grandma's redbirds

Christmas Decorations

2011-12-19T17:10:00.000-06:00

Over the years I have gotten rid of most of my yard art but a good friend that I use to do craft shows with and went to church with made these two items for me ! It's been several years and the weather had worn the paint somewhat so redid some of it! Kathy dies a couple of years ago and she is really brought to mind this time of the year when I pull out things she made me! Frosty's hat looks sorta strange in the pic but the new glitter paint I used on the black hat is showing whiter in the pic than it really is, Kathy Ford you are missed friend!

Okay I needed a new wreath my old one passed on to the recycle world it had gotten so bad so to go with my other snowmen and snow gals I went on a hunt at Jo Ann's for something to go with them and found some $1.oo items to paint to get it going! Also found some half balls and a star in my stash.

Next also found some more items at Jo Ann's and they all were 50 to 60 % off! The leaves and balls and part of the floral has glitter bling Yummy!

The wreath is one I had bought last year on clearance!

I painted the mask and removed the stick from the back and outlined it all in black and attached the eyes and star and glitzed up thee $1.00 snowflake also then got to attaching all of the finds to my wreath and made me a big bow that I also added some of the ribbon to my old items!

also added a silver ornament "Believe" to the snowflake

I think Kathy is smiling down on my revamp repaint job to get more years out of her artwork and adding mine to the two items!

So many of my Christmas items were in need of repair after last years cold temps and then the horrible summer temps up in my attic last year. So may that I did not get all my decorations out this year!

And I still am making presents and finishing others . Needless to say waiting for payday Friday to even be able to finish shopping this year! Will try and post the two larger presents after Christmas!

Well till next time keep creating and next post I'll show you the goodies I got from my secret Santa in Art Group!

Neisey

2011-12-07T11:34:00.001-06:00

Been a bad blogger for quite awhile due to being busy with family and life and I am so sorry! I am starting it off again with sad news from today about a very be- loved christian woman in my life!

Evelyn Stephens born 10/20/1921 and went to be with our Lord on 12/6/2011. She had moved into Memory care center 6 days ago and after Grace and Kara visited with her and prayed with her and sang with her, an hour later she passed peacefully to join her Lord and savior.

This is a picture of Steve Grace Evelyn and LaDonna in the early days.

Graces sister made this and posted it in her room at memory care! Grace and Evelyn at the homestead!

Here she is with her beautiful granddaughters and grace at the eldest gdaughters shower!

Here she and Steve are at their house of so many years with Joel and Grace and their girls

Here Evelyn is with Grace, Pam, and LaDonna her beautiful Daughters at the table in the kitchen!

I have known Evelyn my whole life and she has been a mentor a step mom and friend for all those years and I will really have a hole in my heart with her gone. But I know she will be waiting at the door with open arms whenever we get to those pearly gates to meet us with my Lord and Father in heaven.

Her battle although shorter than my Mother in Laws with Alzheimer's. It truly is a blessing to us all, that he decided she was needed in Heaven with Him rather than see her totally gone here on earth!

Grace is the closest thing to a sis without being one by blood I have had in my life!

This last couple of days have been the hardest they have dealt with having to put her in a memory care facility and seperate their mother and father after all these years. I will be praying for Steve as this has got to be so hard on him after making the decision of placing her in this facility and only moments away from moving into assisted care himself.

Getting old has so many pitfalls and these are not good ones in so many ways!

I miss my mom and Dad so much through this time of the year and Jeff's Dad is SO missed also.

My heart goes out to the family effected at this time of year from the loss of Evelyn, she is SO Loved by so many and touched so many lives over the many years,

she has truly blessed our lives fully.

I will miss you till I see you again!

I love this family so dearly!

Father please wrap your loving arms of comfort around her family as they prepare to say their goodbyes and keep them safe in this season of Love celebrating our Lords Birth! Amen

Evelyn say Happy Birthday to Christ for me Please!

Love You

Neisey

Scrapper's Boutique First Annual Scrapper Consignment Sale

2011-08-26T00:47:00.000-05:00

Hey guys Life has hit me hard lately but I am trudging through some things and gonna get back on top of it!
More to come on that in future posts,,

I am so excited for this Saturday and have been crazy working in the studio getting ready for a huge sale from over 30 consignors at Scrappers Boutique this Saturday!

Garage Sale!

Come shop at our first ever Scrap Supply Garage Sale!

We have over 30 Consignor's who have cleaned out their stash

and are ready to pass it on to you at great prices!

When: Saturday, August 27

Time: 10am to 2pm

Please bring laundry baskets or shopping bags to carry all your treasures home!

(Credit cards will be accepted at the sale.)

Hope my nearby Texas buddies will come help us renew our stash by renewing yours!
I will have lots of bargains including my very lightly used " PINK " Cricut Expression and cartridges and supplies!
This will be a one huge step of DE-stashing of my stuff to hopefully get me on track of using only current things and downsize in other areas....
.....I know I am dreaming but right now that is a good dream and don't wanna wake up from right this second
(insert small violins in background)

I know once a Hoarder always a hoarder,
I am just not so bad that it wont go out my door,
cuz believe me it is heading out in boxes tomorrow for somebody special out there for a new home.
Is it calling your name!!!
LOL
Besides that I need the room to move my Mother-in Law in to take care of her in her last stage of Alzheimer's!
Well gotta go and tag some more stuff and go to bed! Hope to see some of y'all at the store Saturday!
Keep creating something beautiful!
Neisey

Summer Heat

2011-07-25T10:29:00.000-05:00

Man this Texas heat is awful 106 predicted for today....We so need rain!

Been taking care of my youngest son, Casey since This past Wednesday with an eye problems and now waiting to take him back to Doc for third time cuz hes running fever and sore throat. He needs to get well and go back to work! At least his eye is less swollen and a light pink ,,compared to swollen shut and blood red! Here is some layouts have done lately at Scrappers Boutique

This layout is with BoBunny Timepiece papers with my nephew Wes' prom king pictures

Echo parks summertime line

BoBunny's Zoo-ology line

I did two double layouts with these!

San Antonio Zoo animals!

These are from a summer vacation with family to San Antonio Zoo years ago!
And showplaces the elephant show and Elephant rides!

As well as taking care of Casey I have been having therapy On my left Knee which has some problems . Haven't been working and having therapy two times a week! They also gave me steroid shot for the pain and swelling going on! Things getting better and wanting to get back to normal! What ever that is these days for me! Not sure I've ever been normal...Ha Ha
Well gottaa go to Doc office and sit again...Hoping to post more but not promising this time cuz " life happens"
Until next time CREATE something beautiful!
Hugs Neisey

Birthdays and cleaning?

2011-06-21T18:50:00.001-05:00

My baby girl Jami always shares a birthday with the first day of Summer and was also born on the same day as my my baby sisters , Terri and Sherri!

Jami is my first born and the mother to my three great! Grandsons! Which with school out are driving her bonkers, Imagine that! they are so sweet not them!

Here is hoping my Lil sisters are having a great birthday even though Sherri is working in Iowa right now doing claims with her hubby and Terri is home at the Ranch! saw them both not long ago but am missing them again!

Tyler my oldest G-son came over Monday to help me clean cuz grand-Mama has a bad knee and need to get things under control before I go to the specialist next Monday to see if I can be repaired or need to retire this model! Or send me out to pasture! But back to Tyler cleaning up......

He found this bubble wrap and had to ....of course....pop them all before he went on cleaning! LOL

Here is taking a deep breath so he can do the second half of the strip!

He is finally at the end now maybe we can get the room done today???? or this week?

Gee was not happy with all the commotion and was so happy when the popping stopped..She came and got into my lap after he stopped!
Well that's all I got today my knee is hurting so gonna go get some ice to put on it although it really doesn't do much but get me to freezing....
Keep making something beautiful,
Till we meet again and Happy Birthday to Jami, Terri, and Sherri I Love y'all lots!
Neisey

The Things I Have Been Up To!

2011-06-10T15:43:00.000-05:00

Fixing to go to work at Scrappers Boutique but wanted to get this out ! Gotta Host the crop tonite for the wonderful Ladies that come into the store!

Wonder what great Cupcake Nita is bringing us tonight! Yum!

okay now i am hungry....LOL

Been working on flowers for the store and trying to keep them in the House at Scrappers Boutique

Its been fun to make different varieties, they are fun for me to do and get lost in the production of making em!

Also been doing sample layouts with the new papers this is of my mother my big sis and I at New Mexico in '61

The line is from My Minds eye and is called "Lime Twist" it is really a beautiful line!

Used some of my flowers and some of my EK Success punches, the line came with a really cute alpha set that was small and round and turquoise in color!...I loved it!

The next layout I did was with a line from Fancy Pants ...."Beach Bum", and I used the pics of the kiddos

Used some green foam thickers......Lots of dimension!

Destin, Florida has really pretty beaches that are white, the kids love going there every year for a week each summer, Grandma gets to see it thru pics they give me to scrapbook for them!

Be back soon with more layouts I am doing for the store and what we did for Altered Art group this month!

Make something special and beautiful!

Hugs..

Neisey

Late Late Late

2011-06-08T20:56:00.000-05:00

Well It has been a while! AGAIN! My heart has not been with my blogging! Sorry to those of you that have been checking the blog! Sometimes Life Happens!

Went to Great American Scrapbook convention Last Thursday with a great friend and co worker, Lynn and her son Vincent went shopping with us! Fun Fun Day! Also cropped all day at the crop with Lynn, Trisha, Stacy, Sonja and many many others! What a blast we had!

We visited Ten Seconds Studio and did the Make and Take, Pretty sure Vincent likes Metal now....LOL

Went to wonderful Nephews graduation recently, this was a very special day for the both sides of the family! This a picture at the party before graduation at the ranch! Wesley we are sooo proud of you and your accomplishments!

Wesley and his cake! Note to sis ...Black icing may be school color, but not good for the ole teeth! Especially before a big gathering at a stadium with big smiles showing teeth! Sorry no picks of those smiling faces!!!!!lol

Wes entering the seating area at stadium! Where has 19 years gone! seems just like yesterday!

The proud mom and dad watching their son! Insert tear remembering this day! I wouldn't have missed this day for anything! Love my Nephew and before I know it My niece will be following big brother in the Black and gold gown and cap also! Man I am feeling old!

Create something beautiful!

~Neisey~

Part 2 Lush Layout and Card

2011-03-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

Lush is this cool paper line with embellisments and all the bells and whistles from My Minds Eye and comes in some really cool colors but Navy screamed out to me for some photos of my baby Casey who turned 26 this month! Man my kids are growing up! I made a double page layout inspired by one of Mind eyes designers.... Amber Packer, and then I did a card with left over pieces from the layout! And also used some stamps from Scrappers Boutique!

Inside of the card

Outside of the card

Can't tell I Love me some dimension!

These pics were taken from a great friend Joyce who used to live in the area and did the photos in her back yard in 2000 and really doesn't feel 11 years ago! I miss Joyce and her family!

I used some chocolate brown chipboard thickers for the title on this layout, two EK success border punches and a Accu-cut die for one of the elements!

The cool thing is that Ribbon ,Journaling dies, and Rhinestones are all part of the line! I used their felt rick rack and three of the brads and one of the buttons on this! As well as two of the Journal peices!

The cool part about this line is that it is flocked papers and traditional flat papers, so you have dimension just with what papers you choose! So if you are not into pop dotting or layering your elements with height! You have it with just the papers!

Be back soon new stuff coming in this week for me to teach with,

and can't wait to play with it and tell ya all about it!

Create something Beautiful and catch ya later this week!

Hugs

Neisey!

My New Job and some Layouts!

2011-03-21T13:22:00.001-05:00

I so love the Graphic 45 Steam Punk line and Cherie wanted me to do a layout for display at the store!
I so loved using Jeff's Grand-dad and Grand-ma as the subjects of it!

I used all paper elements by lifting, punching, and duplicating them on the pages and the tags and frame pages already are so unique to the line.
Used some Crystal Stickles throughout the layout for some blingage also!
Also used some glittered Thickers in a dark teal color for the title!

Some of the roses on the layout were made with Tim Holtz Tattered Rose die using the medium rose !

Also used the hydrangea punches from Martha Stewart line of punches and my edging pieces were a EK Success border punch that looks like doilies! Yummy to play with!Gonna post again cuz blogger not letting me add my next pics from Lush layout so gonna do secondaddition today......Funny huh! NOT

I am really loving my new job at Scrappers Boutique and the other benefit is I get to see all my creative friends playing while I work and that is soooo much fun!

Create something Beautiful and talk in next post!

Hugs......Neisey!

March already?

2011-03-11T14:45:00.000-06:00

Where is the time going lately! My months are flying by so fast this year! Don't forget time change tomorrow night!
It is SPRING forward time on the old clocks!

Did not get to go play at Scrappers Boutique this week due to allergies and headaches so I am really glad to go and work next two nights and hope to see lots of familiar faces at the crops! It is sooo hard to not eat Nita's wonderful cupcakes though! They are sooooo Yummo!

My favorite place to work!

Sonic break

This last weekend needed lots done around the house so G-son #1 came and helped me out trimming trees and putting up hardware in the studio!
Along the two days we of course had breaks with our two fav beverages! Sonic and Diet Coke!

Been playing with this app again on my phone just love to see how it changes the pics! Tyler is growing into a young man these days and so trying not to freak over him taking drivers ed in the future and letting my first G-son grow up!

playing with app on phone!

Oldest of three wonderful G-sons!

Can't seem to break my habit of Diet Cokes have tried several times and just cant seem to give them up entirely as of yet!

diet coke breaks of course

Create something Beautiful !
and hopefully post some layouts did for the store tomorrow!
Getting late and gotta get some things done before heading to Scrappers Boutique for the night!
Hugs....
Neisey

PS you know the time is ticking away for the submissions to Scrappers Boutique Design team call due by the 15th of March!

First two weekend of working!

