Hi All it has been a while since I have blogged. Have been super busy getting my house in order, things put away and pictures hung. I think I hung my last pictures in my husbands office today...that is until I acquire some more. Looking for a vintage picuture of a woman to put in my bathroom, so got to go peruse those antique stores!

My daughter and her husband are moving out next week, so it Will just be me the hubby and four dogs!! Will surely be quiet for awhile. Will miss them all more than they realize.

I need to get started on my crafts. Seems with work i never have time. i sign up for all of these online classes and then cannot do them as of work...how do you all manage the two things?

Have a happy Weekend. going to my aunt and uncles for their 60th wedding anniversary! Cannot even imagine that...Happy Anniversary Aunt Barbara and Uncle Dick!

Blue Bonnetts

It is Springtime and I saw my first Blue Bonnets the other day, actually on the first day of Spring, which was yesterday! They are beautiful. I cannot wait till all of Texas is in full bloom with them.

Our new house is almost ready. We have been moving in little by little and by Friday night we will be all moved in. It is so nice to open the doors and hear the birds, and roosters, and wind blowing and wind chimes chiming...I love it!

My Hero

I read about heroes over at Shutter Sisters. And they were talking about the unnoticed, silent heroes ... these heroes are our sons and brothers and husbands, sisters, mothers and wives, but they are not the normal heroes that may be saved someones life, these are heroes every day of their lives because they live life with challenges. You may notice them, you may stare at them and wander, you may ignore them and some, may even poke fun at them; but people that do this, don't know what it is like to live everyday with a challenge; to know what it is like to just get up in the morning and the energy and work it takes just to do the simple things like drinking a cup of milk.

I wish our society taught people to be more compassionate but it has to start in kindergarten. They have to integrate these children who become adults into our society as equals from day one...not put them off into another class or room. So many people forget about these heroes of ours..if only they got to know them, they would see what wonderful and beautiful people they are. They are just like you and me, they laugh , they cry, they feel joy and they feel pain; they have their ups and they have thier downs ... and they are like you and me.

God put these heoroes on earth to teach us all about compassion and love and differences and tolerance...so many people miss this lesson and if only they looked and listened and heard and actually saw these heroes.

My hero is my son Erich. He had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and died 5 years ago at the age of 24. He was so full of life and ambition and love ... he just wanted people to accept him as he accepted them. He is accepted now in heaven amongst all the angels. He lives on as my hero on earth and my angel in heaven.

An Empty Nest

I seem to be getting closer and closer to the empty nest. So many parents look forward to this time in their lives, but have to tell you...I am not. I love having my kids around and next month I will be without any around. In fact they will even be out of state.

When we all moved here to Texas never in a million years did I think 6 months later I would be left here with no kids, but that's whats happening. Seems they just don't like Texas and cannot wait to get back to sunny California. I know my daughter and her husband would have moved out as they were only here as a temporary thing but my other daughter Aarika, 19 seems so young for her to be in another state and on her own. I always thought she would be at home till about 22.

This whole thing about living my life now and all of that..i lived my life when my kids were here, that's part of who I am. Now I have to figure out who I am without them. I'll still be a mom but not a live in om like I was. that part of my life will be over and I am not sure I am ready for that.

It is sad for me, when I think about it I cry. I miss Aarika so much and when Lindsay goes next month..it will be even harder having them both gone. What to do next????

Favorite Things

I got this from Lindsay over at Sweet American Honey and it looks like fun so thought I'd see what I came up with ...

Favorite Time of Day -Mornings. I am a morning person, can get up and start the day right away

Favorite Season - Summer, I like the heat

Favorite Month - December, for the holidays

Favorite Holiday - Christmas, although thanksgiving is a close first

Favorite Subject in School - History

Favorite Channel - Don't Have one

Favorite Color - red and any shade of red

Favorite Song - Don't have one

Favorite Movie - hmmm, so many Dr. Zhivago

Favorite Celebrity - Ed Harris - always thought he was so sexy

Favorite kind of Music - Country

Favorite TV Show - Criminal Minds

Favorite Thing To Do - Be creative

Favorite Place in the World - Italy

Favorite Hobby - making things

Favorite Animal - Yorkshire terrier

Favorite Place to Live - Not sure yet

Favorite Place to Vacation - tropics

Favorite Restaurant - Islands

Favorite Food - Chips

Favorite thing to Cook -Mexican food

Favorite thing to Drink - diet coke

Favorite Chore - yeah right ...!

