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Wristlets - Wristwear - Little things DO make a difference.

Have you noticed that sometimes just a simple thing can make such a big difference in your life. For example, our pride and joy our Baby Boy, is home for the summer and has made such a big difference.
#1 He made a large (easy to read - size 18 font - ready reference, nice and laminated - by our phone of often used phone numbers) WOW, I know I sound like an older person here (I'm 42, remember?) It is just so handy.
#2. He taught me how to use Picasa better. What a difference. Did you know that once you crop or edit
a photo if you click on "save changes" it will save those changes in the source file?

Everybody already knew that? Ooops, sorry. I just didn't know. It has made such a difference. Now I don't have photos strewn all about my computer, the unedited, the edited, the uploaded, the not uploaded, the used and not used. They can all just be stored in "My Pictures" with Picasa as my editing tool - who knew?

How nice is that? Oh - and wouldn't a little scrappy wrist wear brighten your day and make a difference? Come see me at The Farm Chicks show.
When you come, be sure and tell me you saw me first on the blog and I'll be sure to have an extra hug for ya all.

A spot of color. My favorite color, by the way.

And tucked up under the tree I don't think they will be fried in the summer sun.  By the way, where is that summer sun?

42 - my favorite age

Actually my birthday was May 8th or as my Dad would say...ADA MAY. I think I am the only child's birthday he could remember, but that is no surprise as I am his favorite daughter. This statement always causes a bit of a chuckle as all my sisters think they are the favorite. That is okay, we will let them think that, if it makes them feel better - but we know the truth.
I would have announced my birthday on its actually day but then I know you would have all felt obligated to send big expensive gifts and I just didn't want to cause that obligation. So, now it is past tense and you can just say you didn't know and all is well.
I have thought quite a bit about this birthday. I guess those decade birthdays tend to do that. I remember when our oldest was the big 1-0. WOW, such a big event. But there is a bit of trouble with  my current age because I have thought long and hard and decided I am 42, which isn't a decade birthday at all, now is it? But when I think of myself that is what I am. Forty two. So our little family celebrated my 42nd birthday. Those who thought I was 'like 32' - do  you have a little "ageism" issue going on. Love this definition from Dictionary.com
ageism::
1. discrimination against persons of a certain age group.
2. a tendency to regard older persons as debilitated, unworthy of attention, or unsuitable for employment.
At any rate is was a great 42nd birthday. My family still treats me like I am worthy of attention and suitable. One adorable grandson made me a carrot cake. How cute is this?

Or as he said, "Gramdma it is a carrot cake with eyes."
Forty two is already proving to be a really good year. Or as Katherine Hepburn use to say...forty odd.  Oh, no,  does mentioning Katherine Hepburn "age" me . I love Katherine Hepburn and I guess I just haven't found anything quotable about Britney Spears.

Eye candy and the age old dilemma

I am pricing this week...oh ugh...

I know why dilemma is spelled with "ma' on the end...

because it makes you want to cry, "Ma!" "Ma!" "Ma!" when you have one.

I want to be fair to the customer...and me. Thus the dilemma...

finding that perfect price point. Any suggestions? Ugh...
Other than that I am having the beginnings of a really great week.

(Note: for Mom...doesn't this lady remind you of Mrs Zorb, my fourth grade teacher that never once, not even ONE time smiled the entire school year? Remember her? Dad helped me through that terrible year by asking me very day if she smiled..it became a family joke. How could someone go an entire school year and never smile - she must have hated her job, eh?)

So what would you sale Mrs Zorb for?

I think Ethel June is to blame, well her and my Mom Lois...

My Moms Mom.
She raised a family of seven children. Twenty of those years she was a single Mom. This was before TV dinners and automatic washers. She scrubbed floors and took in ironing to support her family.
But more importantly she was a a woman of great faith. She believed and lived her belief that Heavenly Father watches over and blesses His children.
That faith has been passed from generation to generation.
I am grateful for that testimony of faith. Thanks Grandma June - thanks Mom. I hope I am passing that on...the best gift. Better than anything money could buy.
What have the Mom's passed on in your family?

Getting ready for a show..just around the corner.

This isn't actually happening IN the magic room. It is happening in the garage. I have my nice chippy paint doors gathered...

I think these folks owned a really big obnoxious dog...don't ya think?

I've decided they need some paint - interesting conversation between RR and I.
Me: I want to paint the doors.

RR: To try and clean them up?

Me: Well, not exactly clean them up.

RR: So why paint them?

Me: To make them darker but still have them look old?

RR: They are old, you are painting them so they will look old. Honey, they ARE old.

Me: Yes - and I want to paint them to be old.

RR: So you want to paint OLD doors so they will be old?

Me: Yeah

RR: Uh, Okay, That makes sense to me....????

Me: Yeah, you got it.

