Paula's Heart

My Home, Sweet Home

2011-01-01T10:57:00.001-06:00

The home that my husband and I have raised our kids in is the home I moved into with my mom and dad when I was 17 and a senior in high school. We moved here from Corpus Christi where I'd lived all the life I remembered. When I was in college, my dad's parents moved up the street from my mom and dad. Dave and I married in 1983, bought a house in the same neighborhood in 1985, and began our family in 1987. In early 1992, we sold our home and bought my mom and dad's after they moved in with my grandmother, Honey, to care for her. Dementia had stolen Granddad, and he could no longer live at home.

When we bought the house, we made cosmetic changes of paint, curtains, flooring, and carpet, but for the most part, it's remained the same all these years UNTIL NOW! We made the decision in May to make a wish list, and we found a wonderful couple to do the work. Over the next two months, we made changes that we LOVE. Until you come see us, enjoy the pictures. :)
Along the way, I'll share some of my sentimental treasures with you, too.

This is the view from the entryway. To the right are the stairs, and David's office is the loft area upstairs. The living room is to the left with the dining room adjacent and the breakfast room at the back of the house. We had all of the ceilings, walls, doors, and trim painted throughout the house. The red wall in the dining room had wallpaper, and it's GONE! :)

This picture is taken from the loft and shows the living room. Most of this furniture had been Honey and Granddad's. The framed and signed DeGrazia over the piano had been my mom and dad's.

It's kind of hard to see, but in the left corner of the dining room is a potbelly stove that had been in Granddad's home when he was growing up in the early 1900s.

The stair wall had also had the wallpaper like in the dining room. I originally thought about painting this wall the same red as in the dining room, but I was afraid it would really shrink the area if it were so dark. I like the lighter color, but it is darker than the other walls.

The mirror had been Honey's, and the hat had belonged to Granddad. The bench was from my great aunt and is from the early 1900s. It's made of apple wood and still has the original straw 'stuffing'. The quilt is a picture quilt I made of old family photos.

This picture is taken from the breakfast room entry into the dining room with the entry way in the background. This glass case had been Honey's and is filled with things from her home. The birds on top were my Mamaw's, my mom's mom, and David brought the jug to me from Tanzania.

The picture above is again taken from the breakfast room entry into the dining room.

The china cabinet is full of American Fostoria that I inherited from both Honey and Mamaw. I also bought some of it, and my brother has been great about tracking down serving pieces for me. Some of the pitchers on top also belonged to my grandmothers.

The carnival glass set has a cool history. In the 1920s, Honey sold items door to door from a catalog to help her parents whose crops were struggling. Her grandmother, my great-great grandmother bought that carnival pitcher and glass set from her. Somehow, the great aunt from whom I got the apple bench had ended up with the carnival glass set. She gave it to me one year for Christmas when they came to celebrate with our family. Honey, who had been legally blind most of her life, could see well enough to recognize the set when I opened the gift. She was thrilled to see it again and for it to be mine.

The Family Room

2010-12-31T23:49:00.006-06:00

The white wall used to have dark paneling. We had that taken down and had the beams across the ceiling painted as well. Love the difference it made in this room.

The white part of the bar used to extend out about 18 more inches and then had a half wall with spindles that made the bar enclosed. We cut that "L" off and are so happy with how it opened up this space.

Attie is in her favorite place in the house.

The four of us - David, Seth, me, and Sarah. :)

HE is what it's all about!

The Kitchen

2010-12-31T23:37:00.008-06:00

The floor in the kitchen used to be saltillo tile, but we wanted the tile to be consistent through the breakfast room, kitchen, laundry room, and half bath. I thought I wanted wood, but Dave wanted tile. He was SO right! I love the tile.

In the next few weeks, we will be having new countertops and backsplash put in as well as the new stove top and venthood that is waiting in the garage. I will also have that raised end of the countertop cut off.

Across from the baker's rack is the bar. We had a half wall taken out that made the bar an enclosed area.

