Long Time, No Post

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I have been SO busy. I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything! I was almost constantly stitching! Week before last I subbed all week in that special ed. class I had subbed in before! I had a great week! The kids were very sweet. The aide even gave me a gift certificate to AC Moore on the last day. I haven't used it yet! I got the deer pictures framed and my DB and DBIL loved them!! I got all the ornaments done. These are the 4 I did. I did 5 of the above and 3 of the Santas and 2 of the reindeer and birdhouses.



My teacher friends really liked them, and I gave one of the angels to my sister and one of the Santas to my niece. We really had a great Christmas!

Better go! DD got a "Scene It" game from my niece and we're going to play it. We always play a game on Christmas Day! Have a day full of happy moments and may God bless you!

The Piece from Hell!

I've been so busy this week! I took Mom to the dr. 2 times; I went shopping twice; and I spent the day with my sister yesterday. We went shopping, too. We don't see each other very often, even though we only live 1 hr. apart. We are very different and have different kinds of lives. But we love each other and have a great time when we get together!

I'm working on the piece above for DD for Christmas. I wanted to show a pic of the finished piece from the book, but I guess I hid the book so that DD wouldn't see the pic, and now I can't remember where I hid it! lol This is a purse and it says "A purse diva lives here." This has been the most frustrating piece I've ever done! I had done the dark red all the way down the left side and when I started the other side I realized something was wrong on the left side. It took me forever to figure out what was wrong! When I did, it was a mistake in the second row! I had to take all of it out because I had made the same mistake in the next 5 rows!! Then I started it again and got to the end of the right side and it didn't end at the same place that the left side did. It took me forever again to figure out what was wrong! So I had to take out half of the left side and stitch it for the 3rd time! I guess I'm tired and not really paying close enough attention. I'll be so glad when I get this finished. I'm doing it for DD because she loves pocketbooks! Every time we go shopping, she has to buy a new one!! She has more purses than I have owned in my whole life!! I'm going to make this into a pillow like I did for her last year, if I ever get it finished! The ornies are coming along very nicely. I really can't wait to show pics of them!

I'm almost finished with my Christmas shopping. I get a couple of decorating and home magazines along with my xstitch mags, and I usually pass them on to my mom. She told me how much she and my sis loved looking at and reading them. I always forget to take the old mags to Mom. SO I've gotten a magazine subscription for each of them for part of their Christmas presents. When I went shopping with my sis yesterday, she was looking at mags while we were in the checkout line, and she said she wished she had a subscription to a mag. So I think I've done the right thing for them. My mom also wanted some new towels, so I got those for her. I'm doing a small pillow for my sis. I'll show that when I'm finished with it. Now if I could just find something for my niece. Do any of you have any suggestions! She's 30-years-old and has one daughter. I thought about giving her a mag subscription, too, but I can't decide what mag she would like!

Well, I need to start working on that pillow for DD while she's at work. I'm trying to keep it a secret! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Books, Books, Books!

I am so excited!! I found a bargain book site and found a bunch of cross stitch books very cheap!! You know me! I have to buy things on sale or cheap!! lol I ordered 13! It only took a week for them to get to me!

These are the books I got:

1. Jayne Netley's Cross Stitch Animal Collection (has deer patterns in it!)
2. The Best Designs from Donna Kooler
3. Cross Stitch Collection: 101 Original Designs by Claire Crompton
4. 201 Cross Stitch Christmas Designs by Kooler Design Studio
5. Cross Stitch Angels from David & Charles Books
6. Helen Philipps' Cross Stitch Garden Notebook
7. Sue Cook's Wonderful Cross Stitch Collection
8. Cross Stitch Celebrations Month by Month by Sue Cook
9. A Christmas to Remember from Leisure Arts, Inc.
10. Donna Kooler's 555 Christmas Cross-Stitch Designs
11. 555 Little Sayings in Cross-Stitch by Marie Barber
12. Cross Stitch Alphabets from David and Charles Books
13. Donna Kooler's Cross Stitch Inspirations

I LOVE every one of them!! I now have a mile long list of things to stitch!! I figured it up and this is $287.75 worth of books!! I paid $48.80 + $3.50 for shipping for a total of $52.30!! And they were all brand new books! Can you believe it!? This was my Christmas present to me!! I spent over 5 hours last night looking at them, and I can't wait to look at them again! Even if I never stitch anything out of them, they are beautiful books and fun to look at! There is at least a dozen things I want to stitch in each book. So - do you want to know where I got them from? The site is here. There were several that I didn't get. After Christmas I'm going to order the rest of them!! The shipping and handling charge is $3.50 no matter how much you order! I recommend that you check them out!

I have decided to buy gifts for my mom, sister, and niece instead of stitching something for them this year. I'm going to start stitching the tops for the baskets right after Christmas so they will be ready long before Christmas next year!! I would have to stitch constantly to get them finished in time. I always wait too late to start my Christmas stitching! I did that last year and really didn't feel like it was Christmas until Christmas Eve. I'm going to stitch my ornaments and maybe some small things for the ladies in my family, but hold off on the big ones until next year. So I only have to frame the pictures for DB and DBIL and finish the ornaments. Plus I'll have more time to look at my new books! lol

Yesterday was a very busy day! I went with DD to the eye doctor at 9:15. She won't take her contacts out every day, and she was afraid he might fuss at her. She just can't get it through her head that she can destroy her eyes by not taking them out. She's already had an infection in her eyes once because of leaving them in too long! She left them out a week before going to him yesterday. He said they looked fine. Then DD and I ate a late breakfast out. We really enjoyed it! I took her home and went straight to my mom's to take her to the dr. She is still not doing so good! The dr. said the CAT scan didn't show anything wrong with her brain except normal aging. He now wants her to have an MRI. So I will be going with her on Wed. to have that done. Then she and I ate out for lunch at a hamburger joint. Then we stopped at the grocery store. She hasn't been able to drive, and she needed a lot of groceries. She went around in an electric buggy and pointed out what she wanted for me to get. I also picked up a few things for myself! This took us forever! She was really tired when we finished! Then I took her home and took in all of her groceries and she got a LOT!! I also helped her put up the groceries! Luckily when I got home, Jerry was there and got out the groceries I had bought! I picked up fried chicken on the way home for us to eat. I didn't get home until 7:00 pm! I was exhausted!! It was so wonderful to see the box of books waiting for me. So I spent the rest of the time until 12:00 looking at my new treasures! What a day!!

I got so tickled at my furbabies a few days ago. Sugar, the black poodle, got up in my lap. I was cross stitching. She just stood on my lap, staring at me. She does that when she wants something. I couldn't imagine what she wanted! I had already let them go outside, and they had food and water. Then Bebe, the puppy, came over with the dog brush in her mouth and laid it at my feet. I couldn't believe it!! I brushed Sugar and she got down, satisfied! It was probably just a coincidence that Bebe brought the brush, but it really was strange and funny! They do amaze me! Bebe is potty-trained. She either goes outside or goes on the paper I put down. She really just learned it on her own by watching the other 2 dogs. She is so funny when she goes! She knows she has done something wonderful and will jump in my lap, going crazy - jumping around and licking my face to death. I really brag on her and give her a treat! She is a very smart puppy, and does the cutest things! And Jerry just adores her and plays with her all the time! He's an animal person anyway, but I've never seen him make such a do over a dog before! It's really cute! Pets enrich your life so much!

