Good morning….

It’s a new day, it feels wonderful, amazing and hopeful. It has been the top of the world having Mike home for Christmas. Our Christmas was so relaxed and calm and not over the top. We each got stuff we needed terrible and something we didn’t expect. Scott has been staying here with Mike and that makes the house even better. Daycare has been here and one more day of that. Our daycare Christmas party was great and the kids had a blast with each other and their gifts. Tonight I’m taking my mama, daddy, Scott, Mike to Brainerd to the Sonoma Winter Wonderland and then we have to go stand in line at Kohl’s and exchange a sweatshirt I got for Mike that is just plain to small. That boy has grown taller since he’s been gone. He left at 6’2” and is now 6’4” and quite slim. He’s handsome, more grown-up handsome. What left here 9 months ago was a young man with some anger issues, father issues, life issues and has returned a grown up with a handle on all of these things. He has finished up his major at school with an 88% grade point and perfect attendance and will now go back for motor chassis fabrication (welding and anything to do with what’s under a truck) and April 25th will graduate and just see where life will take him from there.

I think I have finally calmed down and relaxed and am finally at terms with so much that was happening in 2012. It wasn’t my best year at all and it is something you can see in my appearance, my way of holding my body, the way I handled lots of things but with a new year on it’s way things will only get better and I even have some plans for that. I’ll share in a bit.

I have some pictures to share with you today. They are self explanatory but if not will add a caption. You know I have to share, it’s just the way I am and my blog is.

I’ll be back soon with what’s up and what’s going to be happening but until than I wish you all the very best the rest of this holiday season. Take care and Happy New Year!!!

 

See those little pins on Mike’s badge? Those four mean 4 phases of perfect attendance. I am very proud of him. Come rain, snow, hail, a fever and more he went to school each and every day.

My wee ones. This is more than likely our last daycare Christmas party. It was the perfect party with the worlds most awesome kids.

There’s a helicopter flying in Mike’s picture, can you find it?

So that is that for now my friends. I have a give away happening shortly. A new life style change. And a few things I will share about why or how I think things have happened and 2013 will be a really an awesome year. Full of goodness, sadness, hopefulness, adventure and so much more. I hope you will join me in all of this.

Take care and relax and rejuvenate and enjoy. We’ve got work to do soon. Blessings!

I can’t do it all so….

For right now my blog has to go on the back burner. I will be back after the first of the year with a plan from Jan 3rd to April21st to lose 20 lbs. I will be back to share some of the awesome crafts I learned this holiday season. I will be back to share and learn and be part of this wonderful community. But for now I just can’t do it.

I want to wish you all the most awesomest, blessed, wonderful holiday season.

I want to pray for everyone that has been effected by the terrible things that have happened this year and mostly last Friday. We are a great world but have some bad things in it and though I can’t do much about any of it, I can offer my prayers, my thoughts and love and just hope that somewhere along the lines it can offer some comfort.

Take care all my wonderful friends. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for being such huge part of my life.

Blessings,

Julie

Someone or two is awesome!!

Today in my mailbox was two packages. I haven’t ordered anything, not in the star right now, however there were two packages from Amazon. I asked Mike, nope not his … I asked Jim, nope not his … they were in my name but you just never know. So since they were addressed to me I opened them.

The first one was a pack of beautiful headbands, 7 to be exact. All colors and a really sweet material too. Someone knows that I hate my hair in my face and sent me these. Who? I haven’t a clue but thank you my sweet friend.

The other package …. well this one, this one unbelievable. And it had to be one of you because you guys are the only ones I told/asked about Rachel and Abby’s bedroom.  In this package were not just one but two super cute, super soft stuffed animals. One is a purple cow … for Rachel and the other a cute pink horse for Abby. How do I know this? I told you guys about helping Rachel and Abby redo their own rooms and Abby wants anything pink and Rachel wants cows and the color purple. WOW, I can’t wait to give these two them.

Want to see?

Another super good deed, Lalie … a reader I didn’t even know I had, sent Abby some pretty pink drapes and she made both Rachel and Abby bunting the colors of their rooms. I don’t have a picture to share of these, my camera is out of batteries but Jim’s bringing me some home tomorrow. Just believe me when I tell you, this was awesome.

