As you can plainly see from my last post, I did NOT figure anything out about inserting pics that would not be UPSIDE DOWN!! I think I will just pretend that it was supposed to just BE that way. I mean, any artist will tell you that you can stand back and 'squint' while looking at your work and you will get a new perspective! So just stand back, folks, and view my art journal 'upside down' and ENJOY!! I have been exploring 'pen and ink' the past 2 weeks in my journal ( which actually means I have created a lot of INK BLOBS').  Hey, at least I can laugh about it and it helps my blood pressure which definitely has been an issue I have been dealing with!  Currently, my head is spinning trying to figure out what I need to be eating! I'm sure you already know that I can't use my salt shaker any more! I actually never used a LOT of salt but now that I know I am not SUPPOSED to add any salt to ANYTHING--I find myself looking longingly at the 2 lovely little cut glass bottles sitting on my shelf! But I'm being a good sport about it...I don't even put any salt in my morning oat bran!  I'll bet you want to know how that tastes...SALTLESS is how it tastes! But, I am eating it that way! I have a good friend who recommends the Blood Type Diet and another friend and her doctor that recommends the South Beach Diet and a nurse daughter that recommends the Dash Diet. Well, I'm reading and taking notes and getting confused and taking the meds the doctors gave me and drinking ginger tea, and taking deep breaths, and walking  etc. etc. etc! One food that all three of those diets have in common is fish--salmon, especially, AND sardines! I am trying my best to find a store that sells salmon (or ANY fish) that does not come from CHINA! Does anybody sell AMERICAN FISH??? I did find one at Kroger that was CAUGHT in the U.S. But it was PROCESSED in CHINA!!  The sardines are another story!  I could actually eat THOSE--if I could figure out a way to not SMELL them going into my mouth! But my nose is too close to my mouth! I never knew food could be so wearisome! I will pass along any good tidbits I can find--just in case you all ever need to know what you can eat if your blood pressure decides to start acting up!

Figuring Things Out

GeoTagged, [N32.97450, E83.65581]

Well! Finally, I was able to get 1 pic posted! There has to be a way to add more! Oh well! Hope you enjoy this one. It is a combination of sponge painting, collage, drawing, and a few stamps!

AAAUUUGGGHH! It is UPSIDE DOWN!

ART THERAPY

Tonight I 'played' in my art journals! I can leave all my worries and just focus on the page I am working on--it really helps me to be able to relax. I can see why it is called art 'therapy'! I thought that I would share a few pages with you all--hope you enjoy looking at them!

A Quiet Morning

How very quiet the world seems this morning! When I took Mr. Morgan out, I realized that a gentle rain must have occurred during the night. It may not have been gentle at all--I have been known to sleep through monstrous thunderstorms! But everything outside looked bathed in much-needed moisture. Even Mr. Morgan noticed and was hesitant to venture forth! Usually, there is quite a chatter going on amongst the birds--but not today. Perhaps the whole busy world was just sleeping-in. After all it IS Saturday! As I came back up to the porch, I pulled a few stray weeds that had sprung up right in front of the steps. Why can't my flowers grow for me like all my weeds do? I think that for every weed I pull--5 more replace it! But this morning even the weeds look content and quiet! A nice and quiet restful morning! UMMMM!!! I dot not need to go ANYWHERE and although there are many, many things that I need to get done, I am simply enjoying the quietness and peacefulness surrounding me. I DO wonder where all the birds are though! Sometimes they can be really LOUD! I DID see a squirrel running across the backyard and was hoping you-know-who would NOT see it. He must not have because as soon as he was finished with his 'business', he quickly ran back to the porch! The August sun is creeping higher in the sky and will soon make being outside almost unbearable. How grateful I am for air conditioners! I am such a baby! We never had an air conditioner when I was growing up! I cannot even imagine what that would be like now! I do remember my sister and I taking 'turns' fanning each other at night! Hmmm! Precious memories-- oh how they linger! Well, the time has come for me to start tackling that wonderful, ever- growing list called the 'To-Do' list! I wonder how many items I can get crossed off today!

