I Was Right!

Friday was a fun night.  I had so much fun with my sister and brother-in-law.  They are awesome people.  My sister treated me to her delicious spaghetti.  I love, love, love her spaghetti.  Heaven!  We wrapped gifts and made them beautiful.  So much fun.  She showed me all the clothes they had purchased for her adorable grand baby.  He is one lucky little man!  He is too little to know it, too.  But I am sure he will figure out just how special his grandparents are in the next several years.  I also got to visit with my favorite German Shephard, Shyanne (Cheyenne?? how the heck do you spell it??)  She is the smartest dog ever, and almost the cutest.       

Today is my last day at work, before the surgery.  It feels like every hour is taking 4 hours to pass.  This is not a busy time of year in an insurance agency.  So I am trying to answer every call since I won't be doing any work for the next 4 weeks.  But at the same time, there is not much sense in starting any "projects".  All in all, it is an odd day to be working.

My worry and stress are still there lurking, but I am dealing with it as it arrives.  Trying not to let it overwhelm me.  Remembering that God is in control, and that he can handle these small things, and any big issues that come up.  Remembering that He is LARGE and IN CHARGE.  Rememebering that I am small and submissive.  God is good. 

I finished 4 projects this weekend.  That is a load off my mind, but I have so many more projects to work on, books to read and relaxing to do for the 4 weeks, that it is almost exciting to think about it!  Ha!  Who ever looked forward to a hysterectomy?

Maybe I will make a little journal to write down my thoughts and feelings and observations to share with you after the big event.  I won't be able to post for a month, so I will keep track and then read them after and decide if there was anything worth sharing.  Maybe some brilliant thought or observation will emerge.  I will miss this blogging thing for some reason.  I am not sure why.  But rambling about my thoughts and feelings and activities is cathartic or something important, because I keep doing it!

So merry Christmas, and happy New Year to all 3 or 4 of you that read this regularly, and to any other random individual that stumbles across this blog.  God bless you all!   

Fun Night!

Tonight I am going to hang out with my sister at her house.  Why don't we do that more, Deb?  I guess life just keeps us busy and we forget to spend time together.  Not good.

She just had surgery on her neck and has a ton of gifts to wrap since she can't really move her head and neck around much.  So I am going to help her wrap her Christmas gifts.  Did you know that I LOVE to wrap gifts?  I LOVE IT!!  I use way too much tape and I care deeply about each gift looks.  That is a part of your gift after all... the wrapping needs to be beautiful!

I hope you get to have some fun wrapping, and bonding with your sister.  This will be my first wrapping of the year.  I have not wrapped even ONE gift this year!  Gasp!  It is already 12/17!!  I need to wrap at least one  before I go to Owasso tonight!  Looking forward to this evening if you cant tell.  I love my sister a lot and we don't get to spend much time together.  Usually when we see each other there are 15 other family members around.  She is a wonderful person, with a beautiful heart.  Spending time with her is a GIFT!

Enjoy your weekend.  Monday will be my last day at work before surgery and I don't know if I will have time to post.  Since the computer is fried at home, I won't be able to post for quite a while.  I'll miss you blog-world!  

Frito Pie

Here is a bit of random-ness for you.  Frito Chili pie for dinner tonight at church.  Come join us for yummy meal and a little heartburn on the side.  29th & Yale Church of Christ in Tulsa, OK. 

Also, our class subject is:  Opening a Can of Worms.  I wonder what worm we will examine tonight?  We turned in Bible questions and each question will be addressed this quarter in class.  Last week's question was a bit deep for me.  I submitted 3 questions.  I think I already know 2 of the answers, but one of them is a very good question.

Anyway, join us if you can, or if you want to.   There is a serious TON of chili.

Late Breaking News!

I just had to go rescue Jacob.  He had truck trouble driving from Tech, in Sand Springs to the house.  The rim on Kim's Ford split like a bagel and the tire blew out.  The brake pads (that he just put on last week) were gouged by the rotor.  {insert deep sigh here).

