Peace ~ Love ~ Grandma Dona

What a Spring Break!

7 days . . . over 3200 miles . . . 6 states (twice) . . . snow . . . rain . . . wind . . . fun stops along the way . . . junk food . . . some good food . . . 

. . . and my mom now lives in California.

Life changes . . . so you may as well enjoy the change and have some fun!

every little thing she does is magic . . .

 I have spent a good part of my life being the only girl . . . 

I have two brothers . . . I have two sons.

Then God blessed me by bringing Jennifer and Sarah into my life . . . 

. . . and now I have these amazing girls.

They are unique . . . and beautiful . . . and full of magic.

Little girls definitely are full of magic.  If you don't believe it . . . just spend some time with one. 

BE HAPPY

"Be happy in the moment, 

that's enough.

Each moment is all we need, not more."

                                                                                   ~ Mother Teresa

This is one of my favorite pictures from Avery's birthday.   

Be Happy!  

It may not always be that simple . . . 

Be happy anyway!

twotti fruitti birthday . . . .

 I had to redo a photo frame for Avery's Twotti Fruitii birthday party.

I wasn't completely happy with it, but it worked.  :)  

I really did like the pineapple in the corner though.  I should have gotten more pineapples. :)  

 They just make me smile!

How can she be two years old already?  

This is one sweet girl . . . with some unique attitude thrown in.

Love our Avery Rose!

lipstick . . .

"Put on some lipstick

and pull yourself together."

                                  ~ Elizabeth Taylor

 My little girls are going to have so much fun with these lipsticks!

The lighter colors don't show up so well . . . so I am going to have to find a white base for them to use with those . . . and some small brushes.  Time to get on Pinterest and get some ideas.  :)

paper crane project . . .

I am STILL working on my paper crane project . . . every so slowly.  

Crane # 751 is headed to New Zealand.

Peace Love Cranes

jelly, paint, and doodles . . .

"Don't wait for everything to be perfect

before you decide to enjoy your life."

                                               ~ Joyce Meyer

Charlotte's guinea pig came to live with us after her mom found out that she was allergic to him.

I wasn't too sure how I would like him - but he is so much fun.  

He loves to eat . . . squeals when he hears the refrigerator open . . . and makes us laugh.  

If it make you laugh - it's a good thing!

Paint and Doodles on a rainy weekend.  

I may add something more to them . . . not sure yet. 

I have had such a busy week and another busy week ahead of me, but I made some time to play with some paint . . . I made some time to read . . . I made some time to pray . . . and I took some time to rest.  Richard has a crock pot full of goodness cooking. (Korean Beef Zoodle Bowls) 

It smells delicious!  My house is sort of a mess . . . but I'm really not caring today! 

Just enjoy today!

Monday . . .

I made some shower favors for Jennifer's baby shower.  

Little Logan Marshall will be arriving in about a month.  

Time for a new little boy in your lives.

I am truly feeling this today.  

My weekend just flew by . . . I wasn't ready for Monday to come this soon.

It's Monday.

I'm alive.

I'm breathing.

I'm living.

I'm blessed.

Life is good!

I love love . . . .

“Write it. Shoot it. Publish it. 

Crochet it, sauté it, whatever. MAKE.” 
― Joss Whedon

 Still doodling on this one.  I spent more time reading than anything else this weekend, but I am trying to find some time each day to MAKE.  

I think I am letting Winter get the best of me.  My goal this week is to put an end to that and get myself in a creative uproar . . . but then I may just pull out a blanket, get myself a cup of tea, and continue reading the book that I can't seem to put down.  

It is an older book by Stephen King - Bag of Bones.  I have read Stephen King for years - not because I enjoy horror stories . . . but I like the way the man tells a story.  

Last Friday was my 60th birthday.  

Everyone kept asking me what I wanted to do.  Did I want to have a party?  Where did I want to go to dinner?  I chose to stay home, turn the living room into a fort by hanging tapestries from the ceiling and have a sleepover with Lily.  I tend to like things simple I guess.

Then we ate in the fort, read in the fort, watched movies in the fort, slept in the fort, had the whole family hanging out in the fort . . . 

and then decided to leave the fort up so Charlotte can see it later this week.  

Am I really 60 years old?  

"Aging is not lost youth, but a new stage

of opportunity and strength." 

~ Betty Freidan

blessings . . .

Charlotte drawings . . . 

. . . and weekend doodles.

Thank GOD for these five blessings.  

doodles . . . journals . . . books . . .