2011-02-26T14:34:00.000-06:00

      Well I made it through training on my new job last weekend and was turned loose this weekend to fend for myself. Hoping I did not scare any of the new croppers scurrying them off for the hills , I think I did pretty good! It helps that I am somewhere that I really really like to be which is Scrapper's Boutique!!!!
Hey if you are reading this they are still looking for designers and have extended the submission date to the 15th of March so go check out the requirements on the blog for Scrapper's Boutique !
       Lots of goodies have come in this week at the store and sadly I have fallen in love with most of it! One of my favs right this second is Stella and Rose from My Minds eye. Love the pages and the embellies and the stamps! Come in and check it out!
      Also we got My Minds Eye's Lush collection in! lots of color and some flocking! Miny book and embellies and Ribbon and all that jazz!
      Also received Echo Park For the Record and Springtime and they are just as cute as the Little Boy and the Little Girl lines!

If you have the time you otta come check the new stuff out while its still there! Well better get off of here and get ready to be crop hostess for another wonderful night! And try to keep from eating a cupcake every night...Not good for my points every weekend! or my weight but sooooo YUMMY! Nita Cherie's Mom does such a wonderful job making them for our croppers! Hope to see ya soon at Scrappers Boutique!
Keep making something Beautiful in your life no matter what it might be!
till next time......
Neisey!

Beyond Sense!

2011-02-14T23:37:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day to Ya'll!

Well friends it has been way to long and lots has gone on and transpired!
Taught in December at Scrappers Boutique and have been working on sooo much more since then.
House is almost ready for when we maybe move Mom in but that is way to long to discuss at this moment!
I start being the crop Hostess for Fridays and Saturdays soon at Scrappers Boutique! Woo Hoo!Sweet Cherie is giving me the opportunity to earn my keep. Gotta have a way to pay for my scrap habit! Ha Ha! Been making some flowers for the store also and they are selling good. So excited orders for the store from CHA should have started arriving today, but sadly the store is closed till Tuesday to see it! Open Open Open Anyone remember that commercial?
I will still be designing and teaching at Scrappers Boutique also! New classes coming in March so be watching!
The store is also having a design team call closing April first so check out the blog for details at http://www.scrappersboutique.com/ guidelines are posted on the site!

What is in my bowl!

Weather has been crazy here in Texas and it is finally warming up after snow, sleet ,and ice this month! I am so ready for Spring and Summer! Well spent most of the night working on the blog so will come back with more later this week!
Till then make something beautiful!
Denise

My Life as I know it!

2010-11-10T20:17:00.000-06:00

Well it has been quit a while since I have posted and its just been way to hectic as well as emotional here in my world!
I have been working on classes and doing things at the Scrappers Boutique and that is what is pretty much keeping my sanity intact as of late....
I am once again moving my studio to another room.....UGH what a mess , I may show up on hoarders yet!
Situations not in my control dictate that I have to move my dear Mother in law Ma in to the house for the last days. And the best room to place here is that one which is housing the studio right this minute. Also must fix bathroom to be more assessable by Hospice and I to be able to bath her!
I knew all of this was a possibility when the Alzheimer's started but never thought we would get here to this time!
This is definitely gonna change things around here as I know it! Just praying He keeps me strong and healthy to get thru these trials ahead. And that I can handle watching a loved one pass on to a better place on my watch!
This post is just short and sweet and no pics today will try and get on my computer later this eek and start posting more to keep my sanity!
Sorry if you are here just for my crazy art but my craziness in life goes with it!
Can.t wait to post pics of what i have been creating lately....So till we meet again....Keep CrEAtinG somethin' Beautiful!
Denise
PS Trish my crafty friend came up with a name for my metal classes....Metal with Neisey! I love it! Ta Ta!

Life as I go on!

2010-09-19T22:33:00.000-05:00

Life as I know it right now is changing! I am venturing into an area similar to past but not quite the same! Above is a sneak of the class I am teaching October 2 at Scrapper's Boutique in North Richland Hills! This a re- purposed book using Lost and Found papers from MME! The class is call "Sew Right Inventory" and can house all your ink inventory or something else you choose! Ive used the sewing clear stamps from Maya Road to stamp my inventory in sample!

Gee my crazy cat is always under foot unless she is asleep and lately her favorite sleeping place is my lap and she sure can get into weird positions!

I think she is dreaming of being an Olympic diver! hate to tell her she is tooo clumsy to try out just yet! she feel out of the window earlier sleeping today!

As I was cleaning my Studio decided to take some pics of some layouts and today I wanna share this one about the deer at my sisters ranch and Wesley with a baby that came into the barn unattended by mom! Been thinking about Wesley allot lately cuz he still is under the weather but is going on to school on his senior year although it wears him out! I am so proud of him and the fact he keeps trudging on through all of this! Please remain praying about him as he struggles to go everyday and if mom has to get him early that at least he is encouraging me that things aren't always as they seem!He so inspires me !

The deer seems to know my nephews tender heart and caring spirit!

Notice the cardboard used in this layout! Don't be afraid to use things around you in the layouts you do! I am

always experimenting with things!

Studio is still in progress but slow now that designing classes!

I have sooo been trying to finish the Studio, but have had to start using it before finishing. So hopefully soon I can post pics that don't look like a cyclone came thru, but for now here is top of my work table (or part of it at least) LOL!

Till next time we meet here....

Keep Creating something Beautiful!

Denise

Up way too Early!

2010-09-05T07:16:00.000-05:00

Life has been crazy around here as of late trying to get so many things accomplished!
Boys apartment is looking really good and we have hung everything up and all is unpacked! Think they are really liking it! We got blackout curtains for them so they should sleep well during the day! ( they work nights) They had Jami and I over for lunch this past week! for yummy chicken vegetables and they had macaroni and cheese while I brought one of HMR meal replacements to replace the fatty stuff!

Casey my boy!

What my trade for the mac n cheese was!

went Junking and hunting for re purposing items yesterday and came across a few items! Stopped into Cottage Panache to see what was new and found some Seam binding that I was in so in need of!

Still stressed to a degree about prep work for classes at Scrappers Boutique but so excited also!
Have a sweet friend who is opening her studio and classes soon in Keller and soooo Excited for her!
Tracy Pounds is her name and her place is The Little Blue House check the links for her location and blog!
I wish the best to these friends on this new adventure. I know they will do great!
Think I am gonna go see if I can get busy designing some things since I am up tooo darn early! But the weather here in Texas the last two days has been wonderful, supposed to get to low 90's today which is warmer than last two days but sure beats triple digits on the old thermometer any old time!
Well till next time here is another old item I created for my daughter a while back for her house....

With that I will close again by saying Go Create something beautiful in your life!
Till later.....
Denise

Great start to the week!

2010-09-01T00:23:00.008-05:00

Haws Family

My grand-Dad and his twin

past metalized project for family

Well you guys this week has really started better than last! Thank goodness for that!

Sunday went to my first meeting of designers and teachers of my local scrapbook store Scrappers Boutique as one of their newest teachers in the near future teaching Metal classes and other things! I am excited as well as freaked out but in a good way! So to Terri my Lil sis I am doing what you said I needed to do! will be posting pics as soon as camera is up and running again! I love Ten Seconds Studio Metal and really love that I will be teaching with it! Cheryl and Megan rock with their Metals and molds! I have been a fan and student for a long time!

Monday went to weigh in and lost 3.5 lbs. Yippee! and while at class found out I won Harry and Davids Fruit of the month club drawing for 6 months.

Tuesday went and met up with friends at Scrapper's Boutique to work on class stuff and visit and so excited with ideas abounding! And actually got some things accomplished!

Got a call before got home to get home to go somewhere with hubby and wound up at Toyota dealership for the night for a car ! You might say I bought my hubby a car! LOL There is inside joke her that if you are a friend ask next time see ya or I will probably spill the beans to ya!

old sign letter metalized for my boys!

Wednesday I am invited to Casey and Matt's new apartment for lunch with them they are fixing me chicken and asparagus yummy! And have a feeling will be helping hang some things for them! We will see what the rest of the week brings!

Have a great day tomorrow and keep creating something good!

Denise

MAN I am soo Behind!

2010-08-29T23:53:00.002-05:00

Well Life has been kicking at my door again and things just have not been posted in last two Months! Yes indeedy 2 big months that is sooooo terrible!

Life has been changing so fast around here and just trying to keep up with it and it is winning the race.

Here is short version: (not sure there is one)

Had a great time at Paper Cowgirls and learned so much but got all wound up in making 10 swaps! Yes ten which I say I will never do again but had some amazing things given to me from them!

My DH's Insulin Pump started reacting to the Texas Heat this year! They think insulin was going bad in heat and adhesives were NOT Working to hold with his bicycling but close to 100.00 dollars spent in several adhesives we found one that is working! In fact this week-end was the HHH Rally in Wichita Falls and he did great in the back of his truck to sleep and to do 65 miles that morning!

Most of our attacks by nature have been remedied and just trying to keep house cool !

Still attempting to loose more of my obese body but it is slow going right now! Need to get my but in gear and work out at fitness center again!

Grand kids started there school year. TJ is 5th last year of elementary , Toby started his first year of middle school and Dear Tyler is in first year of High School.......Where has time gone!

The boys moved out with a friend from work then moved out this week into their own apartment which I really like the inside and helped them get all their things moved in last couple of days ....boy do I ache!!

Sooo I am an empty nester again! and have been trying to organize and change the studio over to the bigger bedroom and have been doing so for weeks and it is still in progress. I have gotta get her done so I can create in it!

My nephew Wesley is having probs again and still need prayers for him! He turned 18 this past June...Boy I am feeling old! He is a senior this year! Where does time go as you get older ?

I am also fixing to teach for the first time at a local scrapbook store and will start posting more on that in next couple of weeks!

Well really did not have any pics ready to post but updated and change things and honestly am gonna be posting more...

But its 12am and my bed is calling...

Till later

keep creating

Denise

Time Time Time? Where does it go?

2010-04-19T12:55:00.014-05:00

I am sooo excited to get to go to Paper Cow Girls Art Retreat in June and get to spend some time with some really cool artists and teachers such as my blog buddy Cindy Mayfield! She has tried to get me to go before and sadly did not have the funds but this year I am going for a Rootin' Tootin' Boot Scootin time! In June I will post after all the goodies and what I will be making for the swaps I am in! Things such as a bloom swap , Napkin swap, Cuff swap, ATC swap and more in classes and vendors and shopping so it will be picture overload time I hope! Be sure and check it out and all the links on the page, Cindy is the Yapping Cat Link she has a really cool blog also as well as an Etsy shop!

Well I changed part of my journey in weight loss two weeks ago !

Instead of just Harris Fast food or HMR I have now added Fruits and veggies into my world! It is so hard not having them and doing this for 28 weeks I was assured by my educator Stacy that I could still loose the weight and last week I lost 1.8 lbs where the week before I gained .8lbs, so I think that was my confirmation that this can work! just had or have to be more optimistic 36 lbs to my next goal to be under 200, so we will see . Here is October compared to 2 weeks ago in April crop! The Ole hips are shrinking....Hip Hip hooray!

October 2009 April 2010

It is finally sunny outside after 3 days if rain and Gee is in the window sleeping in it!

Went shopping on payday Friday! and found some sales and coupon goodies now to go and play!

Just did some Cards for the troops again two Sundays ago and this is one that one of the other girls did in baby girl mode! Way to go Terri!

Here is some of the finished cards...I did 86 this time!

Terri's baby boy card!

I will show close ups next post of my cards but they were Fathers day and thinking of you cards!

LeeAnn's fab work of a shirt and tie card and part of one of my shirt cards is laying next to hers!

We have to much fun doing this at the Scrappers Boutique once a month to send to the troops !

Well gotta get back to housework then hopefully the studio for some down time!

Keep creating!

Denise

Bad Blogging!

2010-04-09T20:08:00.009-05:00

Well boys and girls I have been a pretty bad blogger this year so far with all that has been going on around here. But her goes a long one! first of all last month I designed my first cards for "The Cards For the Troops" at Scrappers boutique! I had a phobia for card making till now....Made and prepped 66 cards for last month! And I am working on that and some more for this coming Sunday! two will be Father's Day again and two common like Thinking of you and maybe another Birthday! Still working on those tonight!

My first Father's day card!

Happy Birthday!

Second Father's Day card!

We have had a crazy spring thus far with invasions of nature itself in the form of Bees, Squirrels, Rats and others.......Needless to say I have not been a happy camper in my house!....MONEY MONEY MONEY! MMOOONNNEY!

Bee's were coming into our bedroom wall outside through the mortar next to the window and along the brick , these are pics after he dosed them with something to make them go away for a bit to be able to get them out of the wall.

To be kinder to my house they came into the house to get them , which means they tore at part of the sheet rock to get them, I thought that they would have to take more but wound up to be less! Whew!

The squirrels no more than an hour after cable guy came and fixed this they had it chewed again! even after metal applied over their holes that they were getting in the attic from! UGH!

Below is the wall before bees removed! All nice and intact! Also with sheet rock and paint!

Casey and I had to cover everything we thought might get sticky or that the bees might fall into!

Casey was wonderful in helping shorty me out!

This is my wonderful wall after they removed honeycomb and bees and my poor wall!

Oh by the way forgot to say Jeff my DH is deathly allergic to bee stings, The grand kids came to watch all the activity although they were closed out of the room during the capture in the BIG vacuum they had!

After most bees gone they let the boys help with some clean up and finishing of all of it! They thought that was cool , but their mom is the one that wants to get into the suit and do this! Crazy daughter of mine!

The guys telling the boys what they had been doing in the closed room!

One of the bags of honeycomb that came out of the wall.....It went from floor to ceiling but only top half was juicy with honey thank goodness!

Showing and retrieving some of the honeycomb for show and tell!

The wildlife truck portion of Orkin! and Toby and TJ!

Viewing my room from outside! The safe view! Tee Hee!

Toby showing me that they were missing the ones behind the blinds! And scaring me with his pose on top of the fence!

Honey comb in jar with some bees that were still in the honeycomb! one lived without any air in there for four days protecting the stuff!

To another topic when we got the channels and cable back Jeff was very intense with his sports and Gee decided she needed attention, getting into his lap wasn't working so......

