Feeling a little ashamed....

I haven't written a blog post since May 1. I do apologize to my readers and thank you for being so faithful to always be here when I do catch up. I am changing my routine to insure I don't forget to blog everyday. So here is a quick review of the past 9 days that I have missed.

I had the pleasure of having lunch one day with my bestie, Mendi. We never run out of things to talk about and we are forever laughing when we are together. Me meet for lunch before we go into work about once a week.

Met with another friend last Friday. She had attended an auction and these bowls were for sale. She won the bid and got them for $15 for me. I love people who find me good deals. I just need to get one more to complete this set. 

Colby and Alexis came over to spend the night last Friday night.  

We went to the Stampede for dinner. We had a blast...even if we did have to cheer for the North side. 

Made some of my homemade peanut butter candy last week. It takes about 8-10 minutes from the minute you start until it is done. I love this candy. 

Needed some new black flip flops. Found these at Walmart for just $9 and they are by far the most comfortable flip flops I have ever bought.

Saturday, I went to a tea cup & saucer exchange at my church. We had an amazing time. I am going to share more on that later. But this was the set I got in the exchange. I couldn't be happier.

I won a door prize as well. Got these cute jars with my favorite words on them.

Went to work the next day and one of my friends had this little gift for me. I love it.

I put it on the nightstand so I see it every morning and every night. It reminds me to dare to be whatever I want to be. 

I had bought this little bird house and never did anything with it. I painted it and put scrapbook paper for the roof. I love it. 

It goes great in my dining room.

Thursday was a great happy mail day. My niece Christy sent me some air fresheners that I just love. 

My niece Amy sent me this for my water bottles and the key chain to hold chap stick. 

We had a C & C meeting for Thirty-One last Monday. I tore the soft tissue in my back that day by slipping getting out of the tub. I could barely move to get up and off the couch. So I missed the meeting, but they mailed me my amenity anyway. I just adore this cactus pattern.

A friend of mine wanted me to go to Smoky Mountain Knife Works with him. We spent about an hour in the kitchen ware department. We saw this little tea for one set with an infuser. I told my daughter about it because she works there. Guess what she brought me a few days later.

Now it holds a place of honor in my kitchen. I just adore it.

I haven't done much since Monday. I was off on Monday and then went to the doctor on Tuesday for my back. Got some medicine that has really helped and I'm on the mend. Worked shorter hours on Wed, Thurs, and Fri. Today is my day off. New schedule starts tomorrow and I am off for Mother's Day and Monday. So I ended up with a three day weekend. Heading out for shopping today. I saw some cute shirts on Burke's website so I want to see if I can find either of these in stock there. They have amazing prices. 

If they do have either of them, I hope it is the pineapple and flag. I fell in love with it. Well, that's my first 10 days of May review. I'm back on track now.

Happy anniversary

Happy anniversary to my son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Jamie.

From the moment he brought her home to meet us for the first time, hubby and I hoped that she was "the one". She definitely was. Happy anniversary Chris and Jamie.

Weekend wrap up

I have a to do list that is going to take up most of my day. But I am glad that I am nearing the end of all my things I want to get done on my project list. I started off the morning sitting on my porch watching the sun come up. 

From the side view, I can see the mountain range.

It's not a fancy view and was a little shadowed early this morning. But it is a view and I will take what I can get. 

I got a package Saturday from my niece Christy. She sent me a new beach towel for my upcoming Miami trip. Had several other little things in that I just loved.

But my favorite is my new palm tree flip flop necklace. Oh my!

A friend called and told me they had new beach salt and pepper shakers in at Cracker Barrel. I love the beach ones in the little blue sea creatures. I am collecting them. But only one per set.

Because they are going on a shelf in my beach bathroom as a collection of sea creatures. So far I have the sea horse, puffer fish, crab and sea turtle. Trying to find the octopus.

I looked around while I was there and spotted some patriotic ones. Since I decorate around the first of May, I decided to pick them up. I do buy for the kitchen and dining room in the sets. 

Since I had taken Easter down and it is almost time for my red, white and blue to last thru Memorial Day, Flag Day and Fourth of July, I decided to go ahead and do the dining room table centerpiece. I am happy with it.

Sunday we had a smaller crew of Children's church kids. I decided I need to take a picture with the kids until I make sure I have pics of all of them in at least one picture since I only have five more months back there with them at 2 Sunday's per month. So 10 more weeks of my babies and then I will be the one leaving the nest. 

After church, I went out to the cemetery. I stopped on the side of the road and picked some wild flowers to put in a vase on Allen's grave. He loved while flowers and we both loved daisies. So just made me feel good to take him some real flowers. I had some water but they still won't last long. I'll go back next week with a new spring arrangement.

Well, that was about it. I'm working on my to do list this morning. I already hung my new curtains and replaced the blind. Me, being me, hit a stud first try. The curtains are just white drapes to defuse some of the bright sunlight but not darken the room. I am happy with them. Have a great Monday.