I have written in a journal for years.  I started using a journal just to let everything out.  I was going through some tough times and someone suggested that it would help . . . it did.  There were times that I was amazed at how much better I felt after writing everything down.  Years later I burned all those journals.  There were things in them I didn't want anyone else to read and there were a lot of things I worked hard to let go of . . . I never wanted to read them again myself.  It actually felt great watching them grow up in smoke.  :)
I still journal . . . almost every day.  I have a personal journal, an art journal, a prayer journal . . . and various notebooks that I jot ideas down in.  Somehow it just feels right to write it all down.
I decided to use this post to list a few journal prompts that I was thinking about today.

1.  Good Things Today - just make a list . . . 

2.  What do you want your children and/or grandchildren to remember about you.

3.  What do you like most about yourself and why?  (Go for it . . . list more than one.)

4.  Write a letter to your younger self.

5.  Write about three things from your childhood that helped make you who you are.

6.  Write about three things in your life that changed you.

7.  Change . . . how do you deal with change?

GOOD THINGS TODAY . . .
a big hug and a sticky strawberry kiss from Avery Rose.  :)
Lily coming into the office today just to give me a hug
reading
talking to my Aunt Hess
watching "Bull Durham" . . .  (best baseball movie ever)
hot mint tea
folding paper cranes
dinner ready when I got home
candles and incense

"It's never too late for a new
beginning in your life."
~ Joyce Meyers

choose joy . . .

 Be joyful in hope. 

Be patient in trouble.

Be faithful in prayer.

I have been fighting something off the last few days. 

That turned into a cozy weekend at home . . . a lot of reading, a little painting in my art journal, 

and just taking time to take care of myself.  

This can be a tough time of year for me.  It doesn't help when I'm not feeling well,

but I had a reminder this morning . . . . CHOOSE JOY!

So today I will be looking for joy in the ordinary.

Have a wonderful day!

God's timing . . .

My son Luke . . . 

Sitting here looking at this picture of him I don't even know where to start and have been going back and forth on how to share this photo.  I mentioned in an earlier post that the end of last year brought some changes.  One of those changes was my son going into rehab. 
Obviously this is very personal . . . but feeling like I want to share it. 
There are of course a lot of negative perceptions commonly associated with substance abuse and addiction.  But what about when the addict is someone you love?  What about when the addict is your child?  What about when you can see past the addiction and see the hurt and pain and it nearly kills you because you can't help? 
I have spent years trying to figure out why this happened to him.  He really was not an "at risk" kid.  I have been through guilt and embarrassment.  We tried tough love . . . We enabled him (I can be very good at that.)  I have tried to figure out where love and support ends and enabling begins.  I think anyone who has been in this situation wishes they could figure that one out. 
The last few years . . . he was trying.  I could see that he was trying, but I could also see that what he was doing wasn't going to work for the long haul.  I do believe he could see that also . . . but hadn't really faced it.  Last summer he told us he was going into a rehab.  They recommended he stay 30 days . . . he told them he wanted to do 90.  He ended up staying for 60.
He is 7 months clean and sober.  I wish I could say it was easy . . . for him . . .  and for me.  There is a reason they say . . . "One day at a time." 
I will never give up hope . . . and then there is this feeling of being afraid to get my hopes up. 
What gets him through?   Prayer and surrendering his life to God.  Does he struggle?  Yes.  Is he fighting?  Yes.  Do I worry?  Yes.  Am I learning to turn it over to God?  Yes.


So about this photo . . .
Luke has always wanted to perform his music in front of people, but never was able to get the courage up to do it.  This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at the church he attends.  He also was a part of the worship team at another church this past week where he attends Celebrate Recovery.  I thank God every day for his recovery.  I also turn my son and his journey over to God every day.  It is his journey . . . but oh what it has taught me. 

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart.  
And the peace I five is a gift the world cannot give.
So don't be troubled or afraid."     ~ John 14:27

painting with Charlotte . . .

"Creativity is contagious, pass it on."

~ Albert Einstein

I spent more time playing with Charlotte this weekend than I did creating, but time spent with my granddaughters is time well spent.  When I did sit down to paint . . . she had to paint also.

Then she told me she wanted to be an artist when she grew up . . . painted and drew 5 quick pictures, put prices on them ranging from $10 - $100, hung them in her room -  which she told me was her art gallery and told me I needed to buy one from her.  This little girl always has a plan.

taking care of myself . . .

I am not sure how any of these are going to turn out.  I guess it doesn't really matter . . . 

The important thing is that I started and had some fun! 

My mind is currently busy with . . . 

. . . journal ideas

. . . doll ideas

. . . wondering who my new boss will be next year.  

(I have worked with my current principal for over 20 years.  

We find out tomorrow who will be replacing him.)

. . . poems . . . and scriptures . . . and story ideas . . .
. . . and all the things my mind is full of when I am busy being me.

Create a life you love!