Surprise Blessings!

Yesterday I received a small package in the mail from my bff Cheri...
Cheri knew how I was struggling lately with all the issues of this year and the angel she is she went out and found me a Sterling Silver Heart with pave and baguette diamonds channeled
into the heart. She said it was to remind me that she & GOD love me and a friend loveth at ALL times!
yes I cried some more...

Last night while I was watching little Gavin my dear sweet friend Lori *and our Pastors wife*
called me to run out & see the sunset, bless her heart she knows I take thousands of photos of the sky.
Well I didn't really rush as it was raining here and didn't think I would see anything...BOY WAS I WRONG!

It was still sprinkling but here are a few snapshots I took while the sun set.










Thank you Cheri, Lori & GOD!

FREEBIE THURSDAY

First & Foremost a BIG THANK YOU to those that have placed orders, helping me stay a Consultant!
GOD has been working on my heart to be more open with friends & family, which in the past has been
very difficult due to betrayals by family & a few I thought were friends. Sending that email was truly an exercise in Trust & Faith in GOD.

We're supposed to rejoice in our tribulations, "knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance" (Romans 5:3). The Lord tells me to "boast about my weaknesses"...even difficult losses & grief..."so that the power of Christ may dwell in me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Because I have been so blessed I want to share just a little something with everyone, a page of ideas & free wallpapers from my site with everyone.

Desktop Wallpapers/Layouts

Project Ideas
I hope you enjoy them

What if we all did a little something for one person everyday? It could be everyone in your day...something to aspire to but start with one person. Smile at a stranger, hug friends you meet, give someone a compliment, open a door for someone else, pay the toll for someone behind you, bring a neighbor a plate of cookies, send a card to someone.
I know others have tried to inspire us to do these things and called them pay it forward, random acts of kindness..etc. They used to be called manners, courtesy, respect, decency and loving others.

Lets try to make these a habit starting today...one person, then two, then more....Share with us how you found a way to BLESS SOMEONE else and maybe you will inspire another for tomorrow!

Blessings 2 U Friends

A LONG WEEKEND....

Which started Friday at 9am loaded up the kids & drove to the Florida State Fairgrounds to set up for CELEBRATE TAMPA.
until 2pm then drove electric cart until 3pm helping consultants in with their boxes & carts of supplies.
Left at 3:15 to pick up Gavin and babysat until 12:30 am got up at 6:30 and headed back to the fairgrounds for the event.

This is Saturday Morning at 9am 1100 women working on their albums



Here is my group of Ladies!


At 3pm they play YMCA and everyone gets up to sing & dance...except my rowdy group they get on their chairs to sing & dance...this started at Celebrate Orlando a few years ago... we were missing one of our regular gals Ann who had foot surgery, she is usually up here with the gals




At 8pm we hauled my inventory out front down the way to my car & then I came back in to work with my dh
helping drive the carts loading the consultants with their supplies up to head home.

The kids chipped in helping Melanie, Julie & Rene, anyway they could. See these ladies travel the country putting on these events for us and they haul all the pages, decorations, tools etc to each town. CRAZY but we love them for it!


NOW ONTO THE DRAWING.....
The winner was chosen this morning and it is Vicki of Hogscald Holler!!

CONGRATULATIONS VICKI! email me so I can get your address
Tresured at tampabay dot rr dot com

Thank you all for entering and if you send me your address' at the email above I will send you a
consolation prize!

Blessings 2 U Friends

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.......The Giveaway!

Finally just as I was running out to get the mail the rain really starts coming down...
When I ran back in to check through it I found the camera battery was charged.

