my life

Allowing God to Work Miracles

2011-11-30T09:10:00.000-08:00

November 30 2011

The redwood trees in my front yard pull a cloak of fog and mist tight against their boughs. The wind is beginning to pick up and will soon blow the shroud of fog and mist away. Oak leaves float by the window like snow, dancing on the breeze, spiraling downward, carpeting the ground is drifts of vibrant color.

Of late, I have been almost consumed with problems, more of my own making than anything. Problems that exist, certainly, but that grow like a well-tended fire, my mind playing with what ifs instead of letting go and relying on God to handle the situation.

I know that it is silly, futile, to hold on to problems. To worry is a waste of time and energy and a separation from God. Worry is the fear of unknown and fear is a lie. God’s arm is too long and too strong for any problem to be beyond His ability to reach and repair.

And yet, I hold on.

This last Sunday a member of our church reminded us during testimony in service of how she held on to so many things because she, like all of us, felt the need to be in control. I laughed inside at that, not at her or her situation, but at myself, because we all do that. I hold on to problems and worries trying to fix what only God has the power to fix.

As she learned, by letting go, and letting God the blessings and hopes she had tried to manipulate and control seemed to appear almost overnight. God had been in the background all along and was waiting only for her to surrender so that He could work through her to create exactly the miracles and blessings that she was worried about.

That’s how God works most of the time. He comes in quiet, stealth, God doesn’t push, He nudges and He waits for our surrender so that He can work His miracles and blessings through us. Marianne Williamson put it this way in “Everyday Grace”

“He cannot do for us, what He cannot do through us.”

I think of this quote often because it holds such amazing truth, and yet, even though these words inspire me, I forget them, or at the very least, fail to apply the truth of them to my own life.

It is in our willingness to believe in His unlimited power, that miracles happen and miracles happen every day. The miracle may be just a small nudge from God, a thought that sweeps through us bringing light to the situation; it may be the blessing of a job, or a bill that was reduced, almost magically, because the electric company made a mistake. It can be anything, but rest assured, miracles happen, every single day.

We hold onto our problems and our worries, hoarding them like we would a coveted prize; we feed the fire of worry by dwelling on the problem instead of resting in God; we try to manipulate the “fix” and change the world to our needs and wants instead of letting go of the branch and dancing with the wind, allowing God to show us His design for us. Like the oak leaf that God designed to change color and to light the world with its dance, we must allow His design for our lives to fill the world with the rich and vibrant color of the miracles He works through us.

“He cannot do for us, what He cannot do through us.”

Words to remember.

Erika and Chad

2011-10-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

Prayer

2011-08-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of pics, and a prayer that has been on my mind.

This next picture brings to mind a friend of mine that I know loves her garden. I just liked the whole ambience of the photo. It also reminds me of a prayer that I have been working on. Still sort of a rough draft, but a prayer I like to keep in mind.

Heavenly Father,

Please take from me all those things that bind me to the past,

Take from me the hurts and the pains, take my sorrows, everything that holds me

Prisoner to the ways of this world.

Give to me instead wings of kindness and compassion, love.

Teach me to soar on the winds of your mercy and grace

And to shine your light on others.

Let me be the hands and feet of your

Faithful love.

Give me a heart that is pure, steadfast;

A heart that aches to serve you,

To pursue you,

To live you,

and in all things

To trust you.

Let me be an example that

shows someone else

The love and peace that you have given me,

That they might know you

Through the light you shine in me.

Amen.

Candle

2011-07-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

Light a candle in a room with the doors and windows closed, without any movement of air, and it will burn straight upward towards the heavens. From across that same room, gently, slowly, sweep your arm, and watch as a few seconds later, the shift in the air current reaches the candle, the flame wavers, flickers, curves and dances with the change of the air current.

If you put your hand into a glass bowl of clean, clear water, you can see the change in hydrology. As your hand breaks the surface, the water flows outward. Like the movement of the water, change the shift of the air current, the flame responds.

