VALENTINES , MOM AND FRIENDS..AND BUBBLES

WELL I AM READY ..VALENTINES. JUST LOVE DECORATING WITH RED AND ANGELS!

THIS ANGEL WAS GIVEN TO ME FROM WANDA..I LOVE LOVE LOVE HER! HIM?

ANYWAY, SHE GRACES THE FOYER AND THE VALENTINES..LOVE LOVE.
OH YES AND MOM DOES OTHER THINGS BESIDES STAY AWAKE ALL NIGHT. SHE WAS DETERMINED TO DO THE DISHES..HARD FOR HER TO STAND, BUT HER ARMS MAKE IT TO THE DISHWATER..WE JUST KEEP THE WATER RUNNING TO RINSE! SHE THINKS THAT IS SUCH A WASTE!! BUT IT WORKS. MOM WAS BROUGHT UP IN A KITCHEN, WAS A WONDERFUL COOK ( I AM NOT MY MOTHERS DAUGHTER) AND THE KITCHEN WAS HER CREATIVE STUDIO. SOME THINGS DONT' CHANGE WITH AGE!
YEP. HERE IS THE GANG. MINUS A FEW THAT COULD NOT MAKE IT, BUT WE DISCUSSED THAT LAST TIME...WE ALL HAVE 'STUFF' TO DO...BUT AT LEAST WE DO TRY TO GET TOGETHER..WONDERFUL DAY IN JANUARY. SORRY SNOW BOUNDERS..BUT ITS BEAUTIFUL HERE!

WENT TO SEE THE PLAY 'RESPECT'..JUST IN CASE WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT ITS LIKE TO GET NOW AND THEN..FROM OTHERS OF COURSE...!
AHA..THE NEW BUBBLE TUB! THANK YOU JAN FOR THE IDEA! HERE IS THE AFTER!

YOU CAN'T SEE THE SMALL HOLES..FOR THE BUBBLES BUT THEY ARE THERE ALONG WITH THE SPA FEATURE..AND WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL HEATER..SO NOW FOR SURE I CAN SIT THERE FOR HOURS AND THE WATER WON'T GET COLD. NOW..TO JUST GET IN IT! NO I HAVE NOT TRIED IT..DOESN'T SEEM LIKE FUN TO TRY IT ALONE.

OH I CAN SEE IT NOW..............WOW..THIS IS GREAT..........TALKING TO MYSELF!

SO. I AM WAITING FOR JOHN!!! YAHOO!
AND IT DIDN'T COME WITHOUT A MESS...........
OK. GATTA GO. ITS SATURDAY. JOHN IS HOME. SO I HAVE HONEY-DO'S. ...FOR ME!!!!!

AS IF I DON'T DO THEM ALL WEEK...BUT JOHN LIKES COMPANY WHEN HE IS CREATING ( DAH)...SO I CHEER HIM ON! CHEERS

journals for a cause

WELL ITS 9AM MOM SLEEPING. BUT THEN..SHE WAS UP..EARLY! I HEARD HER SCREAMING AT 1AM...VISIONS CAME TO MIND..I RUN IN THERE AND SHE SAYS..VERY SWEETLY " CAN I HAVE A COOKIE"!!! SO..SHE IS NOW...SLEEPING.!

I THINK I TOLD YOU..WELL IF I HAVE NOT..REMEMBER..I AM GETTING OLDER..I FORGET! BUT, THERE IS A WONDERFUL GROUP THAT HAS DEDICATED THEIR MINUTES OF EXTRA TIME TO ENSURING THAT NEW MOTHERS...TO WHOM GOD CHOOSES TO CALL THEIR LITTLE BABIES BACK HOME...ACTUALLY RETURN FROM THE HOSPITAL WITH A 'CARING BOX'...AND NOT EMPTY HANDS..AND I AM CREATING SOME JOURNALS TO PUT IN THE BOXES.....I AM SURE I HAVE MENTIONED THIS, BUT FOR THOSE JUST READING THE BLOG..KNOW..WHAT A HEART THIS GROUP HAS..