He had a flat last week, so we were already planning to replace that tomorrow.  Pay day.  So now we need a new rim, 2 tires and brake pads.  We will be buying used tires and rim.  Fortunately Jacob gets a discount at NAPA because he is a Tech student.  So the pads are just about $20.  Goodness.  There goes another $100 and any dreams of repairing my computer this year. {One more deep sigh}.

My beloved sister likes to remind me that what does not kill you makes you stronger.  I am going to be very, very strong in 2011.  

Most importantly, Jacob is safe.  God is good.  A special thank you to Jacob's guardian angel for being "on the job" during our crisis.   

Thanks Honey!

My husband dusted all the furniture for me yesterday.  That was an additional item off my list!  Woo hoo!  Thanks, Kim!  I cleared the clutter off the dining room table.  So two things off my list.  Jacob does not work tonight, so I can have him move the stove and the fridge away from the wall and clean under those tonight.

Remember back (come back with me) when you were pregnant?  Were you one of those "nesters"?  Shortly before my due date, I found myself on my hands and knees, scrubbing the baseboards with a toothbrush.  If you did not know me then, I was huge.  A whale!  Jacob was a very large baby and I am not a tiny girl, by any means!  Crawling around the living room behind the furniture was not a pretty picture!  Ha!

Anyway, that is sort of how I feel now.  Like I need to prepare the nest!  My sister says she did the same thing before her recent surgery.  Maybe it is just something women do before they go to the hospital????

I need to get some books to read.  I am stocking up on yarn for knitting projects, but I desperately need something to read.  I hate to go to the library since getting the books back will involve me asking someone else to take them back for me.  Me asking for a favor is difficult.  Yes, another personality flaw that I could stand to get rid of.  I still have a hard time thinking that that sort of attitude is bad.  Self reliance, and independence are good qualities, right?  I guess that is not always true.

OK, so one week out from the surgery.  This week will fly by. 

Clean! Outside and In.

Don't you love it when your house is really clean?  You know, the deep stuff!  Not when you ran through with the vacuum and the dust cloth, but the really clean stuff!

Saturday I had plans so I did not get to do my usual house cleaning (not even a run through!).  So yesterday (Sunday) afternoon after lunch I got into my kitchen and really cleaned good!  I cleaned the stove, and the oven, inside and out.  I cleaned the fronts of the cabinets and the counters with Clorox cleanup.  I also cleaned the outside of the fridge, whew, the top was filthy!  I scrubbed the floor, too. I need to clean inside the fridge and under the fridge and stove now.  Yuck, I hate doing that.  But it needs to be done.

I also have to dust all the furniture, unclutter the dining room table, and scrub my bathroom.  Then I can have my surgery knowing that my house is just as clean as it can reasonably be.  That will be a good feeling. I hope I can get it done!

I should pay so much attention to my heart.  It needs some deep cleaning too.  I need to throw out some old resentments and some nasty habits.  I could clean off my generosity and my kindness.  They get dusty and grimey from sitting around unused.  I could stand to get rid of gossip and lying.  I am often discontent with my life, I complain and whine a lot, and I that could be swept right into the trash.  I could make room for more of the good stuff, like love, family, caring and fun.  Maybe even some new stuff like, contentment and satisfaction and even adventure!  I wish it was that easy.  Don't you? 

Haaathchooo! Hatchoo, hatchoo, hatchoo........

You get the idea.  I believe I have my first cold of the season!  Oh goody!  Of course I sneeze a lot anyway.  I am almost legandary for my sneezing, but now it is just ridiculous.  Rats.  I need to get this wrapped up before my surgery on the 21st because sneezing after abdominal surgery is not fun.

Still trying to finish up some projects, one is mostly done, one is complete and one is ready to start.  Then I just need to do about 6 others.  I think i can do that...  right...  who am I kidding?  Some people will get their gifts after the holiday this year.  That is just how it is.