Well, that's about all my news for today. Need to go work on those ornies and rest. I'm going to sub all next week in the same class and in another class the last day the kids go before getting out for Christmas. I'm not going to sub any this week, so I can rest and stitch! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Stitching Away

The 2 charts above are my latest additions to my stash. I went to WalMart to pick up some bedroom shoes DD wants for Christmas. I decided to stop by the cross stitch section - are any of you able to go into a store that sells Xstitch stuff and resist browsing through the Xstitch stuff!? lol I certainly can't! I guess WalMart is downsizing their Xstitch section; they had almost everything on sale! I got these 2 charts and a LOT of huck towels dirt cheap! I like doing the huck towels and they make great gifts! I'm going to do the horses for Jerry. He LOVES horses. When we were together, we had a farm complete with cows, 2 horses, dogs, and cats! I really miss it! Anyway, he's been hinting that he would like for me to stitch him something horsey! This will NOT be for Christmas - maybe his birthday next July!
And the other chart is one that I have wanted for a long time! I will do this for myself to hang in my bedroom.

And this is the 2nd deer that I did for DBIL for Christmas! I'm glad that I got them finished. The one for DB is on brown hopscotch material and DBIL's is on this forest green one. I didn't want them to be just alike so they would be unique gifts! I lucked out and found 2 square oak frames that are the perfect size for these squares and they only cost $6.44 a piece! I was sure I would have to pay a fortune to my framer to make frames for them. I didn't think I would be able to find square frames that were just the right size! I can put the pieces in a frame by myself, so I've saved a lot of money!

I'm furiously working on my ornaments. They are so much fun to stitch! I'll show pics after our "teacher get-together."

I'm still trying to come up with something for my mom and my niece. I lucked up again and found lidded baskets at Michael's for 70% off! They had very tacky pictures on the lids. The pictures came off easily and I'm going to stitch something and put it on a padded mounting board and glue it to the top of the lid. Does that make sense? lol They will be sewing baskets. I have something I've already stitched for my sister - if I can find it!! I'm going to do one for myself, too! The problem with finding something to do is that the piece needs to be wider that it is tall. It's hard to find the right pattern that is that way! But I'll keep looking. If I don't get them done this year, I'll do them for next year! I've also started something for DD. I can't show it because sometimes she browses through my blog! I'll show a pic after Christmas. I've had several people asking me to post pictures of my decorations. I will soon - I don't have a digital camera and will have to use my "old-timey" camera and get the pics developed! I'll try to do that soon!

On the diet front - I've lost another 3 lbs. for a grand total of 49 lbs. I went to my dr. yesterday and he couldn't believe I had lost that much. My blood pressure was perfect!! I asked him about something for my migraines, but he said that if Imitrex makes my blood pressure shoot up, any of the other meds for migraines would, too. He said he could put me on a preventative med., but since I already take a lot of meds daily, he'd rather not. I'm going to try to reduce the stress in my life! I also told him about my neck pain. My neck has been really hurting. I've been taking Motrin and putting heat on it. I finally realized that the pain was really originating from a spot on my shoulder. He said that I had injured a tendon that goes from my shoulder to my neck. I can't pronounce or spell what he called it! lol Anyway, he said what I was doing was exactly the right thing to do and also gave me some muscle relaxers. Maybe someday I will be pain free! It seems that when one thing stops hurting, something else starts! I guess it's old age! lol

My mom is doing some better. She had a CAT scan and it showed nothing wrong. The dr. now wants to do an ultrsound of the veins and arteries going from her heart to her brain!? I've never heard of this, but, oh well! We want to find out why she's having these dizzy spells!

I'm having a terrible time with DD right now. She wants to take her boyfriend to my family's Christmas get-together, but I'm not comfortable with her taking him this year! My mom is in bad health; my sister is also in bad health; this is only our 2nd Christmas without my dad and my DS; it's my DB's 1st time getting to our get-together since my dad's death; and there are just a few of us left. We cut up a lot and have some silly family traditions; and I'm afraid we won't be comfortable to act like we normally do with a stranger there. It would be different if they were engaged, but they're not even going steady! It might be the last Christmas with my mom - she is not doing too good! Now DD says if he can't go, she won't go either! I told her that it was her choice rather to go or not; that she's 18 and can decide for herself. She'll probably go, but she's going to drive me crazy about it until after Christmas!

Well, better go and start stitching! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Christmas Everywhere!

I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving! I had a very restful and happy one! The little piece above is what my DS made for me one year. He was only 7-years-old and it's the only thing he ever stitched, but he and Katie wanted me to teach them to cross stitch. Katie was only 5 so she never finished hers. This hangs on my refrigerator - it has since he did it and gave it to me! It's very precious to me!

I've been decorating for Christmas!! As I have said before - for several years before my son's passing, I had problems with my health and depression. So it has been years since I got out all of my Christmas decorations and decorated the house! Last year, I didn't even get my little tree up until Christmas Eve. But I feel a lot better this year! On Fri., Jerry and I got down all the Christmas decorations and packed up all of my usual doodads. I polished ALL the furniture and arranged ALL my Christmas goodies! I have a 3 piece wall unit with lots of shelves! Now they are full of Christmas treasures! It brought back so many happy memories of my kids when they were little! All the ornaments they had made through the years, ones with their pictures on them at different ages that they made for me at church, even some ornaments that my mom gave me that we put on our tree during my childhood! Christmas has always been a special time for me! The kids and I always made and decorated Christmas cookies. We made and decorated gingerbread houses at my mom's. Their daddy and I always took them on rides all around town to look at all the decorations. We would also drive up in the mountains to see all the decorations! I made zucchini bread loaves for all the neighbors, and the kids and I would deliver them to everyone on Christmas Eve. We always bought Christmas gifts for 2 children who wouldn't have gotten anything so that the children could feel how wonderful giving to others feels! So many happy memories! Although Glenn isn't with us physically, I know he's here in spirit, and remembering all these happy memories keeps him alive in my heart. So Christmas is not a sad time for me! It's even more precious than it was before we lost Glenn!

I hope all of you are making wonderful memories with your families!! Because no matter what happens to you, no one and nothing can take those memories away from you! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Lots of New Stash

I went over to the LNS and treated myself to some new stash! The pattern above is what I got when I was over there a couple of weeks ago. I forgot to show everyone what I got that day. This chart was on a sale table. I really fell in love with it, especially because Santa's legs and shoes remind me of my Papa, who died over 20 years ago. He had big thighs and wore shoes like these. I know that sounds weird, but it really reminded me of him! Plus I really like it!

I also got the leaflet above during that first visit. I even bought the perforated plastic to do these on. I probaby won't be able to do any of these before this Christmas. But I plan to do some for next Christmas. This wasn't on sale - I know you're shocked that I bought something that wasn't on sale! lol

Now this is one of the things I bought yesterday! I have wanted to do a Mirabilia chart ever since I first saw you stitchers doing them! I'm going to do this next year for my DD. She loves purple. I haven't showed it to her. I'm going to do it when she's not around so that it will be a BIG surprise!

And this is the Mirabilia I'm going to do for myself!!! I think she is so beautiful! I didn't buy any material to do them on yesterday. I'm going to buy that after Christmas! This is the most I have ever spent for a single pattern, but I decided I was worth it!!

