Happy Saturday!

I finally found a picture of Life's lesson! Happy dance for sure. You will find it on my progress area. Now you can see what it looks like. Not the best picture but it will have to do

And this is our plan for the day. Yep, lots of relaxing before things get really busy starting tomorrow afternoon. Ugghh!!!!!!!! i am tired already thinking about it. Anyone want to come and help move? I will even feed you! LOL! Bribery!

I want to share a picture of Jack and our neice Tina. This is when she first came home from Kansas in November of 2005. She is now in a facility north of here. I can not believe that child turned 27 in January of this year! She is my pride and joy with all her issues and behaviors. I love her just as she is! Not to say I don't wish she could have a normal life and be like other young women her age. Sadly Tina will always be a child in a womans body. You see, her mom chose to use drugs while pregnant and then abandoned Tina when she was only five years old. My brother never wanted her either and none of them including my dad even told Jack and I about Tina until she was nearly 10 years old! We would have gladly taken her and raised her if only given the opportunity. But we have made up for lost time and we are the only mom and dad that girl has. Her parents are out of the picture for good now. Makes me sad but their take on the situation is that everyone would be better off if Tina had of been aborted before she was even born. Not in my books! That really upsets me to no end! So before I go on and on I will stop there. Feel free to ask me more about her and I will gladly tell you.
Oh and lastly, I have a shoutbox on here now if you just want to holler at me real quick.

All about me

I got this meme from Connie. I figured since I did one on Jack, I should do one on me so here goes!

MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ME :)

01. What time is it? It is 5:10 P.M.
02.What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Don't go to the cinema
03.Diamonds or Pearls? neither
04.What is your favorite tv show? The Gaither Hour
05.What did you have for breakfast? cereal with strawberries
06. What is your middle name? Michelle
07.What is your favorite cuisine? I like chinese
08.What foods do you dislike? greasy or salty
09.What are your favorite chips? prefer crackers
10.What is your favorite CD at the moment? The Preacher's Quartet.
11.What kind of car do you drive? Chevy Cavelier
12.Favorite Sandwich? turkey breast
13.What are characteristics you can't stand? lieing, rudeness or being mean
14.What are your favorite clothes? My sweats and a comfy shirt
15.If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go? Great Britan
16.Where would you want to retire? Right where I am or Heaven will do nicely when I pass from this earth
17.Favorite time of day? Evenings
18.Where were you born? San Angelo, Texas
19.What is your favorite sport to watch? None
20.Coke or Pepsi? I like water or herbal teas thank you!
21.Beavers or ducks? ducks
22.Are you a morning person or a night owl. I am a night owl mostly
23.Pedicure or manicure? Neither
24.What did you want to be when you were little? A mom
25.What is your best childhood memory? dancing when i was 6 with my mom on a freshly waxed floor.
26.Ever been to Africa? no.
27.Ever been toilet Papering? No!
28.Been in a car accident? Yes, several, the last messed up my back and broke a bone in my neck.
29.Favorite day of the week? Every day!
30.Favorite Restaurant? none
31.Favorite flower? Morning glories or sunflowers
32.Favorite ice cream? Bunny Tracks
33.Favorite fast food restaurant? Don't like fast food
34.How many times did you fail your drivers' test? Once.
35.From whom did you get your last E-mail? My friend Cherokee
36.Which store would you chose to max out your credit card? Hobby Lobby
37.Last person you went to dinner with? My sweet hubby
38.What are you listening to right now? The news
39.What is your favorite color? All shades of blue, lavenders and greens
40.How many tattoos do you have? Unfortunately one
41.How many are you sending this e-mail to? I am putting it on my blog
42.Favorite Magazine? Cross Country Stitching
43.Coffee or Tea? herbal tea
44.Do you tan easily or burn easily? Burn, baby, burn!
45.Do you color your hair? Streaked with gray by the Lord
46.What was the first car you ever purchased without the help of your parents? I bucked hay bales for a 1969 Pontiac executive!
47.What is your most dreaded household chore? Can't think of any
48.Do you like life? I love life ( thank you Lord for giving me one)
49.Is there anyone that you just can't stand? Not any more!
50.Are you anxious about tomorrow? No, I am excited about another day of life!