I have been telling my customers at work "Merry Christmas" for a little over a week now as they leave, but it still does not seem like Christmas yet.  I wonder when it will sink in?  Perhaps when I decorate?  I seem to have sailed right past decorating, and it has left a hole in my holiday.

Next issue, does anyone have any hot tips for dealing with stress and worry?  I am trying to remember to pray, but sometimes I get busy worrying and forget.  How dumb is that?  The one sure fire cure to my problem of worrying, and I am too busy worrying to do it.  Ha!  That is so who I am!  I believe I just answered that question myself.  So, next would be, how do you "remind" yourself to pray, instead of worrying?

Lastly, just this.  Hatchooo, hatchoo, hatchoo, hatchoo, hatchoo, hatchoo!

Cruddiness, Creativity, and Gratitude...

What a stinky time to have my computer down.  Ugh!  Just can't seem to find the spare funds to take it in.  There is always something else that needs money thrown at it first.

On the non-cruddy front. Creatvity!  I have been knitting...  a scarf...  a new design for my bags.  You cant see it yet, mostly because I cant upload pix from work, but also because one of you just might, maybe, possibly, find it wrapped with your name on it for a special festive event that is coming in a few weeks.  :o)

Feeling pretty thoughtful lately, and grateful.  I think of this as a time of year to reflect on what makes me feel blessed.  I was reminded Sunday, by a friend who led our congregation in the communion service that we are very blessed to have a savior who takes the burden of our sin away from us.  I am so very humbled that he chose to die, so that I don't have to be chained up by my stupid mistakes and poor decisions.  Thank you, thank you, thank you, for that amazing gift!  And I apologize sincerely, for dragging my problems along with me and feeling miserable, when you have offered to cover them with your precious blood.  What an insult to You!   I think there must be a fine line between acting like you are not responsible for your actions, and shedding the burden that they are to your heart and spirit.  I want people to know that I am sorry for my poor choices, but I don't want to be chained by them any more.  Take them, take them, please.  And thanks again!

And please forgive me for posting from work....  :o)    

Quick Update

Thanksgiving was awesome!  The food was divine.  The company was even better.  Since it was also my 43rd (gasp!) birthday, my sister (awesome and wonderful) gave me a perfect gift.  It was a gift certificate to my favorite store ever.  Loops.  I spent it on Saturday, and went right home and knitted a scarf.  Woot!  Thanks, Sis!  More projects to come.  Hopfully I will get the computer fixed this week.  I am posting on the sly at work again (bad!).  I feel isolated without being able to post pictures and look at facebook.  Ugh!

Bad News

My home computer crashed.  No more posting till it gets fixed.  Does anyone have any ideas on where I should take it?  Apparently we have a nasty Trojan or 12.... 

This was posted from work, which is bad of me, but you know I am bad!

Gone

My last post was "Slipping Away".  So this one has to be "Gone"!  October is over, now November is half gone as well.  The year is almost over.  December will be here quickly.  You knew all of that, but it really amazed me how fast it all happened.

Last weekend I got cookie fever and made a delicious batch of chocolate chip cookies.  Kim discovered this one.  Amazing!  I hope your month is going well, and that a cookie will smile at you, too.

Slipping Away...

Has anyone noticed how quickly this year is slipping away?  It is almost mid October.  The holiday season is right around the corner.  I love the holidays, but there is a lot of work involved in them, so I approach them with mixed feelings.

I have projects I need to be working on for Christmas, and I have done nothing so far but think about them.  Interestingly enough, thinking about things does nothing to accomplishing goals!  I need more action.  I am still finishing my project for Sammy's birthday, which was just shy of a month ago.  That is so pitiful.  I would not be surprised if she scratched me off her friends list!

I think my new gym activities 4 nights a week have taken a large slice of my life.  I want that time back, but I don't want to quit doing something that is good for me.  I have things that I do that are just for me (a few), and then things I do for Jacob and for Kim, and for my extended family.  However, very little of what I do is for my physical well being.  That is what the gym is about.  So for now I will keep going.

Sorry, have not taken any interesting pictures.  Maybe later in the week!      

Finally, Fall!

