Mrs. C

Friday evening, my cousin's husband stopped at his mom's house after work, like he does every day, and found her on the floor by her bed. She passed away sometime between their phone call Thursday evening and him stopping by Friday. To add to the heartbreak, her granddaughter asked what they did wrong for this to happen to her grandma.

Mrs. C was an amazing woman. She was a widow who raised her boys on her own. They all turned out to be amazing men. My cousin could not have found a more loving, hard-working man. Along with raising her boys, Mrs. C was a strong and driving force behind several school programs her kids were involved with. She became a second mother to many kids over the years, giving them the support and comfort they needed. Sometimes even the kick in the pants they deserved!

Among her many talents was cooking wonderful food. She catered my wedding 11-1/2 years ago and I will always be thankful for her hard work. She never hesitated to greet me with a hug when we saw one another out and about. I was one of her "kids", after all. God bless you and keep you, Mrs. C. You will be missed.

So, if you have a moment or two to spare, just think of my family and send thoughts their way. It would mean so much. Thank you.

A few moments...

A few moments to share an update. I really like my job at David's Bridal. My managers are fabulous and the other consultants are great! I love Ms. Becky in our Alterations Department. She actually reminds me of my Grandma M. The work environment is great. They are all a bit like a loving disfunctional family. Crazy but still willing to claim you! Lol!

My mom and MIL have made it possible for me to work and I don't know where we would be without them. Slowly but surely things are getting squared away at home. I was very sick over Thanksgiving holiday so we were not able to have everyone over. I ended up getting sick earlier in the week, losing my voice to go along with it, but I continued to try and work. All was well until I got sick AT work. Luckily, not all over a wedding dress. I left shortly thereafter and was five minutes from home when I got sick again, this time at stop light (thank you!). Made life interesting. Mom was at the house with the boys already and told me that I wasn't going to be worth anything to just go to bed and she would stay until John got home. Sleep is an amazing cure. A few hours of hard sleep and I felt like I had some control over my body. It has taken until just yesterday for me to feel more like myself.

There are a few things going on with John's job but God will walk us through them. He has a plan and I pray I have the faith to trust Him. John seems okay but I feel like there is another shoe waiting to drop.

Jonathan has been doing well with his classes at PCI and seems to really enjoy it. He would love to have a different job right now but, as he says, it pays the bills. Isaac seems content with where he is right now. He is waiting on Alysha to transfer to the school down there to finish her classes. They are doing well together. The distance isn't so great (about 2 hours) that they aren't able to manage. I am proud of them for making this work. They have long term plans that will get started when she finishes school. For now, they are happy where they are in life and I could not be more pleased with how they are dealing with everything.

Mom and Grandma and Grandpap are doing okay. They just got Grandma's flu shot today. Her birthday was on 12/2. I thought about her all day at work but neglected to call her until yesterday. I apologized but Grandma just laughed it off, telling me she had a great day and thanked me for calling her. It's better than NOT calling. Lol!

Missed Dad greatly, yesterday.

I work all day tomorrow and then there is a company Christmas party that evening. Just thought I would share a quick ramble on a few things.

Stay safe and Happy Christmas!

Many blessings!

I don't have any pictures to show to you this time around but I have many things to share.

First, I have a job!!! Starting this week, I will be a part-time bridal consultant at David's Bridal! I am so excited! Today, I will fill out the paperwork and receive my schedule. Tomorrow, I go to the bus garage and make changes to the transportation plan for Mr. Rebel and Mr. Pirate for after school. My mom and MIL are both thrilled about this. I don't know if it's because I finally got a call back for a job or because they get the kids. Lol!

Second, DH insisted that I get a few more pieces of clothing to expand my wardrobe for work. Of course, we visited WalMart, which brought in a few fabulous and timeless items. Our best trip of the day was to Goodwill! We stopped on our way to Save-A-Lot (love it!!!) and looked around. We found two skirts, one casual and one work, and then unearthed THREE vintage beauties in the coat section! Um, Dana, you may want to stop reading, now. Just skip the next paragraph, okay?

I was sliding my hand across the coats as I walked by the rack and encountered "fuzzy". I looked at the coat and couldn't believe it! It was a knee-length fur in fabulous condition! The leather trim on the inside seam was still supple and whole. The stitching was perfect and the buttons were original and still attached! A beautiful tan/mocha color, I slid it on and it was a perfect fit! Next to that first fur was a beautiful knee-length knitted "trench-style" coat with a fur collar. Three sets of double-breasted buttons down the front. A snap and inside button at the neck. The collar itself has two hook-and-eye closure to turn the collar into a muff around the neck. For those of you that know my area, THIS coat was sold at Horne's! Fabulous fit, too! The third coat is a beautiful, fully lined cream trench coat (started out kind of a dingy grayish tan but 3-4 washed in Woolite and Oxyclean does wonders!). This coat was made in British Hong Kong! Collector's item! In all, DH spent less than $25 on all the coats plus my two skirts. I hope to take pictures of them soon. I have also pulled out my Great-Great-Aunt Mayre's/Great-Grandmother's fur coat that I inherited years ago. I plan on making use of them.

Third, my room is clean! Living in a small mobile home with limited storage, my and DH's bedroom tends to become dumping grounds for whatever anyone doesn't know what to do with. This weekend, we cleaned our room, weeded through all our clothes and started a new Goodwill collection in our living room, and kept up with the dishes and laundry.

The weekend of Oct. 10th, all my boys were home! DH drove up to Pittsburgh to get Jonathan. Isaac, his girlfriend, and Isaac's laundry arrived Saturday afternoon. It was so wonderful to have my men together again, though just for a short time. We had all gathered because Tom, the Marine I talk about occasionally, was home for a last visit. At this point right now, he and his unit are in "hurry up and wait" mode. They are scheduled to leave for Afghanistan soon. While we are all apprehensive about his orders, we are also happy for him. This is what he wants to do. This is what makes him happy. We know the possible outcome. So does he. We will deal with it when it comes. For now, we treasure the time we have.

Brutal Recess!

My, oh my, the things kids "bring" home these days! Lol! This is what Mr. Rebel, my 10-year-old, looked like when he came home from school today. Apparently, recess was a little more interesting than usual. Lol! There is some swelling, a really nice bruise on the inside of the knee and several layers of skin missing. The bandaids from school were not hanging on very well and, of course, any dirt nearby was instantly attracted to the open wound.

It got washed and disinfected and bandaged. He spent 15 minutes on the couch with a frozen water bottle to bring down some of the swelling. The knee seems to be moving okay and he doesn't complain about it hurting when he puts weight on it. Though, that is just today. Tomorrow it will be stiff and sore. Fun!

Anyone want a Grasshopper...

He's very photogenic. Very patient, too. I came home from running an errand with Jonathan, who is home from Pittsburgh while all the craziness of the G-20 is going on, and found this little guy sitting on the arm of one of my patio chairs. He sat there for over an hour. I have several good photos but this was a quick edit and looked perfect for a post.

A Birthday Party

My middle BIL's girlfriend had her birthday yesterday so we celebrated with a party today at my MIL's house. A few days go DH calls me from work. He and his brothers had cooked up the idea to have a surprise party for their mother (whose birthday is on Tuesday) at the same time as middle BIL's girlfriend. So, I was asked to make the cake.

Now, if you read my post about my youngest's birthday party, you remember that my MIL showed me how to make icing roses. So, I told DH that I would like to try and make her cake a little more than a 9x13 still in the pan with icing slathered on. He was game so I went to the store.

