52 Blessings

Today is Sunday and I am blessed!

It's already time again to share with you another one of my favorite christian worship songs. This song is my favorite song of all time. I don't mean to sound morbid or anything but my family knows that I want this song played at my funeral. This song says it all for me...I Can Only Imagine!



** Have any of you started decorating for fall?! I've done a couple of things today and will bring out my fall decoration goodies sometime this week. I'm so excited for fall...I'm feeling giddy!

Birthday Greetings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAN!!

Jan says she's "over the hill." So Jan, watch out now because...



Believe me, I know from personal experience!

Happy Birthday friend! Hope your special day is as special as you are to others!

It's Friday

And I'm nosy...

So here's the question: Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. Which is your favorite?

As much as I love spring and the freshness and rebirth that it brings, hands down, fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cooler weather, pumpkins, the colors of the trees with their yellow and orange leaves, pumpkin and spice scented candles, candy corn, Halloween...I love it all...and it's almost here!

Home Sweet Home

We arrived home safely about an hour ago. Today was long and emotionally draining. I work tomorrow and Friday which is good because it will be a much needed distraction for me. No matter how old your kids are, it breaks your heart when you have to leave them.

And Finally We Meet

I had the pleasure of having lunch and meeting up with a blogging friend and her two daughters yesterday. This was a first for me. I've never met a blog friend in real life before. As my blogging friend Rhonda would put it, Bren would be my first M.I.R.L...my first met.in.real.life blogging friend.

Bren, I'm so glad you were my first M.I.R.L. You are just what I thought you would be...engaging, funny, sincere, interesting, thoughtful, and beautiful! I thoroughly enjoyed our time together and am so glad I was able to meet your two gorgeous little girls too. You are a loving, patient, and attentive mother to them. They are so lucky to be able to call you mom!

Thank you for the adorable gift you gave me, and for remembering how much I like Fall. It truly showed just how much you care about others and how you value friendships. Thank you also for sending along a birthday gift for Courtney. You are the sweetest thing and it is so appreciated!

We say to our blogging friends all the time that we'd love to meet them someday, or we tell them to stop by if they are in our neck of the woods...but most of us probably would never act on those words. My advice is to do it, step out of the box and take the time to meet at least one of your blogging buddies. Bren and I took the time and made the effort. It was so worth it!

(When I charge up my camera battery I'll post a picture of the gift Bren gave me at lunch. I love it!)

Birthday Greetings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COURTNEY!!

Today is my daughter Courtney's (aka Little Sis) 20th birthday. Even though she's not a baby anymore, I'll always think of her as my baby girl. Words cannot express how much I wanted to have a little girl my second time around. I was so excited when I had an ultrasound done 3 weeks before she was born and my wish was confirmed. I was told I was having a girl and I was thrilled beyond belief.

Courtney truly has been a joy to raise. Sure we have had our ups and downs as all mother/daughter relationships do but nothing like others have experienced. She did not push the limits as a teen and still doesn't. Courtney is not only my beautiful daughter but she is a best friend to me as well.

In honor of Courtney's 20th birthday, let me tell you 20 things that I love and respect about her.

* She has a servant's heart
* She is respectful of others, especially her elders
* She loves all of her family dearly
* She is beautiful
* She is smart
* She is dependable
* She loves her grandparents with all her heart
* She is crazy about our dog Jake
* She has a great smile
* She's always been the best little sister, never telling on her brother or his friends when she probably should have
* She is a loyal friend... "loyal friend" should be her middle name
* She can do anything she puts her mind to
* She always says "thank you"
* She likes spending time with her parents and often does
* She lettered in swimming as a freshman (that's how good she was at swimming!)
* She is a magnet for little kids and will make a wonderful teacher someday
* She never complains
* She is polite, with great manners
* She loves her mom and dad...and isn't afraid to show it
* She went away to college and didn't know one person there. I so admire her for taking that step of faith.

The funny thing about this list is that I took some of them from her brother's recent birthday list. Some of the same things I wrote about Brandon can be said about Courtney. Their morals and the way they treat others is the same. I'm so proud of their hearts and of their love and respect for others. And above all, I'm proud and grateful that they both have a love and reverence for God.

