Welcome 2017!

As we rang in the New Year, we had a nice little snow fall in the area. Since we were puppy sitting the fur babies, we had the chance to get them out and play for a bit, that is until the fireworks scared the dickens outta them! Once we got everyone settled back down, we toasted the New Year and counted our Blessings.

Weighing the good with the bad, the good definitely came ahead. We were Blessed with some really great memories of our trip to Southern CA & Disney, the kids found the house with space inside and out that they desperately needed, and our kids & grand babies are happy & healthy! What more could you ask for! :)

So onward & upward from here to make 2017 an EPIC year!!

Godspeed

Today she rang that bell!!

My sister's final day of chemo & radiation treatments!! I am so happy for her and her family and my tears of joy haven't stopped yet! I pray that she has finally kicked cancer's ass and kissed it good-bye for good this time! All my prayer warrior friends, join in with me and pray for a healthy 2017 and beyond for her! Love you Sis!!

Godspeed

And so December has begun ....

In an effort to put November aside, I have dove completely into the Season Of Giving. There are so many ways to give without spending a dime and still spread Good Cheer in the process. Pass out smiles during your daily routine ... hold the door for a complete stranger, help the person struggling with their bags, just say Hello! 

One of my favorite ways to give back, is our local food bank held their annual Walk n' Knock on Saturday and while I didn't have much in my pantry at the time, I was able to muster up three items that they gladly took for those who are less fortunate. Its definitely on my "list" of things to do this week, I'll just stop by and drop off the items one of these afternoons if the donation barrel is gone from our local grocery store by then. 

Another is a local group that was started a year ago, Food With Friends. They do weekly Outreach to those on the street who have no where to turn. They provide food and whatever else they can gather from donations to attempt to make life a bit more bearable. This year, they are gathering items of comfort to pack backpacks with and pass out during their annual Christmas Gathering. 

We have so much to be thankful for .... the love of family, a roof over our head, heat to keep us warm, foodstuff in our cabinets .... those are the things that are important and sometimes when we start feeling sorry for ourselves that we don't have this or that, a quick jolt of reality brings us back to whats really necessary for a fulfilling life! :)

Have a wonderful day!

Godspeed

Good-bye November ....

This month has been hard. What started off as a sign of hope, turned quickly into one of despair and loss. I've had a few bouts of worthlessness this month, what will happen next, both our Moms going thru their own personal issues, trying to be there for my sister in thoughts and prayers, and then to top it off, lost my Maggie.

Please don't get me wrong .... I have so much to be thankful for, but I'm glad November is coming to a close and only hope and pray December will turn around. My wish is to bring cheer to all those I hold near and dear to my heart!

New month lies ahead .... new beginnings .... good-bye November!

Godspeed

Nov. 17th .....

This has been a tough week .... I know I should be grateful for so many things .... But today, I am grateful for a little puppy who came into our hearts and home almost 13 years ago. She was so loving, so sweet when you were sick or feeling down, my companion when Butch was on those long runs that lasted 4 to 6 weeks, my walking buddy, she drove us crazy with her bark, but I sure do miss that excitement in her bark now ....

Rest well my sweet Maggie, your body and mind are now free to romp with Emma again! Love you, and I know you're waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge to cross with us.

Maggie Mae

12/3/03 - 11/15/16

Godspeed

Nov. 13th ...

Today I am grateful for something to that allows me to chill ....

I love football and our Seattle Seahawks!! That is all, have a good evening!

Godspeed

Nov. 12th ....

Today I am grateful for "like minded" people. I don't like what's happenening in this country today, It makes me so sad and my heart is broken. People calling others "whiney crybabies", "lazy free-loaders who won't get their welfare checks now", and those who just don't understand the frustrations of whats happened and how this impacts the lives of those who are "different" in some way from themselves.  I sat with a group of ladies yesterday afternoon and we had a good talk. It was nice to see a total stranger's point of view and expressing themselves without hate filled rhetoric or making implications about others.