The Breakfast Room

2010-12-31T23:31:00.005-06:00

This is the breakfast room. The icebox has an assortment of glassware and antique tins that were Honey's. The ironing board in the corner was Mamaw's, and my mom's twin sister painted it.

I know this is a weird place for the antique bank check filing cabinet, but . . . it used to be in the loft which is now Dave's office. I have many of my rubber stamps stored in it.

Dave's Office

2010-12-31T23:23:00.005-06:00

This is Dave's office. He works at home - not always in his overalls (PRAISE GOD)! The area to the left of the white board used to have bi-fold doors that opened into our master bedroom. We wish we had made this change years ago!

He's a busy boy! He has two desk areas and computers. The chair on top of the armoire was Honey's and the wicker bottom was worn out. I used Granddad and Papaw's old neckties to weave a new seat. The wicker basket was made by Honey's grandfather, my great-great granddad.

Dave bought this elephant in Tanzania. I think it is beautiful.

Master Bathroom

2010-12-31T23:17:00.005-06:00

The master bathroom used to have carpet and green vine wallpaper with a mauve ribbon border with flowers.

Love our bathroom now!

I had the mirrors over the vanity raised and framed. Love it!

Master Bedroom

2010-12-31T23:03:00.007-06:00

The wall behind the bed used to have bi-fold doors that opened into the loft - the area that is now Dave's office. We are SO happy that we had the doors taken out and the wall closed.

The cedar chest at the foot of the bed was given to us by Honey and Granddad when we got married. My wedding dress and veil are inside along with special baby clothes.

The rocker was Honey's, and I reupholstered it all by myself! The door is into the master bathroom.

As you may have noticed, I collect Willow Tree angels and boxes. Dave brought this round box to me from Tanzania. Oh, and I won the lamp at Bunco. Good prize, huh?

This assortment has a few pieces Dave brought me from Amsterdam (the blue ones) and others that have been gifts from friends over the years. The white milk glass pieces had been Mamaw's. The flowers were actually from our wedding. My friend Peggy made all of the bouquets, and these were left over.

This is Dave's chest of drawers with a signed print that his mom's cousin Frank McCarthy did.

I love these books on his chest of drawers under the lamp. He's a good Daddy.

Sarah's room - Guest room

2010-12-31T22:51:00.006-06:00

Sarah's room is the only room we didn't have the walls painted in. The ceiling, doors, and trim were done, but we had painted her room a couple of summers ago.

All of the furniture in this room except the bookcases and lamps had been Honey and Granddad's.

This little space is a place I find comfort in. It's like a little nest with a lot of the little treasures in one place.

The trucks on top of the left bookcase had been my Daddy's childhood toys.

Upstairs outside the hall bathroom

2010-12-31T22:45:00.004-06:00

There is a nice little area outside the upstairs hall bathroom and the kids'/guests' rooms that used to have a little sitting area. After the redo, I put this antique desk that was Honey and Granddad's. The quilts were made by Honey and Mamaw, and the scrap rugs folded on the seat were made by Honey and some of her aunts. The wool 'stained glass' rug folded on the top of the scrap rugs was made by Dave's Gramma Peg.

My brother bought me the organ stool that is similar to one that Honey had that my brother now has.

Hall Bathroom

2010-12-31T22:15:00.006-06:00

This is what the hall bathroom used to look like.

This is what it looks like now. So much better if I may say so myself!

Seth's Room - Guest Room

2010-12-31T00:12:00.012-06:00

Well, last but certainly not least, is Seth's room and a second guest room for those who want to come for a visit. This is the view from the door. The wedding ring quilt on the bed was made by Mamaw for my mom and dad when they got married.

Two walls in this room had been blue prior to the remodeling.

The dresser below had been my Granddad's, and the shelf above is filled with treasures.

These stamps belonged to my Dad. I guess I had rubber- stamping in my blood. :)

This case contains treasures from both Honey and Granddad (on the left) and Mamaw and Papaw (on the right).

