Sunday, May 25, 2014

Sunday Night Chit-Chat


Ahhh! Carla is back with the Sunday Night Chit-Chat and all is right with the world:) Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily is our host and I love participating and linking up with her Sunday Night Chit-Chat! I hope you enjoy it as well. Check in with Carla to see what she's been up to. She is such a busy person!!!

So, let's get started!

What...
  • Am I watching...Not sure but probably nothing tonight.
  • Am I reading...From Paralysis to Praise by Shirley Thrush; The Litigators by John Grisham; and totally enjoying Living Life Undaunted by Christine Caine
  • Am I looking forward to next week...Soaking up some sun and getting a few cards made.
  • Did I have for dinner tonight...In the teeny tiny town of Granite, Oregon, I enjoyed an Amy's Black Bean Burrito with a bag of barbecued potato chips and an iced tea! By teeny tiny I mean 23 permanent residents and they are all over 60 years old!!!
  • Are my 3 top goals for next week...Clean our guest apartment; get my design team projects for The Cupboard Trilogy Challenges made and uploaded; start walking on the treadmill again.
  • Best/Worst Financial decision over last week...Not sure. I don't think there were any good or bad financial decisions made.
  • Happy I accomplished this week...I got the strawberries weeded and got some cards made and mailed off for swaps.
  • Was my best moment from the past week...Actually today spent with my son at a huge flea market in Sumpter Oregon! This was our fifth annual trip to Sumpter!
  • Is my current favorite website...It is Stampin' Up!--my addiction!
  • Is something that always makes me smile...beautiful flowers!
Well, that's it for me tonight! Thank you for visiting!

Kat

Monday, May 19, 2014

Happy Homemaker Monday



Welcome to Happy Homemaker Monday! We are hosted each week by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom:) I always look forward to participating and linking up with Sandra and the other bloggers! So, what's happening in my little corner of the world?

As I look outside my window:::
Today we have some clouds and wind. I don't think it will get much over 70 degrees today (F). I sure loved those days last week when it was 80:) I was soaking up the sunshine!!!


Right now I am::: 
Waiting for dinner to finish cooking so decided to sit down to blog a bit.


Thinking and pondering:::
About how to regroup and focus on what's important. My question is, Important to who? Do I live by the standards of others or do I march to the beat of my own drummer? When is enough, enough?!!! I didn't promise any answers here, only thoughts. Hopefully I will be able to elaborate more later. 

On my bedside table:::
Just finished reading Light on Snow by Anita Shreve.  I am also reading Living Life Undaunted, a devotional by Christine Caine.


On my tv this week:::
Last night I watched Call the Midwife. Before that we watched a teen movie called Monte Carlo. None of us can figure out how it got on the Netflix Queue but it was and it came. We all actually liked it:)


Listening to:::
Our precious Rocky snoring as usual! What would I do without that sweet snore in the background of my days?!!!


On the menu for this week:::
As usual, no menu! Today we are having Mizidra (brown rice with lentils on top then built up like a tostada); broccoli and cauliflower; garlic bread with avocado


On my to do list:::

Laundry - on the clothes line:)
Weed strawberry patch

Dead head lilacs
Clean bathroom--today!
Design Team project for The Cupboard Trilogy Challenges
2 swap cards--make and mail
Sort and deliver stamping orders 

Happening this week:::
Working on my "to do" list and delivering stamping orders (hopefully on Thursday)


What I am creating:::

I have been in a total funk lately when it comes to creating. I really need my mojo back! Has anyone seen it?!!! If you do, tell it to come home.

My simple pleasure:::
Talking to my daughter on the phone (when I can't be with her in person).  

Homemaking tips::: 
This morning I decided to give a Pinterest idea a try! I took a couple pieces of aluminum foil, scrunched each one into a ball and threw them in the dryer with a load of clothes that normally get a lot of static. When I took the clothes out of the dryer there was a tiny bit of static on a pair of hubby's pajama pants but not near as much as I have when I use a fabric softener sheet!!! The Pinterest Pinner said they used them up to a year! Love this idea!!!


Looking around the house:::
Dining room table starting to build up clutter again:( My desk is looking pretty 

messy. The rest of the house looks pretty good...by my standards anyway!

