriage?

It is so easy to get discouraged in the world that we live in but for those who follow Jesus we are not to worry about what the world tells us, because it is lost. We are to follow Him who saved us and He WILL provide all of our needs and a good portion of our wants. May God Bless You All!!!

2 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-21T21:30:00.000-06:00

Life is one big journey but it is important to take side trips once and a while so we can enjoy the big ride. We have taken a few adventures in our 10 years and tonight I will share them with you.

Now there are the obvious trips to Iowa, Missouri and Texas to see family & friends; those excursions are always a treat and we look forward to seeing our loved ones.

Our time with the kids while they were growing up was always a whirlwind....so of course our first family trip would be the same. They were around 10 and 11 when we took this adventure; they had never seen any of the things we were about to show them. We picked them up in Dallas and drove down to Galveston,TX to see the ocean. We spent 2 days swimming in the waters, laying on the beach and feeding the seagulls.

We are here to pump...you up!!!

After we were done exploring Galveston we headed to Carlsbad, NM to go to Carlsbad Cavern. Now I enjoy all of God's creations....the majestic mountains, the endless oceans and all the other treasures this country holds but Carlsbad Cavern was one of my favorites!! There are miles of caves that go hundreds of feet down into the earth; it holds lots of secret places with it's stalactites and stalagmites.....lots of rooms where nature give you the most amazing art show. After a day of cave exploring we went to the hotel and swam until dark the perfect end to the perfect day.

After an astounding day in New Mexico we spent the next day on a journey to the neighboring state to see The Grand Canyon. All I can say about The Grand Canyon is that it is so surreal......I thought I was looking at a life size postcard. It was a long day driving around but it took our breaths away.....it was inspiring.

Our own family postcard

After we had walked all day and seen incredible things it was time to get in the car and head to Colorado. The mountains were the next conquest on our family adventure. We pulled into Cortez, CO late so we went right to bed, we wanted to be rested for the next day. We left Cortez early and headed to Denver taking the scenic route. The kids favorite thing that day was seeing snow in June.......Andrew found a spot where it went to his waist.......they were so excited!!!!

Rocky Mountain High

Denver was a welcomed treat after a long day on the road until Chelsea got sick....poor thing had a terrible earache, so we found an emergency care center and found out that she had an inner ear infection.....they got her set up with some medicine and we went back to the hotel where Chelsea had a night of being doted on...she loved that!!! The next day we headed home to Warrenton.....we were gone 6 days.....boy did we see a lot in 6 days!!!!

The next big trip was to Put-in-Bay, OH. Our friend Jami's family had a couple of houses that they rented out and so for a surprise she rented one for all of us. It was such a fun time.....the main modes of transportation were golf carts and bicycles. We had a very relaxing time and made lots of fun memories....one that Jami has not let us live down was how vicious we were when we played spoons...we love to play spoons!!!!

Taking Jami for a ride

The next two vacations were ones that the Donner and I took and they happened to be last year. Last January we went to Las Vegas, NV. Donnie was out there for work and he was going to have to be there for two weeks so I went out for the weekend between them. It was so fun just walking around, watching people and spending time together. I had never been to Vegas so it was very exciting for me.....my favorite place was the Belagio with the Dancing waters.....it was so beautiful that it made me a little emotional.....it doesn't take much.

The latest trip was back in October when we went to Seattle. It is beautiful country out there, I blogged about our trip already so I won't stay on this subject to long. It was a great time for Donnie and I to reconnect.

My Sweetie

Posing with the scenery

Our trips are made up of more than the awesome things we have seen, they are about the little things, the games, the talks, the pranks and just being together experiencing new things with the ones we love. I know that there are many more adventures for us to go on and I look forward to them. I feel blessed to have been able to have the opportunities that I have had in my life and thankful that I have a partner to help share my journey.

3 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-20T21:13:00.004-06:00

We Interrupt this regularly scheduled story for a bit of silliness and wisdom.....much like marriage.....

I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. ~Rita Rudner

Marriage is an alliance entered into by a man who can't sleep with the window shut, and a woman who can't sleep with the window open. ~George Bernard Shaw

One advantage of marriage is that, when you fall out of love with him or he falls out of love with you, it keeps you together until you fall in again. ~Judith Viorst

There is no substitute for the comfort supplied by the utterly taken-for granted relationship. ~Iris Murdoch

A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. ~Paul Sweeney

Love is a flower which turns into fruit at marriage. ~Finnish Proverb

Never feel remorse for what you have thought about your wife; she has thought much worse things about you. ~Jean Rostand, Le Mariage, 1927

Like good wine, marriage gets better with age - once you learn to keep a cork in it. ~Gene Perret

It takes a loose rein to keep a marriage tight. ~John Stevenson

How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being. ~Oscar Wilde

Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast. ~Marlene Dietrich

The difficulty with marriage is that we fall in love with a personality, but must live with a character. ~Peter Devries

Marriage is three parts love and seven parts forgiveness of sins. ~Langdon Mitchell

What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. ~George Levinger

Married life teaches one invaluable lesson: to think of things far enough ahead not to say them. ~Jefferson Machamer

Marriage is a feast where the grace is sometimes better than the dinner. ~Charles Caleb Colton

A man without a wife is like a vase without flowers. ~African Proverb

To keep your marriage brimming,
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you're wrong, admit it;
Whenever you're right, shut up.
~Ogden Nash

4 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-19T23:00:00.000-06:00

Sadness flies away on the wings of time. ~Jean de La Fontaine

Every good story has heartbreak whether monumental or minimal. Loss and disappointment are just a part of life....a very important part, for that is where the real lessons are. I could leave the bad parts out but then I wouldn't really be telling you our story. In the span of 10 years there are many moments that are forgotten, everyday occurrences, trips to the store, phone calls with family and friends but then there are the things we would like to forget but once we do we stop being ourselves.

The first great loss that we encountered was when I miscarried our baby. I got pregnant in October of 1999....this was not an easy feat to begin with since my body doesn't process hormones correctly. December 1999 - I had been taking fertility drugs since that May (if anyone has ever taken them they do a number on your body and your mood) so as you can see it was already a long journey. My greatest desire has always been to be a mother.......in every sense of the word and that moment that I realized I was miscarrying was devastating......there was nothing I could do to stop it. Donnie was out of town so my sister-in-law took me to the Dr. and he confirmed it. We tried more fertility drugs but they were just to hard on my body and my mind. Yes, I have been angry with God about it....I have had my tantrums and one sided fights with Him. He is always there reassuring me that He loves me and He has a plan.....that the plans I have for my life are to small scale, He has amazing giant plans for me, He reminds me that I put limitations on what I want and He wants to give me everything, He reminds me once I move out of the way He can reveal Himself fully to me.

There have been times in the marriage where one or both of us has lost our way. Late Summer of 2004 Donnie and I separated. I learned a very important lesson during that time.....I had lost my way and I had lost who I was as a person. Up until that point I had been a very big people pleaser always changing for who ever I was around....I had completely lost who I was as a wife and myself. That time alone was very cathartic for me......I spent time with my real true love Jesus and by spending my time with Him I found who I was. Please do not think that I have it all together because I frequently get off course, I just don't stay on the wrong trail as long.

We lost my Aunt Linda January 2005 (she was my mom's sister). I have such fond memories of my Aunt and I miss her so much. She took me to see my first PG movie when I was 10....Grease.....I LOVED IT.....in fact we sat through it twice!!!! Then she took me to get my ears pierced. She was my cool aunt who lived in a big city and had an apartment with a pool.....how could a 10 year old not look up to her?? She fought cancer for several years and when I say fight I mean fight. Her faith was strong and a great example to me and the rest of our family.

December 2006 we lost my Grandma Lucile (my mom's mom). My Granny lived in the same house that my mom and her sisters were raised in. She was the head cook at the school of the little town she lived in for many years. She was just the sweetest lady you could ever meet, her warm heart and generosity were her trademarks. She carried a strong faith with a meek spirit...I don't ever remember a harsh word coming out of her mouth. I miss her, she was a constant force in a sometimes unstable world.

October 2007 we lost my Grandpa Paul (my stepmother's father). Paul was a sweet, sweet man. Blended families are sometimes a hard thing to be a part of but he always made me feel like I had always been his granddaughter. He was always ready with a big hug, a kiss and a giant smile. His passion was his family, flying and building experimental aircraft, farming was his trade he put his heart into all of it and he is greatly missed.

November 2007 we lost Sparkles. I know I have talked about her but that dear sweet soul was there through everyone of the previous losses. She was a comfort to me in so many ways. She was a loving soul when I was lonely, a fierce protector when I was scared, a consoling friend when the tears wouldn't stop and a constant companion. Her presence in our lives is greatly missed....in fact I think I could use her right now.

December 2008 Don lost his job. This was a sudden blow we were not expecting (does anyone really expect it?). I know that this loss is the start of something great. God gives you double for your trouble......He is preparing us for His great plan.

I will be honest with you this was a hard post to do. Reliving some of those memories was not easy but they have molded us to be who we are apart and together. The loved ones we have lost are still very precious to us and to remember the happy moments with them is pure joy to my soul. I thank God that I got to be in their presence and witness their greatness in this world.

5 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-18T17:55:00.009-06:00

Today I am going to talk about our pets.....now I know some of you are thinking why would I talk about pets........easy, they are part of the family that Donnie and I have created. We never intended to get the amount of pets that we have but we are suckers for puppies!!!!

What a pretty girl!!!

