Still snowing in Missouri!

******All this snow sure makes it hard for this old girl to get around!  ** I have to watch for her to come back to the porch so I can help her up.  She doesn't have enough "push" to do it herself.  ****

If I had a week off

Today I was talking with one of our high school students that works at the animal hospital and we were discussing how nice it would be to have a whole week off to ourselves.  (She is out of school for a week but working)  I started day dreaming of having a week off, with nothing planned and what I might do with that time....

So in no certain order here is my list:
If I had a week off I would:

• Visit distant family
• Visit distant friends
• Spend more time with my mom(s) and dad(s)
• Spend more time with my kids
• Play with Valentine more
• Eat less
• Exercise more
• Make something for myself
• Write a letter
• Make cookies
• Clean my house
• Clean out my car
• See my grandson
• Read my bible every day
• Shop on-line
• Shop off-line
• Give Valentine a bath
• Organize my kitchen cabinets
• Go to a museum
• Read
• Go swimming
• Build a snowman
• Take pictures
• Sleep in!
• Catch up on my favorite blogs
• Go to lunch with a friend or friends
• Visit the cemetery
• Go to an auction
• and I would say "spend time with my husband" but then none of the above would happen!  (Maybe I could squeeze some time in for him, he is a honey)

Okay, maybe a week is alittle unrealistic. But it's fun to think about it!  You should try it and see what you come up with.

ahhh, the weight of Christmas....

The holidays are almost over and it will soon be time to start dieting.  I put Valentine on a diet right before Christmas and she has already lost 3 pounds!  Don't you just hate women that can drop the weight that fast!?!  :)  Here she is standing guard over the Oreo cookies.  She can't hear and doesn't see as well but her sense of smell is 100%.

It's been a fun few days and now it's back to work for a few more.  Good news? There is an auction on Friday the 1st!  Yeah!  What a way to start off the New Year!  I'm looking for a decorative old chair that I can use in photography.  I had one once but the auction got all messed up and it ended up going to another person.  Wish me luck!  You all have a wonderful week. 

Blizzard hit Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!  We have a ton of snow & it's still coming!  Most of our holiday plans had to be cancelled.  My oldest son came over early yesterday afternoon right as the storm was rolling in so we got to spend Christmas Eve with him.  He has to work this morning so we are trying to dig out a vehicle. 

I got the nicest card from him last night.  He wrote, "I know you worry about me, but I'll be fine.  I Love You so much and am blessed to have you as a mother. Love, Cory."  It made me tear up.  I wish I didn't have to worry about him but I do.  I hope in 2010 he can find LOVE as I really believe that is what he really wants and misses. 

Merry Christmas to you all!  Be safe in your travels and may many blessings come your way. 

Christmas wishes

Awww.  Christmas is drawing near.  There is still baking to be done, shopping and gifts to wrap and cards to fill out.  This is not Christmas related but I really like it so thought I'd share it with all my dog loving bloggers.
It's called God and Dog. Enjoy,  and if I don't get another chance to blog before the Holidays, I wish you all many blessings this Christmas season!

2nd thoughts

Okay, I'm already having 2nd thoughts on this cookbook project.  I had made 2 batches of dough on Sunday just to press and give as Christmas gifts and they were the worst cookies ever.  For one, they stuck and stuck and stuck!  I was ready to toss the press across the room.!!! And two, they don't taste the greatest. 
just venting!  just venting!  Today's another day, and there will be nothing about cookies in it. 

A Valentine update for you.  She went to see her special Dr. Perkins that does the acupuncture and chiropractic work and Dr. P says that her heart already sounds like it's a grade 2 on one side and 3-4 on the other so her medicine is already helping.  She also suggested that I get beef heart at the store and boil it and then cut it up really fine and give her 2 TBSP a day of that.  YUK!  Suppose to be good for her heart!  Gross, but if it will help her heart, I guess I'll have that nastiness in my kitchen.  ewwww. 

Lastly, where is the dang spell check on this new blog format??? Anyone know?  I desperately need it! 

The French Cookie Cookbook Project

I've decided to take on a goal this coming year to create a cookbook. 

C·R·A·Z·Y            maybe..........

My grandma always made these delicious cookies and a few years ago my sister and I started making them at Christmas time to give as gifts.  We got inspired and started playing with the recipe.  We have learned to create several different flavors.  There really is nothing like them so I thought I would try to share with the world.  My Grandma would of really liked that.