ANYWAY, HERE IS THE COVER OF ONE OF THE BOOKS READY TO DELIVER.YOU CAN'T SEE THE WORDS, FLOWING OUT..BUT YOU CAN CATCH THE BUTTERFLIES!

AND THE BACK COVER.............MEANWHILE, IN BETWEEN I HAVE BEEN TRYING SOME NEW PAINTING TECHNIQUES, MIXING AIRBRUSH PAINTS AND ACRYLICS...I LIKE IT! NEVER GET THE SAME LOOK TWICE! NOW TO TRY IT ON SOMETHING LARGER.

I THINK ITS TIME TO GET THE AIRBRUSH OUT. I BOUGHT IT ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO..LONG BEFORE MIXED MEDIA MIND SET IN! THEY WERE GETTING RID OF THEM AND RATHER THEN 129..IT WAS 29.00!!! WHAT THE HECK. SUCH A BARGAIN FOR THE COUPON QUEEN THAT HAD NO IDEA ( BUT SOMEONE DID) THAT I WOULD EVER BE HAPPY FOR HAVING ONE!
AND ..THE LATEST BOX. ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A BOX ON HAND..NEVER KNOW!

THIS CERAMIC LADY WITH THE PURPLE HAT WAS ACTUALLY THE TOP OF A JAR THAT BROKE! DARN. JUST CAN'T THROW ANYTHING OUT! I ALSO EXPERIMENTED WITH PUTTING PLEXIGLASS ON THE TOP..AND GLUING THE PAPER ..UNDER...THE PLEXIGLASS..AND THE GLUE DID NOT SHOW! THEN TRIMMED IT WITH BRIGHT ORANGE RIBBON..SHE IS JUST ALL SET TO GO...SOMEWHERE!
OK. HERE IS THE BANJO PICTURE..AGAIN. GETTING READY FOR MY FIRST LESSON. TIME TO CLOSE ALL THE WINDOWS AND DOORS! I SHOULD PUT A SIGN OUT FRONT...NEW BANJO FOR CHRISTMAS!
WELL NICE CHATTING WITH YOU. WILL UPDATE THE BLOG WITH PICTURES OF OUR GIRLS DAY OUT...WENT TO SEE ' RESPECT" AT HERBERGER! WE ALWAYS HAVE FUN WHEN WE GET TOGETHER...ITS JUST 'GETTING TOGETHER' THAT SEEMS DIFFICULT.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT HAPPENS WITH FRIENDS.???? SHOULDN'T. 'STUFF' GETS IN THE WAY...20 YEARS FROM NOW WILL REALIZE..'STUFF' REALLY WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT...BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE TOO YOUNG AND BUSY TO SEE IT,, WE JUST KNOW WE LOVE IT WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN!!

CHEERS
"

GOING BACK 4 YEARS

WELL. SO MANY PHOTOS. ABOUT 750 IN MY IPHONE ALONE! SO I WENT BACK ABOUT 4 YEARS AND TRIED TO PICK MY 5 FAVORITES..FROM OVER 400.

THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE MIMI'S FOR MOTHERS DAY BREAKFAST. JUST 4 YEARS AGO..MOM WALKED..WENT EVERYWHERE...AMAZING!
THIS IS A FAVORITE. WISH I HAD SOME FROM WHEN NATHANIEL WAS 3. AND HELPED ME WITH MY BIGGER SHOP AT CHEZ ANTIQUES. ' DON'T FORGET TO CHECK YOUR MAIL BOX GRAMMI'. ..HE WOULD SAY AS WE WENT INTO THE BACK DOOR. AGE 3..IMAGINE! HOW HE WOULD REMEMBER !!! NOW..HERE HE IS STILL HELPING... I AM GUESSING AGE 7.. AT MY SMALL BOOTH IN SAN DIEGO. THANKS NATHANIEL!
MOM GETTING HER NAILS DONE. HERE AGAIN..THE YEARS HAVE CHANGED HER SO MUCH..THIS IS 4 YEARS AGO. SHE GIBBY-GABBED..THEN A YEAR AGO SHE TOLD THEM ' WHAT FUN I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE"...AND NOW..SHE CAN'T EVEN GO!
OK. ' MOM LOOK..I AM LOOKING BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING..DO I GET A TREAT"?