Will we get thru this? Yes, we will ..... because we will stand united without spiteful words, without belittling others, without hateful hearts, and with love and kindness towards those who feel that they won and scream "get over it!" It may take time for others to get on board, but we do have hope that it will!

Godspeed

Nov. 11th ....

Today my gratitude goes to those who have served this country. We owe a debt of gratitude to each and every one of them!

Thank you & Godspeed

Nov. 10th .....

Purging .... for my own sanity I went thru my Facebook list of "friends" and deleted those who only spewed hate filled rhetoric. Its so unnecessary to gloat, to be that person who has to "get in everyones face" because they came out the victor, but at the same time really showed me the person they were.  It felt good to lift that particular cloud and now maybe find some peace within and move on, slowly, but move on.

I honestly don't care who your vote went for, but also don't tell me I don't have the right to be sad, to grieve this! My passions ran very deep this election cycle because we have so much to lose. My heart is broken, not just for me, but for the children of this country.

I don't believe the masses even know what they've gotten themselves into! My only hope is that I am wrong, I would love to be wrong on this, but fear I'm only kidding myself. I just hope the name calling and rhetoric stop very soon ..... be kind, be tolerant, be who God has asked you to be.

Godspeed

Nov 9th ....

Today is hard .... I'm fearful for my daughter and granddaughters, disappointed in my acquaintances on Facebook, and my face is swollen from crying myself to sleep last night and again this morning. Its bad enough that I fear our country is headed backwards, but the constant gloating and mean spirited comments are just too much! I don't think they opened that memo on compassion.

I am grateful for two things today .... the chat with my daughter last night who I love with all my being, and the extra long hugs this morning from my husband. We will be okay, not sure what our 401k looks like at the moment, but we have our kids, granddaughters and each other to get us thru. We are survivors! 

Godspeed

Nov. 7th ....

Democracy .... no matter how flawed it can be, I am thankful to have my voice heard ...

.... now we wait, hope, and pray for the best outcome.

Godspeed

Nov. 6th ...

On this day, I'm so thankful for basketball season to start! No more cold and rainy outdoor football stadiums! Our granddaughter's first tournament was today and although it was a rough start to the season, they all did well & know what they need to work on. Its a terrific team of girls and coaches we'll enjoy watching this winter!

Good luck this year Tigers!

Nov. 5th ....

On this day 39 years ago, I married my soul mate, my best friend, and confidant! I am thankful for the years we've shared and look forward to 39 more!

Forever Yours, Faithfully!

Nov. 4th ....

Today I am grateful for people who do things for others without giving it a second thought.
Those are my kind of people!

Enjoy your day!
Godspeed

Gratitude .... Nov. 2 & 3

Nov. 2 - This cold I have just knocked me out yesterday! Slept most of the day and was so grateful for a comfy bed and my fluffy pillow! It felt so good to sleep and let this thing run its course.

Nov. 3 - Impromptu family gatherings! Yesterday was the youngest granddaughter's birthday and her selection for dinner was her favorite place, Burgerville! Of all the places in town we could have gone, she selects a hamburger with ketchup and fries. Gotta love her!

Have a pleasant wednesday!

Godspeed

November! Brought to you by gratitude, sponsored by you!

It's that month again - focusing on the things that really matter! First let me start by saying, I'm always grateful for another day, another sunrise, another sunset. I am always grateful that I have a wonderful husband, great kids, and the "bestest" granddaughters! They are my heart and soul, my life!

This month however, I'd like to focus on the little things, the things we really don't think about and take for granted. some silly, some mundane, but still thankful they exist. Here goes ....

November 1: 
I am grateful for cold medicine! Yesterday out of the blue this head cold hit and has worsened overnight. BOO!! I feel like pooh, but with a dose of cold medicine, I should be able to function.  Although I feel horrible, others are going thru a lot worse than I am at the moment! So, I'm gonna suck it up, get myself in the shower and ready to go to work!

Have a great day all!
Godspeed

October Jumpstart Sketch!

I feel accomplished! I just finished up my layout for The ScrapRoom October Jumpstart Sketch! I used everything from September's FOTM kit, Life is Beautiful from Fancy Pants. Yes, a month late, but the embellishments from that kit just seemed appropriate at the time. LOL!