These girls are going to be so surprised and happy and in awe that people we don’t even know sent them goodies for their new rooms.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. For everything! You guys are really, truly awesome!!!

This week….

I wrote my aunt a letter telling her about this week. I’m going to share it with you because…well it’s easier to cut and paste then retype it all.

Hello my dear aunt. How are you doing with all that's been going on in your life? How's the cardio exercises going? Are you and you hubby feeling better now? Are you all set for winter? Did you decorate for Christmas? Have you started your Christmas cards? What's new?

Life here was a very busy week. I spent as much time at mama and daddy's as possible. We got the house decorated and the outside and spent one day cleaning. Mama is doing pretty good but does hurt if she doesn't take her meds. She was having problems with the pain pill so I sorta figured out if she takes 1/2 every four hours she doesn't get weird feeling instead of the full one every six. However today she told me the extra strength Tylenol works as good most of the time. I fixed many meals this week for them and really had a great time dining with them.

Then came Friday and work had to step in. On Fridays I work a full day of bussing and then today too. Tomorrow is breakfast out with Jim, grocery shopping, shoveling a ton of coal and a sewing project for Jim's grad project he's building for Mike. I have called and stopped in after work so know that they are okay.

I did do a couple craft projects this week. I made Brenda's birthday present. I took a broken very old earring and turned it into a dragonfly. And I made a snowman out of an old bedspread and buttons (thanks to Kim and her creative ideas). I'll see if I can send the pictures with this email. I also took some egg shells and made a sorta crackled project. Oh daddy and I went out and got Christmas trees too. I have found out I have to do other things along with work and taking care of mama and daddy or I'll just crumble and since that's not something that would be good for anyone I try and do a bit of this and that.

Now next week I need to start back on my weight loss journey. I have let it go for to long and now my pants are getting tighter and I have lost some major muscle mass. So it's back to tracking and getting to the gym and really working out. When I go to Mike's graduation in April I would like to look and feel good. So though I'm not going to worry about the weight part I am going to lose the 10 lbs that have come back and get back into shape and round, well that's not the shape I want.

Mike is doing great in school. Still perfect attendance and a 3.6 grade point average. He is excited that this portion is just about over with and he'll be home for Christmas. When he goes back to school it will be for his minor in Motor Chassis Fabrication (his major was Diesel Technology). He has had some issues with his roommates, mainly 1, but have seemed to finally just gotten to the point they exist together but not together. Mike's made a couple good friends and lots of acquaintances. Mike flies home on the 21st and I'll be picking him up in Mpls at 10:00 pm. When he goes back on the 1st, I'm planning on bringing mama and daddy for a visit but that time isn't here yet so nothing written in stone.

I had Rachel and Abby here for Thanksgiving evening and Friday so they helped me decorate for Christmas. It was a bit hard not having Mike here but am trying to adjust to the empty nest. Most days it's okay, not all the time but mostly. I do get to talk to Mike 3-4 times a day which is nice for us both. I let him do the calling so I'm not the bothering mama. I have a big project to start on next week. David (Rachel and Abby's dad) has two snowmobiles he's going to borrow Mike and Scott during Christmas vacation. However one of them needs a seat rebuilt. I don't think I'll be sewing him a new seat cover right now but I'm rebuilding the bottom and sides and will use some duct tape on the bad spots. After Christmas I'll see if I can fabricate something that will work.

Life with Jim has improved a million percent. I guess just sharing me with his son wasn't in his life plans. And though I can't change what was I can make sure that if Mike moves home for a while things will be a bit different. Not positive how yet but will make sure that Jim feels connect to us both as well as keeping the connection with Mike.

Well, I think I have caught you up on what's what here. I hope you can view the pictures. They are taken with my cell phone so not great or full of color but you can get the idea.

I hope you are feeling great and getting stronger. If, if....something happens and mama and daddy don't come down on the 1st, we will be coming down soon. Reason I am saying this is, just maybe since Jim is off on the 1st he'll be coming with to send Mike off and I know that mama and daddy won't come then. However I'm off the next two days after that so can always drive down once more to see you. But for now we'll just wait and see.