From the camera:::




Another little card I made to put a treat in; just the right size for a Ghiradelli Square. These are so cute and I am addicted to making them. This one uses Strawberry Slush cardstock and ink, Flower Shop stamp set and Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper. Unfortunately that sweet Stretch Ruffle Trim is retired and gone:( 


Prayer List:::

  • Friends with problems
  • Sister and her hip--much better but she still needs prayer
  • Brother who lost his wife almost two years ago--anniversary of her death is coming up in a couple weeks
  • Me--self-evaluation, changes, decisions
Bible verse, Devotional:::

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." --Hebrews 4:16

Well, that's it for me today. I hope all is good in your little corner of the world!

Kat

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Happy Birthday, Barb!


This is the card I made for my friend Barb for her birthday! I love the color and of course was able to use my favorite stamp set, Flower Shop!

This card was CASEd from one I saw on Pinterest by Linda Creech. 

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! products:

  • Paper: Whisper White and Bermuda Bay cardstock; Kaliedeoscope Designer Series Paper
  • Ink: Bermuda Bay
  • Stamps: Flower Shop and Perfectly Penned
  • Big Shot with Apothecary Accents and Chalk Talk Framelits
  • Other: Dimensionals and Brights Collection Candy Dots
Thank you for visiting!

Kat

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Happy Stampers Meet Again

Last night my Happy Stampers Club met and made two "man" cards that we could use for Father's Day or Birthdays. "Man" cards are sometimes difficult to make, at least for me, because I love putting flowers on cards and guys typically don't want flowery cards. Now what's up with that???

The first card we made was designed and prepared by my stamping cohort and dear friend, Barb! Barb also opens up her house to the Happy Stampers each and every month and has for the last 4 years. I don't know what I would do without her!!!


Isn't it amazing!!! I really love everything about this card! Everyone was surprised and pleased with the results using the Hardwood Background stamp and the Woodgrain Embossing Folder! It is pretty impressive, don't you think?

For this card I used the following Stampin' Up! products:

  • Paper: Soft Suede and Whisper White cardstock; Early Espresso Coordinations cardstock
  • Ink: Early Espresso
  • Stamps: Look Up to Father and Hardwood 
  • Big Shot with Labels Collection Framelits and Woodgrain Embossing Folder
  • Other: Cotton yarn (non-SU!), sanding block and Dimensionals
Great "Man" card, don't you think? Thanks, Barb!

Our second project of the night was one I saw on Pinterest and I totally CASEd it!!! We had a great time doing the "rock & roll" method to get the two colors on the fish. It was like MAGIC!!! There were lots of oohs and ahhhs:)



Oh, who did I CASE this card from? Good question! It was Joanna Hooper at Joanna's Blog! Thanks, Joanna for the great card idea! I am sure our dads will love it! Not only am I giving this card for Father's Day but my brother's name is three letters also so guess what he's getting for his birthday. I have several fish stamped and sitting beside my chair waiting for me to cut them out:)

For this project I used the following Stampin' Up! products:

  • Paper: Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay, Lucky Limeade (retired) and Whisper White
  • Ink: Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay and Lucky Limeade
  • Stamps: By the Tide and Morning Post Alphabet
  • Big Shot with Arrows Embossing Folder
  • Other: 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine (retired), Dimensionals
I hope you enjoyed seeing what the Happy Stampers did last night! We really did have a lot of fun!

Kat



Tuesday, May 13, 2014

How Does My Garden Grow

Technically,it's not my garden! But since I live here I am claiming it as my own:) Like having a gardener...who I happen to be married to! My hubby LOVES to make things grow! He plants all the flowers, fruit and veggies on our little homestead! Today as we were walking around checking everything out, he asked when I was going to blog about his garden. Sooo...


Since I took a lot of photos I wanted to share I decided to try making collages out of them with My Digital Studio on my computer. It's a digital scrapbooking and cardmaking program by Stampin' Up! (who else!). A free trial is available if you are interested! But, this post is not about my love of Stampin' Up! 

The top photos are of our little flower area with the Mandevilla, ivy, Amaryllis and Begonias. The bottom photos are of the very swollen buds on the Peony bushes--just ready to burst forth with bloom! The inset is a bloom on a very short peony bush right next to the big one. 

Then on to the food...



The raspberries are blooming and I am so ready for those juicy morsels. On the inset, can you see the bee? The raspberry bushes are full of honey bees at the moment...they are loving it!

The strawberries we transplanted are doing so good! They are very happy in their new home:) Don't they look happy?!!!



Hubby put out 39 tomato plants he started from seed in the greenhouse. He also purchased a few plants that will give us a jump on some early tomatoes. The others will be used for canning, making salsa and pasta sauce.