She climbed on his shoulder and verbally started letting him know....LOL!

And decided she liked the view out the window from there much to my husbands dismay!
Well I finally had another pic taken and I am now 60 lbs lighter but still have so much more to loose! Was hoping to make one of my goals by summer but.......

Not sure the 37lbs is realistic at this point, but we will See gotta get to working out again at fitness center more regularly like I was doing in past! Just have not been as motivated before allergies started driving me crazy in our wonderful Texas spring wind and pollen season amongst other things....Well time to get into the studio and finish prepping some cards, Hope you get time to create something wonderful too!

Denise

PS...... down 5 pants sizes since starting! 30 to 20!

Weight Loss and Life!

2010-03-12T08:41:00.005-06:00

Okay this is not the most flattering picture but I have a T-shirt that has been in a plastic bag in my studio that I was unable to get into for almost a year since orderin it! And I finally got into it a couple of weeks ago and I had the Leader of Create Joy ...Tracy Pounds snap the pic of the first time I am wearing it...Just one of my short goals in a long journey to weight loss. Last nights weight loss with last weeks adds up to -3.8 more pounds off for total thus far of -55.5 lbs lost! I will get a new pic soon of progress!

These are pics from the scrapbook in a day class I took, they are of my album I finished!

then this months Scrapstashers class ..Tracy asked for used dryer sheets, a cereal box and

T-Shirt's with words. Huh I said! but cool 2 page layout with my stuff I took to class!

The T shirts were for the words we all cut each others up. The dryers sheet made ruffles and roses and the cereal box was for the banner to use as chipboard, I will be doing this again , the flowers were so cool in whatever colors the classmates chose , we really had a variety!

Amazing what a dryer sheet some paint and glue and then stickles can make!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to My Youngest son Casey today!

he will shoot me for posting this but he is my baby and he shouldn't wake up with bed head when he knows I do things like this!

Kinda glad he is living with us right now to celebrate his 25th BiRtHdAy today! Love you Sweet BoY!

and Happy birthday to all my sweet friends who have March birthdays......Cindy , Donna , Jacque, Hannah, and Debbie! Hope you have wonderful things in this new year!

Well till next time and me trying to be a better blogger

...Create something!

Denise

Long time and no posts!

2010-03-04T02:35:00.008-06:00

Well it has been a long time since I have posted and not sure what has been up with me except just coping with everyday life. Lots has been going on .....The boys moved back in to tidy up some business and are rooming together in one of their old bedrooms for awhile.

Just took some great classes from Create Joy team at Anthologies, and the one I chose to share today is the Scrapbook in a day class. took it with some old friends and some new! And I am way bad on names, so very sorry if I don't post a name by classmates!

Each team at the table had a layout to work on at a time and I buddied up with my pal Linda.

We all completed our books before the day was over and it had allot of steps and techniques to accomplish as we worked on each page!

My pal Joni below was at my table also and she buddied with herself ...Just love her!

We got to play with the sewing machine again on this years class which I love doing in the books, and such fun fabrics!

Linda Meaux on the left sat across from Linda Hahn and I!

And on the table with us was Linda H's daughter old coach which so sorry cant remember her name but she really did a gorgeous job on the butterflies on her pages! Which were painted , stickled and outlined!

below is a cover in progress!!

And here is our paint station across from the sewing machine station! We even Masked and misted on pages this year!

Well the next pictures I chose to share are from the crazy Texas weather this year!

We have had more snow than I can even remember seeing around here this year. It snowed Christmas and then the record snowfall came just before Valentines Day in February which is what these were taken from.

A tree in my front yard over my car!

The grandsons snowman!

The bush by front porch!

Tyler the oldest grandsons Igloo he built!

And I have stayed faithfully on my diet although I am craving fruit and veggies bad!

these were taken at a friends birthday crop Feb 3rd, was so happy because was first time to fit into the jeans I have on....from a 30 to a 22 and I am now 51.7 less lbs as of last weeks weigh in and tomorrow am hoping for another good loss.

We all wore Lynn's favorite color pink at the crop but sadly she was sick this night and did not get to stay. She just now came back to work after having Bronchitis that went into pneumonia then pleurisy. We are all so glad to see her doing better!

Slowly the side view is getting to where it doesn't offend me as much now that it is somewhat shrinking.....LOL!

We also had pictures taken for the church directory and they arrived just a couple of days ago and here are a few of them!

this one they doctored my scar on neck out !
My dear hubby Jeff really hates getting his picture took!

But the guy was doing a good job getting him to grin! And how I love how my sweetheart looks in this one! Well I promise to really try and to get my act together and post more , and will get some picks of the projects been doing on here soon. and have some picks to post yet that need to download from the ole camera!

Till next time which should be shortly Have a good time and create something!

PS.

Lost and old friend Husky Forbes today. sadly he will be so missed but he is free of sickness pain and old age aches, because I know he is with Our Wonderful Lord and Savior at this time and loving it! He was a wonderful Christian Man who lived a good and long life and wonderful Steward of the Church! I have many wonderful memories from all the mission trips and Wednesday night suppers that I got to serve to he and Catherine!

A busy End of the Year 09 into the New 2010!

2010-01-02T22:02:00.004-06:00

I have not posted since Toshe's death on the diet cuz I have been frustrated with ups and downs of about -.2 tenths lost ....to this last wiegh in which was +.6 tenths lbs gained. Jeff thinks it is the new exercising at 24 hour fitness that we are doing, since he let me join. Jami and I try to go 5 to 6 days out of the week. Winds up being about 5 x a week though. Trying not to get discouraged but I am off blood pressure pills now which is a $42 dollar savings a month............. ha ha ha ...which now pays for the gym!

Been freezing my tail off so these pics are with my double clothing which Jeff laughs his head off about ... dbl socks, dbl shirts, and most of the time a hoody too! and have not figured out how to double the pants or I would. When home I am under two blankets with all of that also! I know I am goofy, Jeff tells me often especially when I wear similar things to bed when I am freezing; till I can get warm; then sometimes I shed a few things....I need the old fashioned footy pajamas that were out of blanket type material.....LOL!

I am noticing inches coming off though, even if it is messing with my head to not see lbs coming off..I Start a new class on Thursdays this week and get my original educator from Harrisfast from 4 yrs ago; and I just Love Stacy and her humor! Looking forward to hearing her laugh again this coming week ..but will miss Melanie also.... she is a sweetheart!

As I promised here is some pick of our new kitty Gee. this one is with Tyler and her hanging out in my chair! Gee likes hanging out anywhere when she isn't playing!

Here she is in front of me on the coffee table chilling and watching my toes under the blanket, which she is trying to swat me with her paw!

Hanging out under the tree on my table in front of the window!

Gee has been a welcome new member to the house hold and the G kids love to play with her as well as Jeff and I!

Here are some Christmas pics from the party at my brother-in-laws house Christmas Eve!

TJ my youngest grandson My Dear sweet Husband Jeff and my youngest boy Casey!

Three Generations Matt my oldest son, Mwah, and oldest Grandson Tyler!

Cassie my Step Niece, Jami my oldest child and Jason my son-in-law!

Matt and me!

Christmas was small this year in a way but I believe we are just thankful for the family and our health more than anything and looking forward to what this new Year 2010 is going to lay in front of our paths, hopefully the Lord is gonna let it be a less bumpy ride for a month or so if we are lucky!

Have a great and fun weekend and don't forget to create something beautiful whether crafty or just a small moment in time!

Denise

Matt , Casey and I! Casey thought he would look shorter if he was on his knees.....He is 6'3" and I am 5'3" a big difference.....Matt is about 6'.....LOL My boys are wonderful as well as my whole family and I Love them greatly!

Long time!

2009-12-27T00:30:00.004-06:00

Toby

Well I made it thru the holidays thus far staying in the box with my diet but with these pics from thanksgiving food it was not easy to do! Jami and Toby

I am not losing as fast as when I was on the program before and have kinda gotten at a standstill in the 12th week and it is irritating me because I wanted to stay on the Dr supervised part. But I have made some gains in health!
Blake and Lori
I have lost 29.8 lbs thus far and am now off my blood pressure pills. I am working out at 24 hour fitness with my daughter and getting stronger in my exercising. Jami and I laugh a lot at the gym. We also push each other which is good.

I will take another pic this week going into the 13th week and decision time for me and my educator whether I have to go ahead into phase two to protect what I have already done which is no where near a goal!

Gonna set up time with a trainer to see what he suggests at the gym because that is probably what is getting me at the standstill as hard as I have been going at it! We will see!

Have really been down for a while and had not posted when I lost Toshe...Bless her heart all her vital organs started shutting down at the same time. She is so missed but I have added a kitten after several hard weeks of missing her...Not a replacement just a new friend....More of kitty next post!
Toshe in the sunshine freezing she had lost so much weight!

More baby girl was 13 years old at the time of her death and she is left a hole in our hearts that is hard to not feel every day when I expect to see her at my side. Toshe you are so missed by the whole cook and Markle families, you were a good loyal companion , my mother in law did a wonderful job in picking you...To be a part of our lives....

I will be posting soon ...

Denise

Fifth weigh in!

2009-11-21T00:13:00.003-06:00

Just a quick post to say I have lost -2.5 lbs More bringing the total to 21 now.

Holiday Open House for Anthologies was today and tomorrow. Lots of cool new classes offered and lots of cool Christmas papers and ribbons added! Cute Make and Take also! Went to a crop tonight and finished a baby album for a shower gotta go to on Friday after Thanksgiving for a cousin.

I will post more later gotta get to bed, I am tired!

Denise

Fifth Weigh in!

2009-11-15T14:09:00.003-06:00

Well this has been a good one but late since Tuesday I weigh in again....Lost 4.4 lbs.

Well that brings me to 18.5 lost thus far!

YIPPEE!

I will not kid you it is hard as the holidays have hit and Thanksgiving is approaching us, especially with Turkey and Dressing around my favs!

But I will make it through it with wings and halo intact, or that is my goal!

I am really bad a t posting right now and lately but gonna try and get my act together this week!

My little dog Toshe is still ailing and it is not gonna get better and that has hit me really hard, becuz at some point we are gonna have to make some hard decisions.

Her kidneys are shutting down , she is not eating and I am giving her an IV 3 times a week now and hate sticking her, she also is now having liver problems...

She was my mother-in -laws dog and it is really getting to Jeff and I both emotionally, with the promise to take care of her after she couldn't as her Alzheimer's progressed.

Enough said on that ..Hope you are having a great Fall Sunday and having your day of rest

Denise

4th Weigh in and before pics!

2009-11-05T19:36:00.005-06:00

well I have been doing a lot of layouts this week and classes. they probably think I moved into Anthologies this week, cuz I have been there for three days this week playing but got some things done. 5 double layouts and two single and Hot Metal mommas project plus leftovers went into a double layout today also which brings that to 6 dbl layouts! with pics added. Better than usual for me too lately! Above is a Donna Salazar inspired layout before glued down and embellishments added!

Okay this weeks weigh in was still a negative number but wish it was bigger. Lost -2lbs this week making my 4week total to -14.1 lbs.

Blood pressure is still dropping so hoping to get off of meds soon.

Still struggling with exercise and just wish I could find something that did not cause pain to do!

Guess that is too much to ask don't mind sweating but swollen hurting ankles are hard to take!

Till next time...

Have fun creating and doing what you do ...

Denise

okay these are terrible but decided accountability was a go for broke attitude! Hopefully I will be a fastly shrinking woman in the following months!

Third Weigh in!

2009-10-29T00:24:00.002-05:00

Well missed posting second weigh in which was 2.4 lbs.

Now for the third weigh in which gave me a loss this time of 4.7lbs!

Which brings my weight lost thus far to 12.1 lbs.

It is getting easier finally to stay none hungry and am sticking to my boxes of Shakes and Entrees from Harris Fast even though I still daydream about some foods, but I may always do that, Do know gotta get used to this as my new way for ever to not ever gain my weight back again this time!

Isn't it horrible to be addicted to food?

It would be so much easier if I did not crave food when I am distressed!

Been busy lately with Toshe my Min Pin,

she has been really sick and has problems with her kidneys and had several infections going on , the vet kept her for 4 days and I have had her back to vet once since she was there,

kidney counts and now liver counts still not good.

Have to urge her to eat and take the meds which she hates! And now once a week I have to give her some IV fluids to keep her hydrated which is not fun sticking her. I am really not liking it as much as her but it is keeping her to feeling better at least.

As soon as her antibiotics are gone got to take her back for another test.

Hip Hip Hooray!

Wesley is still doing great after the last surgery!

Praise to our magnificent Lord and Father for answering our prayers!

They are home and he is eating all sorts of things!

Terri said their food bill is for sure gonna go up!

Well till next week !

Keep creating something pleasing to you and others and I will be working hard on my new lifestyle routines!

Denise

Second class Second weighin! and PRAISES!

2009-10-14T00:00:00.004-05:00

Well off to a good start with Harris Fast and went to my second class night and Weigh in and ........Lost 5.1 lbs this 6 day period since there was not seven days in the first start up!
Hopefully this means things are gonna go smoothly on a down ward drop of pounds. If not will even keep it up till it does.This program never failed me before. One of the assignments this week is to do 50 more calories than last week in Physical Activity.(PA)
Would really like to get out into the yard or walking in neighborhood but rain just keeps coming~soooo Rain Rain Go AWAY! Shue go away for a bit so I can do something outside...Please!
It is hard enough to wake up to grey skies every day and rain ! For Pete's sake it is Texas! The fall weather can stay just not the rain for at least a couple of days!

Well Praise God who is so Wonderful !

Wesley is still in Baltimore but he is still getting better every day, and eating without getting sick at his stomach !

Which is such a blessing!

If he keeps this up they will get to come home the 23rd of October.

So keep up the prayers they are being answered!

Well for now gonna go to bed and try to go to sleep if can. Dreams of creations to come and keep creating one day at a time!

Denise

Wesley Surgery again and me!