Flamingo Fancies

I am loving flamingos. A friend bought me a resin one a couple of months ago and I already had a couple of figurines. But there is a new craze out and flamingos are showing up everywhere. I found quite a few things I like,

Weekend Wrap Up

Well, Thursday was the last day I worked before getting a rare Friday and Saturday off. Then on Sunday I didn't go in until evening and only worked 6 hours and I am off again today. Feels like a mini vacation. Thursday I got to sit in my current dream car that I have been wanting. A red Dodge Challenger. This was a 2012. I am even more in love with it now that I sat in it. I told I want to trade cards in about another year so he has that long to decide to sell me this one. He did tell me to come by and take it for a test drive any time I wanted to. I may just do that.

Friday, I woke up to pouring down rain and an all day forecast of rain. But I was so tired of being at home or work and going nowhere recently, that I decided to spend my rainy day antiquing. It was a great idea. Our church is having a tea cup exchange soon so I found a cute little tea cup and saucer at at an amazing price.

I have been wanting a deep dish pie pan. I found a vintage Pyrex one for $4. Oh yes, it came home with me.

I also scored 2 new pieces of Pyrex in my favorite Town and Country pattern. Normally a casserole dish like the one on the right goes for $25-30 in an antique store. I got both of these pieces for less than $20. It was a great deal.

This is one of my dream sets that has been on my wishlist about 5 or 6 years. The only time I have ever seen a complete set in mint condition like this was for $225 which was way too high. But this lady had her's priced for $115. Not a crack or a chip in them. No stains. Perfect. But this was not a week I could budget spending that much. I was so sick at heart because I have wanted this set for so long. Then the lady said the magic word....layaway. So I put it on layaway and am going to go back and get it the first week of May. Happy dance!!

When I got done with my wonderful day antiquing, I went home and the skies cleared up and we had a beautiful rainbow. 

Saturday morning I got up and made a cherry pie. Only the second pie I ever made. The edges don't look the best but overall it looked pretty good for my limited pie experiences.

My daughter and I went and did a little shopping Saturday and I found me a cute new top that I just fell in love with. It was on sale so I snatched it up. Now if it will just get warm enough to wear it. 

When we were on our way home, a friend of mine sent me a message and wanted to know if I wanted to go to the shooting range with him. So once I got home and put everything away, we went. I had never been to a shooting range. We had a blast. Lots of fun and lots of laughter. I did get to shoot at a weird target. He shot some at this one as well, but I got some really good hits considering I have only shot a 410 and a 22 back when I was about 17 or 18. We were shooting with a AR15. That's what I get for going with a military man to a shooting range.

Sunday morning Sunrise Service was amazing. Lots of beautiful music and a great view of the sun coming up in the East. I took this right before the service started. By the time we were finished it was completely up and beautiful but I forgot to get another picture.

Later when we got to church, they had set up donuts and coffee. I wanted a donut so bad, but I have lost three pounds this week by watching my sweets and going 100% free of carbonated drinks. So I was strong and didn't eat any.

Got a good picture of Shelby (L) and her best friend Megan. It being Easter they brought their ever presents friends with them. Bunny and Lammy come to church with them every Easter.

I worked Sunday night but was off again on Monday. I didn't do anything but hang out at the house. No laundry to do. No house to clean. Just me and relaxation. I took some time to just pamper myself. I spent a couple of hours outside and got some sun and good rest.

In just three days....

A lot can happen in three days. This middle day, the day between the death and resurrection, make me think so much of those who loved knew Him. Just put yourself in their place. Yesterday had to be horrific. It is bad enough to lose a loved one in any circumstance. It is even worse to watch them as they suffer in the pains of death. But to lose your best friend, your mentor, your guide, your teacher. It had to be horrible what they went through on that second day. To watch what was done to Him and then to wake up that next day with questions. Why? Why Him? Did they wonder if they could have done anything differently to prevent this? Did they second guess and relive every little thing that had happened in the past week. Did they close their eyes and see Him hanging their in pain in agony? 

Did they really even then understand that it was all part of God's perfect plan?

I cannot in any of my wildest imaginings begin to understand the pain and suffering they were going through. I would think that your own thoughts would be like those of someone on the brink of insanity just trying to take it all in, to try to reason it out in your mind. 

This day all those thousands of years ago had to be one of deep torment and deep grief for those who loved Him and knew Him best. 

BUT on that third day, oh wow! To have been there when they found out He was alive. To know that He arose and conquered death. He paid the final price and gave the ultimate sacrifice. And only after His death could they completely understand the purpose of His life. 

Tomorrow is going to be a wonderful day of rejoicing in the fact that the grave could not hold Him. Death could not keep Him. He paid the ultimate sacrifice and He did it for each and everyone of us. 

Happy Easter!

Finally....

I have lived in my current home for three years. And for three years there is a tree at the corner of the house that buds every year, then never blooms. This year though, it did bloom. I had long suspected it of being a dogwood tree but was not sure. Imagine my delight when the first blooms started opening up and this is what I saw...

The blossoms are absolutely perfect.

It is full and loaded with blossoms and more open every day.

I couldn't be happier.