Another Indiana Day

Here I am back in Indiana!  It looks cold and windy outside.  It was So windy Sunday that almost all of the beautiful leaves on the huge oak tree in the back yard were blown off.  Sheri and Nathan came down for Bobbie's funeral--I cannot believe I am saying that--I and everyone else are just in shock--SHE CAN'T HAVE DIED!  Sheri told me that she was going to stay a week with me and then she wanted me to go home with her--so I said okay.  But then Nathan could not get an airline ticket for less than $300 .....SO.....we all loaded up and came to Indiana the next day!  The tote bags I had carried to Bobbie's- I just piled into their car.  Even a Vera Bradley tote full of my vitamins--THAT should present quite a predicament at the airport going home!  They just better not throw out my 4ozbottle of Emu Oil that Bobbie and I found while reading the Market Bulletin one day!  "hey, listen to this," Bobbie said, "Emu Oil--helps all kinds of arthritis pain--AND they live right here in Conyers," "Well give me the number and I'll call and find out about it!" I said.  And, you know what we found out--it Really DOES work! Well, I'm sure Sheri and Nathan will figure something out.  I seem to be getting stronger-not as shaky as I was when I first got here. Baby Grayson is helping a lot. He is making me smile and laugh!  Today reminds me of the time that Bobbie and I came to visit Sheri. It was windy and rainy--a curled-up- with- a- book kind of day. Sheri and Nathan were working and we slept late.  We were all cozy in our pj's and were playing Word With Friends on ONE iPad-passing it back and forth, when Sheri called and said, "Hi Mom, Stacy and I are on our way home!"  YIKES!!!Bobbie and I jumped up from there-slung on some clothes-raked thru our hair-slapped on some makeup and just barely made it down the stairs when the girls came in!  We probably looked like the Cheshire Cat smiling when we noticed that Sheri was NOT smiling. Disappointedly she asked "Mom, did you NOT make the spaghetti?"  Bobbie and I looked blankly at each other asking "We're we SUPPOSED to make spaghetti ?"  My gracious Indiana daughter smoothed it all over by reassuring us it was okay- she had some frozen food she could fix for her and Stacy.  Of course, that was AFTER she told us she had asked BOTH of us if we would make some spaghetti for lunch and pointed out the noodles and sauce she had left ON THE COUNTER! Oh well, I probably don't need to tell you that we have never lived that down!!  It rained on and off the entire week. Sheri thought that while we were there we could build a pergola!?!?!? Now, Bobbie said that I was the one who said "Sure we can", but what I remember was HER saying "Sure we can".  Regardless of WHO said it--there we were trying to figure out HOW to do it! It rained SO much that all we were able to get done was to dig the 4 holes and set the posts before we had to fly home! There was a wonderful ending though.  Nathan's dad sent one of his workers to help Nathan finish it and it turned out beautiful!  PLUS, we discovered a very easy to use and unique hole digger--one you twist instead of jab!  I will tell you though that when Nathan brought it out, Bobbie and I BOTH said, "No, we need a HOLE DIGGER--you know, it has two handles" BOY WERE WE IN FOR A SURPRISE! This hole digger has 1 vertical handle and 1 horizontal handle which you twist round and round!  We could not believe how easy it was to dig those 4 holes! After we got home Bobbie got on the Internet, found them and ordered 2--one for her and one for me!  I am trying very hard to keep my mind on all the fun things we did together.  At the visitation, I met a man who said to me,"She always made a point to speak to me at church"--always had a smile for him, always made him feel important. WOW, how I wish that could be said about me--that I always made other people feel important! On Sunday night Sammy and I were staying at the hospital with Bobbie. She kept trying to get out of bed. She wanted to go home. She was scared. She was talking to Sammy about WHY she had to stay in bed and I heard her say "Hold Me".  Then I saw Sammy reach down and pull her up to him and he just held her.  I will always TREASURE that memory-it was so precious!  Later as she was getting weaker and weaker, I witnessed another precious moment.  I saw Kim take Kristi's hand and they leaned over close to Bobbie and said, "Mama, if JESUS is calling you, it is okay if you go--we will be okay."  Not long after that she left this world.  We all were with her--her husband, her children, her grandchildren, along with me, some of my children and others. I have a question for each of you who are reading this--if you slipped and fell going to get a pack of crackers like Bobbie did--if you met with death today--WOULD YOU HEAR JESUS CALLING YOU--or would you go out into eternity separated from God FOREVER? I urge each of you to really think this out NOW.  Bobbie used to tell me  "Connie, we have NO guarantee of tomorrow!"  When the time comes for me -- I KNOW that I will hear my JESUS calling me and I will go to Him for all eternity-- for I belong to HIM!   AND-- I will see my precious sister and we will sing in that Heavenly choir!  There are many things about God and the Bible and Life that I DO NOT KNOW NOR UNDERSTAND-- but one thing I do know-- MY REDEEMER LIVES--JESUS CHRIST IS REAL--and when He calls me, I will go to Him.  As I stood at Bobbie's bedside and watched as my dearest earthly friend , my wonderful buddy, the last thread of my immediate family left this world, I still stood in AWE of the God of this universe.
"When I consider Thy Heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained, what is man that Thou are mindful of him?...." Psalm 8:3-4. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

PAY ATTENTION!!!!

