Is it a girl or a boy?

This little feller is nearly the only thing around the house that is a male, except for my husband,  and the fish (but my daughter gave it a girl name), so he is welcome to stay.  Yesterday we found this red eyed thing on our front porch, during a rain storm, right before he took a dive and slid under the front porch.  I believe it is a male if Wikipedia is to be trusted.

I have an Eastern Box Turtle living under my porch!  I think it is fun (obviously) and am surprised it is sticking around even though we keep taking a peek at him.  He hides behind the Boxwood bush near the porch and rummages around all day, but apparently he wants to stay.  Let’s name him…um…Terrance.  Terrance the turtle.  Yes, that will do!

Window Boxes

My little window boxes are done and will hopefully be nice and full in a few weeks.

Sigh, cry and smile

I believe I heard a collective sigh of relief when everyone read that baby Stellan was released to go home today. If you don't know what I am referring to, you can check out the blog on the right side of my blog to read about it. I'm just thrilled beyond belief to know they get to go home and be with the rest of the family and get to hold each other. How precious that will be to be together as a family again. I'm also ecstatic that Stellan is doing so well after his surgery. I read that blog every day (sometimes even many times a day) to keep up with what was happening and to pray accordingly. PHEW...things are looking up for sure! If you followed along on this journey, I hope you feel the way that I do too!

I'm busy with normal life stuff BUT....there has been a bit of drama, illness, surgery in the family, and even an unexpectedly death. Very sad. I'll tell you more in a few days.

I hope you had a good Monday and Tuesday is fast approaching, so enjoy your Tuesday!

Flowers for ME

Spring is my favorite time of year because I get to start tinkering in my flower boxes and gardens again.  Today is the PERFECT day to start all of that so I went and purchased a few things today.  I went to the clearance area of the store and found two planters on sale for $12.50 EACH.  I couldn’t have purchased the flowers to put in them for that price and I love the container as well.  That made my day!  The picture is just a few plants that I am going to put in my window boxes under my front windows.  The planter pictures didn’t turn out well so I’m not going to show those to you.

Running off to the Dr. again this week because I think Mia has strep throat.  Lovely.  I’m taking brownies with me since we see them so much and I talk to the nurses MORE than I should (they know me by name).  This has been a horrible few months for my children and I’m hoping they start feeling better soon!  We are all ready for that!  Have a great weekend and enjoy tackling all of those projects I bet you have been putting off till now.  I’m hoping to tackle one or two and make some beads as well.  Busy, busy, busy! 

Eva Napier Timmons

October 14, 1940 – April 9, 2009

Eva (Eve) passed away earlier in the month after battling cancer.  My husband grew up with her son, Steve, and the families remain friends and visit a few times a year still even though every one has moved away from Greenhills.  My mother-in-law lost a dear friend when Eve passed away and she will be missed by MANY!  She was also a customer of mine and I was honored to work on a custom design for her.

Seeing Orange

For those of you who have been following the My Charming Kids blog that I told you about, tomorrow is the BIG day for Stellan.  He is having surgery on his heart, in the morning, to help with his irregular heartbeat and people want to show support by wearing orange.  I don't know if I have anything orange in my closet, but I'll sure find something to wear even if it is a piece of paper stuck on my shirt.  Continue to pray for this situation.  It will be fun to see how many people participate. 

A looooong time ago

I have had this picture on my refrigerator for some time and love to look at it.  This is a picture of my family from 1974 or 1975?  I don’t know exactly.  I am the one in the far left corner on my dad’s lap.  It makes me smile!  It also makes me miss my mom.  What fun though to see a picture from the past. 

Easy going or just sick?

I think my girls might be enjoying it that I am sick. We have watched WAY too much television and I nearly let Mia bring home anything she picked up today in the grocery. I brought home Fruity Peebles and I NEVER purchase those things. I didn't care much and just wanted to make it through the store and get back home. I'm sure I left a trail of Goldfish crackers in that store (for which I apologize Kroger employees) but hey, it kept them happy, therefore it kept me happy.

In other news I'm working on custom work and will be done with them so and can devote my time to the earring sale coming up. You all have a happy Thursday!