Of course a cookbook will require baking and photos and organization and then the random dream of getting published.  Squeeze all that into a year?  I guess we will see.  I will keep you all posted on my endeavors.  Valentine has agreed to do all the sampling and clean up....lucky me :)

New Charm

my first attempt at etching (on the small brass charm dangling from the photo charm)
I did the wire work & the bead work too. Looks somewhat primitive but that is how most of my work turns out.

Gifts under the Tree.

Valentine's blood work all came back great! She will start her heart medication today. Yeah for that!

Today is my Christmas outing with my girlfriends. We laugh, LOTS, we eat (usually ALOT of that too!) and we shop. We also exchange gifts every year. I love that. I know Christmas is not about the gifts we receive, and I LOVE to give! In fact, I"m disappointed with my family that they all want to nix presents. I don't care if they don't or can't do gifts but I hate it that they are demanding that the rest of us not get them anything. I figure I'm only in my 40's and they are in their 60's-70's and just now not wanting to give gifts. I still have a good 20+ years left! Guess I'll be adopting some needy families or something! My tree will be barren of gifts after today. *sad* Guess that will leave more room for the cats and dog to lay around under there....they do seem to love that.

Pondering thoughts

I was reading a piece in our local newspaper and they had a picture of this old scarf right beside another scarf similar to it that read Missouri. I guess in the movie Julia and Julia (which I have not seen yet) there are these framed scarfs from the different states above a bed. Seems people liked the look and are going crazy over these collectible scarfs. Well, I just happen to have this one given to me by my Uncle Jim a few years back. It was his mom's, my grandma's. I guess now the Kansas one is worth $48. It's priceless to me but it does make me wonder where they come up with the worth of collectible items. $48? Why not $45 or $50? odd. As pretty as it is, I'm sure if I would of found it at a garage sale I would of had trouble rationalizing paying anything more than a quarter for it. Maybe a dollar at auction.

This is my old girl Val. We had a snowy day today and COLD! I took her to work with me since it was going to be hard to go back home and let her out on my lunch hour. Don't let the picture fool you. She LOVES going to work with me!! She just hates waiting in the kennel and would rather follow me around all day and beg everyone she meets for food. I asked her doctor to do a physical on her since she was there (since we were all there) for the day anyway. She just had one in September by the way. She has not been acting sick or different or anything. I work at the vet and employees get free physical exams on 4 pets, which is very nice, especially since I have 3 geriatric pets, so I try to make the most of that benefit! Valentine has had a mild heart murmur for about 4 years now. Barely audible. A 1/6. Guess what? Today, it was a lot worse. A 4/6 with 6 being BAD, like die anytime, BAD. We x-rayed her heart and it is enlarged but not bad. She also has high blood pressure. We drew blood and sent it out to the lab. Her blood work has always been perfect so I hope it is that way tomorrow when I find out. She will however be adding a heart medication to her daily pill regime. boo-whooooo. Makes me sad. She will be 17 in January and she is my little darling. I know they can't live forever. I just don't want her to get sick. She is happy like a puppy now and always has been.

This is her when we got there today. Notice the snow by the door. It is so cold here today!

Tonight, at work,I answered a phone call from a man named Charlie. He said he had a strange question and asked if we had any cat food we would be getting rid of, or any samples. He said he loved his cat but just couldn't afford to buy him any food right now. I put him on hold, knowing we didn't have any actual bags of food for free. I decided just to buy one and let him pick it up. I get on the phone and say, "sure, can you get here before 7pm because that is when we are closed?" Then he asks me just to leave it outside. It's 9° outside. He would be walking several miles to get it and wouldn't make it before we closed. His house had burnt down and he was staying in a local motel and had no transportation. I told him I would deliver it to the lobby of the motel so he wouldn't have to walk in the cold. I rounded up a bag of food plus several bags of cat treats that were donated to us. I couldn't help but wonder as I'm getting all this together if Charlie would be eating any of it himself. I also couldn't help but wonder if it was all legit. Was I getting into a con? Would I be mugged, car jacked or worse. It's a shame we live in a world where it's so hard to do something nice for someone. You have to fear for your own safety because there are people that will prey on your generosity and compassion. I prayed on the way to meet him that God would put a hedge of protection around me and "please God, don't let Charlie be a serial killer". I found Charlie waiting for me beside the lobby door. He was very kind and said if I seen his cat I would understand and his cats name was Frogger. He thanked me multiple times and I couldn't help but tear up as I got back into my car and looked at my beautiful warm dog with her tummy always full. How blessed I am, how lucky I've been. My prayer should of been for Charlie and his family all the way there! If your reading this, please pray for their situation and may God direct other strangers into their lives.