God feeds us and teaches us differently, at different times, in different ways. What may break me and bring me to my knees in pain and fervent prayer, testing the strength of my flame of faith, may barely break the air current of yours. He comes to us according to His desires for us, not ours. He teaches us using whatever it is in our lives that make us weak or strong, depending on where we are for Him in our faith at the time. He changes us using those currents in our lives, those things that will reach us, teach us, stay with us.

Sometimes, even in a room without movement, a candle flame will flicker and wave. The wick is too long, too much fluff. Trimming the wick, it returns to it's natural state, burning upwards.

Our lives are no different, we like to keep the "fluff" closely guarded, close to our hearts: that extra stuff that stands in the way of our burning pure for God. But God is wise, and His loving hand reaches down and moves the current, sometimes ever so gently, sometimes not so gentle, and we waver in the current shift and we are reminded that the "fluff" has no place in our faith and place with God. Trimming our wicks, our fluff, brings strength to the flame of our faith and, like the candle flame, we burn pure and upward.

As I am sitting here contemplating the stillness of a candle flame, one of my dogs, jumps down from the couch. The candle is on top of the table, but even that downward motion of air has reached the candle testing its flame.

The key isn't to living in a room with closed doors and windows and keeping motion limited so as not to disrupt the flame, but rather keeping our wicks trimmed, faithfully burning, curving, dancing in the motion of life, flickering ever upward, towards God.

Sunlight

2011-04-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

The sun yawns, lazily rises over the horizon.
Tree branches bare only two weeks ago,
stretch upward, tiny green buds dappling the sunlight.
God comes to us this way:
quiet in His power and Glory
shining rays of golden goodness and mercy on us.
Little by little, we wake and stretch upward towards blue skies,
plant our feet, toes curling into God’s good green earth;
Our budding love and trust for Him, grounding us
In His everlasting love.

LLR

Renewal

2011-03-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Have you ever noticed how many scriptures you read in the Bible that talk about renewal, transformation, being new? The moon is new each quarter; in the fall and winter, plants fade off and seem to die, by pruning them, those same plants and flowers will renew and transform into their God given beauty in the spring and summer.

I think God wants us to be like that. Continually renewing ourselves in Him. In her book "Jesus Calling," Sarah Young, writing as the voice of God, says:

"Refresh yourself in the Peace of My Presence. This Peace can be your portion at all times and in all circumstances."

Oh how amazing it is to KNOW that in each and every way, no matter what struggles are going on in our lives, no matter the heartbreak we might face, no matter how BIG something may seem, God promises us that we can always find Peace in Him, we only need to seek His presence.

Heavenly Father, Thank You. Thank you for the peace that you give to me in my life; thank you for reminding me to daily renew myself in Your Presence. Thank you for loving me, and reminding me each and every day, that being in Your Presence, makes You happy. It certainly makes me happy too!

Amen

One of those defining moments

2011-02-01T09:40:00.000-08:00

“You Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.: Isaiah 26:3

It was one of those defining moments when something small grabs your attention and the impact it has brings you to your knees.

My little dog Abbie is a miniature long-haired dachshund, red, adorable, sweet and funny. A few weeks ago she started suffering from really dry skin and has been scratching herself a lot.

About 4 this morning, she started scratching and wouldn’t stop, waking me up. After a few mins of her continuing I got frustrated and just sort of jumped out of bed without taking a moment or two to wake up. So, now I’m up early and grumpy.

After I fed the dogs, Abbie wouldn’t eat her food, so I was fighting with the other two dogs to keep them out of her bowl and finally just gave up and put her bowl up. Abbie was still scratching so I decided Benadryl was in order. Well that turned into a small struggle.

You know how when you sometimes drink a soda and someone makes you laugh it goes up your nose and it hurts and burns? Well apparently that’s what happened, only with the Benadryl. So now my dog is choking, foaming at the mouth and in general freaking out because the Benadryl has gone up her nose and she is not happy. The hiccups ensued, followed by dry heaves. OK. I’m done. I get my coffee and sit down on the couch with her on my lap and spent the next 30 minutes trying to calm her.