My beautiful daughter, I love you and I hope your day is truly a happy one!
Happy Birthday Little Sis!!

Rain, Rain...Please Don't Go Away!

It started raining today around 5:00 pm. I was busy cooking dinner for the girls and heard it on the roof of the motorhome. Nothing to write home about, just some light rainfall.

It again started raining about an hour ago and this time it's pouring...I mean It's.Pouring.Down.Rain!

Rain, rain...please don't go away. I think you're helping to drive away some of this sweltering heat...or you're at least taking it down a notch!

Today was a relaxing day for hubby and I. It was the first day of classes for Courtney and her roommates. Things went well. I told them yesterday that I'd make dinner for them tonight in honor of their first day back at school and in celebration of their new apartment. I also wonder when their next nice home cooked meal will be!?!


Courtney taking dinner home to her roommates. I hope you enjoyed it girls!

52 Blessings

Today is Sunday and I am blessed! One of the things that blesses me the most is christian worship music. I love music but especially worship music. I listened to hours and hours of it on my iPod on our drive here to AZ. It's energizing, joyful, relaxing, and it always makes me thankful...thankful to the Lord for all that He has done for me in my life.

I have so many songs that are my favorites but I think I'll try and share one of my favorites with you each Sunday. This song is called Ancient of Days and I love it. I know the song is long but it's worth it.

Ancient of Days

Busy as Bees

We headed off to Ikea today. The other mom cancelled out on me so hubby, Courtney, and I went by ourselves. Since none of the other roommates were with us we just picked up things for Courtney such as pans, cooking utensils, bowls, etc. We were on the lookout for a computer chair and found the perfect one there. Courtney's color scheme for her room is black and white with a touch of red. Take a look at this cute computer chair. Not only does it look good but it's comfortable too.


This is what her bedding looks like.


The bathroom is done in black, white, and red also.


We bought a black bookcase at Ikea, very sleek looking with glass doors. She set her TV on top and then has the shelves for storage. Storage space is extremely limited in this room. As you can see, this room is SMALL but thankfully it's all decorated now and Little Sis is happy with everything, and truly, that's what makes me happy. Now she can just concentrate on the task at hand...starting school on Monday.

Late afternoon the girls and us parents headed out to Target looking for curtains, curtain rods, rugs, and stuff to make the apartment look lived in. We picked up a few things and I'll be hanging up the curtain rods and curtains tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be an emotional day for Mackenzie as her dad, sister, and boyfriend will be heading home early in the morning. Courtney and I both have already had tears over the thought of us leaving. It's not easy on anyone, the student or the parents. Everyone's just a ball of emotions.

Little Sis Has a New Address

The move went pretty well. There was some disappointment when they first opened up the apartment door however. Let's just say not all was well in the new apartment. No problem though, hubby was on hand. If you have a problem with something, my hubby is the man to call. Truly, he has such a way with handling people. He gets people to do their job and he is able to accomplish this with tact, humor, and diplomacy. Within no time the maintenance people were in the apartment and things were looking up!

Each of the 4 girls, along with their parents, were busy, busy, busy moving in and getting their rooms all decorated. Today we'll concentrate on fixing up the living areas. Another mom and myself are taking the girls to Ikea. Those four white walls and bare windows need some sprucing up.

After an exhausting day of moving in this Arizona heat, we treated ourselves to a scrumptious dinner. We had a great time. Here are a few pictures from our night out.








Gotta run...we're off to Ikea!

Phoenix or Bust

After a long day on the road, we're finally here. Courtney (little sis) is able to move into her apartment at 8:00am tomorrow and you bet we'll be out the door early in order to avoid the heat. At one point today, the gauge in our motorhome said it was 120 degrees outside. I don't know if it was accurate but if you guessed the temp to be at least 110 degrees you'd be pretty close I'm sure, if not on the low side.

We started off the day with a nourishing breakfast...7 of us in all. We then caravaned with hubby, myself, and Jake in our motorhome. Courtney and her best friend Mackenzie driving in Courtney's car and then Mackenzie's dad, her boyfriend Tim, and her sister Macey following in dad's truck which was pulling Mackenzie's car. Mackenzie stayed home last year and went to school at our local community college. Lucky for Courtney, Mackenzie was accepted at ASU also and they will be roommates as of tomorrow. This is a dream come true for them and I'm thrilled.

