Craft Night - Beaded Bracelets

Our 3rd Craft Night had a Valentine's Day theme and was all about the glitz and the glittery!

We first feasted upon homemade Cheese Puffs hot from the oven and delicious Chili Cheese Dip (yummy, thanks Jen!), followed up by salad, Beef Stroganoff, and Citrus Cupcakes.

Mom and I opened up our bead stash as well as newly purchased baubles to the bead novices. Our eager beaders (ha ha!) could make two bracelets one in red for Valentine's Day and another in any other color. The novices made interesting and bold selections to create their masterpieces.

The bracelets were quickly strung on stretch cord or tigertail and I assisted by doing the knotting (sometimes not too well, oops!) and finishing.

The dining room rang with lots of chit-chat, laughter, "oohs", and "ahhhs" as finished bracelets were proudly displayed.

Thanks everyone for another great Craft Night, Mom and I had fun and hope you did too!

Middle Child

Welcome to the world
baby girl!
Diane and Jerry welcomed their fifth child on this day in 1968, Lisa Ann.

Our little cutie at 3 months old.

Lisa is the middle child of nine, she is also the middle girl--a double whammy! My fun loving sister, pictured front and center in 1971 in the brown dress, had to deal with four older siblings trying to tell her what to do and in turn had four younger sibs to boss around. I think here in her formative years is where Lisa developed her outgoing nature, her ability to multi-task, and her competitive streak.
My Aunt Patsy, who has a mind for details of people and events, as a child created a newspaper of sorts with all the stories she overheard her adult family discussing. Much to my grandmother's dismay, young Aunt Patsy then distributed copies to neighbors (what else do you do with a newspaper!). Lisa has inherited this detail-oriented mind and can remember soooo many things, even from early childhood--it is scary! She could definitely give our Aunt Patsy a run for her money in the memory department and would have made a wonderful co-contributor of the newspaper.

Lisa, loyal friend, generous sister, and devoted daughter,
Happy Birthday!

One last thought, please note in the above 1981 birthday photo, how I seem to be the only one singing, Glenn has covered his mouth to prevent himself from blowing out the candles, and Renee seems bored by the event...Hmmmm?

Song in my Head

Today, I woke up with a song in my head..."precious and few are the moments we two can share"...I don't know how it arrived it my head. I don't remember hearing it on tv yesterday, I don't recall hearing while I was in the car, and I didn't turn the radio on this morning. "Precious and Few" accompanied me all while I played and walked with the dog. I kept wondering why am I playing this song in my head. My own personal elevator music continued as I ate breakfast. Anytime I wasn't actively thinking, the song merrily bounced around my head, why!

It is not an anomaly only to me, getting a song stuck in your head happens all the time to all of us. But why was my brain torturing me with this particular song on constant replay. I finally decided it must be a message! I'll probably sound as syrupy sweet as the song, but I think the message is to appreciate the people around me more, that the moments we have together truly are precious and few. It is not a new thought to me, I am reminded of it as I care for my parents, or spend time with a friend or relative that I don't see often enough.

I take so many things in life for granted like electricity, clean water, good food, etc. If challenged I could live without many of those things, but what a sad, empty life I would have without my family and friends. So, here's a pledge to my dear ones: may our moments always be precious and never be few. Love to all!

New Year's Gift

I am going to focus on enjoying life more, all the good, funny, happy moments. I am going to worry less about what has happened and what might happen. Instead of losing myself in negative thoughts, I will try to be more positive. This is not so much a resolution as an awareness of wanting to be a better person--to love more, to laugh more, to enjoy all the truly wonderful people in my life.

My New Year's Gift to you is to

Enjoy the Moment!

I will.

Merry Christmas!

May we always remember
the true meanings of Christmas
as we celebrate the season:

Love and Charity

Wishing everyone
the gift of time
to treasure

family and friends.

Have a Blessed Christmas!

Snowflakes

Falling snow always inspires me to create my own replicas, even though they can't compare to the real thing. I learned how to cut snowflakes in the fourth grade, (thanks Mrs. Voss!) and I loved it immediately. I remember helping other kids fold the paper the correct way, experimenting with extra folds and lots of additional cuts.

For several years we decorated the kitchen cabinets with snowflakes that I cut, we saved them every year to tape up the next year. Similarly, at one job I taught my co-workers how to cut snowflakes. We created so many that I decided to tape on varying lengths of white sewing thread and then I hung them from the drop ceiling--it was beautiful! The other departments were envious of our decorations, and following my mother's lead, we saved them and created our snowflake ceiling for many years.

I have often made tiny snowflakes to decorate the corners of my computer, I have even tried to make huge snowflakes out of butcher paper. I don't think a year has gone by that I haven't created paper snowflakes. It is so easy and yet so lovely, I love making them.

I guess it is a tradition of sorts...so, if you know how and the sparkling snowflakes outside motivates you, join me in cutting a few snowflakes and decorating your home or office!

Barber in Training

Paul David, fourth child out of nine, third boy, born on December 11, 1966--an early Christmas present for my parents.

Paul and I always seemed to get along, have fun, and occasionally get into trouble.


<<--Always smiling! Paul, three months old.

My parents didn't go out that often due to time and finances, but one time stands out in my memory. A teenage neighbor girl was babysitting us; I believe Paul and I were maybe 11 and 12 years old, but probably younger. Being some of the older children Paul and I were to help the sitter with our younger siblings, including the youngest, a baby at the time.

12th birthday

So, of course a bit of a drama occurred. Paul was chewing gum and somehow managed to get some in his hair, no big deal right? Wrong! Paul tried to get the gum out on his own by using scissors! Paul gave himself a very creative haircut--jagged and missing chunks.

Happy Birthday Paul David "Fruit Loops", Polly-wogs, Pablo, brother, friend, and partner in crime, enjoy!