2009-10-08T20:38:00.003-05:00

Today was my ~~ birthday and a dear friend Linda gave me this card she made gotta love it! but my picture skills today are really bad! it says~ And You're still looking SHARP!!! Happy Birthday Denise

The front of the card is a girl wearing cactus, nice sharp pointy cactus! That must have been one heck of a photo shoot! LOL
TJ in the middle!

My poor grand baby the youngest TJ was home sick yesterday with upset tummy but no fever and went back today fine, Don't know what but got sick several times and food smells did him in fast.

Wesley In pic below in full western gear,( when he was younger) he is so cute! I miss that smile which never faded in the past but the gleam isn't always there these days at 17 and all he has had to go through! Once again I ask you to pray for him! Tomorrow at 7:30 am Baltimore Maryland time he will again go under the knife at Johns Hopkins to fix a kink in the tubing from the shunt . They took tests earlier today to see if there is blockage or if the tubing has pulled away from the shunt but did not hear the results. Terri is there with him by herself this time because we are praying and hoping this will be a short and sweet procedure this time with no complications! Please keep the family in your prayers will update tomorrow when I hear something

this is the second day on Harris Fast and still having dreams about messing up and food! Hoping it goes like in the past and that dwindles as I get used to only their food and shakes! I am the little train that could or should I say the huge train that can! LOL And did not have to worry about food for birthdays today and that was a good thing! knew what I could have and stuck to it , but man the required water on top of shakes made with water makes for a lot of running last two days.....HMMMM..Wonder if that can be counted into my PA (physical activity) counts! Yea I am full of it today! But I am looking forward to the new me to emerge in following year!

Keep creating! I am and also creating a NEW ME! old As I may be today!

Denise

Our new Anthologies Store opened!

2009-10-04T22:43:00.003-05:00

Wow they finally opened the new store Anthologies this week-end with a bang! lots of good food and friends and Giveaways! I won several things, (kewl things)
2 Little Yellow Bicycle bags
1 Anthologies brown and blue bag(too cute!)
I Cozmo Cricket lace up book kit! and a little flower stamp
1 bag full of bling and flowers
1 bag full of 2 Bohemia papers, several colorful washers, ribbon
Wonderful Studio time 6p to midnight
more food
cute make in take Halloween candy blister pack!
Card for National card day
a little flower using a new tool for a brad cover that I forget what it was called
and did not get to go today for give aways and make and takes but know they had to be fun also!

Have not felt well today but still tried to do some things in the studio and got a few things straighted at least!
Keep creating and see ya around!

If you are in the Mid cities area of North Texas and want to go to a cute store head to Anthologies On the corner of Harwood and Norwood in Hurst Texas! its behind a little bank and beside Apple Annie's which is a cute Retail shop with lots of goodies too! The owner is a great person and would Love to meet each and everyone of you. And need some help creating check out the Create Joy teams classes or just ask for one of their team members Help on a project. They are all nice and friendly gals!

Hoping for a newer better me to emerge in the coming months!?

2009-09-27T23:05:00.007-05:00

Not ever wanting to get my pics taken this one is a grandchild's idea of new hairstyle for me with my extra chin, wide middle and flabby arms!

this one is a little less weight but still big and hippo hips cant get into that shirt right now either!

Family reunion pic after the kids took me on a torture walk in the woods, sweat and all!
HENCE THE REASON BEHIND THIS AWFUL PICS IS THIS:

I am venturing back to a doctor supervised diet I had been on once before and lost 110 lbs on.

HarrisFast is a program that many don't know about because it is by word of mouth and two time kick off at the hospital a year drive for members. It is very regimented and precise, If you do not follow all given to you to do then you can be kicked out of it.blood TESTS ARE RUN REGULARLY AND BLOOD PRESSURE AND OF COURSE WEIGHT! UGH HATE THOSE BIG SCALES!

Last time I did so good because most of my eating time was at work and I was in a small room to drown out the outside world! This time I will be amongst scrappy friends who will be eating many other things outside of my box which will give me a challenge. but I know I can do it over bariatric surgery! That is just not in the cards for me!

I will also know I want to feel like I did skinnier now that I am back to where I started several years ago. I cant even walk right now with out pain and to those of you who know I fell the other day , not those pains they are on top of the pains of exercise..."NO PAIN NO GAIN" is what keeps going thru my head. But I do know it can get better than this and I hit it awhile back on Harris Fast, but then Life hit hard with mom and all the things that happen with Alzheimer's and I let lose of the better me and fell back into my avalanche world comforted by food.

NO MORE as This Monday will start me on my road of recovery and HOPE! I pray for God to talk to me and help me each step of the way so that I may live long enough to have other grand kids and hopefully some Daughter in laws along the way! God willing since He is the only one to know my path and where I am headed at this point, Just don't think it is the road I have been taking as of late!

enough Rambling on....

Have Great Day and Week !

Denise

I know I have only a few that watch my blog and I am gonna probably chase some of those away as I use this as one of my confidential parts of the things I have to write down daily...God is gonna be beside me and my husband is the sweet person to help me back into this money , heart and mind.

Tomorrow at 4:30 is my orientation to get into the restart program! Classes probably starting the 6Th of October! Please pray for him HUBBY as for I will try and cook under supervision some batch food for him as I take this year or more journey. Last time that is what it took to get just 110 lb off this large body off mass...We will see this time ..Jami hopefully will keep on me to walk with her more.

On this WEEK and DAY 20 yrs Ago!

2009-09-04T21:22:00.005-05:00

It took my Aunt Doris my mom's twin to get me to look at this date as to why I am so down this week.

20 years ago today was my mother's death!

Dorcas Annette Cole passed away after a bout with cancer she had been in remission 3 years when it came back with a vengeance and she let us know the day before she left to be with our Heavenly Father that she could not fight it anymore that it was time to go home.

20 years ago this week

~a week prior to mom we buried my Dad...Stacy Lewis Haws after going in to the hospital with a heart attack and not making after surgery. Although they had been divorced 15 yrs they followed each other into Gods hands.

This is one of the hardest weeks in my life that I often subconsciously block this time of year but I always heck to be around. Had a good cry last night and felt somewhat better today but surrounded my day with family .

My Day!

Jami my daughter and I went for Sushi at lunch and the bike shop to get DH's bicycle fixed.

then went to try and get my hair cut but will try to get in early in the morning . cuz Tory the one I like is always booked for the day if you are not on her door step at 9am.

Then had supper with two of my favorite men Casey and Jeff at El Chico's.

This is more eating out than we have done in 2 weeks, I so love payday! Then home for Jeff to see the Cowboys so I am on the computer playing and pouring out my guts to the world!

Aunt Doris I Love you and know this is very hard on you with your twin gone, just know we know how hard it is and you are loved by your nieces!

Enough said and hope you have bright days on your horizons I know I am looking for them!

Till next time in Blog land....

Denise

PS....Please continue to pray for my nephew Wesley and family as he will have surgery at Cook's Children's Hospital Set. 21st unless it gets to bad to tolerate before then.

Thanks for the prayers said thus far we have felt them!

Life around here!

2009-09-02T15:00:00.002-05:00

Wesley and a fawn that came up one day!

Man I have been a bad blogger! Have gone and done several things since last on here....

1. the family Reunion was August 22nd at my Lil sis' house at the ranch!

2. HHH for DH was last weekend in Wichita Falls...They didn't train much for this so only went 50 miles and still got to them (remember when 100 mile was the only one they would do) DH says getting old stinks!

3. Wesley has started having complications with his drain tube and waiting on results to get back from Johns Hopkins as writing this...

4. Wesley made it through the first week of High school before bad times hit Friday!

(AWESOME!!!!)

5. gone to two crops and got very little done!

Now I am waiting for the new scrapbook store to open October 2nd ...... This is a biggy.

Anthologies

Go check out the blog and if you are in the Ft worth area of north Texas it has some wonderful people who will be over it. Including my favorite class team "Create Joy".

well life for me lately has been draggy!

I am not sure why but sometimes my depression is doing good and then there are times that all seems to get to me and lately it has been getting to me.

I am often wondering what has happened to the old me and the one that was so involved in everything! And I miss her.. Sometimes I feel I am getting back and then next second ready to hide my head in the sand again!

Life for me is so different this year, feelings are weird and non consistent to say the least. I know it drives Jeff insane at times especially when I cant tell him why! The Why is something I wish I knew! And here is hoping I get out of this soon cuz I am not liking the person viewing back at me in the mirror. As hard as I try to get focused on HIS wishes for me my inner me is fighting HIM I believe! So I am waiting patiently Hoping for HIS divine guidance.

Till next time which I hope will not be such a downer...

Keep Creating!

Denise

Been a long while!

2009-08-05T14:07:00.002-05:00

Boy almost bit off more than I could chew this time...My Lil Sister and husbands ranch has tons to do when you are out there by yourself. Had not gone back to that much lifting or walking in a while since my vertebrae surgery.

Wesley is doing pretty well after surgery, they got home last night from Baltimore Maryland at around 8pm and were sooo glad to be home. They will go to Doctor there at home for periodic xrays to watch the tube in his stomach to see if it straightens out on its own which we are praying for or they will have to go in through his stomach again to fix it but in most cases they do it on their own. So please continue to pray for that as well as continued healing and that the shunts will work wonderfully that they have replaced the system for.

Reunion for the Haws Family is getting close for me to go down there again, to help and see some others of my family. Sherri and Alvin are still in Georgia and doesn't look like they will be home anytime soon. They have gotten a call to head to Kentucky for flooding that has taken place. Went to her new house a couple of times for the granite counters and tile to be put in. looks wonderful if they ever get to come home and enjoy the house and actually get to move furniture into it. It is really peaceful on the lake lot they have.

I will get pictures downloaded soon and start showing some of them. Have been sickly since got back Friday and also catching up on some needed TLC on house and DH. and still got lots to do!

Hope all is well out there in blog world and until next time ...Keep Creating!

Fun and prayers still needed!

2009-07-14T12:54:00.003-05:00

Wow! Tracy and crew did great job with Scrapstashers anonymous this month...
Create joy is always so good! Equal number of people broke off into 4 groups and we made layouts with a specific layout at each table and after they were all handed out you go home with 4 layouts all different and unique to the papers others brought......hard to describe but way too cool to go home with.

Still getting stuff ready to go out of town to Everidge Ranch! And still procrastinating too! UGH

Still need prayers for their trip as well as my DH while I am gone.
My lil' sis's.....
1. Arrangements are still up in air on how Terri and the crew are getting to Baltimore!

2. Still don't know if one of the 2 houses are gonna be available or that they will be out more money staying at hotel and using Taxi's.

3. Wesley to be okay on trip there and back!

4. For the surgeons hands to do what is necessary for a quality of life for Wes....

5. that all of this is God's will

My DH and Me!....
1. tests my Dh is undergoing find something fixable with his horrible cough.
2. nothing serious is done while I am at the ranch.
3. Safe trip or trips for me if I have to come back for more physically challenging tests on DH( trip to and from ranch 6 hours)
4. he watches his Diabetes while I am gone and my kids keep tabs on him.

Enough sad stuff.....
just read and looked at more sneak peeks from Scrapbook Review on CHA coming up! If you go to the link you to can see wonderful new product that will be coming out like today looked at the Pink Paislee stuff and wonderful stuff....WOW love it and so much that I have seen on there. you can view all from the right hand column prompts.
Till next time..
Denise

Man Want the headache to go Away ...FAR FAR AWAY!

2009-07-08T12:31:00.007-05:00

old well and Windmill!

2 of the 3 dogs....these two are for wrangling the cattle!

Terri's miniature donkey note to self get a better pic!

one of the twin cats!

Past two day have had a bad BAD sinus headache and now it is messing with my thinking mode and gotta get stuff thought out to take to Lil Sisters house to house sit!

Wesley is still doing bad and she is trying to get their end worked out with appointments Air fare and lodgings so please continue to pray that it is God's will and all will fall into place like it did last time they went to Baltimore to John Hopkins Hospital with him!

T!m signing backs of our projects!

Never did get pics from T!mster and Cheryl class posted so here are some of the pics!

before we really got started on the curio!

before one of the classes with our goody bags on table!

In Cheryl's half of class showing how to emboss the metal for the frame that is me in the green shirt!

LIfe and Prayer requests!

2009-07-06T16:38:00.001-05:00

Man thought things would get better and not so sure how to take things at this point.
Please pray for my nephew Wesley again as the prepare to take him back to Baltimore Maryland again to the Nero surgeon at John Hopkins Hospital again the doctors are not seeing anything here again on films and there is definitely something wrong again!

My kiddos are back from Florida and Tyler actually just came back from youth camp on the 4th. He had a blast at Falls Creek Oklahoma....the other two go to childrens camp at Riverbend the last of this month.

I will be MIA for a while before long to go house sit at the ranch as Terri John and Whitney and Wesley make the trip to Baltimore, pray that I can keep everything thriving while they are gone.
And that I survive life in the quiet of the country by myself. Other sis is till doing adjusting in Georgia! And really don't have ties in Comanche anymore except my little sisters.
But is worth it to help her out while they take him and try to get him some help.
I will so miss my fast computer Terri only has dial up since nothing else is really out there.

If Jeff doesn't chicken out he goes to the lung specialist on the 9th and is determined they won't find anything anyway so why go is his stance. We'll see!
Well gotta go figure something out for our supper and guess I will put together some form of pasta but not really sure yet.
So much for my venting....
Till I blog again
Denise

Thank goodness it is Friday!

2009-06-26T20:13:00.003-05:00

T!m and I at Michael's in Hurst 2008! pre-surgery for me and I was in pain but lucky enough to stand several hours watching him do Demos! I wa in Hog heaven that day! can't imagine Sunday!

Yipee! HIP HIP HOORAY! Tim Holtz and Cheryl Darrow class in 2 days, one if I only count Saturday! I get to rub elbows with the T!mster Sunday the 28th at TSS ! from 3pm to 9pm.