As she was laying there, her sweet little head resting against my shoulder, she started to calm down. The more she calmed down the more I calmed down; and the more I calmed down, the louder I heard God talking to me. You see, to me, Dogs are truly little angels sent from God. This morning was a perfect example of that. As Abbie lay there in my arms, I realized that, even though I started the morning off grumpy with her, frustrated, and upset, here she was, not hiding from me, but laying in my lap, letting me love her, letting me care for her. Her unconditional love for me, even in my mess up, is a reminder of God’s amazing and unconditional love. His love for me is limitless. Even when I mess up, God loves me.

Some pretty amazing things have been going on in my heart and my life lately, and I feel hear and see God working in me. As I was driving to work after all this, my eyes started filling with tears, and my heartstrings were being gently tugged. I thought about the morning and was reminded that I have always been a very tender hearted person, and yet, I have had to, or at least I thought I had to, had a little bit of a rough exterior. In the past this has served as my armor to shelter me from hurt.

But there is this new Linda emerging. A woman that God is redefining, molding into the woman He wants me to be. Not the mold other people want me to fit in; not the mold of the woman I want to be; but the mold of the woman that my Heavenly Father wants me to be.

There is a new gentleness of spirit in my heart today, a spirit that God is working on. I have seen a simple gracefulness emerging in my heart. It isn’t something born of weariness or defeat, rather, born of the struggles that I know God has allowed me to bear because He needs me to be strong. It is this new woman that is emerging that reminds me that in everything, God is good and He will Love me and see me through. Armed with God now, I am little by little, becoming New.

Heavenly Father, thank you for this morning. Thank you for reminding me that even when I mess up that you love me. Thank you for reminding me that you are working in my heart and in my life, and that you are redefining who I am. Thank you for teaching me that all of my struggles are opportunities to grow; that failure is nothing but perspective, and that, in all things, if I arm myself with Your Love, and trust in You my life will continue to grow, and I pray that because of what you have done in my life, I will help to plant the seed of You in the hearts of others.

Amen.

Psalm 23

2011-01-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

More and more I am finding what it means to find God in the Bible. Reading this Psalm reminds me.

This has been a difficult week, filled with disappointment and trials, and has left me weary, tired, saddened.

I have struggled much of this week with arrogant and aggressive people. People who find pleasure with creating drama. People who gossip and spread that gossip like wildfire, never giving a moment's thought to the destructive nature of their actions, not caring who or what lies in the path. In fact, finding joy in the pain that it causes. They often try to drag me into their games and drama; I become subject of their gossip; their ability to rile me because of my sensitive nature is a game they have thrived on for years. My walk with God lately has taught me to stay away from and remain indifferent to their plots to "rule the game," which has just given them more fuel for the fire. I just want to go about my business, improve myself in all ways, in particular in my walk with God, where I find peace and comfort. Truth. They cannot accept this from me.

I want to spend time with people from my church, I don't want to spend time with people like this...It is not conducive to my mental or emotional health to be with people who will, in any given conversation, find 10 different ways to demean and persecute me for being who I am; for being different and not fitting the mold they want to pour me into; for not siding with them; for not promoting their cause. It certainly isn't conducive to my growth in my Faith. They struggle to be "top dog" in a world where there is no such position.

I find myself tired, drained of energy, in desperate need of renewal. I succumbed a few times to weakness, allowing the enemy to slip through the gate, I let anger get the better of me by allowing myself to dwell on the pain and disruption that their games cause in my life. It weakens me.

A friend, Cori, reminds me that "we as women need to stop and just BE and quit trying to control..."

and "Peace in the storm. You cannot control the storm but He is your provision and protection in any storm."

Cheryl reminds me that "God is in CONTROL"

and AJ directs me to "her favorite promise"

"We know that in everything God works for the good of those that love Him. They are the people He called because that was His plan."

Yesterday, I had a good workout at the gym, prayer time with God; and let my friends' wonderful advice and Psalm 23 carress my weary soul.

Today, I am renewed. I have laid down in the green pastures that God has led me to; I have let the still waters of His word restore my weary soul; my life is full. I have God, I walk with Him and even in my times of weakness, I hear Him calling me: "Linda, Linda, this is the way, follow it. "

"And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel. " Luke 1:80.