Here are a few pictures from the day...


Courtney and Mackenzie


Courtney, Mackenzie, and Macey (Macey leaves for Cal State Long Beach in a few short weeks herself)


Tim, Courtney, Macey, Mackenzie, and Chuck


ASU bound...again!

Jake loves the motorhome, or should I say my lap! So this is how we roll...




I finally remembered to bring my iPod so I was good to go. It made the drive quite enjoyable actually.

While I'm here in Arizona I'll be getting together with 3, maybe 4 blogging buddies. I've never met any blog friends in real life so I'm very excited. I'll take pictures and let you know all about it...I can't wait!

I'm going to leave you with a picture of my sister Kim, Courtney, and myself from dinner last night. I don't get to see Kim much and it's crazy. We had such an enjoyable time that there's no excuse for us not to see each other more often. I'm definitely going to work on that one.

I'm in a Rut

Haven't blogged much lately...I think I'm in a blogging rut. Nothing new to write about as everything is still the same...still too hot outside and still working hard.

But things will change tomorrow.

Right now I'm feeling overwhelmed and a little depressed. We leave for AZ tomorrow and I have alot to do today. I need to be ready to leave the house by 7:15 am. We're caravaning with another family to AZ and we're meeting for breakfast at 7:30. We're also meeting my sister/brother-in-law for dinner tonight.

I need to get busy but I don't feel like it. I just keep thinking about how I'm gonna miss little sis.

Oh no, here come the tears.

UPDATE: I put on a beautiful CD that Bren sent me and I lit my favorite candle...and then went to work. I've now dusted, decluttered a bit, done some laundry, shined up the kitchen, hosed down the patio/backyard, and have swept and mopped the house. So now I'm happy to report that I'm not feeling so overwhelmed anymore. This is so indicitive of my nature. If my house is in order, life is good. I'm glad that I made myself get busy because now I'm ready to tackle the day.

As I was mopping, my hubby left to go run an errand. He hadn't been gone 10 minutes when he came back home. He'd gone out and bought me a fountain drink Pepsi! My house is in order and I have a fountain drink. Yes, I'm happy now.

Long, Hot Summer

We got our PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) bill last week. Let's just say that the bill is as big as a mortgage.

And I'm mad as a hornet!

All summer long I've been telling my family to conserve energy...turn off the lights, don't run the dishwasher every day, turn up the thermostat. You don't have to keep it at 73 degrees for pete's sake!!

Yep, it's been a long, hot summer having both hubby and little sis home each day...and our PG&E bill proves it!

Other than that, I'm peachy keen!

It's Friday

And I'm nosy...

So here's the question: Have you watched any of the Olympics, and if so, which events are your favorites?

Normally I watch the Olympics from start to finish...but I haven't even watched 5 minutes worth of it this time.

We were out of town until Monday, had a birthday in our family on Tuesday, and I worked yesterday, today, and will work tomorrow. Just preoccupied I guess.

Putting Things in Perspective

While I was going on and on yesterday about my much hated S-H-O-R-T haircut, I got a phone call from my friend Cindy in Texas. Cindy had tried calling me this weekend but we were out of town.

Before I continue on with the story, let me give you a little background first.

Cindy and I have been friends for probably close to 15 years, maybe even longer. Her husband Jay worked out of the country and mine worked extremely long hours and then started working out of town like Jay. Our kids swam on the same swim team each year, so Cindy and I and our kids hung out together each and every summer, just about everyday. Our families became close, especially Cindy and I. One night many years ago Cindy called me in tears...they were moving to Texas. She was not happy about the move but of course said she would support Jay and his career and move with him. And she did.

After much discussion between Jay and Cindy, Jay took a full time job in Africa about a year ago while Cindy and the girls stayed behind in Texas. The plan was that Cindy was going to leave 2 weeks ago to join him in Africa. They would travel and see the world together. Cindy had practically raised their 2 grown daughters single- handedly and now it was going to be their turn to enjoy life together.