My husband and I have been facing some very trying times these past few weeks and we just needed some time to chill and decided Happy Hour at the Brickhouse in Vancouver on Main was just the place. As we were letting out all our pent up "ARGHS!" and "Thank goodness thats over!" it was time to be silly, hence the crazy selfie!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed my layout!

Godspeed

Colors of Fall ....

something different

One mystery of cooking dinner for me has been, how do you liven up the potatoes? Having the same mashed potatoes night after night is such a bore, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to mix it up. It was fantastic and the only thing I'd do different is add some bacon! Who doesn't love bacon, right?! LOL!! Mixed up a meatloaf, added some sweet corn, and DINNER! Check it out tonight .... You're welcome! :)

Ranch Potatoes

serves 10

9 red potatoes

½ cup ranch dressing

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup cheddar, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 400°F

2. Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise three times and across four times, to cube.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop in chopped potatoes, cook 10 minutes.

4. Drain potatoes and mix in ranch, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until nicely browned.

6. While still hot, mix in cheddar.

7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

8. Serve warm and enjoy!

ramblings ....

When I went back to work, I didn't think I'd be this busy! Just as I'm getting the hang of things, life happens .... without going into many details .... I've yelled .... I've cried .... I've prayed .... and today I had to realize that I'm not cut out for certain things anymore. I reached a limit and it didn't feel good, I broke down in front of strangers who understood considering the situation, but it made me feel weak. Weak is not in my vocabulary, or so I thought. I came to the conclusion it was my way of telling myself that I was at a different stage in my life, and it was time to step aside and let another continue. That said, I left early a bit frazzled, and now I can move on.

Thanks for listening ....

Godspeed

On track!

This morning I wanted to get the last of the fair photos in the book. Here are my two kids doing what they do best, challenge each other in none other than bumper cars! Not sure who won, but do know that the look on my son's face shows that he made an awesome hit on his big sister! LOL!

bumper cars!

That'll be it for now, the sun has returned for a bit and my outdoor pots need cleaning out to get ready for Halloween decor! Have a great day all!

Godspeed

So many changes!

Since my last entry ....

• Seasons changed from Summer to Fall  
•  Leaves on the trees are changing color 
•  I came out of retirement
•  I landed a job as a substitute aide for the school district
•  And finally, our calendar went from September to October

Needless to say, my self imposed challenge went completely out the window! But, this is a new month and a chance to start again. 

This morning I made time to create this layout of our visit to the County Fair in August. Using a mix of papers from Jelly Bean, Authentic, October afternoon, alpha by Thickers and October Afternoon, a mixture of Basic Grey chipboard pieces from my stash, and a sketch from Scrapbook Generation, its complete! AND a two page layout at that! 

County Fair 2016

Time to get some chores done, so I'll leave you right here. Have a great afternoon!

Godspeed

Staying on track ....

I will confess, this first one was pretty quick. I cheated this time around and made a collage that included my title, a few stickers, then chose three pattern papers, assembled quickly, and called it done! Honestly, I don't know why I haven't done this in the past! It was simple, so fast, done on my phone, and printed right directly to the machine at the store! I just feel like I finally caught up with technology!! LOL!

I used up the remaining tomatoes from my garden. Yes, my salsa once again got the "thumbs up" from the Big Guy! Between him & the kids, I just know it'll be gone before winter even sets in!
**Note to self ... plant more tomatoes next year!

So far, that puts my number at 4 completed, with 11 to go to meet my challenge. I have photos printed for two more, now I just need the time to get them finished. Hoping today, but with two softball games this morning, the kickoff of our first NFL game at 1pm, and laundry staring me in the face, we'll see .... time management. ;)

Thanks for stopping by, have a great Sunday!

Godspeed

Back to the scrap table!

After a flurry of activity this past summer, the little ones are back in school and life is getting back on a normal schedule. Schedules can be mundane, but at the same time, so very nice to have! And one of the things I'm determined to get back on mine is scrapbooking.