Check out the spinach. We ate some in a salad the other day. Then their is my favorite--Sugar Snap Peas! Oh, I can hardly wait!

Hubby also has bell peppers, hot peppers, cabbage, onions, collards and eggplant planted. He is still planning to plant beets, green beans, carrots and who knows what else!

I hope you enjoyed my little garden tour!

Kat

Monday, May 12, 2014

Happy Homemaker Monday


All is right with the world when I am able to participate in Happy Homemaker Monday! Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is our weekly host and l love to "link up" with the other bloggers who participate in Happy Homemaker Monday:) So, let's get started!

As I look outside my window:::
The weather is glorious! Blue sky, sunshine, green grass, beautiful flowers--ahhh, Spring! I think the temperature will be in the low 70s (F) today but building into the 80s by the end of the week! I am sooo ready!!!

Right now I am:::
Sitting in my chair, still in my jammies:) Just finished breakfast, read my email (and just a little Pinterest). I need to get on with my day!

Thinking and pondering:::
***Same as last week and I am no further along with the project:(***

About all the cards I need to get made in the next few days! Shall I call this a "card crunch"?!! Some people go out and buy cards when they are needed but my family and friends have come to expecthandmade cards from me so I need to get them done even if I'm not feeling particularly motivated! I really wasn't motivated ALL last week but need to get motivated asap!

On my bedside table:::
Living Life Undaunted Devotional by Christine Caine
The Dangers of Contemplative Prayer by Howard Peth
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

Joni & Ken by Ken & Joni Eareckson Tada (family read aloud)

On my TV this week:::
I plan to do a lot of reading this week.


Listening to:::
Sound of the sprinklers outside and Rocky snoring--gotta love a Bulldog's snore:)

On my menu for this week:::
I don't have a clue what we're eating this week! Time to go grocery shopping, I think! Lots of food in the house but nothing to eat; ever been there?


On my to do list:::

  • Laundry--always and forever
  • Go through clothes closet and purge!!!
  • Organizing in craft room
  • Make about 30 cards! 
  • Clean guest apartment and sauna
Happening this week:::
Happy Stampers on Wednesday:) Love spending time with the ladies being creative!

What I am creating:::
Right now just cards but should have a lot to show over the next week! Really, this week I will!

My simple pleasure:::
A day home alone...occasionally! I love my family but sometimes it is just nice to have a whole day to myself!

Homemaking tips:::
This is more of a beauty tip: I use coconut oil to wash my face! It is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral! How can you beat that?!!! In addition to washing my face with coconut oil, I also use it as a moisturizer when I need one (usually don't when washing with coconut oil). It makes my skin amazingly soft and free of blemishes. 

Looking around the house:::
Table in the dining room looks better than last week! Lol I need to make the bed. The dogs have been kind...only a few toys lying around:)

From the camera:::



Hubby got two of these huge flower baskets for our deck...so pretty!

Prayer List:::
  • My sister still recovering from hip replacement surgery, then broken femur surgery, then blood clot! Still improving but not out of the woods yet!
  • Church family still needing a house
  • Elderly couple having serious health issues
  • Friend selling (sold) her house then going to live near her son and DIL; needs to find motor home to live in.
Bible verse/Devotional:::
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned." Isaiah 43:2

Well, that's it for me today! Thank you for visiting:)

Kat




Sunday, May 11, 2014

Sunday Night Chit-Chat

Hello, everyone! I hope your Mother's Day has been good. 

I checked Carla's blog at My 1/2 Dozen Daily to see if her Sunday Night Chit-Chat was up but it isn't so I am going to go ahead and post mine. If she posts hers later I will link up; otherwise, I am on my own this week. I do love the Sunday Night Chit-Chat...well, any Chit-Chat, actually!

Today I was sharing with my mom about how much I love blogging and am so happy that after nearly 4 years I have over 40,000 visits and have written over 700 posts. Am I the only one who is impressed by that?!!! My mom seemed totally unimpressed. It was like I am about people who do extreme mountain climbing...why would they do that? Well, that's kind of how she was about my blogging...why would I even want to do that? Hmmm...have I ever mentioned how unsupportive my mom is? Now, the question is, why would I even share the information with her in the first place. Lapse of memory, I guess!

The Peonies are just about ready to bloom but I thought they
looked so pretty framing the red tulips.
So, on with the Chit-Chat!

What...

