Summer 2010

September 1st already!? I adore Fall and I'm thrilled it's here but boy did summer zoom by. Summer 2010 is now a memory but what a fantastic one!

As soon as I started working less hours in June, I hit the ground running and haven't slowed down since. I calculated that I've only been home 5-10 days the entire summer. It's been a blast and I've never felt so free!

This summer I visited beautiful Colorado once again, drove through Wyoming and saw parts of Utah for the first time, met my dear blogging friend Janiece in person (in SLC), spent 4 days in Grass Valley CA with my best buddy/sister Debbie, moved my beautiful daughter from one apt to another in AZ, went to Hawaii with BOTH of my kids, hubby, and long time friends, spent time at the beach with our camping club, and just finished getting my handsome son moved and settled into his new apt. It's been the busiest summer ever but what a great time!

I also lost 9 lbs this summer and have changed my whole way of eating. Jenny Craig has worked well for me, but more importantly, it got me motivated. There were a few weeks that I was unable to eat my Jenny Craig food because of traveling but I continued to lose weight. I'm making better choices on my own, eating more fruits, vegetables, and fish. I still have 6 lbs to go to reach my goal but the end is in sight.

It feels good to be back in blogland! Happy September and Happy Fall!

It's A Sure Sign...

I had such a productive day yesterday! It almost makes up for the lazy day I had on Thursday.

I did some cleaning, prepared lots of good mail, wrote some thank you notes, did laundry, caught up on blogs, and had fun doing a little Easter decorating. It felt good to be creative and energetic. For me, that's a sure sign that spring has sprung!

Come back tomorrow to see the fun Easter project I did yesterday.

Happy Sunday friends!

By the way, please keep my close blogging friend Janiece in your thoughts and prayers. She is dealing with some health issues right now. You can read about it and visit with Janiece here. Please stop by and say hello. I'm sure she would appreciate it.

The Weather Outside...

Is absolutely gorgeous! What a beautiful April day we're having here in CA. I've got the windows and the doors open. It's not too hot right now but they say it's suppose to reach the high 90's tomorrow and Monday. Wow!

It's been a busy day already with projects and stuff getting done around here. I finished a fun project that I started a few weeks ago and it turned out great. I'll post about it on Monday for Metamorphosis Monday...it really was a metamorphosis in the making.

I also have a plate project in the works so I've been busy spray painting today. Yes, spray painting plates! I'm hoping to get them hung this weekend and you know I'll take pictures.

Been busy washing all of my crystal too. When the carpet was installed we had to take everything out of the china cabinet. Where do you put EVERYTHING when EVERYTHING is getting moved!?! In the spare bathroom of course! We had to empty out closets, china cabinet, clear off dressers, everything...so I just stuck it all in the spare bathroom and closed the door! Well it's been almost 2 weeks so I ventured in there today...and I almost couldn't find my way out! Slowly but surely I'm taking things out, cleaning them, and putting them back in place. Fun job huh!

Good Mail! I received some good mail I want to show you. But first of all, I want to say thank you to so many of you who have sent cards and notes lately. I love going to the mailbox and finding good mail from blogging friends. I received thoughtful Easter cards and continue to get the most beautiful notes on the most beautiful cards, alot of them homemade. There is so much talent and goodness out there in blogland! It's very heartwarming!

I received a precious plaque from my friend Valerie and I knew the perfect spot for it the minute I saw it. It says "Friend, I thank my God everytime I remember you. Philippians 1:3." She even signed and dated the back. I love it Valerie, thank you! If you have some time, stop by and visit Valerie's blog, you'll be drawn in as I was. She is a beautiful Christian wife and mother who shares her heart and life with us...and she has become a treasured friend!



So that's it in a nutshell. Hope you're having a great Saturday and that you're having some beautiful weather too. We're all a little ready for some Spring about now!

Valentine Wishes

Happy Birthday Valerie!

I Felt The Good Mail Love!

I've mentioned previously that I display all of the notes and cards that I receive from blogging buddies. I started blogging last February, and since then, I've been the lucky recipient of several pieces of good mail. Here is a picture of what my good mail collection looked like earlier today...