Love you. Have a great weekend. Bye for now.

Love Julie

So my friends, that was my week and what’s happening next. However there’s a bit more… I am planning a dinner with a friend on Monday evening, cleaning the big house on Tuesday (about a 4 hour job), taking my dad to Christmas Music in the Park on Wednesday evening, Thursday cleaning the dance hall and in-between all of that a couple of hours 3 times this week of exercise and taking care of mama and daddy every other spare minute. And….some type of crafting.

I hope that you all are having an awesome weekend. I took the boy basketball to Pierz and they did very well, got home and took a nap, did the chores, fix dinner and am now relaxing.

Take care my friends. I’ll try and stop by and visit. Like Pam, I so love your idea of putting a book together for up-coming parents. Jill, your Thanksgiving and family is awesome. Deanna, with all the exercise I’m betting the scale is saying all those new muscles. Mir I hope your feeling better and your new weight is wonderful. Angela, I really love your Friday’s letters. You are one terrific mom/friend/spouse! Nell, I hope your family is getting better. Kalei's best friend, your pictures, your life, your outlook is one we all should look up to and into. Kim, you have some mighty awesome crafting talent and every day skills you share, thank you! Amanda’s, getting married soon…really soon, December 7th. WOW!!! It came fast. Michele, you dedication to your family and health, I wish I had 1/10th of your strength. Karen, praying for you. Betty, wedding…soon? Noelle, you can do it…take a nap and my dear, your daughter is the most amazing and beautiful little one ever!!  And more but haven’t gotten there yet.

Blessings my friends. Sorry for the long post…but it’s been awhile.

Pictures…..

 

My try at egg shell art.

  

My snowman.

Brenda’s dragonfly pin.

Mama fell….

My mama called me last night and said she fell and her shoulder hurt, hip hurt and really skinned her knee up. She said she’s okay and don’t come over now. So I didn’t, dang it I should of not stayed home. Anyways, I went and drove bus this morning and stopped by on my way home just to check up on her and what I found was a very tired, very much in pain mama. I did some checking her bones and muscles (I used to be in rehab so have some knowledge there) and immediately called the doctor and got her in. What they found and I expected was a broken collarbone. She’s on some super strong painkillers, has a sling because that shoulder/arm is not allowed to move and on Wednesday she has an appointment with a surgeon to see what he think needs to be done. The good thing, it’s a clean break and just maybe they won’t have to do anything and let it heal but then again ??? Mama is 78 years young and has way to much stuff to be doing to be down like this. It’s Christmas time for gosh sake, her favorite time of year. Daddy said he can’t decorate alone so he said they’d just skip it and listen to music and watch some shows…….like I’d let that happen. I’m going to just see how much I can do between runs, between helping mama and keeping two houses running and everyone fed and taken care of. I’ll make sure it’s a grand Christmas, I WILL!!!

Please say a prayer for mama that she heals quickly and that I can make this a grand Christmas, no matter what.

Take care my friends. Blessings!!

I have two young ladies….

That are redoing their bedrooms. They use to share but now have their own places. They want to decorate them but like here fundings are a bit short. I would like to give them some goodness for their rooms for Christmas. I don’t suppose anyone has anything they’d like to donate to me to share with them. Rachel is 13 and wants everything purple or cows. And Abby is 11 wants pink and anything cute and tiny in creatures, like My Little pony, Zuzus.

These are my “little” ones I’ve had since infants and have been apart of their lives and they mine for so long. I’d like to help them make their rooms special. I remember at that age when we moved into our new home and Cindy and I got our own rooms it was so neat to decorate it the way I wanted too.

Does anyone have anything that they are no longer using in these special colors or themes? I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

I’ll get an update soon on how life is here. I had 5 days off, or so I thought but ended up driving bus Wednesday for a different district, Thanksgiving I had daycare until noontime on Friday, shampooed my livingroom rug that afternoon, Saturday drove bus for an activity and today … well today I crafted and did some grocery shopping and now looking at what’s out there for Cyber Monday.