2010-12-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

How like God it is to remind me that in the very ordinariness of human struggle we are surrounded by the extraordinary.

Having raised my children and seen them safely out of the nest, and myself, getting safely out of the trap of a failed and bitter marriage, I struggle with impatience to know God's new purpose for me. With each season of our lives, I believe that God gives us new purpose. My season of motherhood and marriage is behind me and there is a new, yet undefined season, waiting for me.

Day after day my life seems to idly meander like a small stream in the midst of a vast forest, weaving in and out of rich foilage and around rocks, never quite getting to where it is going. I know that in all things, it is in God's time, and yet, I am impatient to know just when is God's time; why is it taking so long, and what do I need to do to hurry it along?

As I read Luke 1:80 last night, it dawned on me with such breathtaking simplicity that in the daily ordinary moment, I am a seed planted in the sweet soil of God's love, and He is waiting on me. Waiting for me to stretch against this new fabric and reach outward and upward, leaning into His light; Waiting on me to grow and become strong in spirit, then by His will, to lean gracefully into exactly the place where He wants me to be.

Our lives are filled with days, days are filled with moments. It is our job, and God's passionate wish for us, to fall in love with our moments. To learn to taste, touch, feel, sing and dance life. God is everywhere, and finding him in the small daily moments of life teaches us to fall in love with life.

"The Presence of God

I looked a hundred times and all I saw was dust.
The sun broke through and flecks of gold filled the air."

Mark Nepo.

How do you see

2010-11-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

Over the last few Sundays, Pastor Michael has been doing a series of sermons about the names of God. Interesting, to say the least, these names have brought just that much more about God's amazing love and grace into perspective for me. This past Sunday, Ashley Jennings did the sermon, and talked about the name Immanuel. Love that Ashley, you did such an awesome job of reminding us that God is with us.

My favorite of these sermons was a couple weeks ago. We had each received a blank name tag before the serivce began and when Pastor Michael was finished, he asked us to take a few moments to reflect on who God is to us, given the meaning of each of the names we had learned. We then had the opportunity to write that on the name tag and place it on the altar.

As I was having my God Time this morning, I was looking out the window and watching the wind as it tossed tree branches into the air, and then, letting loose, the branches would plunge back down, the force of the fall dropping them low to the ground before another gust would come and throw them back up. Contemplating the names I wrote down on that tag, I realized that we each see and feel a different side of God. For me, God is my provider, my strength, redeemer and my fortress, a safe harbour in a storm.

Watching the storm outside I thought of the internal storms of life that we all face, like tree branches in the storm, we are often tossed into the air into the midst of difficult and trying times. If we cling and hold on too tight, loosing our faith and trust in God, we come crashing to the ground unable to hold on in the terrifying storm, broken fragments of our better selves. As frightening as those stormy trials of our lives are, it is only when we trust in God that we bend and move with the wind as it tosses us about, and rather than crashing to the ground, we move and flow with the wind, and God's Grace blesses us.

In the last few months, I have learned that in turning my trials over to God and trusting in Him to do His Will, my life has been so much more peaceful. The stormy winds and tides have been calmer. It doesn't mean that I don't still have sorrows, or sometimes question God; it certainly doesn't mean that I don't sometimes try to take the ship to steer it through the rolling waters myself, it just means that I have found more peace in trusting God, than I have in myself. I think the more that we bend and move with God the more peace and love we find in our lives.

Mark Nepo wrote:
I envy the tree
how it reaches
but never holds.

I like that. I think I shall try to be more the tree that bends, and allows God to do His will.

Fall

2010-09-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

It is 630 pm on an early September evening and I am picking late tomatoes from my garden. The tomatoes didn't do as well as they usually do, the summer was very mild, and not hot enough. But there are cherry tomatoes and big beefy tomatoes, and I am grateful for their sweet and hearty flavor, a wonderful addition to many meals over this past summer.

I have taken down my "easy set" pool because it is not hot enough to use anymore. Leaves are falling off the trees in my front and back yards, a gentle reminder that fall is just around the corner. Halloween; Thanksgiving; Family time; Christmas; a new year; hope.