My flour sack bags/totes looks better on a darker background. So out with the paint and adding some color. And the sanding will come AFTER the paint is applied to make them look NOT new - so they will look old. This is even starting to sound like nonsense to me.
Oh, I'll be honest I am a nervous wreck getting ready for the Farm Chicks show. Just little ole me trying to play with the 'big dogs'. I get butterflies, but then when I handle my things and go in the magic room, I feel so much better. I just really like these creations. I hope someone else will, also.

Found a nice chippy drawer that RR glued (and temporarily taped) back together. I left the price tag on. We won't share  the entire conversation that transpired about - why we even wanted this drawer that was falling apart and - without it's cupboard. Just glue it mostly back together, okay, honey. Okay..so do you want me to have it will look new? or old? he asks. Old, silly.

Spring has sprung in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, earmuffs, miracles and such.

Getting the tiller ready.
Note ear muffs. My RR is big on taking care of his body. Which is a good thing. But this story, I know will be hard to believe - but it is true. One summer night many summers ago in the middle of the night, the horn on our pickup (which was parked outside) went off. For no apparent reason, it wasn't a burglar alarm or anything, it just started going off. REALLY LOUD. I mean it startled and woke us up from a dead sleep in the middle of the night. I had enough adrenaline dumped in my system to successfully keep me awake the rest of the night. In a state of panic thinking all of the drug dope heads, gang bangers in the greater Pacific Northwest were in our yard I began to immediately do the most helpful thing and screamed at my husband to save us, go get them, protect us. My screaming added to the general chaos and panic that was going on. RR...VERY calmly - looked outside...and found no robbers or gang bangers or dope heads in the yard and proceeded to get dressed. I, in the meantime, am running around talking very loudly and in a total state of panic. Just generally being a screaming ding dong helpful.
Then once RR was FULLY dressed he slowly walked into his office/play room (I guess he has a magic room also) and fumbled about for his ear muffs. Yip, he was not going outside to protect us from every evil thing lurking in the yard until he had safely secured ear protection. Once fully dressed, ear protection in place, he calmly turned off the offending blaring horn, returned to bed, and fell asleep. True story. I meanwhile beat the mattress all night with my tossing and turning vague - dreaming thoughts of being robbed and murdered or even worse.
Hard to believe...securing earmuffs in the moment of crisis - going back to sleep. This is a man to be next to in a crisis. I tell you. Just keep earmuffs at the ready and he will slay every invading dragon. Love this man.

Even our Princess Granddaughter knows about that ear protection thing.

As her Daddy helps us get the garden ready. Love the smell of freshly turned soil, preparing for the miracle of seeds that burst forth with vast variety. It really is a miracle, isn't it?
"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart." D&C 59:18
Another thing that gladdens the heart, Princess and Grandpa with matchy boots. Well, sort of matchy.

I am glad I can do hard things

Because going through security, getting on that plane (see previous post), renting that car and getting all the way to Moms house was a bit daunting. But I did it!

I even got my face out of the paper bag long enough to take a snap at lift off.  When I was getting into my purse to get my camera, my hands were so shaky I could hardly function. I was acting like a "pro-flyer" all cool,  calm and collected, I don't think my hyperventilating and  trying to suck all the air out of that little air vent thingy blowing overhead was so obvious.Hey, I am living large, eh?

My sissie Barb and her husband Steve hosted our event. They are so gracious to share their palatial home.  Barb is a cheerleader. Oh, I really mean cheerleader. Her initials are BB, which stand for, "Be your Best." She has her pon poms at the ready to cheer anyone on. She works as speech therapist and the kids that don't get to come to therapy are sad. One little girl was ready to graduate out of therapy and she on purpose reverted to poor speech so she could stay. Yip - she cheered us all on and UP.  I feel like I can conquer anything.

My sister Marcia is a nurse. Her motto is the Golden Rule. Wouldn't you love her to be your nurse? Oh, she nursed us all along both physically and she also "nursed" our  souls with wise insight and inspiration.  She is practical and wise. Everyone calls her when they need a dose of medicine or wisdom. One of the wisest things she told me whilst in the midst of raising little ones...was this, "When dealing with the day to day doings and upset  - stop and ask this question; 'Will it matter in a year?" Those things that matter in a year...hang in there..keep working, but the rest - let it go."  Little do my children know how blessed they have been by the bit of advice. I guess another way to think about that is - "Choose your battles." Thanks Marcia...you continue to bless us with your insight and healing. You really have learned the healers art.