Last but not least - I also got this yesterday. This and The Lady of the Mist (the one in the previous picture) were on my wish list! I spent a lot of time Sunday looking at on-line needleshops and made a list of patterns I would like to get. It has over 30 things on it - like I could even do 30 more things than what I already have planned to do! But one can hope, anyway!! I told my mom if I should go before her, to pack my cross stitch stash around me in my casket and maybe I can take them to heaven with me!! lol But I just really liked the one above. It will remind me to be glad about each day, and to not dwell on the tragedies that have happened in my life! But back to my new stash - I'm definitely going to have to try a rotation after Christmas!!

Well, the plans for Thanksgiving have changed again. Mom doesn't feel well enough to go to my sister's, and my brother found out that Home Depot is not open on T. Day. I could have told him that! So they're not working on the floor tomorrow and I have been so down in the dumps lately that I really do want to spend some time alone - so we are back to the original plan! But please don't feel sorry for me - it's really what I want and need right now!! Holidays are very hard - without my son. I can make it through Christmas and will have a wonderful Christmas, but it takes a lot out of me and doing Thanksgiving also would really do me in! I really need some quiet and solitude before I start the whole Christmas thing!

That's about all the news I have! I have almost finished 4 of the ornaments that I'm making for my teaching-friends. I can't show pics right now because several of them read my blog! I wish I could; they are turning out so pretty. I just hope I can finish finish them so that they look like the ones in the pictures! I'm doing one for myself and will put it together first, so I can figure it out and get some practice before I do any that are gifts! Well, got to go! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

New Thanksgiving Plans

Well, my plans for Thanksgiving have changed! I'm excited, but also a little sad. I was really looking forward to that time alone! But maybe I can get some alone time at another time!

My DB called last night and said that he and my DBIL were going to redo my sister's kitchen floor on Thanksgiving Day. I don't know why they are doing it on Thanksgiving Day, lol, but, anyway, he wants us all to go up there and he is going to buy a big Thanksgiving meal. There will only be my sister and brother-in-law, my brother, my mom, and me. DD has to work until 5:00, and we're going to eat at 12:00. My sister's daughter is also going somewhere else. This is really a big deal, because my DB and my DS had a big fuss about 4 months ago before my DB moved up here, and they haven't spoken since! My mom was worried that they would never work things out! Members of my family NEVER have big arguments or little ones for that matter! We've always gotten along perfectly! We don't see each other very often, so we are just so happy to see each other. But they had words about my brother moving back here and hadn't spoken since. My DB had tried to call DS and apologize but she wouldn't pick up the phone or call him back. Finally DS gave in and called DB last night and they talked everything out and everything is forgiven. I'm so happy! As I have said before, my mom has always insisted on "happiness" since we were little. (not realistic, I know, but that's how she is) My DB and DS not speaking was breaking her heart! She just knew our family was falling apart! I tried to convince her that disagreements in a family were normal and that they would work it out eventually! So I know she will be happy that the problem has been resolved! I am! She was driving me crazy about it. She always expects me to be the peacekeeper. She wanted me to get involved and try to "fix" it. I refused; I wasn't going to get involved and have one or the other mad at ME! I love them both! Anywho - I will be spending Thanksgiving with my family - I just hope DS doesn't expect me to help with the floor. Oh - you don't think they have an ulterior motive for having us up there, do you?!! lol I'm NOT spending my Turkey Day fixing a floor!! lol

Well, better go! It's time to fix lunch. I have the hardest time coming up with ideas for lunch other that a sandwich and soup! I tried Progresso's Light Soup (0 points on Weight Watchers), and I really like it! Maybe we have enough left-overs for today's lunch! lol Jerry does not like to eat left-overs! But beggars can't be choosers! lol He'd rather eat left-overs than fix his own lunch! lol Have a great day and may God bless you!

My Prize!

This is what I won in the drawing on Pattern Nut's blog. I got it today! It's a piece of 28 count platinum lugana and a deep red rose from Mill Hill! I love them! Thank you so much, Angela!! It was so sweet of you, and I can't wait to start something on the material. I will have to find something extra special to use the flower on. Again - thank you! It was so much fun to get a surprise on the mail!

I finished up another ornament, but I can't show it. The intended recipient reads my blog! I want to show it so badly! It really turned out cute! I also did some more work on the second deer head.

I subbed today in that special ed. class and had a wonderful day!! They were the sweetest kids and no one misbehaved! They are having a sub again tomorrow, but the teacher had already arranged for another person to do that day before she had the death in her family and had to be out today. The kids begged me to come back tomorrow. I really wished I could! We had so much fun today! I wish I had classes like that everyday!

Well, short post today - not much going on right now! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you! And again, Angela, thank you so much for my special giftie!!

Reindeer Ornaments for my Deer Collectors?

I'm making good progress on the second deer for DBIL. I'll just wait and post a pic when I get it finished. This little reindeer is for DB, and I will do another for DBIL. I make an ornament for everyone in the family, and I thought these would be good for the "deer collectors" in the family! lol

I did another one of these ornaments on several different colors of fabric, but they didn't show up good enough. This is 28 count tea Irish linen, 2 over 2. And I think I have finally found the one I want! This is not quite finished. I'm waiting on some red and gold fine braid that Donna at my LNS has ordered for me. It's taking so long though! This is one of the ornaments in the newest issue of Just Cross Stitch. I really like them. They're kind of country. And very different from the ornaments I usually stitch. I'm afraid I really like cutesy patterns, but I love these! They seem so fragile and dainty!

I subbed last Wed. and Fri. I felt sick both days, but the classes were great and I didn't have any problems. I was able to just sit and watch the kids, so I made it through both days. I really needed to work some. I hadn't subbed in a month. But I've been so good with my coupons and careful buying that I actually have extra money and will have enough for Christmas! Thank goodness! I've already got a job for Mon. at the same school I was at Fri. It is a self contained special ed. class. I don't usually do those classes, because my nerves are too bad and sometimes it depresses me so bad! But the teacher came to me at the school Fri. and asked me to do it. How could I say no?! But she only has 8 students and she said they were very sweet. She had a death in her family. It will be the last day I sub before Thanksgiving.

DD and Jerry are going to Jerry's family's Thanksgiving dinner. I don't go, although his family asks me to come every year! But JERRY doesn't ask me and I don't think we would be comfortable. What if he decided to take a girlfriend with him?! I couldn't handle it. My family doesn't get together on Thanksgiving anymore, because our family is so small now. We've lost 3 family members in the last 3 years. Also, Mom would not stop making a BIG meal and wouldn't let us help her or bring any dishes! She's not able to do that much cooking anymore, but she would go ahead and almost kill herself to get it done! Plus we decided it was really hard to make it to our family's and in-laws' family's dinners! I stay at home and usually get a turkey and dressing plate from a restaurant close by that makes great meals! I really enjoy being alone and relaxing! I like spending Thanksgiving this way. Katie and Jerry always bring me a big plate of food from their family's dinner! (Yum!!!)

Well, I need to go and get some Christmas stitching done! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Deer Happy Dance!

I have finished one of the deer I'm doing for DB and DBIL. I like the way this turned out. I'm going to go ahead and do the other one because I am using the same threads. It wasn't very hard to do and went very quickly! They both collect anything with deer on it.