Take care my friends. Have a blessed evening.

Look what I learned to make today….and….

Wired wrapped beaded rings. I made 5 today. The picture are in the order I made them except I made a really pretty pink one that fit Kim perfectly so she has that one. Each one is a bit tighter and more in shape and I am loving them so I am going to see if I can make a few more to add to our beading adventure for crafts shows. Now of course I really don’t think I could of figured this out myself, well maybe but why when I found the perfect site which is amazing in teaching just how to do it. Check this out....

This fur ball has been eating all my sunflower seeds right outside my kitchen window. I didn’t have to zoom in to get this picture so you can guess I could just reach out and touch him, if I wasn’t afraid he’d eat me too.

I have a funny to share with you….now it wasn’t funny at all when it happened but in telling it to Mike and hearing him roar with laughter I have to share it with you.

I got this picture from dogpile images because I wanted you to see where the back of the bus is in height because …. well the beginning. Today I drove another drivers bus back to the shop for some maintenance and it’s the same as my bus, or so I thought. Taking the bus back up to the school I had to go potty, I was 5 minutes early so plenty of time to stop at the Holiday station and go in and do my thing. Like always you shut the bus off, take the keys with you and shut the door, but not tight. The door on my bus doesn’t close easily so I never have to worry about locking myself out, if you shut it to hard it latches…..like Dewey’s bus did to me. Once the door is shut and latched you can not open it from the outside. So guess what this sorta short, not to skinny bus driver had to do? I had to open up the back door, in a parking lot with lots of people and get myself in the bus. There is no ladder, no step, no handles…nothing to help haul my behinder up there. Can you imagine seeing this rump trying to get into the back of the bus? I grabbed the seat legs, and it a good thing they are bolted down, and pulled and wiggled and scuffed myself up….but I got into the bus, I did not look around….I didn’t want to see anyone rolling on the ground laughing at me and shut the door, started the bus and left. I’m betting it’ll be a little bit before I stop at the gas station to go potty and I’m betting I’ll never shut Dewey’s bus door like mine. My knees and elbows looking like a little kid that fell off his bike. OUCH!!!

It’s a good thing it’s Friday tomorrow. I’m pooped and tomorrow is my longest day, 4 bus runs, 1 work out and a dinner out with my friend. I’ll leave at 5:50 am and get home sometime after 8:00 pm. Then it’s the weekend and I am not going or doing anything I don’t want to do on Saturday. I can clean, if I feel I have too…I can do the laundry, if we need underwear… I can work outside, if the sun is shinning and it’s 50* or better …. or I can sleep in late, putz some and take a nap and fix dinner and go to bed early and be ready for a fun filled Sunday of grocery shopping and unloading another ton of coal.

Take care my friends and have an awesome evening. Blessings!!

Good afternoon….

So how are you? What have you been up to? Any great news happening? Are you ready for the holidays that are just around the corner?

Today has already been a long day. I got up at 5:00 to shower and start my day as a bus driver. You know, being a bus driver is awesome. Oh it isn’t easy at all. You try and coral 56 students for 2 or so hours in an 8’x50’ area with no TV, no moving around, quiet talking and no food. But you know, they try…they really do. When I started this bus route I had a sit down talk with most of the students and told them I remember riding the bus for 2+ hours twice a day and I know just how hard it is to be good and I don’t expect them to be perfect I just expect them to listen when I talk and respect each other, the bus and themselves. So far only 1 time have I had to bring in the principle and for that many kids, that many hours and confined, well I am please with them. I have taken to bringing treats about once a month. Not always candy because not everyone can have candy. But super balls, now they love them. Pencils and erasers and the next time stickers. My bus is K-7 so everyone is easy to please. I started taking in toy catalogues, Dirt Bike and Motocross magazines (after taking out the pictures of those girls that make the boys scream) and now coloring pages. I printed out about 25 princess pictures last week and now have a few boys that want to color too so I am working on that now. Anything to make the bus ride safe and happy for everyone, especially me. :o) I drive a 2.5 hour route in the morning, a 2 hour preschool route midday (some days) and then another 2.5 hour route after school. I work 7 hours a day but am gone 12 hours a day. That’s when I….

