The chaos that was once my living room.
We didn't hear anything!
We swear! We didn't see anything!
June 30, 2010
June 29, 2010
June 28, 2010
Monday Musings... Everyone Has a Story
Let me preface this with a quick synopsis of 2009:
March - I had to put my two kitties ages 14 and 15 down within 11 days of each other.
April - My maternal Grandmother passed away. A long failing heart finally gave in.
August - My Father-in-Law passed away. Rather sudden, he hadn't been feeling well, went into the hospital, was sent home 3 weeks later on hospice and passed away the night they brought him home.
September - I underwent major upper and lower jaw surgery to relieve me of years of sleep apnea.
October - My sweet Mama passed away after a long and painful battle with a body that just wouldn't cooperate and ovarian cancer.
I was tired from lack of sleep, crushed by the onslaught of death in my family.
About a week after Mama passed away, I went to church with my family. At the Catholic Church, in the middle of the mass the deacon and or priest will offer up Prayers of the Faithful. To which the parish will reply "Lord, hear our prayer" after each offer. Wait, let me back up... reminder, my mom lived and died in Arizona, only a scant handful of people here in Texas knew her. I was standing with my husband when I heard the words "For those who have passed before us.... Barbara (leaving her last name out)". I was surprised her name had been said. Later I remembered that our sweet Deacon Chuck who had married us and baptized one of our daughters had been following it all through my friend Chris and on Facebook. I had to bury my face in my husband's chest so that I didn't cry out. But still, those around me heard. As we sat back down, I saw the woman next to me dab her eyes with a tissue.
As I sat in the church that day, I looked around at all the different people. Our church is big, like several masses a weekend, several thousand parishioners BIG. I thought to myself, everyone has a story. Miscarriage, divorce, infidelity, death, terminal illness and the list goes on and on. We don't know what those stories of other people are, but God does and when we ask for His comfort, peace and healing He is there, even when we feel like he isn't. I have also learned through hindsight, He is there even when we don't cry out to Him and acknowledge it.... He is there.
Yesterday, I watched my little girls play at the neighborhood pool. At the beginning of this summer, Nikki dared not get her face wet. I watched as she jumped off the side holding my fingers and came up out of the water, hair wet and water streaming down her face with a big ole grin of excitement and then as she swam two feet to the steps, face in the water, unassisted and popped up with a big celebratory, "YES, I DID IT!"
I watched my girls spread their towels on lounge chairs and lay pointing at the sky, chattering in their little girl voices about the clouds and how quickly they were moving.
My heart was overcome with joy. Just months ago, I was overcome with grief and my body was so tired, I didn't even want to leave the comfort of my house. With time and God's love, my spirit is on the mend now and I have the energy to keep up with my sweet babies.
I ran across this video this morning. I have seen ones like it before. I was just reminded about my day at mass and how I looked around. Everyone has a story...
March - I had to put my two kitties ages 14 and 15 down within 11 days of each other.
April - My maternal Grandmother passed away. A long failing heart finally gave in.
August - My Father-in-Law passed away. Rather sudden, he hadn't been feeling well, went into the hospital, was sent home 3 weeks later on hospice and passed away the night they brought him home.
September - I underwent major upper and lower jaw surgery to relieve me of years of sleep apnea.
October - My sweet Mama passed away after a long and painful battle with a body that just wouldn't cooperate and ovarian cancer.
I was tired from lack of sleep, crushed by the onslaught of death in my family.
About a week after Mama passed away, I went to church with my family. At the Catholic Church, in the middle of the mass the deacon and or priest will offer up Prayers of the Faithful. To which the parish will reply "Lord, hear our prayer" after each offer. Wait, let me back up... reminder, my mom lived and died in Arizona, only a scant handful of people here in Texas knew her. I was standing with my husband when I heard the words "For those who have passed before us.... Barbara (leaving her last name out)". I was surprised her name had been said. Later I remembered that our sweet Deacon Chuck who had married us and baptized one of our daughters had been following it all through my friend Chris and on Facebook. I had to bury my face in my husband's chest so that I didn't cry out. But still, those around me heard. As we sat back down, I saw the woman next to me dab her eyes with a tissue.
