Blessing Ring Part 2

Cards are added for people to write blessings on.

Blessing Ring

I got this great idea from my friend in sunny Florida- thanks Bets! I've yet to make one for me or for a gift, but I made the top of this one for my friend for her parent's 50th wedding anmniversary. She added the framed explanation which makes a nice touch! I hope to make some for birthdays, showers, etc. Possibilities are endless!

Frugaling (long u, hard g)

I'm finally "in". It is now "in" to be frugal. I have been frugal ( nice, politically correct way of saying cheap), my whole life. Ask my kids. They will say nothing in our house is ours. (Well, it is, but what they mean is we didn't purchase it). I agree most things are hand me downs (or ups from someone younger). I will be the first to admit I like a freebie. The computer cabinet that I am sitting at was our neighbor's. Our family couch, chair and ottoman belonged to a friend my daughter babysits for. Numerous items are from garage sales. Yes, your junk becomes my treasure.

I guess I was too influenced by my grandmother who had nothing growing up and lived through the depression. Her frugalness gene must have been passed down to me. Somehow it has managed to skip a generation with my children. The thought of garage saling (long a), or shopping at Goodwill has never entered their world.

So now with the economy, it has become fashionable to save money by bargain shopping. This has been my life for the past 30 years of familydom. My daughter quickly pointed out that even our beds are someone else's. Now before you get grossed out, they are all from very close friends- we KNOW the people that slept on the mattresses previously. And there are covers on each of them. Heck, we are all a few paychecks away from being homeless and then we could be sleeping in a tent. So I am thankful for all our friends and families that have shared their castoffs with us. It is all a matter of perspective.

I do draw the line on shoes- having major foot issues....nuff said about that. A lot of our furniture pieces are antiques from family members. These are priceless treasures that mean a lot. On one of our moves the mover took a look around as he was packing our beloved items and said he hated antiques and he wouldn't pay two cents for any of it. I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he really didn't realize that he was saying this to an antique lover who was paying him the big bucks. And this man was responsible for making sure that this "junk" made it cross country in one piece. But that's another story I am choosing to forget at the moment.

Well off to Beth Moore simulcast-should be fun! Who gets your hand me downs and what is your favorite recycled item in your house? Have a blessed weekend.

I am woman hear me roar!

I just changed /replaced a toilet seat. Dang plastic bolt wouldn't come off, so I got the handy dandy saw out and cut through the stripped plastic screw. Replaced it with new and improved metal hinges. And it works!

This was after I went to the post office, did two loads of laundry, went to Bed, Bath & Beyond to get above toilet seat, put air in the tires of a car, and helped give an enema to a neighbor's child who was in dire misery. This was after working from 8-3:30. I won't even go into what I do there on a daily basis. Suffice it to say that my should be 50 minute lunch is only 30 minutes, which was interrupted today by an errant fire drill, which meant I had to gulp down my vittles in less than 20 minutes. And I never did eat dinner, unless you call a half of a peanut butter sandwich on the way to B,B,& B dinner.

The funny thing is, I don't even think about doing all these things until my mother in law called in the middle of all this and asked what I was doing. And then it hit me. WAAAAyy too much!
I know everyone is extremely busy, and we all wear our busy badges. At some point, however, we as a culture need to say slow down. This was not where I was going with this blog at all, but bear with me.

When was the last time you played a game, just to play a game? This summer, my two girls, a neighbor, and her mother and I all played various tables of Euchre. I hadn't played since college , and had forgotten how much fun it could be. We laughed, ( a lot!) and I learned that when you are "in the barn" ( meaning you have one trick left to win) you can put the two scoring cards behind your ears, like an animal ( donkey?). You had to be there, anyway we all got our picture taken at one time or another with our ears sticking out and cards flapping .

So I encourage you to slow down, take some time to play. The toilet seats , tires , and enemas can wait. (well, maybe not the latter). What are your favorite relaxation games?