…have also been making it to the gym 3 times a week and also an extra walk/jog or two on the trails. Each workout is at least an hour a half and though I’m not keeping track of the calories I’ve burned I have done some reading and have learned since I’m only making it 3 times a week, if I do 45 minutes cardio and 30 minutes of weights and 15 minutes of stretching I am doing my body good. Really any movement is good but since I’m there, I’m leaving soaking wet from sweat and smelling like a gym locker. My eating has not be tip top, though it’s not candy and pasta, it’s more oatmeal, cold cereal, fruit for breakfast, sandwich and milk for lunch and …. well supper, it’s hit and miss. I don’t always eat and sometimes it’s a salad or maybe it’s mac and cheese (yes I know, why exercise if I’m going to eat crap….well because at least I’m maintaining right now and after 12 hours a day of working it’s better then the nothing days). I need to plan my menu, this I know and I’m not to good at that but I will just have to do that. We have chicken now after butchering them last week (and I did skin them so it’s good for us chicken without the nummy but bad for me skin) so it’s time to make some soup, a big batch of chicken/veggie broth soup.

I have my daycare wee one once a week on Wednesday and have been taking her to the library for story time. It is so much fun watching her and the other little ones play and dance and sit to listen to stories. After that we go over to Kim’s for lunch and a visit. This is of course between my am/pm bus route.

My cleaning job of the million dollar cabin is really an unique experience. I live in a single wide remodeled trailer that fits in the livingroom of this cabin. It is such a wonderful place and the owners are awesome and just for a few hours I get to just see how the other half lives and plays. I do have to say that these people are the coolest and nicest people and are very considerate of how I feel and how I’m doing. I think this cleaning will work out awesome. It is however a lot of work and nothing to spend 4 hours at a shot just keeping it clean.

I also have another cleaning job, it’s a dance/meeting hall with a dining room/kitchen and a couple storage rooms.  This is just a once a month job in the winter since it’s only partly heated and you now it gets cold in Minnesota. Mike has held his eagle project here and a couple other get together and I think when Mike graduates from college we just might have a get together just cuz we can.

I cook/bake from my husbands store 2-3 times a week. Nothing expensive or elaborate but filling and tasty. Hot dishes, soups and breads, desserts.

Each of these jobs pays me enough to keep Mike in groceries and gas and I went and bought myself a pair of Nike running shoes. I had the Kohl’s 30% off coupon so got myself a new pair. I wore them today …. well they put my feet asleep. Maybe my feet will get use to them? Hopefully. We’ll see. It is what I have and it is what I’ll be wearing.

I just wanted you to know what’s up and how things are going. I know this was a bit long…..heck really to long for a post but I had things to share with you.

Life is busy, it’s suppose to be, I’m not to old yet not to be doing all of this. And when it’s time to relax I am hoping for grandbabies to keep me busy (read that Mike, one day a couple grandbabies….no hurry…I can’t retire for another 15 years or so). Life is good, life is grand.

Praying for everyone I’ve been reading that has major/minor issues happening. I’m sorry for the divorce, I’m sorry for the loss of friends and families, I’m sorry for the weather related badness, I’m sorry that life isn’t good for some. It won’t always be hard, I know this…been there, done that…but remember there are people out here praying for you, I am.

Take care my friends and have an awesome afternoon. 20 minutes before I head back to the bus. Gotta finish printing out some coloring pages. I wonder how they’d do with word puzzles?

Blessings!

Oh, my nephew is turning 18 on Friday. Happy Birthday Scott. I love you so very much and am so very, very proud of you.