This Bible belonged to Papaw, and I love seeing his sweet notes and underlining. I am so blessed to have such a Godly heritage!

These boots belonged to my Daddy when he was a little boy. My brother Dub wore them, and I wore them. Sarah and Seth both wore them also. When Sarah was two, my sweet mother-in-law gave Sarah and my niece Brittney matching pink and white seersucker dresses with beautiful Battinburg lace cuffs and collar for Easter. I, of course, bought Sarah white patin leather shoes to wear with her precious dress. Sarah, on the other hand, wanted to wear these boots, and on Easter morning, she did wear them with her pretty dress. She was adorable.

The bear was given to me by Dub and is a duplicate of a bear I was given in the early 60s by my Aunt Wilda and Uncle Johnny, and the doll was a handmade doll I've had since I was a child.

Smokey the bear is another of my childhood 'lovies', and the dog was my Papaw's when he was a child in the late 1890s and is stuffed with straw. The jar is filled with only a few of my Granddad's pen collection.

One last look at my treasure shelf, and my Dad's and Granddad's hats.

Well, you've now seen the entire house with the exception of the half bath downstairs and laundry room. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Come see in person any time you want! We'd love to see you!

Sometimes I Wish

2010-10-23T19:03:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I wish that I had not been a stay-at-home mom for fifteen years.

I taught school for 7 years before Sarah was born, and then I quit my job to stay home with my baby girl. Seth was born when Sarah was not quite three, and he fit right into our home. I loved being home with my kids.

I had a dear friend - a kindred spirit - who had her own twosome, each one year younger than mine, and our kids were best friends. We spent lots of time together and also took care of each other's kids for 'mental health breaks'. And, I loved being home with my kids.

I had hobbies, too, that I enjoyed during the kids' nap time and even more once they were in school. I had friends I walked with each morning after the school bus carted the kids away and who came weekly to my home to pray for our kids. I attended Bible study each Tuesday, had lunch with friends, and kept my home pretty clean and tidy. And, I loved being home with my kids.

I helped take care of my grandparents who lived close by. Did the grocery shopping and took them to the beauty shop and barber shop for the weekly 'do's. I even cleaned their home a couple of times each month and relished time just sitting and chatting, learning more about the treasures that filled their home and the stories that made up their lives. I so loved being home with my kids.

There were times I did everything I could think of to earn money so I could stay at home. I sewed clothing for others, tutored school children, and administered standaridized tests to home schooled kids. There were a few years in there that I cleaned several homes a week, often thinking, "I have a Masters degree, and I'm cleaning someone else's toilet." But, I loved being home with my kids.

After fifteen years, life and circumstances dictated that it was time - time to go back to teaching. I was blessed to get a job at Seth's school when he was in 8th grade. Sarah was a Junior in high school, and we all had to make some changes to make this new life work.

The years have rolled on, and I'm eight years back in education - four as a teacher and now four as a Counselor. Life is different. Seth is a Junior in college, and Sarah is a college graduate, living and working in Chicago. My husband and I are so glad we not only still love each other, but we also really like each other.

Education is different, too. A lot has changed in the thirty years since I taught my first class. Kids have changed. Parents have changed. Expectations have changed. Sometimes I wish I hadn't been a stay-at-home mom for 15 years because I'd be done. I could retire. I'd have put in my thirty years and could walk away.

But, I was a stay-at-home mom, and sometimes, when I wish I hadn't been, I remind myself that I loved being home with my kids. I love who they are and how they turned out, and I really love the memories we made. I loved being home with my kids.

Mourning

2010-10-06T20:38:00.002-05:00

Feeling a little sad today.

A friend from work's son is getting married this weekend. I love this friend a lot. She's my closest friend at work, and we share our hearts. What we don't share is a love for the Lord.

We were fast friends from the start. From my first day of work, we clicked and soon were sharing our life stories. Except for one part. Something has happened in her world at some point that has led her to a place in life that a relationship with Christ or even God is not what she wants.