Word filled Wednesday

This is my scripture for this week. With Easter just around the corner I thought it fitting. Why wait until Easter week to be reminded of this Glorious Truth?

Happy Tuesday!

Just news

Well, we went to our house in Kansas yesterday. we had to get the water service started and it has to be done in person. The hardwood floors have been redone and look much better without all the scratches! We were also surprised to find a new outside door on the side porch. The landlord said the other was just too far gone to salvage. Jack helped him finish installing it plus we unloaded a bunch of stuff we brought with us. Then we got to visit a friend I met on one of my forums. That was a nice little visit. It was a very tiring day but we enjoyed it anyway!

Stitchy news

Now here is the good part. I have managed to get quite a bit of stitching done last week. Right now I am working on my fariy and I am pleased with how much I have gotten done! Here she is!
And here is Life's sampler. Got quite a bit done on it as well. Only have the top part of the border on this section to go and it is on to finish the other side of the top. I just love the morning glories! So there ya have it!

How we spent our Sunday afternoon!

Thought you would like to see how we spent our Sunday afternoon! No big excitement here but we all were happy as clams! Jack was on the computer. Daydreaming about models again! Not only does he cross stitch but he builds wonderful models as well. His blog is here.

Next is little Miss Katie. Enjoying a snooze on the couch! A friend says Katie and her dog BJ were born upside down because they sleep that way so much! LOL! Works for me!

Next is little ole me sewing away on my fairy project in between making homemade chicken and dumplings. Happy as a clam and working away. I have been working on her the last couple days after a spell of working on my sampler for a few days. Updated pics tomorrow!

So that is our afternoon. Welcome and glad you came to visit!

Book meme

I got this from Esther's blog.
I don't read as much as I used to but I did a lot of reading as a child and still do enjoy reading but not as much!



Look at the list of books below:
*Bold the ones you’ve read
*Italicize the ones you want to read
*Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in.
If you are reading this: tag; you’re it! Post this on your blog and link back to me.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible - all at one time or another
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Circle of friendship

I got this from Velda's blog. Feel free to copy and paste and send it on! Just leave a comment to let me know when you do!

Holding Hands

This picture shows a line of little girls holding hands facing the immensity of ocean waves.

Alone they might be washed away, but together they stand strong.

Thank you for holding my hand somewhere along the way when I was facing a wave of my own. I hope you will reach for my hand when your own wave threatens.

All of us girls...

Old and young...

Near and far...

Hold special memories of good times we've shared.

We've had our share of hard times when our friends were there to make us feel better.

We've shared...

our hearts

our time

our secrets

our fears

our hopes

and our dreams.

Let us never break the chain of friends!

Strictly for laughs!

I am in a really good mood today and I want to laugh and share a laugh with you my friends! That I will do with pictures!

First the latest litter from a friend at Hotdogblog! Is this not the cutest thing? You can see more pics here.

Next is our silly little Katie! Trying hard to give dad the "goo-goo" eyes. She does it hoping for lots of petting and lovings!

And last but not least, my thought for the day! So there! LOL!

Word filled Wednesday

I hope you like the verse I picked out today. May it bless you!

Stitchy update!

Well, here is my stitching for the week. I don't think it is a lot of progress but some is better than none! LOL! I have just put down my fairy and picked up the sampler. I really like having two projects going at one time. Don't get bored with them when they are so large!