I have blogged about Sparkles before, she was our first puppy and she was a very special dog. Sparkles has been gone over a year now and to this day I still get misty eyed. She had such a fun little personality, was a good pal and was very loyal. Sparkles was a Blue Heeler / Husky mix and she was beautiful......always a little lady. I could go on and on about her but that would not be fair to you. I have never felt that way about a dog and it will be a very long time before I feel that way again.......losing her was like losing my best friend.

I hope someone drops some crumbs!!!

Biscuit was the next addition to our family and she has a definite personality. She is not a dumb dog by any means but she can be very dopey. She tends to use her size to bully everyone around....not just the other dogs but us too!!!! Biscuit was a stray and she decided that she liked our porch and since it was the coldest night of the winter we took pity on her and let her in.....she never left.

I am such a spoiled baby!!!

Raven is one of biscuits puppies....yes she was pregnant when she showed up on our doorstep. I love puppies and as soon as they were cleaned up I had them in my hands...to hold those fragile little lives in my hands made me realize what a miracle life is. I have not blogged about Raven yet so I won't say much about her because I don't want to take away from her story.

Sweet little boy!!!

Boots is one of Sparkles' puppies....we had Sparkles for 7 years, we lived on a farm she was free to go all over.....not once did she get pregnant......we move to the city and what happens a stray jumps the fence and get her pregnant. Boots is our only boy and I haven't blogged about him yet so the same is true for him as it is for Raven.

We love each and everyone of our dogs they are part of our family.

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ~Roger Caras

6 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-17T23:00:00.000-06:00

My kids are amazing!!!! I know, I know everyone thinks their kids are amazing but how else can I express my true feelings about them??

I did not give birth to my kids they came with the Donner as a package deal but there has never been a day when I didn't love them like they were my kids. Andrew and Chelsea have been through a lot in their lives and I think they have turned into remarkable young adults.

Andrew aka Buddy Wayne is the life of the party, he is always cracking jokes and with his quick wit and humor he keeps me in stitches. Andrew is just an all around happy kid...excuse me.......young man. He did not warm up to me as fast when Donnie and I first started dating (he was and is a HUGE Daddy's boy) and the thought of some stranger coming in and taking away some of his daddy time was not acceptable. As time went by he started to warm up to me and we soon had a very strong relationship. I am so glad that he decided to move here with us this past year, it seems like he has always lived here.

Andrew has ambitions of being a Police Officer someday; his real passion would be to join the service but he has terrible asthma which keeps him from following that dream. I know what ever he ends up doing he will be successful. We are very proud of the young man he has turned into.

What a little cutie!!!

Our Buddy Wayne

He liked to show his guns....still does!!!

What a handsome guy!!!

Chelsea aka Sweetpea is very sweet, good hearted and opinionated like her father, she is full of life and one busy girl. Chelsea took to me right off.....she would sit on my lap and I would rub her back or feet for hours....she was such a cuddle bug and I miss that. Her independence was seen from an early age, she never has or had a hard time telling you how she feels about something. Chelsea is involved in Dance, Drill Team, works at McDonald's and goes to school (High School and some college courses). She is one motivated girl!!!

Chelsea's ambitions are in the field of education, she wants to be a 2nd grade teacher and we are very proud of her for picking such a serving career. It has been fun to watch our Sweetpea blossom into such a lovely young woman and we are very proud of who she has become.

She still crinkles that cute little nose!!

I just love this picture...it captures who she is to a tee!!

My girls...Chelsea hates this picture but to me it is priceless

What a beauty!!

There are 10 months between them and I have never met a brother and sister who had such a great relationship.....not to say there weren't times when they weren't particularly fond of each other but they would get over it quickly and be best buddies again. They are respectable, hard working and fun people to be around. We enjoy their company and miss them when they are not around. We are so very proud of them and consider them our greatest treasure from God.

Buddies!!!

I loved this age....they still thought we knew everything!!

This is one of my favorites

What AWESOME Kids!!!!

7 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-16T22:25:00.006-06:00

Tonight I was going to talk about the kids but I had a little adventure after work so I will pick a shorter topic.......my adventure was hitting.......Joann's, Michael's, Archiver's and Hobby Lobby.....I now......exciting!!!!!

The Donner and I have had 2 different houses that we have called home. One was located in Warrenton, MO on 300 acres with lots of wooded trails to walk and the other has been our current home here in Kansas City that is on little less than an acre but still has some woods to explore.

The place in Warrenton was a little slice of heaven on earth.....we didn't really have any neighbors and we had room to roam. It was so quiet and peaceful but there was one problem.....we didn't own it....it wasn't really ours. It was a big old farm house that needed some work and we put a little into it but when it is not yours the motivation to do a lot is not there. I do miss the parties we had, 4 of July was always at our house and we would start the day early with food, games, hiking and last but not least fireworks!!!!! We were about 1 mile from the fair grounds so we could sit in our yard and watch them with out traffic. There are many memories from that little oasis and it was hard leaving it but we had another adventure to go on.

Sparkles is keeping watch in Warrenton....She probably just came out of the pond!!

We moved to Kansas City, Kansas City here we are (imagine I am singing the Kansas City song to you)!! This was the first house that I Donnie and I had ever owned together....it is our home. We closed on February 14, 2003 but did not get possession until February 17. Once we got possession my husband went crazy.....we had nothing with us other than a few odds and ends. The truck with our stuff was stuck in a snow storm so they were going to be late....what does the Donner decide to do....tear down a wall. We'd had the conversation about what our first project would be and there was no discussion of a wall being torn down......again we had nothing for him tear walls down with, other than a steel bar we used for horseshoes. Needless to say the wall came down and many other things have been torn apart and put back together.

If you look close Sparkles is on the sidewalk waiting patiently.

I know that someday we will leave this little house but we will always have the memories just like our first house and there will be more memories made down the line. For now we will just tuck ourselves away in our little haven and be thankful for all the Lord has given us.

8 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-15T21:40:00.001-06:00

This next subject I know quite a bit about so I will try to keep it to a minimum. I was born and raised in Iowa and my heart is still there.

My Daddy met my Mom while working for the phone company in my Mom's hometown; they worked for Ma Bell. Mom was an operator and Daddy worked the lines and one thing lead to another. After a quick courtship the got married and 9 months after the wedding another member joined the family.....ME!!!!

I started the theatrics early!!!

I grew up on a farm and I must say it was a wonderful way to grow up. There were always adventures to go on. I am an only child and I have a very active imagination so you can only imagine the entertainment I could find on a farm.

So young so naive

My parents divorced when I was 15 so Mom and I moved across the field into the old farm house until I graduated High School. After graduation we moved to into town and that is where I met my first husband.

I was way to young in age an maturity to have made that decision but I did it for the wrong reasons and with a bad start like that it was sure to end. That divorce was very instrumental in my growing up and though it was hard to go through it got me to where I am now. I was kind of lost for a few years but eventually I found my way......it was by the love and grace of Jesus.

If I only knew what was headed my way

When I took the job with Olan Mills I figured it would just be another job in a long search for my purpose in life; it was so much more than that!!! I had been dating my boyfriend at that time off and on for a couple of years but it never seemed like it was going to go anywhere. He was good to me and I genuinely loved him but I was not in love with him and I wanted more.

Can you tell I am in love?

The phrase that things happen when you least expect them has certainly been true in my life. I was not looking for some one new in my life.....I had decided that life was not going to change....I mean I had a man who loved me and I loved him....we were good friends....I wasn't expecting anything else.

Then that fateful October day came when I pulled into that church parking lot and everything changed. My life went in a direction I never even dreamed it would have. I am so blessed to be married to a man that I can laugh, and cry with. I married my soul mate my other half my best friend.

Yes, we have met challenges but that has made us stronger and ready to face what ever comes our way. We know that Father God is in charge of us that He will light our steps and when we stray onto the unlighted path He will be there to help us find our way.

Still Smiling!!!

9 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-14T20:42:00.008-06:00

Tonight I will talk about The Donner!!!

Now I am telling his story as an outsider and sharing with you some of the tidbits that I have gleaned from family gatherings and the time that I have spent with him. To start out Donnie grew up around St. Louis, MO, his family moved around the St. Louis metro and finally settled west in a little town called Jonesburg, MO. His parents were very young when they had the kids and as young parents often do......the biological father decided not to be a part of the family anymore. But that is OK because Donnie's step dad stepped right in and made those kids his own. Donnie has an older sister and a younger brother.....yep he is a middle child.

Little Donnie is sooooo Cute!!!

From the stories I have been told about his growing up....he was quite ornery.....not a lot has changed. There was the time that he rode his bike into a brick wall.....I believe he was playing chicken and his brakes went out.......and numerous stories of him and his siblings having "disagreements"....typical kid stuff.

He was a Jock

He married his High School sweetheart a year or two out of High School and started working for Olan Mills taking pictures for the club plan. With being a newly married couple and him traveling so much it was only a matter of time until they would part ways. After the break up of his marriage he decided to move to Iowa and continue his Olan Mills career. He moved in with a friend that worked for the same company in the Church Division......they were just a couple of single guys working and having "fun"...we will leave it at that.

What a Ham!!!

While having all of the "fun" he met his second wife and that is where our beautiful children come into the picture. He had gotten to that age where he thought it was time to settle down and have some kids so he did. I have my opinions why the marriage didn't last but that is what they are and this is a happy story so I will keep them to myself. Upon the demise of his second marriage he decided a career change was in order and that is how he got into the concrete business......he had worked construction off and on during the Olan Mills days...there were some very slow months in the picture business. His family had grown their business and they wanted Donnie to be a part of it. We have now made it to the portion of the story where I come in and I don't want to give it all away tonight.