I went to the Stitching Club last Fri. night and had a great time! There were about 12 women there and we talked and laughed and stitched. I felt very welcome and plan to continue going. They're having their Christmas party at the next meeting - so I will have to take some food, but they're not exchanging gifts. I'm so glad I finally found a stitching group I can go to. Everyone was about my age and we had a lot in common!

Chiloe wanted to know more about my son's accident. We're still not sure how he ended up in the lake. There were no witnesses. At first the detectives thought that he did it on purpose, but after they investigated and talked with everyone who knew him, they said they KNEW he didn't do it on purpose! He was getting ready for college and had several appointments the next week. He was too happy! There was alcohol involved - he had been drinking. They ruled it an accident - maybe he took a curve too fast and went off the road into the lake and couldn't get out of the car. I couldn't have survived if they had found it a suicide - I couldn't live if I thought his life was so bad that he would do that! But we still wonder how it happened!

DD and I went to Michael's today. I used their 50% off coupon and got the Janlynn Summer Sampler! I was so excited that they had it! I only have to get the winter one now! I'll probably never get them finished! lol But at least I have them to work on. I'm planning on taking the Autumn Sampler to work on at the Stitching Club. It meets the 2nd Fri. of each month. There is also a UFO night. It's every 4th Fri. of each month. I'm going to attend those, too. Lord knows I have a lot of UFOs!!

Better go! I want to get that 2nd deer started, plus I'm working on those ornaments for my friends and family. Oh, by the way, those ornaments are not in The Cross Stitcher. They are in the latest issue of Just Cross Stitch. I hope I didn't cause any problems for anyone! Have a great day, and may God bless you!

Happy Birthday, Glenn!

This is an older picture of my son, but it's my favorite! It was one of those old fashioned pictures. DD is in the picture, too, but she made me promise not to show her! lol I had gotten very lax about taking pictures right before my son's accident. I had taken a lot of pictures of him just a few weeks before the accident, but I hadn't loaded the film correctly and none of the pictures took. He had given me the camera for Christmas the year before. I was so upset when we took the film to be developed and there were no pictures.

Today would have been his 21st birthday! I miss him so much. He and I were very close. I was 32 before I got married and had just accepted the fact that I wasn't going to get married or have children. Then I met Jerry and knew he was the one, and Glenn was born 4 days before our 1st anniversary. He was a very good baby - my little miracle! He wasn't always that good, though. He was a very mischievious little boy! He loved to play pranks on everyone. He was extremely smart, and had trouble behaving in class because he would finish his work so fast and then be bored. Several of his teachers told me that he was the smartest child they had ever taught! He was a Boy Scout, had a 2nd degree blackbelt in Karate, was the 5th grade spelling bee winner for his school and the 5th grade winner for the school district! He was in the Duke's TIP Program for students who made the highest scores on the SAT in the 8th grade. He was a Junior Scholar because of his grades in school and on the SAT. He was listed in Who's Who Among America's High School Students in 2004. He was already getting letters from colleges and universities all over the United States trying to recruit him. But he wasn't a nerdy kid. He had a lot of close friends, and they got into trouble sometimes. He had some run-ins with the law - nothing all that serious! His friends said he was the clown of their group; he always kept everyone laughing!

The day of the accident, a Fri., he had taken my car to have the brakes looked at. He made an appt. to take the car back the next Mon. He came over to my school to pick me up. I was in the library helping another teacher on a computer. When I didn't come out for a while, he came in. He would come over to the school a lot and all the women there would make a big fuss over him! He was 6'4" tall, and very handsome if I do say so myself! lol He came into the library and started helping another teacher on a computer. After a while, we left. When we got home, we sat in the car for a while, talking. He said, "You know, Mom, I just attract girls - all kinds of girls- old women, little girls, all girls are just attracted to me!" We laughed and talked for several min. Then his friend came over and I fixed them some supper.

Finally, they took off to meet up with the rest of their friends. He hugged me and kissed me on the cheek before he left. He told me he loved me and I told him I loved him. I didn't wait up for him because he was 18 and came home pretty late sometimes. At that time I was in pretty bad shape. I was on antidepressants (not as much as I take now), and would have to go to bed pretty early.

At 6:30 the next morning, DD came running into my room, yelling, "Get up, Mom! There's some policemen at the door!" Since he had been in some trouble before, I thought maybe he had done something and they were coming to tell me what he had gotten in trouble for. They came in and told me to sit down. They said, "A car has been found in a lake, and we have traced the car to you. There was a body in the car. Do you have a teenage son?" I couldn't figure out what they were saying. I said, "Yes, I have an 18-year-old son named Glenn." They asked, "Does he have any distinguishing marks - scars or anything?" I still couldn't comprehend what they were saying. I kept thinking it couldn't be my child - he must have let someone else drive my car! I said, "Is this person dead?" They said, "Yes." All I could think about was that my house was so dirty and messed up. I started saying, "I've got to clean my house! I've got to clean my house!" I couldn't cry! I couldn't let myself believe that my most precious son was gone! The lady coroner started helping me clean up the house, and I started calling my family and friends. But I couldn't cry! I was just in shock! Within 30 minutes my house was full of friends and family. I finally started crying, but I still didn't believe it until I saw him at the mortuary. The life I was living ended that Sat. morning, and we have had to build a new life. It is a very different life from what we had before, but there are still a lot of happy times. I'm very thankful for the years I had with my son, and I really cherish all the happy memories we made while he was with us! I know I will see him again someday!

So, Happy Birthday, Glenn! Mom loves you with all her heart!!

Halloween Spooks

This is DD on Halloween. Thank goodness! She doesn't look anything like this in real life!! lol

And this is DD and her boyfriend. They had a great time that night. We all did!

I finally got over to the LNS when it was open! It was like being set free in a candy shop!! I was good though and only bought one book and one pamphlet, and the pamphlet was on sale! I got one of the Kreinik braids I need, and she ordered the other 2 I need. I really like the owner, and we had fun talking cross stitch. They have a Stitchers Club that meets once a month. It meets tonight and I'm going. I've been wanting to find a group that meets to stitch! I'm very excited! And the LNS is only a mile from my house.

I finally got over to my mom's yesterday. We had a great time. We sat at the table all day and talked. I tried to help her balance her check book. My dad always handled that; he was an accountant. But she really just can't remember how to do it. I'm going to just go over there and do it for her every month! Since my dad's death, she just can't think like she used to do. I know what it's like. I was that way for a long time after DS's death. I couldn't even remember how to drive! I'm much better, but I still get addled sometimes. I guess it was such a shock to my brain! At my mom's age, I'm not sure she will ever get back to normal.

I got so tickled at the dogs yesterday. I was awake, but just laying in bed resting yesterday morning. They decided it was time for me to get up. Sugar, the oldest, kept pushing the covers down with her nose, and the other 2, Coco and Bebe, jumped all over me and licked my face to death! I gave up and got up. Then this morning I was lying on the bed looking at old cross stitch mags. They didn't want me to look at them; so -again- Sugar laid on top of the mag. and the other 2 jumped all over me and licked me to death! I had to give up before the mag was destroyed! lol

I'm going to have to cut this short - NOT! The computer is about to go out and I want to get this on my blog and go stitch! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

House Happy Dance

I finished this piece yesterday. I really had fun stitching this. When DD looked at it, she said, "You're stitching in French?" lol I decided to leave November in French. I plan to do all the months' houses. I'm going to make a quilted wall-hanging with them. I'm going to make a tuck pillow for this so I can display it now. Then I can take it out when I'm ready to make the wall-hanging.

