Decorating for the Holidays

I had to replace my tree this year.  I wanted one that was not prelite and fat not skinny.  I got it.  I went to a class at Kathy's florist and learn some new tricks of the trade.  I love my tree and the picture does not do it justice.

I am so proud of my table setting.  When two arrangements were going to be throw away I asked could I have them.  I pull out all the dead blooms and rearranged what was left.  I was able to redo and still have two arrangements.  I put the other arrangement above my TV.

My children and my grandchildren came up this past week-end.  We had such a wonderful time.  I am blessed. 

 I think he likes what he got

 Pajama party day at school so she wore them to Nana's house.  So cute.

Every one needs some space.  Little D found his in the hall with a movie

Not sure what is going on but they are all talking at once.

Got my teenagers the same gifts.  I should do different but this year they needed both things that I got them.  Makeup mirror and a curling iron protector.

Aida thought that her tea pot was her sippy cup.  They had to do a trade off.

Look at Tylar's hair.  It is really growing. 

I think Tiffany loved her necklace and earrings.  I thought they looked just like her.

I gave Gina a Creative Memories Christmas album with paper and trim.  I love her smile.  I think she really liked her gift also. 

I gave Christy, Lance and Mike a large album.  I had saved all of their report cards, class pictures and a lot of cards and letters that they had given me.  Mom gave me all the letters that they had written her over the years.  They were so cute with all the mispelled words and art work.

I think even the boys enjoyed looking at their album.

I told them that after the holdiays that I want to borrow the albums back because I still have a lot to add.  I just ran out of time.

After a very busy day the three little ones were underneath the dining table coloring and and getting their second wind.  Today it is the 28th and I found Tylar's cute little dragon underneath the table.  I guess the dragon didn't get his second wind.

As soon as I got home from Mom and Dad's Sunday afternoon, I decided to take down the tree and get the holiday season behind me.  I got through the holdiay's in far shape.  Now the New Year is in front of me.  I am not sure that I am ready for the new chapter in my life.  I think I will just stay in this one for awhile.

I have been working on the post for almost two weeks so tonight I am planning on posting it.  Have a Happy New Year and let God be your guide in 2012.

Time is flying

I seem to be so busy that the days just fly by.  I didn't realize that it has been over a month since I posted.  I have some more pictures to share with you.  My sister and I went to a quilt show in Benton.  I had such a good day and for just a little while I was able to distract myself from the lost of my husband.  The quilts were beautiful  When I retire I plan on doing some quilting but there is now way I could ever do this type of quilting.  I just hope to finish the one I started.

 This quilt reminded me of royalty.  It was such an stricking quilt.

I loved the snowman in this quilt.  Applique is so difficult to do. 

 This takes talent.

This was my favorite quilt.  I didn't realize that my sister had chosen this quilt in another color as her favorite. My sister is special and we have such good times together.

I liked this quilt because of the contrast of a pieced quilt with embrodiery sections.

Then a special moment happened.  My granddaughter was setting on the widow seat and my sister was taking her picture.  How sweet. 

 This is one quilt that I thought I make could do.  I love the pinwheels.

 I liked this one also. I could do the the boarder but not the center of flowers.

I loved the sock monkey quilt.

This was a good day.  Lots of talented woman shared the beauty of their quilts that day.  What an inspiration.

I hope I can blog again real soon.  I love sharing.

OPPOSING LINES

I read my sister blog today and she was sharing photos of opposing lines.  It was so much fun that I went to my pictures and found the following photos that I had taken Sunday afternoon.  I hope these are opposing lines. 

Your eyes first travels up the pole and then can't make up its mind where to go next.  Maybe first to the right since there is a flag but maybe not when you see two different sets of lines.

Opposing lines? Not sure but when deciding were the eye travels first I looked down the highway (I was traveling about 70 miles an hour with my camera on steering wheel).  I then saw the two jet streams.  As I looked even harder I was so surprised to see the cross above the tree line.  I got in three shots before the trees hindered my view of the cross.

 Sometime the trees in life hide us from the most important thing: The Cross.  We always need to look up above the trees to see what life is really all about. 

******    *****

I looked back through my pictues but didn't find anymore that showed opposing lines.  Can't wait until I can get back outside to see if I can discover more.



NINA & PINTA

It has been such a long time since I have blog.  Much has happened since June.  I want to share with you the fun day I had Sunday.  I went to Van Buren after Sunday School to see the two ships docked in the harbor that were like the real Nina & Pinta that columbus sailed.

I decided to drive straight to Van Buren and call my cousin to let her know that I had arrived.  My cousin and her husband were 45 minutes from Van Buren so I ran by Sonic, got my lunch and went to a beautiful park to have a picnic. When I got to the park, I got my small cloth that mom had made and set down to enjoy the wind blowing the fall leaves to the ground and looking out toward the river.

