blessings . . .

Charlotte drawings . . . 

. . . and weekend doodles.

Thank GOD for these five blessings.  

celebrating . . .

I tend to take very few pictures at weddings . . . especially when it is someone I love.  I want to enjoy and celebrate.  So I have very few pictures of Sarah and Daniel's wedding, but will share a few that I  do have.  This is Sarah and her Uncle Whitney . . . an emotional dance . . . with Sarah missing her father on her wedding day.  Sarah was such a beautiful bride!

There were these two "Bridesmen"

 . . . and these three characters.  

How they make me smile!

. . . and always some crazy Grandma love!

Beautiful wedding!  Fun night . . .  celebrating love and family!

Halloween 2017

This is why I love Halloween . . .

. . . because I have a Mom who will dress up like a witch.

. . . because these kids just make life amazing!

. . . because there is nothing cuter to me than a 7 month old Minnie Mouse.

. . . and because Cinderella comes with her own fairy godmother and Jaq.

When you love what you have,

you have everything you need.

Today I choose JOY!

Challenges are what makes life interesting ~

Overcoming them is what makes it meaningful.

I have been away from here for too long.

It hasn't been by choice . . . life keeps getting in the way.
But along with life getting in the way . . . . life is also giving me plenty to enjoy and celebrate.
I refuse to let life's challenges get the better of me.  I look at these beautiful children and know for sure that life is precious and wonderful . . . and meant to be lived with joy and passion.
Life doesn't always make that easy . . . but attitude makes that possible.
Today I choose JOY!

I'm still here . . .

 It has been a crazy couple of weeks . . . and I just haven't made time to post and be online much at all.  I also haven't taken many pictures.  I hope to change that.  

So much going on . . . much that I won't touch on here, except for a few pictures I did take.

We had Kasey's baby shower.  It was one of those occasions that I chose to enjoy rather than take pictures.  Only a few more weeks til we get to see our new granddaughter in person.  

 This little guy turned 5!  He is such a sweet little guy!

This was taken on his actual birthday.  He had a wonderful party with a lot of kids and chaos!

Just what you would expect at a 5 year old birthday party!

This was my great find at a thrift store this afternoon.  Thirty-three stamps . . . for $12.

I don't do a lot of stamping, but I could not walk past these for that price.  There are a few Halloween stamps and somewhere in there is a peace sign stamp.  I figure the ones I don't really like I can let the kids mess with.  

starting a new year . . .

Busy day today . . . but doodled a little with some paint this morning.  Busy in a good way - lunch with a friend, some shopping, some projects, and time with Charlotte.

I found the list below at  Meet Me At Mikes . . . I think these are fun!

Making:  dolls and doodles . . . journal pages . . . and crocheting a beanie

Cooking:  13 Bean Chili

Drinking:  coffee . . . always coffee (but tonight it is decaf)

Reading:  The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler . . . just starting it

Drawing:  doodles

Wanting:  warmer weather . . . not a lover of cold weather (I consider anything below 60 degrees cold . . . yes, I am that big of a wimp)

Looking:  at my closet . . . thinking I need to clean it out . . . UGH!

Deciding:  if I should go to Starbucks in the morning . . . decided – it’s a yes . . but it will be cold outside. :(

Wishing:  the best for everyone in 2017

Enjoying:  quiet mornings . . .

Waiting:  . . . about 3 more months for a new granddaughter

Liking:  Instagram

Wondering:  where a few photographs are in my house . . . I stuck them away and can't find them

Loving: . . . the time I spend with Charlotte

Pondering:  a road trip . . . 

Listening:  to nothing . . . nice and quiet

Considering:  a new camera

Buying:  a new purse . . .

Watching:  Game of Thrones

Hoping:  for some good news tomorrow

Marveling:  at how quickly last year flew by . . . and here we are starting another new year.

