The "Journey"

This is how I spent my Sunday,

Enjoying the beautiful Azamara Journey....

Inlcuding a four course lunch with filet mignon...

Creme Brule ....

and on the way home we got to enjoy a beautiful

rainbow !!!

Winter Camp !!! Jan. 28~30, 2011

 

Nicole has found a church to call home, she has friends, is part of worship band, loves her youth leaders, and is just being blessed. Friday, she along with 28 other kids and leaders they took off for winter retreat. I am so excited for her and can't wait to hear all about it. I hope that God touches her heart in so many ways. Her banks"Little Flock" is also performing two sets though out the weekend. Praise God for the way he is working in her life !!! Have fun honey ...



The flood ... part 2

The Kitchen is now in the dining room !!!

My dining room table is now the pantry ...

and the dishwasher is in the garage..

Keep you posted

Some Days !!!

 Some days it's just fun to be a mom and put
a smile on your kids face .....
Thrusday, Nicole, Lauren and Gillian came home from school and were hanging out and ask ...
"Mom" we would love some hot chocolate chip cookies with ice cream and I said SURE !!!!
 So, a few ingredients and some enjoyment time for me... I baked a fresh pan of great grams
Chocolate Chip bars... YUM YUM ...
45 minutes later, the house smelled delicious, the girls were happily eating there snack and I just felt good ....
Take time to enjoy
the little things ... it really does make your heart smile :)

My almost high school girls .... still wanted to lick the bowl !!!

Love it !!!

I need to stop and bake little more often .... what fun !!!



Kitchen Flood ....

We woke up Christmas morning to a flood in the kitchen ...

cleaned up the mess...

shut off the water...

and went about our day ...

Mark replaced the hose that had broke and went on with life ...

Then ... 3 weeks later we noticed that the floor was starting to bubble up ...

That's not good!

Mark, who loves to do house repair set off to see what was going on and started to remove the flooring

and yuk ... wet damaged floor boards ..

Thank goodness for homeowners insurance .. here we go!!!

next level ... linoleum maybe 1960's

Stay tuned !!!

Nicole and her tooth trauma !!!

As Nicole was in the process of getting her braces we discovered that she still

had a baby tooth. So off to an oral surgeon to discover that there was an extra

tooth blocking the adult tooth from coming down. So last Tuesday we schedule her

first oral surgery.  With lots of nerves and worries, she was a trooper

thru the iv, thru the recovery room and through the pain when we got home.

It turns out they removed the baby tooth, which a hole and then they had to

cut a hole in the roof of her mouth and then attched a bracket and a 14 kt. gold chain from

that tooth hidden in the roof of hre mouth.  It's now been a week and stitches have been

removed, however my little daughter still has a hole in the roof of her mouth and we wait

... wait ... wait for that chain to pull her tooth down in to place ...

I'm so proud of you Nicole, this has not been easy and you have handled it like a mature young women.

Saphira's Bat Mitzvah

Tonight we spent the evening celebrating

Saphira's Bat Mitzvah  and what a night it was. It was so special to enjoy this with her and her family.

Fun traditions

Special times ... Nicole and Grandpa dance the night away

Until the teenagers took over ...

This was amazing ... can you believe this gorgeous buffet is all CANDY ... Yes, the candy

room held tables full of jars of candy, a child's dream ...

It really is special to see these two ... It reminds of the years that their moms

Denise and I ... spent having fun times

And these special friends started it all. Friends who met in college, enjoyed so many fun times,

who were able to continue the friendships from different states, who's families grew up together,

who we vacationed with every year of my life until i was 17, have been through the good and bad, and still

enjoy the good times, and who's grandchildren are now

special friends and have spent many summers in the same places at their moms ..

Love it ....

 



A Coin of Supoort

My journey and my coin ....

Back in September when I found out I was sick

a wonderful friend told me to remember

I am never alone and she gave me

a coin

she told me through all my appointments and tests

to hold on to this coin for strength and courage...

I want to say "Thank you"

I have held this coin in my hand, my pocket and close to my heart

and it has meant the world to me. I truely believe it gave me

strength and the knowledge that I blessed.. oh so blessed with

great family and friends...

who's love and support have helped me survive this journey and come out better for it in the end

The front of this beautiful pewter coin is a CROSS

and back reads ....
Lord, help me remember that nothing is going to happen
today that you and I can't handle
TOGETHER...
God's strength and love is endless and amazing ..

My "Heart"

This weekend I permanently gave myself a "Heart"

Yes, I got a tatoo ...

Over the last few months and through my health journey

I have looked at life different. I have enjoyed it more,

taken more time to see the little things,

and held on to the words

Love, Hope and Appreciate.

So my new little heart is a daily reminder to live these words!!!

As a show of support, love, friendship, and so much more ..

Heather got the same heart ... so together we will

always share our hearts !!!!

It's amazing to me how the word friend has changed over my life.
I never knew that a friend could be life changing...
but they can ...
Heather you are amazing ... I would NOT have made it with out you!!!
You have listened to me, loved me, held me up, let me cry, kept me sane, told me to be quiet
 when I needed to hear it, kicked my butt a bit, and just
been there ... been there ... been there.
Whatever I needed you supplied... I love you and I thank you so much for
blessing my life and I love that we will always be reminded of that with our "hearts"

The Difference of Boys and Girls ....

Well... This is what the difference is between a boy and girl ...

My kids got matching shoes at the same time only

a month and a half ago ...

Can you guess, who's is who's ????

Love it ... my life .. shoes last less then two months

 now off to buy new shoes...

Do they make steel toe tennis shoes??



Looking forward!!! 2011 im ready .....

With 2010 behind me and a new year ahead..

I'm ready

The last week of December was a little rocky, on Monday the 27th I went

through a bone marrow biopsy and survived

relaxed and recovered for the week with lots of time to think!!!

I'm blessed, so blessed with so many amazing things so why

am I not living like it ... I want to !!

So 2011 here I come...

I am going to appreciate what I have

enjoy the moments I'm given

give a little more

Praise a little louder

work a little harder to change

and slow it down so I can "Live" my life ....

(thanks for the amazing words Kilblos Family)

I'm ready and excited ...



The "Blur" of Christmas continued in the morning ....



Santa has come and gone and the stockings were full !!!

One of Ryan's favorite gifts .. a new green chain and grips for his bike

Nicole's favorite was a new camera ..

The morning continued when Uncle Ron and Aunt Leigh Leigh along with Papa and grandma came
for breakfast. Grandma brought with her our favorite...
AEBLESKIVERS ... the best ever and my great grandma's recipe

Off to Papa's and Grandma's .. Dinner for just 26 ...
But a great evening of family fun...

The kids table .. (this is where i sat) .. .love it we are still the kids

The adult table

Another great Christmas has come and gone ... it goes so fast
but it was a blessed holidayand we enjoyed every moment as it flew by ...