Future Calvin Klein Model

Watching for Santa

I did a photo shoot with Grandson Colton on what has become known as "Fussy Friday". He looks just dreamy here....too bad the whole day was not spent with this look :P In his defense, he has a pretty good sized hernia that will require surgery in January. Please send the cute little guy your prayers. Thanks!

Old Christmas Postcard

this postcard will turn 100 on Dec. 22nd. I have a couple from 1908 and a few from 1910, & 1911. they are but one of my little treasures.

What a simple letter would mean....

My good friend's mother Peggy passed away early Saturday morning. Her visitation was last night and my husband and I went. Among some of her framed photos was a framed letter she received from her daughter in law years ago.

The letter was written from the heart. She really went into detail about how much she really liked Peggy. She talked about how Peggy made her feel and how much she appreciated how Peggy made her daughter (Peggy's grandchild)feel. She talked about how she appreciated raising her son to be such a great husband. She talked about how much of a joy Peggy was to be around and how she always wore a smile. She wrote that she believed they would of been friends even if they would of met under different circumstances and she wasn't part of the family. She thanked Peggy from her heart and soul and poured her love out to her on this page, this letter, just because she wanted Peggy to know she liked her. She liked being with her, talking to her, doing stuff with her, being part of her family. She liked her spirit and she loved her like a daughter could love her own mother.

Peggy thought so much of this letter written so many years ago, that she framed it and hung it on the wall so she could read it often. What a treasure! This Christmas season what a wonderful gift this would make for someone you love...a simple letter to let them know you LIKE them and why. Roll it into a scroll and tie it with a pretty ribbon if you want to dress it up a bit. I believe her daughter in law is really happy that she took the time to say back then how great Peggy was and how much she meant to her, especially now that Peggy is in heaven.

If you want to read an awesome love story between husband and wife and a family devoted to God then go to http://www.caringbridge.org/. Hit Visit and type in peggywillis. Start at the beginning and read to the end her family's journey thru her illness. You will be amazed and it will open your heart! This woman lived a joyous, happy life and I wish that on anyone reading this today. May we all be so blessed.

Love of the tree

Valentine models under the tree, hoping I won't tell you her embarrassing story about the time she pooped under our Christmas tree.

She can't hear anyway so I'll tell you! It was the first year we ever put up a real tree. She must of been about 5 years old. I guess she thought it was pretty great that we were bringing the outdoors in because she just pooped right under our great smelling pine tree! She didn't even get that embarrassed "pooping face" most dogs get when they go. The living room was crowded with the whole family and I don't even think we were even through decorating the tree when she just took the position and let it rip. That was before I was really into photography, and a few years before digital, or I may have taken a picture as evidence. As it was, I couldn't get it cleaned up fast enough! That is the 1st and only time my little gal has ever went #2 in the house!! Knock on wood! It's also the only time we ever had a real tree for Christmas! After she pooped under it, our cats knocked it over on 2 different dates, spilling the water all over the carpet. It's been artificial ever since. Sorry Santa....the pets have been BAD!

Behind The Ornaments

This year as I put the ornaments on the tree I felt very sentimental. Besides the glass balls and the Hallmark ornaments I have these special few. Many of them are handmade by myself or someone else so maybe you can get some ideas of your own.