Cringing:  at seeing Winter Break end . . . but I getting back into a routine can be a good thing for me

Needing:  that road trip I am thinking about

Questioning:  someone’s mental state

Smelling: the new lotion I bought today

Wearing:  leggings and a flannel shirt

Noticing:  it is getting late and I should really be getting to sleep

Knowing:  life is short . . . enjoy every minute!

Thinking:  I am going to drink coffee and be a bum in the morning

Admiring:  so many creative people . . . .

Getting:  obsessed with avocados . . . 

Bookmarking: some ideas for baby shower favors and a Project Life Album 

Disliking:  getting sick . . . finally starting to feel better

Opening:  a letter from my Aunt Olive

Closing:  my book for the night

Feeling:  INSPIRED!

Hearing:  nothing but quiet . . . 

Celebrating:  a new year . . . a new beginning.  I love new beginnings!

Pretending:  that people don’t piss me off
Embracing:  FAITH

Also found this website . . . according to them - here are my nine best Instagram images for 2016.
I'm seeing a theme here . . . 

Happy New Year!

"If one dream should fall and break

into a thousand pieces, never be

afraid to pick one of those pieces

 up and begin again."

~ Flavia Weedn

 It's a Girl!

 I have been celebrating . . . every day!
. . . celebrating the change of seasons, a special 8 year old's birthday, the right to vote, and a new granddaughter due in March.
I have also been quiet . . . or rather taking time to be quiet - to focus on what I am grateful for.
LIFE IS GOOD!

Happy Halloween!

There is magic in the night

when pumpkins glow by moonlight. 

skeletons, unicorns, and pirate hats . . .

Life is busy!  Work is busy!  Home is busy! 

 I am tearing my house apart . . . painting, organizing, throwing out, and redecorating.  I am full of energy and ideas, although sometimes by body tells me to stop and rest . . . so I listen because it really is better if I do.  So it is taking a little longer than I would like . . . 

I am enjoying the process, but not the mess.  Although the mess keeps me motivated.

By this time I usually have all my Halloween decorations up, I am not sure if that is going to happen this year.  But it's me . . . and it's October . . . so I have to at least have a skeleton or two hanging around.  I pulled out one of my big skeletons the other night and Charlotte's reaction was . . . "Grandma, we have to take a picture." . . . so of course we had to.  There is always time for silly pictures and shadow peace signs with Lily, and watching baseball games.  The National Anthem is always better with a unicorn and a pirate hat . . . don't you agree!

Happy Tuesday!  

Enjoy the process!

here we go again . . . .

I can't begin to tell you how many games I watched while my kids were growing up . . . soccer, baseball, basketball . . . season after season from the time they were small and into college.  Sometimes I miss watching them play . . . and if I could choose to go back in time - I would probably choose an afternoon at the ballpark watching a baseball game.

But look . . . it's just beginning!  

Watching 4 and 5 year-olds play their first soccer game has to be one of the best ways to spend a Saturday morning.

good things this week . . .

. . . and just like that 

. . . I'm not quite so busy and it feels wonderful!

 ICAD prompt . . .snow flake

 . . . the 60's

 . . . invent a prompt

I went with "out of my comfort zone" . . . and this sure is.

 . . . neon sign

 . . . winter

GOOD THINGS THIS WEEK . . . 

1. Charlotte and Mom together

2. Owen started T-ball

3. index card challenge

4. Last day of work 

5. Summer 

6. Coronarita 

7. Staying up late

8. Spending time with Mom

9. Ice Coffee

10. Feeling relaxed

Happy Summer!

zombie finger cookies . . .

 Jennifer made these wonderful "zombie finger" cookies yesterday.

Yes, they are a little creepy, but they tasted wonderful and with some ice cream were the
perfect dessert for the season finale of The Walking Dead.  

Not everything at our house was creepy last night . . . .

 . . . we had all of these little ones over for dinner. 

My favorite kind of Sunday.  A little noisy and chaotic at times, but I love that part!