Service and a Smile

Donnie is a creative, hard working, sweet, caring and loving husband. He has had some big mountains to overcome but he has chosen to learn from those long treacherous climbs instead of living in pity and anger.....I applaud him for not letting some rough times dictate who he is. It takes a stronger man to face his giants then to let his giants chase him.

He is so Handsome!!!

I may lose my patience with him on a regular basis (he likes to push me) and I may not always like his brutal honesty but I could not imagine being married to anyone else....he is a good provider, a fun friend and a wonderful mate.

10 Days to 10 Years

2009-01-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

This is that time of the year when the Donner and I both keep an eye on the calender because there is an important day coming up. Ten Years ago on the 23rd of January I became Mrs. Donald Edwards.......and boy has it been a ride!!!! I am going to try and tell a bit of our story over the next 10 days....this will take great discipline on my part.

It all started 13.5 years ago, I had gotten a job working for Olan Mills in their Church Directory Division. My first day was in a little church in Northeastern Iowa (about 3-4 hours from my home) and as I pull up to the church, standing by his van is a very handsome fella. I would soon learn that he was my photographer for the week.

The first thing that stands out in my mind is the way he was with the clients....he made them feel at ease and by doing so took some great pictures. His wit made me laugh and I found myself instantly attracted to him.

His first impression of me was....hold on this is really romantic......"she's cute but she has a big butt"....yes that is the romantic story my husband tells our kids.....doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy??

Now the fact that we were attracted to each other was not convenient for either of us, I had a boyfriend that was an absolute sweetheart but we were more like buddies than a couple and Donnie had been separated from his wife for 10 months and had other things going on in his life.

It all started with harmless flirting and before you know it I couldn't stop thinking about him.........this was not good......needless to say he was having the same issue. The more we were paired as a team and spent time together the inevitable happened.....we fell in love....I wasn't looking for it but it got me and it got me bad!!!!

It was not the ideal situation and if you were looking from the outside in you would have thought that I was crazy, but when I was around him it was like I had known him all my life........like a piece of me that had been missing was found. Though we have had our rough patches, I can't imagine my life with out him......he is my friend, my love and my strength.

Someday

2009-01-09T19:52:00.002-06:00

This picture was in a bunch of my grandma's pictures but I am not sure who this couple is. It is on a postcard and from what I can discern that was common practice back in the old days. We have found a lot of pictures that have been made into postcards; not just portraits but daily life like the picture above.

I wonder if some day that will be the Donner and me? We will be sitting on our stoup with laptops reading the news.........do they even have stoups anymore?

I think that is part of the problem with our society, we are connected on the run.....what happened to the days of sitting on the front porch and talking to your neighbors and taking the time to listen to their responses?

I know we have gained much with the information age but has the price been bigger than the gain?

Perhaps I just have an old soul.

What do you think are we more connected or more disconnected?

You Lookin at My Chip??

2009-01-08T22:55:00.002-06:00

Biscuit is the guarder of all things edible. My friend Missy gave Biscuit something to watch over. After to many close encounters with the other dogs she finally eat it but there was a lot of protecting and flaunting of it before hand. Maybe that is why the vet tells us we need to put her on a diet!!!

Countertops

2009-01-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

Since my husband now has some time at home and there is good chance that we will be moving he has decided to jump into projects with a new found fervor. He has a habit of making changes with out telling me because he wants to surprise me (it is sweet but sometimes I wish he would ask before he does things). When he painted the kitchen I had a bit of a melt down and bless his heart he felt so bad, but he has more than made up for that little indiscretion. He has redone our kitchen countertops!!!

My husband is very talented and I wish his confidence was as strong as his work ethic.....I think he could work for himself and be very successful........I digress. The Donner had done our original countertops and they were cool but this new treatment he has used is freakin' AWESOME!!!! He has taken an epoxy floor treatment and has applied it to our countertops.

Rolling on the stinky epoxy

Kind of looks like pudding.....hmmm I think I need a snack

It is fun to make swirly messes

OHHHHH AHHHHHH Glitter!!!!!!

Now I thought the first application was cool and I was happy with it but my dear husband is a perfectionist and he was not happy with it....it needed something else he thought......so he darkened it and then waxed it up so it shines. I wish you could see it in person because the pictures do not do it justice. It is just so pretty!!!! I mean it has glitter.....how could it not be pretty?

Wax on Wax off!!

Its like Buht-er!!

Can you see the glitter???

Roscoe likes it!!!!

Secret Sister

2009-01-06T21:40:00.000-06:00

A few years ago I had my 20 year class reunion and the most wonderful thing happened........I reconnected with some old friends. A handful of us decided that we wanted to stay connected so we have a girls weekend about every 3-4 months. These weekends are our excuse to act like silly girls....we laugh, eat junk food and talk!!!! This year we decided that we would have a Secret Sister, so for Christmas, our birthdays and a surprise day we send little gifts......little chances to share how much we appreciate each other.

Before Christmas I received an envelope in the mail and this is what I found:

I was sooooooo excited!!!! I love paper crafting and fun stickers are always a welcome tidbit....I am also a recipe collector so the adorable recipe cards were an added bonus.

Now I was perfectly pleased with this envelop of goodies but then........as I was pulling out of the driveway on my way to work one morning I happened to look on the front porch and low and behold there was a box. I was sure that it was an e-bay remnant (my husband likes the e-bay.....OK I have found a few treasures as well) but I stopped (I was already late so a few minutes wasn't going to matter) got out of the car and as I approached the box my curiosity turned to joy!!!! Another Secret Sister BOX!!!!!!!

I had learned earlier that week that my husband was unemployed and though I know that God has a GRAND plan for us I was feeling the heaviness that comes with loss so that little box was a much needed surprise!!!!

When I opened up the box I found what I thought was the mother load but soon discovered that my Secret Sister was very tricky. Once I opened the boxes I found more gems...I am a fan of Roosters, their morning song, beautiful feathers and attitude make me smile. I got the mother load alright....the Rooster Load!!! Don't miss the little snowman.....he is just precious.

After a little investigation I realized I had 2 Secret Sisters.....I am truly blessed and Thankful for my dear friends and their generosity.

I think I will name this guy Roscoe he looks so dapper in his vest!!!

Hello 2009!!!!

2008-12-31T23:59:00.000-06:00

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
~Martin Luther

I pray that 2009 fills your life with many blessings!!!

Changes

2008-12-26T08:43:00.003-06:00

From the words of the great Rock Band Tesla: "Changes, time's makin' changes in my life Rearrangin', always changin', can't seem to stop the hands of time......Can't you see, it's changin' everything......Nothin' ever stays the same, it's always gonna change I'm on my my way".

That was the theme of 2008 for us....the changes started small but seem to have snowballed throughout the year until it came came to a head on the 15th of December. After seven years of service to my husband's company they decided it was time to cut their ties with him. This was a complete shock to us and a complete shock to his boss.....it was a corporate made decision (a bad one) so it was based on seniority not on performance. Only a couple of weeks before it happened we were talking about all of the projects that he had going and that was some good job security.....the irony of it all.

This is God's way of moving us to the next part of our life. We had gotten to comfortable and put more merit in the security we had then our trust in God.......He is now showing us that He is greater than all of those things. He will give us better than what we had but in the meantime He is teaching us lesson after lesson. We will step up and learn the lessons because we don't want to have to learn them again!!!! Please pray for us that God's will be done in our lives that we will hear what He is telling us and we will go where He needs us to go.

Now please do not think that I am so righteous that I am not feeling a bit stressed about this. What I know to be truth and what I am feeling are two different things right now but I know that God will prevail and maybe that is the lesson......I am no longer living on feelings but I am living on trust.

I pray that God will be with all of you and give you joy daily and strength through your storms.

Merry Christmas!!!!

2008-12-25T11:41:00.005-06:00

Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved. ~Augusta E. Rundel

Merry Christmas Blogging Family!!!

My Machine

2008-12-16T19:00:00.000-06:00

I have had various hand me down sewing machines throughout the years. I have looked longingly at the new fancy machines with all the embroidery and fancy things they do but needs outweigh wants and I have to say I really like my current machine.

What a pretty machine!!!

I was hitting garage sales one day after work a couple of summers ago and ran across this little beauty. It was a gentleman’s mother’s machine and she had taken VERY good care of it. It was like brand new and it had a cabinet to boot. I dickered with him…..which is out of my norm……he was asking $25 for the machine and I got him down to $15…….I think he was ready to be done with the garage sale. I loaded that pretty little machine up and down the road I went…….it was the first machine I had ever purchased….it was not a borrow…..it wasn’t a hand me down (I am very appreciative of both of those things but....)…….it was mine and it was such a great feeling. You fellow creative types know what I mean (I hope so or I am just a FREAK) I had bought something that would help me in my endeavor to create beautiful things (ok it was going to help with ordinary things but I like to focus on the beautiful). I think sometimes the thought process is the best…I have ideas for days but not always the now how on how to accomplish them……I tend to be very critical of myself…..I am working on it though!!!

I have helpers!!!

I pulled into the drive and asked my husband to help me get her unloaded and I must say he was quite impressed……..he thought it was a cool looking machine…..he was surprised with himself for liking my new machine so much (I was kind of worried he was going to take it to the man cave). We got her set up and she has helped me put those crazy ideas floating around in the abyss called my brain into fruition.

The messy sewing area.....yes I am missing a lampshade....it is on the list!!!!