Wilton makes these $12 starter kits with several tips/bags/mini colors/couplings and instructions (I suggest YouTube or Wilton website videos!), so I picked up one. I figured I could at least try. If I was completely inept then I could always call my mom to rescue me. I grew up watching mom decorate the most fantastic cakes (we never had plain, boring cakes until we became teens and were too complicated and moody...lol). So, I figured I had a head start.

So, here we go.This is two 9 inch rounds stacked. I used two boxed chocolate cake mixes and two tubs of chocolate icing. I filled the pans over the halfway mark to let them mound up. When they cooled I cut off the top keeping in line with the top of the pans to create a flat surface.

And here it is. It is far from perfect but God gave me the patience to keep trying. The best part? My MIL loved it!

I am glad I took pictures before we left the house to head over to MIL's because in the midst of DH fixing vegetable beef stew in the dutch ovens outside, the MIL's oil carafe that sat on the back of the stove fell over on the cake and flattened two of the roses! Lol! I had not put it back far enough when I returned it to the kitchen. Hahaha! I had a great time creating this and thank God for the talented women in my life that have taken the time to teach me their craft.

Stitch Markers

These are knitting stitch markers that I have made purely because I hate those little wafer ones you buy in the stores. You can't see them very well if you are working with a bulky yarn, they slip from your fingers so easily, and if you drop one you might as well count it as GONE. So, since I have a ton of beads and findings and wire, I set to making stitch markers.

The top is Rose Quartz with silver-toned findings. It is a set of six and quite heavy. The quartz actually came from a few bracelets that I found on clearance at WalMart. I didn't like the bracelets but loved the quartz so I took them apart and have been waiting for the beads to talk to me and tell me what they wanted to be.

The second is purple glass and is a set of 12. These beads I bought outright because they reminded me of a set of dishes my mom use to have from Viking Glass (that I broke in its entirety when I was young and emptying the dishwasher...I learned not to try and lift an entire stack of plates after that). Again, the beads are paired with silver-toned findings.

I have a few other sets. One in black and white glass, another in autumn-colored "wedding cake" glass beads. I just remembered I hadn't photographed them as I typed. They are in my knitting tote bag and I forgot about them. Maybe later. All my markers are sized on US 15/10mm needles and are real easy to make. As long as I know what beads I am using, it only takes me about 5 minutes per marker since I use wire, not pins, and have to twist them into shape. I am thinking of selling them at the craft show I will be going to with my mom and aunt in November.

Under construction...

For a little bit, anyway. It will look a bit chaotic for a while and my paragraphs are all wonky in older posts but things will straighten out soon enough.

National StepFamily Day

Yep, apparently that is what today is. I have to agree with a fellow stepmom in my parenting group that Bonus Family is much better. So...HAPPY BONUS FAMILY DAY!(this picture is over 2 years old but it's the only one I had readily available with all of us in it.)

My first movie crush...Rest in Peace

September 14, 2009, Patrick Swayze died at age 57

Cooking, Camping, and a Birthday

The cooking and camping go hand-in-hand. My Dh and I are going to be camping next summer with our boys (the two oldest when they can join us...). So, DH bought me a 10-inch, 6qt, tri-leg dutch oven. I am determined to know how to cook WITHOUT a camp stove. The way I look at it, as long as I can start a fire and I have my dutch oven (and food) I can feed my family. I don't have to waste money on the camp stove every time we pack up for the weekend. It will be for emergencies. So, we started. And nothing has burned! Yay, me!

To further our camping experience, it is always nice to have a tent. DH and I have been pricing them for almost 6 months now. WOW! They can sure be expensive. We have finally settled on one we really like but it will cost a tidy bit and we have too many things to take care of right now to justify that purchase. It will wait. Enter - my family!

I had been up to my grandparents' home for something and ended up talking with Grandpap about our hopes for camping next summer. He offered his old tent that has been in storage for going on 20 years. Hey, it was more than DH and I had at the time, so I was more than happy to tell DH about it. A few days later my uncle called me to offer his and Aunt Martha's tent, too! Again, it had been in storage for many years.

Well, Saturday we packed up the boys and headed to my grandparents' house to see what we were dealing with as both my grandpap and my aunt/uncle said they weren't sure the condition of the tents but we were welcome to them. OMGosh!!!! They were awesome! Aunt/Uncle's tent is so cool! It is a small 3-4 man tent with a screen house attached and a canvas roof. Fabulous condition! Aunt even pulled the original instructions from the pole box! Hahah! In this family that is amazing! Pap's tent is fully canvas and the condition, well, have a look!

Today was Mr. Pirate's eighth birthday. We had his party over at my MIL's. It was small, as my older brother and his family didn't make it and my DH's brothers didn't make it (although one of DH's brother did drop off his oldest daughter). That's okay, though. We had a great time. MIL showed me how to make icing roses (yay!) and then we played outside with Mr. Pirate's new football. I even managed to figure out how to spiral a football (it's taken over 20 years, my brothers should be thrilled!). All in all, it was a wonderful day!

The most fantastic day!

Despite not having our older two sons with us, I have had the most fantastic day with my younger two and my husband! This morning my DH surprised me with an outing. Having felt unwell, I was not moving fast enough to get to church. So, DH used that as an opportunity to take me and the two boys out for the day.

We started with a trip to the mall. Mr. Rebel needed new jeans and is in between sizes (and clothing departments...boys' section to men's section). Shopping for him is an adventure. We finally found a few pairs at Old Navy that were on clearance (thank goodness!!!) for $16.99 a pair. that is comparable to what I would have paid at KMart or WalMart (yes, I checked). He will have growing room but they fit him well enough to keep him from getting picked on.

After finding the pants, DH took me to my portion of the trip. A previously closed section of the mall has been reopened to house a CRAFT2000!!! Oh, happy day! Til today, I had never been in one of them. It is one of the most fabulous stores I have ever been in. I didn't explore even half the store. I did zero in on the yarn, though. Lovely aisles. Lovely. I brought home three one-pound bags of cotton mill ends. Each bag is one shade, which is not always the case.

So, after that we left the mall. DH decided it was time to eat (it really was) and so off we went. Following lunch, which was fabulous, we went to Cabela's. Since DH and I are taking the boys camping next year, he and I wanted to get a tri-legged cast iron dutch oven for cooking. I wanted it early so I can practice on how NOT to burn dinner! After doing the general looking around that we always do, we looked specifically for the 10-inch 6-qt dutch oven we wanted. It was nowhere! The product-finder kiosk stated that there was one in the store. Um, nope. So, while he went to look at knives with the boys, I went to customer service. I absolutely LOVE our Cabela's customer service desk. I don't know about other stores, but our store has a great customer service desk. They helped me locate one at the distribution center (basically right across the street) and we had fun laughing our way through finding it. DH was thrilled when I gave him the piece of paper and even more so when I actually put it in the van after picking it up from the distribution center.

After that we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and picked up a knife magnet for the kitchen so that we can get our knives out of the utensil container (bad for knives! and for parents of a student chef). Dh will put it up tomorrow. Then, we stopped at a place that DH said I can cross off my Bucket List ---- Cold Stone Creamery! Fabulous! Then we came home and had dinner. Yeah, we had dessert first. It was fun though.

The whole day was fun! We spent a wonderful day with the two boys, enjoyed the sun (much of our visit to Cabela's was actually outside looking at tents and watching them carve logs with chainsaws), and visited with each other. Even with everything we did, we still got home in time for the boys to shower and be in bed ON TIME! Lol! Yep, they went to bed about 20 minutes ago! That even includes a phone call to Pittsburgh because the boys were missing their older brother. Tomorrow, they will be calling their oldest brother. Thank you, God, for giving us a full day of family and still keeping us on schedule. Today was such a blessing.