Favorite Makeup Product - hydroxtone

Favorite Hair Product - hair dye!

Favorite Lotion - Victoria Secret Pear

Favorite Perfume - Sarah Jessica Parker's Lovely

Favorite Memory - camping with my children in Sequoia and going on road trip back to Illinois and most recently my daughter's wedding..it was everything she and I had always planned!

Favorite Blogger - Sweet American Honey

Favorite thing to Blog About - have not decided

Favorite Book - don't have one, but like autobiographies and biographies

Favorite thing to Wear - jeans and sweatshirt

Favorite Kind of Day - warm, slightly windy and crystal clear

Favorite Job - having my own creative store

50 Random Things

I found this on Mrs. Yellow Ribbons blog and thought it was a good way to get to know someone. It is 50 random things about yourself. So here is goes in no specific order ...

1. I rolled my hair in orange juice cans when I was a teenager so my hair would be straight.


2. Today I wish I had that curly hair back


3. I hate putting silver ware away in the dishwasher


4. I always dreamt of being Annie Oakley when I was little


5. I had a little kitten my PaPa gave me named Frisky, when I was young


6. I always beat the boys in elementary school in arm wrestling as I was so good!


7. My folks made me wear "clodhoppers" to school and I would take them off on the way to school and put on tennis shoes


8. My folks would not let us ever wear fish nets and when they finally said we could, they were out of style!


9. I had to put cucumbers on my eyes the night before my first wedding...I was crying.


10. I roll my hair up every day no matter what I am doing.


11. I would love to grow my hair long now but don't have the patience


12. I never wear fingernail polish


13. I love pedicures and facials and shoulder massages


14. I wear the same jewlery all the time -- wedding ring, mothers rings, bangle bracelet and gold hoops


15. I fear something will happen to my daughters everyday - I pray to God to keep them safe


16. I don't shave my legs very often in the winter


17. I sleep in sweats and a sweat shirt - real romantic!


18. I love the wind


19. I lived through two huge quakes in California


20. I love thunder and Lightning


21. I like chaos from children in the house


22. I do not like a quiet house


23. I love peanut butter and mayonnaise on saltine crackers


24. I love corn bread with chocolate pudding and biscuits with white gravy


25. I hate vegetables


26. My folks would make me sit at the table until I finished every last vegetable on my plate


27. I like to clean the house


28. I hate cleaning showers


29. I love my kids beyond belief


30. I would give any thing to see my son just one more time


31. I love my two yorkies -- Phoebe and Finnegan


32. I married a guy I knew in high school some 30 years later!


33. I never was able to please my dad


34. Want to please my dad still to this day -- whats wrong with me??


35. I like big hair


36. I dont ever wear mouse or any products in my hair


37. I want to grow a garden of vegetables


38. I have the same routine every morning -- wake up , walk to bathroom, plug curlers in, turn on shower, take shower, dry off, brush teeth, floss, rinse, dry hair, roll up hair, put on makeup, take curlers out and get dressed! Everyday same thing


39. I hate heights


40. I love lakes and rivers


41. I wish I could water ski


42. I want to make a photo book of the disabled -- they are so mistreated in our soceity


43. I want to do something in honor of my son


44. I love pictures on the wall and pictures and paintings of peoples faces


45. I cannot wait till my daughter has a baby


46. I love to decorate my house


47. I know I spend too much money but its usually not on me but stuff for my house


48. I wish I were not so afraid to try new things


49. I wish I could carry out my creativity more


50. I cannot believe I could think of 50 random things!

Now lets see 50 random things about you!

Workin' Away

My husband and I are working away at the new place trying to get it ready to move into. Have to paint and peel off old wallpaper, shelf paper ... cannot believe people still use shelf paper,it makes such a mess. The colors we picked are lookin' good. Neutral colors but I like them alot! So couple more weeks and we will be moved in then we start on the gardens! can't wait!

Home grown tomatoes...I love 'em!

Lookin' out back

Back of house