What a beautiful sight it has been for me to see everyday during the year and it warmed my heart today as I looked over them and read them once again. I'm amazed and thankful for the friendships that have been made through blogging and I hope you know that I count many of you as very dear friends!

So today, with a smile on my face, I bundled up my pile of 2008 good mail....all the while thanking you for each and every card, note, and gift that was sent my way. I truly felt the love!


My card holder is now ready for 2009 good mail...and we're off to a good start!

Finally...I've Made Some Progress!

I've spent each day this week cleaning, decorating, cleaning, and decorating some more. It's all finally coming together and looking festive around here. It has taken me longer this year because I've changed things up a bit. I've seen so many neat ideas this year that I'm trying ideas out in different places, forever "tweaking" my decorations. And it seems each day I need more greenery...and another trip to Michaels ensues!

Today, in between all the cleaning and the decorating, I had the perfect treat...


A Pepsi on ice and sugar cookie from a local bakery. DELISH! That husband of mine sure can be a thoughtful guy sometimes.

And speaking of treats, I've received some good mail this week too! I was in an ornament swap and was sent a beautiful white glittery seashell ornament (now that's a mouth full), all the way from Kara in New Hampshire. Noooo, you can't have it...but I'll let you take a peak...


Thank you so much Kara. Our tree is decorated in white, red, and silver so it will look beautiful on it! Also, take a look at the card she made. She took a picture of a glass jar full of ornaments and made it into a card. Perfect for an ornament swap wouldn't you say. Very very cute!

Do you like fudge? I LOVE FUDGE...and no you can't have this either! My blogging buddy Jenn sent us the most awesome fudge ever. Talk about DELISH! She also sent Jake some dog treats too. Jenn you're so thoughtful...thank you!


I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a few pieces of this amazing fudge today, in addition to the cookie...my excuse, "it's the holidays!"

Good Mail, Good Friends!

Are there people you've met in blogland that you have just connected with? Fellow bloggers that you know you'd be fast friends with if you lived close to each other? I have one such friend. Janiece and I have become friends through blogging and I know for certain we'd be BFF if we were neighbors!

I worked on Monday and had a headache all day long that I just couldn't shake. All I could think about was getting home, putting on my pj's, and going to bed. I called home before I left work and asked about the mail, "anything special in the mail today?" I got so excited when I got home that I forgot all about my lingering headache. Look at the good mail that was waiting for me when I got home...



Janiece, you obviously know how much I adore plates and how I enjoy displaying them during the holidays. I love it! Thank you dear friend for my first Christmas gift of the season!

Birthday Goodness - Part I

Generally, I don't like it when my birthday rolls around...in fact, every year I dread it! I really don't know why except for the fact that I hate getting older! I feel much younger than I am and I don't like being over the hill!

But this year was different!

This wonderful group of blogging buddies that I have come to know and love showered me with so much kindness, generosity, and love that it turned out to be one of the best birthdays ever. I'll take some time over the next few days to show you the wonderful, thoughtful gifts I received.

A box filled with awesome goodies from sweet Bren was the first to arrive. You could tell with each item that she really thought about things I may have said and then picked up on it, even down to the pink packaging it was all bundled up in. She knows I love pink! She also included photos of 2 children, a boy and a girl. She said she thought this was maybe what my 2 kids looked like when they were younger. Now really, how thoughtful and special is that!!! At some point soon, I'll dig out some older pictures of my 2 loves and you can judge for yourself (I'll tell you though, Bren did a pretty good job!)


And you gotta love the candles..."31"...just too cute! You can't tell by this picture but she also sent some biscuits for my little Jakester and a book which I forgot to include in the picture, it's a devotional and entitled "Footprints in the Sand." I've always loved the Footprints in the Sand poem...it can bring me to tears just thinking about it.

Thank you Bren for everything but especially for being the person that you are! You are loved and so appreciated!

Birthday Greetings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BREN!!

Bren, I hope your special day is as special as you are to others!

Happy Birthday dear friend!!

Birthday Greetings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM SUE!!

Hope your special day is a great one!

52 Blessings

Today is Sunday and I am blessed!

Lest we never forget...God is in Control!



ALSO...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTI!!

Hope you have a wonderful wonderful day!

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!

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!)