A day that surpasses most days!!

Today is my dear son's birthday. It is hard to believe he is 22 years old. Not because he doesn't act it, but because it went soooo fast. He attends Roberts Wesleyan College and is in the music program as a guitar performance major. He has truly been gifted by the Lord. We are blessed to be called his parents.

Christmas doin's

Well the season has been busy for sure...baking cookies, making candy, sewing 2 quilts, 2 table runners, painting, and making ornaments. I hosted a table at a ladies Christmas luncheon, as well as sold some items at a vending table I set up there. We delivered cookies to friends, have gone to 2 Christmas parties (still have one tomorrow night). Shawn has been working hard getting the church prepared for the Christmas Eve Service. He even built a new fence for the live nativity, making it extra sturdy to keep the animals in.

Daddy came for 3 days last week to shop for my siblings and their older children. We had a lot of fun together. I just simply love that man, I am so glad he came. I got to cook some good food up for him--mum's chicken and dumplings, and my riggies. He enjoyed his time here, then headed home to busy times with my younger brother Kevin. They are shopping for the little children of the family. Totally up Kevin's alley, he loves to bless the little ones.

Sen is home for the winter break, and we could not be happier. It is a joy to have him around. It is a bit of a challenge too; keeping food in the house, remembering to go potty before he gets in for his shower, keeping laundry going, keeping food in the house... oh did I say that already? Well, it deserves said twice!

Shawn and I had a great time shopping today, thinking of our loved ones and what they might love to receive. We took a break from shopping at Starbuck's and had a early supper at Sinbad's on Park Avenue. Nothing like great mediterranean food to sustain you through a long day of shopping!

May you all find yourselves blessed with the presence of your very real Savior as we remember his birth this Christmas. I am so thankful that my father God, loves me so much, he would send his one and only son to come to earth to save us. He truly is the reason for the season.

Meeting needs-the true meaning of Christmas

Lindsey Pond is an amazing young woman from Texas whom I have gotten to know via her blog-- http://www.pleasantliving.org/

Two years ago I began a journey of getting to know a young woman who is so passionately in love with her Father God, one who is in a faith journey few have the courage to walk out.

Three short months after Lindsey married Brian, they discovered a lump in her breast. Since that time Lindsey has battled the enemy for her life while encouraging others through her blog.

In November 2010, the doctors found a brain tumor. Brian and Lindsey have since then sold their home, 2 cars, moved in with their brother and sister, and found a home for one of their dogs. All the while praising the Lord for His faithfulness!

Praying for them has been an honor, and I believe the Lord has laid it on my heart to donate 20% of my sales and to make available a way for others to get involved. The Ponds have never asked for money, only prayer. I know our Father can meet all of their needs regardless of our help.

I want to help- will you join me in
giving to meet a real need in their life?

I will have items available to sell at the ladies luncheon at EGC on Saturday December 11. You can find pictures of most of what I have to sell in the previous post. 20% of cost of all items sold this weekend and until I send out the money to Lindsey, (hoping to send it early next week-but if I get more orders I will wait to be able to send her more.) Also, as long as they last I have a bundle of 6 prim tags to everyone who gives a donation to Brian and Lindsey.

I am believing we are meeting a real physical need for these dear hearts.
Please check out her blog, bless her with your prayers and meet a real need while shopping for Christmas or just giving to them.

Items I have for sale

Please reserve anything you see that you like, some items I only have one of.

Please read the above post as well, I am giving 20% of all sales to Lindsey Pond.

Apple pie filling $4.50

Mini Ornaments $1

Medium ornaments $2.50

Handpainted Snowman ornament $4.00



Birdhouse painting on Slate $18

Snowflakes are Angels Kisses $20

Count Your Blessings on Barn shingle $40

Double sided Primitive Christmas Hearts $25

Double Sided Primitive Seasonal Heart $25

Double Sided Primitive Seasonal Heart $25

(snowman on all, choice of spring)

A set of all three hearts (6 paintings) for $65

Simple Pleasures cupboard $125

10"X15"X33"

Date day

Can you tell what the theme was of our date day? It was a flat out wonderful day!

Sugar Mountain Bake Shoppe- all I can really say is amazing

they have many different filled and iced cupcakes

these are turtle and sinfully chocolate

Umm, 2nd hand store with scary clowns-bad picture

Parkleigh, wow-totally going back, too much to see but so

worth the time amazing chocolate samples and coffee

Great Bread company, got a good loaf of a fruit and nut whole grain

Way swank record company, highly intense incense though

We also went to Stever's chocolates, got Christmas ideas plus

lots of chocolate. Chocolate blackberries, pomegranates, espresso bark

dark chocolate covered sponge candy, and a wonderful mix of nuts etc.

