A Little Miracle

Today I got to witness a miracle! His name is Kail and today is his BIRTHday. He arrived at 2:23 a.m., weighing 8 lbs 3 oz, & measuring 21 inches. It was an amazing gift his parents gave me by honoring me the privilege of being witness to his birth. His Mommy did a wonderful job and Daddy was very proud.  He's perfect and beautiful.  Nothing like the scent of a baby.

He's smiling!



I couldn't quit looking at him

Food Friday

Heart potatoes!  I made these for our Valentine Day dinner.  They were so good & pretty.

I used golden potatoes.

 

 I had a peeler you used from the side.  I kept peeling the skin off my fingers, so I got a new one and it works okay.  Maybe it's my technique.  I might have to find a Youtube video on how to use a peeler.   

 

 I used my slicer to make thin slices.  This kitchen tool is a dangerously sharp tool.  I'm very careful and use the guard every time.  It does work wonderfully.

I used my heart shaped cookie cutters and cut hearts out.

I tossed them with garlic and olive oil.

I sprayed a muffin tin with olive oil.  I stacked them in a muffin tin and added a pinch of salt and pepper.

 

 Baked them in a hot oven. 

 

I drizzled the some bread with garlic flavored olive oil and Italian seasoning.  Baked it and it was so good.  We grilled a steak to perfection. 

In memory of Brutus

 

 

One of my friends recently lost her dog, Brutus.  I remember when I lost Colby Dog it was one of the toughest moments.  I so loved Colby dog.  He was the most loving kind hearted dog.  Colby was sick and was really struggling for a bit before he died and it was so hard deciding when to take him to the vet to be put down, that sounds so awful even writing about it now.  Anyways, I read a book, “The Art of Racing In The Rain”.  I posted about this book in April 2010 and how it brought comfort to me.  I see Colby Dog everywhere and he talks to me still.

Bought a copy and sent it to to Linda.  Here’s how I packaged it.  Took out the manual typewriter and typed a note on some pretty pink paper then stitched & folded. 

Soldering

I've had my soldering iron out and started making chains…but the soldering iron couldn’t take the heat in the studio and blew up!   I had to move on … so on to the mini torch which works okay and have to be aware of the heat on the chain links.  But it was time to get a new soldering iron.  I headed over to a local stain glass store and got their recommendation on a good soldering iron.  I bought a nice one for about $130.  Later that evening I was having a conversation with my brother and was telling him about my purchase and he says, like he always says…did you check Amazon.com?  So we did and I found it to cost $85, dang that’s a big difference plus I get free shipping with Amazon!  So the next morning I went to return the one I bought .  The initial sales clerk was rude saying with no receipt no refund and also “refunds is stamped on the receipt and then pointed at it on my receipt.  I’m like here’s the story….I told her and that didn’t make it any easier.  She told me I would probably get a store credit but not cash!  So I asked to speak to the manager/owner.  I overheard the sales clerk tell the manager how I should not get a refund.  It was the owner who came to speak to me.  I explained if the cost was only $10 difference I would not of bothered.  But nearly $50 is too much of a difference to ignore and questioned the price difference.  She said she buys directly from the manufacture and was not happy to know I could get if for so much less.  I told her check Amazon .com for herself.  She told me I could get store credit and I was thinking in my head "hell no" it was less than 24 hours since I bought it and it would take me a  long time to use up that much store credit since I don’t do stain glass and have stocked up on my soldering supplies.  I said out loud  “really, really you’re not going to give me my money back?” She finally agreed to give me a full refund.  I think she understood I was being straight up with her and told her I like her shop and I shop there whenever I need supplies.  She said she actually has a meeting with the soldering company rep and will be discussing the pricing with him.  I ordered my soldering iron off Amazon.com for $50 less!  Lesson here is check on line before purchasing which will help avoid any confrontations.  My new soldering iron was delivered today....yeah.  

 

I have no idea what this means haha





Knitting

My friend, Kathy is awesome at knitting and makes the coolest things.  Her most recent was a necklace made out of some fancy thread with sequins.  Anyways she motivated me to learn how to knit.  I crochet but have never learned to knit.  Kathy teaches people how to knit and offered to teach me, but I didn't want to take advantage of her time.  So I found some yarn I had stashed away and got some knitting needles.  I watched a number of beginning knit Youtube videos thinking easy enough.  Wrong... too many ways to do the same thing.  I finally learned to cast on after so many attempts.

 

I learned the knit stitch and completed a row.  It's not as easy as the videos show.  I practiced it over and over again.  I also moved on the purl stitch and that has been just as hard to learn.

 

 

I decided to practice an hour each night and it's paying off. 

 

Last time I visited with Kathy, she taught me an easier way to do the knit stitch.  It again takes practice.  It is easier but still a challenge to not mess up and have to start over.  It's different in crocheting if you make a mistake all you do is unwind the yarn, but I can't seem to see an way to correct my mistakes so I start over.  ugh   My goal is to make a scarf...maybe by next winter...haha  There's a rhythm and I'm liking it.