As I sat in the church that day, I looked around at all the different people. Our church is big, like several masses a weekend, several thousand parishioners BIG. I thought to myself, everyone has a story. Miscarriage, divorce, infidelity, death, terminal illness and the list goes on and on. We don't know what those stories of other people are, but God does and when we ask for His comfort, peace and healing He is there, even when we feel like he isn't. I have also learned through hindsight, He is there even when we don't cry out to Him and acknowledge it.... He is there.
Yesterday, I watched my little girls play at the neighborhood pool. At the beginning of this summer, Nikki dared not get her face wet. I watched as she jumped off the side holding my fingers and came up out of the water, hair wet and water streaming down her face with a big ole grin of excitement and then as she swam two feet to the steps, face in the water, unassisted and popped up with a big celebratory, "YES, I DID IT!"
I watched my girls spread their towels on lounge chairs and lay pointing at the sky, chattering in their little girl voices about the clouds and how quickly they were moving.
My heart was overcome with joy. Just months ago, I was overcome with grief and my body was so tired, I didn't even want to leave the comfort of my house. With time and God's love, my spirit is on the mend now and I have the energy to keep up with my sweet babies.
I ran across this video this morning. I have seen ones like it before. I was just reminded about my day at mass and how I looked around. Everyone has a story...
June 26, 2010
Silly Bandz Art
For this project you will need:
- A seven year old imagination
- Several Silly Bandz
Artwork by Katie (found on the hearth in front of our fireplace).
June 24, 2010
Friday Favorites (6/25/10)
Create these super cute July 4th Tanks with Creative Urges.
Check out how to make this gorgeous Quilled Monogram
Oh my goodness! Who can resist a Pineapple Upside Down Cupcake?
Go to Attempting Creative.
LOVE these cute and clever Flower Table Cloth Clips
at A Little Tipsy.
These beautiful Ric Rac Rosettes were made at Craftify It.
Check out these beautiful AND yummy Flowerpot Brownie Cakes
Make these pretty Flutter Flipflops with Blessed Little Nest.
If you were featured here or any other Friday, feel free to grab an "I was featured" button to the right.
Happy Cooking and Crafting!
Speechless...
June 22, 2010
Ribbon Storage....
Recently I acquired a beautiful big desk from a friend and have it in our dining room turned craft area. I have been in the process of straightening and organizing the area in anticpation of some creative time this summer with my children.
Well, I have a lot of ribbon. No... no, not just a lot, A LOT of ribbon! I mentioned to my friend Aamie (who happens to be the one I got the desk from) that I wanted to take the tangled mass of ribbon I had and organize it into a pretty display using an idea I had seen on another blog (unfortunately, I can't remember which one!). I told Aamie that I would love to wrap old fashioned clothes pins with the ribbon and display it in a large jar. Well, Aamie, being the wonderful friend she is left a package of clothespins on my porch one day as a pick me up when I was in dire need of one. That's the kind of friend Aamie is. :) Well, I took to wrapping the package she gave me and ended up using the whole package of pins. The quantity in a pack is 30! Guess how many more I had to buy? 2 packages! Whoa!
Here is my pretty jar.
Well, I have a lot of ribbon. No... no, not just a lot, A LOT of ribbon! I mentioned to my friend Aamie (who happens to be the one I got the desk from) that I wanted to take the tangled mass of ribbon I had and organize it into a pretty display using an idea I had seen on another blog (unfortunately, I can't remember which one!). I told Aamie that I would love to wrap old fashioned clothes pins with the ribbon and display it in a large jar. Well, Aamie, being the wonderful friend she is left a package of clothespins on my porch one day as a pick me up when I was in dire need of one. That's the kind of friend Aamie is. :) Well, I took to wrapping the package she gave me and ended up using the whole package of pins. The quantity in a pack is 30! Guess how many more I had to buy? 2 packages! Whoa!