LITTLE BRANDON..NOW IS 7!!! GOOD BOY BRANDON..SEE..YOU NEVER GOT HIT BY A CAR!! MOM KNEW BEST.
THIS PICTURE SAYS ' WELL..WHICH PART OF THE FROSTING HAS THE MOST DECORATIONS"???????????????? ALREADY PICKING OUT THEIR PIECE. NOT SURE WHO'S BIRTHDAY..BUT THEY DIDN'T CARE..LONG AS THERE WAS CAKE AND ICE CREAM!

SO. JUST LIKED THE 'NOT POSING' KIND OF PICTURES OF THE BOYS..SO CUTE.

NOW I WILL TRY TO FIND THE 3 YEAR OLD PICTURES...WATCHING THE BOYS GROW UP...AND MOM.THE BEFORE AND AFTERS...SHE IS STILL PART OF THE FAMILY AND WE CAN'T IGNORE WHO SHE IS NOW..AND ITS IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE HER IN OUR PICTURE JOURNEY THE LAST 4 YEARS....THATS WHAT JOURNALS ARE FOR!

NATHANIEL IS NOW 11..NIKOLAI IS 9 AND BRANDON IS 7..MOM IS 95 AND 1/2..AND ME?

OLDER THEN LAST YEAR!

WELL OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW..I GUESS...WOULDN'T KNOW IT FROM OUR NEW YEARS PARTY..EXCEPT FOR THE DECOR...WE WERE ALL ' OLD' FRIENDS...RINGING IN THE 'NEW YEAR'. WHAT A HOOT!

THE HOSTESS SUSAN SCHWEIDT...NOT ONLY ORDERED THE ' EAT, DRINK AND GET MARRIED' MURDER MYSTERY GAME...BUT DECORATED HER HOME FOR THE 'WEDDING'!!!

WE EACH WERE SENT AN INVITE..WITH OUR PART IN THE PLAY, AND HOW TO DRESS...FIRST OFF...HERE IS THE BRIDE!!! HER NAME IS 'VIRGIN'. ALREADY YOU CAN SEE WHAT A FUN TIME THIS WOULD BE. SO..SHE CAME DRESSED..AS BEST SHE COULD...VEIL AND ALL........THATS HER ' HUBBY TO BE'....E-Z. HE CAME DRESSED AS A MOTORCYCLE RIDER...AND SO IT WENT!
HERE IS THE REVEREND! CROSS..BIBLE..AND FLASK!!! ITS A LITTLE COMPLICATED SINCE THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE WAS SHOT AT THE WEDDING..BY WHOM? WELL THAT WAS THE GIST OF THE WHOLE GAME.............COULD HAVE BEEN THE REVEREND SINCE HE OWED BLACKJACK ( FATHER THAT WAS KILLED) MONEY.
WELL I WON'T TELL YOU THE WHOLE STORY, CASE YOU EVER PLAY THE GAME. BUT SUSAN DECORATED FOR THE ' BRIDES WEDDING'. HERE IS THE RECEPTION TABLE. SHE DIDN'T MISS A THING! SHE EVEN CALLED THE ' BRIDE TO BE' AND ASKED HER FOR HER FAVORITE COLORS!!!
THE INVITE.......SORRY ITS SIDEWAYS. STILL NEED TO HAVE A FEW MAC CLASSES!
AND OF COURSE..THE CAKE. NO, VIRGIN WASN'T REALLY GETTING MARRIED. THATS JOANNE..AND SHE AND BILL ( THE REVEREND ) ARE CELEBRATING THEIR REAL 50TH THIS YEAR!
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO TRY ONE OF THESE MYSTERY GAMES...ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW THE GUESTS BECAUSE..WE HAD A GREAT TIME 'ADD-LIBBING'.....WOW DID WE EVER!

SO HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE...AS FAR AS NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS...NOT TO WORRY....I READ SOMEWHERE .......' IT WONDERFUL TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING KNOWING YOU'RE DOING ALL THAT YOU CAN DO.!! JUST DO IT!