On a non stitchy note. My but we had the rain last night and most of today. Overnight we had nearly 2 inches. There were flood warnings all over the place as some areas got even more than we did. I for one am not complaining over the rain at all. We have been in a drought for 2 years at least. This last summer farmers had to feed hay to their livestock. They were scrambling to even find any as the hay crop was pretty much gone too. And most farms around here also had no pumpkins for halloween due to a couple factors. Most farms cancelled fall activities because of the drought. I pray and hope this rainy week is the end of the lack of moisture.

What element are you?

I got this from Meari's blog. I think I mostly agree with it! Fun to do anyway. Be watching later today for a stitching update!

Your Element Is Water

A bit of a contradiction, you can seem both lighthearted and serious. That's because you're good at going with the flow - but you also are deep. Highly intuitive, you tune in to people's emotions and moods easily. You are able to tap into deep emotional connections and connect with others. You prefer a smooth, harmonious life - but you can navigate your way around waves. You have a knack for getting people to get along and making life a little more peaceful.

What's Your Element?

A poem for you

GOD SHEDS HIS LOVE AROUND US

God sheds His love around us
As spring brings forth her blossoms-
The mountain peaks, the canyons deep
Speak that He is so awesome!
One cannot view a rainbow
Or hear a cardinal sing,
Smell the sweet aroma of honeysuckle
And watch an eagle take to wing
Without believing in miracles
That occur everyday,
Which we often take for granted,
Enlightening our way.

The rolling waves of the ocean,
A shell upon the shore,
Hummingbirds so tiny-
Yet who could ask for more?
The pitter-patter of each raindrop,
Dew upon a rose,
An acorn falling from the oak-
It's amazing how it grows!
God sheds His love around us,
For He just loves to share
The bounty of this beautiful world
And how much He cares!

Linda C. Grazulis

Feel like having some fun today!

Fun!

How do you like the little black nose sticking out? LOL! That silly Katie! This is her at bedtime. Everytime I lifted up her cover to peek at her she licked my nose! She is such a nut sometimes. The longer she lives with us the more she has learned to relax and be a dog.

This is a picture I took of our sunset last night. I thought it was so lovely. It had been cloudy off and on all day yesterday and we were rewarded with a stunning, glorious sunset! I love evening like this one! Thank you Lord!

Stitchy news

This is where I stand on my two projects. I am having lots of fun working on two! Midsummer night fairy is progressing really well. I am a bit further now because I took the photo yesterday. Life's Lesson sampler is coming along as well. I worked on it 2 or 3 days then switched back to the other. I like to have two projects going as it keeps me from getting bored and frustrated with one if it is a large project. Small ones go so fast there is no need to woirk on more than one. That is it for me for now!

Word filled Wednesday

I have agreed to do a verse every Wednesday to share the love of the Lord and His word. Here it is!

My visual DNA

I got this from my friend Amy at The 160 acre woods. It was kinda fun! I thought I would share it with you!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Let's talk and share some stitching!

News!

It has been gorgeous here the last few days. We are all really enjoying it! Today it has been in the 70's and on our morning walk Katie and I discovered some daffodils and grape hyacinths blooming. The trees are getting buds on them too. When I go out back, I hear all kinds of birds singing. Cardinals, robins, meadowlarks, chickadees and doves to name a few. All getting ready to start families for the year. The grass is even getting green in spots. On a day like today, it is hard to believe that exactly one year ago we had terrible tornadoes and storms come rolling through. What a difference a year can make.

Stitchy News

Below is a chart Jack let me buy. It is from Rosewood Manor and called Dragonfly, Dragonfly and was marked down to $2.50 because she is trying to get rid of them. I don't believe she is going to reprint them. I have wanted it for a long time but didn't want to buy anything right now as we are getting ready to move. He insisted I buy it though so I wouldn't miss out on it. That is my Jack!

