Cookie Count Down

Well, I didn't get as many cookies made last night as I'd planned but I did get some done at least.  I made these: 

 And boy are they good!  Gingerbread cookies dipped in white chocolate with little holly candies on top!  Today I'm going to try my hardest to finish up my cookie baking!

Best Laid Plans...

What is that saying about best laid plans?  Something about how they can change...yep my plans last night changed with one little phone call.  I used to run a daycare in my home when my boys were little.  There was one little girl, "C", who was with me from the time she was 2 1/2 until she was in 5th grade.  Not only was she there during the day, she spent many evenings and weekends with us as well since her parents and me and my ex became best friends during that time as well.  Anyway, fast forward to last night, "C" called to say she, her partner, and her daughter were in town on furlough from the Army and would I like to get together?  Of course!!!  They came by the house for about 1/2 hr then we went to dinner at Japanese Kitchen with her mom.  Wonderful time!!!!!  Then her mom and daughter came over to my house to visit the evening away.  Just perfect!  Cookie baking got put off until tonight...and if that doesn't happen there's always Costco cookies right???

Almost Christmas

Well, we're in the final countdown to Christmas!  It's been a very busy time at the house!  I've been wrapping lots and lots of gifts for all the littles (and not so littles too), decorating, shopping and now I'm in the baking mode.  I made some round Christmas cookies so I can make these:  



And these: 

And possibly these:   

These are in my plans for tonight: 

Along with these: 

There are lots more I'd like to try and hope to get time for.  All these photos can be found on Pinterest.com.

Happy baking!!!

Oh Christmas Tree! and other stuff

Hi,

I got an email poke from a friend telling me I haven't blogged in a while...oops!  I've been very busy!  I finished making some Christmas presents, got Roman's quilt top completed, got the tree up and decorated, and started decorating the house, not to mention all the shopping I've been doing for Christmas presents for the littles!  Here's a picture of our tree this year...very pretty even if I do say so myself!

I just love this tree.  Andy and I got it the year we got engaged.  We had so much fun picking out ornaments for it.  We decorated it in blue, silver, white and clear ornaments.  So many of the ornaments have a special memory attached to them.

Here's a picture of Roman's quilt top.  It's a quick and easy pattern but turns out cute every time I make one.

I'd like to get it quilted this weekend but also have lots of Christmas gifts to wrap...decisions decisions!

GOD

I got this as part of a message today in an email...just in case I forget God's awesomeness I copied this part of the email and am going to print it out and put it on my desk:

I am God, the only God you've had or ever will have— incomparable, irreplaceable—From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, All along letting you in on what is going to happen, ASSURING YOU, 'I'm in this for the long haul, I'll do exactly what I set out to do,' I've said it, and I'll most certainly do it. I've planned it, so it's as good as done."

This is your God! He will bring evil to an end, and He will take care of you! He is in this journey for the long haul!

Counter

Someone mentioned I need to add a counter to my blog...to bad she didn't mention HOW to do that!!!

I had a wonderful evening last night visiting with 2 quilting friends.  Sandra had accidentally stitched through her finger so she wasn't able to do any work but came to keep me and Cheryl company anyway.  Cheryl brought at least 3 projects to work on and seemed to get a lot done even though I gabbed her ear off!  Oh and she brought over bunches of cool stuff...scrapbooking supplies and magazines, rick rack, cross stitch kits, and tons of all-occasion cards!  It felt like Christmas!  She was making the cutest ornaments for a swap.  I'd tell you about them but they may be a surprise so I'd better not...yet. 

New Day

Today is a new day.  I may get down but I refuse to stay there.  My God is greater than anything I could ever go through.  When I have my down times I usually allow myself a day or so to acknowledge my problem, wallow in it, then it's time to get over it.  Today is the day to get over it.  I have no control over others...only in how I react to them!  I am a daughter of the most high God and therefore am blessed beyond imagination!  I read someplace that if a mountain was smooth there would be no place for your hands and feet to hold onto! 

Bone Weary

Have you ever heard that phrase?  I don't think I made it up...or did I?  Either way, that's how I feel today.  Tired to my core...tired in my soul...bone weary.  I don't want to feel this way but sometimes it just happens, sometimes there are good reasons and sometimes fear just takes ahold and settles in until all that's left is bone weary.  Mine didn't just happen today and while there are reasons for it I think mine is from fear today...time to pray away my fears.  Fears are not from God.  I thought I needed Ibuphrophin for my headache.  I think I just need to spend more time on my knees in prayer today. 


On another note...Saturday is my stepson Colton's 22 birthday.  We won't be celebrating it with him since he's celebrating with Jesus...someday we will though.  That's a comforting thought.  I sure do miss that kid.  Depression is a nasty disease and it took him much too young.  If someone in your life suffers from depression please don't take it lightly.  We miss you Colton and love you so much. 



Colton was so excited to get his iPod for Christmas that year!

After Photo as Promised

Ta Da!  Here is the after photo as promised!

After

I also took a gold pen and drew lines like sewing on the "cut" side.  It's now on the wall along with a scissors and a fake thimble. 