So without further adieu


This is a fairly large boxthe side has a magnetic enclosure with a lovely ribbon


Inside is a grapevine wreath bundle, an old bobbin/spindle, stack of cinnamon sticks tied with raffia, a couple of embroidery or punch needle hoops, a post it pack with angels, small lavender sachet from my own bush, tiny wooden rocking bunny, a toy sheep that I bought just for this box of goodies, a vintage Better Homes & Gardens Cross Stitch Magazine Christmas Edition, ,two Christmas Winter Vest Fabric Patterns and a lovely boxed bar of soap


I will gather names for the rest of this week and will have my youngest daughter, Sahara pick the name Sunday Afternoon.
Best Wishes to each entrant and if I find some more little goodies I will add them to the box too!


Blessings 2 U Friends

PS Cyndi pointed out that I forgot to tell you how to enter DUH.....leave a comment to add your name to the Giveway.
Thank you Cyndi!


Updates I found a couple more little treasures & gifts to add to the box....:-)

I FOUND IT I FOUND IT.....good bye Fay

At least for today Fay is out of our area....no rain just clouds right now!

I found the battery charger for my new camera so it is charging and the GIVEAWAY box is waiting for it's debut.

Off to the tub & I will have pictures posted this afternoon...have to do it early our Community Group starts today and guess whose house we are meeting at????

That's right my messy house....lol
I am scrambling to get things back into the crop studio even though it isn't quite finished.

Blessings 2 U Friends

DARN IT ALL....blame it on Fay

Well we have had just about enough of the media HYPE on Fay...
It wasn't until about 2pm that we started getting some rain here.
We did have some wind gusts earlier and so far we have had nothing major.
Even my friend in Naples said they have had minimal rain & wind...
Thank you GOD that the news media overdid the whole thing yet again.

The darn it part is I can't find my camera battery charger....Have been looking all day.

Then while looking again the kids came over with Gavin....sorry will have to wait until tomorrow.
Grandbabies won't wait but I know you dear friends will and I thank you!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Recharged? Refreshed? Renewed? Rested? Revitalized? RE CALIBRATE!

Words escape me to describe Friday & Saturday.
Seeing 14,000 women of various denominations all in one location giving praise to GOD amazes me and brings joy to my heart.



If only he could move through the hearts of ALL women in that way!
What a wonderful world it would be!
I highly recommend you attend!
We saw & heard Anita Renfroe who is a RIOT, she is now GMA's special correspondent and was on Dr. Phil (re-run) on Friday.
Nicole C. Mullen,
Natalie Grant
Patsy Clairmont
Shelia Walsh
Jan Silvious
Louise DuArt
Allison Allen
Stephen Arterburn
Marilyn Meberg

Sandy Patti, Shelia Walsh, Natalie Grant & Nicole C. Mullen Singing Happy Birthday to little Soloman


Today we are just cleaning up & bringing in any loose items from the yard and cleaning house in preparation for gusty winds from Fay.

While I was gone my DH has almost gotten my mountain waterfall finished so the inside of the house is a little messy and our Community Group is meeting here Wednesday Night (that is the plan for today we will see what GOD brings with this storm).

I have started a box for the giveaway I might need to do two giveaways if it gets much larger. :-) What do you think?


Blessings 2 U Friends

Giveaways.....

Well a few bloggers have started a blessing shower of giveaways...I hope to have a few gifts together to give away check back so you can enter the giveaway.

Unfortunately there were no GIVEAWAYS at the store today. Pastor Dave cancelled our work day (passing out invites to join us)
since it was raining. I instead ran to the store to get something presentable to wear to the Women Of Faith conference tomorrow and Saturday. Usually I live in my jeans & shorts but I thought I should get something not quite so 'threadbare' as Lynn puts it.

Of course Tyler had to buy some clothes with money he hasn't earned yet...
Sahara at least had her giftcard to use towards her clothes.

I really don't like shopping for clothes as much as I used to when I find something I like it doesn't fit right or there are none in my size...then of course you have to have shoes to match...which are NEVER as comfortable as my Betula's .

I spent way too much money on 1 pair of shoes, 2 Capris, 3 t-shirts, 4 blouses, 3 new bras, for me
Top, pants & shoes for Sahara and chewies for the dogs.