Ugh.

A two-day migraine, this time. Three pills in total. I was beginning to wonder if the pills were actual medication or just powder. Eventually, the pain did recede but not before it completely messed up my plans for Friday evening.

For three weeks in a row, I have been unable to attend the "knit nights" at our yarn shop with Mom and Tater (my niece). Hopefully, next week is a different story. I really liked getting together with so many different people and just visiting.

I have finished several baby blankets in the diagonal dishcloth pattern. I try different patterns all the time but rip them out and go back to my dishcloth pattern. It works for me. Mom says that she did the same thing. She would start a pretty pattern and then rip it out and do a basic. After having some time to think on it, the basic pattern blankets are great because the pretty ones don't get used all the time. Those are the "good" blankets. The garter stitch blankets (mine are usually made from cotton) tend to be the ones the babies can grow with and drag behind them all through the house. That works for me.

I am currently working on a new blanket in the dishcloth pattern with Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn in Lemon Custard. One of the girls my two oldest went to school with is getting married and just found out she is expecting (good timing). She is doing the nursery in a John Deere theme (she's a farm girl to the core!!!) so I figure the light yellow will work. I will make another one in a cotton variegated to give her a basic go-to blanket. You can never have too many blankets when you have babies.

An interesting evening with next-day issues

Yesterday, the two boys had there first day of the new school year. They were so excited to fill me in on everything they got to do. They both love their teachers and think they will have a great year. I checked their bags, signed assignment books, and read supply lists. Our state mandates that all student supplies are strictly optional. Meaning, no parents HAVE to supply school supplies. That is what our taxes are for. It's public school and we already pay for it, so they don't "require" us to send school supplies. However, the teachers send home lists of things that we could send to school for our child's personal us and for classroom use if we want. So, we do. Mr. Rebel only needed a few things this year as his teacher was fully prepared for the year, even down to the folders the kids are going to be receiving in a few days that will hold their work-in-progress and take-home papers. Mr. Pirate took several more things than that. With DH and I expecting to send a ton of supplies with both, the few things we did send came as a surprise and a blessing.

So, I took the kids to the store to pick up the few things I didn't have in my school supplies storage bins. DH met us there and we did a little more shopping for the house. After getting home, we started dinner and I started working with Mr. Pirate on his homework...and then the transformer down the road blew up. Oh...joy. Blessings of blessings, I had already sent Mr. Rebel to the showers (early, I know but I wanted it done), so he was just finishing when we lost power. Dinner for Dh and Mr. Rebel was to be prepared in the oven and I already had it on. Thank goodness for gas ovens! So, those two shared their food with Mr. Pirate and me. We ate outside on the patio and had a great time visiting and talking about the day.

When the transformer blew, I had called the electric company to report the outage. While on the phone with them, the fire trucks could be heard arriving down the road. The electric company said they hadn't received any calls from the fire department as of yet but they documented everything. A little later, they called back saying that no one else called with a power outage report so I walked around to my neighbors (who had no power) and they all called the electric company. They were told it would be about 10:30pm until someone could get there. It was 7:15pm. Oh, well. It happens. We got lucky, though. A guy had been in the area and opted for the call. We had power back before 9:30pm.

So, the other interesting thing. Yesterday, I had to each lunch by myself. So, Dh told me to help myself to stuff we bought for his lunches because he bought too much and didn't want it to go to waste. So, I did. So, in conjunction with what I ended up eating for dinner last night, I gave myself a migraine. Dana, you will be happy to hear that I can add processed meats (lunch meat and meat topping on heat-and-serve pizzas) to my "DO NOT EAT!!!!" list. Lol! The base of my skull hurts so bad right now. The right side of my face is a combination of numb and itchy. Nice. Next time I will just stick with my routine.

A few firsts...

My two younger boys (Mr. Rebel on the left and Mr. Pirate on the right) got up bright and early this morning. Today was their first day of the 2009-2010 school year. It is also the first year that they go to school by themselves. Previously, they have had one or two older brothers with them. Not this year. Mr. Magic Hands (yes, that's the oldest...the Massage Therapist) and Mr. Chef (the second oldest...and his moniker is self-explanatory) are both off exploring the world in their own way, though they do manage to find home every once in a while. We do enjoy that.

*sigh* Those two look so much like their dad...

This was another first for me. An ORANGE SKY! Yes, that is true-to-life color. I double checked and triple checked. The sky was ORANGE! We had a pretty serious storm roll through one evening. The sky started to go green (bad bad bad) but then apparently changed its mind and we got the most beautiful "orange push-up" color! The sun had not yet set on the other end of the weather system and the light was bouncing off all the moisture. It was beautiful! 20 minutes later we had white clouds, blue skies and a gorgeous sunset. Nature is so fascinating!

Just a small vent

So, during the course of your day you get on the internet to check your email. You surf a few websites, read a few articles. In that time you see (and probably ignore) those moving ads for car insurance. The other new thing is the deluge of ads that proclaim Obama asks Moms to go back to school. Great idea! I think it is wonderful that there are programs to encourage Moms to go back to college...oh, wait...there's a catch.

99% of all scholarships and grants available for 'Mom' and her family's need for her to return to college are for SINGLE MOMS! Yep. I would have to divorce my husband to get the funding needed to go back to school to better my chances on getting a job that would pay more than my daycare bill.

I married young. I had children young. I have raised two boys that God blessed me with the day I said "I Do". I have two more boys that I was blessed with that are in grade school. I have limited employment history but 11 years of managing a house hold, managing schedules, and raising children. I have learned many things over the years through use of the internet and use of basic application and reading. My life experience adds up to more education than that of a 20 year old with a little piece of paper saying "I'm smart!". And yet, that little piece of paper gets them the job and me a rejection letter.

So, here's a tip. If you are a mom and want to go back to school, the government apparently would love to give you money...if you aren't married! If you have spent any amount of time being a SAHM, raising your kids, sacrificing your dreams, and listening to people talk down to you because you lack a certain little piece of paper, well, you are poop-out-of-luck.

An ending...

Have you ever had that one teacher that has such an impact on your life that you think of them almost every day? That you actually call them just to say hi and check on them? Yeah, that teacher...

Yesterday, I lost that teacher. Mr. Rose. My band director for the first two years of high school. He was the type of man that you either loved or hated within 2 minutes of meeting him. He smoked (in the band room), he drank (we all knew it was in his coffee...in the band room), he swore to make a sailor blush (in the band room, the practice field, football games, etc), and he cared for each and every one of his students whether they liked him or not. He would gives his last few dollars in his pocket just to make sure his kids had reeds, oil, a registration fee. He was as coarse and crude and politically incorrect as possible. And we loved him.

My junior year, I auditioned for Field Commander/Drum Major. All the students that auditioned made up the "company" that followed commands given by the one currently in front of the judges. So many did well. Me? I ran the company into the gym wall! God bless him, Mr. Rose laughed so hard he had to sit down! Lol! Mr. D (assistant director) wasn't much better. *chuckle* Needless to say, I didn't get it. Not that year. My senior year, yeah. I got it. The sad thing about it was Mr. Rose had retired at the end of my junior year so he wasn't there to share it with. I did call him, though. The first thing he asked when I told him I auditioned again was if I ran the company into the wall! Lol! He was thrilled that I got it. I told him I spent my entire summer practicing with my SIL, Pam. I could hear the smile in his voice about that.