  • Am I watching...Just watched Frozen. Last Sunday we watched Saving Mr. Banks. 
  • Am I reading...Light on Snow by Anita Shreve.
  • Am I looking forward to this week...Happy Stampers are meeting on Wednesday night!
  • Am I obsessive about...Having my books in order--some kind of order! I have a book shelf where all the books are alphabetical. I have other shelves where the books are in order by height. Some shelves are ordered by subject. Yes, I have a lot of books and a lot of shelves! A house with a lot of books is a happy house in my opinion:)
  • Is my #1 goal for next week...I have to finish getting ready for my Happy Stampers Club! I am such a procrastinator:( I think I say this at least once a month, right?!!!
  • Is my Best/Worst financial decision over the last week...I am supposed to be on a 21 Day Financial Fast but it hasn't been going so good:( As a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator I am able to pre-order some items that are in the catalog that launches on June 2 so it's really hard for me NOT to order some of these items to share with my customers, right?!!! Well, let's just say that so far this month I've spent about $100 for new catalogs and pre-order items. Guess it could be worse.
  • Am I most happy I accomplished this week...I managed to get the vacuuming/mopping done before I went to the Chiropractor so as not to undo what he did! Hoping to keep everything in place for a couple weeks this time:) For some people NOT vacuuming wouldn't be a big deal but we have two dogs who shed the equivalent of a whole dog everyday! Why they aren't bald I have no idea! We brush and brush and still they shed:( 
  • A wonderful Mother's Day surprise...I loved the cards and gifts from my kids today. I loved the phone call from my daughter this morning. I am so blessed. But, I was surprised this morning with a text from my niece telling  me that I am "a beautiful woman, amazing person and wonderful mother"! Boy, how I needed to hear that today! Thank you to my precious niece for this very special surprise!
Well, that's it for me tonight! Can you believe I did TWO posts today?!! Me, either! I will be back tomorrow with Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday:)

Kat

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's out there and to all those other nurturing individuals! I hope you have a day filled with sunshine and peace! 

Today I am hoping to spend much time up in my craft room making all those cards that I didn't get made during the week! I am sooo far behind! My craft room is a happy place for me but I always feel like I have to have EVERYTHING else done before I can go up there but there never seems to be a time when everything else is done:( Today, I will just forget about all that needs to be done and go up there anyway!



The card above was made for me by my darling daughter! Such a pretty card! Hmmm...she must have been visiting her friend Ella again because I am sure she doesn't own this stamp set:)

I got my gift from my daughter on Thursday and had permission to open it early! She wanted me to start enjoying the Red Vines (my favorite) right away:) She also got me some other fun items but the best part was this adorable Photo Album Box she made. This is how the box looked all tied up with ribbon...


Oops! Looks like picture was a little blurry:(

Ribbons removed...


Take the lid off the box and...



Voila! The box opens out into a three layer album. DD has decorated each page with pictures of me, her and her brother! So fun! She also wrote a sweet message on the back of each little page. Such a wonderful gift and one I will treasure forever!

Now, DS almost always gets me what I ask for and this year I asked for a set of Prismacolor Colored Pencils! They have been on my wish list for at least ten years but are kinda spendy so they just never made it to the top of my "wish list" till now. So, it was not surprise that my gift from DS was...


Yes, that is correct, a box of 72 Prismacolor Colored Pencils along with a sharpener and blender pencils. For those who are thinking, "okay, colored pencils...hmmm!", these are NOT your grandma's colored pencils or the ones you used in grade school. Oh no! These are soft leaded colored pencils that are used for artwork! Remember the adorable card my friend Margarita made for me? Just to refresh your memory and because I never get enough of this cute, cute card...



Margarita colored this card with Prismacolor Colored Pencils!!! Just think, with a little practice I will be able to color images like this!!! Woo Hoo!

Well, now that I have done a little Show & Tell, I will be off to my craft room for a couple hours! Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily indicated last week that we would start Sunday Night Chit-Chat again this week so...keep your fingers crossed!

Have a wonderful day and be sure to hug (or call) your mother today! 

Kat

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

RAKs in the Mail

VC Rocks blog banner! Isn't it cute!!!


I belong to a very fun group of people called VC Rocks. The VC stands for Virtual Convention! Every summer, Stampin' Up! has a real convention in or near Salt Lake City, UT but it is really spendy by the time you get your plane tickets, motel, meals...well, you get the picture, so not every Stampin' Up! Demonstrator can go or even wants to go. Me, I would love to do it just once! I guess it's quite the Hoopla! So, several years ago, someone got the bright idea to start this virtual community to celebrate the new annual Stampin' Up! catalog, summer, stamping, and just having fun! I signed up last year and thoroughly enjoyed my time with the group that "meets" from May 1 through September. Yes, the group is dormant the rest of the year except for a brief surge in December!