But I guess since we don't have to buy school clothes or supplies we got off cheaper than most families
and we don't shop for new clothes very often.

I better get things ready for tomorrow morning...come back to see what I am giving away

Blessings 2 U Friends

Johnnycakes ... Recipe

I wanted to share this recipe I came across while cleaning out some of my files...

Johnnycakes

Items needed
Saucepan
Spoon (wooden or plastic)
Waxed or Parchment Paper
Greased Cookie Baking Sheet or Stone

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups good yellow cornmeal
3 cups water
5 teaspoons butter (use the real stuff)
3/4 teaspoon salt
Real Maple Syrup or Honey


Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F

Melt the butter in the saucepan and then add all the other ingredients
Cook while stirring constantly until mixture thickens and cornmeal batter has absorbed all the water.
Remove the pan from the stove placing the wax or parchment paper over the saucepan & let the batter cool off...about 30 minutes it is cool enough when you can hold the batter in your hand
Shape the batter into 1/2 inch thick patties and place on your cookie baking sheet/stone sheet baking for about 25 minutes.

Eat while warm with butter & real Maple Syrup or Honey & ENJOY!


Blessings 2 U Friends

My oh My

Where did the time go?
I vaguely recall Piano Lessons on Friday

Saturday was interesting
Shortly after this photo was taken Tyler was attacked by yellow jackets while helping Dad outside.
Little buggers bit through his socks and got his ankles

Sunday after Church Tim and Brittany brought Gavin over for dinner
Auntie Sahara with Gavin

We all watched The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe while Tim slept through dinner and the movie.

Monday morning still swollen so we went to Urgent Care and they said time for Prednisone, I forgot to take out my phone to get a picture of him getting the shot in his hiney! More Prednisone, tablet, this morning and the swelling is almost gone.

Yesterday afternoon Redeemer bought, cooked and served all the teachers as well as their families at R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School.
We arrived at 3:30 and started setting up...here are Gannon and Sahara preparing the lettuce for the burgers

We went to have my spine adjusted this morning, the Library to check out some more books then to the lake to feed the Swans.
My Favorite Florida Road

Sahara and Madison feeding the Swans

Tyler and Madison avoiding the pigeons

After eating bread from my hand I asked her to kindly pose for a picture

The girls at Lake Morton

Mr. Woodstork was a little camera shy but not shy about eating the bread

Back to sewing, cleaning and organizing...


Blessings 2 U Friends

A Year of Changes so why not more!?!?!

This truly has been a year of changes and trials...some good, most not so good but GOD is teaching me to trust him through it all and not myself or others.

So maybe it's time I make some other changes in my life.

We started a little remodeling in the Crop/Studio since Saturday .... I need different storage & display in there and Larry was kind enough to start the big part of the project Saturday. While I tested out the new camera he bought for me.

The upper area inside the 12ft closet really was a waste


A few years ago I had him put these shelves into the corner behind the door


Snowing indoors?



He thinks it is for storage its actually a hideaway *g*


They can't reach me up here....


Larry installed some reclaimed pine flooring pieces from Maine as the support and I had to paint the ceiling sky blue
just like the Lanai but a lighter shade.
Monday Morning I painted the bottom of the closet after running to Lowes to get paint.

Monday night all the ladies involved in our church's nursery met at our house to work out some details on what we saw in our nursery future.
You see we are a small church plant but we know GOD is doing big things and we will be growing soon.
Currently we only have one or two children in the nursery each Sunday.
We had such a good time not only discussing the nursery but fellow shipping with each other that even Barbara lost track of time and didn't leave until 9pm.

Lori and the kids stayed even later as we couldn't get Gannon & Sahara out of the pool, they were having so much fun. It is a joy to watch them.

Of course we never seem to have much to say to each other *JK*
We have plans to attend Women of Faith next Friday and Saturday

Now to start thinning out the supplies & craft items maybe I should try an online yard sale like BJ had, she did fairly well at moving some of her supplies.

