Day spent with my sisters

This past Saturday happened to be my birthday - and my 2 sisters put their heads together and thought it would be nice to spend the day together.  We also decorated the 2 crosses that someone put up where our parents died in an automobile accident  7 years ago.  The crosses get decorated for the seasons and for Holidays.

This was how they were decorated for Christmas.  We 3 sisters had gone on a Fall day trip together and found these large ornaments at a garage sale.  They were big and bright.

this is at my sister's house in her garage - getting everything together to make the new decorations that will be going on the crosses for Spring.

My baby sister starting to put pieces and parts together getting ready for the silk/plastic flowers.  My brother-in-law is in the background - he is always busy doing something while us sisters are doing our thing.
The next few pictures will show the flowers baskets as they are being put together...

The 2 window baskets done and aren't they beautiful?!  The next few pictures will show the assembly of the window baskets to the crosses...

See what I mean by the window boxes - my sister found the fiberglass 6 panes that looks like windows at her Habitat store - how ingenious was that?  Thank you for sharing in our remembering of our Dad & Mom.

Christmas & Family

It has been a while since I last posted to my blog.  And sorry that I am just now getting around to posting about Christmas and my family getting together.  I love holidays if for no other reason than family comes together.  My son and my daughter-in-law came up from Alabama, my daughter and my son-in-law that live close by came over and my sister and her daughter (my niece) came down for Christmas dinner get together.
We all were able to sit around my kitchen table in my new kitchen/dining room - it was glorious.

Here is my sister taste testing before we all sat down to eat. Sorry, but I forgot to get a picture of table before and during our meal - I was just so happy to have so many family members together!

Here is my sister and my niece (her daughter) and I think there are cookies in the picture.

Here is my daughter (sorry, a little out of focus - not used to using my new camera.

My son-in-law and I have no idea what he was doing, but it was funny and everyone was laughing.

My son and daughter-in-law, and we are again laughing and enjoying time together.

we are playing a game at the table, sorry but I don't remember the name of the game..and you will see in the next picture I need help...

Grant was trying not to help too much, but I was playing rather badly and he could not help himself...Smalls your killing me!

My daughter and daughter-in-law were really good sports to be able to wait and be patient with their mom to figure out her next move.  Thanks to my sister for taking some of the pictures (as you can see in the reflection).  It is so good to get family together, from near and far and just reconnect even if for a little while.
I love each and every one of you.  The ones here and states away. NOTHING better than family!

Drywalling - What an adventure!

My sister and I are putting up drywall where I had windows replaced - can't tell you how many years ago and the ex never patched the walls.  So, I figure I am woman, hear me roar or some such thing as that - Towanda!  We went to Lowe's and had them cut to our measurements, but the guy had a tude to begin with, then he seemed to settle down.  When we got back to my house we had to re-trim the one piece we got up by 1/4 inch along the long side and about that much off the short end.  I have before pictures (above) and after pictures (below).

I know I still have to mud and tape and sand and mud again and sand...but really, I am so proud of me and my sister!  We still have 2 more places to fill/patch with dry wall, but we can do this. I may not get it completely done by the time my kids come home for Christmas, but it will look a little better than it did.

Oh, and we baked cookies too!  Talk about multitasking - again, hear us roar!  LOL - A little at a time and it will get done.  I tell you what...it feels good to be able to accomplish even a little bit of what you hope to and God Bless me, I feel good.

Peanut Blossom cookies, some with Kisses and some with Rolos - can't see those, they are at the bottom.
Sorry.  I am having a cookie exchange at work tomorrow and the company is providing pizza and salad.
Oh, and by the way I took these with my new digital camera I bought myself - Merry Christmas to me.
So, I am sure there will be more pictures to come and stories to tell.

Meeting my Great Nephew for 1st time!

Okay, it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and we are going to my middle sister's home in WV to meet our great nephew for the first time.  My baby sister and I are sooo excited to meet him and he was 5 1/2 months old!  Here come the pictures:

Here is Levi and Grammie, Mom and his 2 great Aunts think he is teething.  Look at the wide eyed boy!

Here is mom, Grammie, and Grandpa (in the background).  We had sooo much fun with this little guy.

He squeals when he is happy.  Grammie can get him to laugh by saying some phrases and do you know if anyone else said them - No reaction at all.  Grammie must have the magic in her voice.  The bib Levi is wearing was made by his Great, Great Auntie.

I know he is ready to talk, and crawl and then run - get ready world here comes Levi!  Love you great Nephew!  So glad I was able to finally meet you.

Thanksgiving 2012

Okay, I meant to take lots of pictures but you will see I only took a few.  Had family over: my daughter, her husband, my sister and her daughter.  We had a great feast: turkey, stuffing, cranberry/pineapple salad, broccoli salad, garlic rosemary smashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and rolls.  Yummy.  I took a few pictures, like I said...first family meal in my new kitchen/dining room.

My daughter and her husband getting cemented Pecan Pie out of the pie dish for dessert.

My sister relaxing after the meal and everyone else has gone home...just the 2 sisters - full tummies and enjoying the blessings of another year.

that's all folks - glad you stopped by for my post - May God Bless you and your family.

Tastefully Simple

I went to my first ever party last night.  I had fun sample tasting the various dips and breads that are offered by Tastefully Simple.  Spent way too much, but ordered some really good marinades and dips.  The consultant made the gathering fun and enjoyable.  Did not push for you to have a party yourself (which I do not do parties in my home).  Learned my lesson a long time ago about that and if you are curious you will have to ask me sometime about that experience.  The consultant was fun and energetic.  The dips and breads that the party host made were very tasty.  The wine and pink lemonade were also refreshing.  It was a fun gathering of women and eating ~ what better is there?

Renovation Tease #3

I am posting a couple of pics that show a few of the new stuff done on my kitchen/bathroom renovation

Here is a pic with the part of the tile in the kitchen backsplash put up as 1 row above my shower stall...

Here is the improved picture after Danner Tan has been painted on the walls above the tile as shown in the previous picture.

here is a what my drawer pulls and knobs look like on my kitchen cabinets - hand rubbed bronze.

here is the base of my new dining table - darkened maple with a spice color stain.  This table and 6 side chairs took 10 weeks for the Amish to build after I placed my order.  I love them!

Well, I should have another week to 1- 1/2 weeks and everything should be complete - then I hope to put on my blog a couple of videos...so stay tuned.