2016 recap

2016 came in with so much promise, but it was a tough year.

I don't know if I can even honestly journal about it.

Early in the year, we had the loss of my father in law.  Though he had been ill for a while, and in a way we felt we were 'ready' to say goodbye...we were not.  My dh has been a champ, truly 'stepping up to the plate' for his family especially his mom.  We were surrounded by good friends and our church family.

then summer happened.  Very difficult and awful church drama.  I cannot even put words to what happened.  It created some broken relationships that I don't know if they can be healed.  But even after the explosion/implostion, for the first time (for me) I felt love for this group of people.  (if you know me, you know I am a 'bit' closed off when it comes to emotions...and to feel a flood of love is very unusual for me)

 But it was also a year of deep growth for me...thanks to Francis Chan and Ravi Zacharias youtube videos ,Watchman Nee's book the Normal Christian Life, Bible study with a group of good friends, Sunday School with the young adults.

Now, the good things...a new grandson...I am so blessed, I get to babysit this sweet precious boy and his goofball brother...

With his birth, I was able to quit my part time job at the business...though I go in occasionally to help audit some accounts.  And am now a fulltime 'nanny grammy' and that is the best 'job' ever!!

Here they are...I am such a lucky grandma!!!  And yes, they are each 'perfect'.

@Sept we got... OUR new 'babies'....

Bonnie and Bella...when we got them, they were about 6lbs each..they are now over 30!!  Bonnie is the larger of the 2...dh says she has a bit of a 'galoot' personality, just wants love, love, love.  Bella is a li'l smaller but seems more intelligent and adventurous.     The one most likely to get into trouble.  Looks like our old dog, Rocky has taken them under his wing...and is teaching them some ranch dog skills.   Like sleeping on the chair cushions on the patio furniture (he gets the swing).  siiiiiiiigh
And digging out my garden box (it does have the best softest dirt).

We also remodeled the suite bathroom.  No pics yet.  But it is very 'girly'.   I think my son in law says he feels the testosterone drain from him whenever he walks into it.  Will take pics when I get the shower curtain up.



2017 is going to start out super busy,   Mom in law is moving.  She got a double wide in the local senior park.  She wanted something small...just doesn't want to maintain a 2000+ square foot home...and she is closer to us.   THEN my kids will move into her other home...it is a little further out than their present home, so I will start commuting.   So, we will be moving 2 households for the first part of 2017.  But I think the new homes will be a better fit.

Those who are wondering, my mom is in a good place.  She is in a nursing home, luckily my sisters and nieces visit regularly...she even has her own instagram account...https://www.instagram.com/justsassygrams/.
The question is will she behave.  There already have been some issues.  siiiiiiiiiiigh.

So, Happy New Year to all!!
 Here is hoping that no matter the bumps we face ... we will grow in Grace.
  (ahhh y'all did not know I was a poet did ya?)

rest of September...yup, September

September was a heck of a month, every weekend booked, back to babysitting full time....so crafting and housework fell behind.  

Actually October weekends are looking just about the same,  but I had this morning off.

So what do I spend the first 2 hours doing?  Cat litter, bathrooms, strip bed,  kitchen (cleaning countertops, scrubbing sinks)(good thing about this is you have to put things away as you go...amazing how much stuff gets piled on the kitchen counters), 2 loads laundry...and I wonder, how do the working moms do this?  How did I do this when I was a working mom?   I did not touch the dusting and floors and quite honestly, I AM DONE...so time to go in my craft room for a bit.


So before I post anything Oct purchase related..here are some Sept...

Stamps from the Facebook Swap and Sell group.  I've had the Harriet Hippo in my Etsy cart for a while, so was ecstatic to see these.

 Washi from Etsy...can never have enough washi??? right???

 my Fun Stampers Journey Bloom box for Sept...I'm pretty excited, these are cutie patooties

and Sept's Scrapbook Circle, love all the ombre...unfortunately I opened it in front of dgd so she called the one that looks like jewels.... I think I convinced her to 'share' it.

Okay off to my room. I participated in a swap and need to get that package out....

World Cardmaking Day

Dgd spent the night Friday and we did spend most of Saturday making cards....She completed 3 cards, birthday for her little sister, her little brother and a thinking of you card for her great grandmother.   Her cards are funny...the 2nd pic shows the inside...Happy Birthday, I love you even though you kick me... ha!!!

I concentrated on finishing all the card projects from about 2 years of make and takes from the Expo's Crop...is it called a make and take crop?  You know the one done Thurs night???

Anyways, this is the basket I had been keeping them in...

Then worked on finishing a card I have had sitting around for a while now...I started this base...think I had a stamped image, but pulled it off for another project at one point

 replaced it with this Unity Stamp boot and flowers

this year's Christmas...not real happy, tried the distress ink background...I just don't 'have' it yet.

So by the end of the day, this is what my basket looked like...an assortment of finished cards...

 And spent Sunday afternoon working on my Bloom Box from Fun Stampers Journey, took a couple of hours for 4 cards.  Not too bad.   Figure the cost of each card is $6.25 ... better if I reuse the stamp set, right???  ha!

 So, did have a productive card making weekend.    Someday soon will scrapbook again! ha!

Sept siiiiiighs

Sept has been.....a hectic month, with not much time at home to pursue Scrapbooking.  I did work on this giraffe ...an attempt at distress inking for the background...not much success with the technique.  Sorry pic does not show detail

 Started a new Sub, from Fun Stamper's Journey.  This is actually the August box.  Very masculine, but gotta say looking forward to Sept's box... Just learned that Oct 1 is cardmaking day.  HOPEFULLY ...I will have time that Saturday.  