This is baby sister - Bev,  arranging flowers for Dad's headstone. Actually this girl can do ANYTHING. I mean it. Well, the only thing I can think of she doesn't do is swallow swords. For starters -she raised a combined family of FOURTEEN children. No that is not a typo. Fourteen. I called her once when she only had five  per-schoolers at home and she thought she was on vacation. I asked her, "How do you do it?" Her answer, "How much time do your children take?" I said, "All of it." She replied, "Well, there you go..that is how much time mine take."  Someone once asked her if she could make them a wedding cake, she said - "Sure". I didn't now she made wedding cakes - well, truth of the matter she never had until that one - and it was amazing. She is currently teaching third grade, actually she is the sub for a class, but has been the sub since September. No, she doesn't have a degree, unless you call raising fourteen children - a degree. She is the first teacher I know to do her student teaching before going to college. Just amazing. Oh and did I mention she is a wonderful therapist. Yip, she can do that ALSO. Like I said, swallow swords, not so sure - anything else, yip, she does it.

And here is the Queen Bee - our Mom. Can you believe she had a stroke a couple months ago and look at her...standing there all tall and independent. She is quite the example for all us girls. Love you Momma.

As they would say in the Rupert newspaper, "A good time was had by all." They really still say that in the Rupert paper.

Leaving a jet plane

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Please remember, I was raised on a real honest to goodness "Homestead" in Southern Idaho or as my sister says I-duh-ho. Since she still lives there, she can say that. I love where I was raised. I loved being raised on a farm. But there are some 'gaps' in my upbringing. One big gap is travel. When someone has a dairy farm, one doesn't travel. Cows are milked 2 (or now-a-days 3) times a day. That basically means you can travel anywhere you want until noon and then you need to head back home.
An additional gap it my upbringing is big cities. The town I was raised in, STILL in 2008 only has one traffic light. So everything in town is referenced from THE light. Just past the light, two blocks before the light. So using even the most feeble of imaginations you can imagine the shear panic I feel about the entire travel thing. To make this trip even more terrifying exciting, I will need to get past all the securities checks, get on the airplane, breath quietly into the brown paper bag, hold my head as still as possible while trying to not throw up and act like I do this all the time, then once I arrive at the airport, I, little ole me, all by myself (Ranger Rick has other Ranger duties and isn't going) will need to find the rental car I have reserved. Rent it. And then! Drive it!  Drive out into the big city to find the freeway to my Moms home. You see towns with only one traffic light, also do not have airports. SO...
The adventure begins.
Once there I am most excited to see my Mom and three sisters - a great week - just us girls doing our thing. Just what is our thing, you ask? Well, remember we are in a one horse  traffic light town. So, it will be first and foremost - talking - all at once. We brag on one another, validate and tell each other how really terrific we are.  Because I have to tell you we really are the Fabulous Four plus Mom. We will also plan the big family reunion for the summer.
Then we will try really living on the edge and  go to the local thrift store called DI or Deseret Industries or as we call it Delores and Irenes. Oh, were did you get that amazing jacket, one might ask..."Oh, at that specialty shop, Delores and Irenes,"  we answer.

Here Mom is on guard and in charge of keeping track of the try-d and not try-ed items. We kind of wore her out and so found a bar stool in "Furniture" that solved that problem. We have been known to fill 5 shopping carts and run back and forth putting together the most amazing outfits for one another. I know, you are already wishing you could come along. Just so you know we are polite and only take over two of the three dressing rooms with clothing being tossed back and forth over and under the entire time. Oh it is a blast!

Then just across and down the street a piece is WalMart. Gotta love WalMart. Oh, the horse is at WalMart today, also.
We love to mosey through Wally and tell one another our favorite finds. Have you tried the Equate Moisturizing Body Wash Silky Smooth. It is divine, darling. I am not kidding it really does "pamper the senses and leaves the skin feeling silky soft." Try it.
Then to our favorite restaurant for lunch and coconut cream pie. I really wish 'all ya all' could come. (I tossed in that 'all ya all' because my son hooked me up with a blog traffic counter thing and I notice I have a surprising number of readers from Texas. Just trying to help you feel welcome and at home, here.)
Oh, I really have the ramble nonsense going here. Guess that being nervous AND excited is scrambling my brain cells and things are just a coming out - sense and non-sense.
Well...wish me luck and if you hear on the nightly news about a really nice older lady stopping all the security people with all her 'non-allowed' items at the airport in Washington, or someone driving the wrong way on the one way in Boise Idaho, send up a prayer on my behalf 'cuz it most likely is all about me.
Mom and sissies...here I come...get ready....see you shortly. (I hope.)

I am ready to be born.

Oh not that kind of born again. I am already working on that. I do believe that is a life long process, don't you? Trying to be like Jesus.
I am ready to be a real live social person, again. After working outside my home for many many years, when I retired last summer, I couldn't force myself to leave my home for anything but the 'have tos'. Groceries, church, visit kids and the like.  Sometimes - I even put off grocery shopping until we were out of milk AND eggs AND bread. Just didn't want to leave home.

Last week I felt like and went to our church's little book club group. It was absolutely delightful. I loved visiting and being social. I laughed and enjoyed and came home with something to think about. I am still enjoying the left over feelings from that fun evening. Yip, I feel ready...
I guess it has been nine months - that is long enough - a new social Arlene is ready to be born.