He loved Pammy. She was his go-to girl in the percussion section. Anything he needed from the percussion, she gave it ten-fold. She would also argue with him. Toe to toe, those two would go at it. She never backed down from him even when he threated her grade. If it was worth it, she argued. Ahh, he loved their fights. You could see it.

Mr. Rose was a perfect mix of grandpa and old geezer.

There are so many memories I could share but I think I will sit back and enjoy them for now.

For Family

Since my mom hasn't updated her blog since the WV Birthday weekend, I will try and fill family in on what is happening.

Grandma was supposed to have cataract surgery on August 18. Last week, at her check-up appointment before surgery, the doctor found a membrane containing fluid behind her eye. It isn't supposed to be there. So, he cancelled the surgery and scheduled an appointment for her to see a specialist in Pittsburgh on August 14, tomorrow.

Grandma is very nervous and anxious about it. She was hoping to be done with all the surgeries before Emily's birthday. Now, we don't know what is happening.

Mom has become something of a knitting whisperer! Lol! She has a group of ladies in a small community south of our town that have come together as a Prayer Shawl group. Another group has started at our church that meets every week with Mom. We also have a new yarn shop in town! She has just started, so she carries the basics and a few specialty yarns but is building her stock based on what her customers are looking for instead of stocking everything and stuff not selling. The shop hosted a Knit til You Drop night a few weeks ago and it turned into a weekly meeting. I missed last Friday's Knit Night because of feeling ill from a migraine that lasted three days. However, I am praying very hard to be able to make it tomorrow night!

Since Mom will be in Pittsburgh with Grandma and Grandpap all day, she has asked that I take Tater, my niece. Mom taught Tater to knit just over a month ago (she picked it up immediately!). Tater has been going with mom to all her Prayer Shawl meetings in the small community south of us and has attended Knit Night the last two weeks. Mom doesn't want her to miss tomorrow's Knit Night just because she is exhausted from the day in Pittsburgh. So, I am hoping, praying, that God gives me a pass for tomorrow evening so I can take her. Oh, that reminds me. I have to fix something to take with me.

Yes, I know...another post

Just a quick note before bed.

Dh and I have been working on the home for the last few weeks. I have managed to get 90% of the place cleaned and organized. Our bedroom, which as most parents know is really just another storage room for things the kids leave laying around the house and ends up tossed in Mom and Dad's room, is still on the To-Do list. The older boys' room, which is now the smaller bedroom, is also on the list. I have a lot of stuff that needs stored or sold in a yard sale, so it will take some work for that to be done since my storage building is bursting at the seams right now.

The biggest thing at this point is DH's handiness around the home. Living in a mobile home means we live in a metal box that heats up horribly during any type of sunny, somewhat humid weather. It also means we don't have a screen door paired with our back door. So, DH got creative and bought the items needed to make a full sized screen to put over the opening when the door is open. Yes, we have to remove it every night but I love the fact I can just prop open the door, slide the screen in place and put a fan at the back door to draw air through the rest of my home.

Today, DH took the old A/C unit out of our bedroom window, along with the plexiglass and fit a new screen for the window. I can honestly say that I hate silicone caulking. I now also need new blades for my utility knife. Luckily, DH keeps a supply on hand because he goes through so many for work. It took me almost an hour to remove all the caulking. And to go outside and scoop up all the cat poop that was in my yard and stinking to high heavens. Funny, though. I DON'T OWN A CAT! However, all my neighbors who DO own cats think it's great that it's MY YARD and MY GARDEN that gets used as a litter box. *sigh* Yes, I am venting. Yes, I am done.

So, tomorrow, DH and I are going to remove the old A/C unit from the front bedroom where the two younger boys are. He is going to fit it for a new screen and hopefully get a nice bit of airflow through the house. I am pretty excited. We have been here for over 7 years and I still feel like I am just moving in. Hmm.

On a side note, the screen fabric Dh picked up is great! It is UV protectant grade and is very dark which gives a large amount of privacy. Especially with us having the back door completely open.

So, I have rambled again. I can feel myself slipping into "slap happy" stage. It's time to say goodnight.

Have a laugh...

Dh and I aren't big on alcoholic beverages. Me because can't hold my liquor and DH because he just isn't interested. Granted, he will have a drink every once in a while (more like two or three times a YEAR) but that's it. With me, well, I can't have more than 4 oz. without getting drunk. Me being drunk involves a pillow, a blanket, possibly some snoring and a horrendous headache in the morning. And that is off 4 oz of alcohol. Just so you get the idea, that's 1/3 of a regular can of beer! It actually makes me sad. I love wines and miss being able to sit down after the kids are in bed and having a glass. Oh, well. We still have a use for the wine rack on the baker's stand in the kitchen! Lol!

Ah, relief

The last week or so has been so humid, muggy, stifling, whatever you wish to call it. It's been just downright hot. DH and I have had to be creative to keep the kids cool enough. We made the decision in early spring that we were NOT turning on the window A/C units. One - we don't have the money to spend on frivolous electricity use; Two - we like having the house open and aired out (despite the plumes of cigarette smoke that occasionally float in from the neighbors - the kids and I learn to just turn the fans around); Three - It's easier for the kids to come and go while they play if they don't have to constantly worry about letting the cold air out.

So, we have 7 fans going. Yes, seven (7), and my electric bill is still lower than last summer's bill when I did use the window units. I actually scored a great deal (for me, anyway) the other day. On Monday, we only had 6 fans in the house and the weekend's weather was just too much for me without another airmover. I packed up the kids and went to the store. Of the three big fans we have, two of them are fabulous high velocity fans. The third is just a bit better than a regular box fan. Anyway, I was off to buy another of the high velocity fans which are normally priced at $40. I hated having to spend that much money but DH and I talked about it and decided that it was a good purchase. The fans have been put through the ringer and are still working like they did the day they were taken out of the box. So, I bit my lip and went to the store.

Surprise! Surprise! They had them marked down to $32! Sure, it's only $8 but that's money I can use for my family on something else we need. Yay!

The relief we have been given is lower temperatures outside. We even got desperately-needed rain yesterday. Thank the good Lord for that.

Empty the cupboards...

Well, that is what I am doing. I am emptying my cupboards. By baking. I have so many mixes and ingredients for things. I know some of them are in danger of due-date demise so I am on a baking spree. Yesterday, I baked a devil's food cake in two bread pans.

While it cooled, DH and I went to Kroger's. Milk was on sale for $0.79 a half-gallon! We picked up 2 gallon's worth! After paying almost $4.00 a gallon, coming in around $1.60 for a gallon is a treasure! So, I called Grandpap and Grandma to check on their milk status and picked up a few half-gallons for them. We also picked up 3 gallon's worth of Kroger orange juice, as it is good til almost the end of the month. I love orange juice but it can be almost as expensive as milk, so I have not been getting any for a very long time. Having it is such a treat for all of us!

We picked up a few other items and returned home. After dinner, DH and I prepared dessert! I took the cake loaves out of the pans, placing them on a cutting board. DH got out the box of ice cream, cool whip, and marachino cherries. I opened the small tub of vanilla bean ice cream that had been left to soften (melt, really) on the counter. Then, we assembled! Pour a little bit of melted ice cream in the bottom of a bowl, a slice of cake, half a slice of ice cream from the box, a slice of cake, fudge sauce (melted in microwave per label's instructions), cool whip, cherry. Add a spoon. Give it to a child. Repeat til you get yours. Lick the spoon from the fudge sauce. Enjoy. *sigh* Nice.

Tonight, I made a Cranberry Quick Bread with Orange Peel. Delicious.