I did have to replace her belt after a few months but this machine has been around for a while so I didn’t mind…..I hope since winter is here…..and it is here…the snow has fallen…..that I will get back up there and see what happens. I was cleaning my sewing area the other day…..sometimes I just like to organize my fabric so I can dream of what is to come…..and a little kiss from God hoped right outside my window…..a bright red Cardinal. I was sitting at my machine getting reacquainted and there he was just as happy as could be….I am taking that as a sign to get busy up there!!!

It is an odd brand….I have looked on the internet but have not come up with much on it……has anybody heard of a Coronado Sewing Machine?

A Very Very Very small pile of fabric....not even the tip of the iceberg....barely a thought about the iceberg!!!

I would like to learn a little history about it….I have had several moments at her and thought of the previous owner and the things she may have created…..should we name my beautiful machine???
Do you have any ideas?
Do you think I am off of my rocker because I want to name her???
I could be a little….but don’t tell anyone!!!

A New Day is Dawning

2008-12-12T21:10:00.008-06:00

My husband is a horrible secret keeper and try as he may I either find out (not on purpose) or he buckles and tells me. A couple of weeks a go I was monitoring our e-mail while I was at work (I was logged on because I was using it.....monitoring sounds like I am some kind of dictator....I am not trust me.....at least I don't think I am). As I am e-mailing back and forth with my friend I keep seeing these e-mails from Dell...they weren't the usual advertisements. After a little digging I found out that my husband was trying to buy me a computer (we had talked about me getting my own computer.....so I didn't have to share or should I say he wouldn't have to share). I was so excited it was pink with a pink mouse and it would be all mine!!!

Monday I got an e-mail telling me that my computer was going to take longer than expected to get to me......I was a little disappointed......so Donnie said cancel it we will go look tonight after work. When I get home He had already gone SHOPPING!!!!! I am now the proud owner of a Pink Gateway computer....Yes I said PINK!!!!!!

Isn't it pretty????

It's Pink....a total Girl Machine!!!!

Look it's Princess S!!!

I will be able to talk to people and see them and they can see me.....how very Star Trek.............all the aliens are doing it!!!!

I will now have time to blog when ever I WANT!!! I will not have to wait until the big battle is won on Battlenet. I won't have to chance putting things on the computer only to find the have been lost or deleted.........I am going to be a computer Snob.......a selfish little computer piggie!!!!

I have a quilting program I have been wanting to add to the other computer but never got a chance, I have Microsoft Office to add (I can just imagine all of the wonderful things that are going to come pouring out of me and now I will have a place to but them...A New Day Really is Dawning!!!!). I am so excited I just can't stand it!!!!

Now that I have put all of this pressure on myself I think I need to get some rest....good night my blogging friends and I hope to be on here more frequently.

I Must Apologize

2008-12-10T18:34:00.007-06:00

I am afraid I have been a very bad blogging host!!!
It seems like forever since I have been on here!!!

I do sneak some reads in daily but my comments and posts have been sparse, I apologize.

Here is what is happening in the World of Princess S: Work has picked UP......YEAH!!!! I do much better when I am busy...my mind can wander if I am not focused and sometimes the trips it takes are not very enjoyable!!! The Donner has gotten the Riviera started (I hope to get video on some day) he was as giddy as a School Girl at Show and Tell!!! Our home computer is not playing nice and the Donner is out of town so it may be a while before we get that straightened out but he has decided that I need my own computer......that way I won't be lurking over his shoulder when he is on the computer......I don't know why that bothers him???? I am not sure when that is going to happen because the computer that he ordered is taking longer than anticipated. For now I am using Andrew's computer and I am quite sure he is not going to appreciate the oodles of vintage clip art I have saved to his computer.....DOH!!!!

The Donner is in Florida......our temperatures were in the teens this morning....he had the gall to tell me that he was a little chilly where he was, the temperature was 68!!!! He is just not right!!!!! I can't be to mad at him because we did get some snow yesterday and it was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I Love Snow (until February and then I am done with it)!!!!

I got to go to Iowa and spend time with my buddy Missy last weekend......we paper crafted and hung out all weekend talking girl stuff.......it was awesome.......I miss girl talk and Missy!!!! Then my Mamma's birthday was on Sunday so I stopped for a quick visit.....I wish I would have had enough time to make it to Ottumwa and visit with my family there.....next time for sure.

I know that this hasn't been to exciting but I think of my blogging friends often and hope to be more diligent in my posting in the future.

I Don't Know What is Wrong

2008-12-04T15:20:00.000-06:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to get back on here...my real life has taken over and is totally interrupting my blog life.....unacceptable!!!!

Since I have turned 40 I have had this need to get things done....this has not been how I have conducted myself in the past. I am the QUEEN of unfinished projects......I have boxes and tubs full of started but unfinished undertakings and up until recently they haven't really bothered me. In the last 2-4 months I have been on a rampage and I have another project to mark off of the list!!! My Real life and Blog life friend Missy bestowed upon me several items to create a clip board, she makes them and they are adorable!!! I 'll be darned if I not only did I start the project but I finished it.....with in a couple of weeks!!!! What is wrong with me....am I growing up?????? I will secretly admit I am liking this new direction....I just hope that the wheel doesn't turn on me!!!!

I had to have a Red Rooster!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God.

~Ray Stannard Baker

Preparations

2008-11-26T20:28:00.002-06:00

It is Wednesday night and I am 1/2 way through my list of preparations......I am not trying to brag but the 3 glasses of wine that have helped me through this process are making me a little cocky. This is the first Thanksgiving that I have ever gotten to prepare myself. I would love to be able to share this time with my family in IA, MO and TX but this year we are sharing it with the boys here at home. Though the rest of our families (that includes friends who are like family.....you know who you are) are miles away they are in our hearts and we love them all very much.

I am excited to see how the turkey turns out (I have been laboring over that a bit........if I read anything else about it I will turn into a turkey) but I am more excited to see if my labor has brought smiles to my boys faces or if I will have to pull the frozen pizza out of the freezer.

Sorry I had to step away for a minute to pull the cheese cake out of the oven (Pumpkin Swirl......just like my head is swirling) and now I need to make my Pecan Pie....I hope that it is as pretty as the ones I see in the books and magazines.

I hope all of you enjoy the preparations, food, fellowship and the overall day tomorrow and I will be thinking of quite a few of you.....many of you have been so open and gracious and for that I am truly Thankful.....you are on my list of blessing!!! May God Bless You All!!!

Jury Duty

2008-11-24T16:12:00.003-06:00

I had the honor of spending the better part of my day in the Wyandotte County Courthouse......not by choice or because I was naughty!!!! I was called to fulfill my civic duty and report to Jury Duty. We have lived here almost 6 years and this is the 2nd time I have been called. I have never been called to Jury Duty any where else I have lived......I am strongly questioning living in this county!!!!

One would think that those big old buildings would be cold so being the smart thinker that I am I wore a long sleeve shirt and a sweater..................WRONG THING TO DO!!!! It had to be around 85-90 degrees in both buildings........I finally broke down and took my shirt off.......I was schfitzing in November!!!!

The process to pick the jury lasted longer than the trail did......oh yea I was picked for the jury.....I was juror #9!!! I did more waiting and sitting around than anything but it was an adventure and I met some fun people. Four of us ventured off for lunch and found an authentic Honduras Restaurant.....it was yummy!!!

I know that serving on Jury duty can be a real inconvenience and sometimes a waste of time but that is a small inconvenience to deal with in order to have the freedoms that we have. It is my right and my duty and I was glad I got to serve. At least I am off of the hook for another year!!!

Holiday Project

2008-11-23T08:32:00.003-06:00

I have never prepared a "Holiday Meal" by myself. This year since the boys are with us I decided to tackle the task. Now like every good hostess I know that table adornments are very important and my first project is the place card for each table setting.

I am a clip art JUNKIE......vintage clip art and I am in a full blown tizzy of excitement. There is no way I am ever going to use the numbers of clip art that I have on our computer but I just keep loading it on. Since I am said lover of clip art I searched for what I would use (this is quite a process in itself....I am very fickle and I labor over how I want to do things way too long) I found several items and came up with several ideas then I stumbled across this:

I like cornucopias, perhaps it is because I was raised on a farm and I appreciate the symbolism of the harvest it portrays or it could be because of the pretty colors, either way that is what I chose. I printed it on to card stock (sometimes I get excited and mid way through I see things I would have changed, example: I should have used a cream card stock) and then I colored in the pattern and added some glitter.......no project is complete with out glitter!!!

Now I am stuck......do I use some stain around the pattern and age it a little, do I cut them out (this would be quite a tedious task) and add them to colored paper or do I just put the names on then and call it good. I must say I will be the only one that appreciates these little table embellishments but I do want it to be pretty....even if it is just for me.

An Early Tradition Revealed

2008-11-19T10:57:00.004-06:00

I am a tried and true believer that Christmas is not to be thought of until after Thanksgiving…..now that doesn’t mean that I won’t wait up until midnight on Thanksgiving Day so that I can pull all of the Christmas stuff out and get my decorating on, but, I will not do it a minute before midnight. I feel that we are in such a rush for the Christmas season that we loose the whole meaning of Thanksgiving…..we need to celebrate our history, we need to be thankful for what we have, not worrying about what we are going to get. If we do not address Thanksgiving whole heartedly we loose some of the magic associated with Christmas.