Well I am sitting in Newton County Hospital where my sister just had surgery for a broken hip. She came through surgery fine but her oxygen level dropped after the surgery and she spiked a fever--102.7 in fact! After a CT scan, it was determined that she has pneumonia in BOTH lungs. She is now on a ventilator. To say it has been a frightening experience is putting it mildly. All she wanted was a pack of peanut butter malt crackers from the QT gas station! I guess we just never know what may happen in a day! So what is it I need to pay attention to?
For one--there are a whole lot of people who are worse off than we are! Since being here 2 people have died with one of those being a 48 year old woman who had spinal meningitis. Her family had to make the difficult decision to unplug the life support system. Today, while sitting with my sister a nurse came in and asked the nurse who is taking care her "where are the bags?" to which our nurse asked "the body ones?". Then she told her where they were. Now, I am sitting there thinking--"bags? Body ones? Ummmm....body bags...another death?" I just kept my mouth shut where normally, I would have had several questions about THAT conversation. I need to pay attention to the fact that my sister just has a ventilator and be GRATEFUL for that. Then another night a very young and healthy looking man come in after some kind of 'altercation ' with a very beat up body--while down in the ER about 5 police cars with blue lights flooding the entire area were hanging out!! I need to pay attention to the fact that I am not dealing with THAT situation...I need to pay attention to all the ways that God shows himself faithful to us. He has provided a very nice room for our family to stay in while waiting to see my sister. It even has its own private bathroom. Several of the chairs in here let out into a bed-- THANK YOU FATHER FOR YOUR PROVISIONS!! This morning as I was reading in My Utmost For His Highest, I read this: " We are apt to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching, it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz. , into character...meant to make us something."
My character...hymmmm...Lord Jesus, help me to respond to things that happen in my life as you would have me to.

Testing

Didn't know if this would work!

Changes!

Lately, I've been thinking about LIFE.  I have decided that LIFE is just plain hard WORK!  I thought that it was hard work when I had 2 babies who were 14 months apart.  Back then, I just KNEW that I would never see the outside of a diaper pail. Just in case anyone reading this doesn't know what a diaper pail is--it's what you put your soiled cloth diapers in until you could get them washed!!  FUN, FUN!   Then, I thought it was hard work when I had a newborn after 8 years with 3 children. Folks, it is not easy either way--FAR apart or CLOSE together!  I remember my pediatrician telling me after that 4th baby, "Oh well, you already know all that about babies."  To which I replied, "No, No, I do not remember it--keep talking!"
Then, as I looked at each of those children and realized how enormously different they are, I wondered how anyone can know all there is to know about children. I had to PRAY a LOT.  Two more children and then the 3 older ones turned into TEENAGERS!!  Talk about CHANGE--hmmm!  I just thought that I had PRAYED a LOT!  Oh my goodness!!  A whole different way of life started coming at a very fast pace.  It was a full time job just keeping food cooked.  I don't know what happened but food just seemed to disappear!  Wow!  That brings us up to now.  That "sweet baby girl" as her dad always called her, turned 20 this year.  No more teenagers.  College classes, books and clothes everywhere, everyone going and coming and coming and going.  Sometimes I get so light headed I have to sit down!  And those PRAYERS--this morning as I was talking to God, I told Him, "LORD, there is SO MUCH to PRAY about!".  There are SO many CHANGES in life. That is true for me and true for you. I was praying for a pastor friend and his wife who live in England , when the thought came through my mind, that no matter where you live or what kind of accent you have, or what kind of language you speak, you still have to WORK HARD.  Even if you are fortunate enough to be a wealthy millionaire that never has to go to a job, you still have a house to keep, clothes to wash, yards to clean, etc,etc.  Now, perhaps you are thinking that millionaires can hire all that done--TRUE.  However, I have found that making sure everyone does their jobs is a HUGE headache! 