All of this has been enjoyable, if somewhat exhausting. I have had an awful migraine for the last two days. It peaked at a level 10 today, an hour after I took my medication. I am drained and sore. My teeth and gums hurt from the swelling and the right side of my neck at the base of my skull hurts greatly.

I had an MRI last week and the results were clean. Part of me is thrilled that there were no findings but another part of me is disappointed. I KNOW something is wrong. I can FEEL that something is wrong. Yet, NOTHING is there. Helpless. That is what I feel right now. So, I will empty my cupboards. I will bake. And probably gain 20lbs or get so sick of looking at sweets that I will lose 20lbs.

Anyway, another ramble.

The last week

Has been so incredibly busy. Massive amounts of cleaning and rearranging has happened. I have cleaned and rearranged my living room bit. My kitchen has been cleaned and sorted. My bathroom got cleaned/sterilized very well today. DH has been a blessing and helped me stay caught up on laundry.

The front half of my large metal storage building is pretty well dedicated to Yard Sale stuff. I am hoping to have one in the next few weeks or just after school starts at the end of the month. I still have my bedroom to go through and my closet. Oh, and DH's wooden storage building needs gone through but he has to be here for that.

While I was scrubbing the bathtub today, crouched in an awkward position, something went crunch and rip in my left knee. Even though I was still able to walk around and finish the bathroom, it hurts like the dickens! I put my trusty knee-brace on to hold myself together and it helped for a while but it still hurts.

Oh, well. The hazards of cleaning.

Speaking of cleaning! If you have a vinyl shower curtain and it has metal grommets, I have an easy cleaning tip! A few, actually.

1. Don't put it in the washer. Personal experience (should have been obvious, I know) says that the metal grommets will put tiny slices in your nice vinyl shower curtain. The one you love. The one that is no longer being sold in any store! Good thing you bought all they had left on clearance...
2. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and hot water. Take down the shower curtain, leaving the bottom inside the tub and drape the rest over the side. Fill the tub with a little hot water and scrub away with the Eraser. Feed the rest of the shower curtain into the tub, scrubbing sections as you go.
3. If you have a removable shower head, just hang the shower curtain back up. Step into the shower, turn on the cold water and, using the shower head, rinse the shower curtain. Easy-peasy! Should take about 5 minutes!

And the best part is that you didn't use any harsh chemicals! I love my Magic Erasers! I can clean without harsh chemicals. When I remember to buy more vinegar, I will be even happier because my windows needs it desperately.

A rare moment in my life...

My men. Completely unedited and spontaneous.

Having all five of them together at one time is such a rare thing anymore. The older two were openly thrilled to have their little brothers around, today. They played frisbie, chased them, took their hats... They love them. It's obvious, no matter how hard they try not to admit it.

Blazing Star

Thanks to my SIL, Dana, I have found out what that purple spikey flower is that my youngest took photos of at my Grandmother's.

Liatris. Also known as Blazing-star, Gay-feather, or Button snakeroot.

After reading Dana's warning about Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife), I started looking. One site that talked about invasive plants recommended replacing it with something called Blazing star. So, I went looking for that.

BINGO! That is exactly what is in my Grandma's front garden! I didn't think it was the Lythrum salicaria since it had not overrun the entire planting area (she still has loads of daisies and lilies that pop up and her tulips are as beautiful and strong as ever) but since I am not well-versed in plant life as Dana, I wasn't going to ignore it. Plus, Dana is just a fount of information anyway. I learn alot from her.

So, I know that my updates have been scattered, eratic, and random at best. I have been working through my yarn collection trying to get all the pieces I bought certain yarn and thread for completed. I recently completed another baby blanket out of bulky yarn (like the type Moo made our afghans out of, Dana) that was pink and white variegated. I am going to be making a christening outfit with some thread soon. Following that, I have some bamboo crochet thread I have been saving for a special project. Mom purchased a pattern book of purses and bags months ago. In it is a pattern for a reticule (a small, delicate lace purse) with a satin liner of any choice of color. I finally have all the things needed. Hopefully, I won't mangle the pattern too much.

I plan on making more cup cozies and coasters. Market bags and baby blankets are on my list, too. All out of worsted weight cotton or other organic material. My hands just can't deal with the acrylic. Maybe I can get away with Cotton-ease but I am not sure. For now, I will stick with my cotton cones.

Deep breath

For the last two years I have entered pictures into our County Fair Photography Contest. Last year, my two youngest sons entered, as well. This year, the two of them are entering three each. I love them! Mr. Rebel is entering his photograph of the bridge, one of Sammy (Pap's dog) that he took several days before Sam died, and a macro shot of his Lego Locomotive. Mr. Pirate is entering a shot of a purple spike flower (have no idea what it is but I will find out), one of a trio of yellow pom flowers, and one from him running with the camera. All very cool photographs! I will post them later.

As for me...

Not a single thing!

Yippeeee! Yay! Whaaahooooo!

Lol! That's right, I am not putting single thing in the Fair this year. Maybe next year. Maybe not. I decided that the photographs I have taken the last year are for me this time. I framed my Baby's Breath photo I posted a few weeks ago. It is an 11x14 matted and framed in a 16x20 frame. I wired and hung it this evening. It is on the wall across from my couch, where I usually sit to knit and crochet, so that I can see it. It's a magical photo. A glimpse of peace God has allowed me to make mine.

I told my DH that I feel great about my decision not to put anything in the Fair. Real great. Calm and relaxed. No pressure. With all the stress that we have gone through in the last two months or so, I just needed a break. This year, for my own little family, the fair will be about our boys. On the extended side, my mom and two aunts are entering photos, as well as my older brother's three kids. I don't know if his wife is going to enter any, and honestly, I don't really care. If that makes me seem callous...well, I won't apologize. I do that too much.

For my family that is entering the contest, I wish them luck. Regardless of who wins a blue ribbon or not, being able to share how you see the world is wonderful. Each person sees something different, something unique to them. That is what makes photography such a personal endeavor. It a bit of your soul put on paper.

. . . so this was a bit of a ramble. More of my inner thoughts and feelings than I have put down in a while. I have been so caught up in others' perception of me that I was beginning to lose me. I think I will go find me. Should be an interesting journey.

Quick update

Last Wednesday, my Uncle Joe and I went to get my van. It was such a wonderful trip! I laughed and giggled almost the entire way down. Life has thrown so much at this family that staying connected has become something of a chore. It was so nice to get to spend time with my Uncle.

I remember as a child, him coming to visit us. For years, he was a truck driver and was all over the country. Any time he got near us in Louisiana, Mom or Dad would make the trips to the truck stops to pick him up. Many times, my brothers and I were lucky enough to go with them. My mom has told me she remembers the "yeah, right..." looks on people's faces when we three kids would go running through the truck stop restaurants calling, "Uncle Joe! Uncle Joe!" and climb up his tall frame to hug his neck. Seriously, people! He's married to my mom's sister! Lol!

It was always a treat when Uncle Joe came. One year we even got him for Christmas, I think. We got him for his birthday a few times, too. Those visits were so special to us. So many times he would have to wait until after we kids had gone to school before he could leave because I would cry so much.

Then there was the year Aunt Martha and Uncle Joe came for an official summer vacation visit! They even brought my cousins Matt and Malissa! Oh, we had so much fun that summer! Left turn! Right turn! Lol! (family joke...)

So, the van works fine. It took the whole trip back for me to become accustomed to the way it drove, again. With the transmission fixed, it actually drives better than before and gaining more speed than necessary was an issue for a bit. Overall, it is wonderful to have my van back. Thank you, God, for our miracle.