I will plant some grass seed this fall, trying to grow a heartier and lovelier lawn. I spent a great deal of time this summer killing off weeds and invasive grasses that ruined the lawn, that done, it will soon be ready to be reseeded. I hope to work in the front and back gardens doing some very basic but appealing landscaping.

I have spent time recently purging. Getting rid of the old, refreshing, leaving behind things not used, no longer needed. Wondering at some as to why I ever acquired it. I have taken the step to do the same with my heart and soul. To get rid of the old, leaving behind those things left unused, unwanted.

I have reflected much on the last two years of my life. Life changing experiences, growth. Watching Shawna get her AA, knowing her pursuit for her education will not end there. Kaitie having a baby, me becoming a grandmother; my neice having her first baby and Pammy becoming a grandmother too. I have reunited with my family, brothers and sisters I have not had in my life for a very long time. For whatever reasons, we all found it important this year and have taken strides towards keeping that family base alive and well, including a treat from my younger brother, Doug, who is flying us all out to Chicago in late October to spend a sibling weekend together, celebration of what would have been my mother's 75th birthday. A chance to reacquaint.

I have found a more simple, slower and yet wonderful pace and grace in my life. Settling down into the who of me and digging deep within to find what it is that I want at the stage in my life.

Single, divorced. Grown children. I have a job I love and am grateful for. Yet there is more that I need, want to do, the fiber of my soul is reweaving itself into different directions, a sunflower that bends and reaches towards whatever direction the sun takes. I am reaching out, growing in new directions, and I am being called to something and I am restless to know what God plans for me. It isn't about a new job, but about adding something to my life that I am passionate about and love. I haven't figured what that is yet, knowing God has planned it so that I receive it at the right time.

Later now, Abbie sleeps on my feet on the couch. I have the tv on low, not really watching but watching the night unfold covering the day with a blanket of darkness.

L

REALITY CHECK!

2010-06-10T08:32:00.000-07:00

You should go to Stephanie Howell's blog post here and check it out. Because it's real. Because it is insightful into who she is and because, just because in my opinion she is right. We should share the reality of our lives and I really do not like false representations.

So here's a little reality list of my own:

I get up at 500 am in the morning, feed three dogs, drink a cup of coffee, shower, do my makeup, hair and dash off to an 8-9 hour a day job. 5 days a week

I sleep in on the weekends until 630...can't make it past that.

My house is always clean

My laundry is always done

I make my bed everyday.

I always wear makeup

I always do my hair...ok that's not true. Sometimes I just leave it wet and it get real curly and I straighten my bangs and that's what you get.

I iron my clothes (work clothes) everyday. I can't help it, it's habit.

I can do these things because I don't have a husband or kids to take care of. Otherwise, a lot of this would go out the window.

I am 53 and I live alone. I am single and I am ok with that right now. Matter of fact, I love it right now.

I get lonely sometimes. Really lonely.

I go places with my daughter and her friends sometimes....like concerts, hiking. seriously, it's fun.

I don't cook very much anymore because it's just me. I don't like that because i love to cook.

My week evenings are pretty much spent cleaning, doing laundry, going to the gym, riding my bicycle and reading.

I facebook too much.

I don't scrap enough.

My scraproom is a disaster. I clean it up. Mess it up...and clean it up again.

I spend too much time alone sometimes. But I really like it.

I talk to my dogs. All the time.

My best friend is nothing like me. She does not do outdoor stuff. She doesn't scrap...she does make fabulous cards though. And she is really more like a sister than anything.

I have a really hard time with motivation during the week.

I cannot scrap, practice photography or do anything until all of my "chores" are done. Now who the hell asssigns me chores? Me! Sad that!

I am BORING! LOL....

You Are My Sunshine

2010-05-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

When my dd Shawna was born, her Aunt Debbie gave her a little pastel colored clown that had a music box and played "You Are My Sunshine." I sang it to her all the time when she was little. Did the same thing when my youngest DD showed up and it has been sort of a tradition with the girls. They both still love the song, and I still have that adorable clown although he's a little battered and the music box died somewhere along the line.