Sharing my devotional this morning…

INSTALLING LOVE

Tech Support: Yes, Ma'am.... how can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love.
Can you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I
do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located
your Heart, ma'am?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it
okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running, ma'am?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and
Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it
will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low
Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you
have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent
Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off, ma'am?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support : With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness.
Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been
completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You
need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program
not run on external components ." What should I do?
Tech Support: Don't worry, ma'am. It means that the Love program is set
up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In
non- technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you
can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following
files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will
overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming.
Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and
empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes
back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is
playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all
over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually
everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running.
One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and
its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with
others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Thank you, God.
-- Author Unknown

Blessings my friends. I am off to spend the day with one of my best friends. You know, I am so very blessed to have some awesome women in my life. Each holds such a special place in my heart. Each help me in such different ways. And you know what the best part, even when I’m down, stupid, hard on myself, done something wrong or said something I can’t take back …. they love me anyways. Now that is some wonderful stuff. Love you my friends!!

Sorta Wordless Wednesday….

Wyoming is being over ran with Minnesota vehicles. The suburban is Mike’s and other ones friends of Mikes at Wyotech. Pretty cool to see three in a row and there was one behind Mike too.

It’s been two months since I’ve seen this boy…

Christmas can’t come soon enough this year. Oh Lordy I miss him. I love him so!

Blessings my friends.

Butt dragging…but first…

You have heard me talk about Allan before. He’s from Long Island NY and … well here, read his post…

DAY 325 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Material things are all gone. House, 2 cars, all my clothes and possessions. Vanished into the storm. Feels cathartic, nowhere to go but up. FORWARD...
Thanks for the love, all is well health wise, puppies are great, wife is safe, at Mother in laws until we make a plan...

Can you imagine? I can’t…I can’t even begin to imagine losing everything that was mine. We dealt with flooding this summer and it was bad here. My parents lost years of things from their basement. We spent hundreds of dollars putting it back together just to have it flood once again but it’s good now but they still have their house, the belongs we could save and what wasn’t drenched. But I can’t imagine losing it all. Please just keep praying for everyone out there.

******************************************************************

 

          

These are me. I have not had a day off in three weeks. No complaints but over tired.

Today was my first day off and I had a craft show with my best friend/business partner. We didn’t do to bad and were able to make a bunch of people happy.

 

Brenda and I. Phone cameras aren’t the greatest but they do help us document our adventures.

Now is the time to relax and enjoy the rest of the weekend except there is at least a ton of coal that has to be shoveled tomorrow after we go shopping for the week but hopefully it’ll go fast and then we can just relax a bit.

Next week I start my new cleaning job. It’s a 5 hour 2x a month job and I’m hoping to fit it in between bus routes. I have Joss (daycare wee one) on Wednesday between runs and am planning on hitting the gym 3 times and possible a 4th next Saturday. No activities as of today but will find out on Monday for sure for the week.

Just wanted to check in. Hope that all is well with everyone. I try and stop in and check up on you, I don’t always leave a comment but do know I’m around and thinking and praying for you all. Take care my friends. Blessings!!

P.S. Because I keep forgetting to tell you. My sister has made it two weeks now out of the hospital. She has some major health issues and her physically well being is so bad but she’s hanging in there. My aunt is getting stronger and do well after her heart attack. My grandma heads home from Florida on Monday, I still think it’s amazing at 95 she gets on a plane and goes visit family. Just an update here.

What can you make with…

A broken ornament , a bag of left over beads , about 12” of not so health tinsel , a mini roll of bronze wire , a old dead mini tree, a bowl of kids beads, and the center to numerous rolls of calculator tape  ?

You spend hours making this….

  

I really don’t know who’s going to want this recycled wreath but I’ll try and sell it out our craft show this coming Saturday. I think it’s pretty cool and really Sally and Jim both like it. We’ll just see.

I’ve also been doing some beading….this is one of two necklace/earring sets I make and about 6 other bracelets.