I can't seem to get away from the toasted chicken gyro

beyond yummage!

Husby had a gyro-huge portions as you can see

Falafel appetizer with hot sauce and tahini sauce

Lunch at Sinbad's-yummy Lebanese food

Templar Gallery-gentleman had traveled all over-neat jewelry and art

Templar Gallery's Cafe yummy apple bavarian cake

Way wacked Comic and Game store-some great Christmas gift ideas

So-they are backward, but I am too tired to change it-Park Ave

Husby and I had a wonderful date day last week on his first official day off at his new job. We decided to go to Park Ave in Rochester, NY which we have been wanting to check out for quite some time. So here are some pictures to tell ya what we did. Hopefully I can get them on in the right order. ;0)

Coffee could be my downfall...

Okay I don't really mean that! That is just silly talk, coming from a place of lack of sleep from having 2 shots of espresso yesterday after 4pm. They didn't wear off until 4am this morning...oy! Husby didn't have time to make me espresso this morning, so I decided I had to overcome my fear of blowing up my kitchen and make it myself. I am no longer afraid, and it could be really bad for me. As if my coffee addiction wasn't bad enough...now I am adding 4 shots of espresso to my day. I got a tremendous amount of stuff done today though! Hee hee, so worth it I would say.

To update: Daddy is doing well, I talk with him everyday. He is pretty much in no pain anymore, and he isn't coughing too much either. He is back to driving, and has been making fairly regular trips to town. Today he met with the physical therapist who will see him 3 times a week for the next 30 weeks. I think he is really looking forward to going, and the regularity will be a good thing for him. He sounds a bit lonely, of which I feel horribly for. I know at this time I can't do anything about that, but I still hurt for him.

I have been trying to organize the house a bit. I feel like "stuff" has taken over and I really hate that. I packed away the summer clothes, and some of the peices of the clothes I brought home of mum's. I am not in that size yet, so they will stay packed til I am, hopefully it won't be too long. Husby and I consolidated some boxes in Sen's room to make his closet more useful. I think it looks much better and there is still space as we start to move things around a bit more.

My fabric stash is all washed and ironed, I even dared to let husby be in the room while I organized it...I say that in lieu of the fact that up til now, I don't think he paid much attention to how much fabric I had. He was laughing as I was so excited to put it all together. I put it in the clear plastic drawers according to color, so maybe it will be even easier to find what I want to use. As soon as I got that done...I decided I am going to paint for a while--fickle, that is me--can't stay with one creative thing for a long time ever. I am working on some snowmen right now.

I am looking for some quilting classes in the area. Saturdays are going to be hard for me to sit here at home alone. Husby has a wonderful new job, but has to work on Saturdays, so I need to find me sumptin' to do with my morning...Still looking...

Surreal Season

This time in my life has been so stretching, to the point of being surreal. Sometimes I have felt like I was looking in from the outside and sometimes I begged to 'be' looking from the outside. All the while I know my Lord has been for me.

Mum passed away on August 10, 2010 and daddy had a mitral valve repair done on his heart on September 1, 2010. In between, I am not sure I really breathed. I was so concerned that daddy wouldn't be able to handle the surgery, or that because mum was gone-he might not feel like living anymore. I just don't know that I could cope with losing him right now too. Well, he did very well, his surgeon was thrilled by his progress. I spent a total of 3 weeks with him, taking care of him, helping him, and preparing his house for easier maintenance. I was genuinely scared that I might do something that would hurt him, feed him the wrong food, forget his medicine, hurt him while I was helping him up or putting his socks on... I couldn't get beyond the awesome responsibility of it all. Although, I felt so blessed that he would allow me to come care for him in such a precious way. I truly felt honored that he wanted me to help him. He has enough meals for about a month, ha ha. I hope he eats them...

I know I don't need to worry about him, I know who has my back and therefore cares about and for what I do. I'm not worried as much as concerned. That he won't be lonely, depressed, bored, hungry for yummy food, that he takes care of his health, that he remembers his medicine, that he remembers we love him.

With that said I am so glad to be home. It too is surreal, I honestly wasn't sure when I would get to come back home. I missed my home, husby, and kitty. I still miss my son. I miss myself. I don't feel she is here right now. I keep getting told it will get easier, I know it will, I have much hope. It just isn't better, today. Tomorrow is another day. I have peace that passes all understanding, I will stand with that for right now. Joy will come in the morning...