1. Homemade ornament from a friend.
2. Old family photo of me and Jim with our kids when they were little. Makes me :)
3. Cory's kindergarten picture ornament.
4. An ornament I made using those whirly "dealies" that come off a tree.
5. My mom made these about 25 years ago and gave them to me.
6. Homemade ornament from the PTA.
7. Photo ornament of our dog Duke who passed away about 6 years ago.
8. This is a cute magnet made from a pop bottle cap. See #20 also.
9. This was made by the PTA from a tongue depressor. I always thought it was cute.
10. Another from the PTA.
11. Photo ornament of the kids when they could kinda stand each other.
12. I'm sorry I don't remember who made this one. She is a very sweet angel made of lace and yarn.
13. My friend Julie made this for me last year. It is felted.
14. James' kindergarten picture ornament.
15. An ornament made by Cory when he was in grade school. We painted on tree limbs.
16. Something sent home with one of the kids from school. Went on the tree ever since.
17. Another PTA creation.
18. I made these candy canes one year. They are kinda ugly, I know.
19. Another flop of mine. A snowman kit made this year.
20. See #8 for it's sidekick.
21. An ornament I made one year.
22. My sweet Grandma Bessie made this one for me.
23. Another PTA creation. 3 grown kids from the same school I'm surprised I don't have more! They always did such a nice job too!
24. A painting on a tree limb by James when he was very young.
25. Brandi painted a cat on her tree limb.
26. Canvas snow woman I made one year.....maybe 10 years ago or more.
27. An ornament my Dad made for us.
28. This sweet ornament was actually our Christmas greeting. I put it on the tree and it just goes up each year with all the ornaments. I don't know how old it is but my aunt that made it died almost 10 years ago. I'm glad I kept it when I did.

Ornament Received!

I received my ornament last night from my ornament exchange partner Kathleen Walck from KATYDID AND KID. It is a really beautiful felted ball. I have not heard if she has received mine yet but I hope she likes it too. I intend to leave mine out year round as I think it look fabulous in my kitchen. :) Also, Karri received the ornament I sent her and posted it to her blog The Daily Be!

What a fun couple of days. Jim and I had everyone over for Thanksgiving. This has been my 4th year to house the family for Thanksgiving and I have to say the most relaxing. Other than an outburst from my little sister that was very irritating and directed at my precious dog (which I've already forgiven her for and so has Val) it all was great. I make French cookies every year at Christmas time to give with my gifts. They are alot of work so this year I bought extra supplies to make a ton of cookies and I had whoever wanted to help, help and it went awesome! My brother in law even ran the mixer for all the batches. What teamwork!
We had 3 cookies presses going and it still took a couple of hours.
Every family took home some to give away for Christmas gifts as well!

Also, my grandson and my greatneice met for the 1st time. How cute that was! She is adorable anyway. She wanted to touch him but was afraid. Here is a close up of The Touch.

Eventually she was kissing him! Here she is wearing a hat my little sister made. Check out those eyes! Wow!
On Friday my Mom called and wanted Jim and I to run up north with her and my step dad Jerry. We went to an Amish community and I got some pretty cool stuff. I LOVE anything Western and this store was filled with it. I would love to own a store like that. My mom bought me a lantern type light which I thought she was buying for her house and gave it to me at the end of the day for hosting Thanksgiving each year. How sweet and wonderful! I'll treasure it always! Then we go to have dinner with my friend from New Orleans as she was up visiting her parents. We sat in a pizza shop for over 2 hours talking! I'm glad I brought her hubby a gift (he collects anything with fish or fishing and I found some artist playing cards with fishing lures on each card) he was very patient while we gabbed! Two more days in my weekend so I hope to make them equally as great! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well!!!!

Paybacks arn't always hell *smile*

In my last post I have a video where I was picking on my husband with Valentine being a "willing" participant. Well, he has been babysitting all this week and look what the cute, funny man did!

Charms in the mail!

I mailed my Christmas charms!! If you gave me your address and you don't get one soon let me know and please let me know if it arrives broken because I really don't want that so I will send another with even better packing! If your my blog follower and would still like to have one please email me your address to staffbsah@yahoo.com

Tonight I came home from work and relaxed by watching the Antique Roadshow. I love that show! I think I would of even loved it if I was in 2nd grade. I've always been drawn to old things & wonder where they have been and the stories they could tell. Tonight was a great one. It was an old 18K cigarette box from the turn of the century that had diamonds and blue enamel. Beautiful! It was traded for a meal at a restaurant that belonged to the woman's mother. She gave the man 3 meals instead. It is mysterious who the man could of been with this Courtier of Paris box and how he ended up hungry enough to trade it.

In the meantime I had to tease my husband by taking this video. Starring Valentine of course! Mute the music below so you can enjoy! I may try to perfect it even better...she was just so excited over the food. That's my girl!