I'm going to do some ornaments next. There are 5 beautiful ornaments in the newest issue of the US Cross Stitcher. You use Kreinik fine braid as well as DMC threads. I've never stitched with the fine braid. Does anyone have any tips for me? Is it hard and is it worth the effort? I won't be showing pictures of these because some of the future recipients read my blog. I'll show them after our yearly Christmas party.

I'm thinking about setting up a rotation. I have so many things that I have started and want to finish, but I also have a lot that I want to start. I especially want to work on a piece I started that is in honor of my son.

DD and I went shopping yesterday. She needed some winter clothes to wear to her classes. I needed some DMC thread and salt! lol We had a ball. I try to do stuff with just her as much as I can. I have always tried to spend some "alone" time with each of my kids at least once a week. We would go out to eat or to the park or shopping, etc. This has meant so much - to them and to me! DS and I went to some counseling because of some problems he had gotten into with the law. The counselor asked the parents when was the last time they did something with their child - just the 2 of them. Some couldn't remember the last time they had; some said it had been ages; and some said never. I was the only one that could say that my son and I had gone out alone in the last week! I would get so tickled because my 18-year-old son would get a call on his cell phone from one of his friends while we were on our way to a restaurant or whatever, and they would ask him what he was doing. He would say, in that deep low voice of his, "I'm going out to eat with my mom." He would never cancel our outings to be with his friends. It was a very special time for both of us! Those memories of the times that I spent with just him - talking and cutting up - are very precious now! Anyway, back to DD - as we were leaving the Old Navy store, she turned to me and said, "I love doing things with you." I said, "Yeah, because I end up paying for most of what you buy!" lol She said, "No, I mean it. I love doing things with you. We have so much fun!" I almost broke down and cried right there in the parking lot! We may have some rough times, but we love each other with all our hearts! She also told me the other day that she was talking to a friend about how she wants to raise her children. I said, " Just like your mom?" and laughed. She said, "Yeah, that's what I said. I want to teach them to be independent and to think for themselves like you taught us." She went on to say that she wanted to be as close to her children as she is to me. Sometimes I worry that I wasn't a good mother - I guess if you lose a child, that's the main thing you worry about. It really helps to hear her say things like that!

Well, I'd better go and start one of those ornaments! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

November House.

I started this yesterday. I have wanted to do one of these houses. This is the November house. It's a freebie I got here. I really want to do all of the houses she has designed! But I made myself start this one before I do anything else. There are so many things I really want to stitch! And so many things I have already started and need to finish!! I'm doing this on 28 count lambswool Jobelan, 2 over 2. I really like stitching on Jobelan! It's so soft! I have to do the fireman quilt square next! And I want to get back to the Janlynn Autumn Sampler and I need to start Christmas stitching!! Aye!!!! There's just not enough time for everything!!

Things are going pretty good around here. I'm finally recovered from the marathon migraine! I tried using Imitrex for my headaches, but I have high blood pressure, and the Imitrex made it shoot up dangerously. My doc took me off of it! I've been taking Excedrin Migraine and that usually makes them bearable, although it doesn't get rid of them completely. But this last headache wasn't fazed by the Excedrin Migraine and I took quite a few! When I take the Excedrin, it messes up my stomach. So I have suffered with a stomach ache all last week! Today I finally feel good!! I'm going to the Doc in a couple of weeks, and I'm going to ask if he can give me something else for the migraines! Maybe they've come up with something newer than Imitrex.

I'm going over to my mom's after lunch today. We'll probably go out to Denny's to get Grand Slams. That's our thing to do. DD may come and go with us today! She has a hard time going to my mom's house, because her Papa isn't there. It's hard for her to go in the house and see the empty chair where my dad sat all the time! I sit in his chair when I'm there, and I feel like I'm sitting in his lap with his arms around me! I can't sit on the sofa and look at his empty chair either! I've been more depressed lately - my DS's birthday is coming up on the 11th. And I guess feeling bad for so long has gotten me down, too. It will really perk me up to go to my mom's! I haven't subbed the last 2 weeks so I will have to sub some this week!

Well, that's about all that's going on here. I live a very simple life now, and I love it! It's amazing that all those things I thought were so important before my DS died are not important at all! I don't miss teaching or doing all those other things I used to do! If it's possible, simplify your life as much as you can!! And spend all the time you can with your children if you have any! And tell them you love them as much as possible, because you never know when it might be the last time you get to tell them you love them!! I told my son I loved him; he left and never came home again!! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you! If I didn't have my faith in God, I wouldn't be able to get out of the bed every morning! He really will give you the strength to bear anything! Well, that's my preaching for today!

Another Halloween Happy Dance

I really love this piece! It was so much fun to stitch! I just adore the little broom! I have a square black frame that I think this will fit in. I just have to remember where I put it! I hope everyone had a great Halloween! We did! We had a lot of trick or treaters, and they were all so cute!

DD and I went out to lunch and shopping together yesterday. She has to dress up every Halloween! We went to a Halloween store, but the prices were outrageous! We ended up going to Walmart and putting together an outfit ourselves. She really looked good. I'll show a picture when I get the film developed.

Not much happening around here. I may go visit my mom tomorrow. I haven't felt like subbing any this week. I'm planning to sub a lot next week. Better go - it's late. Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Halloween Happy Dance!

It's finished! DD got the thread I needed, and I finished it last night. I loved doing this! I'm working on another Halloween piece that I found at Cyberstitchers. I'll show a picture when it's finished.

Not much going on around here. I haven't gotten any sub jobs so far this week. I've got to go to the grocery store - I'm going to try to get there today! I don't have any candy for the trick-or-treaters, and we have a lot of trick-or-treaters every year!

Better go and get busy stitching and shopping! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Halloween Stitching

This is almost finished. I decided to wait and go to Michael's to get the color called for on the pattern. The colors are so pretty on this that I want to use what the designer used! Anyway, Micheal's has their DMC threads for 4/$1.00. I did this on 32 count natural linen - 2 over 2. I haven't stitched on linen in quite a while and it took me a while to get used to it again! But when I did, I really enjoyed stitching this!!

This is the tuck pillow I'm going to put it in. I made this for something I did last year, but I wasn't happy with how that stitched piece looked in it. This piece is perfect for it. This is not a very good picture - all I have is my scanner, but you can see what the fabby looks like. I really enjoyed stitching this piece! I'm going to start another Halloween piece! I love stitching Halloween things! It's one of my favorite holidays - right behind Christmas! Not much else happening around here. My head is finally back to normal - or rather what is normal for me! lol I probably won't sub much this week. I don't sub on Halloween Day or the day after; the kids are just too wound up!! Better go and start my next Halloween piece! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Finally - Halloween Stitching

This is the Halloweeny piece I started yesterday. I am feeling better; my head is only bothering me a little today. I really appreciate the sweet comments from everyone! Thank you everyone! I really appreciate my internet friends! I got the freebie above here. It's called Haughted Tea Party. I love anything by Brooke! I haven't got all the threads I need. I went over to Wilson's to get what I need, but they were out of one that I needed! I'm just going to look through my threads and pick out another color. It's a lighter orange than the 2 already used.

I was afraid to weigh today, because with the migraine marathon, I haven't really been as good as usual. However, when I weighed this morning, I'd lost 3 more pounds for a total of 46!! Guess I have changed my eating habits so much that I could still do my diet even eating delivery and take-out!

