T-shirt skirt

Look what I made in 10 minutes out of one a Danny's old t-shirts. All I needed was a pair of scissors!

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M is for Mammaw....

The other day I saw a KFC and it reminded me of Mammaw....when we were younger...probably teenagers...mammaw used to take us to lunch sometimes at KFC or Pizza Hut.  I miss mammaw so much but I'm so lucky to have had such a wonderful relationship with my grandmother and to have so many fond memories of her.  When we were children we would spend one morning a week with mammaw.  I mean we saw her more than that, but this was our special time set aside every week for Bible study, crafts, lunch, etc.  I can't put a price tag on those times.  I still have the children's bible study book that mammaw taught us from (actually I gave it to Kristi to carry on the tradition with her children).  Mammaw would let us take turns reading from the book. She even had prizes for us when we did well on our bible study homework.  What a precious time in my life!  After our bible time we had a craft time--I also still have several of the things I made during that time.  Mammaw taught us to paint.  she taught us to make chocolate chip cookies and homemade donuts out of biscuits.  She also taught us how to quilt, cross stich, embroider and crochet.  How lucky were we to have such an amazing Mammaw!

L is for Love my Life!

What's not to love? I have a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies, I have 2 big yeller dogs at my feet and its only 70 degrees outside in the middle of May!

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K is for Kara, Kelley and Kristi....

I'm dedicating part of this blog to my friend Kara because I miss her.  It was just by chance that we met on myspace and met one afternoon at a Barnes and Noble for coffee/cocoa and to chat.  We talked for a couple hours I believe and found that we have a huge common interest in scrapbooking and just being generally crafty.  Over the next 2 years we would meet often at barnes and Noble to chat or at each others houses to be fantastically creative together.  She is an awesome mom to her 2 teenage girls and her autistic son.  she is so full of life and love and it's impossible not to smile when she is around.  Alas, last year (or maybe longer?) the military took her away from us here in SC and moved her to DC.  I miss our Monday night scrap nights but thanks to facebook we can still keep in touch almost daily, sharing craft blogs (she is super awesome at finding the cutest things on blogs) and texting each other pics of our latest creations.  but at least now I have a reason to visit our nation's capital....I would love to visit some of the historic monuments and Kara would be a fantastic tour guide...then we can chat the night away talking about our families that we love and creating fabulous projects together.... (By the way Kara....we seriously need to get back on track with our scrapbook challenge...we have been so slack!).

And to Kelley, a sweet friend I met while working at an art gallery in the mall 11 or 12 years ago.  She is also amazingly creative and makes the most beautiful scrapbook pages with so wonderful details.  She now lives in Georgia so I don't get to see her often, but her parents still own a house here in Summerville, so she tries to come in at least once a year so we can get together for scrapbook weekends....such fun! We share a lot of the same values and tremendous love for our families.  She is the oldest sister to so many siblings I can't even count them (well over a dozen) and such a great role model to them.  SO, Kelley, let's schedule that scrapbook weekend soon!

And finally Kristi, my beautiful, amazing big sister.  There aren't enough adjectives to describe her--strong, independent, trustworthy, loyal, friend, devoted, real, true, I could go on and on....and she is one of the best mothers I know.  I hope some day when they are grown (if not now) that Jacquelyn, Nicole and Michael realize how lucky they are to have Kristi as their mom.  She may be super busy with work and school activities and all the extracuricular stuff that comes along with kids (soccer games, piano lessons, etc) but she is a pro and she is never too busy for family. One of my favorite things to do (and sadly I don't do it enough, especially now that I work most nights) is going over to Kristi and Stephen's house just because.  We can sit and watch nothing on tv or play cards around the table and have a great time just hanging out...and that's what big sisters (and brothers-in-law) are for.  and another commonality I share with Kristi as with my other K-friends is scrapbooking.  We love to sit for hours and work on preserving our family memories and reliving the fun times we see as we go through the events in our books...Kristi, we will try to plan a scrapbook weekend soon!...stupid work schedules!

J is for Jacquelyn

Jacquelyn is my niece, my sister Kristi's oldest child.  I had the privelege to be her nanny the first 3 years of her life, and as much as I don't like most kids, I cherish those early years I spent pouring love and education into Jacquelyn (and Nicole too). I would trade that time for anything.  I always say that Jacquelyn is an angel here on earth....here are Kristi's words that mirror my feelings about our precious angel JG... (taken from http://www.onesmoovefamily.com/jg.html )

"There are days when I believe that Jacquelyn is actually one of God's angels sent here to teach me. Or maybe it's a reflection of His spirit on her life, so strong already. I'm amazed at what our children comprehend spiritually - they give us a fresh perspective. Here is an example of one of those times that God works through her to show me a glimpse of light. While we were at Disney (the happiest place on earth), we were eating lunch or dinner one night, a few days into the trip, and Jacquelyn and I were sharing a table. She looks at me and says (out of the blue), "Mom, you know that Heaven is better than Disneyworld?" That day I was convinced God sent down an angel in the form of my daughter to tell me that. How else would she know?


And the way she sings is so refreshing - I could listen for hours. She learns praise and worship songs instantly and can replicate the tune so perfectly. Her voice is that of an angel, and is nearly always "on."

Some days she'll be up in her room, just reading her Bible (or looking at the pictures and telling the story to herself) - she's got some Mammaw Deen in her, for sure! She actually pursues more knowledge; she's truly captivated by the Bible and anxious to learn more and talk about things. I know that spiritual hunger will guide her path for many years. I'm humbled so many days to be that example she needs to keep that yearning for more of God."

Here is a mini album of JG's first 6 years.... http://www.onesmoovefamily.com/jg6/

Jack and her uncle Danny on her 8th birthday

Contentment...

"...I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances." Phil. 4:11 NIV

Now lets face it, I have NOT learned to be content in every circumstance...in fact, often times I find myself wallowing in discontentment, unhappy with our 1-bedroom apartment and having no money and feeling like I haven't accomplished things that a woman in her mid-30s should have accomplished by now....but then there are days like today:  This morning I lay in bed for an hour after waking up enjoying the calm and quite and comfort of my blankets....and enjoying the freedom of a Smartphone.  I have spent hours watching a new favorite TV show today while cross stitching a project that I have spent months on and will like spend several more weeks/months on but I love it!  I have the 2 best dogs in the world lying at my feet and when they ask me to take them outside I find that it is my favorite weather--upper 70s and very breezy.  I work 2nd shift but I get to work from the comforts of my own home, so that even while working, I'm always home when my husband gets home from work.  And did I mention my husband is amazing!  How can I not be content with my life! 

Thank you, God, for the reminder of this day!

I is for internet...

what a fantastic invention...I mean seriously! I think I'm more grateful for things like the internet and email and cell phones because I can remember a time when these things didn't exist.  Granted, it was a simpler time, a wonderful childhood where we called our friends on the phone and talked for hours while sitting in the same spot because the phone receiver was connect to a cord in the wall...or a time when we would go visit people so that we wouldn't lose touch....or even a time when we wrote letters to keep in touch across the miles.  These time were wonderful....but now I can use my cell phone anytime, anywhere to call someone, or catch up through email, or text, or facebook or a million other ways.  In a way I feel sorry for our children and our children's children because not only will they take for granted how easy it is now to connect with our friends and family but they will also miss out on the deeper connections made from the effort it took to write a handwritten letter or to make a phone call to grandma or to visit a friend who is sad or sick...instead of sending a quick "how r u?" text or facebook message.

And all this talk reminds me of this hilarious video about the conveniences we have in this day and age....enjoy!

http://youtu.be/8r1CZTLk-Gk