This is my progress on Life's Lesson Sampler that I am working on. I needed a small break from my fairy. It will have a border of morning glories (my faves!) and there will be flowers in the urn here. Above the urn is a heart with two colorful birds sitting on it. There is a house at the bottom with a picket fence. Towards the top is a place for my initials and year done. The uppercase alphabet is below the small ones. I wish I had a picture to show you what it will look like finished but it is long gone. Where I do not know! The finished size will be about 14 x 18 so it is fairly good sized. I am doing it on seaglass blue evenweave from Charles Craft. Have an awesome day ya all! That is all my news for now!

My husband list

This was taken from Theresa's blog.

His age? 53

How tall is he? 5'10

How long did you know each other before you got together? talked on the phone a few times before we dated.

What physical features attracted you to him first? His smile and those baby blue eyes.

What color are his eyes? Blue

His hair color? Black when we met and gray now

Hair style? A close burr hair cut that I give him. Yep, I am the barber.

Normal outfit? slacks or sweats and a nice shirt.

How did you meet? On a dare, I put a personal ad in the paper. He answered it and I was very impressed with his gentleness, soft-spoken ways and kindness.

How serious is it? Very and we will be celebrating 27 years together in June.

Are you "in love"? Very much so. We are best friends.

Do your parents like him? My mom died long before I met him. My dad liked him. We would go to flea markets with dad and he always found ugly lamps and told Jack he had found just the lamp for him.

Do his parents like you? Yes his mom does. Jack's dad abandoned his mom before Jack was born.

Do you trust him? completely.

Would you share a toothbrush with him? I love him, but that is gross!

Would he let you wear his pants? I have accidently gotten a hold of his sweats but they are too big for me.

Do you have a shirt of his that you sleep in? Yes

Do you like the way he smells? Yes

Can you picture having kids with him? Would have loved to have kids with him.

What bothers you the most about him? Feels he is not smart.

Does he have a temper? He used to now only if someone tries to hurt or take advantage of me.

Are you happy to be with him? Yes indeed!

Does he embarrass you in public? No

Does he smoke or do drugs? No

Does he have any piercings? No

Any tattoos? No

Does he have any scars that you know of? Yes, on his knee from a bad fall as a child and from his gall bladder surgery.

Is he a party dude or stay at home? He is a home body like me.

Is he outgoing or shy? More shy than outgoing, but if you pick up a conversation with him he'll show you how intellectual he is.

Does he love his mama? He loves his mama but she doesn't talk with him.

Would he hang out with you and your friends? Yes, our friends are church family and his family, so he is very willing.

Sing? Jack and I both sing and have sung in choirs. He is a bass but can also sing baritone.

Midsummer fairy and Katie pics

Stitchy News
Well, my Midsummer night fairy is no longer a blob. She has some of her arms and quite a bit of her gown too. I have put her down for a couple days and I am working on another project just for a little break. I can't show you a picture of that one because it is missing in action! I have no idea where it went! Maybe the last time that old frog snuck in he took it! How am I to know? LOL! It is a sampler that I can tell you. It has morning glories which I adore, a little house at the bottem, a vase and birds in the middle and some verse which I can't think of right now!
Katie Fun
And of course here is Katie. She is enjoying a little nap in the sun. This was a couple days ago when she felt a little rough. I think the sun helped her to feel some better.

What kind of sports car are you?

My hubby sent this too me. I thought you would like a laugh!

I'm a Mazda RX-8!

You're sporty, yet practical, and you have a style of your own. You like to have fun, and you like to bring friends along for the ride, but when it comes time for everyday chores, you're willing to do your part.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

A little update and a little katie

Here is a very happy little Katie. Mom and dad went to Wal Mart yesterday for a few things. I found this little blue bear on clearance for fifty cents. Couldn't pass that up! Katie just adores it! We call her new toy Blue-beary. Yeah, I know not very original but it will have to do! She has been dragging that thing all over the house.

And here is another picture of "The blob"!!!! Run for your lives! Still doesn't look much like a fairy does it? it's getting there though. It is going pretty good although Mr. Frog visited me the other night and I had to tear out a nice chunk. Got pass that though and send old Mr. Frog a packing! LOL!