DD has broken up with the latest deadbeat boyfriend! Yah! Yah! Don't tell her I said that! lol I really wish she could meet some nice guys! I keep encouraging her to make friends in her classes!

Well, need to go and finish my Halloweeny piece! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Back in the Land of the Living! - Barely!!

Finally today (after 4 days) my head isn't hurting! Hooray! Hooray! I'm afraid to move my head too much for fear it will start hurting again! Night before last it had eased up enough that I could stitch a little. I am almost finished with this charity square. It is definitely too late to go in Fletcher's quilt. I'm going to finish this today and send it in for an any child's quilt. Next I'm going to do something for Halloween, even though it's almost too late. I'm going to take a break from the charity squares. I need to do my Christmas stitching next! I've got to get back to frogging that deer's head! My brother kept hinting that he wanted me to do something for his house. Finally, one day last week he just came right out and asked me when was I going to do something for him! I told him he ruined the surprise, but that I AM working on something for him! I've also got to get started on the ornaments for my teaching friends. I won't be showing pics of them this year, because several of my teaching friends read my blog!

Even with the marathon migraine, I've tried to stick to my diet. We'll see if I was successful tomorrow! I weigh on Saturdays.

Better go and start stitching! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

No Stitching Withdrawal!

I still have the TERRIBLE migraine. I haven't stitched in 2 days! That's the longest I have gone in ages!

I know why this headache is so bad! DD got mad at me Mon., because I didn't have any cash to give her to eat out. Jerry was fixing hot dogs, because I was in too bad a shape to fix them! I haven't seen him cooking in ages!lol Anyway - DD didn't want her dad's hot dogs. I had gone to my room and was in bed. She came in my room, begging for money. When I told her I didn't have any cash, she pitched a fit and SLAMMED the door on her way out! Anyone who has migraines knows that sounds really bother you!! It felt like I had been shot in the head! I screamed and screamed for quite a while and had a terrible panic attack and I have been hurting ever since!! After posting yesterday, my head got worse and I spent the rest of the day in bed! Looks like that's where I'm going to be today!

Bad Migraine!

I wasn't able to stitch much yesterday! I had a terrible migraine! It's much better today! I didn't get this sports square finished like I wanted to do. I guess Joan at Love Quilts will have to use it in an any child quilt! I hate it when I can't get the squares I've committed to finished on time! When I have one of these migraines, my whole life comes to a halt! It's like losing days from your life! I'm not the type that likes to be sitting around doing nothing. I like sitting around, but I have to be stitching or reading or something. And when you have a migraine, you can't stitch or read or do anything!

I did get to feeling well enough to watch that Johnny Depp movie - The Secret Window. That was the last movie my DS and I watched together before he died! He had rented it and wanted me to watch it with him. He knew I like psychological thrillers. It was very rare for him to sit down long enough to watch a whole movie, and that was the only one he ever wanted us to watch together. He had already seen it and wanted to see if I could figure it out before the end of the movie, but I didn't. I really enjoyed watching it again. I thought it would make me sad, but it made me feel like DS was here watching it with me! But the movie wasn't over until 2:00 am; so I really shouldn't have watched it, but the weird thing is that my head stopped hurting while I was watching it!

Well, enough rambling! I've got to go and finish that sports square! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Wackiness!!

Here's my progress on this latest charity square. I'm trying to finish it by Mon. I'm having fun with this one! Next I'm going to stitch a Halloweeny piece and then start my square for the Charleston Firemen Quilt. I'm looking forward to doing that one! I have stitched 25 squares for charity in the last year. And it's been almost a year since I started this blog! I have really grown emotionally and shrunk physically!! lol I finally broke down and weighed yesterday, and I have lost -----DRUM ROLL ------- 43 pounds!! (since May) I'm really HAPPY, but I still have a long way to go!! But back to the charity squares - I'm going to take a break for a while, and stitch squares for any child instead of signing up for a particular child. The any child squares don't have a deadline. You just send them in when you're finished with them. I can't resist signing up for EVERY child and I sign up for too many and then don't have time to stitch anything else! I'm about to get burned out on the charity squares, and I don't want that to happen! I do them in memory of my son!

Now - some really great news - I won a drawing for a cs pressie on Pattern Nut's site. I don't know what it is - it's a surprise! That's so sweet of you, Pattern Nut, to have drawings for cs stuff! Thank you! Thank you!!! I have entered 3 drawings and won 2 of them! Maybe I ought to go to Vegas and try my luck!! lol I don't order things on the net, because I don't have a charge card. So it's really exciting to get something cross stitchy in the mail!!

After my horrible experience at that school last Mon., I was afraid to sub again. However, I took a job Thurs. and had a great day!! I even felt like going from the school to my mom's and spent the rest of the day (until 2:00 am) with her. We had our usual reminiscing fest and went out to Denny's for a Grand Slam. But when we got there, we realized we only had $13.00 between us. I know everyone thought we were nuts - trying to figure out if we had enough money to get coffee with our GSs. We didn't - so we drank water! lol We were laughing and cutting up trying to get the money figured out to pay the check and leave the waiter a tip! I'm sure everyone there thought we were mentally challenged!! lol But we're both very wacky (I got it from her) and we couldn't figure it out! When I was young, my mom would always embarrass us by doing wacky things like talking to mannequins! And I did the same to my children! Those memories of my mom's wackiness are my favorite memories now!! Lots of people take themselves too seriously!! DD and DS (when he was alive) loved to tell all their friends about their mom's wackiness! Like the time I was going through the drive-through at a Burger King and there was a trash can before you got to the ordering screen, and I told the trash can our order. I don't know what I was thinking! DS said, in a monotone. "You're talking to the trash can, Mom." It was so funny - I didn't mean to do that little wackiness, but it's a favorite family story to tell! Life's too short - be as wacky as you can!! And you'll spend most of your time laughing!!

Well, better go! I'm fixing French onion soup (a Weight Watchers' recipe) for lunch! Got to get it started!! Have a day full of happy (and wacky) moments, and may God bless you!

Play Ball!

This is the newest square I'm working on. It will go to Fletcher at Love Quilts. I'm enjoying this, but I want to stitch Halloweeny things so bad!! I have found several neat things at Cyberstitchers. Also Brooke's Books has a new Halloween pattern = Haunted Tea Party - that I really want to do! But I went to Love Quilts' site and read the thank yous from the parents of the kids who got a quilt with one of my squares in it, and I got inspired again! I want to finish this square quickly.

I substituted at a school Monday that I consider a good school. but the classes were awful!! It started even before school started. They were very rude, insulting, disruptive, etc! I sent for an administrator several times, but it took over 30 minutes for anyone to come! By then, I had already taken 2 anxiety pills and was almost in tears! I gave them the names of the worst ones, and they took 10 kids to In-school Suspension for the rest of the day. I got myself together enough to finish the day (I told them I wanted to go home, but they couldn't get anyone to cover the classes), but I had problems with the rest of the classes all day - but not as severe as those first classes! The administrator dropped by several times during the day! The teacher across the hall said that the teacher was very "relaxed" with the students. That always spells TROUBLE for a substitute. If a teacher doesn't have good discipline when she or he is there, the kids will be horrible with a sub! So I haven't subbed since Mon. I had to get over that experience. I have a job at another good school tomorrow. I hope those classes are better!