VC Rocks is open for registration May 1-31 and accepts Stampin' Up! demonstrators and customers. But this is not an easy group to belong to...fun, but not easy! There are Swaps, RAKS (random acts of kindness), Challenges, Blog Hops, oh my! We even have a charity that we donate to at the end of the summer. This year our donations will go to Ronald McDonald House:) 

In the last week I have been the recipient of two RAKs and I wanted to share them with you! This first one if from Karen Gibson in Brunswick, Ohio...


This is a Clean and Simple; Quick and Easy card! Love it! Can you see the embossed frame behind the Happy Birthday sentiment? How about the texture she added to the banners? Great card! Thanks, Karen!

The second card is a Fancy Fold from Debbie Peterson in Arlington, Washington...


This is how the card looked straight out of the envelope but then you take the ribbon off and...


Check.it.out!!! What a beauty! And check out the cute tags in all the pockets!!!

I feel so blessed to have received both of these amazing cards AND to be part of VC Rocks for another wonderful summer!

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed these beauties because I sure did! Now I need to get some cards of my own made! 

Kat


Tuesday, May 6, 2014

I Survived the A to Z Blogging Challenge


Yes, indeed, I ran the race and finished! When I thought about doing this challenge again this year, it didn't seem like it would be that difficult. But then I had a vacation the first week of April and a few days holiday the middle of the month. Then life happens--what's up with that?!!! But, I finished and I am so very proud of myself--do you see the big grin on my face:)

The organizers of the A to Z April Blogging Challenge have asked those of us who participated to write a Reflections post to let them know what we liked, didn't like and what we would like to change for next year! Can you imagine managing 2008 bloggers for 30 days to make sure they are following the rules? Must have been a little like herding cats!!! 

The A to Z April Blogging Challenge really pushes me to write about things I normally wouldn't write about. I am challenged to come up with interesting and possibly even witty posts about whatever the letter of day is. I am challenged to write on days I don't really feel like writing! I should really do more of that! Probably the best part of the challenge was visiting other blogs and getting to know other bloggers! I loved having other bloggers visit my blog and leave comments--who wouldn't love that?!!! I found some amazing blogs that I plan to visit again. And even connected with bloggers I met last year...Hi Jann!!!

Now, the downside:( Everything has a downside, right? Bloggers participating in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge were asked to turn off verification--you know, that annoying thing where you have to type in the letters or numbers you see (but can't really see so you sometimes get them wrong three times in a row). Most did turn that annoyance off but there were still those who left it on. I thought about not leaving comments for those people but since it comes up after you type your comment, I left it and just chalked it up to ANNOYING!!! Why can't people follow the rules?!!! 

The other downside for me had nothing to do with the Challenge, itself. We were supposed to start with the blog following ours on the list and visit five per day during the Challenge. Some of the blogs while probably very interesting to some were not a genre that was the least bit interesting to me. Basically I just looked those over quickly and went on to the next as I am sure several did with mine.

I know I did not get near as many visits to my blog as I was supposed to get and very few comments. I visited every blog that commented on mine and I even signed up to Follow those that were under 100 Followers (if I was interested in their blog content). I added five new Followers to my blog.

What would I change? Nothing really! There will always be people who don't follow the rules and I can't imagine that changing. I will definitely participate in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge again next year.

I am signing up for the Post A to Z Road Trip so will be continuing to visit other blogs to see what's out there. And you can be sure I will share the gems with you!

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment to let me know what your favorite post of the Challenge was!

Kat


Monday, May 5, 2014

Happy Homemaker Monday...Finally!


This Happy Homemaker Monday button (courtesy of Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom) is my favorite! I love the polka dot mugs:) Super cute--thank you Sandra!

It has been a month since I last participated in Happy Homemaker Monday because I was involved with the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Tomorrow I will have one last A to Z post (till next April anyway) and it will be called Reflections. The A to Z Blogging Challenge team have asked those of us who participated to write a post telling what we liked and didn't like about participating in the challenge. So, stay tuned for that post tomorrow. Until then, let's get started with Happy Homemaker Monday!

As I look outside my window:::
The sun is shining with streaks of clouds but the wind is blowing hard today! I think the temperature is in the low 60s (F) so it's not cold but not really warm either. The flowers are blooming like crazy; garden produce is growing. This is a beautiful time of year in the Pacific Northwest!