My grand kids and son in law and daughter should be on their way back home from Florida tomorrow, Man I have missed them. And I am pretty sure I did not kill any of her plants while I was gone....LOL

TJ Toby and Tyler at the Snowball place in Florida Tyler is showing me his new skate deck he got for his birthday while in Florida!

While they were gone Jami aged and Tyler also. Tyler is now a bonifide Teenager as of yesterday ...Man where did 13 years go.

Maybe this means things are gonna get better...Or so I am gonna dream so. Jeff went back to work but still sounds horrific and meds don't seem to be doing anything, hopefully the lung specialist will be able to do something the 8th 0f July.
TJ in his and Toby's boat they purchased in Florida

Till next time keep creating..

Denise

The Saga of the Rain continues!

2009-06-23T19:08:00.004-05:00

Correction from yesterday Wes will be 17 on the 25th of June!

Tuesday......11AM...Jeff cough of 5months gets him to cough up blood today. Calls Doc and tells him to get his-self over to the ER. So we sat ( the boys were with me for awhile till their Dad made them leave) while they ran 2 tests xray of chest, which we know has not shown anything in past, and more promising a Cat Scan, one test have not had yet. Then waiting game to find out they don't know anything so sending us home with antibiotic and calling it Bronchitis. and then he will still see the Lung specialist on July 8th. we are all praying we do not cough up anymore blood and that he just busted a vessel in his throat this morning. Got home around 5pm and fed him and off to bed he went. All the coughing gives him a terrible headache.

okay I am praying that God decides to let up on the rain for awhile and we can have some normal activity here at the Cook household for a couple of days. This is wearing me out....

Toshe and I are fixing to water Jami and my plants then hopefully crawling into bed with Jeff and crashing for the night. I miss the kids being gone to Destin Florida but glad they are having fun. Toby is calling me every day to tell me what they have done, and really enjoying his calls.
They are supposed to go see Dolphins tomorrow. They kayaked today and para sailed yesterday.
well gonna go and get the watering done so her plants don't die under my care.......
Have a great day tomorrow till next time....
Denise

What a week! Whew glad it is over....

2009-06-23T08:52:00.003-05:00

I feel like we have been under a bad storm cloud following us that is just now lifting and I am tired! here is what has sorta been going on in our lives this week. Moma always said when it rains it pours and that it comes in threes think it feels like mor than three this time!
Thursday.....AM
First part of week Jeff goes majorly high in his blood sugar and can't get it down....Call Doctor on call and with all the insulin already taken he has us do a separate shot other than what we are doing through pump........I am thinking not good at time he takes it......It stars coming down but not fast so he goes on to bed cuz he feels really sickly because of ketosis from sugars above 500.
Around 2:30 AM notice him sitting up several times and ask if he is okay and no response, touch him and he is sweaty and cold and clammy , so jump up turn lights on and see he is going under from sugar dropping too low, run to get peanut butter and crackers and he is too gone to eat them so head back to get juice, get back to bedroom and somehow he has managed to get into our very very small bathroom and just as I ask him how he is doing he crashes into the floor in convulsions, did I say how small our bathroom is, not big enough for him to lay in the floor without his head being against the door jamb...By the way if you have never seen someone in convulsions or seizure than you probably don't know how horrifically they jerk around. Jeff's head was against the door and wood floor pounding his head and not able to get him up as he was slicker than snot from the sweats. 911 time and thank goodness they are only around the corner.
Holding his head to try and keep him from getting concussion too in comes 5 t0 6 EMT's and firemen into our bedroom. they get him on the bed and he is talking to him now that I remembered to suspend the pump and he hates me to call for help in past. His blood sugar is 25.
After an IV, peanut butter sandwich, crackers he now knows who he is and what vital statistics they ask him, and then refuses to go to hospital....needless to say not much sleep for me from 4:30 am till time to go to a class on Thursday morning at TSS for Hot Metal MOMMAS! He still wanted me to go! PRAISE GOD for waking me and for me being there to keep him from leaving me!

Thursday afternoon.......10am to noon class longest class I ever felt like I had been in but glad had friends around me! but when I finish my birdhouse it will be cute! Jeff gets call from his DR. seeing if he is okay and says Doc on call told him tooo big of shot....DUH think we figured that out!

Friday.......Get a call from Terri late they are headed to Cooks Children's with Wesley headaches, pressure and lethargic actions getting worse, Dr. Honeycutt not there till Monday, but they admit him for the week-end. he is sickly and gets sick at stomach .

Saturday ......have class with Tracy and Create Joy team scrapbook in a day! All going good and getting to last part of the day, and get phone call from daughter that it is 89 degrees at the house and they can't get the air to work at my house. Get friend to come see if it is something little or if need to call repair guys. It is bad and Brown's who our warranty is with is gone for the day. GREAT and it is 94 when I get to the house. Toshe does not do good with heat at 16 and heart problems. Jami and Jason and kids are off to go to Florida and don't want Toshe in their house cuz Scrappy their male dog will mark everything when they get back where she has been, So although it cost us when go to a Holiday Inn express that takes small pets. Boys could not take us in either because of their lease agreement. Oh and by the way it is gonna be Fathers Day and Jeff is not happy. Stay-Cation it is not when there is a dog with you in a hotel. house is 99 degrees when we go back to get some things.

Sunday...... By the way Jeff sees his Mom every week-end 1:30 to 3 and she was not responding to anyone this week-end another bummer for Jeff as well as problems at work so phone calls Saturday evening through all day Sunday, less sleep again but we are all cool at hotel!

Monday...Air guy calls me at 9am and says he is headed to my house so grab stuff and head home after checking out. It is still 99 degrees inside....Air is fixed by 11:30 and warranty was still in effect PRAISE GOD! otherwise it would have been 14oo.00 smacker roos...Get a call from Terri they have released Wesley Dr. says not bad enough yet to do anything so they head back to Comanche to wait it out again....poor guy! by the way Terri spent her birthday and Fathers Day away from her family, the 21st is Terri ,Sherri and Jami's birthdays and every couple of years also Father's day! We are all waiting for the fun to stop....LOL....NOT! Last night at 9:30 PM we finally got to 78 degrees after it running constantly to get there and it is great to have slept in my own bed last night. Kids are having great time in Florida and hopefully no more surprises!

Tuesday .......So glad to be home cool and rested again !

I am counting the days till my class with Tim Holtz and Cheryl Darrow this coming Sunday afternoon! the 28th is coming Yipee! WooooHooo! Metal meets grunge or so I hope although anything from these two has gotta be cool.
As I finish some projects will try to post pics especially from my SBIAD and Hot Metal MOMMAS birdhouse!
Keep crafting and take care till next time!
Denise
PS ....Please pray for Wesley to not get the pain he has had before and for this to be healed or for God to show us what he wants us to do for this wonderful young guy. On the 25th Wes will be 16.

Fun stuff and more stuff hitting fan so to speak!

2009-06-16T23:58:00.002-05:00

Well went to monthly Scrapstashers class today and did part of a project. but it was fun and will put pics when I actually finish it. Had a problem with my glue discoloring on front and trying to figure out a remedy without having to tear it apart.
Tracy always does a great job and she did it again and it is always fun to be around everyone!

Took Matt to lunch this afternoon and while he was away from his apartment their main bathroom decided to bust and flooded the whole apartment. Needless to say Matt and Casey are surrounded by dry out fans tonight and carpet without padding that is a bit soggy. Hopefully they can get all back to running and dry in next two days.

then this afternoon.......got a call from baby sis and an adjuster came to see them today and all their roofs are in shambles and not just screens and one broken window it also tore up some of the wood exterior. They should know in two days how much money they will have to repair.
My other sis still is waiting for house and trailer adjusters to come there.
My baby sis Terri also told me my nephew Wesley is also getting worse again, he is lethargic again and getting headaches again, she will wait to come into town to Children's until he can't hold his own. I would rather things to get better though so I am praying hard for this to pass and for Gods healing grace to come upon Wesley.......He has so been through tooo much in his life already.

If you would please pray for this young man! And for God s will , which hopefully will be some answers to our prayers....
thanks
Denise

Fun and Learning about the Cricut Exspression!

2009-06-14T01:16:00.004-05:00

Had a great night with three friends that are scrappers that I have meet in the last year or so! I have really been blessed with the friendship that has evolved being around each other. All are talented and fun to be around. Whitney hosted tonight at her house which is gorgeous, and fed us wonderful snacks and food, but the most wonderful part of the night would be Whitney sharing her buttons....( I am a button a holic!...) and learning to cut on the Cricut, if I had the money I would be getting one tomorrow, SO SO COOL!

Vicki and Linda got me to get a Maya Road calendar book at GASC that we are all doing together for next year and we divide the months tonight and exchanged the pages for that. I am really looking forward to the finished project this winter.

Jeff got a Good report this week at the Endocrinologist on his sugar levels after getting the new insulin pump. The old one had definitely broken with his blood sugar counts being so much better and we are having more lows than highs these days.

Well it is after 1AM so gonna get off of here and go to bed just wanted to write about my great night with friends.

Thanks Whitney for being the hostes with the mostest!....LOL by the way gonna have to go get that dressing!

Keep creating whether it be special moments or something crafty or scrappy! Till next time...

Denise

A Ruff Week! Good news and bad news....

2009-06-12T16:26:00.003-05:00

This is an eerie pic of my late adopted cat Samantha who passed on to kitty heaven on Thursday morning at 4:30 AM.

My niece Lisa couldn't keep her when they moved about two years ago and so I took her in. I was her third family. she was a good cat, verbal when she wanted something but quiet and reserved all other times, didn't really know how to play but she fit into the family pretty quickly.

You never seeked her out or she ran and hid but if she wanted your attention she found you . she jumped into Casey's lap a while back when he came over for the day. she liked grown ups but hid from the grand kids at all costs. I will miss her and her Diva attitude.

Went to GASC with some friends in Arlington last Thursday the 4th and had a blast till started hurting from purchases, and that was even after I paid 5 bucks for check ins of my bag. I am better and enjoying my T!mster and Ranger pics from one both , lots of bling and technique Tuesday stuff and other misc. along with mini books from Maya Road.

Well hope to start posting again more regular but lots of classes coming up in next couple of weeks and must get some things done for our Family reunion.

Last night my little sisters got hit pretty hard out in Comanche, Terri and John's Ranch got hit with straight line winds and hail, and said they have major cleanup to get done . also Johns new mail truck for his routes was messed up.

Sherri and Alvin have been moving into their new home and the 3 month old roof got egg sized hail and also their 5th wheel trailer had the skylights and dinged up everything.

Just thankful no one was hurt since it was really a bad storm that went through their area yesterday.

Till next time

Denise

Body Aches!

2009-05-27T23:09:00.003-05:00

Man my yard had really gone to the trees and junk since feeling so poorly and having so much pain, then surgery so feeling better which means I want to do more and clean it all up. Well the kids helped cut things down and then today we bundled it all, I started and then Jami and GKids came after three to help, got it all tied and bundled ...but know they won't pick it all up tomorrow but hoping lots of it will be gone.

My body is not used to working out like that anymore... though right now I feel like a truck ran over me and to top it off , I tried to fall at supper in a parking lot after sitting to eat , I got up to leave and it was like my body had other ideas. Luckily there was a van on one side and concrete on the other, missed the step down and just did catch my self enough to plow into the van. Now we are not gonna say exactly where I am hurting from catching it in mid fall, but I am hurting when I walk.....OUCH! ... thank goodness my neck seems okay after all that though just sorta sore there. The rest of my body is not fairing to well..

I am feeling like such a clutz and I scared Jeff my DH to death cuz I made funny noises evidently as I was trying not to fall. Oh well and no pics for funniest home videos either, bummer!....NOT!
Hate to see what I feel like when I lay down for the night and have to get up in the morning....at least I will be here by myself to scream or cry by myself>>>LOL

Keep creating whether it is indoors or outdoors.....but be careful!....LOL
Denise
PS...I got a new chainsaw in the process today though...so watch out for more trees in the fence line to go when we get rid of the mess from this time!

Life in the Cook household!

2009-05-24T15:39:00.004-05:00

Yea! We have the first Brick and Mortar Scrapbook store in our immediate area of town again! Not that I don't like Michael's, Joann's, and Hobby Lobby but this is just scrapping which thrills a lot of us. Went to their open house yesterday and hope to soon find myself there cropping with some friends..."Scrapper Boutique" in NRH Texas, yippee!

Got to go to my normal crop that is every 4th Friday, This week but just too worn out to get anything really accomplished except catching up with friends!

Yesterday my Daughter and her DH and 3 boys came over to tackle our very overgrown trees in the back and we made some headway and looking lots better. Because of yesterdays activities though outside my allergies are overwhelming me today. My eyes especially. I am so thankful for their help, I could not do this without them.

Today and tommorow looking for my Blessings and hopefully creating!

Denise

Some Tim Holtz inspired necklaces! & Hallelujah pump shipped today!

2009-05-21T12:45:00.006-05:00

My first necklace I made in another Create Joy class

is of my parents and I for me. I used green appletini metal and an inked metal bird.

Also made some earrings to go with that have cross and pin from Tim stuff with green glass beads added to them.

Also used graphic 45 green paper and word page as backdrops to the pic of my father as a boy.The back is of my parents and myself.

On the front with one of the capsule doo dads i have an old earring and at bottom dangling is an old mustard seed that was given to me from my grandma and a Tim Holtzs alpha charm that says moments.

The second necklace that some one in the family can bid on at auction this year is my Dad and Uncle In Hawaii during WWII, graphic 45 ship cut out and added with tiny clip and metal embossed with friend.

Metal in background is just stamped with Stazon in and a stamp!
Added the Cherish charm at bottom.

Back of the charm has my dad on base relaxing backed with embossed metal and also his name embossed Also used some more graphic 45 scraps.

Added a mix of old jewelry chain and some glass beads on wire for the chain and then made some Christian fish and glass bead earrings to go with it!

Yea! Jeff my DH's Insulin pump is gonna be shipped today to us and not a moment tooo soon since the other one is only working part time these days!

This is what we are getting no tubing!!! Yippee!

And this is the object of much stress lately that has tubing and is working intermittently lately which is no bueno in Diabetes world! Answers to prayers today!