Whenever I have my grand daughter Marley Jane, I sing it to her to, as does her mom. It just sticks, and I love this picture of her first time at the park. She was cutting a tooth and a little cranky, but she is always up for pics for Nama (me), the sun was shining on that crazy, wild faux hawk of hers too.

This line is by We R Memory Keepers. I recently found a little treasure of a shop in Sacramento that I had never heard of and although the shop is small, Beverly has a nice selection. There is a small piece of sass lass in there as well.

So, another milestone today, my dog Max (this pic is when he was a little pooch), turned 11 today. I have to laugh because this morning he was running around like a 4 month old puppy chasing Abbie and playing with Zack. He just still has so much puppy in him, even at 11.

And the story behind the pink face....lol....So about 10 years ago when Max was a puppy, my ex husband called me at work one day and the receptionist told me he was on the phone, and she was cracking up because he could barely talk he was laughing so hard. I get on the phone with him and no kidding he was laughing so hard that it took him 5 minutes to get it out that Max had a pink face. Now my heart skipped a beat because the night before Shawna had colored her hair this ridiculous shade of red and it turned out pink, and I thought, OMGosh Max got into the trash and got hair color all over him, but nope. Turns out he ate a paper mache' apple off the Christmas tree, he had it all over the carpet his feet, etc. My ex snapped this picture after trying to clean him up. I still have this picture framed at home.

Any who....not much else going on. Love getting to have scrappy time during the week. I feel so much better now that I have my scrap room getting put together.

I'm off to get some work done.

have a great day!

Marley at the park

2010-05-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

Life is busy, changing, working too much, stressing too much. Transisitions are difficult.

I have this baby girl though. That I am so grateful for.

Lil Ms. Marley Jane at the park this weekend.

She has her first tooth coming in and just let me

tell you,

she

does

not

all.

Still, how can you avoid loving this little face.

and the hair?

Seriously...

Create the Life You Want

2010-04-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

I had to email my girl Heather the day before I posted this. I mean I didn't want the sweetheart to have a heart attack or anything like that, seeing as this is the SECOND scrap page I have done in a week...I' just saying H.

Anyway, I took these pictures of my dd Shawna down by the American River, found these stunning Graphic 45 papers at a local Beverly's store, and this stunner lo from beckyjune at Two Peas, and, well, it just sorta fell together from there. I am very happy with the results and it just happened so easily.

It's funny because usually when I attempt to lift a lo from someone, I end up frustrated because it doesn't look as good, the papers are different and it doesn't all fall together. But this is a totally different look from Becky's lo and it worked very well. I'm feeling my mojo coming back.

I have mentioned that almost all of the scrap stores in our area have gone out of business. I posted a thread in the Two Peas message board asking Sacramento area scrappers where they shop and got a lead on a place (it's a little bit of a drive for me) but it's called Beverly's Unique Scrapbooking. And Beverly has a very nice selection. She doesn't have a lot of space so she can't carry a lot but she has a good selection and the only thing I would have to shop on line for most likely is PP. She doesn't have enough of it but she does have a good selection.

Not much going on, looking forward to the weekend, some bike riding, visiting my granddaughter, and some gardening, and hopefully some more scrappiness.

Thanks for visiting, leave me some love.

Blue Eye Girl

2010-04-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Recently my friend Heather purged her scrappy stuff and sent me two huge boxes. This weekend I had the chance to play and did this lo. I am sorely disappointed in the scan of it so I think I will take a picture of it and repost it.

My granddaughter, Marley Jane, has such beautiful Blue Eyes. They are the darker blue eyes, with hints of light grey slowly becoming visible, and they sparkle. I love her eyes.

It felt good to get scrappy, I have been so busy with Shawna's invitations, working out, riding my bike, and cleaning and organizing my house and scrap space that I haven't really been motivated to scrap a lot. And when I have wanted to scrap, my mojo was not there. So it felt good to do this page.