Ready for the Holidays

My craft show is over. Not a huge money making success but I did get to spend 2 full days with my buddy Chriss (we did it together) and I met a new friend there named Candice which is priceless. Guess I'll get busy now and photograph what I have left and create an Etsy account. I also will get my Christmas charms in the mail for all my blog followers who responded to my last post and one to my ornament exchange friend in Pennsylvania! I just think that is so fun! Can't wait to see my ornament. I came home last night to this giant box and my first thought was that she had sent my ornament already, and my 2nd thought was "my gosh, it's huge." (the box was pretty good size.) Then I seen the return address and it was from my Aunt Nancy. I had taken Senior pictures of her son about a year ago when my uncle was out of work and they were struggling with money. Her and my uncle have both been working for a few months now so she sent me a really awesome leather Relic purse and a Thank You card. I was very, very surprised and thought that was so sweet of her to do! Made me smile big! :)

I didn't get to babysit my little grandson on Friday because of the show but I did have him for a few hours on Thursday. He is starting to get a fuller face. Can't wait until he starts interacting with me and actually smiling! I'm glad I'm so in love with him because we see him alot.

We are still having to fork out the funds for almost all of his mommy's bills which I totally do not agree with but have just kept my feelings to myself as talking to my hubby about them doesn't seem to do any good. She has a fairly new car that she has not been able to afford for since January. I wanted the car to be put up for sale and help her by getting her a good cheap used car. Instead my husband keeps paying the car payment, the insurance, the tickets she keeps getting and whatever maintenance arises. We could of bought her a great used car with all that money we have forked over. That all just makes me sad. I was a single mother for 6 years and I worked my tail off, never took welfare or got child support and didn't borrow money. I did without all the extras. She is living with Coltons dad who really doesn't seem to help her and she is not motivated to better herself to find decent work. They just installed satellite when they are struggling with money. The whole things makes me angry. Sorry, just had to vent. Guess I'll sign off and start looking for my turkey recipe!

My blog followers are so charming!

I would like to send each of my blog followers a charm for Christmas this year. If your interested please email me your name & address to staffbsah@yahoo.com and I will have it to you before Christmas day. It's almost been one year since I started this blog and I have really enjoyed the friendships I have made along the way! Thanks to you all!! Hugs! Stacey

Charms ready to be soldered. This is a joke between my sisters and me so I made a 1st Born, a middle child and the above. If they don't sell my sisters will be getting one for Christmas! lol I am the middle child BTW.

One of 15 hats (all different & very cool!) that will be in my show next Sunday. My little sister can really sew!

I soldered several earrings. I figure if they don't sell at the show I'll post on Etsy and if I can't sell them there I will have a variety to choose from for myself! :) This doesn't show real well since I took all these photos with my cell phone. I added charms to several things so that I can display them at my booth.

A fishing charm on a cutting board.

He loves me, loves me not charm.

I'm going to fill this empty Starbucks bottle with gumballs. If I don't sell it it's going in my office. It has a crying baby on the front and "waah waah". This is a blurry closeup of a vintage postcard charm and a cool old bottle from the Goodwill store.

A better view of the above mentioned bottle and charm along with a sprig of tree with Christmas charms on it. I think it will make a good display. I'll take better pictures with my camera when I get more organized. Just wanted to give you a glimpse of what I have been up too..

Update

We have had beautiful weather here in Missouri...sure unusual for November but we are loving it!! I babysat my new Grandson for 9 hours on Friday. He was so good. My sister and I tried to take him to lunch and that was the only time he had a crying fit. Didn't want Grammie to eat I guess. I have taken some really great pictures that I can't wait to post. My computer is down again so I'm using my hubbies lap top to post so I don't have any pictures to upload at the moment. I soldered several hours yesterday and have several things ready for my sale in a couple of weeks. I'll post lots of photos of that as well!

I'm participating in the Ornament Exchange for Bloggers! Join me! What fun!

Hope everyone has a great week! Happy Monday!

Getting ready for my first show

I have been very busy getting supplies ready for my first craft sale. It is the weekend before Thanksgiving and if I do not do well there I will take everything and create an Etsy site with it. I have also taken some photos for people that I have been busy editing and making c/ds so my blogs have suffered. Ill post some art work soon thou! hugs to all!

Shop Cat

This little girl was in a jewelry shop in New Orleans. I love the look on her face. Total indifference. A "just don't bother me" look. I paused outside the door long enough to capture this photo.