Saying that…..I am going to make an exception to the rule (just so you can all be prepared for midnight next Thursday….I am thinking about you…I got it like that!!!) and share with you one of my Christmas season traditions. A few years back a friend of mine introduced me to book that has become a must for my Christmas Season enjoyment, it is called Four Midwestern Sisters’ Christmas Book by Holly Burkhalter. Every Friday after Thanksgiving, instead of beating my way through the crowds at the stores and causing myself great stress over the rudeness that has become our society, I sit at home with a cup of Hot Buttered Rum (recipe to follow) to which the recipe comes from the afore mentioned book. I escape back to a simpler time when traditions and family were what the season where all about. I pretend to be a part of the happy gatherings and parties they reminisce about and I find my self starting to fill with the joy of the Holiday Season…..it could be that the Hot Buttered Rum is a tiny bit responsible for some of that cheer.

The Daileys’ Hot Buttered Rum
From the book Four Midwestern Sisters’ Christmas Book by Holly Burkhalter

Mixture:
2 cups Butter, melted
2lb. light brown sugar
1t cinnamon
1t allspice
1t ground cloves
1t nutmeg
4 eggs

Added upon serving:
Rum
Boiling water

Beat together the butter, brown sugar, spices and eggs until emulsified (at least 15 min but be sure to turn the mixer off once and a while to let it cool down). Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, put a heaping tablespoon of the mixture in a mug, stir in 1.5 ounces of Rum, and fill the mug with boiling water.

I have used the spiced Rum before and it gives it a little more kick. I have to be careful with Rum it makes me very warm all over so it is really good on a night when it is cold and I am in need of some warmth. The mixture makes around 35 servings so be sure to share!!!

What to Say

2008-11-18T15:45:00.003-06:00

I have lots I would like to blog about today but I just can't seem to get it out right so I will leave you with this picture. The picture is from our Seattle trip and I think I have posted it before. I needed something to calm the chaos inside my head and I thought this might be helpful.

Do you have times where you have so much to say but can't get it out?

Gazing at this picture causes me to reflect on the Greatness of My God and when I think of Him the storm inside calms and there is peace.

I Would Like to Thank the Academy...or Missy

2008-11-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

My dear and life long friend Missy at http://thejensenscrazeelife.blogspot.com/ has awarded me my first blog awards......Thanks Friend!!!! I now get to award these gems to some fellow bloggers.....I am quite new to this world and have a little anxiety over this picking because I have found so many great blogs. As each day passes less and less gets done in my real world because I would rather spend time in my blog world.........it is so much friendlier in the blog world!!!! But I am a trooper so I will press on and share this award with some very deserving bloggers.

http://nalleyvalley.blogspot.com/ - I have just recently started following her story but she has such a beautiful and genteel soul I come away from her blog feeling like I just got a big hug.

http://www.crazycowcountryfarm.com/blog/ - This peach makes me laugh and I thoroughly enjoy the adventures of her family and their pet cow.

http://athomewiththefarmerswife.blogspot.com/ - This is one of the first blogs I started following....I love her way with words and her eclectic mix of stories.

http://frakerfarm.blogspot.com/ -Miss Paula is a kindred spirit, her love of animals mirrors mine and her narrative of farm life makes my heart yearn for the day I am back on the land.

http://restyledhome.blogspot.com/ - This is the spot I go when I am needing some creative inspiration and in desperate need of getting in touch with my feminine self.

Below are the awards for these brave bloggers and I look forward to more tales of their daily lives. Thank you ladies for being a safe haven in a sometimes scary world. I hope that you enjoy the awards and share these offerings of gratitude with some other deserving story tellers.

The Smile Award qualifications are:

1. Display a cheerful attitude
2. Love one another
3. Makes mistakes(and boy do I ever!!!)
4. Learn from others
5. Be a positive contributor to the blog world.
6. Love life.
7. Love kids!!!!!

The Rules:

1. You must link back to the creator.

2. Post the rules.

3. Choose 5 people to give the award to.

4. Recipients must fill characteristics above.

5. Create a post to share.

6. You must thank the winner.

The Superior Scribbler Award

The Rules:

1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the award on to 5 most deserving blog friends.

2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom he/she received the award.

3. Each Superior Scribbler must display the award on his/her blog, and link to this post, which explains the award.

4. Each blogger who wins the Superior Scribbler award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky list. That way, we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives this award!!!

5. Each superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.I am awarding both awards to the following blog friends!!!!

I Am Proud To Be An American

2008-11-11T20:32:00.004-06:00

For those who have sacrificed so much in order for me to be able to Love my God with out fear, write on my blog, speak my mind and many other things I am sure I take for granted; I honor you, appreciate you and I am forever grateful for your service. May God Truly Bless You All!!!!

My Public Service Announcement

2008-11-11T13:45:00.004-06:00

When it comes to sweets I think I show pretty good restraint. I try to eat healthy and only splurge on certain occasions and even then I rarely have an all out gorge fest. BUT……my Achilles Heel.....my Pandora’s Box......my equivalent to crack……are Mint M&Ms! I love me some York Peppermint Patties and I enjoy a good Carmelita bar once and a while……but……when it comes to Mint M&Ms I lose all sense of reason and restraint.
My intentions are good when I start out, but once I pop one of those little tidbits of chocolaty - minty goodness into my mouth I am unable to find my ability to think straight…..I will eat myself into a stomach ache…….I will be curled up in a corner assuming the fetal position with glazed eyes and continuous Rainman ramblings emerging from me in a matter of minutes…..”Need more M&Ms gotta go to K-Mart”!!! It is not a pretty sight and perhaps it is a secret best kept to myself but if I can save one more unsuspecting soul from that state of being, I feel it is my civic duty. My one saving grace is that these delectable little treats only come out once a year so I am safe for at least 10 months out of the year…….unless I see a Cheesecake Factory on the horizon……Oh Goodness!!!

Friday Night Thoughts

2008-11-07T19:04:00.002-06:00

The Donner is out in the man cave and the boys are at work so I have an evening to myself. I should be downstairs moving things around so the Donner can clean up my floor (it has some ooky mastic on it and the Donner has some wonder stuff to get it up). I am going to create a space for me, a place to dream, design and bring to fruition beautiful things.......since the boys moved in last June I have no space of my own, it appears I am being banished to the basement. I once laid claim to all the rooms in the house but I have to share and I am more than willing to do so since that means we have the boys with us.

As I was driving home tonight I had a lot of reflective thoughts running through my head. Apparently the drive was too long and my mind has been filled with thoughts of paint chips and fabric swatches........floor coverings..........shelving!!!!!! I am so easily distracted...I enjoyed the deep thoughts when I was having them but my vanity has taken over and I get to dream of making an oasis for ME........a girl cave........a creative studio........an escape.........the basement!!!!

What things do you or would you have in your space?

Where is your space?

What do you do in your space?

Inquiring minds want to know!!!!!

Tagged

2008-11-04T04:30:00.000-06:00

I have been tagged and I have to come up with 7 weird things about myself (granted I am sure there are more than 7) for my dear friend Missy. This is going to take some thought because I would like to stay in my delusional world of thinking I am perfectly normal. More to come later....

This has been very eye opening for me...I guess I knew I had some of these quirks but actually acknowledging them is a whole different thing.....I may need some therapy after this!!!

7 of Princess S' Quirks

1. I am a counter, I count stairs, I count the number of times I push on the paper towel dispenser, I count the number of pumps for my lotion.......the really weird part is that I can not have a count of 6.....not good...6 bad!! I don't quite know when this started but it seems to get worse when I am stressed...talk about annoying!

2. I am a singer, all it takes is for some one to say something in conversation that resembles a line from a song and I will just belt it out....unlike the counting I have more control over this quirk

3. I can not work on one project at a time....I can have several projects going at once which probably explains why I never seem to get them finished in a timely manner........doesn't help that I am easily distracted either.

4. As much as I don't like to admit this out loud....I am stubborn....to a fault sometimes....no comments on this one PLEASE!!!

5. I am a VERY forgiving person. I don't hold grudges very long if at all....life is too short to let someone steal my joy.

6. I have a terrible memory.....it is very sporadic....I can tell you the favorite number of a friend from several years ago, that I haven't talked to in years but I can't remember what I had for lunch or did last weekend.....what the heck is that about?????

7. I have to touch everything when I am shopping....sometimes there is smelling involved. That is why I love shopping at Joann's Fabrics....there is a lot to touch and smell.

The sad thing is I have an on going list.....this may have been a bad thing to start!!!

Prince Charming

2008-11-01T22:07:00.004-05:00

Here is my Prince Charming.....the Donner!!!

How could a girl not swoon over that????

Again I love making costumes and his was no exception. The hair was something else I can tell you that!!!

Look at my sword lassie!!!

Fabio Who???

My Peeps Weekend Fall 2008

2008-11-01T12:25:00.000-05:00

Friday was spent with my friend Missy............we had a grand adventure.

When I a lived in Ankeny, IA I had a quite a few places that I liked to frequent, Howell Tree Farm was on the top of that list. Howell Tree Farm is more than just a tree farm, they have a pumpkin patch and a BIG old barn that has a gift shop. Above the gift shop hanging from the rafters are bunches and bunches of dried flowers available for purchase.......it is amazing!!!! Another stop was going to be The Farmhouse (an herb farm with a little shop full of treasures) but when we got there it was a massage therapy place........we thought about a quick massage before we headed on but we still had a lot of territory to cover so we trekked on. Another of my favorite places we stopped at was the Brass Armadillo (I had worked at the one in Ankeny), it is a GINORMOUS antique mall....there were lots of treasures to be found there, that was for sure. I spent the night with Missy and the next morning she treated me to some Spiced Pumpkin Latte.......look out Starbucks!!!! It was so yummy and the perfect start to a fall day in Iowa. Saturday had some more adventures in store for us...........