Just 4 days before Cindy was to leave for Africa she got a call from Jay. He said don't plan on coming here...I've found someone else that I am in love with...and I want a divorce. He says he doesn't want the house or anything in it. He only wants this new woman. Unbelievable!

My dear friend is hurting badly and heart broken and I'm crying over a bad haircut! Talk about putting things in perspective. I'll never mention the haircut again. In the mean time, I'll hopefully be putting a trip together to go to Texas within the next month or so. I have a friend who really needs a friend.

Haircut Disaster

I've had short hair pretty much all my life because it's so curly. I've tried to let it grow out but I just can't seem to get past that certain stage...the in between stage.

I've liked my hair length over the past couple of years. Not to short yet not to long. Kathy, my hairdresser didn't take off enough last time so today I was in desperate needed of a haircut...and I couldn't wait to get there.

Now I wish I had waited! I cried all the way home. She cut my hair S-H-O-R-T! Much shorter than I am liking to wear it these days. As I was writing out my check, Kathy said "it's the same length as what's on your driver's license." I told her "and I didn't like it then either!"

So what's a girl to do. Luckily my hair grows fast but still I know I'll be crying tomorrow morning and cursing Kathy while I'm at it.

Oh yes, I even brought her 2 pictures of a haircut she gave me 2 years ago. An adorable cut. No go, she did what she wanted today.

Sorry Kathy...I'm now looking for a new hairdresser and praying that my hair grows fast, fast, fast in the meantime!

Camping Club Weekend

What an incredible weekend with an incredible group of friends. Here are a few pictures from our time together.









Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and so we once again said our goodbyes. I always feel sad and a little depressed as we drive away...but then I remind myself...only one more month and it will be camping club time again!

It's Friday

And I'm nosy...

So here's the question: In honor of my being away on our camping club trip this weekend, how about sharing your favorite camping spot/location with us. Is it in the mountains, the desert, or at the beach? In the US? In Canada?

Mine would be anywhere where there is water. Earlier this year we took a trip to Oregon/Washington and we stayed at some gorgeous RV parks along the way. One of the parks was on the Columbia River Gorge and another one was located along the banks of the Rogue River. Both places were breathtaking...and my favorites so far.

Mail, Mail, and More Mail!

Does anyone get as much junk mail as I do? And how do all these companies get our addresses anyway? I know companies and organizations can buy address lists, but this is ridiculous.

I spent hours one day last week getting organized with our mail. I shredded, filed, and shredded some more...and paid bills. IT TOOK HOURS!

And now I have a pile again...it's getting on my last nerve.

I recently did get some pieces of good mail though. I received these 3 thank you notes and my order from Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn arrived.

These are thank you notes from Holly and Jill, both notes are beautifully handmade. Jill came up with a very cute and clever idea. She takes a picture of the gift she receives and makes it the cover of her card (you can click on the picture to make it larger to really get a good look at it.)


Do you remember Jennifer's spectacular 100 cupcake giveaway? Well, while delivering the cupcakes to the lucky 100 recipients, she had them sign a darling handmade card and then she sent it to me as a thank you note. Now it just doesn't get any better than that does it!?! She also included a sign her daughter Abby made which I just loved.



I've been on the lookout for individual serving cups and I found them on sale at Pottery Barn. I'm taking them with me when I leave town today for San Diego. I'm thinking orange sherbert for dessert one night, topped with chocolate sauce and then Dani's Tortellini salad as an appetizer one night. Won't they look great in these individual serving cups...and offered to our friends on a pretty serving tray.


I also ordered from Pottery Barn this cute little asparagus designed tong for our friend Joe. Joe always makes asparagus on the grill for my husband. Joe knows it's my husband's favorite so he goes out of his way to make it for him. PB also had a matching white asparagus plate to go along with the tong but they were sold out, darn it.


And last but not least, I received my cloche that I ordered from Crate and Barrel. I don't know why but I just love the look of these things.


I now have 3...a small, medium and large. Did I need the small one...nope! Did I want it anyways...yep, you betcha! Do you like the look of these glass domes too? If you have one, what do you use them for?