This past weekend we went on a haunted tour of the Marshall house & jail on the square in Independence, MO. It was very interesting! I didn't realize how much trauma went on there in the past, especially around the civil war days. It was creepy, since we were there at night and the only light was a flash light. Besides all the ghost stories our guide did say that tourist will frequently see a cat in the house curled on a bed, perched on a window seal or just strolling around like it owns the place. A cat haunting......now that is my kind of haunting! (No litter box to change) lol

I hope everyone had a fun and candy-filled Halloween night and you didn't meet any boneheads!

For Chrissy

Everyday that I work I meet wonderful dogs. Every once in a while there will be one special dog that really connects to my soul. Yesterday that dog was Chrissy.

Chrissy was a mixed breed dog. She weighed around 60 pounds and had a thick hair coat that seemed to want to shed all over. She was fairly tall but not as big as a Lab or German Shepard would be. I called her into the exam room with her "mom". Chrissy had developed an odd gait in her walk and her head was starting to tilt to the left. Her tummy was round and bloated looking. Her gums were slightly on the pale side. Chrissy was 12 years old, which is considered to be old for a dog her size. That is something I never have understood. Smaller dogs seem to live alittle longer than the bigger dogs do. A poodle at 12 will still look very young while a Great Dane is lucky to live to the age of 12.

My doctor came in and did a physical exam. Her abdomen was tight and painful and he agreed that her gums were slightly pale. He recommended x-rays and blood work which revealed a large mass in the abdomen. Not good news.

This is what really got to me with Chrissy. When she was getting her physical exam she was totally trusting of us. She kept looking deep into my eyes like she was reading my mind. She would turn and check on her owner, making sure she was still present. The positioning for the x-rays had to be incredibly uncomfortable, yet she continued to remain calm and focused on my eyes. Then when my doctor presented her owners with an estimate of over a thousand dollars I felt sick. I hate this part of my job where I know money is the answer. Too much and it's almost always a death sentence and given Chrissy's age I knew her owners would hesitate to spend that much and not have a good guarantee that she would survive the surgery or live a few more years. They struggled with the decision well past closing time. This was not something they took lightly or brushed off as many people do by saying, "it's just a dog". They toiled with the prospect of surgery and asked all the right questions and in the end decided to euthanize her. The biggest part of me knew it was mostly a money thing and wished I was rich and could just say here, let me help.

Euthanasia is something I struggle with . Some days I deal with it everyday I work, sometimes several times a day, other days there may be none. It is something I had to do for my own pet a few years back and it really leaves an owner with a whole range of emotions. First your sad, then your angry that you had to make that decision and then you feel guilty. Some owners can not stay and be with their beloved pet during those final moments. Chrissy's parents decided that they could not be there. I hugged her mom and told her that I would stay with her during the procedure. She started to cry and thanked me. I wanted her to know somehow that I loved Chrissy and she would not feel alone nor be alone at the end of her life. I hope she understood all of that in my hug as I could not form the words to speak them aloud.

I hugged Chrissy up and I stroked her head and ears as she drifted off to heaven. I do believe all dogs go to heaven. I told her to say hello to my Buddy, Poochie and Dukie when she got there. I then made an inked paw print of her paw as a keepsake for her owners. The doctor will send a sympathy card and include that memento. I knew Chrissy only briefly and she made me love her in that very short amount of time. I imagine her family will miss her dearly.

Manatee

Me and a manatee.

I loved watching them swim. So big but so graceful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-40Y2_XUMc

The groom shot this video and I thought he did an outstanding job! Enjoy these gentle creatures as we had the pleasure of sharing their waters with them on the Crystal River.

Valentine is ready for Halloween

I really missed my Valentine while I was gone on vacation. I had to get her something special. I found this t-shirt that is so her these days. (In her old age all she really cares about is food) It says, " Hand over the CANDY and no one gets HURT". BTW she wears a 4T. (Little Chubs) Such a cute face though! Wouldn't you have to just give her all your candy!?!