About six months into our friendship, she gave me a card, thanking me for my friendship and letting me know how much it means to her. There was more. She said I'd shown her something no one else in her life ever had: that two people who don't see things the same could still be friends.

There have been many times over the years that I have shared about my faith, just as a matter of the fact that it's a big part of my life. It impacts how I approach the things that touch my life. I pray. I seek Him. I talk about Him. She listens. She acknowledges. She doesn't take part in those conversations.

Back to today. As I said, her son is getting married on Saturday, and she'll be off work tomorrow and Friday. As I left for work, I asked my husband to pray that I'd know if I was supposed to pray with her for the weekend. Hours later, as the day was coming to an end and I knew she'd be leaving soon, I found her in her office, closed the door, and told her I had something kind of awkward to ask her. I pulled a chair over near hers and asked if I could pray with her for her weekend.

She stumbled a little with her words, saying it was okay with her as long as I didn't care if she didn't participate. I asked if she would mind, and she said she didn't care. I almost backed out, say I'll pray later, but instead, I moved ahead, put my hand on her knee, and said a simple prayer. I asked God to bless the weekend, maintain a peace and a calm, and bring many years of happiness to the new couple.

When I finished with "In Jesus name, Amen", I looked up at her and thanked her for letting me pray. I don't remember if she said anything, and I'm pretty sure she didn't close her eyes or bow her head. But, I know she heard, and I know He heard.

And, now, I'm sad. I have been ever since because I can't imagine what has happened in this sweet friend's life that has brought her to the place where God holds no attraction for her, where 'cold' is what I see in her eyes when I speak of Him, and where this really good person does not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you're reading this, could you pray for my friend, and pray for me, that I'll be Christ with skin on for her, and that somehow, through the grace of Jesus Christ, I'll be able to help her move beyond the hurt that has brought her where she is now to an abiding faith in Him, a saving faith that will remove that 'cold' from her eyes and give her a warmth that radiates from them instead?

I love my friend, and I really want to spend eternity with her.

Hot Chocolate

2009-02-16T11:13:00.001-06:00

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the Professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said, "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups...and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

And enjoy your hot chocolate!"

It's Outta Here!

2009-02-09T17:29:00.005-06:00

Just a quick post and a picture. Dave and I got to see Seth for the first time this weekend play college baseball. What a thrill! He played really well and got his first collegiate homerun. YeeHaw!

The field he played on for the road games has seen some mighty awesome players over the years. He got to sit in the dugout, play on the field, and run the bases where some legends have played. I don't know if it meant a lot to him, but his dad and grandpa thought it was pretty cool!

Katie's Card

2009-01-31T14:36:00.007-06:00

I can't believe that my daughter is old enough to have a kindergarten friend who is getting married. Katie and Sarah went to school together from beginning to end, graduated from high school together, went to the same college, and ended up sorority sisters. What a blessing! Sarah and one of her roommates and sorority sisters, Jayme, are in town for Katie's bridal shower, and I made this card for them to go with their gift. I used a chipboard heart I bought at Michaels, my heart nesties, a quickutz flourish I absolutely LOVE, and the end of a favorite ribbon. :( The sentiment on the front is an old ProvoCraft clear stamp and the one on the back is a Verve. I like it!

Blog Candy Entry for Moved to the Mountains

2009-01-25T17:14:00.002-06:00

This card is a birthday card for a coworker and an entry for Moved to the Mountains blog candy.

Sunday Stamping

2009-01-25T16:58:00.008-06:00

I made a couple of these Valentine's Day cards to send to Dallas Baptist University to help out Julie Carlisle who works with international students. It's an entry for some blog candy at i{heart}2stamp. You can click on the entry title to go to her blog.

They are kind of fuzzy pictures, but I like the cards. I used scalloped heart, classic heart, rectangle, and the bird nestabilities, a Martha Stewart edge punch, a Quickutz flourish die, and ribbon.