Hardball

My daughter ( who played Division I softball in college) is playing on a slow pitch rec league as a substitute. Her sister and I went tonight to watch and support her team. Gorgeous night, sweatshirt weather- no bugs, ideal for sitting back and enjoying a friendly game of softball.
Until one player took out another player at first base. I mean walloped her! The first baseman never saw it coming. I happened to see her out of the corner of my eye as she was feet up in the air, suspended and coming down HARD on her back. Then the tempers started flaring. Words were thrown ( thankfully no punches, although there were threats of what was going to happen in the parking lot after the game.) Which the umpire promptly told the other team if ANYTHING happened, their team would be ejected from the league and the police would be called.
THIS IS A SOFTBALL GAME!!! Such drama I have never seen. At least not from grown ( supposedly ) women.
So what gets your juices flowing? My youngest ( who doesn't have a competitive cell in her body) was extremely amused by the whole scenario. She had witnessed the whole scene as it unfolded, whereas I just caught the tail end of the first baseman's tail being upended. My daughter who was playing ( first base), was concerned that they would try to retaliate and take HER out in the next inning!
Thankfully, the game ended peacefully, we lost, and we all made it safely to our cars. Can't wait to go to the double header tomorrow night!

Venus I love you!

A while ago my sister blogged about teaching her 6th grade daughter to shave her legs. A rite of passage. Horrible to start, as you will have to do it for the rest of your life. ( Or until you can no longer reach and someone else has to do it for you, or you get to the state of not caring how long it gets anymore). Anyway, I was lamenting the fact that I have been doing this unpopular chore for over four decades, when I discovered a new razor. An amazing razor. A razor that explains why my two twenty something daughters shave everyday and it seems like no big deal. They must be using this razor. The kind I usually use are the ones you get 85 in a package for $1. Double blade, if I am feeling "flush" , as my Grama used to say, I 'd spring for an extra dollar and buy the ones with the "triple " blade. OOOOOooooo.

But lo and behold VENUS Embrace!!!!!! This awesome puppy has five blades with a swivel head, and a strip of moisturing soap. Fireworks!!! Ta Da!! It is the most amazing shave EVER!!! My legs have never felt so smooth and I didn't have to put little pieces of toilet paper on the usual cuts around my knees and ankles because there weren't any. Small miracles.

Now I have no idea what these little suckers cost, but I am willing to give up a few manager's specials to purchase this brand again.

What's your story? I still have scars from battles with Bics. (no offense Bic Company- I used you for years). What is your fun beauty secret?

The difference between a T and an E

How much of a difference is there between a "t" and an "e"? This is not a trick question.

Recently our family has had some challenging issues regarding health and employment. I am so thankful for my family, friends and the body of Christ coming alongside to pray for our needs.

Interestingly, in the span of two days I received an email from a dear friend, saying she was "lifeing" me up in prayer. I actually didn't notice it until a cc person said good to know you will be "lifed" up in prayer. Soon after, a stranger who is praying for our needs wrote to say that she would continue to "life " my family up.

I don't believe in coincidences, only God-incidences. How two total strangers could totally skip a key and write the different word which throws a whole new meaning onto the subject, can only be explained as a God thing.How awesome to think that my life is before the throne, rather than just a passing moment on the continuum.

As I pondered the thought of others "lifeing" me up, I got really excited. I had a friend who prays for me tell me today, "You are a mess!" I told her, but I am God's mess! So I am excited that others are lifeing me up. Please feel free to do so! Especially since I am having to go to the Dr. again tomorrow for a new development! I should have been a doctor.....

Gardening

Green thumb I am not. I love to look at flowers, eat veggies and herbs from the garden, but I do not like to get dirt under my nails. Not that I am prissy or anything, I just can't stand the feel/look of dirt under my nails.

That being said, I am very thankful that my husband does like to garden. So he takes care of the pretty flowers I buy and tell him where to plant. What a team. This year we bought one tomato plant. Amazing what a dollar plant will grow into. This thing is monstrous. It has a cage and has had to be staked twice. So far we have only gotten two tomatoes, but are they tasty! We also have one green pepper plant, and one squash, neither of which has born any fruit yet. Perhaps they are late bloomers?

My dear friend has a wonderful garden that her husband planted and she is very generous in sharing her bounty. This garden has its own zip code. It also has a resident rabbit and woodchuck. I visited the plot the other day, being forewarned to look out for the critters that took up residence. Thankfully, we didn't see anything other than the newly dug up pile of dirt that alerted us to his presence.

So how does your garden grow? Do you like to get your hands muddy? What treasures have you sown lately?