List of Good Times had on Vacation

• I took over 1200 pictures! Thank God for digital.
• The sunset on the beach was amazing for the wedding & the birds were just an added plus!
• I swam 3 hours with manatees on Crystal River in Crystal River, FL~highlight of my trip!
• I visited 2 state parks
• On one day I traveled into 4 states!
• I visited 3 different beaches
• I took a swamp tour and seen alligators in the wild. Loved it!! The swamp is so pretty!!
• Learned that people actually swim and water ski in the same water that the gators live!
• I got to have a lot of girlfriend time with my 2 Robins and my Stacey from Colorado
• I spent a lot of quality time with my husband. We vacation well together!
• I seen a huge mermaid mural that I thought was so beautiful on Pier 60 in Clearwater, FL
• I caught several tiny fish from Lake Pontchtrain while enjoying the sunset, the warmth, & most of all the company in LA.
• I had a mocha almond freeze which was yummy and an orange antifreeze which was gross and the few sips I had tasted like gasoline! lol
• I ate well- too well!
• All our travel went well except I dumped cheese sauce on an unsuspecting victim in the airport! oops!
• I took a few more pics of the French quarter.
• In Florida we drove from the state line of Alabama to Pensacola to Destin to Tallahassee then down to I19 to Tampa and then into Clearwater.
• On arriving back home in Missouri the trees had all turned their fall color! It was really beautiful to see from the air!
  
  It's great to be back. I have missed all the blogs I like to follow and may never find the time to go back and read what I've missed over the past week but have some good inspiration for my own blog in some of the photos I took! I'll be sharing those along the way.

Happy Fall ya 'all!!! xxoo

Sunday

I wish I could get more sleep. I feel tired most of the time and I have always hated those dark circles that belong to my face. Valentine has been whining at my bedside since around 4:30 am CTS. I get up, let her out, and she still whines. She just wants me UP for no good reason. I am up now, blogging, while the little brat sleeps at my feet! I know someday I'll miss her little whines but today I would just like some more zzzzz's.

I am going on a trip! My husband & I will fly out this Wednesday to go to New Orleans to stay a couple of nights with my friend Robin and her husband. We hope to do a little fishing and just laugh a lot! (maybe sleep too!) Then on Friday we are renting a car and driving the coast line to Florida where on Sunday, a good friend of mine that I work with, is getting married on the beach there. She asked me to go and take her wedding pictures and she is paying our hotel rooms for doing it. I have done several weddings but they are not my favorite shoot. I always worry that I might screw up and not get that all important picture, like the kiss or something. This will be my first beach wedding so I hope the sunset is perfect, there is just a slight breeze, and that my photos will turn out great and my friend will be happy! We will all be swimming with the manatees on Monday together so I also hope that my underwater camera functions as it should so I can get some amazing photos of us with those giant, gentle, beast. We will be back in Missouri on Tuesday. Then I will have some photos to blog about!

It's not a baby blog, it's not a baby blog, it's not a...

I got off early this afternoon and was rushing home to 1st let my little Valentine outside to potty, then 2nd I was going to get busy and get some creative artwork done. I've been making notes and drawing ideas and collecting, collecting collecting so I'm ready for some just "me" time to create like crazy! Then my phone rings and my daughter asks if I'm coming over today and if so would I sit with Colton for a while so she can run some errands. hmmm? Baby vs. Art Art lost.

Chicken Festival

Today my sister & I traveled to "our" 2nd annual chicken festival. I call it a festival she calls it a chicken swap but it's like nothing I have ever experienced and not for the squeamish. ;) They actually have them 3 times a year but fall seems to be our best time to go.

It's in a very small town in Missouri and there are tons of chickens, birds, rabbits, mice, reptiles, dogs, cats, goats, etc. They are all for sale. Lots of puppy mill puppies I would say which is very, very sad. Plus lots of junk (and I mean junk for the most part, although if my hubby would of went he would probably say otherwise since there seems to be a lot of tools and such). There is also a TON of people and some of them are pretty entertaining. I went last year because my sis was chicken shopping. This year we just went because we had fun last year. I bought some skeleton keys again this year from a nice man. Sometimes I just "feel" the good in people. He is one of those people. To look at him, he may seem scary...he was a bit unkempt, missing some teeth, wild hair but very gentle in spirit. I promised him I would be back next fall to buy more keys from him so he is going to be on the lookout for the small, interesting one's I like. That is sweet to me because he was very sincere.


We also travel through another tiny town that has an amazing store-it's very expensive but has the most creative pottery. It's an Italian artist that married a Mexican Potter and they produce some beautiful work together. I fell in love with these birds (which is just one of many sculptures they create) Last year I bought this one:



this year I bought this one! Isn't he adorable?!


We stopped at a couple of garage sales along the way. This sale had a barn that was falling apart and when we were walking back to the car I notice the falling boards made a perfect cross if you looked at it from the right direction. I grabbed my camera and LOVE this picture!
The sky is NOT photo-shopped at all! This is just how pretty it was today!