Friday Foto Friends

My past two days off have flown by. I spend all day Wednesday just lounging around the house with Colby and Alexis. We had movie day along with popcorn and movie candy. I didn't get any pictures which makes me sad, but we were having so much fun just spending the day together that I didn't think about it. I did watch my very first Transformer movie with them. I couldn't believe how good it was. Not what I had envisioned it to be like.

Yesterday was a busy day. I left my house at 9:00 in the morning and went and got Sherrie so we could go shopping. Our first stop was McKay's. I took some books back for a friend and some of mine and was able to get a good selection of books we will both like and can swap around with. I need to get her 1/2 to her but have had time to even sort them out.

We went to Dollar Tree where I spent $2.00 and to Kohl's and A.C. Moore where I didn't find anything I needed. Then on to Walmart where all I bought was a 2-Liter of Pepsi and a box of SnackWell's.

I went to another friends house last night and we created some craft items for the upcoming fundraiser for New Breath for Steph. We decorated picture frames with scrapbook paper and ribbons and embellishments. Some can be used for dry-erase boards (using the glass as the dry erase part) and some can just be hung as a decoration if people so desire. Here are a few pics of what we accomplished. 

This was a favorite of mine. It would be wonderful to set on a wedding table and write the happy couples names or their wedding date on.

Another cute one for a wedding.

These are just for room decor if you love the beach or nautical.

A cute dry erase board for a teacher.

We thought a mom might like these for baby photos.

We were donating this frame but it didn't need embellishments. We just added the quilted look paper for design. 

I fell in love with this. It was one of my favorites. I had placed the paper in and put the flowers on. When digging through another box, I found a crocheted flower so I put a pink heart in the middle and glued it on. Went wonderful with the paper.

Her husband fixed us cheeseburgers for supper and it was delicious. As I was leaving, the sun was starting to set and the sky was beautiful. 

They have a beautiful view of the mountains and the sunset was glorious.

I got home a little after 9:00. Since I just stopped in after shopping to take my books and cookies in the house and get my picture frames to craft with, I ended up being gone from 9:00 - 9:00. Going to head out today to the local scrapbook store for some supplies to start decorations for my new Children's Church classroom. Then it's time to go to work. I've had a great two days off. 

Retail Therapy

Heading out today for some retail therapy. First stop will be McKay's to exchange some books and then I'm heading to AC Moore & Kohl's and the local Dollar Tree. AC Moore has some great deals on bags and wristlets. I especially need a new beach bag and a wristlet.

I am also looking for a heart shape basket. I just fell in love with this. I thought it would be cute to make some in red, white and blue for July 4th. Then some in apple material for back to school, fall colors for autumn, etc. You get my drift.

Then tonight I am heading to the house of one of my church friends who is a big crafter. Her basement is one long finished craft room. She is going to help me with decorating for my new room at Children's Church. One thing we are going to do on one wall is a tree with brown paper and the limbs will each have a bright colored rosette and in the center will be a solid circle that has one of the Fruits of the Spirit on it. Super excited about this.

It's time to head out for the day. Have a great one.

Weekend wrap up....

Going backwards on my wrap up today. I'm going to start with today. It is my daughter and son-in-law's anniversary. I want to take a moment to wish her a very happy anniversary and many, many more. 

Yesterday I was so exhausted from my busy week and weekend that I just didn't feel like posting. I kept thinking I should write my blog but I kept finding a million reasons why I would wait, when really the simple fact was I just didn't want to do anything yesterday. 

Sunday was good day at church followed by taking myself to Shoney's for lunch and enjoying the breakfast bar before going on to work. 

Saturday I went to a baby shower that my daughter-in-law was giving for her niece. I was blown away by all the decorations my daughter-in-law had come up with. She has such a talent that it just amazes me. The little baby is being born into a family that loves their hunting and fishing. They are truly nature lovers. I am so in love with the theme. Everything turned out adorable. What a wonderful setting for the new mom-to-be to sit and open gifts.

The table was amazing as well.

She had someone make the cake but then designed this display for it. How cute is that little deer and baby on the top.

And each table had a centerpiece using mostly things she found around the families lake house or her own home. It was all amazing.

I especially loved the chocolate covered pretzel fishing poles and the little acorns.

On Friday night, we had a big blow out at VBS to end the week with family night....food, bouncy houses and our train rides which we had every night. The Grands that went with me had a blast. Colby found a couple of the bigger kids and just joined in with them on the train ride.

Alexis and Shelby enjoying some popcorn while they rode the train.

Thursday night was the last night of classes. All the kids loved coming into the main sanctuary and singing the VBS songs. Colby (center) and Shelby (left) really concentrated on learning the motions.

You can tell by her big smile that Alexis was having a blast.

Now that you see how busy I have been, I guess you can understand why I was not in the mood to blog yesterday. I didn't have to be at work Monday until 3:00 and I laid down after lunch and took a two hour nap before going to work. 