Men's Brains and Women's Brains

2009-01-16T08:52:00.003-06:00

Yeah! So excited! My husband and I are going to a conference this weekend with a really funny guy. Click on the title of this post and watch his explanation of Men's Brains and Women's Brains. Enjoy! See ya Sunday!

Blessed

2009-01-13T21:42:00.001-06:00

Totally feeling blessed today! Nothing special has happened. Just feeling blessed! God is good!

Recipe for Life

2009-01-11T17:21:00.003-06:00

I received the following list in an email from a friend. She wasn't the author, and I don't know who is. It's a good list of things that can help make life so much more enjoyable.
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a DVR. Tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, "My purpose is to__________ _ today."
5. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.
6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2008.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie (not you, guys.) Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give it time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
32. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
34. The best is yet to come.
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. Do the right thing!
37. Call your family often.
38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: "I am thankful for __________." Today I accomplished _________.
39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don’t want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more. And may nothing but happiness come through your door!

The BIG thing I would add to this list is to grow in your relationship with God through His precious son, Jesus Christ!

On the Farm

2009-01-09T15:50:00.002-06:00

Dave and I are spending the weekend at the farm. :) But it may be our last as we have it on the market. :( Praying we make some sweet memories. God is good.

Some old, some new

2009-01-04T17:59:00.010-06:00

Well, a couple of blasts from the past tonight. The first couple of cards here I made years ago and ran across them today when I was cleaning up a little in my stamping room. The first Christmas card I made about 60 of at the time with a brayered background and the beautiful silhouette stamps.

I guess it would be safe to say that I was in a "brayering" and silhouette stage when I made these.

These are three cards I made yesterday with a sweet stamp that just cries for sepia ink. Card uses square and the smallest mega curved rectangle nesties and the cuttlebug vintage corner.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T22:29:00.016-06:00

Ok, so I've got to say that I'm not really very upset about seeing 2008 in the rear-view mirror! The year started off great as we went on a cruise to celebrate our son's upcoming May graduation from high school. We had a fantastic time and made some fun memories! I'm very grateful for that time together.

Seth had a great spring baseball season and had several colleges interested in him playing for them. After months of agonizing, he really felt the Lord leading him to go to The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Seth returned to Mongolia this summer on the same mission trip that Sarah, Seth, and I participated in the previous summer. He has had a great fall at UMHB and is looking forward to baseball season in just a few short weeks.

Sarah is finishing up her senior year in college and will graduate in May. She spent the summer in NYC doing her internship with an event planning company called Paint the Town Red. She had a fabulous time and gained a lot of valuable experience. Tara, one of her best friends, sorority sisters, and roommates, also had an internship in NYC, so they roomed together at NYU. Sarah's boyfriend and two of their good friends came up for a long weekend visit. We were so happy for her to have had this opportunity. We are excited to see what lies ahead after her May graduation.

Ok, so in retrospect, maybe 2008 has been a pretty good year. Financially, it has not been too great, as my DH has his own business and the struggling economy hit his business long before it hit Wall Street. It has been interesting to say the least, BUT having taken a few minutes to reflect on the highlights, I am reminded how good God is and know that He has been faithful to bring us through another year inspite of tough economic times.

We have been blessed with sweet family times, lots of fun memories, and the blessings that come with being surrounded by people who love each other and enjoy spending time together! Ok, 2009, bring it on! I am confident that God will continue to be faithful, and even though we live in uncertain times, I'm going to hold on to Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Faith * Hope * Love

2008-12-30T21:54:00.005-06:00

This card is for Gina K's challenge found on her blog. The challenge was for a black and white card, and this is my first challenge ever! :)

Wow! A good stamping day!