Yea Jeff has a insulin pump on the way today

Well until next time have fun creating something!

Denise

Life's moments and patience!

2009-05-19T23:06:00.002-05:00

Well today was my last day with my Nero surgeon , Dr. Dianna Wilson....After the longest wait in the Radiology dept. for a CT Scan, got there at 12:00 For pre registered procedure and did not get into the CT room till 1:25.

Then I am told by the tech that Dr. Wilson's office has moved to the Klabzuba tower and no longer in the same building as them. Which is fine until I realize it is on the whole other side of the Harris campus maybe four blocks. By the time I get into her office it is 2:00 and time to wait again. saw her at 3:45. And to be told I am healing great and I can slowly start incorporate other exercise into daily things with slowly adding weight to what i pick up.

Got home around 4:30 and got a call from the Colonoscopy center about my biopsy and it was normal no signs of anything so still don't know what is giving me the IBS, although this is the second day of showing improvement after a couple of months.

So things are going pretty good test wise other than the patience thingy!
Hope our Lab seems to be doing a wee bit better she isn't limping right now but is hard not taking her for walks or letting her run and she is wanting to badly.

My Dh has not heard from insurance yet on his insulin pump but we are waiting and hoping for the pump guy to give us a call, that he is ready to come teach us to use it.

We also got several calls in last couple of days with hospice that looks on my DH's Mom. they are wanting to make sure we are sure about the DNR orders on her as she forgets how to eat and swallow. Mom had this in order before she got bad and for some reason the house hold that she is at never can find their copy and we have to take another one. She is still with us but she keeps going farther to the part where she can't eat. This is so hard for the last 3 years as this disease Alzheimer's takes her so far from us, with her being here still in body.

My oldest grandson is something else, literally. He ha been trying out for a solo in choir for the last couple of weeks for the last concert of the year and got the part! Yes We were so proud until at 8:30 tonight he runs into the room screaming that he forgot the concert was tonight! Yeppers he forgot , no we are trying to figure out someone who was so excited about a solo can forget in 5 hours that he had a big concert tonight! needless to say he missed this one big time!
Maybe there is something in the air today!....LOL or cry don't know which one to do about that boy. Man got kinda windy .......
keep creating and enjoy the life we are handed.
Denise

after the Colonoscopy, my lab , and DH!

2009-05-15T23:16:00.005-05:00

Well I got thru that test and they did not find the cause of my problem. Slept alot Yesterday and felt draggy all day . and of course my problem is back full blown after each meal...But the best news is that they did not find anything like polyps or bad stuff , Now just gotta wait and see if the biopsy they took has anything come back. Otherwise will be taking some imodium which makes me sick the other way and don't want to do that .

Got pre registered for a cat scan Tuesday for the Nero surgeon to check how I'm healing. Hopefully all is well there. Neck is feeling better all the time. Turning pretty good these days all directions.

My dog Hope has a knee problem that we rushed her to the vet with the other night. Vet said it is not uncommon for dogs of large breeds such as labs. gave her meds and she is taking tramodol for pain like I did before surgery , I think that is funny. But she is feeling better now that she is on that. My poor baby girl might have to have surgery though and that is not good. She is only five and she has a bum knee.

My Dh is gonna get an Omni Pod as soon as the insurance part goes thru...I am so excited for him cuz he won't have the tubing anymore but means both of us learning to load a new machine and connecting it will be another learning curve. The technology is one of the newer right now in the Diabetes world. His endo also told him to cut back to 45 carbs a meal from 70 t0 75 and that is really throwing him the last two days, plus he is going low with the change, Hopefully the changes will get better in next couple of days for him.

well gonna go to bed so maybe I can get up and play a little in craft room tomorrow!

Hope you have a great Saturday!

Denise

Feelings of a Complicated Life!

2009-05-13T16:05:00.006-05:00

Well after Jeff's Insulin Pump Company went under 2 months ago we have wondered what we were gonna do if his stopped working before we got into the Endocrinologist. Today was my DH's appointment to see what our options are and out of about 4 options looks like we are gonna see if insurance will help on an Omni Pod. Which is so cool because he only has to wear the portion that is white, the other portion works like a PDA unconnected to the insulin part. He fills it like we did with his old Pump every 3 days ,but it is wireless no hanging strings to get caught on anything. and it is waterproof also. I have been praying for something good and last time we had a pump quit pumping it was nearly a disaster. Now for the paper work and Insurance stuff, so still gotta wait on time....So hopefully God is still listening to my pleas for the old pump since it is having issues lately.

Next is my procedure for tomorrow....COLONOSCOPY!.....fun fun fun.....NOT!
At 5 pm I get to start my cleansing with the first bottle , then at 7 pm the second bottle, Yummy!
After 7 I am unable to drink anything that is not clear, could have coffee or tea before then but also not supposed to drink caffeine after 12 per sleep study. I am so not looking forward to 5pm.
At least I am asleep tomorrow during the procedure at 6:15 am, Jeff has got his work cutout getting me awake that early in the morning without caffeine and hopefully home before 9am according to the nurse.....Hoping the find something treatable and not the nasty things. Having this due to my age.....You know the magical one that comes after 40 and because having problems in that area that have been worse since surgery.......So Dr. Sajid needs prayers to be guided and knowledge to get me on the right track, Hopefully and for me to have calmness in 30 minutes as I start my cleansing YUK YUK YUK!
Creativeness to follow this week as I finish up some items from classes I have taken...Yippee for Movie prep solution !.....NOT!
Denise

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T16:29:00.004-05:00

Martha (MOM) 2007 before all lucid moments were lost!

This is a very hard month for me. May 1st would have been my mothers 75th birthday and then Mother's day today. I miss her so and then my DH's mother has Alzheimer's and doesn't really know us these days and is slowly getting worse.

Her name is Martha Jean Cook, and she was not only my Mother in law she is and was my best friend. I miss her even more than my own mother because she is still here with us , but actually can't partake of the fun I had with my kids and my Gkids this afternoon with all of them here. They have all grown so since she last was at a Mothers day function that she was actually lucid. I often think what she would tell Tyler when acts like his mom Jami my oldest. what she would do with Toby's hilarious actions and then little TJ's new personality that has been emerging this year. And then the changes in my wonderful grown children would amaze her also. It is strange to not have her to confide in or to question decisions I am not sure of. It is hard missing a loving person when they are still amongst you , but not!

Here is hoping you are having wonderful memories of your mother's or making memories with your children on this mother's day...

May God's Blessings shine on you this week...

Denise

Long time and no blog! But I WON my 1st Challenge!

2009-04-29T20:14:00.005-05:00

Front view!

before view!

Yea ! I won my first challenge ever the other day with TenSeconds Studio's Shoe Challenge!

My third shoe my pain shoe won!

Been going to Doctor visits and trying to get some problems taken care of so it has been a while since I have blogged. gonna have a colonoscopy the 14th of this coming month and a Cat Scan from the Nero surgeon and followup on the 19th. Had my physical last week and still gotta go for mammogram.......Am I having fun yet?...LOL

DH's Insulin Pump company quite business and left a bunch of customers needing something that works! they are all quiting and having problems. And they can't get supplies anymore.

Has taken forever to get in with his endocrinologist but the 12th of next month we will see what our options are gonna be! Praying something good is out there, maybe even an Omni Pod the D- Life shows on their weekly show. something before this one says bye bye....

I know God will see us thru this but sometimes the world sneaks in and takes over with my worry wort mindset.

Looking forward to National Scrapbook day this May 2nd, gonna spend it at Create Joys crop 10 a til 10p and it is gonna be held at my church BBC....That makes me feel good that maybe some of our women will take part with Tracy's bunch of gals cuz I always have a blast at NRHBC at her crops although some signed with one in Denton and I will miss them on Saturday. but I will get to see and old friend Kristy while I am there and possibly catch up with her some.

Well will try to add some things as I get to a photo shot of things!

Until then have a Blessed Day in the Sonshine!

and keep creating!

Denise

5th and Final Altered Shoe!

2009-04-20T11:11:00.006-05:00

This is the shoe used in the last of the five Shoes that I entered in my first challenge at the TenSeconds Studio Blog .

This shoe represents My dreams and creativity coming back. My Tinkerbell shoe is because in my childhood Disney was always a big thing with me and Tink was really a favorite character with her pixi dust . You just had to Believe!

I guess you can tell in my shoes and in life I am a fan of green. This was one of the shoes I actually had in my closet, what we give up in art....LOL

I used the pink and plum colored metal in this shoe, one of the elements from the new Kabuka molds,Lots of stickers and bling and trim that had bling, some sheer flowers and Prima velvet leaves. of Course some Tink stickers.

some sheer ribbon with a patterned ribbon attached to it. Then some stickles for more bling or "Pixi Dust"

Changed the profile of the shoe totally to use all the elements I wanted to use on this one.

Used the Kabuka collage mold on bottom of the shoe.....

Used stickles all over areas of the edges and any where else looked like some "Pixi Dust"
was needed.

With the piece on the back added it would be an ankle wrap shoe now.

used more elements from new Kabuka mold.

Tink hanging out in the shoe!

well here ya go my Tinkerbell shoe!

Hope you enjoyed seeing my shoes , I sure liked this as a form of therapy as I was recovering from surgery and learning to use my hands without the pain I had before.

Maybe Tink was helping with a bit of her "Pixi Dust"!!!!

Hope you have a wonderful and full week , go out and enjoy the weather or make something or just be with family and friends, but enjoy the time here that we are given.

Lost a good friend this weekend named Marji and hoping she is enjoying a wonderful Homecoming with a full choir singing for her. I will will miss her! I know they have an special Alto part for her in that choir!

Enough said ! Till next time!

Denise

Fourth Shoe Different Look! But Works for a Sunday Shoe!

2009-04-19T16:12:00.005-05:00

Today was the first Sunday for me to go back to Church since my surgery and what a glorious day to go . It is Sunshine and Springy and the music was soooo beautiful this morning and a sermon on Drinking of the well that will quench my thirst forever! My Faith and how it got me thru these last few years is the reason for this shoe , it has lots of symbols with meaning to me!

Angels watching over us , the saying, Walk By Faith Not By Sight!

rocks for the firm foundation I want to build my Belief on and gold sparkles to represent streets of Gold in Heaven in my future Home.

roses come from the thorned bushes all beautiful and clean and smelling wonderful.....Beauty from pain! Death on a cross to raised on the third day wiping my sins clean...all of the above, the grids look like fences caging me in like the world but the roses are on the outside of the fence.

Words on the shoe such as Believe...... Home....... Dreams...... and Hope!

Kiss me pink , ivory, and appletini metals were used as well as other small touches of color.

Lots of bling and bling trim, and stickles.

Took entire top off the shoe this time and made own for the angel and words to be mounted on.

Back of shoe with more of the Roses and grid and you can see the rocks on bottom from all angles.

Hope shows from under the front at base of toe area and at the base of the angels feet.

the angel is multi layers of metal and has a redbird on her shoulder and wears her heart openly for all to see. She is one of my old drawings back from the late 70's early 80's brought out again this time with dimension!

Hope you are enjoying my shoes and having a wonderful Sunday! I am looking forward to a great and crafty week, Hoping to get into the craft room and work on Tyler's curtains and some other artwork been waiting for the time to do it.

Keep creating!

Denise

Third actual altered Shoe!

2009-04-18T21:47:00.004-05:00

This shoe's title is my pain.....I started this one in my head while going to start the process for my surgery and finished it not long after surgery while still recuperating.Since strength is something I lacked before and just after surgery the real barbed wire from my Sis's Ranch did not get on here, had to make it with rusty wire and black wire I had on hand.

The words come from two songs that I combined the words for the shoe......As time passes I'll one day understand how You have brought Beauty from ashes & made me as gold purified thru these flames. Some day I'll hope again! & there will be beauty from pain! You'll bring beauty from my pain!

There are dangles coming off the rusty can lid used for the top of the shoe. things that not quit assessable to me at the time.

bottom of shoe with metal attached also with a verse from.. Job 11:16....You will forget your misery, You will remember it as waters that have passed away!

back of shoe has some goat bones attached that I found at the ranch from the vertebrae of the goat and in the top one I have a bone looking bird building her nest in the bone.

The ailments my pain have brought onto me are attached with more brown metal over the other collage metal. Wheels were once again used to mimic stitches.

The rusty can lid has a bottle top also rusty attached with broken glass and a rock in it with a coil of rust wire on top of it, also rustic star on front along with other little rusty things.

found the shoes in this at Thrift town for 2.99 the other match to this will be used in the next instalment of my altered shoes.....Took the little front flap off for this one and used brads to attach the can lid to the little metal pieces that were already there. wrapped the side pieces with the wire.

This is the bottom of the shoes in this one just sanded more and just attached metal in center.

Tomorrows shoe is me coming back to my faith and feeling better after surgery and you will see a different type shoe come from this same brown shoe....

Keep creating and see ya tomorrow for the next shoe....

In Him

Denise

Altered Shoe #One and #Two!

2009-04-17T11:27:00.005-05:00

These are 2 of the 5 shoes I entered into Cheryl's TSS Altered Shoe Contest. Got the idea from a Stampington publication from 2002, just added the metal into it.

I used molds from Ten Seconds Studio and Cuttle bug folders for the embossing on the metal.

I punched some elements from the metal paper mix also for the flowers.

I used Wheels for the stitched look.

ADD bling and buttons also into the mix and walla a baby Girl shoe to Give my daughter Credit for being the angel after surgery.

How about some blue metal and a nest? of brown metal and paper and blue wire? And you have an Empty Nester's shoe to represent the start of this year when my boys moved out of the house and we are alone for the first time in our lives my DH and I.

Alphabet mold from TSS for bottom of the shoe, It's one of my favorite molds.

A kabuka new mold ( collage) from Ten Seconds Studio and wheels for the stitched effect again.

Add some fiber for the laces and a couple of eyelets and you have a little boy shoe called Empty Nester's!