I have been driving bus. Lots and lots of bus. I even worked Sunday by taking the volleyball team to Williams Arena to watch some professional players. It was an awesome trip. Today was my am/pm route plus an activity to Brainerd for bowling. Tomorrow I have daycare between am/pm route. I’m hoping to butcher some chickens Wednesday between the am/pm thing and an activity in the early afternoon. Thursday Brenda (my BFF and beading partner) is coming between runs so that we are ready for our show on Saturday. Friday is three bus runs and Saturday our show. It’s a go-go week but things will be settling down soon enough so I’m not worried and I’ll be sure to get my rest in and eat as best as I can. I am finding it super hard to get all my water in since you can’t pee in the bus or even beside it with the kids and cameras so I’m limited but I’m trying my best. I do need to eat better, this weekend was like a free for all. Jim had a great dinner for me fix and ready when I got home, he likes cheese, butter and lots of ham so I ate it and enjoyed it all. Today my parents came up to be with me between runs and activities and took me out for lunch, chicken and potato and a huge salad…not bad but it wasn’t a grilled chicken (they didn’t offer that and this was the special). So tomorrow is another day to just give it my best.

I have been worrying about Allan, Pam, Jill and Sally and anyone else on the east coast. I am praying for them all and hoping for the best. I know about flooding, we did that this summer so I sure understand what comes after the storm.

Take care my friends and have an awesome week. I’ll try and get back but I don’t know. I do stop and see many of you through-out the week when I can and I am amazed at you all. Such wonderful caring people! Blessings!!

And what can I say?

Driving in the dark with snowflakes the size of my bus was not what I call the most relaxing drive to school. However once it was day light and I was back I’d say this is beautiful. It’s not suppose to stay, it never does but it’s the beginning of “that” season. Starting a bit early if you ask me.

Hope all is well with everyone. Everything is falling into place here and calming down just a bit. I do have some nice activities coming up. Sunday I drive the volleyball team to Williams Arena in the cities so a nice full day. Monday I get to take a couple classes bowling and Wednesday some other classes to the Town Square for a Halloween get together. Along with my regular route this makes for busy and awesome kid filled days. Loving it!! 

Just wanted to stop in and say hi. Take care my friends and God Bless!!!!

Pictures and thank you!

First the thank you. You guys made me feel so good after an idiot made me feel like dirt this week. Thank you for all your kind words. I really truly feel blessed to have such wonderful friends such as yourselves. THANK YOU!!!

Mike sent me this honey from Wyoming. Darn is it good. It tastes a bit like a wildberry syrup. The kids got to try it on Friday with their waffles and you should of heard the yummies.

I got there from our local thrift show. They are so cute and made a really cute Halloween setting on the table.

 

I made this out of a twig, silk leaves and black card stock. It really is cute and the bats float around in the breeze all day long.

   

Rachel didn’t have a costume so Mike loaned her his morph suit. It’s a test dummy and I think it would look even cooler if it was spattered with some fake blood (we didn’t though cuz afraid it would stain the white areas).

 

 

 

We carved pumpkins on Friday when all my wee ones were here. We had a blast and they turned out so cool. I let them decorate them with my paint pens. Rachel left hers here for me, it’s the one eating the baby one.

  

I made these with paint chip cards, stamps, glitter and all kinds of yarn and string. I’m going to sell them my craft show for 2/$1.00. We have lots of kids that want something special for mama or grandma and I think this will work for that.

I also made these from .22 shell holders, epoxy, wood bottoms I cut on the skill saw, paint, some wire and some beads. I put in a battery operated candle because I’m not to sure I’d want even a tea light in there. They are sold already for $5.00 each. Kind of cool when someone likes them as I am making them.

   

 

And since last night I just got to relax and play on my computer I spent some time on pinterest and where ever it sent me from there and I found these and love them

I like this one the best. It goes so well with what went on this week. This one is for Mike. He’s just doing so awesome.

Even though I hate it when Jim says something about my period this made me laugh. I love it. And the last one, well it’s true for us all.

And last but not least I made this for my mama. It’s not dry here but it’s made with silk leaves, decoupage, glitter, jute and some beads. She loves it and it’s a perfect thing for her mantle.

As you can see this was a crafting weekend. I got lots of other stuff done too but I got to do some stuff I’ve been wanting to do. Now it’s time to work on some beading goodies for our upcoming craft show November 3rd.

So a new week has started and Jim and I worked outside most of today. It was beautiful and we are working on something that is one of the biggest surprises ever. Can’t share what it is but I can tell you when “he” gets it, there will be lots of tears and joy around.

Take care my friends. Blessings to you all.