Happy Place

Notice anything different about this portion of my keyboard? Look really hard. I have a happy place button now, do you? Someone put it on my keyboard (ahem....Mark) and now when things are going wrong, I can push my happy place button and go there. I only used it once today and that was because a crying toddler, who was supposed to be sleeping, cut short my working time. I went to the beach today for a brief moment and then came back pronto, but it still was fun. I wonder how often I'll use this little button? How often would YOU push it? How many of you would care to join me on a beautiful beach, in the mountains of North Carolina in a cabin, or what about in a beautiful garden? The list could go on and on. Have fun thinking of your happy place.

Easter

I had to share a picture of my little girls in their Easter dresses. Grandma got these for them and they hardly ever wear dresses so this was fun until they started running around and then they changed into play clothes (I will not show you those clothes – tee he).  I hope you all had a great Easter.  We certainly did!  We visited with family in northern Ohio, ate wonderful food and had a great time chatting with the family.  It is always a mini vacation going to see Mark’s parents (yes Carrie and Mindy, you too).  I don't have much in the way of news so I’ll go now, but had to share this little picture.

Blog Beauty

Oh me, oh my.  I found this blog today that I thought I'd share with you.  It is

Terri Conrad Designs.  She recently made new products for CR Gibson. I LOVE the colors she uses in her designs. I adore those boxes. Skip on over and check her out!

Nesting – part 2

The pictures below are a few of the changes that we made in the house.  Now, for those of you who don’t know me and haven’t visited my home, this won’t be any fun for you.  It may not be any fun for the people who DO know me either.  LOL  Oh well, here are the pictures I took this morning. 

This is the top of my sideboard in my dining room.

As you walk in my front door, this chair and table (and stairs) would be to your left.  This is the first thing you would see.  

I just included this because it makes me happy. : )

Nesting

For some reason I am nesting.  Nesting meaning (to me) that I feel the need to make things different and comfortable in my home.  I haven’t felt like nesting for um….three years or so.  Pretty much since my first daughter was born.  I don’t know what hit me but all of the sudden I want change so, I have been painting all kinds of things in the house.  Light fixtures, frames, table lights, you name it and I’ve painted it or thought about painting it.  The best part of all of this was a friend came to visit me yesterday and she has the FABULOUS ability to look at what is in your home and tweak it.  She can move items and furniture from room to room and rearrange things to make it all look so different.  I LOVE IT!  I can’t believe that my home looks so much more comfortable with the same stuff but put into different places.   What a refreshing change and all without purchasing one new item.  :::giggle:::  That is it.  Big news, eh?    I’ll take pictures and show you.  I wish I would have known that we were going to move stuff around because I would have taken pictures so you could see the before and after.  She just came to visit and this all happened on a whim.  If you ever need someone to take items and furniture in your home and help you with a refreshing change, let me know and I’ll GLADLY pass along her name.  You won’t regret it!  Oh, she also does drapery and paint color suggestions.  I’m tackling my bedroom next and then the KITCHEN.  Yippee!  I WILL take pictures of those changes.  Trust me!

The Glory of Frienship Bracelet

This is the bracelet that I was telling you about on Friday. I love it! I love the pairing of sterling silver and freshwater pearls. I can't help it. Click here to see it on my website.


We are headed out to do a little bit of shopping at Jungle Jims today. I want Wasabi Peas and PopNots. Yum!

Tools for fun

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I would have never imagined that I would go ga-ga over simple dental and carving tools, but…I have.  I finally found these tools at a hardware store for a very good price and proudly brought them home.  I can’t WAIT to use them!  I can pick, poke, prod, and pull on the glass to my hearts content.  Oh the possibilities!  Yippee!  My screw driver can now take a much needed break. 

So, my week was good.  Thanks for asking.  (ha ha)  My girls are finally starting to feel better and I finally stopped giving Ashley breathing treatments.  I’m still learning about all of this and find it VERY frustrating.  Ashley is getting a cold about once a month so I learn a little more each time we go through this.  I think I’m going to have to take cookies to the pediatrician’s office since we are there so much and call almost as often.  They know me by name.  THAT can not be good. 

I still plan on doing an Earring Extravaganza near the end of the month but I’ll let you know more details next week. 

Have a good weekend and I have a bracelet that I’ll put up soon that is all pearls and sterling silver.  I need to name it and edit the photos but it will be up by the end of the weekend.  I promise.