Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau

Saturday, October 31, 2009

big changes


Here is what is happening 
out at the ranch .

Stage one is being applied
to the areas that will be covered in

Dryvit.

It is a stucco like substance.

It has the paint color mixed into it.

It will be lovely.



stage one is on and next they will 
apply the "brown coat"

Last night when I drove in 
from a long day of
shopping,

I could see that they had
finished the brown coat,
but it was too dark to
get a good picture.

They are supposed to
work today 
putting on the 

finish coat.
It's Saturday,
so we will see.

In the meantime,


The Lady In Waiting...




is waiting.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Stoned!


We picked up our stone on Friday.

Well,
the big machine picked up the stone...



Notice that Dad is wearing his ski jacket?

It was FREEZING COLD!
The last time we came here,
it was so blazing hot,
we couldn't stand to be out in the lot
looking at the rocks!

We had our paint sample board
and our cedar board with us this time,
so it was a lot easier to chose the right stone.
Amazingly, 
we each picked out the
same stone as our favorite one
and it was also one of the cheapest ones!

This is not normal for me.
I usually pick out the 
most expensive thing,
no matter what it is!

A pleasant change!


We ended up with three pallets,
plus some boxes ,
plus the pallet of corner pieces.

This is real natural stone,
but it is cut in thin slices,
thus the name
Thin Cut.

It's called Chopped Fieldstone
and is full of beautiful colors.
I'm all about the colors, you know.







Can't wait to see it 
up here.








You are going to love it!


Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Letter


Yesterday I was digging
around in the craftroom
when I saw this letter
peeking out at me.

I think I kept it
where I might stumble upon it
from time to time.







I have a box of them stowed away somewhere
but just needed one
to look at now and then.

I love to see my Dad's 
handwriting.

He usually signed things
Love, Daddy.

He talks about his friend 
bringing him some
chicken and dumplings
and lemon pie.
And I remember how many friends 
he had, 
and how they looked after him
and 
cared for him
when I could not.

When I saw it there
yesterday
it was comforting.

This morning when I woke up
I thought of it again.

It made me think...
when was the last time
I wrote a letter?
or even a card?

Does anyone ever see my hand writing
anymore?

I type everything.
Sometimes I scribble
Love, Mom and Dad
on a card,
but that doesn't count.


We should all write 
something
to 
someone
today.


It's comforting.


Monday, October 19, 2009

A Skype Shower for Kellie and Maya


Yesterday

the sweetest thing happened.

My friend Debi 
threw a baby shower
for my daughter Kellie and her first baby,
Maya Grace.

The thing is,
Kellie lives over 1000 miles away
and we havn't seen her in
2 1/2 years.


Meet Todd, our 
computer guru.
Patient Todd who allowed us to download
Skype software onto his laptop
so that Kellie could see us and we could see her.

Todd ran the sound through the system in the fellowship hall
of our church, and projected Kellie's picture 
up on a large screen.
Everyone could see and hear her, 
and she could see us through the camera on Todd's laptop!



Thank you Todd for all your hard work and
giving up Sunday afternoon so that we could 
spend the day with Kellie!




Here she is!





What would a shower be 
without food???





Cupcakes!!!

and delicious punch
made with Cherry Limeade Sherbert and
Sprite

Oooooh ahhhhh!
Delicious!



Here are some of the ladies...


Sue and Sue




Linda




Holly and Shawnee



Debi and DeLane



Missy and Lezlie





We had to compare bellies too!

DeLane is due 11/11 and Kellie is due 12/7





Debi read a sweet devotional to us all...





Debi had prepared baggies 
complete with threaded needle, thread, 
baby socks and little 
embelishments to be sewn onto the socks,
like buttons, bows, little tiny jewels.

The ladies sewed the little pretties onto
the socks instead of playing a game.

What a great idea!

Now Maya has the biggest, cutest collection of socks
in the world!!!





It reminded me of a quilting bee,
the ladies talked and laughed
and sewed up a storm!









Debi had made these letters to decorate the table
and they are for Maya's room as well.

So cute!


and she grew an extra hand while she was at it!



A baby sleeper with a tutu!
Adorable!





A soft little headband with a big pink bow to clip into it!




Doris had a bunch of little gifts to show off
and she kept getting closer and closer to the computer...

Doris you are so cute!


Wake Up Todd!






DeLane





Cindy





Lisa made a little basket of her favorite books
and Livi loved holding them up for Kellie to see.







Such cuteness!





Words are not big enough 
to tell how much this shower blessed Kellie 
and me too.

To know that she is so loved and remembered
means so much to us both!

Such dear friends!

We will never forget it!

Kellie and Matt and Maya 

you are loved.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Fall comes to the Cedars




It has been so long
since I have shared any house news


so long.

It has been so dreary and dark and wet 
around here
that I could not even go out to the house
much less get any work done.

A few days ago,
the sun came out for a couple
of hours in the late afternoon
and I drove myself 
out there to bask 
in the loveliness.

I was so excited to be there 
I did a little
happy sunshine dance
and then took some pictures
to remember 
the day.
It was so lovely 
I didn't want it to end, 
but end it did.

The sun went down.






Since I am blog dislexic,
(and apparently can't spell either,)
I will show you some of the pictures
that I took before the sun went down...










While I was darting around
taking pictures and 
doing the happy sunshine dance,
my persistent husband
was busy at work
getting the front of the house
ready for stucco and stone.
He built the pillars out front
and let me tell you
it was not an easy task.
They turned out beautifullly

or ...
they are beautifully turned out.

anyway,
here 
they 
are.




Today I hope to start staining the
last of the cedar accent boards that will 
grace the front of the house before
stone will be applied.

Isn't she looking sweet?

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Fall arrives at the rental...


Yesterday
I chose to let fall come
to my house.

I was reluctant
at first
because I love summer
and hate to see her go.

But I love fall too
and can't stop her from coming
so I thought 
I might as well
invite her into the house!


I opened the boxes 
and boxes
so lovingly packed by my two girls
last Thanksgiving.
I remembered 
decorating
the old 
new 
house.

But 
a new corner has been turned
and my in-between house
is crying out
for some fall.

so here are some 
of my old faithful 
fall friends.
 




It was kind of fun
finding new uses for theses old pretties...





















I have some new pretties to show you


tomorrow!

Welcome Fall!
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Welcome to my happy place. A place where I can share ideas, projects, and dreams. I am a nester, a crafter, a creator and a dreamer I hope you will find inspiration and encouragement for the journey you are on. I am a Jesus follower, wife, mother and nana. Blessed beyond measure, just trying to live my life gracefully and make a difference in my small world. Join me!