I've decided to challenge myself to at least 15 layouts for the month of September. I have my photos prepped, papers tentatively selected - we all know how that can turn out :/ - and now working on the whole "time management" part, which again .... tricky!!

This first one seemed to take forever! I was trying to do a few challenges, got stressed out because they weren't happening for me, and just decided that I would do what I wanted and not worry about the rest.

"#BGRocks" (The ScrapRoom Freaky Friday Challenge) - previous blog post explains #BGRocks :)

  "After School Snack" - This was their first day of school in their new home, new school, and having new teachers and make new friends. That's a lot for young kids to have to take all in at once and all within a couple days of moving! I've been picking them up from school on tuesday since I just lived within a short walk from the old school. Now I venture 15 minutes to their house. I decided to get there ahead of time and bake some treats to welcome them home that first day. It was a hit and they were all smiles as they shared their new adventures! 

So as of now, I have two finished, one that just needs finishing touches, and another that is waiting in the wings. And then there's Max .... ya know, I could get more done if THIS GUY would stop interfering!! LOL!! I love him to pieces, but he sure is a PEST!!

Its time to head back to the scrap table, remove my furry critter, and resume creating! Thanks for stopping by ...

Godspeed

Where did it go?

I can't believe August is already over ....

It sure was a crazy, busy month for us. Between the normal summer fun, gardening and canning, we moved the kids into their new home within hours of having to be out of the old one - don't ask! On top of that, the grand babies started school just a few days later! Utter chaos, but thankful its done and a bit of normalcy is starting to resurface, LOL!

At first I wasn't too sure about this move since they've always lived within a few minutes of us. But now that construction is finished on the roads, its only a 15 minute drive and a scenic one at that! The girls still aren't sure they're going to like living out away from their friends and having to go to a new school, but they are still pretty young and the transition should go pretty smoothly. They do love their new home though and the creek that runs behind it is already a hit with them .... crawdads, they love finding crawdads! LOL!

We also have a new found "hobby" of sorts, painting rocks. Just something about rock painting that makes life happier! We belong to a Facebook group "Battle Ground Rocks" where we paint pictures, sayings, etc. and leave them in places around town, in parks, school yards, etc. for others to find. A sort of "something to put a smile on someones face" gesture. Here's the ones we created and hid ...

And in the midst of hiding ours, Makayla found this one! See that SMILE!! THAT'S what its all about! She'll keep it for a few days, then re-hide it in a new location.

I have more in the making and will get them ready for us to hide this weekend when we all get together for a BBQ. Just a fun little activity that doesn't cost a lot of money, we can do it while chit chatting about our day, and the best part, the recipient will be excited for the find! Try it, you may find yourself hooked too! :)

Have a great start to your September!
Godspeed

SALSA!

What do you you do with an abundance of tomatoes that are ripening faster than you can eat them? Can some salsa! With a small purchase for a few veggies from the a local farmer, I was able to can up 9 pints for approximately $7, or the price of two jars of the same size at the store! And we know which one tastes better, not only in flavor but the love and time that was put into the process! It was time consuming chopping all those veggies, but they were fresh and local. :)

Prepped & ready to simmer!

 The Master Taste Tester ...

 ... with the official thumbs up of approval!

And now we savor the goodness this winter. :)

Today, I shall shuck peas and get those beans off the vines. My little garden has really come thru for us this summer and all its freshness is awesome!

Thanks for stopping by .... Godspeed    

A tip & some layouts!

We've all been there .... need a matching piece of cardstock but only one in your stash and you're already using it!  Here is a tip I picked up on when I first started scrapbooking many years ago, and it came in very handy this afternoon. Once you have your papers placed, find a spot that will be covered in your final layout and carefully cut out the size needed. Be careful to leave plenty of room for your border if you are laying like I did. Once your layout is assembled, you won't even noticed the hole you cut out!

I have assembled two layouts using just two pieces of cardstock and three sheets of pattern paper from Photoplay's "Summer Day Dreams" collection. Love those bright colors and the cardstock stickers,. I added a button, foam thickers, and a bit of ribbon from my stash to complete the layouts.