Hope you enjoyed these two will post another actual shoe that was altered tomorrow....2 down 3 to go...LOL Man this is the rainiest day yet and I gotta get out to go to the Doctor in a bit hope the rain stops or lets up while I drive for the farthest I have had to since surgery without my brace for comfort...

Keep creating and Be still and KNOW!

Denise

Loss of a family member and beloved Uncle!

2009-04-16T22:57:00.005-05:00

My uncle Ray died this weekend at the wonderful age of 100 he almost made it to 101! But in these pictures he was 99 and joining us at the Haws family Reunion. Uncle Ray was my uncle by marriage to my Aunt Bonnie Mae, but he could not have been more family if he had been my dads brother. He always had a way with stories and entertaining us as children.Their Home was always a joy to go to. Small but filled with lots of LOVE.

He is now in the best of all family reunions .... In Heaven with his beloved wife Bonnie Mae. and second wife Francis who was friends with my Aunt and Uncle for years with her husband. francis was buried acouple of years ago also by her beloved first husband. Uncle Ray was buried at Ebenezer Cemetery , which is 18 miles just out of Arp, Texas where my dad was born, which is 18 miles southeast of Tyler Texas. My Grandparents are also buried there as well as some family members I know little about.

Uncle Ray will also be missed by all of his many GGGgrandkids down to his own grown children. He was such a happy and artistic person also but so was Aunt Bonnie and all the kids. I will never forget the trip to Dallas where mom and I got invited to his workshop for the first time where he made knives, cookie sheets , and all sorts of things, that is when I fell in love with his tools and the workshop. He helped me make a silver spoon ring which was all the rage in that time frame. And I wore it proudly for years, until it was taken when our house was burglarized in the 80's. But I still have my stainless cookie sheets he gave me when I first married Jeff. and they hold up so good compared to any you can buy today.

Uncle Ray will be missed on this earthly place , But I wish I was there when the Big Family Reunion took place up in my Heavenly Fathers Realm.

May god Bless your paths as wonderful people like my uncle pass your way, and may they make you smile as he did when he was around.

Denise

Way 2 Much Fun!

2009-04-10T22:30:00.004-05:00

Just one of my photos so there would be one this time, scavage items from sisters Ranch.

......... Life in the Cook Family.....
Well Freedom to come and go on my own feels great till I overdo things. Went antiquing aat my fav antique mall Lone Star Antiques and garage sales by the dozen. did not have much money this week after getting some Easter goodies for the Gkids but had fun till realized I had been out too long and neck is swollen and very tender tonight so I will stay home tomorrow and work on a challenge that is due the 15th.

This will be my first challenge to enter and I could enter as many times as want, so went over board with therapy pieces, so after get the pics turned in will post the altered shoes I have turned out while been down and with each one I have gotten more control of my hands and it shows in the work so just doing it for the fun of doing it .

Went to the Create Joy Open House Thursday night and saw many people I haven't seen in along while felt soooo good to not feel like a stranger too! signed up for several things and keep telling myself I gotta be slow getting back into things but the Create Joy Have got some cool stuff this time to do, She hasn't posted the classes yet she has been so busy but this coming week ya oughta check it out.

Cash got to go home from Hospital tonight and looks and talks pretty good for someone on major pain meds. 12 weeks before he can even think of getting around good, but his spirits are very good tonight. He thinks sooner but pain meds give you that feeling of doing more than body wants to, until they start wearing off! He still needs your prayers.

I hope every one has a great EASTER week-end and has quality family time, or being close to someone to share this most precious holiday of our Lord and Saviour!

May his blessings pour down on you and yours..

Denise

The Doctor was in!

2009-04-07T22:42:00.003-05:00

Today is a Praise my Father in Heaven and the guidance of surgeons hands!
I am starting today, able to take my brace off for short intervals ,and I'm gonna have to go to Physical therapy to learn to use and strengthen the muscles in the use of my new titanium plate that holds the three together but all is fusing and filling in where it was supposed, faster than Dr. Wilson thought! OH and no more ticking bone stimulator for four hours a day it gets to go BYE BYE! I have walked the length of the house without it this evening and sat in the chair with it off. Amazing how your head can feel way heavier than it is. After the Xray today Doc let me keep pics and the gkids think they look cool where you can see the plate and the screws into my bones!

Second praise Wesley is doing better day by day after last surgery it is just slow. Terri is still teaching him at home but hoping he is strong enough to go back with his peers soon~

Third praise and prayers are for my nephew Cash who was thrown from a horse and crushed his hip bone Saturday, and after about 6 hours in surgery at JPS and three plates and lots of screws and pins he is back together into one piece . And the company he was working for is gonna hold his job for the 6-12 month recovery rehab time. Cash is 20 and has no insurance so he still needs prayers and so do my brother in law and sister in law as this blended family takes him back into their house to care for him.
In His Loving caring Hands I am held!
Denise

To tired to move!

2009-04-05T15:49:00.011-05:00

Saturday was a far to cluttered for me and my neck. started the day having lunch with both of my sons. then we met up with jami Jason and the Gkids at the Brahmas ice Rink to watch the Gkids skate. This was for TJ Bday. TJ to the left and Tyler sitting with skates. Me trying to manuver the steps.

To the left is TJ, Tyler andToby after 3 hours of skating...Me with Toby and Jason and my Cappoccino that Casey got me cuz I wuz freezing! Tyler is a t bottom of this one also....

TJ got pretty comfy with skating and was doing small jumps and kept on top of things skating. They all did some falling but not as much as my comedy act Toby likes to put on for us.

toby and Tyler checking out the marks in middle where they had been teaching a young girl revolutions.

TJ just a trucking away and to the left Casey helping him with his skates, trying to get the right fit around the ankles.
Think they all got pretty bad blisters around their little ankles.

Then it was off to bowling at 3ish at Brunswick in Watauga. TJ showing the ball he chose.Matt and Casey go enough they have their own balls and shoes, and stuff. As we got there they changed it to Cosmic bowling and that really bugs Matt and me to be in all the light changes, gave me a bad headache.

Below was trying my lowlight feature in all of these and was suprised at how well they showed the colors and things going on.

TJ had a hard time bowling but they were all already tired from skating but overall we had fun I

think. This young lad, my youngest grandson is getting quite a personality and shows it alot these days. Wish the pics were a movie cuz couldn't get the faces he was making at me cuz he knew when I was taking them....

Here he is trying so hard to get a strike....he finally got one thru the hrs they played.

Thought the balls almost looked like Easter eggs they were so colorful under the Blacklights and lasers.

How about some Hulk Birthday cake don't forget your wish TJ. Man that was a lot of sugar after eating pretty healthy at Jason's Deli and all of us had the salad bar yummy! after everyone left Jeff needed to go and get him some things so we went shopping on top of it all, which ment more walking.

My baby g- son is 9 and that is beginning to make me old not sure that is a good feeling when you get worn out and over do with a neckbrace...did not do much and could hardly move when got out of bed this morning.

well gonna get off here and get a small nap before dinner time.

keep creating and have some great Family time!

Denise

A good day !

2009-03-28T02:10:00.002-05:00

No pics today! just quick post before I fall on my face from activity! Went to lunch again today with Jami yum Chick fila and short trip to JoAnns , came home for short time then Jeff my wonderful DH took me to the crop at NRH Baptist and got to see all my cropping buds and met new found and some that we didn't recognize till talking. My neighbor around corner as you go to Jami's ...Jody was there and talked a long time. Its funny when you see someone out of element and then figure out how you know them. Small world.....Tracy and her Crew did things wonderfully tonight and made me feel welcomed back and cared for again. It had been a while and now realized missed socializing way too much! because I did not really do anything but move around the room and catch up...Fun!!!

Staying busy and Home bound getting old!

2009-03-27T00:48:00.005-05:00

Man the walls just seem to creep in when you know you can't go anywhere without someone driving you or being there to help you see the ground in front for you. But talked Jeff into taking me to the crop NRH Baptist Church tomorrow night and dropping me off with nothing to work on , and just sit and visit with my crop buddies that have not seen in ages.

these two top pics are things

working on in before pics Santa tin is from those popcorn gifts you get at Christmas and the shoe is for a challenge from http://tensecondsstudio.com bought the shoes to be altered at Thriftown for 2.99 and gonna enter 2 different ideas and got two small baby shoes already done but can't find my camera Jami had it last weekend after me so no telling what is on it or where it is. The Santa Tin is gonna be one of my waste baskets in craft room still working on it not happy with it yet but here it is so far dents and all.

Oh and Toshe on back of the couch.

Got to go out today , Jami and I went and had our sushi fix and then walked around antique mall to get my minutes of walking in. Found some things and will post after camera is found.

Those red things are swirly redbirds they don't really show in the pic that way.

That was the only paper not scraps on it.

Can't wait to turn in some of my challenges though. And Cheryl was surprised when bought stuff from her that I was gonna enter it. I told her nothing keeps me from crafting if I can devise a way to do it. Tyler put my sewing machine on large books to get it to eye level on my table for me this weekend. Bless his soul he also has helped me do batch cooking for Jeff's lunches last couple of days doing chopping and lifting the heavy items. Mom thinks he is a stinker but he has been an angel as well as Toby and TJ through this. They constantly come do things for me. Don't know what kinda schedule Jami is gonna have at Romano's their new restaurant, Jason wants her to work at least 2 days a week. They already have worked day and night cleaning up past owners messes with paint and walls that were not put up properly. But hey have already bringing the sales up sinceunder New ownership was publicised in Decatur paper.

Well time to get off here and get meds and go to bed.

Keep creating !

Denise

Weekend 2 pooped to pop!

2009-03-23T15:38:00.003-05:00

This weekend Jami and Jason had a party to go to Can t guees the theme can you? Thriftown gotta love it..Dress 1.99 Shirt 3.99 Old Navy with Lei and flipflops we spent under ten dollars. Jason already had flip flops red white and blue and wore khaki shorts. On The left are the three cuties whp spent the night My grandsons.

Atone point the boys put me thru a 3 and1/2 hour game of UNO Where the cards spit out of a machine at you. Also figured out halfway thru they were cheating to keep the game going longer.....

Jeff did not want me to do the weekend sleepover but didnt know when they would get home but they still did not leave my house Sunday till after 4pm and they got here Sat at around 4:30 to 5pm you do the math. My little angels did not wanna go home to do chores and get ready for school today. I t is well worth me getting so worn out though they are my Dear Grandsons..Her is update of Toby's shiner and graduating colors from the baseball!

It has gotten prettier by the days as it changed into so many hues. But seriously the left corner of his white of his eye is really pooled in blood and Jason tells me he will be ok. Keep creating and have blessed day.

Denise

Spring Break....OUCH!

2009-03-20T01:08:00.004-05:00

Well it is spring break for the grand kids right now and it has been pretty weather. so they went out to play and decided to play baseball and youngest TJ throws the ball with Toby not looking and as TJ hollers for Toby to catch.....He did not catch it with his glove but rather His eye....Thank goodness they were on moms watch and not GrandMa's. We joked later that he just thought I was getting to much attention and decided to change it over to him....

Today they were in the country with another G-ma and Jami is having her own Spring break for the next couple of days. And come Saturday they have a party to go to so neck brace and all I am keeping over night, glad DH will be here but they are old enough they kinda do their own thing and they like board and card games so imagine will do some of that with them.....I am still recouping and tick tick ticking away 4 hours a day with my new necklace....Got some things up my sleeve that I am gonna try to do in Craft room one being a contest I wanna be part of so hopefully in few days or next week will have something crafty to view, until then it is Friday ,payday so hoping Jami will take me two more places for supplies for my idea , she was sweet enough to take time for me to look at stuff for me today at the places she needed to go. And Wednesday she dropped me at the boy apartment so I could visit with Matt and then when Casey came home he took me home. Matt had me watch a show he had taped that he thought I would like called KINGS I think , was good..

Well gonna go to bed meds are kicking in .

Keep creating...

Denise

New neck ornamentation jewelry

2009-03-16T14:41:00.005-05:00

Today Dr office called to tell me a man named Jimmy Rodgers ( In my mind I was visualising the musician my mother used to listen to) LOL would be by to show and teach me something new for the surgery stuff.

Did not know what to expect but matches the brace and that is good since must wear it 4 hrs a day for about 3 months at this point. yippee i yi kiya don't know how to spell my enthusiasm.

Special time effects come along with it if I have phone near I tick or am on the phone can hear it. Also comes with back light for those dark days and resets itself at midnight each day during recharge. assesories included , so special!!!

better news steri strips came off and incision doesn't look bad, I really impressed with the stitches better way better than my knee surgeon..... but if weak don't look at new pic coming up!

Just thought would throw update in for you all out their in blog land, and I can not take credit for this art and jewelry unless I trick it out and have had suggestions to not, Just throw as far as can when thru with all..

Have a blessed day and keep creating!

Denise

A good day but a very wet day!

2009-03-11T22:44:00.004-05:00

Felt good most of the day ....But also got in trouble with hubby after he found out I decided to be sweet to my kiddos for getting me out of the house today, which isn't the bad part...Jami and I were gonna go to lunch first then Casey called to see where I was and seemed upset... so "said you want to join us for lunch?"

Not realizing Matt was home also and Casey asks ya wanna go meet mom and Jami for lunch? Not thinking of where Jami and I had picked x 4 = Hubby wanting to know where all that money went and where was so and so company, evidently Red Robin doesn't show up on bank as RED Robin and he did not think my answer of , "It went into our bellies was funny!" My Bad, think we have all gotten the right act from him today about taking Mom's happy feelings of not knowing the word NO as much anymore, and help with checks well over 20 ...stressing the well over 20 OR go someplace cheaper.....Oh Well I did have fun and Jami and I went to a store over by Harbor Freight that I can never remember the name of and tryed on hats and jewelry but the ones that would cover my brace she would not let me get or the lime green weaves.... Oh well the red boa would have clashed with the green hair, and that is when she decides to say no and have control...HA HA HA! Was tired when got home but would do it over again.....My baby Casey turns 24 tomorrow, Gotta figure out what I am fixin for his dinner since going out is a bad subject with Jeff today and tonight.....