The sign for the Howell Tree Farm..........if it hadn't been raining I would have gotten out of the car and taken a better picture

This picture doesn't do the place (rafters full of dried flowers) justice but can you imagine all of the things that you could make with these beauties?

A true Brass Armadillo treasure......who wouldn't want these salt and pepper shakers on their table??? UMMMMM.......Yea!!!!

Not only was the Pumpkin Spice Latte Yummy it was pretty!!!!

When I was a little girl my mom was a Girl Scout leader and apparently she was a really good one because she has left a lasting impression with several of my friends from school......a daughter can't really give an unbiased opinion...I mean she is my mom....she is just cool and always has been. One of the most memorable events was the Halloween Party that she threw in our garage when I was around 10. That party is still talked about (it was a blow out....we were some partying 10yr olds back then). The thing that sticks out in my head is bobbing for apples (what a silly thing to remember.....I guess I really liked sticking my head in cold water.....who knew????), but each girl has their own memory of the event and we love to reminisce.

Nutty Professor aka Momma

Jan Brady Aka Tami

Pippi aka Missy

Gereatric Night Timer aka Martina

Witchy aka ME

Our scrapbooking project

More of our project

OK I try not to be a big bragger (at least I don't think I do.....I am sure you will all let me know if I am) but I kinda want to toot my own horn right now..........sorry I will try to refrain from to much of this in the future. I am a quilter (OK, I like to quilt but I haven't made enough time lately to qualify as a quilter) and I really enjoy sewing costumes so I took this opportunity to combine two things that I enjoy and the pictures that follow are the result.....not to bad if I say so myself. I see a lot of room for improvement and may try to make a better product in the future.......why you ask.....because I can and I love a challenge.

The cone was all me the rim was from a hat I purchased at Joann's (my second home)

love to embroider spider webs....they just look so cool when you get done....I want to try a more intricate one next time......why you ask......because I can and I am out of control!!!!

The gray fabric with the embroidery......yes that was me.....I tend to get carried away but I think it turned out OK.......why you ask.....bcause I can!!!!!

My Constant Lesson

2008-10-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

You show me the path of life. In your PRESENCE there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forever more. Psalm 16:11

If there is one thing I know for truth in this world it would be that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and when I am seeking Him my life is a grand adventure....when I am wrapped up in myself and not making time for Him it is one dreary task after another.

Daily tasks are the devil's greatest weapon, they preoccupy my time, even when I am doing one I am thinking about the next one. When I finally sit down for some quiet time with God all I can think about is what I haven't accomplished that day. This invasion of the mind starts small. I can be firmly rooted in God and nothing bothers me then before I know it I have let my guard down just a little (that is all it takes.....just a smidgen) and I hear one little whisper, then another, then another and then before you know it I am engaging in a time wasting conversation with myself and I am weighed down with burdens (usually self imposed). This is the tricky part...how long do I carry these burdens?

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Psalm 68:19

That is just it.....I don't have to carry the burden or burdens, I have a Saviour who will carry it for me, it is my choice to hold on to those burdens. How do I overcome such a curse?

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus in the above passage reveals to me that I need to rest in Him. I seem to go around the same mountain over and over but my hiking boots are wearing out and I am in need of a spiritual alignment. I will stop and find rest in my true love for He gave His all that I might have life....not a puny life but a life more abundant.

Seattle Adventure

2008-10-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

One of the perks of my husband traveling is that he builds up points for free plane tickets, another perk is that when he goes some place fun I get to join him by using those free tickets!!!! The weekend of October 10th I got to go to Seattle, WA to spend some one on one time with my honey (he had to work part of the time so I got a little me time...that was nice!!!)

What a Happy Fella....I seem to really like birds.
I had lots of pictures of them....who knew???

Donnie has been to Washington State several times and absolutely loves it. The Donner is one of those people that could live anywhere and be happy, he doesn't have attachments........that was until he went to Washington State......it happens to be is one of those places that he would like to move to......ummmmm that is a LONG ways from IOWA!!!! I will have to admit I can understand his infatuation, the scenery is beautiful and the people are beautiful (very friendly and laid back) just the way we like it.

Downtown Seattle

don't be looking for the Space Needle I didn't take any pictures of it

I am not a very good tourist

A little vertical action for your viewing pleasure

By the farmers market there is a park that has this view....Wow!!

I left MCI (Kansas City) on Thursday morning at 6:45 a.m. (I know....very early) and arrived at SEA (Seattle/Tacoma) at 9:30...first thing I did was get me some coffee....I was in the land of the highly caffeinated......when in Rome!!! The Donner picked me up we got some breakfast at Jack-in-the-Box (only the best for the Donner's woman) and then met Mike (The Donner's co-worker) and went to where they were going to be giving their training. Once we had established where they were going to set up Mike thought I needed to see Downtown so he dropped me off at the original Starbuck's (it is located at the Pike's Peak Farmer's Market) and left me to fend for my self among the bohemians. I must say I have never seen so many dreadlocks (now saying that, you would have thought I would have taken a picture of them.....wrong) it had a very artsy feel and I loved it. There were stands that had big bunches of flowers for $5 and all kinds of yummy looking fruits and veggies (I wish I would have had a kitchen), booth after booth of jewelry, t-shirts, and any kind of craft you could think of but my favorite ones were the fish marketers. The fish stand workers were putting on a show selling their wares in the most vocal ways...singing, yelling and giving each other a hard time....the energy in the whole market was so exciting.

Pikes Peak Farmer's Market...not quite like my hometowns that is for sure

Still the farmer's market...they had this lush foliage on over the city

The Fish Marketers

Hello little crabs, you look yummy

Park view of the Farmer's Market

One of my favorite things to do is to peruse through antique shops and boy did I have a lot to choose from. I strolled through a book store while I was there picked up a book and a journal.....I needed something for documentation of that great weekend, I was so jacked up on coffee I wasn't going to remember with out help.....that being said I ran through Starbucks....again (yeah I was bouncing off of the walls) then headed to a park by the ocean and jotted down a few thoughts and read my book as I sipped a Pumpkin Spice Latte (I love fall....you get to enjoy yummy things like Pumpkin Spice Lattes!!!) while I waited for the Donner to come and get me.

The Original Starbucks

The inside of the original Starbuck's

Some functional park art

What I call a perfect day

Friday I had the day to myself and Mike told me of this lovely little town north of Seattle (thank God we had a GPS in the car) called Snohomish (Sno-ho-mish now run it together.....Snohomish....very good!!!) and it was a Junk shopping girls dream!!!! There is shop after shop of exciting things to look at.....Antiques, home decor, wine, CHOCOLATE!!! It was very quaint and everyone was so friendly, in fact I met some people whose daughter is living in Fairfield, IA (that is about 30 min east of Ottumwa...my hometown). What a small world!!!! Snohomish is just the kind of town I would like to move to; small, quaint and colorful. After a great day of adventure I met the Donner at the hotel (by the ocean.....I was living the high life I tell ya) and we walked up the hill to have the best seafood dinner I have ever had.....I am ruined for ever having fish in the Midwest.......even the Donner liked it and he doesn't care for fish.

Downtown Snohomish

could you see me walking down the streets?

The River walk in Snohomish

I had to have a picture of the giant chicken

Sign by the hotel showing the Puget Sound

Our hotel was in Mukilteo right on the water

What a pretty name for a place to rest our heads

The scrumptious restaurant Arnie's

We got to sit by the sign

You have to love a restaurant that has a giant metal crab on the side of it

Seared Ahi......ahhhh YUMMY!!!

This was my first experience with raw fish...it was a good one!!

The best Salmon I have ever eaten

Donnie thought I was nuts because I was taking pictures of my food

after 3 glasses of wine I needed documentation that is wasn't a dream!!

Key Lime Pie...........not only was the food tasty it was pretty

What a view of the Puget Sound

The ferry docked right by our hotel

I had to have a picture of the mossy rocks

Saturday I got to sleep in and boy was it great....I had a morning of cable, a good book and cat napping.....I was in heaven. The Donner worked until noon and then we hoped in the car on a grand adventure. We headed east via the Northern Pass (Snoqualmie pass) and drove to Yakima, WA and the changes in the terrain were amazing...we saw everything from lush greenery and mountains to desert valleys (what an amazing country we live in....it can change in a matter of miles). We stopped at the Yakima Visitor Center and visited with the lovely ladies manning the place, loaded up on chocolate covered cherries, maps and brochures then headed for the Southern Pass (Chinook Pass) and that is where I fell in love (I am a mountain girl) with Mt. Rainier. It was so beautiful covered in snow with clouds looming around it as it stood there in all its glory....I told Donnie over and over that I was done taking scenic pictures then we would go around a bend and I would scream "STOP" I need a picture of that (I wish we would have had Donnie's camera mine did NOT do the things I saw justice). After 6hrs in the car oooohhhing and aaahhhhhing we made it to a hotel where we spent the night then got up the next day puttered around Seattle then headed home.

The valley east of the Snoqualmie Pass (don't you love these names??)

Striking a pose in front of the valley view....what is up with my hair???

I was glad I had the wrap, it got colder as our trip progressed

West of Yakima.........first of many stops to adore nature

Something about running water.....ahhhhh

This picture does not do this view justice

More running water......aaahhhhhhh

What a handsome fella...he is all mine

That is the road we were on....

yeah it was a little scary but nothing compared to where we were going

This is a hill compared to our next bend in the road

Mt. Rainier.....that is beautiful!

Look at the SNOW.........I LOVE SNOW!!!!!

The silhouettes of the trees make me giddy they are so pretty

That my friends is some majestic beauty!