 Went a little crazy on a facebook thread, and purchased these paper piecings...and 2 more not pictured.   The turkeys are just sooooooooo cute.   I have 5 grandbabies, need 3 more!  ha!

 and this is Gossamer Blue for this month....I do like the colors, though 'mustard' is not a fave.

ooooooh, to spend time in the craft room.   what a dream that would be.   But I knew Sept was going to be booked going in. But October is looking a little more free.  

This weekend is me and Dh's anniversary trip.  Though it went from 2 nights to 1...and that is okay, with the puppies, we do need to spend more time with them and the boys.   Our boys are not ...hmmmm, let's just say, Kema and Rocky are not 'nurturing' to the pups.  They seem completely annoyed by them.

Then next weekend includes the National Cemetary ceremonies for my father in law.  It is actually on Friday, his cremains will be interned with honors.   My brother in law has been in charge of these arrangements, so I don't know what is planned afterwards, if there will be a gathering or anything.

Introducing...pretty and pretty!!!

 Over the weekend, we did get 2 new family members.  This was during a Rescues' big adoption weekend...and we already had an application in, before our losses.  With our 2 'ranch dogs' getting older and the squirrel and rabbit population exploding, we had decided to get a couple of ranch dogs to help out.   I wanted young adults as we do live on 10 acres.  But dh wanted pups, he wants to develop a bond with them like he has with our Kema.   He won.  and here are the 'girls'.

Dh wanted to name them pooper and poopsie...but I won!! so here is Bonny (a nod to dh's Scottish roots)

 And Bella, so pretty and pretty....

And of course Winston is very curious.  Watch out pups, he is not called the "velociraptor' for nothing!  Ha!  No, pups are not allowed inside (though I want them to) they are 'ranch dogs'.  They are sleeping in  a crate and kept in the crate when no one is home during the day(right now)...for their safety.

 Kema, has been very patient, but is not that sure about this 'invasion'.  Both dogs no longer sleep on the porch (where the kennel is), dh says it is because of the girls.  siiiiiigh

 And here they are all tuckered out after a visit from dgd.   (pictured above with Bella at the pet store when we picked them out)   Dgd #2, who is 2 years old, was interested but did not 'play' with the girls, in fact, when they tried to climb on her, she announced that 'it is time for puppies to go back'

But as the family left, she also said the puppies 'need to live at her house'.

The Rescue had a good weekend.  Think it was 48 pups, dogs, cats, kittens adopted that first day and an additional 11 the next.   We actually were looking at one of their sisters, a tan pup with black markings on her face and tail...she was a bit fluffier also.  BUT another couple were also interested in her...so though we expressed interest first, we backed off...better for 3 dogs to find homes than just 2.  Plus fluffy fur and ranch...not always a good match.  Just ask Kema.

A Tough night for the family

We lost 2 beloved family members,  Gunny our son's family's dog.  He was a Great Dane, 7 years and 7 months old...he grew up with my dgd#1...He was the best family dog you can imagine.  Soooo Patient with the 3 small kids, always a 'character' ...such a good boy.   With his bark, though the kids lived in a neighborhood in which most of the houses were burglarized, no one came into their home.  I've seen delivery people run from his bark.   He will be missed.

There was an incident in which there was a police chase, the perps ran from the car and one ran into the kid's backyard.   I am convinced Gunny's bark kept him from coming inside, as the sliding glass door was open at the time.  The perp ended up jumping the fence to the neighbor's yard.   I know this because son in law was working from the home at the time and witnessed it from the 2nd Story window.   Though according to sil, Gunny was a big chicken and never left the stair landing...it is okay, his bark was enough.   

When he would come to visit us, he would run the property with his long horse like legs...and stand at the door whining and drooling all over it to be let in.  (sorry no dogs in our house, we are 'run' by cats)

And last night I also lost my Percy.  For 18 years he was my 'baby'.  I had no clue, one moment he is on the bed purring next to me and the next he is struggling, my husband sent me to the garage to get him towels and he was gone (thank you dh for sparing me that)....

Percy was my 'empty nest' therapy cat, as the kids left me, I was able to pour all my nurture needs onto him.  We called him 'Momma's boy".   It took him 7 years to let dh pet him.  We loved him so much.  He slept next to me just about every night, massaging me with his purrs. and making biscuits on the pillow next to me.   When I get to take naps, he was next to me.  

A night of horrible loss.  They certainly leave empty spots in our hearts, don't they?

crafting! but...

I am crafting this weekend, but, it is a project...not scrapbook pages or something.  Y'all know the difference.  Always fun to craft, but sure would like to get to my scrapbooks also.

I am making 18 of these for our church's women's retreat in a couple of weekends.  They are small legal pad holders.  This is the first half.  I am trying to make each one unique.


I volunteered to help out with the planning...and last weekend I was telling my former Marine kid and kid in laws..I am now NAVY...Never Again Volunteer Yourself!  ha!  I'm sure when it is over and done with I will look back and call it a wonderful experience.    The 'kids' in my young adult class helped by coloring the birds.  

 And of course when you are 'project-ing' this is what your room and desk look like...right??

And of course I now cannot find my phone.  siiiiiiigh.  But a holiday spent crafting is better than not, right???