Have a great Tuesday!

Happy birthday to my beautiful Mommy.

I am so blessed to still have my mom with us. She is 87 today. She is a colon cancer survivor and a breast cancer survivor. Both cancers were caught early enough that she had immediate surgery and was cured using no chemo and no radiation. Both times they got it all out first try with the surgeries. She has been there for me my entire life and I still enjoy every time I get to talk to her or go visit her. These pictures were taken in the last month or so. I just love how good she looks to be 87. I love you Mommy and hope you have a wonderful birthday.

New Breath For Steph

Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Stephanie. Stephanie suffers from Cystic Fybrosis. Her disease has progressed to the point that she has been approved for a double lung transplant. The expenses our phenomenal. I am working with a group who is holding a fundraiser on July 15th for Steph to help off set these expenses. We are looking for donations for the silent auction and craft booths. Donations can be made using Go Fund Me at Stephanie Goodall Lung Transplant. If you wish to donate crafts or items for the silent auction, please leave a comment or email us at newbreathforsteph@gmail.com.

The following story is told in Stephanie's own words as she embarked on this journey. Since she wrote this, she has been through the process and met approval to be eligible for a transplant. I hope you will read her story. She has unshakable for faith that God is going to get her through this and looks forward to the day when she can take a breath and not be in so much pain. Breathing is something we just do. We don't think about it and we don't plan for it. But for Stephanie it is a minute to minute challenge. She wears an oxygen tank everywhere she goes and takes an army of meds just to do what we do automatically....BREATH. Any donations or assistance for New Breath for Steph is greatly appreciated. If you can't donate, prayers for the success of the fundraiser and the double lung transplant are desperately needed as well. Stephanie, her husband Andrew, and her 8 year old daughter, Lily, thank you for taking the time to read this post.

(This was written in January and praise God since then she has met the criteria and is the final appointment this week to have her name placed on the transplant list)

Hi, my name is Stephanie and I have Cystic Fibrosis. I am to the point of my life with this horrible disease that I am in need of a Double lung transplant, at the point I am at I cannot stay well for more than a week without IV antibiotics. I am currently at 31% and they like to transplant patients at 30 and below so right now I am at the higher end but it could change fast. I have already been In contact with Vanderbilt we have already went once for a consult and some tests but we have to go back in January possibly February for a second visit, this time it will be meeting with the transplant team, a therapist, and a financial consultant. Then we will have one more visit after that before they decide if I am a candidate or not as it stand right now from the tests I have had, it looks like that I am so far. The hardest part on me right now is the whole not making it thing! I do believe in God and I fully believe he will have me the whole way and I will get through this with flying colors! The second is funds, this is going to be very expensive, not just the transplant surgery but all the co-pays and the visits back and forth to vandy we don't even have a reliable car to get us back and forth, furthermore after the surgery my husband Andrew and I will have to live within 10 miles of Vanderbilt for 3 months after my surgery. My husband is probably not going to be able to work so with that we will have to pay for the place we stay there with power and water, and all of our current bills now! This is going to be very difficult on us, anything you could donate no matter how big or small with make a difference! Thank you all so much and I will update as often as I can!!

Thank you again for taking the time to pray for Steph and her upcoming transplant. Please also pray for her fundraiser that it is a success to meet the needs of her process. Any donation whether it is financial or for the auction or craft fair at the fundraiser is greatly appreciated.

Playing catch up....

Last night was the last night of VBS with the teaching and crafts. Tonight is for fun. We are going to have bouncy houses and food. There will be hotdogs which makes me very happy. I love hotdogs.

We've had some great moments but I have over 400 pictures to post so I have to go through them before I can figure out if I even got any good ones. Today I am heading to Target and Walmart to do some shopping for a baby shower. While I'm there, I am going to look for a few things to price that I want to get sometime in the next few months. I have done any "wishful" shopping in awhile. I'm always so much on the go that when I have been to a store, I just look for things I need right then. Time to look at other stuff just to get ideas. 

I know the #1 item on my list right now is a griddle. Mine was too big and so old that it had so many scrapes and scratches it wasn't cooking as non-stick as it should.

I am also needing a toaster oven. I want something small because I don't have much space. However, if I moved my toaster one could fit there. So I think I have found a compromise and get rid of my old toaster. Plus this has the wide slots and my toaster doesn't.

I also need a new camera. I want this before I go to the beach. I really want a red camera. I have always wanted a red one.

And I want to get rid of the TV in my bedroom and get an LED one for in there. I like this 24" one.

As you can see, I have quite a few things to check out today to start a comparison list for pricing. But for now, a little house cleaning. I'm afraid to walk in my living room because the two youngest have just came in and grabbed the Little Pet Shop hospital and houses and are now playing in the living room. Alexis said I may not want to see my living room. You just got love children that still entertain themselves using their imaginations.

Stress