The fall colors were so beautiful. If you will look close you can see the wind blowing the water towards me.

This is the Pinta

This is the Nina

I made this picture big so you could read the sign. Fourteen years and so much talent for ship building.

I am not a sailor, so I am not sure what to call the front or the back, but the ships were so much smaller than I had imagined.  Nina was 65 feet long and Pinta was 85 feet long.  The Nina loged 25,000 miles under columbus' command.

In 1988 a maritime historian, John Patrick Sarsfield, began building what was to become the first truly, historically correct replica of the 15th century.  They have a website if you are interested in more information.   http://www.thenina.com/

Oh, and by the way.  If you are interested in sailing with this crew they will promise you an adventure of a life time.  I am serious.  They are looking for any one that doesn't mind working hard, getting little or no sleep and are not prone to geting sea sick.  I am always ready for adventure but since I have to work for a living I decided to choose land rather than sea.

Second Day

Well we had a great time yesterday but Tuesday did not start out to well.  I forgot that I needed to get up early and get ready before everyone got up.  I wanted to be in Russellville by 9:00.  That did not happen.  I was so glad it was cool on the first hike we went on.  By the time the week-end gets here, the kids will be going home and I will have just gotten into their routine.
Here are just a few pictures of the day.

I have not had a lot of time to be around Casey and I was so proud that he took care of his little brother.  Casey got Dylan down to sleep both nights.  Tonight was so sweet because Dylan had gone to sleep on the couch and Casey wanted to take him back to bed.   Dylan woke up when Casey put him down and Casey just went to bed with him so Dylan would go back to sleep.

 Papa got to stay seated when Presley woke up.  He was the lucky one and got to snuggle,  I had to be a short order cook,  Even I had to get Papa more coffee since he was to busy to help out.

Can you tell these girls are all dressed up and ready to go.  Notice the dogs that they are pulling.  The dogs got to go to on the hike today but not next time.  The dogs walked to slow.

Everyone got involved so we could go hiking.  Lots a clothes had to be folded.

 Reed wanted to show Dylan how to do it.  Dylan was a fast learner.

Casey and Blake got to do the towels since they were the big guys.

Here is our photographer.  I have been trying for weeks to take a self portait and MaKara just holds up the camera and shoots.  She is a great photographer.  I am really proud of her.  She has been helping out so much with everything.  She makes the  flavored water up a head of time so when we get ready to go the water is ready.  I don't think I could have made the week if she hadn't gone above and beyond to help me out.

Jaycee was really a big help with both Tylar and Presley.  Jaycee was helpful and was willing to do any thing I ask.  That made my day go better.

We had been warned that an Aligator was in the swamp so all of us wanted to get a good look at him.  Reed and Jaycee both thought they saw it.

No, Moms and Dads, we wern't as close as it looks.  Reed is trying to make the aligator come up the bank while the others are watching.

We even found a cave.  The kids just knew that Indians had lived there.  Who was I to say that it was the truth or tale.  The Trail of Tears is within a fourth of a mile from this cave.

MaKara has taken so many pictures that I don't want to wear you out reading.  We still have three more days before my little muchkins go home.    The silence will be deafening after they leave.  But we sure made a lot of memories in a short period of time.

THE WEEK HAS FINALLY ARRIVE.

Eight of my nine grandchildren are here until Thursday.  We had such a great time today.  We played in the pond and also the little swimming pools.  The kids got there Possible bags and fixed a key chain so they could tell them apart. 

A friend loaned me a table and six chairs and it sure made our craft time easier.

We had the gang down by 9:00 and asleep by 9:30.  We are ready for Tuesday.  Going to go hiking and much more.  I will keep you posted.

Steam Engine #844 Rolling into my town.

I was so excited when by casting our votes on Facebook we had won the opportunity for the Steam Engine to be routed to my town.  I told everyone and was so excited that the day had finally arrived.  As I listen to the morning news I found out that the train would be coming to my town a day early and would only stop for 30 mintues.  I left work and walked to the train station thinking I had about a 15 minute wait but as usual trains or late and so was #844.  No matter.  I found a tree to stand under to stay out of the blistering sun and also found some friends that I knew from church so the wait did not seem to long.  I got several shots of the train.  Because of the crowd I couldn't just get a picture of the train.  If I had been making a movie they would have been the extras.

The horn is so loud and the steam was barreling out of the stack.

Notice how small the man to the right is compared to the big Steam Engine.

Look at the size of those wheels.
No, I did not get to board the train nor did I get to go through the souvnier car, but I had a large time being just a part of all the action.  I think my co-workers thought I had lost my mind because I was so excited about it all.  No matter, I always have a good time when something special is happening.  I love life and want to be apart of all of it.