CHEERS

birthday..number 70

WELL...ITS BIRTHDAY NUMBER....DRUM ROLL....70!! YEP.

AS SOMEONE ONCE SAID.........IN THE SEEDS OF AN APPLE..THERE IS AN ORCHARD!

SO I AM THINKING...THERE IS ALOT MORE LIFE LEFT TO ENJOY!!! SANDY AND DEBBIE PLANNED AN EARLY BIRTHDAY LUNCH SINCE DEB WAS ON HER WAY TO LONDON ..I WAS ALL SMILES ..MAYBE BECAUSE I WAS STILL 69????????
DEB GAVE ME THIS..ABSOLUTELY..BEAUTIFUL..YET USEFUL GLASS CONTAINER.

I DECIDED TO PUT MY COFFEE GROUND IN IT SINCE IT SMELLS PRETTY AND I CAN KEEP IT ON THE COUNTER WHERE I WILL SEE IT EVERY DAY!
WELL SHOWING IT LIKE IT IS..HERE ARE SOME OF MY FIRST BIRTHDAY PICTURES, TAKEN IN BED AT 8AM!!! I CALLED IN THE PHOTOGRAPHER, IF HE ISN'T SURE OF WHAT HE IS GOING TO see AND photograph WELL.. AT THIS POINT..ITS TOO LATE! HE HAS SEEN WORSE! WELL I AM..WHAT I AM..BUT THERE IS A HAIRBRUSH AND MAKE UP WAITING FOR ME...LUCKY.

I THOUGHT THIS CARD FROM THE GRANDSONS WAS SO CUTE " THE WEATHERMAN SAID THAT TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY TO SEND SUNSHINE TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE'. CUTE!

JOHNNY AND GERI ALSO FOUND A COPY OF THE COOKBOOK MOM GAVE TO ME 48 YEARS AGO FOR MY WEDDING SHOWER. THE ORIGINAL WAS BEAT UP...TORN COVERS..BUT STILL USABLE..BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO SNEAK IT OUT OF JOHNNY'S HOUSE! THEY FOUND A COPY ON AMAZON..WONDERFUL. NOW THE ORIGINAL WILL BE KEPT SAFE AND USED BY JOHNNY AND I HAVE ONE TO REMIND ME OF THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES AND...TRUTH BE TOLD THIS COOKBOOK REALLY IS GREAT...SO YES....MOM KNEW BEST!
OH..A BEAUTIFUL KNITTED SHAWL...EXCEPT...IT GOES OVER YOUR HEAD AND HAS A NICE NECK COVER KNITTED IN...SO SOFT...SO PERFECT FOR WEATHER HERE...AND FROM A THOUGHTFUL FRIEND..JAN, IN DENVER COLORADO! THANK YOU JAN!
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...WHAT HAVE WE HERE? A BANJO? YES. FINALLY. LETS SEE I THINK I FIRST MENTIONED I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY THE BANJO ABOUT 55 YEARS AGO...I TOLD MY SON DANNY THE STORY OF HOW I ASKED MY DAD TO LOOK FOR A USED ONE...AND..WHAT A SURPRISE. BEAUTIFUL NEW BANJO. ITS A WONDER UH...KIDS DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING YOU SAY..AND THEN...WOW...ONE TIME I MENTIONED IT..AND HE REMEMBERED!!! LOVE IT.
SO. ONE MORE BIRTHDAY ...THEY ARE FUN. PRESENTS. FOOD. FUN. FRIENDS. FAMILY...HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE A BIRTHDAY. DECEMBER 30TH IS HARD FOR A PARTY SINCE EVERYONE PARTIES ON DEC 31..AND WE DID ALSO. WILL SEND PICTURES OF THAT FUN EVENT...SOON. REMEMBER..I AM 70..THE BODY MOVES A LITTLE SLOWER..I THINK. ANYWAY..WILL TRY IT OUT!

WELL RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. I AM GOING TO TRY TO LEARN HOW TO ADD 6 PICTURES ON MY BLOG..DOESN'T THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY? AS YOU PATIENTLY WAIT FOR THIS TO END!!! THE END.