Okay, I think you get the point--Life Is Always Changing and It Is Always Hard Work!!!
So, what can we do about it?  In Mark Bryan's book:
The Artist's Way At Work,  he said, "We believe in making small lasting changes in the lives we have right now."  He suggests looking at the life you now inhabit and making small, concrete changes.  Changes that might be actions or acquisitions. He quoted Leo Tolstoy who said, "True life is lived when tiny changes occur."   In his life, he stopped yearning for time he did not have and began using what time he did have.
For example: 3 ten-minute reading breaks and a 20 minute walk at lunch.  Hmmm!  That is definitely doable!!!  He also said that although we may not be able to make LARGE changes in our life--"we can certainly make small changes that bring us a sense of comfort and optimism". And over time, little changes can make a BIG difference.  He then gives us a challenge:  List 3 small changes that you can make in these areas:   1.  Your Work Space
                                 2.  Your Car
                                           3.  Your Wardrobe
                     4.  Your Reading List or Entertainment
                     5.  Your exercise habits
                                         6.  Your eating habits
                     7.  Your spiritual maintenance
                     8.  Your kitchen
                     9.  Your bedroom
                    10. Your living room

Definitely something to give some thought too..........

Where Do I Begin?????????????

I really do not think that I had the 'flu'.   I think that I had the 'Super Flu'.  I would get better then get sick again.  I could not get well. Not one of my family had any sympathy for me either.  All that my children could say was:  "  Mom, you have GOT to get out of that chair!!!"  or   "You would NEVER let US sit in a chair like that!!!" or "Mom, GET up and move around! You are NEVER going to get well just sitting there!!"
What could the matter have been with them?  I mean, couldn't they SEE that I was NOT well at all???  I must tell you this story. Please bear with me, I will get back to that last train of thought.  One night as I was reclining--in the recliner (the Chair)--I heard a dog barking--pitifully--down near my chicken pen.  I immediately thought , "  Oh, no! Those neighbors of ours--they have gotten another dog!!!"    Rain was coming down in torrents.  It had been raining off and on all day.  I almost got up to see if I could see this barking dog.  Alas, I did not have the energy to even get up--or so I thought!!  Well, that youngest son of mine came in and took a shower and then came in the den and said,  "   Mom, are you lonesome?"   That should have been clue #1!!!   I told him I didn't have time to even figure OUT if I was lonesome or not.  But then he said,  "   Well, I think you are.  And, I think what you need is a dog!!"  I assured him that I most certainly DID NOT need a DOG!  That was clue #2!!!  Poor Eddie had not been in the ground barely three days!! He then told me that a stray dog had been hanging around his friend's house and he(the friend) was going to take him to the pound the next day, so he brought him home ..........I don't know WHERE the energy came from, but I shot up out of that chair like I had never been sick!!!  Hmmm!  I proceeded to inform my son that I WOULD BE TAKING THE DOG TO THE POUND MYSELF TOMORROW!!  And to think, I thought it was my neighbor's dog!
Of course, he HAD to tell me that he had never had a dog that was just HIS!!  The gardener in me wanted to say "   SO WHAT!!" .  But the momma in me just melted. You KNOW that our son promised to buy all the food and feed him and take complete care of him (all I could say was, "   Yeah, I have heard THAT before!"  ).  My husband refused to talk about it at all until the morning!  Then, when he saw the dog, HIS heart melted.  The dog looked exactly like Eddie except that he is black and Eddie was yellow.  We are now the proud owners of 2 LARGE dogs--AGAIN!  All my beautiful baby irises are trampled.  Those 'prize' rosebushes--he chewed 2 of them down to the ground--thorns and all!!!!!!   The water hose--chewed in half!  My flower pots that I had on the porches--dragged all over the yard and chewed up!  And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse.....Well, first let me get back to the 'Super Flu'.  I could not get well and you can see no one was helping me here on the homefront.  So, I asked my husband would he PLEASE take me to my sister's house and he did. I told my children that I was going to my sister's and was NOT coming home until I was well!!!!   I stayed there for a week and not one person told me to get up out of 'the chair'.  I started feeling stronger.  Then one day my Indiana daughter called me and told me they were coming home soon for a whole week!  Yay!  That made me feel better too. And what she said next made me feel wonderful.  She asked me to make a list of some things that I would like to have done around the house.  She said they were going to help me do some of them.  WOW!  I have six children and that was a VERY unusual thing for one of them to say!  That should have been clue #1 again!!!  The second  call from her came the day before I came home.  This call started with--"   Mom, we were wondering if you could do us a favor...."   (or something along those lines).  When I got off of the phone, my sister asked me what the call was about.  All I could manage to say was "   you don't want to know"  !   So, back to me thinking that things could not get any worse...I was 'asked' if I could keep Morgan (the beautiful little black, curly haired Schnoodle from Christmas) for a month... Okay, a month I can handle or so I thought.  That should have been clue #2 again.... My sister came by while they were home and I said,  
"  And here's the new member of our family!"    Now, I was just kidding and then she told me that she had known about it because that youngest daughter of mine had posted on Facebook the SHE was getting a new puppy!!! W-E-L-L  -----------------
I did say that I LOVED learning NEW things, didn't I?   At the moment I am learning how to let a dog train his owner!!  I am learning how to give a dog a bath so that he will not smell like a dog!  And I am trying to learn how to not cringe when a puppy licks and licks you!!  I am learning that dogs LOVE pig ears! 
Life seems to be full of surprises doesn't it?   An INSIDE dog----Who'd thought it????????????????