Thank you Jesus!!!

What a great time we had enjoying the beauty that our glorious God created and reconnecting as a couple. Life has a way of taking those most precious things and making you forget how important they are by filling your time with duties and obligations. I discovered that I need to make trips like that mandatory, an obligation to what is really important in life.

The Kitchen

2008-10-02T03:00:00.000-05:00

I am so fickle!!!!

I have decided that it is time to change the kitchen again....it has been 5yrs and that is about the time limit on my decorating time line. I love colors....all colors...I do not discriminate. Red is my favorite color whether it be bright red, orange red, purple red, dark red and every other RED in between. Tomato Red was the color of our kitchen when we lived in Warrenton and Summer Pudding (RED) is what our current kitchen color.

The Donner lets me make the majority of the decorating decisions and goes along with my ideas (he hates when I have "IDEAS" that means more work for him and goodness, I have lots of "IDEAS"). There are those times when he has gone rogue and made some major changes while I was away from the house. For instance the first day we took possession of our house (keep in mind our movers were lost in a snow storm somewhere in Indiana so we had nothing with us....I know it doesn't make sense we moved from the St. Louis area to Kansas City....its all good) I went to get some food and came back to my new home all excited to have our first meal in our first home together and the Donner decided he didn't like a wall so he had proceeded to take an iron bar used for horseshoes too it and tore it down. Then there is the day that I went to buy handles for the kitchen cabinets and he decided that he didn't like one of the walls in the living room so he started to tear it down (do you see a pattern here?). Oh we don't want to forget the weekend I went to Iowa to have a Girl's Weekend and I came home to orange gold walls in the living room....the list goes on. Most of the The Donner's projects are happy surprises but on occasion I have to call the girls and say it is time for another weekend before I ring The Donner's neck!!! Now to his merit the living room paint has grown on me, it has all come together and The Donner is a perfectionist (that is why I am not allowed to paint anything in the house) so it looks good when he is done doing his thing.....really it his timing that I have the biggest problem with.

I can't tell you exactly when I got it into my brain that is was time for a change, it could be because every time I pass paint samples I go into a trance and start picking every color chip I can find (my purse can have up to 20 paint colors at any given time.....lets not even talk about fabric, that is a post in its self!!!). Have I mentioned that I love colors......ALL COLORS??

I am the Queen of antiquing things......give me a new piece of wood and I will make it look like it is 100yrs old (OK maybe 50). It all started with the bead board that my husband installed on our back room, we were just going to paint it a light color and be done (maybe this is where my neurosis comes into play). I couldn't handle the plain painted bead board.......BORING......so that is when I took the sander to it (much to my husband's chagrin) after I was finished doing my "work" on it, there was a big sigh of relief from The Donner and that was like giving me permission to continue on in my quest to antique the world. I did not stop in the back room I moved to the kitchen with the greatest of ease, sander in hand, I took to the cabinets with a new found passion...then there was the trim......the back splash......oh don't forget the outlet covers (I couldn't stop!!!!!). But like all good things it had to come to an end, The Donner unplugged me and locked up the sander (I WILL have you again my little sander!!!!).

Look at all of the pretty COLORS!!!!

I really like the yellows and the taupes..........right now anyway

Countertop Choices

I think this is what I have decided on, the straw color will go on the walls, the white color the ceiling, the brown will be added to the cabinet doors and red trim in the back room but I will antique that finish (I am coming for you my little sander!!!) and the red will be a countertop finish...it will not be plain red The Donner has some great ideas for that, it is an epoxy coating and you can throw specs in it to give it some pizazz!!!

What do you think Henny????

Healing

2008-09-28T08:58:00.005-05:00

For years I have had annoying little health quirks and had just learned to live with them but something about turning 40 made me decide that it was time to do something about them if I could.

12years ago my Dr. told me that I had Hypothyroidism (what an ugly name), it means that my thyroid is a slug!!!! The thyroid is the air traffic center of the body, it tells all of the chemicals where to go and how much, mine decided that it was tired which in turn made me extremely tired. At the time that I was diagnosed, I was traveling a lot for my job so I just played it off as travel fatigue......I was wrong. That diagnosis has entitled me to take a little pill everyday of my life (I guess you could say it is like giving my thyroid a shot of espresso), again it is more annoying than life threatening.

Fertility.....that has been a topic that brings a twinge to my heart. Since I was a young girl the one thing that women posses has been out of whack for me. I was put on birth control when I was 12 in order to straighten it out...it worked for a while but the changes it caused to my body were not especially kind (no adolescent girl should have to go through that, there are already so many things going on with in our bodies at that time). Needless to say I stopped taking the birth control and just learned to deal with the ups and downs of the woman's gift (it really is a gift, it my be an inconvenient one but still a gift).

In 1999 I went to see a Dr. about the dreaded infertility issue, he put me on a (HORRIBLE) drug that worked, I got pregnant and it was very exciting.......but he forgot to address the real issue and I lost the baby at 11wks. The reason I had taken the fertility drug was because my body does not produce enough progesterone.....very important to have when a woman first gets pregnant it is instrumental in the development of the baby. I asked a couple of Dr.'s about why I miscarried, should I have been taking more progesterone when I got pregnant? I got the same answer by each Dr. "your body automatically produces it when you get pregnant", if my body could not produce it with out drugs before how in the world was it going to start producing it now????

After the miscarriage I started back up on the fertility drugs and like my adolescent experience with hormones I was seeing changes that were not exactly pleasant....the weight gain was BAD along with horrible mood swings (only heightened by the weight gain)....it was not a good time in my life....it was only by the grace of God that I made it through.

I have felt the effects of that time for quite a few years and I tend to be a self medicator but I just couldn't get over the being tired and not being able to lose weight......I tried everything. I was working out daily, didn't eat a lot of sweets, I didn't drink pop (I don't like the fizzy) and I ate fruits and vegetables (I like them!!!) with my lean proteins but when I would only lose 1lb. a month it got pretty discouraging. That is when I met an Angel Dr. Kelly McCone!!!!

What lead to this meeting was a terrible muscle pain around my right shoulder and up my neck. I had dealt with it for about a year and the Donner was getting sick of me complaining so I researched on our insurance website and found Dr. McCone, she specialized in Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Nutrition plus she was just down the street from my job (don't tell me there is no divine intervention).

After my first meeting with her I felt more hopeful than I ever had with any other Dr. and I knew I was on the road to recovery. She listened to what I was saying, she was interested in helping me heal....she didn't just give me a pill and say come back if this doesn't work.

Soapbox moment coming.......I have a big beef with modern medicine, it seems that they are quick to fill us with drugs and send us on our way. The relationship between Dr.'s and their patients are very sterile anymore, it is more about putting a band aid on the problem instead of finding real and lasting healing.......sorry but it is frustrating!!! Soapbox moment over.

Dr. McCone is very personable and she is just as excited for a patient to find their healing as they are. She started out adjusting me.....my body really needed that....then she had me fill out a form to see where I might be lacking in nutrition......again I really needed that......then came the acupuncture......I AM A BELIEVER!!! My sinuses were the first thing she started on....for years I had horrible sinus headaches but being the martyr that I am I just dealt with it..........not anymore between the acupuncture and the Neti Pot I have headaches very few and far between. Then she started on other problem areas.....this has not been a quick process but I have seen more results in the last 6 months than I had ever seen. The greatest thing is how much my mood has stabilized (not to say I don't have some unstable days). I don't feel lethargic all of the time....I have energy and I want to do things.......I feel like I am back to having a life.....that is a great feeling!!!!

Attack those sinuses!!!!

It doesn't hurt like you think it would...more crampy than stingy.................that is a good thing Dr. McCone assures me......oh what we go through to have healthy bodies!!!

Andrew's Big Day

2008-09-21T18:57:00.008-05:00

Yesterday started out like a typical Saturday, I slept in until 7:30, Donnie was up at 6:00 (this is going to sound pathetic but that is sleeping in for him) and started working on his car and the boys slept in until about 10:30 (Donnie decided it was time for them to get up). I had a fun day planned with my friend Sarah (we met in Parkville, MO.....my favorite spot in the KC metro) and the boys (I mean men) had manly things to attend to (I have learned the less I know the better off I am).

We had found a car (1971 Pontiac T37) for Andrew earlier in the week and the guy called and said that we could come and pick it up on Saturday instead of on Sunday.....a very manly thing to do. As soon as they got it home they started tearing things apart (is that just a boy thing??? I mean if I bought a new sewing machine I wouldn't bring it home and tear it apart!). I made it home in time to make them stop so we could go to bowling. Andrew had to take Sunday to work, between taking Sunday to work and coming to the bowling alley Andrew stopped to check on a job he had interviewed for.

Andrew is a smiley kid by nature but the cheesy grin he was toting was the first clue that something was up. After a week of waiting he found out that he got the job!!!! He will be starting at Maurice's clothing store (a girls clothing store no less) this coming week. Yesterday was Andrew's day, in fact we may record it on the calender and make it a family holiday!!!

What a Great Smile!!!

My Men

What a Sweet Ride

Dog Friendly Ride

Andrew's Girl Biscuit Likes to Cruise

My Dresser

2008-09-20T09:06:00.007-05:00

I like unique things and that runs true in every area of my life from people to things. I worked for Olan Mills in the Church Directory branch when I meet my husband (that story to come later) and traveled all over Iowa (a place I hold dear in my heart, another post for later).