2008-12-29T20:50:00.020-06:00

This card uses my one and only set of My Favorite Things stamps, a scalloped square nestie, and a couple of flower punches. I'm not a big "colorer" but I used Bic Markers on the stamped image. I think it looks pretty good! :)

This was a fun card to make. It is bigger than I usually make - 5 1/2 X 5 1/2. I used one of the Cuttlebug Vintage set dies, a Martha Stewart bird punch, and a Martha Stewart edge punch. You can't tell in the picture, but some of the birds are popped with dots.

Sorry the picture of the card on the left is blurry! These cards use an OLD lamb stamp, some sentiment stamps, a cuttlebug folder, some Bazzill ribbon, and a Martha Steward edge punch.
I love how the cuttlebug folder has the swirls like on the lamb. Too cute!

Simple, simple card that used one background stamp, a sentiment stamp, a Martha Stewart edge punch, and some ribbon.

This card used one of the Cuttlebug Vintage dies, a rectangle scalloped nestie, a Curved Rectangle megability, a Marth Stewart punch, and some ribbon.

This card was made much easier with the use of a square punch.

Stellan Baby

2008-12-28T00:25:00.004-06:00

Please pray for precious baby Stellan. He is a total miracle baby, but he is in the hospital. Please pray for God's hand on him and his family and doctors. This entry title is a link to his MckMama's blog.

Introducing - My cards

2008-12-27T20:27:00.004-06:00

I started this blog during the summer, thinking I'd post some of my cards. I've been afraid to post them, but I finally decided to take the plunge. These cards were all made during the summer, and they are long gone to other owners.

I've made more since, but since I hadn't ever posted these, I didn't take pictures of the more recent ones. Maybe if you like them, I'll start posting them as I make them.

This one used a Cuddlebug folder, some nesties, and brads.

Let me know what you think - be gentle! :)

Isaiah 40:31

2008-12-27T20:21:00.003-06:00

Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint.

Encouragement card

2008-12-27T20:14:00.006-06:00

I made this card for a friend who was going through a tough time. I just wanted to send some words of encouragement.
I used sizzix dies, a three different Cuddlebug folders, nesties, and brads.

Smile Card

2008-12-27T20:10:00.004-06:00

This card uses Cuddlebug dies and nesties. I'd just gotten both and wanted to play.

Love Card

2008-12-27T20:07:00.003-06:00

I used the Paisley Cuddlebug folder, nesties, and a Martha Stewart punch on this one.

Sympathy Card

2008-12-27T19:58:00.019-06:00

This is another card I made several months ago and had never been brave enough to post.
I made this card for a friend whose mom had passed away. I used sizzix and nesties.

In this picture, you can tell I layered on the inside also and used a stamp of the 23rd Psalm. I had no idea this would be printed in the program at her service.

Lynn Family Photos

2008-12-25T22:27:00.004-06:00

Another fun family activity with Dave's family was taking family photos after church.

Breanna, Sarah, Brooke, Michael, Seth, Grandma Judy, Me, David, Grandpa Jim, Tom, Brittany, Emily, Lori, Mark, Jon, Holly

Seth, Me, David, Sarah

Sarah and Kennon

Tom, Lori, Brittany, Brooke, Breanna, Emily, Jon, Holly, Mark, Michael, Me, Sarah, David, Seth

Precious Day!

2008-12-25T21:56:00.007-06:00

What a great day we had today, celebrating the birth of Christ! Enjoy a few pictures! Daisy and me Dave and Attie My brother

Seth Sarah is our tye-dye girl. She tye-dyed her gifts this year.

My mom decided she wanted RayBan sunglasses this year. She didn't think she'd get them. Can you tell?