Valentines!

I put together some Valentine boxes for some of my favorite Valentines, Melinda, Rhonda, Crystal, Chanel and Christine. 

 Pink was the theme!

 

My sister Melinda's box

I included a little pink note.  I used my manual typewriter and embellished it with some pink thread stitches.  Folded it up and send off in a tiny envelope.

 

I included some pink and red goodies

I used the sewing machine to seal the little packs of candy hearts.

The girl's boxes included the neatest pale pink drinking glass.

 

 

 

I put together some Valentine goodie bags for the twins and their family....

 

 

.... and look what they delivered to me today!

 

We got five cupcakes for Tom & I, I'm telling ya they are so good, I'm gonna have to hide'em.

I got the twins a Valentine outfit.  Loved the hearts on the pants.  Here's Addison dancing.

Olivia dancing...don't they look so cute in their outfits?

Everyone dancing on the ottoman!  It didn't last too long after a few knocks and bumps. 

Owen, Kailey, and the twins.

It's been a good day so far... Enjoy your Valentines Day!!  I know I will.

Twins

I've been hanging out with the twins since they were Baby A and Baby B.  In these photos they're 20 months old.  They're walking and making noises.  Saying words I understand and words I have no idea but all & all they are the cutest things.

 

Addison

 


Olivia showing me her mouth



Olivia's pony tail



Addison with her puppy toy



I'm reading to Addison



Addison looking so cute

Walking in 2013....



Last year on New Year's Eve 2012 several friends ran a midnight 5K and it looked like fun. I put a reminder on my cell phone to this on New Year's Eve 2013. I like walking and do get out and walk but not as regular as I thought I would. Well a 5K is 3.1 miles and the Midnight Madness 5K was a timed event. I did no practice walking I just winged it. It was cold out and the race began at 10:30 pm. First of all, I wore too many layers and I was hot by the first mile and had to carry my jacket. Secondly, I took a string backpack with way too much shit in it, water bottle, gum, hat, gloves, snack bar, etc. Thirdly, we began in the very back of the pack. I walked with two people who walked a faster pace than me and that frustrated me big time. Being at the end of the pack frustrated me, okay the truth be known I was the last person in the race and the two people with me were kind enough to stay with me. I wonder if they felt sorry for me...who knows who cares. I finished last at 59 minutes. Now to put this into perspective the fastest runner finished in 15 minutes. I was pretty proud of myself having never done this before. I was sore, cold and overwhelmed at the end.

 

 

Several days after this event a friend offered a treadmill to me.  I was so excited about walking at my convenience.  So along with the treadmill I had bottle of water, check.... music, check.... kindle, check.... earphones, check.check.

Well, staying on a treadmill takes some focus and motivation.  My goal is one hour a day taking a day off here and there.  I added a app to my phone so I can track my workouts.  I love the ability to keep a log.  I watch movies, HBO series, read, listen to Heart radio, or to my playlist...which by the way needs some better music.

I found I needed more to keep me on track.  I found some quotes and taped them to the wall so I can read them.  My favorite quote so far is "I don't stop when I'm tired, I stop when I'm done".

 

This quote is so important for me.  I was having a bad day and was feeling so discouraged.  You know that feeling you get when you step on the scale and don't see the results you were hoping for?

That was my day ... the scale was pissing me off!

But, as the quote says....

 

Last weekend I completed my second 5K walk event.  It was for a good cause and I had a great time.  The only goal I had was to keep my own pace and not let anyone else effect my stride!  I finished and my time improved from the first 5K walk we did on New Year's Eve.  I was not winded, not sore, not tired at the end of this event.  Each time I slowed down I remember the woman the event was about.  her name is Vandi Olson, she passed away way too young a year ago.  I felt honored to walk in her memory.  Overall, a great day.

Tom & I are signed up for another 5K event in March, the Neon Run.  Should be fun and I'll keep you posted.  Of course my biggest fear is quitting .... I'm hoping by posting my progress it will help me stay focused and motivated to keep walking.

Photo Challenge

 

In January I participated in a photo challenge on Facebook. Not as many people participated as I thought would. A lot of friends did follow those of us who posted photos. Facebook wasn’t all that easy to get organized. I tried to form a group so anyone who wanted to see the photo could easily do in the group. But it wouldn’t work right. I loved seeing everyone’s photos and it was so fun to get out with my camera. Here’s some of my photos from the challenge and some cools ones from the others.

 

 

 

Challenge....Green



Challenge... After Dark

Challenge...Childhood Memory

Challenge....Silhouette



Challenge....Self Portrait

Challenge....Technology



Challenge...Your Shoes



Challenge....What's in your purse

Challenge...Close Up



Challenge.... Black & White

Challenge....Flowers

Challenge.... Celebration

Other photos from the  participants of the challenge

Challenge...B&W

Challenge...Strangers

Challenge...What's in your purse

Challenge...Inspiration

Challenge...Inspiration

Challenge....What's in your purse

Challenge...Shoes

Challenge....Something Blue