During my travels I would stumble onto the neatest places, one of my favorites is Sisters Garden, it sets on HWY 1 between Kalona, IA and Iowa City, IA. There are a group of sisters (hence the name) that have taken an old farm house and converted into a little oasis of pretty things. What first made me look at the house with some interest was the fact that it had big beautiful irises painted on the side of it (how could that not catch someones attention?).

On a rare day that I was running ahead of schedule I decided to stop.....I was hooked the moment I opened the door and smelled the lovely scent of candles, heard the soft music and saw the oodles and oodles of treasures for me to explore.......I like old junk and this was the mother ship......I was sure I was being called home. I meandered from room to room falling in love with each new item I found , it was heaven!!!! I soon made it to the second floor and was enjoying my new happy place when I walked around a corner and there it was....the most beautiful dresser I had ever seen.....I was smitten instantly......it stood there with the signature big painted irises on it!!!!

It was more then I had ever spent on any piece of furniture (Queen of Hand Me Downs at your service) but I couldn't abandon it.......it called to me saying "Please do not leave me!!!!" I being a sucker for all things desperate could not leave it so it would soon become one of my most prized possessions. The apartment I rented at the time had the perfect place in the bathroom for that enchanting piece of art and everyday I would gaze at its beauty (if there is one room that requires some extra beauty that would be the one). The dresser is now used in my bedroom but once my oasis of creativity is completed it will go down there to help inspire new projects.

I have some more art painted by the same sister, I will try to get pictures taken of them and posted in the future.....they just make me so happy when I gaze upon them (maybe I should do a little less gazing and a lot more cleaning!). I can't wait to get back to Sisters Garden and see what other treasures I may find......is anyone ready to go with me?

The Man Cave

2008-09-18T09:08:00.009-05:00

Since I have entered the blogging world I decided I needed my own camera. My husband has a very nice camera with different lenses and all the bells and whistles but it just wasn't accommodating to my purse.....when I am on my adventures I want convenience!!!! Since I bought the camera about 2 weeks ago I have been on a whacked out mission.......I walk around the house and take pictures of everything.....my mind keeps telling me...you can blog about that....ohh look at that it would be a good blogging topic. I will never be able to look at the world the same....ever!!!! I have started a file on my computer and saved the aforementioned photos so that when I have time I can pull a subject and talk about it......lucky you!!!

Pretty isn't it????

Today I will talk about the man cave. Last Friday when I called home before leaving work I was greeted with "we are making the garage bigger"......uhhhh????? As I have eluded to in an earlier post our garage has been taken over by my husbands car project....there is not much room for anything else. The later part of last week and during the weekend we had a deluge of rain and one would think what a great opportunity to get some indoors house projects done.....wouldn't they?? NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Instead lets attach a tarp to the front of the garage and continue on the car. I was really quite speechless (which is a miracle in its self) what do you say?

A place where a lot of great ideas are born...see previous picture!!!

The Men spent the rest of the weekend working in the garage like that.....I did sneak out and take pictures on one of there runs to get more parts.....my husband thinks I have a few screws loose anyway since my awesome purchase (camera). I tried to get every angle and I really wanted to capture the way the blue tarp let off a lovely blue glow.

See the pretty blue glow....its almost romantic!!!

Never question the ingenuity that one might have when they really want to get something done. I have learned not to get worked up about things (really that is not my nature) and just roll with the punches no matter how ghetto my husband makes the house look.

Very important for cleaning greasy hands!!!

Oh My Goodness!!!

2008-09-13T10:53:00.002-05:00

OK, I guess I didn't realize just how big this blogging thing was. My eyes have been opened to a whole new world. I, like my friend Missy have become addicted and I am afraid it is only going to get worse. There are so many fun blogs out there and they cover any subject you could imagine.

I am feeling a little inadequate my page does not have the pizazz that a lot of them have. This is the big dilemma.....I am infamous for this line "I bet I could make that", I have a house full of unfinished I could make thats!!!! I get so overwhelmed because I get so excited about the creative process that my brain is going all different directions and I can't focus on anything, that is when I just have to take a nap because I am so exhausted. I have made big attempts to change but really I think it is just part of my character. I have beat myself up for years thinking that if I could just get organized then everything would be better.....I have been living in a dream world. Today I stand up and say if I can't do it in the chaos then I am not going to worry about it. I am going to embrace my mess (mentally and physically) and go forth to create...I will no longer let my self induced limitations stop me!!! Before I embrace anything I guess I should get the laundry done, and the dishes are piling up....oh I can't forget to dust.....Help!!!!

Sunday Gets a Job!!!

2008-09-09T22:20:00.007-05:00

The boys (sorry...I mean men) have been trying desperately to find jobs and Sunday has gotten a job working at the AMC theaters.......he is so excited!!!! Andrew has a couple of interviews coming up this week and then it is time to go car shopping.........OH MY!!!!

Most people would think that our lives would be turned upside down having two teenagers move in with us but really life feels more normal with them here then it did when they weren't here.

The Theater

Looking stylish in his new uniform

Celebratory Sheridan's

Andrew wasn't going to miss out on the Sheridan's action!!!

Work

2008-09-09T16:32:00.004-05:00

Service with a Smile BABY!!!!

Rick, my boss made me take a picture for the company website today and I thought what a great opportunity to talk about my job. I am an Office Manager for an appraisal firm in Overland Park, KS......what does that entail you say???? I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that. There are 4 appraisers and myself and the best thing about working there are the people. I have always been pretty lucky when it came to bosses but there have only been 2 that I can say have become my friends....Deb from Great Lakes Aviation and Rick (my current boss). For a corporate setting I have the most laid back boss you could ever meet...you have to love someone who allows me to play my reindeer games and will even join in sometimes.

I don't take life to seriously....really what is the point....I would rather have fun learning my lessons here on earth. I am not saying that I don't have a reverent respect for this thing called life but I have lived the worrying kind of life and got nothing out of it. What is going to happen is going to happen I just try to be as prepared as I can be. I guess it comes down to finding peace in my life. I have had many parts of my life that were anything but peaceful (mostly self induced) but when I make time to seek my Father in Heaven and let His love wash over me, then I can see things clearly....through His peace.

I enjoy my job and I love the people but this is not what I feel called to do. It is funny as I reflect back over my life it seems like the jobs have come to me and it wasn't because I thought that they were my callings but because there was a reason for being there, whether the situation was a lesson for me or I was there for the benefit of someone else. My heart's desire is to help others find their healing but in a creative way....there is much healing in creating something beautiful. The ironic thing is I am still working on myself and my confidence in being successful is not the highest. I am not comparing success to money...I am comparing it to really helping someone (and feeding my family isn't such a bad thing). The Father has given me promises that go with that desire but I do get weary waiting for them to happen. I have learned that it is in His timing and no matter how hard I try to make these things a reality, if it is not the right time it is not going to happen.....that has been a very hard lesson for me....I would say I am still learning it but I am understanding it more....not always liking it but understanding it.

For now I will plug along in the position of Office Manager for Stanley Appraisal, Inc. and continue to listen and wait on the Lord. The waiting carries the lessons and I need lot of lessons

Happy Birthday Andrew

2008-09-07T19:27:00.002-05:00

Our Birthday King!!!

Happy Birthday Andrew!!!!

Our boy turned 19 today....I guess that means he isn't our boy any more........he is our man!!! Do you ever really stop being your parents boy or girl??? I don't think so, Andrew and Chelsea will always be our little boy and girl.

We didn't have a big blow out but enjoyed a nice meal outside on an AWESOME day and then just kicked around not doing anything in particular. Andrew had to show off for us a little with his Birthday crown.

Our Birthday King G'ed up!!!

Bowling

2008-09-07T09:59:00.006-05:00

Last night was our first night of bowling leagues and I have to say I didn't do to bad. First of all lets address my awesome shoes....I had included a picture to show you how well they match the carpet.....which is very important when being a bowling fashoinesta!!!

My Rockin' Shoes!!!

This next picture is not flattering at all but in order to get the full effect it needed to be included. I have not done a lot of bowling in my lifetime so this really is a new adventure for me....on an average before I would bowl about a 68....it would get a little higher depending on how much I had to drink. Really bowling has always been about the shoes for me....I just think that bowling shoes are cool!!! Sorry I got off on a tangent....I have come a long way in a short time and I would have to say (as much as I don't want to admit it Coach Donnie has been very instrumental in my improvement) I think I am getting better each time.

Do I look like a pro??

Our teams are made up of two men and two women and we bowl 3 games. The first game I was on fire in fact I was ahead of Donnie for a better part of the game....(the student becomes the master!!!!) but he rallied towards the end to beat me. My scores were 1st game 118, 2nd game 89 ( I don't know what happened on the second game) and 3rd game 112....not to bad if I do say so myself..........long ways from a 68. I know there is room for improvement and I hope to be bowling a 150 by the end of the season.....we are doing this every Saturday Night until April!

Look I have a 35 and Donnie has a 24!!!

Donnie (my husband of 9 1/2yrs) is my coach. He tends to be on the competitive side and he showed great restraint last night when it came to "coaching" me......but like I said I was kicking his booty for the first game!! Donnie is a jack and master of all trades....he is one of those people who can read about something or look at something and go at a task like he has been doing it all his life. He has remodeled our home, he is restoring the 65 Riviera (that takes up our garage) and he is always willing to help when someone needs it. Even though I get frustrated when working with him (he can be a know it all....and what kills me is he is usually right!!) I feel so blessed to have him as my husband. I can mention a project and he will have come up with a way for us to get it done.

Isn't He So Handsome?!!

Coach Donnie and ME!!!!

All and all it was a good night and I had lots of fun. I can't wait to see how the rest of the year goes....I hope I can report lots of improvement!!!