Cool Nana! Sarah and Tess

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T00:05:00.001-06:00

Luke 2 (Today's New International Version)
Luke 2
The Birth of Jesus 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
The Shepherds and the Angels 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Christmas Fun in Plano

2008-12-22T21:45:00.005-06:00

Several years ago, we decided on Dave's side of the family that we would stop exchanging gifts at Christmas. It took several years of "kind of" talking about it to finally come to the place where we were all in agreement that we wanted to try something different for our family Christmas time together. It had gotten more and more difficult to really know what would please each other when we were buying gifts. My inlaws have eight grandkids, and the age range is currently from 8-21. We have a lot of fun when we are together but we really don't get to see each other as much as we'd like to. Our true motivation for deciding to no longer exchange gifts was based on the fact that the desires of our hearts are that when we - the grandparents and moms and dads - are gone, we want our kids to know each other, to have great memories that draw them together in order to continue to have a relationship and love each other. So, we decided to be strategic about making memories now that will give them common experiences to draw on to continue their relationships. Dave has two siblings - a sister whose family lives in the same town as his Mom and Dad and a brother whose family is about an hour away from them. Our Christmas tradition has now become to plan a full day together, enjoying each other from start to finish. The favorite part of our day is to go to a local business called Whirlyball. Picture an indoor basketball court with ten bumper cars, five yellow and five red. Every player has a wicket like in lacrosse, and the goal of the game is to pass a ball with the wicket to teammates and trying to score by throwing the ball through a hole in the basketball backboard. Well, it is a BLAST! Here are some pictures of our fun time on Saturday.
This is us pretending to be a well-behaved group! This is the REAL us! :) It's hard to see in the picture, but there are "bunny ears" all around!

Not Me! Monday

2008-12-14T12:18:00.007-06:00

Ok, it really can not be time for another Not Me! Monday! And, I'm certainly not putting this up a little early.

I really have not procrastinated for how many weeks now and not even started my Christmas decorating! I have not put off putting our tree up because that's a family thing and our son won't be home from college until Tuesday. No, that would not be me! I have not even actually considered doing without decorations this year. No, not me!

I did not write our Christmas letter today for the first time in at least five years. I have certainly not been a slacker for all those years and just enjoyed getting cards from others and not sent one from us. No, I would never do that!

My husband and I did not go to Nacogdoches (a real town in Texas) this weekend for our daughter's boyfriend's graduation from Stephen F. Austin State University. It did not feel like a dress rehearsal for May 16th, 2009 when Sarah will graduate. Also, we did not find ourselves playing pin the tail on the donkey - blindfolds and all - with her and her friends and roommates. No, we are almost 50, and we would not play pin the tail on the donkey with a bunch of 21 year olds! No, not us! My daughter did not win, by the way!

And last but not least, I did not start this blog in July with the intention of sharing some of the cards that I make, and I did not finally post a card on Saturday that I made for Kennon's graduation. No, not me! And, I would not love for you to take a look at it! :)

Celebration Day

2008-12-13T22:46:00.002-06:00

Dave and I drove up to Nacogdoches yesterday to attend Sarah's boyfriend Kennon's graduation. The ceremony was this morning, and it felt like a dress rehearsal for May 16th, 2009 when Sarah will graduate. I can't believe she is a senior in college! I used the graduation program to make Kennon's graduation card. What'cha think?

God Does Good Work!

2008-12-03T20:48:00.009-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

My husband and I went to Pennsylvania a month or so ago, and we saw some really awesome examples of the good work God does. Enjoy!

In addition to seeing beauty, we had loads of fun!

God is good!

Not Me! Monday

2008-12-01T19:47:00.012-06:00

OK, so this is not just my second post EVER on my blog. I have not had this blog since July and am not only now adding another post. I did not just get a lump in my throat when I reread that first post.

This is not my first ever Not Me! Monday. I did not just type the entire post, hit the back button, think I'd lost the whole post, and retype the entire thing before I realized it had been auto-saved as a draft.

I did not learn an awful lot about this blog stuff by linking in my title back to MckMama's blog, uploading pictures, and inserting the jpg of Not Me! Monday. I did not yell, "Yeah, me!" when everything worked.

I did not travel to my in-laws for Thanksgiving and help cook the feast only to return home on Friday and cook another one so my kids could have leftovers!

I did not take these pictures of my kids and their cousins on Thanksgiving day, and we do not have the same pictures taken eight years ago with everyone in the same places.