A sadder note, today. Sam has died.

Sam, our Sam. He was my grandpap's dog. He is from the litter of pups that my dad's dog had 15 years ago. Many of her pups stayed in the family. Peaches went to Aunt Nancy's house because she fell asleep on Uncle Richard's foot and he fell in love. Sassafras's went to Aunt Martha's and Uncle Joe's house. Sugar became my Mom's dog. And Sam. Sam became Pap's boy.

Sam went everywhere with Pap. So many times I have felt that Sam was more than a dog. True, our family has treated the family pets as members of the family but Sam was something more. Sam was Pap's. Those two were made for each other. Today, Pap's heart is breaking. Today, Sam isn't hurting anymore. The last few weeks has been so hard. He lost Sugar, his sister and house mate. He was fast losing the ability to walk. He couldn't eat right. Just this weekend he started vomiting black stuff and a growth appeared on his side.

Today, Sam is better. Today, we are left to silence, no barking, no panting, no dog collar jingling through the house. Today, we remember the gift that was Sam and the joy he brought my grandpap. Sam was more precious than he could have ever known. Thank you, God, for the time we had him in our family. He was a true blessing. Sam - Taken Wednesday, July 15, 2009, by my 10 year old son.

Today was rather...en"lighten"ing

As is obvious from my blog badge to the right, I suffer from debilitating migraines. Several on my side of the family do. For the past several years I have been going to my general physician and, in just the last year, a neurologist. When I was referred to the neurologist, I was filled with such anticipation. I had done my research on him and really felt he would be able to help me move forward with my migraines and see improvement. Together, we would be able to figure out if there was an underlying problem.

I have been so disappointed. Despite my efforts of thinking positive thoughts about the whole situation, I have come to the realization that this neurologist, for all his awards and accolades in the field of migraine research, is basically a joke. Having this need to research and learn all I can about migraines, I know that one of the first things many neurologists do for migraine sufferers is to send them for scans and other tests. I had ONE, yes ONE, run of blood work. Then, last summer, I ended up in his office on an emergency visit (honestly thinking I was going to die...and apparently, he thought so, too), I received an oxygen treatment that made it worse. I have one medication that I take for my migraines. ONE. It works. That's all I need. Just keep it coming!

However, this man thought that he should give me everything under the son. He knew I researched everything yet he continued to give me meds that I already vetoed. I refused to take anything with similar side-effects to Topamax but he still tried. He gave me fibromyalgia medication! For MIGRAINE! Yes, I know that some of those meds are found to prevent migraine but COME ON! I was getting med patches to put on my back, nasal sprays that burned my sinuses, awakening meds that they give to ADD/ADHD patients, and migraine meds that made the pain worse... Every time he would give me more meds, I would tell him, just give me another 'script for my Maxalt. We can stay with it for now. My migraines are changing as it is and I don't want to screw with them too much. He completely ignored me.

So, to my point. I went to my general physician's offices today. While I did not see my doctor personally, I did see my Uncle J (my mom's first cousin but all of us kids grew up calling that generation Aunt or Uncle...it was easier) who is an x-ray tech and PA there, as well as another PA/resident. I trust the people in this office. After explaining everything above to the PA, and telling her NO, I had not had any scans done, she was horrified! She had done a rotation with this neurologist and understood my dismay and disappointment. She immediately got me a 'script for my meds. After taking my bag full of medications my neurologist gave me, she showed them to Dr K in his office (next to my exam room). I could here him yelling through the wall! Lol! "Why in the WORLD is he giving Jenny all this crap!? She has MIGRAINE, not fibromyalgia pain! She's had migraine since she was a kid! What is he thinking?" *sigh* I love my doctor. It pays to go see a man that went to school with your parents. Sometimes. Other times it sucks because he tattles on you. Gotta love small town, old-school doctors. The best medicine sometimes is to tell 'mommy'! Lol!

Anyway, after almost a year of seeing this neurologist, I got fed up and went back to my general physician. Within 3o minutes, I was getting scheduled for an MRI. I don't know when yet, I have just been put on the roster for scheduling. They will call me by Friday. I have a few samples of my meds until I can get my 'script filled.

So, the play on words within my title? I feel lighter. My chest doesn't feel as tight. My DH doesn't have as many worry lines around his eyes. With my migraines changing and getting worse, he has been so worried. I try not to tell him how bad they are but he knows. He always does. I just hate it when he fusses. So, even though I am not out of the woods, I feel a little lighter, I can breathe a little easier, knowing that I can take a step forward instead of walking in circles.

Oh, and I leave tomorrow morning to get my van. God is good. We just have to stay on the Path to see it. No matter how many times we tell ourselves AAA won't cover it, just stay on the Path.

The last few weeks...

The last few weeks have been rather busy and stressful. On Independence Day we took Jonathan (aka Mr. Chef) to Pittsburgh and moved him into the dorms at PCI. He returned with us for one last family summer holiday and went back the next day. He loves it up there! He has figured out how to get to the grocery store using the transit system (only took two hours to figure out the six block trip) so that he knew which bus to get on should there be inclimate weather. He loves his classes! DH and I are so proud of him. We miss him terribly.

Now that both the older boys have moved out of the house, we moved the younger two into the bigger bedroom the older two just vacated. Isaac and Jonathan still have a place to come home to it's just the smaller bedroom. They assured us that a place to sleep and stash a few articles of clothing was just fine. It's still hard to realize that they aren't here anymore. I know Isaac has been moved out since last September but moving the younger two into the bigger room made everything seem so final.

DH and I are so proud of both the older boys - young men, really - and all they have done in their lives. Isaac has been able to maintain an apartment and a steady job while he was going to school and continues to do so since finishing his courses. That isn't something easy to do in today's economy, let alone while living in a college town. He is so grown up when he visits. I miss the little boy that was all knees and elbows, crawling onto my lap and falling asleep during church. *sigh* Memories...

Speaking of visits, Isaac did come up last week. His landlord hasn't fixed the washing machine, yet, and he needed clothes washed. As we have told him to do, he brought the clothes home. The younger two boys loved Isaac being home! They played video games and Yugioh card game. I would have enjoyed the visit much more had I not decided earlier in the day to sort through our metal storage building. Despite the fact that I drank enough water to turn me into a fish, I dehydrated...drastically! The culmination of said dehydration? A wonderful migraine that tipped my pain scale at a level 9. During the entire 20+ years I have been suffering from migraine, I can count on ONE HAND the amount of times I have been physically ill from the pain. I don't think I will ever eat another pickle again. Ever. And I love pickles. But not after this.

I was still dealing with the pain the next day and the weakness and lethargy lasted almost the entire weekend. My negligence in not wearing my medical alert is no more. I had become complacent in putting it on in the mornings, thinking it wasn't such a big deal as long as I had a card in my wallet. Yeah, not so much. I have once again put it on every day.

I rarely ask anything of the few readers who come to my blog. However, I am asking for prayers. My DH's cousin had an emergency c-section on Friday due to severe hemorraging. Her little girl didn't make it. We almost lost DH's cousin, too. So, please, though I give you no names, keep that family in your prayers and thoughts.

On a happier note...my van is ready. I pick it up on Wednesday. Praise God! Things may not happen in our time but they do happen in His time. He has taught me patience and humility in the last few months. A lesson I hope to retain.

An Anniversary Flower

Convallaria Majalis
(Lily of the Valley)

Simple Beauty

Bellis Perennis
(Daisy)

Unbelievably soft!

Artemisia
(Wormwood/Silver Sage/Silver Mound/Sagebrush/Mugwort)

Taking pictures again...