That's about all that's been going on around here - just stitching the last few days! Better go and get started on that square again! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

How True!

Your Inner Color is Blue

Your Personality: Your natural warmth and intuition nurtures those around you. You are accepting and always follow your heart. You in Love: Relationships are your top priority, and this includes love. You are most happy when you are serious with someone. Your Career: You need to help others in your job to feel satistifed. You would be a great nurse, psychologist, or counselor.

What's" Your Inner Color?

This is so true about me! It always amazes me how close these things are to the real me!! I started the baseball square and have finished the ball, but it's all white and gray so a pic wouldn't show up. I don't think it will take me long to do it. Then I have to do the fireman square for the quilt in memory of the firefighters who died in Charleston. THEN I will finally be able to stitch something just for me!!

I tried a new recipe last night! Broccoli and Cheddar Pizza! It was really good - believe it or not!

I got it from one of my Weight Watcher Cookbooks. The rest of the family liked it, too.

I didn't get my floor mopped yesterday. No big shock! I got sidetracked and polished my den furniture instead!! I also washed several loads of clothes! It's amazing what I will do to keep from mopping the floor. I HATE to mop! I tried to bribe DD into doing it, but she hates it, too!

Well, I finally got around to reading all my internet friends' blogs! I got up early - 6:30 - just so I could! (Not really - just couldn't sleep! lol) I really enjoyed seeing what everybody is doing! I am so inspired now!!

Going to go and get started stitching!! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Fire Truck Happy Dance!

I got it finished!! Although there's a lot of mistakes in it, I'm very proud of how it turned out! And I don't think the mistakes are obvious. There was a lot of backstitching! But I really enjoyed doing it - I know, I'm weird! By the way, this pattern was in the July 1995 issue of Cross-stitch Plus. Next, I've got to start another charity square. It's a sports square for Fletcher at Love Quilts.

I actually did some housework yesterday! lol I'm a bad "stacker"! And it had been years since we had seen the tops of my kitchen counters! So I spent half the day yesterday cleaning off my kitchen counters. Now my kitchen looks so clean! Except for the floor, which I'm mopping today!

An update on DD - We haven't seen or heard anything from her old boyfriend - the CRAZY one! Thank goodness! But she has hooked back up with an old boyfriend that I'm not too crazy about. He's better than the CRAZY one, but he's also a deadbeat! Doesn't work, has piercings everywhere, and talked DD into getting a tatto! Thankfully, it's a medium-sized star on the back of her neck. My family is NOT a tattoo family! And I really didn't want her to get one, but she's 18 and after it's done, what could I say or do? I think she will be satisfied with just one. Her dad hasn't noticed it yet! And heaven help us if my mom ever sees it! I tried to talk to her about this guy, but it only made her more determined to see him. (which I knew it would do!) So I'm just praying she'll eventually get past this "deadbeat" stage and find someone who at least has a job! Otherwise, she's doing great - hasn't missed a day of work (actually, she LOVES her job!) and is doing great in her classes! Since her dad had the talk with her about her temper, she's been trying to keep it under control!

Things have finally settled down with my brother, Mom and me! Although DB hasn't gotten a car yet and has to borrow Mom's a lot, they have finally adjusted to being so near each other. DB hasn't lived in our town since his early 20s - 30 years ago!! He wants to be a part of the family and be "involved" and he was really getting on Mom's nerves. He was calling her everyday. Although she'll let you know exactly how long it has been since you last called her, she doesn't want us to call her everyday. When my dad died, she began living by herself for the first time in her life! And, shocking to us, she really likes it! I know she misses my dad horribly, but if he can't be with her, she really enjoys being alone sometimes! If we call her everyday, she thinks we are expecting her to die and waiting for her to die! And actually, DB didn't want to call her everyday, but once he started it, he couldn't figure out how to stop without hurting her feelings. You may have noticed, our family is not the best at communicating! We are very close and love each other to death, but we have problems talking about our real feelings! To anyone - not just family members! We grew up in such a happy family and Mom insisted on "happiness" all the time, so we never learned to tell how we really feel. Mother's feelings are hurt very easily - it has something to do with her own childhood! She has this fear that her family will stop loving her. I've told her many times that she can't do anything that will cause us to stop loving her, but she still worries. We were talking the other day and she said, "What has happened to our family? Why have all these awful things happened to us?" I told her, "Mom, this is life! It can't always be sunny skies and happiness! We have to realize that there will be unhappy times and just go on!" She's trying! Boy! This has turned into a real "baring of the soul"! If you skipped over this last paragraph, that's okay! lol

Oh! I didn't tell you how the calling everyday thing got settled. God certainly works in mysterious ways! DB gave Mom a cell phone to keep in her purse in case she is out and gets lost or needs us! She really doesn't know how to use it though. Well, DB and I were talking on the phone and his cell phone rang. He answered it and it was our mom. But she wasn't talking to DB. She was talking to her sister. She was at our aunt's house. She had gotten something out of her purse and had accidently turned on the cell phone and had pressed DB's number on the speed dial! DB could hear everything she was saying, but she couldn't hear him! She was telling her sister about my brother calling her everyday and that it was driving her crazy! DB and I were dying laughing!! I had tried to hint to DB that she really didn't want us calling her everyday and he had admitted that he really didn't want to. I told him, "I guess this will cure you of calling everyday," and between laughing hysterically, he said, "It sure will!" He called my aunt and told Mom the phone was on so she wouldn't use up all her minutes! He told Mom what he had heard and how he felt about calling her everyday and we all had a good laugh! And we said we would try harder to tell each other how we really feel! lol

Well, this has been a LONG post, but it's been good for me! I've got to go mop the floor and get the sports square kitted up! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!!

Firetruck Update

All I have to do now is the backstitching, and this will be on its way to Love's Quilt for Elijah's quilt. I haven't stitched much the last few days - too tired after substituting! I've been at a very good school, and the classes were great! I'm planning on staying home tomorrow and catching up on my stitching!


I was able to do a little shopping after school yesterday! I used 50% off coupons and got the stash above from Michael's and AC Moore. I've barely started the Autumn Sampler, but I want to get all 4 of the samplers. I really wanted the Summer Sampler next, but they didn't have it. So I got the Spring Sampler. At half price, it was only $12.50. I really liked the Christmas book - like I don't have a million Christmas patterns already! lol It was only $3.50.

I have a sports square to do for Fletcher at Love Quilts. I'm going to do it next, and then I'm going to stitch for MYSELF!!

Everything's going okay at home. Jerry finally sold the house at Hilton Head, but he is losing money on it! At least, we'll have it off our minds now! Katie is doing great at college. The dogs are all fine, except they get very upset when I get up early to sub!

Better go! I'm going to get started on that backstitching! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Firetrucks Everywhere!

It's very appropriate that I am stitching an antique firetruck. I subbed at a middle school last Fri. and they had a fire drill - of course. Every school I have gone to so far this year has had a fire drill while I am there! Someone pulled the fire alarm at this one, and the firetrucks came out and all! It was a false alarm, thank goodness!! I hope no one notices that I'm always there when they have these false alarms and thinks that I am doing them!! This one was at 12:oo and the students eating lunch had to leave their plates and go outside! They said it was the 2nd time someone had pulled the alarm that week! Anyway, this square is for Elijah at Love Quilts. He wanted anything with an engine. This is going very quickly and I am really enjoying it! I have another one I must do very quickly. It's for Elijah's brother, Fletcher. It's a sports-themed quilt. That's so sad to have 2 children so sick in one family!!