Now on an embarrassing note! HELP!!!!! This is for all my friends whose blogs I read daily. I had them on notepad to transfer them onto my new template. Well, I don't know what I did but I lost them. Some I have been able to remember and put on but some are still missing. Please help! If you know I visit you often and your blog was bookmarked, please give me the URL for it! Huggles from one red in the face goof ball!

Severe dog abuse-NOT!

Bear with me!

I am making some changes to my blog. The links and a few other things are still missing but they will be back! Huggles!

Let's laugh at katie and visit

Isn't this pic of Katie a riot? I took it last night at bedtime. Katie has taken over this little blanket our niece made for Jack and I. I guess a princess needs 100 and 1 blankies. LOL!
Now to answer some questions about how we learned to cross stitch. Mostly about how Jack did. I learned to cross stitch when I was 9 years old. After mom died my counselor suggested I pick up a hobby to help me cope with my loss. I have loved it every since then. I learned to crochet when my aunt taught me as a teenager and have just picked up other hobbies as I went along. Jack learned to do long stitch crewel as his first sewing hobby. He had broken his shoulder and needed some range of motion activites to help regain function and strength in his arm. I suggested he try needlewok and had a crewel kit on hand too. Eventually he switched to stamped cross stitch and has been doing it since then. His work is so wonderful and I am not just saying that because I taught him. Well, not 100% any way!!!! LOL! So there it is in a nutshell. That is how we became the sew n' sews!
Now for one more answer to a question. How we have stayed married for nearly 27 years.
First is by having God in our relationship. We also have done our best to find interests we both like to do together and we have a lot of respect for one anothers feelings and needs. We talk things out if there is a problem or concern and we share every aspect of our daily lives. We have also learned not to make such a big deal out of the little quirks that the other might have that drives us nuts. If it really bothers us, we talk about it and work it out. Other little quirks we just smile about, laugh about and forget it and live with it. And I think the most important part is this. We say I love you many times a day and mean it. The best part? Almost every day we try at least once to forget we are adults and act like kids! Life is too darn serious not too. No marriage is 100% perfect but it can certainly be fun and fulfilling and happy. We are each others best friends. That is all I have to gab about right now! Huggles and have a blessed day!

Join the party!

Starting March 2nd is the ultimate blog party! Please come and join us. There will be lots of fun and prizes. For more info just go to 5 minutes for mom and find out all about it! You can meet new friends, discover new blogs you may not have read and maybe even a new friend or two.
A little about me. I have been married nearly 27 years to a wonderful man. We never had any children but do have a niece we think of as a daughter. And we are owned by a very rotten min pin named Katie. That's a miniature pinscher thank you for asking! My hubby and I both love cross stitching very much. It's funny because I started this blog JUST to show our cross stitch but it has become so much more! And I have met some wonderful people here. i am pleased to meet you too! now come on, pull up a chair and let's get to know each other!

What a night!

We had quite a morning today! We were awakened at 5 a.m. by the tornado sirens. It never touched down but it was a close call. Sadly to the east of us a tornado did touch down destroying property and worse taking the life of a seven year old girl. Remember her family in your prayers please.
Well, I finished Happy Home last night. I am quite pleased with how it turned out. We will wait to frame it after the move some time. It wasn't a bad project all in all although the vines about drove me silly a few times. One time I had to tear out the same section 3 times. That wasn't fun!

Here is my fairy I am working on. She is just a blob right now as I just started on her last night. This one is going to take quite a bit of time I think. The fabric is small count and these old eyes don't see it as good. Think it will be a fun one too though.

Here is a picture of my Great aunt Jaunita. Her home going celebration will be this Saturday. Will there be tears? Yes but mostly it will be good memories of a loving life, smiles and maybe a little laugh at some sweet thought. We rejoice that she is with Her Lord and Savior whom she loved and served. Also she is reunited with her beloved Moody who she has missed so much and other loved family members and friends.