Calendula (calendula arvensis - field marigold) and Baby's Breath (gypsophila elegans). I am trying to learn the latin names for the plants and flowers in my daily life, so work with me. The Calendula is unedited except for my watermark. The Baby's Breath is unedited except for cropping and my watermark.

These are growing in my MIL's backyard. We were there Saturday for my BIL's birthday party and I was bored, so I took pictures. Since I don't drink alcohol and don't smoke cigarettes (Myself and my two youngest sons are allergic to cigarette smoke and prolonged exposure will trigger our migraines), I couldn't sit on the back porch and relax. Something I really wanted to do on my 11th Wedding Anniversary. Taking pictures kept me from mouthing off at my BIL/SIL about their treatment of my MIL. Sometimes I really hate my Etiquette Button. It kicks on at the most inopportune times. *sigh* Yes, Grandma M., I played nice.

Anyway, I am going to put these two photos in the Fair Photography Contest this year. I think. Still not sure. All I DO know is that I have to get Little Pirate to take some pictures. Since he has discovered this extreme fascination with rocks (he's found some real nice ones, too!) maybe him taking some macro shots of them could be an idea. Of course, it will be done on a tripod so that my camera lens doesn't somehow end up in the middle of a rock pile! Lol!

Baby Beanie Cap

Well, I spent practically the whole day yesterday in my MIL's pool. It was wonderful! It was so hot and muggy that the pool was just what DH, the younger two boys, and I needed. My MIL had my 7 y/o niece, so she went into the pool with us. MIL can't get in when the sun is on the water because it blinds her, so it was great we were there during the heat of the day to give her a break.

My hands started itching when I got home. I needed to make something! So, out came my crochet hooks and I started surfing the web. YouTube is great for learning new stitches when you don't want to bother your mom! Lol! So, now, I know how to do Half Double Crochet and Triple Crochet. Doesn't sound like much but to a person that is still new and pretty much self-taught, this is fabulous!

Anyway, I made that Baby Beanie Cap I was talking about. I added a ruffle on the edge to soften the look and help it match the blanket. I also made a ruffled pansy to attach to it but DH said it was too much "stuff", so I have dropped it in my things for a later use.

Happy Birthday, Daddy. I miss you.

One of my cousins is having her first baby! I decided that I would make her something instead of just buying a gift. This pattern is from Lion Brand Yarn in their free pattern section. It is almost identical to the dishcloth pattern I use. The blanket itself is almost 4 ft. across with some give. I crocheted a ruffle border around the edge after I finished binding off the last five stitches. That's the first time I did a ruffle and I think it looks nice.

The yarn is Peaches & Creme worsted weight cotton. The Peppercorn Umber shade. I used just a little more than one cone (just over 688 yds). When I went looking for yarn to use, I kept coming back to the cotton cones that I normally picked up for my market bags and dishcloths. The acrylics just didn't appeal to me. In all honesty, cotton is better since it is an organic material and does not traditionally irritate the skin. So, cotton it is!

I found a really cute pattern for a crocheted baby beanie cap and am hoping to make it to accompany the blanket but I am not promising anything. After hurrying to get this done in a week, my fingers are telling me many stories of what they CAN'T do right now. Lol! It was fun, though. I plan on making more and selling them at the craft show I will be attending this fall with my aunt and mother. Haven't settled on a price yet but DH and I are discussing my options.

WV Birthday - June 20 - 146 years old

My two youngest sons ran around our community with my mom and grandparents. They explored a local historical home complete with archeological dig, Fostoria Glass Museum, The Mound Museum, and the former WV State Penitentiary. They had a blast! My 10 y/o took this photo from the top of the Mound.

Nature's Wrath

Last evening was an adventure I would rather not repeat.

Following VBS, we exited the church to find the skies north of us dark and ominous, while those to the south looked like the perfect spring/summer evening, dotted with pink cotton candy clouds. Then enters the tornado warning. We live in WV, people!!! I left Louisiana YEARS AGO, happy to be away from such things!!!

I race the storm home, drop my mom at her house and head to mine. Then...nothing. At least for an hour or so, anyway.

The lightning started about 9:30pm and, hoping to create my own therapy to help get over my fear of severe storms, I stood outside and took some pictures. After loading them onto the computer, I realized that I needed to pick up my 18 y/o from work. DH and I both thought that the storm had blown by us. I got two minutes from the house and visibility turned to...well, let's just say that high beams, high wiper setting and 5mph still wasn't good. I arrived in the WalMart parking lot in time to watch grocery carts drive themselves in CIRCLES!!! In SIDEWAYS RAIN! Yeah, the good little southern girl in me is screaming "Cloud rotation! Cloud rotation! If it was daylight, it would be green outside!! GET OUT OF THE STUPID CAR!!!" (Yeah, she wasn't very nice...).

So, with half of my body soaking wet after running into the store, I have to wait for my son since he has to finish locking up. DH calls me, "I am packing the boys into the company car and heading to Mom's." So, Mr. Chef and I continue to wait for a lull, however small. The mad dash to the car ends up with both of us soaking wet. He calls his grandmother to let her know we are on our way. The normal 5 minute trip takes 15 minutes. There are rivers in the streets that I probably shouldn't have driven through but I did.

After being at my MIL's for about an hour, things have calmed down. The rain is almost done and coming straight down, now. We leave. About 1-1/2 miles from the house, there is a line of cars waiting on emergency personnel to let them pass. A power line is down. And the have had to forcibly evacuate to neighborhoods just passed the elementary school near my grandparents' home. DH and I told them where we were going and they told us we would be fine. It's beyond us that it was still really bad.

DH and I discover that we have standing water behind our home. The creek looks like a raging river. There is mud everywhere.

But my kids are safe and happy, having gotten to sleep in their own beds last night.

This morning my mother calls to check on me and tells me that my aunt and uncle are in the living room. Uncle had to call 911 last night because the storm ripped the power line OFF their house!! The power company tech came out and couldn't work on it last night due to the storms continued activity and the the fireman, when asked how things looked in town, told Uncle that he really didn't want to know. Things were that bad.

So, today we will all assess the damages and be thankful to God for the life we have. Sometimes, it takes a good rumble to make us realize that things don't matter...people do. Blessed be God.

And today...

...I burned up the motor in my grandpap's weed trimmer! Lol!

A little information about this weed trimmer...it's OLD! Pap said he has been looking for an excuse to get a new one, anyway! He and Grandma got a good laugh about it while they were teasing me for burning up a yard tool. Hopefully, I won't burn up the next one. For now, I will just take mine.

The last two weeks...

It has been quite an adventure that last few weeks. My 18 y/o graduated from high school (thank you, God, for that intervention miracle!), my oldest came home for about 30 minutes - he lives about 2 hours away - which was just long enough to pack his newly graduated brother into his car with a week's worth of clothes and a computer for a mini-vacation before we send him to college in July, and my DH and I have been working on our yard and garden.

Once I take some worthwhile pictures of the whole garden experience, I will post them. For now, I am just enjoying the fact that my patio is currently home to a gas grill and a patio seating set and THAT'S ALL! Lol!

I leave you with a lovely Pink Alyssum. Along with petunias in purple, pink and white, I have a multitude of pink, purple and easter Alyssum. Then there are the Hostas in the front beds...

Yeah, that green thumb I thought I didn't have is sure working nicely. God is good.

A blessed day

Today is graduation practice for Mr. Chef. I will breathe easier when he makes it through this stage of the events without a hitch. I am leaving in a bit to pick up my niece, who is also graduating, to give her a ride to practice.