Now I'm off to see what else I can start before dinner. Thanks for stopping by!

Godspeed

Hello August!

you & me

Once again its CROP TIME at Scrap Book Generations and plenty of great challenges to spark your creativeness! I call this one my "warm-up challenge" because it gives me a chance to just lay down my papers and photo(s) without rules.

CHALLENGE:

                                 

 INTERPRETATION:

I'm using an older kit FOTM kit from The Scraproom - Basic Grey Hopscotch. We were just messin' around one afternoon and this captures our silliness perfectly!

I'll be back with more this next week, stay tuned!

Godspeed

The Scrappin' Itch!

With summer comes so many different activities & starting a garden this year, BUSY!! It has been very productive and I'm becoming overrun with peas, green beans, tomatoes, and squash, but saving by not going to the produce market. NICE!

With everything going on, its been a few weeks since I've been able to sit down and create, so today I'm making time, and boy did it feel good! Here are the photos taken on Mother's Day in May. Our granddaughters made homemade crepes and they were delicious!

I used My Mind's Eye "Miss Caroline" from The Scraproom's FOTM kit of May 2012:

Time to get back to work, thanks for stopping by!

Godspeed

Time for a TSR challenge or two!

I have recently re-subbed to The ScrapRoom (TSR) and need to make a dent in this stack of photos that keeps getting larger & larger by the month! I've decided to devote time every few days to creating layouts, starting with some of the more recent photos.

Before I dove into our Disney vacation we took in February, I had better finish up the school & sports photos for the two girls.  Here is TSR's first challenge of the month ... Taste of Color Challenge. Since I had to catch up, this one was pretty quick and easy to put together. Using October Afternoon Schoolhouse collection, I scrapped our youngest granddaughter's first day of school photos.

The ScrapRoom Blog has posted the July Jumpstart Challenge and I loved the simplicity of the sketch they provided ..... Jump ahead nine months and that same granddaughter  has just finished kindergarten! The teachers had a little "graduation ceremony" for them, complete with hand made graduation caps and cookies! As you can see, she was pretty excited about having her Daddy with her and showing off her diploma. :)

Now I just need to get those sports photos printed and layouts assembled before she graduates high school! so, enough chatter, time for the next layout!

Godspeed

Happy 4th of July!

Today we celebrate this country's independence with all sorts of different activities. Whether it be boating on the lake, BBQing with family & friends, hanging out at the pool, block parties, fireworks in the evening, etc., just please play safe! In the next few days I'll be sharing our weekend in photos, but until then .....

Godspeed

Keeping busy ....

Between the softball games & keeping up on general household chores, I have found time to be creative again! I'm trying to finish up at least one layout per week and if I'm lucky, I manage two. Creating makes me feel better, gives me an outlet from the every day, the sad things in the news, and just makes my little world a lot less complicated.

Today, I present to you ....

This was taken last summer at one of my oldest granddaughter's softball tournaments. Its the one and only time we are able to capture Princess Lucy looking at the camera with both her ears up.  I couldn't resist doing this for my daughter (in the photo) for her birthday coming up. She loves it and has no idea its made for her! Time to find a frame! :)

I have another "work in progress" sitting on my table, but I also hear the vacum calling my name! Till then .....

Godspeed

Memorial Day, a day to remember ....

I would to pay tribute to those who have fought for our freedoms but didn't make it home alive. We owe so much to the brave men & women who did what they were asked by this country and paid the ultimate price of war. I will always remember what you did and the courage it took.

thank you

Jammin'!

It's that time of year! The fresh smells of strawberries, the sweet smell of crushed berries, and the delicious taste of the finished jam .... there is nothing quite like it! When all finished, we produced 14 pints of freezer jam that will get us thru the winter, and just in time for wanting more next spring! 

Do you put up any jams? If so, which kind? Are you a toast or PB & J user or like us, use it as a topping for ice cream as well? YUM! Just make sure you get those berries before they're all gone!

Godspeed