The counter top still needs to be moved & I have to finish painting the 'hideaway'.
Larry still has to install the trim inside the hideaway before we move on to other things.

Stay tuned for more photos and more changes!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Things are just starting to HEAT UP

Even though our summer sky is stunning!

I am sooo ready for Autumn... the problem here in Central Florida is that Autumn
doesn't arrive until a week before Christmas
That is if we are lucky!

So while hiding inside I started making some of my own 'changes'
Our UFO (un finished objects) rug hooking group has a new online meeting place.
I haven't been able to get all the members admitted yet....
We will be updating the PRHG Blog (link to the left) with more photo's soon.


A fellow hooker injured her arm which has led me into the online world of Scrabble
I even started a game with DIL Brittnay


Last week I tried Onion Skin Dying a few pieces of cotton/linen/muslin & wool

Back to my mini remodeling job....watch for pictures soon!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Tuesday Surprises!!

Tuesday morning, DH left earlier than usual without my goodbye kiss. When I awoke the pups wanted out (at least Emma the rest wanted breakfast)
So Emma bolts out the door around the the house to the driveway out of sight with me running after her in my Grinch P.J.'s.

Thank GOD she wasn't chasing something like the squirrel or fox because she was right next to my Suburban, sniffing up at the wheels and circling the car. I walk over & look under

Nothing. . . .
but wait was that a sound?

Sure was some kind of scratching so a critter is in my car body somewhere.
I figure it is the squirrel and round Emma up for breakfast, thinking it will come out with her gone.

Around 10 am I tell Tyler to grab the broom & come with me...a puzzled look was on his face ( usually is when I ask him to do anything )
I also told him to put on pants and tennis shoes not shorts & flip flops (standard attire in Florida)

After he is properly attired I told him something was in the car & it might be a rabid squirrel, opossum, raccoon or Skunk Ape....snicker...snicker

I just didn't want to frighten what ever it was & have it bite one of us. I brought the flashlight since I couldn't see it under the wheels or undercarriage earlier I am going to pop the hood and he can swing if it jumps at me.

Of course I pop the hood & he is crawling under the Suburban instead of protecting Mom....GOD help his future wife!
Well the latch doesn't release all the way at first and I had to push it a little...

Well in the engine of my car (mind you it is in the sun now at about 88 degrees) is a little kitten, who freaks out & crawls down behind the block. I exclaimed in shock & joy it's a little kitty and Tyler fly's out from under the car & says where?
Because of course by now it's out of sight & MOM must have been drinking Mojito's and hallucinating.

Can you find the kitten?


So after snapping a picture I point it out to him....well now he wants the kitty and since GOD put this one here (in my engine) how can Dad refuse another critter....right?
Look carefully under that cable that looks like it ought to be plugged into the other cable



We got a plate of baby food (meat) and tried coaxing it out to no avail, which was not good as I had to leave a little later.
So we all went inside to leave it alone after it crawled down onto the frame.
It eventually ran off but we didn't see where and yes I thoroughly checked the engine and undercarriage before leaving.

We ended up at the VERY last minute around 7pm taking all the kids to dinner at Outback.
This was after we went to drop off some things at Tim & Brittnay's and they still weren't ready to leave, I stole Gavin and headed to the restaurant.

We were seated pretty quickly since Jess met us there and of course speed dialed for call ahead seating.
I was so preoccupied I walked right past my good friend Cathy & her youngest daughter, little Jessica.
She is little Jessica because my daughter is big Jessica & they even share birthdays!
Cathy even text me but I didn't have my phone out since we were all busy talking & watching Gavin.

His first big dinner with the entire family...he was pretty good and fell back asleep.



His father however was a wee bit obnoxious!






Tyler carving is name into his take home box

The little family .... aren't they cute?


NO STEALING THE PHOTO'S BRITTNAY!

Well I have got to get a few things listed on my ETSY site tonight so
BLESSINGS 2 U FRIENDS may you have a wonderful surprise this week too!