I had a great weekend. Gym and cleaning and working around the house all Saturday, and on Sunday I did a 32 mile bike ride on the American River Trail. We are so fortunate here in the Sacramento area to have this trail. It surrounds the American River and Lake Folsom, so the view is just beautiful in most places. And if you get tired or just want to stop for awhile, you always have a gorgeous view to look at and a great opportunity to see a lot of our local waterfowl, deer, suicidal squirrels that love to race out in front of the bike, and butterflies galore. The trail is also used for a great many walking and running events, which is cool too.

It's back to work today and a full week. I am amping up for fiscal year close over May - July, and that usually means a lot of stress, overtime and frustration. But I am determined this year to do my best to stay ahead of the game and not let the frustration get to me, which is difficult because this is also the busiest time of our year for our projects, construction season, and that means engineers lining up at my door for bid packages and contracts. Yay me! LOL.

OK nuff of that, Im off to work and hope you all have a fab week.

Hugs.

August.....my goal date to take a week vacation because by then, I will be exhausted. LOL..

Scrappy??? Psyche!!!

2010-04-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Really, the only scrappy stuff I have done lately is this card. It is a sample of my dd Shawna's graduation invite I am making. I am going to change the flowers, haven't decided what, Shawna doesn't like that part of it but loves the rest.

She wanted something girlie. I wanted something girlie, her and simple, because I have lots of them to make by the end of the month. (funky scan, sorry). Inside these I will be putting a couple of pics that I recently took of her. I think they will be nice.

Next week I am taking a week of vacation. By the end of May the busiest time of my year will be coming on and I will be slammed and not able to miss any work until about August, which is a drag, but it happens every year. So this year I decided to get ahead of the game and take a week before it all starts hitting.

I will be getting my scrap on next week, not so much in scrappy stuff as getting my scrap room done. Yep, finally. I will paint, put up shelves, get my desk in there, organize and in general spend a lot of time looking over all of my scrapgoodedness and remembering what I have in anticipation of finally getting to play in a room that is totally dedicated to SCRAPPY, CRAFTY, SEWING, PAINTING and just general fun things that I like to do.

After visiting Donna Downeys site again recently I have decided that I must get into and produce some canvas art for my room. I am also working on an adorable cross stitch that will go on my wall and

I don't know what it is, it must be from visiting Donna's site, but I am feeling so much like getting back into sewing...no not clothes, I hate sewing clothes, but things like crafts, curtains for my scraproom, wall hangings, aprons, fun things, including a fabric scrapbook. I love to visit Donna's blog and website , just so full of inspiration, color, fun!

A while back Heather sent me a wonderful box full of purged goodies, and she just sent me another HUGE box full of papers and alphabets. Scrappy mail time is so much fun. I also placed an order for a bunch of stuff on Two Peas, but somehow the order got messed up and now I have had to cancel it. I guess I will be reordering it next week along with some more stuff. They have free domestic shipping for all orders $50 or more.

OK...heading off to go back to work. Next week, I am going to try to take some pics of things that I am doing, along with some new Marley pics, and possibly, hopefully, I intend to anyway, SCRAPPY STUFF.

Hugs.

Thursday Links

2010-03-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted since last week because I still have nothing scrappy to share (at least not my own). I have been very busy getting my garden ready for planting, going through filing, papers, clothes, and everything else in my house and purging. Simplify! That's where I am going right now. Organization and simplification. It feels....ummmm, CLEAN.

Last Sunday I went on a hike with my dd Shawna and a group of her friends. We had an absolute blast, laughed so hard the whole day, and just enjoyed some really great people and times. The weather was beautiful and so enjoyable. You can check out the photos from our hike here.

I was viewing the member gallery on Two Peas today for the first time in about a week and I was just floored by these from Tomoko Takahashi:

This Frame

and this one

and this gorgeous lo.

Wow, talk about talent.

While you are there, check out Amber Ulmer newest los of her adorable little girl on her 2peas gallery.

Talking Talent, check out Heather's newest digis. She is rocking the digis lately and while I was on her blog I discovered these awesome Ali Edwards Brushes from Designer Digitals. And had to buy them. Im not a digi lo person, but I have been dabbling in a lot of hybrid stuff, and love using digital elements and brushes like this.