Crafting

A couple of weekends ago I went strolling around Joann's and found a really cute sign for the sewing room.  It said SEW/CUTE.  Well it was cute but I thought it would be cuter if it said SEW/CUT.  Low and behold there was one laying there that had the "e" broken off!  It was marked 50% off!  There was also a sign saying that all of them were 50% off so I went to the register and asked if that meant it was 50% off of 50% and the guy said yes!!!  Be still my heart!  I got the sign for $3.25!!!!  Took that little cutie home and used an emery board to sand the cut, grabbed a black Sharpie pen and colored it over and started gluegunning buttons all over the SEW part of it.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to do to the CUT part but felt that buttons on there would be too much.  By the next evening I'd gotten the idea to Modge Podge some fabric on it like a crazy quilt...oh and paint the / grey since it was supposed to be a needle.  Off to the store I went for the MP and grey paint.  Here are before and after pics. 

Before



I'll post a pic of it finished as soon as it arrives in my email. 



Yardsale finds

I went yardsaling last weekend with a new buddy of mine and we had a blast.  You can find her at her wonderful blog: http://cheryl-comfort.blogspot.com/.  She's a very talented artist and even has her very own Etsy shop!  Anyway, we hit up some great sales and I came away with lots of good stuff that I prefer to call "treasures".  Hubby on the other hand calls most of it "junk".  He told me recently that we need some pillowcases for the extra pillows in the 5th wheel.  He said he'd looked for some at the store but they were not cheap.  I said well check out WalMart...that WAS where he'd looked.  I said I could look at yardsales and he said good idea!  Then he looked kind of funny and asked it those words really came out of his mouth!  Busted me up!!!  Enough about that...here's some pictures of a few of my best finds:

Isn't this a gorgeous lampshade?  It's the prettiest pale pink.  It was on a metal cream colored lamp and I got them both for just $7! I felt the lamp was too short for the shade so I used the lamp with the shade in the next picture.  Until I can find the perfect lamp this beauty of a  shade is glaming up a cheapie standing lamp.

  Here's a picture of the lamp with a different shade on it.  Perfect together right?  I got this shade at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago and think I paid $5 for it.  I picked up the 2 little lamp ornaments for just 50 cents each.  This is not where they are going to stay but a good temprary spot for now.  I also found not 1 but 2 sets of pillowcases.  I paid $1 for a pair that have cute embroidery work and cutouts on them.   I paid 25 cents for a plain ivory set.  That's the set going to the 5th wheel.  I found lots of baby clothes for the 2 grandboys and a bed toy too.  I also got a few pieces of costume jewelry, 4 laundry baskets, and some yarn for next to nothing!  I love to hit those yardsales!

I can't believe I've been so dumb!

Guess what I just figured out...I can take a picture on my phone and email it to myself then save it to my computer and then post it on my blog!  Ok so I know I could also just sync my phone to my computer but I can't do that to my work computer and I like to blog during my lunchbreak but always wish I had photos to blog about and well it's only taken me what 3 years to figure this out???  Talk about having a blonde moment! So without further ado I present to you my beautiful Princess with her new haircut (Don't laugh it hurts her feelings).

So now can someone please tell me why Blogspot turned my photo???? Drats!

It's soooo hot outside

Well, we went straight from winter weather (rain) to middle of August type summer...HOT!  It's supposed to be over 100 today and tomorrow!  I work inside so it's nice and cool but when I go outside it's like walking into a furnace!  We got solar rings to put on the pool to heat the water...just in time for us to not need them :).  The littles have been enjoying the pool for a week or so.  I think today may be the 1st time I take a dip in it.

VBS is officially over for another year.  It was just awesome.  The kids are so cute as they come through the line for their dinner.  I think this is my favorite activity that I do on the Fellowship Committee.

I've decided to start listing things I'm grateful for...at least 5 a day.

1.  Being saved by God-how wonderful it is to know that I am a Princess of the most high King!
2.  My relationsip with Jesus-not where it should be but growing
3.  My husband-not always easy but I love him still
4.  My kids-ALL 4 of them (miss you Colton)
5.  My grandkids-we now have 8!

I'm here again

Well, I'm here again.  This makes 2 days in a row.  Definitely some sort of record for me! 

We are having Vacation Bible School every evening this week.  I'm in charge of the evening meals.  It is sooo much fun!  I have wonderful helpers, including my awesome in-laws...thanks mom and dad!  Meals are easy but we try to do healthy too.  Not so sure nachos and corn dogs are the healthiest things to have but we include veggies and fruit too so the squirts get some good stuff.  Tonight it's nachos and fruit.  Tomorrow night we will order pizza...yummy and then we can say another successful week!

Hi

Hi,

I'm not even going to apologize or explain why I've been gone for so long...I'm back though.  I've been on a long hard road and I'm still on it but feel I need to start blogging again.  Life goes on whether we want it to sometimes or not!

We have added 2 new grandson's to our lives...that makes 5 granddaughters and 3 grandsons now!  I sure hope the kids stop for a while!  I love my grands but "8 is enough"...

I lost a very dear friend to breast cancer recently.  I never met her in person but look forward to doing so in Heaven someday.  She will be missed here on earth...enjoy Heaven JanM!!!

Not much else I want to say right now but found this wonderful quote I wanted to share:

Rest is an act of trust. It says, "I'm not the One who keeps the world running. I am not God."

                                                              Tim Keller

Is that awesome or what...that's where I am right now...resting and trusting...

Diannia