I did not stop for gas on the way home from my in-laws and decide it was too cold to drink my chocolate shake protein drink. I did not toss the cup into the trash can only to have the cold liquid bounce far enough into the air to come down on my head and arm. I did not say words I had to apologize to my kids for saying. I was not so angry that I was tempted to change my shirt while standing in the middle of the gas station parking lot.

I did not stay up Saturday night until 3:00 a.m., talking with my DH, and I did not go to church Sunday morning with major bags and dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep.

I did not have major contentment in my heart, sitting in church with my DH and my two sweet kids.

We did not take these pictures with my kids yesterday before they headed back to college.

This is not my DH David, son Seth, and daughter Sarah.

We did not take this picture with our furry kids, Tess, Daisy, and Attie.

And we certainly did not put antlers on all of our dogs.

And last but not least, I did not cry when my kids left to go back to school!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-07-09T17:08:00.005-05:00

It's a beautiful day here in Galveston where my DH and I are enjoying a few days of rest and relaxation as we celebrate our upcoming 25th anniversary. As I have spent time by the pool, walked along the beach, and gone through the rest of this day, I've had a niggling in the back of my mind that just won't go away. Today is my dad's birthday. Is it still his birthday when he's no longer here or should it be "was" his birthday?

My dad celebrated his 78th birthday three years ago today, having been diagnosed with lung cancer a mere five weeks earlier. When you take into account that we knew he was dying, it was a bittersweet day. We had decided a week or so earlier that we'd give him acts of service for his gifts that year. Spending money on gifts he'd never enjoy didn't seem to make sense, and acts of service would live on to bless my mom even after my dad was gone. David, Sarah, and I got to work, mowing, trimming bushes, and cleaning siding. Seth had left the day before on a mission trip with our church youth group and wasn't due home for another week.

In the early afternoon, a group of people who my dad had taken with him on mission trips to Mexico came to spend some time with him. We all crowded into the family room, my dad the center of attention in his recliner. He was forty pounds lighter, on oxygen, and rather frail, but he was still a man of strong faith and joy. After all the greetings, Jesse pulled out his guitar and began to play one of the familiar songs of our faith. We all joined in, singing our praise to the Lord, loving on my dad, and finding strength in the moment. My dad sang, raising his right hand in praise to the one who would soon call him home. Tears streamed down most cheeks as we knew without speaking the words that this would be Dad's last birthday here on earth. As I looked around the room at this gathering of faces, I knew that they represented a small fraction of the people my dad had impacted as he walked his faith through this life. He was a good man and loved the Lord with a passion. We closed this precious time together with prayer and tight yet tender hugs.We had no way of knowing that within a few short hours my dad would be gone. The next day was the first day my dad had not had the strength to feed himself. My mom fed him, and in the midst of this shift in life, my dad's sense of humor was intact. He teased her about how quickly she shoveled the food in, moving her mouth like many of us do as we feed a baby, seeming to be taking bites ourselves. Dad hadn't shaved in a few days and was having trouble with his electric razor. We had bought him a new one, and in the early evening, Dad sat in his recliner while Dave gently and lovingly shaved his wrinkled face. Such a tender, loving gesture from my sweet husband for my precious Dad.

Later, after we'd returned home, Mom called, concern evident in her voice. Something was wrong, and she needed us. Within minutes, Dave and I entered their bedroom, finding Mom standing by Dad's side of the bed. He was gone, having crossed from the world of the living to the world of the everlasting.

Even today, I can hardly grasp that my Dad is gone. I miss him more than words can express, and the tears stream down my face, much as they did three years ago today as we gathered in his family room, singing praises to the Lord. Such a void, yet such hope in knowing that I'll see him again. He's with my other Dad - my Heavenly Father - and through my own faith in the life, death, and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, my sins have been forgiven, and I'll be with them both one day.

So, Happy Birthday, Dad! You were the best, and I was blessed! I love you!