One more fun link, my friend Allison has a new blog that is so cute. Go by and say hi to her.

I am going up to visit Kaitie and Marley Jane tomorrow night, and this weekend is all about gardening, some more cleaning, and a good long and relaxing bike ride on the trail. What are your plans for this weekend?

That's about all I have for now, enjoy the links and come back for some more posts next week, hopefully I will have something scrappy of my own to share.

Hugs!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say Happy St. Patrick's Day. The sun has been shining, I have been getting outdoors when I can. I am still sick...don't know what's up with that. Went from a really bad cold that got into my upper respiratory system and now the doc says I have really bad allergies. Sore throat, coughing, stuffy, and feeling yuck, yuck, yuck. I think he's says allergies cuz he can't figure it out...it sure doesn't feel like allergies. But in Sacramento, where we have so many trees, and everything is blooming right now, it very well may be. Ick.

Anywho...I am just getting from day to day and trying to take it easy and get rest when I get home. Maybe stress just caught up with me and brought me down. Whatever it is, I am trying to get well.

Monday I took Kaitie to an appointment and Marley Jane to a doctor's appointment. Marley, as usual had me laughing so hard I was crying. She has developed her belly laugh, she smiles a lot, she talks constantly, she sticks her tongue out while talking constantly and smiling, the nurse was even cracking up at her. The kid thinks she's a comedian.

After a few hours of toting about to different appointments, shopping for Kaitie for some jeans, the little one just fell sound asleep in her stroller. So cute.

Love this little pic of her that Kaitie took with her Pink Rubber Duckie.

And just a quick share of a pic of my beautiful dd Shawna.

Have a Fabulous Day. Hugs

Welcome

2010-03-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

I don't have the blog completely set up yet, but this week alone I have had several people ask me when I would get a new one, and what happened to the old one. Most of you know what happened to the old one, we will leave it at that. I am just glad to get a few minutes to get a short post in for my friends....and those that read my blog and don't leave comments (who shall remain nameless), shame on you for not letting me know you care....pouting now...LOL.

So...life. Well, it is crazy, beautiful, a mess and everything else along with it. Work is busy. Way busy. I haven't been training too much on my cycling because I have had an upper respiratory thing going on for a little over 2 weeks, but feeling much better and I actually took a short 15 mile ride yesterday. It was cold, but it was a good ride.

Ms. Marley Jane is growing like a weed, she's not quite five months old and smiley baby, happy baby. She has discovered how to play with her toes and feet, she is laughing...cracks me up, she is moving around a lot, and now is the time to be very careful about her being on the bed, couch, or making sure you have a firm grip on her while she is in your arms. Apparently, my best friend was holding her the othe day and Marley just arched her back suddenly and almost out of Ann's arms..... Sunday afternoon Shawna and I visited and for Marley Jane, and for her it was all about her tongue...she is currently fascinated with rolling it around in her mouth before sticking it out, bubbles and all. I have a pic of that for another post (because Im at work and don't have a copy of it here.)

This weekend got to go out with Shawna and take some fab photos of her, here is just one, I have some cropping to do and review all of the rest to decide what we keep and what goes. it was fun to spend the day together doing fun stuff, had lunch together, and then visited Kaitie and the baby. We enjoyed it alot.

I have been very scrappy lately, most of which has been for fundraising purposes for the Team in Training. I did a couple of layouts that I am not happy with and so I haven't/won't post. LOL...I hate that. Kaitie likes them though so she will get them for Marley Jane's first year book. I have had several people ask me to make cards for them for friends birthdays and such, and that is good. I like that it keeps me busy and creating even when Im not doing layouts much.

I have been thinking a lot about organization, and getting busy finishing painting and decorating my little duplex. I have been thinking lots and lots about direction; about forward movement. And that's where I'm at. Moving forward. Leaning over the edge, enjoying each minute as it comes. Grateful for everyday, everything.

I will be back shortly, and a little at a time I will try to enhance this blog get it looking nice. For now, thanks for visiting...leave me some love. I love hearing from all of you.

{{{Hugs}}}