Here is my pretty jar.
Just in case you are wondering, that isn't all of the ribbon I wrapped. I have another full basket. See...
And this, well, this just makes me giddy!
Here are some other clever ribbon storage ideas I have seen lately.
Clever reuse of an empty tea bag box. Visit Bright and Blythe
VERY organized drawers at Amazing Paper Grace.
and
Ya can't beat the ever versatile mason jar! Visit The Crafter's File Box.
How do you store your ribbon stash?
June 21, 2010
Monday Musings... Faith
“When you have come to the edge
Of all light that you know
And are about to drop off into the darkness
Of the unknown,
Faith is knowing One of two things will happen:
There will be something solid to stand on
or
You will be taught to fly”
~ Patrick Overton
“Faith isn't faith until
it's all you're holding on to”
~ Anonymous
“Faith is the art of holding on to things
your reason has once accepted
in spite of your changing moods”
~ C.S. Lewis
"You block your dream
when you allow your fear
to grow bigger than your faith.”
~ Mary Manin Morrisey
" I may not have gone where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up
where I intended to be.”
~ Douglas Adams
“Faith is a knowledge within the heart,
beyond the reach of proof.”
~ Kahlil Gibran
June 19, 2010
Happy Father's Day Daddy...
His 63 year old face is weathered from years of working in the sun.
He is a good man with a good heart and I love him.
June 18, 2010
Friday Favorites (6/18/10)
Friday Favorites this week comes from my last 2 weeks of Google Reader browsing my favorite blogs. If you were featured here or any other Friday, feel free to grab an I was featured button from the sidebar on the left. Fantastic and talented bloggers out there with some awesome projects and recipes!
Sun Catchers with See What We Did Today
Have a great weekend! :)
June 14, 2010
Monday Musings... Contentment
The warm days and the great outdoors.
It was Summer, but it was Fall I wanted:
The colorful leaves and the cool, dry air.
It was Fall, but it was Winter I wanted:
The beautiful snow and the joy of the holiday season.
It was Winter, but it was Spring I wanted:
The warmth and blossoming of nature.
The warmth and blossoming of nature.
I was a child, and it was adulthood I wanted:
The freedom and the respect.
I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted:
To be mature and sophisticated.
I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted:
The youth and the free spirit.
I was retired, but it was middle-aged I wanted:
The presence of mind without limitations.
My life was over,
and I never got what I wanted.
Author Unknown
Something for you to ponder on this Monday morning... I am sharing a poem I originally found on Grace Violet.
Be content and enjoy the moment today!
Something for you to ponder on this Monday morning... I am sharing a poem I originally found on Grace Violet.
Be content and enjoy the moment today!
June 13, 2010
Threaten Me with Heaven...
Awesome song I was introduced to by Paige at Some Days You Gotta Dance. Go pay her beautiful blog a visit.
Been thinking of Mom this week...
Been thinking of Mom this week...
June 7, 2010
Monday Musings... Summertime!
Ah, summer, what power you have
to make us suffer and like it.
~Russel Baker
Oh, the summer night
Has a smile of light
And she sits on a sapphire throne.
~Barry Cornwall
Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.
~Sam Keen
Being a child at home alone in the summer
is a high-risk occupation.
If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour,
she can hurt you.
~Erma Bombeck
Summer is the time when one sheds
one's tensions with one's clothes,
and the right kind of day is
jeweled balm for the battered spirit.
A few of those days and you can become drunk
with the belief that all's right with the world.
~Ada Louise Huxtable
June 4, 2010
Friday Favorites (6/4/10)
Hey all! I've been gone a while I know. With the Memorial Day weekend and the last week of school here in Texas I have been busy!
Here are some of my favorites from around the blogosphere this week. If you have been featured here or on any other Friday, be sure to pick up an "I was featured" button to the right.
Have a great weekend!
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