A Tribute to EDDIE

Last Friday evening our dog died.  It was a sad time at our house.  Especially for my husband--he is the one who found him and the one  who had to bury him.

My Indiana daughter told me that she is expecting a  'tribute to Eddie'  posted on my blog--ASAP.  "And"  said she, "There must be only good things--nothing bad!!"

HMMM!  This may take awhile......

WELL, I guess I'll not be able to talk about all the holes in the yard--nor all the poop.  She does not want me to tell about all the things that got destroyed when he first came to live with us.  All those plants and flowers he tore up, I won't be able to mention! My chickens  he killed--naw, I won't tell that!  Not even my beautiful white bunny that got out and --no, I won't tell you what happened to it!  Not even the times when he would sneak out of the gate and we had to go looking for him.  Especially not the time my husband left for work the day after Christmas and Eddie ran out of the gate and no one knew he was gone.  But,  we found out soon enough....  Oh my, what a fight he had with our neighbor's dogs--BULLDOGS--2 of them.  And Eddie probably would have died that day had it not been for 3 squealing barefooted girls in their pj's and a teenage boy with what I had THOUGHT was a BB gun.  Nope, it was the real thing.  And one of those bulldogs got the firing end of it--which I might add (although I am not supposed to mention it) ended up costing my husband and me several hundred dollars in our neighbor's Vet bill.  Hmmm!  A tribute to Eddie????

Okay, my sweet Indiana daughter, here it is:

                                     A Tribute To EDDIE

Who always ran to meet me at the gate with eyes full of loving, adoring looks?

It was EDDIE.


Who always sat very stately holding up his paw for me to shake as I went back to close the gate?

It was EDDIE.

Who loved it when I rubbed and rubbed his ears and said, "You are the BEST dog in all the world"?

That would be EDDIE.

Who always lay on the porch just hoping I would come out and bring him some tasty morsel?

Yeah, it was EDDIE.

Who LOVED Alpo dog food with some raw eggs broken over the top, or some left over chicken broth drizzled on?

It was EDDIE.

Who always kept vigilance near the grill whenever we got it out  because he KNEW the fellow cooking would always give him one of whatever was on that grill--much to my horror I might add!!

You KNOW it was EDDIE!

Who always took every step I did while I was working in the yard keeping me company?

It was EDDIE.

Who LOVED to sleep between my prize rosebushes underneath our bedroom window right on top of newly laid mulch and you couldn't scold him because he looked so warm and cozy?

It was EDDIE.

Who always walked me to the gate on Sunday mornings when we were leaving for church?    And when I said, "Now, you keep all those squirrels run out of the yard while we are gone" , who went running off like he was REALLY chasing a squirrel?

That would be our EDDIE.


Good old EDDIE, he really WAS the BEST dog in the whole world!

WE ALL MISS YOU, EDDIE!

Sick of the 'Flu'!!!