Then I get to figure out how to make my mother's car window roll up! The repair shop doesn't have ANYTHING available. So, looks like I am tearing apart a car door. Hey, if I can change radiator hoses successfully and not know what I am doing to begin with, I am willing to give a window a try.

An end and a beginning...

If all goes well, on Thursday my 18 y/o will graduate. I will take a deep breath when he walks OFF the stage. It's been a rough few months but we are almost finished. Then, he moves. He's going to be in one direction, his older brother in another. They do like to make my life interesting.

When the 18 y/o moves off to college at the end of June (more on that later) my younger two will be moving into the bigger bedroom. Any remaining items (there will be quite a few) from the older two will be moved into the smaller bedroom as they will only be home for visits. Of course, the bunk beds will stay in the rooms they are already in. Since they are identical, I am only swapping mattresses! When someone wants to have their bed to move out completely, THEN I will dismantle a bunk bed set but not before! Heavy metal beds that were difficult to put together are even more difficult to take apart without destroying them!

So, the 18 y/o, Mr. Chef, will be moving out at the end of June to go to college. He will be attending culinary school. Classes start July 7 and he will be there for just over one year (year round). He will then have a 3-month externship that he needs to organize early if he plans on going over seas. Luckily, he still has a passport from when his father was in the Marine Corps and stationed in Japan. All it needs is some updating but half the battle is won by just having it. The school handles all the work visas for overseas externships, he just has to find a place to live! He's already talking about where to apply! Ye gads! I just want him to graduate high school this week! I'll deal with the rest later!

So, anyway, I am still saying prayers of thanks for the Lord's work in my life. Especially my van. Sometimes I get so caught up in all the big stuff that happens that I forget the little things that make life so wonderful. Like playing checkers with my kids.

So many times we try and do God's job of taking care of our lives. So many times we feel we are capable of handling every problem that comes our way. You can bet that every time we approach things like that, God is looking at us, shaking His head, sighing and thinking "You're screwing it up. Just let Me have five minutes. Just trust Me." And every time we still think we can do it without help, like a child learning to tie shoes or a teenager learning to cook without the smoke alarm going off. We think we know it all.

And then there are the moments where we finally just let go. We let go and let God.

I finally let go of something. I let go and God did what He had been trying to do. He took care of me and my family in such a miraculous way. Through someone dear to me, He took care of me. He helped me realize that my pride was getting in the way. I needed to be more humble. Two of the things I need to work on most got in the way of God working in my life. God's patience is unending with me.

I am so very thankful for the miracle he has helped me find. His work is subtle, at times, and at others He waits for us to finish banging our head against a brick wall before He pulls out the bullhorn and shouts at us that He fixed it before it happened, we were just too busy ignoring Him to listen.

So, let go. He just needs five minutes...

Quick update

Mom's home. My brother and his oldest son spent the night at my house. My two youngest sons had a blast with their cousin! It only took them 1 hour beyond bedtime and about a dozen reminders to go to sleep for them to quit whispering. A new record for my kids during sleepovers, actually! When my older brother's two boys spent the night it was closer to 3 hours and me feeling like a broken record. Of course, the road trip had my nephew tired to begin with.

I am still sick. Dana, I am sorry if I gave it to your husband and son! Really! We had a great visit despite my less than stellar health.

Mom gave me beautiful hair sticks from an artisan that my SIL found near their home. Even though I can't quite get the hang of ONLY using hair sticks, I can still use them as decoration after I anchor my hair with a band. My SIL made me a beautiful necklace and bracelet set! I will take pictures and show you later. I plan on wearing them with a black dress for my 18 y/o's high school graduation (Yes! Thank you, God, for the miracle of him fixing his flubs in time!). She (SIL) also made a great birthday card! I will take a picture of that, too. The great thing about Dana is just getting a card from her is more "gift" than anything! Her work is fabulous and amazing! Her oldest son is talented in that area, too, so I can't wait to see what he comes up with as he gets older and more confident.

So, it's late. As stated earlier, I am still sick. I am going to drag this tired, sore, stiff body to bed. A return post could take a few days...I hate being sick...

So, yesterday...

...was obviously my birthday. It also reminded me that I have posted about my birthday every year since I started this blog. This will be the third year.

Just like the last few years, this is a progressive birthday. I had all these great plans on having dinner AND dessert ON my birthday. Nope. Didn't happen. Why? For the first time I can ever remember, I have a summer cold. It started yesterday afternoon just before the kids got home from school. Joy. So, my DH took pity on me and sprung for takeout even though he was perfectly willing to cook dinner for me like he had planned. It was just too hot and I was just too cranky to put up with the oven being on.

Today, I am still sick but moving better (it's amazing what a few doses of medicine can do for a person!). My mom called this morning and told me she is coming home today and will be back around dinner time. My brother (yes, the one with the broken knee and bionic parts) is bringing her home and my nephew gets to tag along! Yay! Well, those two are camping out at my house tonight (yeah, not even worried about the clean laundry that still needs folded or the boys' room that still needs to be finished...that's what being sick does to me).

I have, however, made my dessert for my birthday. When DH and I were on our mini-vacation he took me to Applebee's and I loved it. I was so stuffed that I couldn't even eat dessert! And what a dessert I found! So, I decided to make my own version for my birthday. And here it is:

I don't know what Applebee's calls it but this is my Strawberry Chocolate Mousse. Underneath the mousse is a layer of crumbled Oreo-type cookies. This is such a simple dessert! Start to finish (if you don't wait to plate it until later) would be about 30 minutes.

Ingredients are simple:

• Dreamwhip packets - I used two packets
  
• Instant Chocolate Pudding - 2 4-oz. packages
• Oreo-type cookies - I will leave the number of packages up to you! Lol!
• Milk
• Vanilla Extract
  

Just follow the instructions for Mousse on the back of the Dreamwhip Box (double the recipe if you want a lot...that's what I did). I crushed the cookies in a gallon-size storage bag - and freaked my boys out at the same time! The ramekins actually belong to my 18 y/o from when he made Creme Brulee a few weeks ago. I put about a serving spoon of cookie crumbs in the bottom. Two serving spoons of mousse on top of that and then a fanned strawberry on top of the whole thing. Assembly took about 5 minutes for 5 ramekins. I have enough to do about 5 or 6 more.

I may not get overly excited about my birthday, like I use to do, but I certainly enjoy experimenting with desserts..

Well, DH is almost done with the steaks and the redskinned parsley potatoes are about ready to come out of the over (geez, it's hot in this house!!!), so that's it. Give the dessert a try! You'll love it!

Tomorrow doesn't exist...

...but I wanted to show you what I got from my DH, anyway!

Hehehehe! I LOVE IT! I can hardly wait to get into the yard tomorrow even though tomorrow doesn't exist. See, we are just going to skip it and move on to Saturday.

Anyway, I have this power tool problem. Most women don't like getting appliances or power tools for any holiday or celebration. Me? Yeah, the drooling can get pretty bad. I have my own Craftsman Membership at Sears!!

My BIL dropped of mail a few years ago that had mistakenly been put in his box (that's the problem with having more than two people with the same first initial and last name...). He was playfully tossing it at my DH a piece at a time, came to the Craftsman catalog - YAY! - and told my husband that his magazine had come in. Well, DH looked at it, looked at my BIL, said "It's not for me" and then tossed it onto my lap. Oh! Happiness! I immediately started scouring through to see what new things were added.

BIL had the most surprised look on his face! DH told him that I am the power tool junkie in the house but that's what happens when "her grandfather is a mechanic and woodworker". Lol!