Right now I am:::
Sitting in my chair (with my feet up); just finished a soda--very rare for me to indulge; waiting for dinner to finish baking; and writing this post!

Thinking and pondering:::
About all the cards I need to get made in the next few days! Shall I call this a "card crunch"?!! Some people go out and buy cards when they are needed but my family and friends have come to expect handmade cards from me so I need to get them done even if I'm not feeling particularly motivated!

On my bedside table:::
Living Life Undaunted Devotional by Christine Caine
The Dangers of Contemplative Prayer by Howard Peth
Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

On my TV tonight:::
I have been enjoying Growing Up Fisher on Tuesday nights. We watched Saving Mr. Banks yesterday and I loved it!!! Don't forget the tissue box if you decide to watch it!

Listening to:::
The sound of the wind...blowing hard!

On my menu for this week:::
Monday -- Tofurky Loaf roasted with potatoes, carrots and onions plus cauliflower, I think!
I don't have anything planned for the rest of the week!

On my to do list:::

  • Laundry--need to move load from washer to dryer
  • Clean out refrigerator
  • Make about 30 cards! Get Mother's Day and Birthday cards in the mail.
  • Clean off dining room table!
Happening this week:::
Hopefully nothing till Sunday--Mother's Day! I am hoping Mother's Day will include a trip to Portland (2 1/2 hours) for Brunch and a little shopping--Costco, Trader Joe's, Nordstrom Rack:)

What I am creating:::
Right now just cards but should have a lot to show over the next week!

My simple pleasure:::
Having Hubby cook and clean the kitchen occasionally. He did this on Saturday and it felt wonderful!!!

Homemaking tips:::
Today hubby's white clothes--tee shirts, socks, and white work shirt--looked pretty bad so I added about 1/2 cup of dishwasher powder to the load and the clothes came out considerably whiter. I plan to soak his white socks in a mixture that includes dishwasher powder. Will get back to you on that one.

Looking around the house:::
Dining room table looks like somebody blew something up! It's our drop spot and it's out of control. Better add that to my to do list! The rest of the house looks pretty good. The dogs have only a couple toys on the floor.

From the camera:::


This is a Sun Parasol Mandevilla that some friends gave us two summers ago. Each winter we cut it back so we can take it into the greenhouse. There it blooms until time to come back outside to enjoy the warm (???) weather! Isn't it beautiful?

Prayer List:::
  • My sister still recovering from hip replacement surgery, then broken femur surgery, then blood clot! Fortunately she is doing much better.
  • Church family still needing a house
  • DIL of friend who is having health problems
  • Friend selling (sold) her house then going to live near her son and DIL
Bible verse/Devotional:::
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

Well, that's it for me today! Thank you for visiting:)

Kat



Friday, May 2, 2014

Five Things Friday


Well, it I guess I needed a break yesterday because I didn't make it back yesterday:( Whew! The A to Z Blogging Challenge took a lot out of me...too much thinking! 

So, on to my 5 Things...


  • Our strawberry patch died or mostly anyway. But the other day while hubby and I were cleaning out one of the Square Foot Gardening beds to plant some strawberry plants he purchased, we found several plants that had volunteered in some of the squares! Woo Hoo! 


Oops! It looks like I made a shadow in my photo. Aren't these little plants cute? I love baby plants! I will share again when they get bigger!
  • I am participating in Carla's 21 Day Financial Fast at My 1/2 Dozen Daily. She is using the book The 21 Day Financial Fast by Michelle Singletary. I already blew it:( Well, only kinda! It just so happened that May 1 was the first day I could order new catalogs and pre-order items from Stampin' Up! I didn't think my customers would be very happy with having to wait almost a month to have the new catalog in their hot little hands. I did spend the very minimum but still spent $72. So for the rest of the 21 days I will have to be a good girl--no unnecessary spending!
  • I am probably going on a road trip via motorhome from Washington to Missouri the first two weeks of June! Some long-time family friends invited me to go with them on this trip and then I will fly home from Missouri! Another good reason for a financial fast!
  • Our dogs were enjoying the sunshine yesterday and actually allowed me to take pictures...
Our sweet little Rockstar, Rocky

Of course, our Big Boy, Beau!
  • Today is my 700th post!!! Woo Hoo! Who knew back in July of 2010 that I would have enough to show and tell to fill 700 posts?!!! 
Thank you for visiting today and sharing my 700th post with me! Have a great weekend!

Kat