Have you ever hurt all over--so much that you could not sit still?  Has your throat hurt so badly that you could not talk clearly?  Has your head ever felt like it would pop right open any minute?  WELL--if you have ever felt any of these things--then, I can tell you, YOU HAVE HAD THE FLU!!!!   For the past 3 weeks I have consumed almost an entire bottle of Vit C  and also Garlic.  One of my daughters came home one day and exclaimed--"Mom, this house reaks of GARLIC!"  I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel--I think! However, that energy that I have been talking about--I do not have much of it!!!  Even my son got worried about me.  Last Sunday afternoon, he said, "Mom, get your clothes on. We are going for a walk to the end of the driveway."  Then, when we got to the end of the driveway, he kept on walking and made me walk up to my neighbor's house.  I told him that I sure hoped no one saw me because I looked like 'death warmed over'--to which he replied that no, I just looked like COLD death!!! Children can make you feel so up when you are feeling so down!!  To look at the good side, I was able to read quite a lot.  I read a book called "The One I Knew Best Of All"  by Frances H. Burnett. I love good books. I recommend that as a very good book!  I also read "The Good Earth"  by Pearl S. Buck.  I did not think that was a good book.  I guess she did do an excellent job of describing life in early China.  Also, it did make me VERY grateful that God allowed me to be born in America.  But I did not care for the main character.  My sister and I have decided that we are going to read a 'classic' each month of 2011.  This month we are reading "Oliver Twist".  I will let you know how it makes me  feel.  I was able to go thru a ton of paper piles (at least it SEEMED like a ton).  That made me feel REALLY good!  I was able to go to church today--first time in 3 Sundays.  I can truly say that "it was good to be in the house of the Lord".  

Just in case you are wondering, I did NOT take a Flu shot this year!

After Christmas Slump!

Wow, Christmas was fun and fast and busy!!  New Year's Day was more relaxing!  So relaxing that NO collards NOR blackeye peas were even attempted.  Instead, we went to Cracker Barrel!  I will say that whoever that Santa was did NOT bring me that I-Pad and I almost ended up with a PUPPY!  I only escaped by the 'skin of my teeth'---WHEW!!   I will have to admit that the little puppy WAS beautiful--curly black hair and such a bundle of fun!  His name was 'Morgan'.  I am just 'SO' not a dog person!!!  Sorry, Sheri  :(     I simply do not know HOW to care for an inside dog--or an outside dog for that matter.  However, I am the not-so-proud owner of 2 of those wonderful animals that are constantly digging up my vegetable plants and my flowers.  Actually, they do not even care if they are digging ANYTHING up--they just did HOLES all over our yard.  Can anyone tell me what you can do with a digging-dog? They sleep between my 'prize' rosebushes and wallow all over the monkey-grass!  I don't like them----except when I come home and they run to the gate to meet me.  They make me feel very special!  If they would just QUIT digging everything up!!  I even tell them that they are the best dogs in the whole world.  You would think that would keep them in line,  but, no--they really do not care.  Oh well, I must not think about my flowers they have dug up.  In fact, I should not think about dogs at all--not even the one that almost became mine at Christmas!!

What Happens Between Thanksgiving and Christmas?????

Wow!  It was just Thanksgiving and NOW  Christmas is almost here!!  Would you like to know WHY  that I think Christmas is almost here?  WELL, today my cell phone rang and I knew that it was my Indiana daughter (she changed my ringtones all around when we were visiting her in October and gave herself a musical one--I do not know how she did it--nor do I wish to know!!).   However, when I answered it--it was NOT her.  IT WAS SANTA CLAUS!!   Yes, he actually called me--ho,ho, hoing!  He said that he had heard that I had been very good this year and that he would be bringing me a PUPPY for Christmas.  I kept saying, "No, No, I do not want a PUPPY--EVER!"  .   But he would not listen--just kept up all this JOLLY talking!  Hmmm!  Wait till I talk to Sheri!  She just HAPPENS to have 5 puppies (Schnoodles).  So, I called her and I said (loudly), " I DO NOT WANT A PUPPY!  I WANT AN IPAD!!!!!"     And, then I shared with her that one of my daughter-in-laws (I won't say which daughter-in-law, I'll just say she lives CLOSE to me) had told me that what I needed was a KINDLE--which Sheri thought was a very good idea!  It has internet access!  And one of my daughters( I'll not say which one-only that she gives shots sometimes!!!) told me that what I needed was a LAPTOP.  It is really nice to have so many people who know what I need!  Don't you think so?  Anyway, it is beginning to look like I will have to get my own IPAD.   The sad part is that my children do not think I can operate an IPAD!!!!   THEY ARE GOING TO BE SO SURPRISED!!    Well, back to Christmas--I tremendously enjoyed the Christmas Musical at my sister's church.  They did such a good job--in fact, it was SO good that I stayed an extra night and watched it again!  And, it did give me a good dose of Christmas energy.  I am ashamed to tell you that I lost it when I got home!!   Charity and I drug the Christmas tree out of the attic by ourselves!  Then, we worked on it like a puzzle and finally got it up!   That is as far as it has gotten!  No lights, no decorations, just  a TREE--and, no plans for any either!  I would be willing to bet that Christmas will come and go whether that tree gets decorated or not!

A Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

I did go to my sister's house on Monday evening!  We got an early start on Tuesday (well, maybe not TOO early) but you should know what I mean--that is if you have a sister!!   I have been telling my friends that we actually had a 'cleaning marathon' on Tuesday.  On Wednesday, we had a 'cooking marathon' and on Thursday, we had an 'eating marathon'!!!!!   We did have a great time! We managed to get everything done on time and we even were able to do a short sprint to Target!!  We had SO much food!  God is SO VERY GOOD!   After eating, some of us made 'Christmas Tags' with paint and glue and Christmas wrapping paper!  The others just WATCHED us make them!!!  Both groups had FUN!
As for the birthday pictures, it required a little more technical experience than either my sister or I possessed!!  No problem--my brother-in-law came to our aid!!  I hate to admit this, but he left me to choose the ones that I wanted to post and to delete the ones I did not want.  I DID THAT EXACTLY LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TOO!   And I was SO proud of myself!!! However, I also deleted everything that was on my camera--including the pictures that my youngest daughter had taken at the Georgia National Fair!  Sorry, Charity!!!  OUCH!   Someday, I am going to be SO good using computers, cameras and computer equipment--I just KNOW that I am!!  When my kids asked me (during our Thanksgiving meal) what I wanted for Christmas, and I told them that I wanted an IPAD , they thought that it was a JOKE!     I WAS NOT JOKING!   Someone even said that perhaps in about 10 or so years I would have enough saved to buy me one!!  HUMPH!  And , if that was not humbling enough, one of them even said , "Well, Mom, mostly college students use IPADS!"   (Does anyone know if that is true??)  Speaking of Christmas, it will soon be here. I am planning to go back to my sister's this Sunday to hear their choir present a Christmas musical!  I hope it will help me to have some Christmas energy because  we  do not even have our tree up and decorated.  Well, perhaps tomorrow--after all, 'tomorrow is another day'!        
  Then, again,  there is always next week!

Here Are The Pictures!!! YAAAAY!!

                                          


                             HAPPY   5th

               BIRTHDAY


                        Sweet  Carolina

                                                      
                                                       Clothes for her American Girl Doll         

                                                              ♠Her American Girl Doll

                                                               Barbie Medical Doll

                                                               Go-Go Doggie!!!!

                                                                Love that Go-Go Dog!

                                                               Isn't She So Precious?

♠♠♠                                                   
                            ♠We had a Most  Wonderful  day!!

Time Flying By

Wow!  Here it is almost Thanksgiving Day!  I am looking forward to spending time with my sister.  I will be going early--maybe even tomorrow--to help with the cooking.  It will be so much fun cooking together!  Then on Thursday the rest of the 'gang' will be coming--not yet sure who all that includes!    
Today I went to church.  It was Youth Sunday.  The speaker talked about loving Jesus supremely--going back to our 'first love'.  How HE wants us to love Him more than we love to eat or play or whatever we 'love' doing.  His message was very convicting!  
This afternoon I have been going through all my art 'stuff''--trying to get it organized.  One of my daughters came in right in the middle of a huge mess on the kitchen floor.  She said," "WHAT IS ALL THAT "!!!!???   I just kept right on and quietly replied,
'junk'.   She said no more!!   :)     I also painted  (just a little bit) and I glued some quotes in one of my art journals.
  I have still not been able to get the birthday pictures on my blog.  Hopefully, my sister and I can figure out how to do it this week!

What Happened To This Week???

Wow, what a busy week!  The birthday party was wonderful!  Can you imagine being 5 yrs. old ?  Excitement filled every room.  Barbie dolls, American Girl doll and several outfits--even a Go-Go Dog!  What fun!  Both sets of grandparents doting on her, plus brother, cousins and lots of aunts and uncles!!
Actually. I had wanted to post some pictures but I cannot get the 'system' figured out!!  However, I do plan to figure it out!!  It will just take me a little longer than it would my children.....but stay posted to see a beautiful little 5 yr. old enjoying her BIG day!!
On Tuesday, we went to Atlanta to a Seize The Day motivational seminar!   That was very inspiring!  Les Brown, John Maxwell, Terry Bradshaw, Sarah Palin, Laura Bush were some of the speakers!  I came home ready to tackle the world!  And, it is a good thing I did because life hit me smack in the face the very next day--UMMPH!     You would think that I would be very resilient by now--40 yrs. of marriage and 6 children plus 2 grands!  I guess some people just don't learn!  WELL, that was this past week.  Tomorrow is going to be a spectacular day!  I have my Breakfast of Champions conference call in the morning and after that I will head to Athens for a few days. So, it will be the latter part of the week until I can write again (hopefully, with some pictures).  One of the points that really stood out to me from the seminar was this:  "Never let someone's opinion of you determine your reality".          