So happy that Fall arrived.  Not just on the calendar, but today it arrived outside too!  Nice cool weather.  Welcome, welcome, welcome!

Tomorrow is Jacob's 17th birthday.  I wish we could do something spectacular for him, but that won't happen this year.  Let's be honest, probably not next year either!  Oh well.  I try to make it a point to tell him that I love him and appreciate him.  He helps me a lot.

I am very blessed!  

Sunday, Day of Rest

That is just what I did today too.  Yesterday, I cleaned like mad.  Cleaned just about everything (except my junk room!).  It sure felt good to get it done.  I sat down to knit in the clean house when I was finished.  That was such a good feeling.  House clean and quiet.  Knitting going well.... then CRASH!  No, not really "crash" exactly.  I just dropped a stitch.  I am working on a scarf for a friend.  I have tried this scarf before, without success.  I don't know why this pattern is so hard for me.  I have trouble focusing on it and keeping track of where I am.  Suddenly I have dropped a stitch and usually have to pull out 4 pattern repeats to get my stitch back.  It really stinks!  It is a slow pattern for me.  My friend will love it, I hope.  Maybe it will be ready for her by her NEXT birthday.  I dont think Samanatha reads my blog anymore, so there is not much danger of her seeing this.  If she does, well that is ok, too.  Her birthday was a week ago.  It may be 3 more months before I finish it.  Sigh!    

So that was yesterday.  Today we went to church.  It was our turn for the nursery and there was a sweet little month-old baby girl there named Juliette.  She was ready for a nap when I got there.  She went right to sleep in the rocking chair.  It was so sweet to hold such a tiny baby again.  Babis smell so sweet! 

After church we had lunch and I sat down and pulled out about 8 rows of the knitting project and got back to a good starting point.  Then I took a loooooong nap.  That was awesome!  I woke up too late for evening services.  Jacob went to see a friend and Kim and I watched a movie he rented.  It was a nice, quiet, restful Sunday.  I hope you had one too!       

My life....

September, one of my favorite months of the year is here and nearly gone!  It has been a strange month for me.  Kim has been in the hospital for nearly a week.  Finally got home yesterday.  Jacob's birthday is coming up in a little over a week.  He will be 17!  My baby is a grown (mostly) man.  Tonight my aunt took Jacob and I to dinner at Olive Garden for his birthday.  Meredith, Uncle David and Ruth joined us.  It was very good food and even better company.   

It scares me sometimes to think of what the next few years will hold.  Changes will be coming fast now that Jacob is practically grown.  The older I get, the less I feel equiped to handle change.  I can only assume it will keep coming at me, so I'd better get ready.  I guess all I can do is trust and pray that things will all work out for all us.

Sorry no pictures lately.  It has been a busy few weeks!      

Memorial - 9/11/2001

I have not posted all week, and my last post was just photos. I just don't have much to talk about. I try to post good things, and this has been a tough couple of weeks. Sniff!



More important than all my sniveling, today is 9/11/2010. Nine years ago today, terrorist attacked our country. Many lives were lost. Many hearts were broken. The spirit of America was not broken that day. America came together to help our brothers and sisters. It bonded us like nothing else. The mental image of those planes plunging into the buildings and people falling out will never leave my mind. It won't, it can't, it shouldn't. Not just for anger, but for the sake of those who died. In my mind it is like the cross. I need that image in my head, so I won't forget what happened. Who died and why. Not for anger, but for inspiration. So this is in memorial to both events. Let's never forget.


Have a good weekend.

Random Pictures I Love...

Jacob on a junk adventure.

                                                                                                                                 

My favorite sister, Debbie.

                                                                                                                                               

Me and my beloved husband, Kim.

Jacob and I at Talley's in Tulsa

         

Amy in downtown Tulsa.

Nellie and Gina

 

Architecture in downtown Tulsa

My 89 year young Grandma.  Road trip!

Cool spider web in the early morning light on the Illinois River 

Myself and my Bestie, Necia.

Bella and Isabella enjoy ice cream together!