I had another migraine yesterday. DD has a terrible temper that she got from her dad! Jerry took her keys to her car before she got up yesterday and went to have another key made, because that was the only one she had! He had already taken it to Walmart to have one made, but the key wouldn't work. You have to have one made at the dealership or it won't work. When she got up and her key was not here, she went balistic!! She started screaming and throwing things. I was doing something on the computer and didn't notice anything. When she screamed, a sharp pain shot through my head and the migraine started! I was in bed all day!

Today I've felt better, but a little sick to my stomach. That happens sometimes when I have migraines! I've already got a job for Wed. and Thurs. It's a good school!

Well, better go. The computer is acting like it is going to go out! Have a day full of happy moments, and may God bless you!

Puppy Love Happy Dance

"Puppy Love" is finished!! I really enjoyed stitching this. It will go to Love Quilts for Karissa's quilt.

I haven't subbed any this week. I've had a migraine for several days. I did visit my mom yesterday - even with the headache. It was tolerable yesterday, but today I had to go to bed! Bebe, the puppy, was really puzzled when she saw a washcloth on my forehead. This was the first time she has seen me with one on my head. She got in my lap and looked closely at the washcloth and smelled it. Then she looked me right in the eyes like she was saying, "What the heck have you got on your head!!?" It was so funny! I told Jerry I bet she's thinking, "These humans really do weird things!" I'd better go - the computer is about to go down! That's about all I wanted to say! Have a day full of happy moments and may God bless you!

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!!

I finally got the printer downloaded again!! The monitor on my home computer is working again! Sometimes it goes out, but it's really doing great today! This first picture is what I'm working on now. I need to finish this today! It's for Karissa at Love Quilts. It's due tomorrow; so I've got to get it in the mail tomorrow. She waits a couple of weeks before she makes the quilt. This is "Puppy Love" from the book Furry Friends by Gloria and Pat Designs.I'm really enjoying this. This puppy reminds me of my poodle, Coco. His eyes are just like this puppy's.


Here is the finished Belle! She's going to Cole's Quilts for Veronica's quilt. She wasn't too hard to stitch. She's also due tomorrow. I've been holding off on mailing her, because I wanted to post a picture of her and I don't have a digital camera.

This one is one of my favorites!! This was a joy to stitch!! She will be in Rachel's quilt at Love Quilts. Jerry even said he would like for me to do one for him and make a pillow with it! He never says he wants me to stitch anything for him!!

And last but not least, these are 2 little ornaments that I stitched this week. Aren't they precious! I did the one on the right first and cut it out and then read the directions that said to glue felt to the back before you cut them out! That will be a whole lot easier! They are from the book Christmas Ornaments by Kooler Design Studio. I did them on vinyl weave. I really like to stitch on vinyl weave! I put up a small tree every year with just handmade ornaments; so these will be perfect for my tree!

I haven't gotten back to the deer yet to do that frogging. The dreaded frog has been leaving me alone - thank goodness!! I had to get these charity squares finished first.

Things are going pretty good around our home. I subbed 2 days last week. They were both good days. There was a fire drill at one of the schools. Almost every school I've subbed at this year has had a fire drill while I was there! I went to a school that I had subbed at a couple of years ago and had had a bad day. I said I would never go there again! But they have moved into a brand new building, and I had heard that the students were better now. So I decided to try again, and this time I had a great day!! I plan to go there again if they call me.

I did my monthly marathon shopping yesterday - mostly for groceries! Using my coupons and store specials, I saved $115.39!! I do one big shopping trip once a month and then just pick up the few things I need in between. I'm still doing my diet - I've lost over 40 lbs!! I have totally changed my eating habits! I'm still trying new Weight Watchers recipes. There's only been 1 0r 2 recipes that we didn't really care for. We eat lots of fresh veggies and fruit. The new 100 calories treats really help, too.

Well, that about catches everyone up on my life! I'm going to visit my mom for a while today. Have a happy day, and may God bless you!

A Quick Post

I'll have to make this quick. We haven't got a new monitor yet, but the old one will come on for a few minutes; then it goes out!

I can't show any pics, but I have finished Belle and also finished a horse for Rachel at Love Quilts. The horse really looks good, and I really loved doing it! It went very quickly! I have started another charity square. It's 2 puppies - "Puppy Love" from one of the Precious Moments books. It's going pretty quickly, too.

My mom had the cat scan (I guess that's how you spell it! lol). The doctor was surprised because he couldn't find anything wrong with her aorta artery - the twist was gone! God still does miracles!! The dr. said her heart looked great and she's doing better than she has in years! I had prayed that God would not take another family member from me after losing 2 so recently, and He answered my prayer!

All of us here at the house are doing fine! I subbed 2 days last week, but one was an aide job and I get paid very little for that. I'll tell the story of how I ended up doing the aide job later. It's a long story!!

Mary Ann, I'm disappointed that I didn't win that Summer Sampler, but I'm very happy for the girls who won your contest!! lol That was so generous of you!! I can't part with any of my stash, because my tastes change so and I'm afraid I will want to do a pattern later! I'm awfully selfish when it comes to my cs stash!! lol

Better go! Have a day full of happy moments, and my God bless you!

Backstitching Belle

This is my progress on Belle for Veronica's quilt at Cole's Quilts. I spent last Sunday with my mom, and I stitched a good bit of the border at her house. Then I have been able to stitch a couple of hours each evening this week. I subbed Mon., Tues., and today at an elementary school. I covered for the music teacher. She had left videos for me to show; so it was a very easy job! The kindergarten and 1st grade students were so cute! I haven't gotten a job for tomorrow. I'm planning on just being lazy and stitching!



While I had the kindergarten kids, the fire alarm went off. I was afraid I was going to lose all the little kids! But, luckily, their teacher and aide found us and helped me. Firetrucks came and everything! I found out after school that they think one of the students pulled the fire alarm!



Our Walmart must be going to stop stocking cross stitch supplies; they have their DMC skeins for $0.10 each! I bought almost 70 skeins today! I got every color I was missing and a lot of colors that I know I use a lot! I plan to go back and get some more! The clerk said, "I have to swipe each one," and acted like she didn't want to do it. I told her it was okay; I had plenty of time! They're not restocking them; so they are out of a lot of the most popular colors.

It's been a while since I started this post. Our computer moniter has broken down, and I can't afford to get another one right now! I'm at another school right now. This is a middle school band class, and they aren't the best behaved class.

I've finished Belle and almost have her ready to be mailed. I've started another charity square. It's a horse for Rachel at Love Quilts. I'm really enjoying this square. It's not very hard, and it's going very quickly! I can't show a pic right now. I'll show it as soon as we get a new monitor.

I went to the doctor with my mom yesterday. She had to have a cat scan. The doctor said that in an xray he took of her heart it looked like her aorta artery is twisted. Please pray that everything is okay! I'm not ready to lose her, too. My son died 2 years ago, and my dad died 10 months after my son.

The class that's in here right now is very good! We're watching a video; so this should be a very easy day!

I've missed reading your blogs and comments! It's terrible when you don't have a computer! Since this is a school computer, it won't let me access my email! I'd better go and watch these kids! Have a day full of happy moments and may God bless you!