Let's keep our energy up--never know when we might need it--in a hurry!!

Back Home in Georgia

Could I please go back to Indiana????   There I could really SEE things.  Oh, I can SEE things alright here.  I can see the garbage that needs to be taken to the recycle center.  I can see the clothes that need washing.  I can see the floors that need mopping.  I can see the leaves that need raking. Talk about needing ENERGY!!!!       Come to think of it--ALL of those things had to be done at my daughter's house.   SO----what is the difference?     Hmmm!  Perhaps it is because it was not my RESPONSIBILITY  there,  but here is a different story!!   Here I have 2 dogs needing my attention and a little bunny that needs attention.  Of course, my daughter and son-in-law had a miniature poodle,  another dog with 6 newborn pups,  another Golden Retriever, plus a cat!  And in the barn they had 4 bunnies and 1 of those weighed 20 lbs!!!!  (His name was King Tut!)  However, I did not feed a single one of them while I was there.  I just played with them!  I do not play with my dogs (I never asked for a single one of them!!!).  I  CANNOT play with them, I am so MAD at them.  I have huge holes in my garden beds, more holes all over our yard--even in our dirt driveway.
Well, I am not thinking about all that any more tonight.  "After all, tomorrow is another day".  Tonight, I will think about my grandaughter.  Tomorrow is her birthday!  5 years old--I can hardly believe that much time has passed.  We are having her party at our house.  It is always so much fun.  She is so cute opening up her gifts.  She wants a 'Barbie' birthday party.  Her mom always finds the cutest things for her party. Have you seen all the new Barbie movies?  You should--they are really good.  I love watching them with my grandaughter---my grandson does not care for them,however!! I don't think that I have actually seen them ALL, but the ones that I have seen are very good!   We like to do art journals together--but they do not want me to give any suggestions on how to do theirs!  One day soon I will post some pictures of our journals.   Perhaps the latter part of next week will be a good time to do that. 
       One of my daughters is having 2 friends over for the night.  The other daughter is also having a friend over for the night .  Do you reckon anybody will get ANY sleep?   Uh-Oh, here comes one of them now.  AND, the friend just pulled up!  Happy Sleeping To all!

SEWING FEVER IN INDIANNA

                                                                
                                                          GETTING  READY  TO SEW

                                                          TRUSTY OLD SINGER

                                                                
                                         LORD JESUS, MAY YOU ALWAYS ESTABLISH
                                                     THE WORK OF OUR HANDS.

A HAND FELTED PIN CUSHION

WHICH WAS ANOTHER DAY'S PROJECT

     FINISHED APRON!!!!!

Cozy Indianna Saturday

It was quiet and warm here today!  Our daughter and son-in-law both had to work so it was just my husband and me. He actually left for a little while. So it was very quiet!  It was warm because we stayed inside!!  At least I stayed inside. I listened to my regular Sat. morning Breakfast of Champions phone call.  Outside the wind is gently blowing the trees around.  Today,  I have only seen 2 Amish buggies--so far.  One of those had a huge umbrella in front of them.  I wonder how they can see to drive the buggy!  Hmmm. Now, everyone is home and watching the GA.-FLA football game while I write. -- There goes another buggy--a larger one this time.  Everyone looked liked they had on black wool coats or cloaks and hats. I am so spoiled--it would take more than a warm wool coat and hat to get me in one of those open-topped buggies. OOOOoooo--shiver,shiver!   From where I am sitting, the side window here by the computer desk looks like a picture in a magazine.  There is a lovely tree (I really like trees) with large branches swishing back and forth. Just beyond the tree, past the bare field which looks content to have completed its summer work, is a stately white mailbox.  It is so crisply white--post and all.  Another field lies behind the mailbox and then more trees.  Some of the leaves are colored but many of the trees have already shed their summer foliage and are preparing for the winter weather. I see some green, some beige, some deep purple.  It is really very pretty.   From the sounds coming from the next room, I don't think the ballgame is going in the right direction!! YIKES!  My daughter made some cheese/chili dip for the game.  It is very yummy!  She is a very good cook.  I am very impressed!