Fall trees in Chandler Park, Tulsa.

August is Over!

Thank heavens! My least favorite month of the year is finally gone. I fail to understand why this month seems to last for 4 months! I feel like it is just something to tolerate this year. But to end the month on a postive note, here are the highlights of my August, 2010.

• My husband's birthday on the 2nd. Love that man!
• Jacob got his drivers license. :o) Proud of him!
• I started working out this August in a gym, and have been committed to it for 4 days a week for 3 full weeks now! Woo hoo!
• My brother Danny and my nephew Dillon both have birthdays in August. They live in far away Northern Pennsylvania, so I don't get to celebrate with them. Danny is 47 (I think!)and Dillon is 14.
• My job is going well. I am super busy and the workdays are flying past.

I know there must be more, but that is all that comes to mind this evening. There, I finished the month on a positive note!

One more thought for the day....

Fudgilicious dark chocolate brownies anyone?

Gotta leave a little in the bowl to enjoy while they bake!

A little extra chocolate will make them perfect!

So happy that I can finally turn my oven on again without making the house too hot to sleep in it! I know it was pretty warm out today, but still, it was so nice to bake something!

Addiction

Suddenly I am addicted to the Caramel Frappe's from McDonalds. Like most junkies, I can't afford my habit. So I decided to try to make my own. It looked better than it tasted. It did not taste bad, I think I just got too much milk in it. I will have to work on perfecting my technique. I mostly blame my sister who talked me into trying it. They are so good when it is hot outside. I was blending and blending to get it nice and smooth, and I was reaching for a plastic cup to put it into when I found this in the cabinet! The happy leaf mug my dear friend Amy gave me! It looks tasty, doesn't it?

Leaf me alone while I sip my Frappe!

I also had a fun afternoon visiting a Homemade Gourmet sampling set up by my friend Cindy, who sells for them. I had never been to one before and the food was so delicious! Can't wait to try some of the tasty stuff!

A View From My Desk...

I was having a pretty awesome day today. I sold a good sized life policy in the morning after nearly a two month dry spell, so I was feeling pretty good about myself. Thursday is actually my second favorite day of the week. Friday being my favorite. Anyway, I digress...

I was at my desk, talking on the phone to a customer and I glanced to the side of my computer screen and saw the most amazing sight. OK, not exactly amazing, but awesome! I almost dropped the phone and the customer was saying, "Hello, are you still there....Lisa?" There was the most amazing car outside my window that I have ever seen. It was a Mini Cooper, which is pretty cool all on its own, but this was a wrapped Mini! From LOOPS ! My favorite yarn store!


Yes, you have heard me talk about and drool over the yarn, but is this not just the coolest little car EVER??? Even my boss was impressed and had to go outside to look at it up close. It is a sweater car or should we call it a scarf car?? OK, a knitted car! Love, love, love me a knitted car!

I can just hear both of you, Debbie and Amy, saying, "What you never saw that car before? I see it all the time!" Well, if that is true, why the heck did you never tell me!!


Amy, why did we not think of this and wrap your jeep in yarn???

Another Junky Day With Amy!

Today Amy and I met again for lunch in Skiatook, then shimmied over to Collinsville to visit one of our favorite junkiest junk shops. We were both a little pushed for time so we had to make a quick run through. That shop was so hot, we were both dripping sweat!



This caught my eye. I love the Maple leaf stamped on it! Leaves!!! Fall is almost here! Rejoice!



Amy found a Sock Horse. She would! I think she considered chasing me with it! Ugh, almost as bad as a Sock Monkey!

I didn't have any cash with me, intentionally, so I would not spend any and I found this little dish that I love. The leaves were just too much to resist. So Amy loaned me a dollar to buy it! Amy found some board games. Then she spilled a jar of marbles! So funny.

Back Together Again...

As promised, I rescued the duck this week. I finally remembered him on Thursday. I am sure all two of my readers will be relieved!

Have a ducky weekend! Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun!

Waiting...

Hello world! Don't you hate it when your life is in "limbo"? You are waiting for news that is slow in coming and everything in your life starts to circle around "the news"? That is such a bad feeling. I think it is best to set your eye on the prize, like it says somewhere in the Bible. Focus on that and move forward. However, when you have an obstacle that won't move you just have to function around it.


It is sort of like driving up a hill and knowing something is coming but not knowing exactly what it will be. I have to resist the urge to run ahead and try to look over the hill to see what is coming. There is no way to do that. I have to wait for it to happen.

That is what I seem to be doing these days and it is not so pleasant. I have to learn to trust God more to get me what I need. That is not easy for me either because I learned from a young age to depend on myself. I have to try to un-learn that stubborn independant streak and lean on God.


I Wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Psalm 130:5

August Rain!

Today it poured and poured! I love heavy rain storms, especially in August. Some thunder would have been nice, but it was mostly just rain. It kept the temps down. I know it will get hot again, looks like back up to 100 next week, but I can't help but think that fall is sneaking in! That gave me a chill just thinking of it! Fall!!!

Our electricity went out at work twice today! Such a hassle to re-start my computer and try to re-capture my work in progress. Still no rescue of duck number two. I wish he would quack at me or something! Maybe that would help me remember.

Reunited!

Yesterday for the first time in about 14 years my Dad's side of the family (Hamil's) got together. Not all of us were able to come, but it was long over-due, and we decided to do it again before the end of the year. Maybe more people can join us for the next one. Of my siblings, Debbie was there, and my little brother Joe was there. Danny, Donnie and Christopher were not. It sure was nice to see everyone!

This picture is Bruce, my sister's hubby and Uncle Bud. Male bonding stuff.This is from left to right, My cousins Carrie Sue, and Sharon my baby brother Joe, my sister Debbie and me.

Jacob and Mattie Jane, my niece.

Adventures From My Desk...

So today I was at my desk, working diligently. Trying to get the pile of paper thinned out between walk in customers and phone calls. It is really hard to ever start and finish a task before you are interrupted. Especially when you are alone. Well, my boss was there, but honestly, he does his own thing. He only helps me with "overflow" phone calls. Anyway I have a tow bill to pay. I have learned to do this type of work quickly and I have a process for it that makes sense to me.

1. Check to make sure the customer has coverage. Check.


2. Find my checkbook. Check (literally!).


3. Make the check out to the customer or the towing company as the situation warrants. Check.


4. Pull apart the triplicate check. In this case, top copy to towing company, 2nd copy to State Farm, bottom copy for our file. Check.


5. Make copy of authorization to pay and tow bill for our file. Check.


6. Make copy of tow bill to enclose with payment for tow company. Check.


7. Put check with copy of tow bill in envelope, ready for mail. Check.


8. Put middle copy of check in with authorization and copy of tow bill into special mailing sleeve, then into envelope to mail to "the Farm". Check.


9. Staple our copies together and file. Check.


10. Postage two envelopes. Check. Done!

I can actually do this process pretty quickly, if I can do it uninterrupted. Today, I was hurrying so I could get it done before the phone rang. Between step 7 and 8 a problem arose. I was snatching the papers out of the copier at my desk when I dropped the authorization in the small space between my desk and the window! I have not looked into that space in a year or more.

Here is what I saw....

The authorization is on the left side of the first picture. The size of a half sheet of paper. The other picture has one of the rubber duckies Amy got me. The other ducky is still safely sitting on my desk. There is also a State Farm plastic cup, a tube of Bath and Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion, and various other missing paperwork, that got filed in my mystery "file cabinet-crevice" and about a gazillion dead bugs! I tried to reach the authorization form. No luck. I feel like I pulled my shoulder muscle trying to stretch too far! Crud! Can you say "workmans comp"????

I went on a mission to find something that would reach it. What I really need is one of those scissory extension reacher grabby thingys for old people to reach things on the top shelf. I found a long ruler. 18 inches. Maybe that will work. Turns out that 5 minutes later and about 100 failed attempts that it didn't. I am sweating and getting cranky. I could get it half way up the side of the desk and it fell, over and over. Crud, crud, crud!

Aha! put scotch tape on the end of it! Eureka!

Tune in next week for the rescue mission for the other rubber ducky. It is just so wrong that I forgot and left him down there so long! Apparently, he does not eat dead bugs. Maybe he killed them?

Just another day in the life of a State Farm Agency! Who said insurance is boring?

Pet Peeve...

Do you have one? I think most of us have more than one. The first thing that popped into my head when I thought of this is totally gross. Ick! But here it is.

You are talking to a friend or standing or sitting next to someone, child or adult and they turn their head so that you have an eye to ear straight line shot into their ear. Yuck! It's all waxy and nasty! Clean your ears! Clean your kids ears! Make your spouse clean their ears! But do it at home!!! Not with your car keys in public! Ewwww!

OK, so what is your pet peeve? Share please. No picture to post this time. Thank God I did not get a picture of anyone's waxy ear!

August Heat Wave

Here we are in the middle of August and it is just stinkin hot! The forcast for the next week has all triple didgets. This is just miserable! Not my favorite time of the year. A friend on Facebook pointed out that today is the opening of the football season, which indicates that fall is just around the corner. That made me feel better. Just a few more weeks of this misery and my favorite season will be here. God is good!

Tonight I am giving my yard a good soaking. Should have been doing this last week, too. Hopefully it will recover. Jacob was against it. For some reason he does not want the grass to grow. Whats up with that?

VBS the Finale!

Finished this morning. I guess I do need to undecorate, but I will probably do that in a few weeks. Or maybe someone at church will do it for me if I wait long enough. :o)

Finally got the house mostly cleaned up and it is so much more relaxing to relax in a clean house! My floors are swept and mopped, the house smells lemony fresh. I still need to dust, but I decided to wait till tomorrow. My back is hurting.

Walking starts again on Sunday. No ifs ands or "butts".... cuz mine is getting too big!

I took some more cloud pix this week. Here is one I enjoyed...

And my sister took this one, love it! It makes me so happy to look at it. I can't explain it. I would love to frame it and hang it. Maybe I would never have to look for a silver lining in my black cloud again!

Photo credit: Debbie Turrentine

VBS, Part 2

Finally finished decorating! I had some good help in the elementary hallway from my partner in crime, Mattie, her husband James, and my Auntie Mary. Thanks guys! VBS starts Weds. Hopefully we will have a lot of neighborhood kids! Lots of people put in many hours of work. I counted my hours, I was there about 16 hours in all and I know many others were there much longer, and probably still are! I guess they just do this once a year so you will have time to forget how much work it is! We made a volcano and some dinosaurs. Wish we had more time to work on that area. Couls have used some clouds and maybe some more lava!



Finally the finished Fish hall that was my favorite part, and we spent more time on it than the other part.

Love this funny fish!

Confession time... I have not walked in a solid week! I am so tired from VBS prep, I can't get it together. Next week, for sure!

VBS-Preparation Phase

This coming week is VBS at our church. This is very late in the year for VBS, but for some reason this is the week that was chosen. Naturally it will be extremely hot this year. I had originally volunteered to help with crafts this year. And I am still doing that. But then I was asked to help with decorating and area of the church building. For some odd reason, I said yes. What was I thinking? I don't really enjoy this sort of thing! I think I might have lost my mind!

I did a smart thing and asked my sweet, young, energetic niece, Mattie, to help me with the project. She came to my rescue and we worked at church last Saturday for about 5 hours hanging paper. Her husband James even came by for about an hour to help us finish up the paper. Thanks guys!

Tonight I went back and added some fish to the walls with the help of my Aunt Mary. We were just there for a few hours. But hopefully it will give Mattie and I time to finish up the rest tomorrow. It would be nice to be completely done by tomorrow evening. The most frustrating part about decorating for VBS is that the decorations come down so much faster than they went up. Hours and hours of work will come down in an hour or so.

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