Happy 24th Birthday Casey My Sweet Son!

I am really starting to hate being homebound!

2009-03-09T00:37:00.004-05:00

This brace is the pits, and just hoping I have not picked up anything to heavy as of yet. Wanted to go thru some things in some plastic containers and did not even think about it till I did it... I cannot believe my oldest grandson came over today and I fell asleep in the chair watching Barnyard, I think that is what it is called..

the sad part is I was enjoying the show . Jami brought me Swing Vote for tonight and it wasn't bad and didn't fall asleep on it. Just not sure I did not doze off and miss something somewhere though....LOL

till next time Hope you are being more creative than me in my dreams...

In His Hands..

Denise

Forgotten pics of things I finished before surgery!

2009-03-04T23:21:00.007-06:00

This is some things I found at Michael's in their kid decor and thought they looked like paint brush and paint bottle holders to me.....Whatcha think?

covered in Ten Seconds Studio's old Red metal before I bought the new red .

Painted all with a sea foam type green then used some distress ink over some of that that wasn't papered or metaled..You can see some of the papers I used in next pic below.

The next pic is back of big bird holder....Left back of bird plain, Just did the outer box part.

Boys had been after me to finish some of the bigger items for their apartment so did it before goin under the knife.....Papers used in their cross collage...largest canvas I that was square maybe 30x30 and don't remember the dimensions of second canvas but do know wooden cross was like 4 1/2 x 6, really not sure but took rosette off of it , thought this metal cross that was white and I distressed with black to go with the rock star black metal looked more like my guys.Papers were a line from Bo-bunny I believe, but don't quote me on that.

Got to use some of http://tensecondsstudios.com new Kabuka molds on this with some cuttlebug folders added in they were really happy with it the day I had them pick up their things.

Really do like the way the cast iron cross that had been painted white looked on the wooden one once I distressed it back to some black in it.

The next item is the first class I took from Tensesconds studios and had never finished and surprised the boys with pis of their grandparents on them.

And when Cheryl was cleaning out the studio over flow and bought this old plastic sign from a store front that had silver plastic in center so pieced some molds and rock star metal for the guys to figure out where they would put it since Casey and Matt are both Cooks but then Casey's name starts with C also. Hope to go see where they have hung all their things when get to go out more.

got some other pics but they did not get the finished items to go with them so will wait. Can't wait to get back into craft room, Casey brought me Three somerset Mags to get me thinking 90 t0 nothing , and already have several things wanna try. But energy level isn't up with the speed of my mind yet.

Have a creative Day tomorrow!

and thanks for the prayers me....

PS ....Wesley is having surgery again tomorrow at Cooks Children's at 1PM We just found out tonight ..think that is why I am not sleeping yet, Not as bad as last surgery but still in brain area ....

In God's Hands

Denise

Can't Sleep and wanna do something but can't!

2009-03-03T00:35:00.004-06:00

Dr. Lee and Doc Wilson were so nice to tell me to eat lots of ice cream for my throat hurting after surgery and pudding, weren't they nice caramel caribou with chocolate pudding on the side after two wonderful days of a liquid diet....YUMMY YUM..Got to watch it before I outgrow everything...LOL

In bed and not happy at her aim!

She told me smile big, HA HA Ha!

This is what I thought of her after playing with my camera ...Good Halloween pic if you ask me!

Boy It is hard when ya can't do much with your neck in a brace...

My daughter thinks it is funny to take pics of me , at least she erased the ones with napkin hanging out of the brace. All kidding aside she has been my angel keeping things going while I am supposed to rest and Vicki Bell was an angel bringing me her wedge pillow. Any ideas to keep me busy with small amount of looking area please post, anxiety attacks started yesterday with this brace ....... But I know God will get me thru it , my patience is the problem.

Well it is time can take some more meds so off to lala land....

Keep creating

In HIS Hands and Will...

Denise

I am sneaking around to look at blogs!

2009-02-25T15:56:00.002-06:00

Pain is tolerable thus far but meds make me sleep a lot. Jami has been taking good care of me .Made me my first non clear liquid meals yesterday and today ...Chicken and rice, potato soup and clam chowder today and all were yummy but still partial to my Popsicles.
saw post on paper cowgirl by Cindy Mayfield and wish I knew if would be up to something like that by then , they really showed lots of fun stuff last year. And had to see my Taco Tuesday from Cheryl and Megan today
Miss everybody and have loved having feelings in arms and hands again just week and this brace or as the family is calling it my new jewelry makes me hot and itch, will see what Doc Wilson says tomorrow morning
better get into bed before I get caught !
Denise

3rd times charm?

2009-02-15T23:25:00.002-06:00

This is ....lets test Denise's nerves and pain tolerance under distress test......
Well first my surgery was Wednesday the 18th and they canceled because the case in front of mine got to big to do 2 surgeries that day and moved me to Monday the 16th tomorrow at 8:30 am, I tell her okay and at 8PM tonight the nurse calls and tells me that she hopes I am okay with it once again because they have had an emergency surgery arise tonight for tomorrow morning which is too long to do mine safely so now I am scheduled for ...Thursday the 19th at 7:15 am.
Okay now I prepare for it Thursday wondering if moms old saying it come in threes is over or I get changed again to another date.......I know she is an important surgeon but wondering if I will have surgery in my very negative mind set tonight.
So now my list that I tore up and gave up on around 6pm tonight goes into a new list of what I clean and organize before Thursday. And just changed my linens to come home to this afternoon, so now the question is do I change them again before I go or just say heck with it!
Jeff had to change his schedule at work again hoping they stay good sports about this....
Well feel better to get all of that out, now if Jeffy calms down before or until Thursday.
We will have to wait and see on that one. oh well thru with my whining and gonna get ready for bed , lucky I still have my meds so that I can sleep..
Until next time
Hopefully with me in a better mindset...
keep creating!
Denise

Man I am Numb with changes!

2009-02-12T12:37:00.002-06:00

Well woke up to phone calls and changes to schedules.....
My surgery is now 7:15 on Monday morning
Have to be there 5AM...Oh MY Word I am not a morning person!
tomorrow all pre-ops and MRI and pre Doc visit must be squeezed in before surgery staring at 10AM
Man I thought I had till Wednesday to get things in order, and I am freaking out!!!!
But what else am I gonna do unless I wanted to wait another month....NOT!
Jeff had already taken time for other time slot so now he is trying to change his schedule too.
I am trying to turn this over totally to God and not having full success with my worry part.....OK those of you that know me know that isn't gonna fully happen....LOL
Just thought I would throw this in in case don't get to post later. Now for me to try and finish the cleaning I started....
Keep creating..
DENISE

Thinking how time goes by Fast!

2009-02-07T22:58:00.004-06:00

When I said yes to surgery on the 18th did not realize till nurse called with all the preop dates and tests that it is gonna fly by...

13th is preop at hospital

17th is new MRI at 7:45 and my preop with Dr Wilson at 12 noon

18th surgery although they think it will be 12 noon have to be there at 8am (enough time to get panicked) LOL

Trying to get some stuff done as my body allows me.

Found an old sewing table at a half price day that has a fold up table at the second hand store a couple of blocks away Friday called New 2 u . Love that have four second hand shops in about a mile radius of the house. Jami came and got it for me and she and Tyler brought it in to the craft room for me. Love it because it has twice the table space as portable table did and more storage...3 drawers and two doors that have a large spacebehind them, gotta figure what I am gonna put in them. found it while was checking for a dresser for Jeff's "bike" room, Or as I am calling it the sport themed guest room....LOL

Have to replace batteries then will post some pics

Keep creating something beautiful even if it is in your mind only...till next time

Denise

updates and plans thus Far!

2009-02-05T18:41:00.002-06:00

Hallelujah...
Wesley got to go home and he was eating good and playing video games before they left to go back to Comanche!
PLEASE continue to pray as the healing is still needed to remain on a good course..But God is good and he is the magnificent healer!
Doctor visit today for me.....
I went to the nuero surgeon this morning and have to go to get another MRI next week to compare to see if I have the same damage or if it has gotten worse . This is to see what she actually has to do but will have surgery this 18th. Otherwise it would have been after March and I am ready to feel better now. The nurse said this is a good day to have it because another surgeon is with her that day for the case before me..So its a two fer one!
Not good today though Blood pressure was real high again and have had the neck headache and worse all day long.... Just thought I would get on here and post for a sec....
Keep creating and please keep Wes in your prayers!
Denise

Man I am hate feeling this way!

2009-01-29T23:26:00.003-06:00

This little shelf has an embossed metal flower on top left corner...."Children are God's flower bud's just waiting to open." the on right top is TJ, bottom right is Tyler and; bottom left is Toby my crazy as their Grandma- my grand-kids! Toby is attempting to eat his foot for me...

You know it is bad when I don't want a visit from any of my kids. The last two days have not been good; The tremor things I was getting before the shots have shown there ugly heads again in my hands. I know this a pinched nerve thing but this makes me feel like my Aunt who had Parkinson's, not able to control the shaking and really wanting to work on stuff. I am counting the days now till the 5th to get the neuro surgeon to hopefully get me going to some place better, without all these drugs......I know I am having another pity party.....Does not help when your better half comes in negative and with a headache and would rather go to bed than stay up with me to feel bad......Oh yea and Jami and Tyler stayed just a short time.....Wonder why?..LOL

Wesley will most likely have surgery in the afternoon again but Please pray for this one since they enter the skull again and this is always dangerous, but they are pulling out the big guns the stealth machine to do this one and that makes Terri and John feel better since imagery is better and clearer.

Well since I am having to correct allot of what I am typing because of my hands I will stop at this.

Here's hoping that your day is bright and your night calm ,

and God brings you sweet dreams as you slumber...

Denise

Ice then Sunshine!

2009-01-28T15:28:00.002-06:00

Well as I was trying to do that craft room slide show that kept kicking me out last night ; it was sleeting and raining here in North Texas! Did not get up early enough ( bedtime 3Am)LOL...to catch the sleet looking like snow. So here is what's happening on my front porch area this afternoon as all is melting or trying to melt.... top pic is my butterfly bush, my female redbird was there but she flew away as I took this...
Next pic is another bush and its ice dripping, refrozen, lovely! Don't know why it makes me happy to see the ice in this form.

This is above my angel at front steps and small garden area! (please try to ignore the weeds and how bad they are in looks, gardening is one of the things I cannot do ...The pain comes quickly if I try.

Hope everyone was safe getting where they were going in this ice storm. My guys got there but not without alot of maneuvering and quit a mess on the roads.

Hope your day is inspiring you to do something creative!

Till next time

God be with you all

Denise

Trying to post slide on craft room

2009-01-28T02:38:00.005-06:00

Oh Turkey Feathers!!!!Well couldn't get it to work first couple of times so if willing .....scroll all the way to the bottom for the slide show of My craft room....Sorry!

Wanted to get some of the craft room pics on here so here is a go to get them on fast and it has wound up taking all night. Hope this works.

Hallelujah....Wesley came thru surgery #1 fine . now we will see if they do the second one this coming Monday thanks for the prayers and please continue....

I am going to bed I am sooo tired. Who knew pictures would take all day... And on such a cold Icy day...GKids will love not having to go to school tomorrow oops it is today....nitey night!

be creative

Denise

update again about Wesley

2009-01-25T22:26:00.004-06:00

They are still at children's and he will have the first of two surgeries tomorrow at 3pm Texas time. This one is to get all tubes pulled out of the stomach area and they are not expecting any trouble with this procedure. Wesley has found a new love due to a Starbucks card my older sis Diane gave him and Terri to use. (They have a Starbucks downstairs at Children's hospital)

He just lights up when he talks about the special salty hot chocolate.

The next of his surgeries if all goes as planned will be a week from Monday and that one will be another cranial to take whatever is removable from there, and then we start from scratch if we get thru and heal from the rest. His biggest complaint Friday was the IV the tape making him itch and the external drain from the last surgery.

I am just praying that Gods will is to guide these surgeons and all attendants in these surgery to do what HE wants done and it is HIS will not ours but that in itself is hard when you love someone so hard.

Miss my Guys went to Mongolian Grill last night to celebrate Matt's B-day which is actually today and he is 27 today. Happy Birthday Son! These were taken at the Ranch of him being goofy with Whitney playing Monopoly.......27?....Love you Matthew!

Till next time keep creating!

Denise

Wesley update

2009-01-16T21:07:00.003-06:00

Wes had surgery again today, they went in and opened it up to see if they could find out anything. They have come to a conclusion that he has a bad infection in the tube line somewhere. The problem with that is if they do get something to grow from the cultures they will have to go in and replace everything and that covers three areas of his sweet brain and will be even harder on him if he could make it through the surgery. The docs are being pretty negative again on outcome and even Wes is talking about his life. Please pray for all in decisions that must be made in the next couple of weeks and for another miracle to take place in this young mans life.
That is all I can say at this time......
Denise

Updates on Wesley

2009-01-15T22:27:00.002-06:00

Wes is still at Children's Hospital and they took a sample from the shunt area that they just replaced the drain and it was full of fluid which means it still is not working. This is after Terri and John started discussing taking him back to Baltimore to Johns Hopkins, then the better nuero surgeon came in to see them. Manually draining has given him some relief of the pain but this means they will go back into cranial area again and that isn't good either.
Praise God for giving this much relief though Terri actually got to go and get something in Cafeteria and vent to some of us away from the room today. Wesley has not wanted her away from his bed since this started this time. Please keep the prayers going.
Thanks for all who are out there for him, God knows His plan but this is a rough road right now.
May God show you a glimpse of peace today!
Denise

update on Wes tonight!

2009-01-14T23:38:00.002-06:00

Wesley is not doing well after surgery and Doc doesn't know why he is running fever and hurting so bad . The brain surgery went well and the shunt shows to be working, but he is really upset and Terri doesn't know what to do but to ask for prayers that the pain subsides or gets to where he can handle it. What ever Gods Will is ...Just to let him be able to rest peacefully....We are pulling straws out of our heads trying to figure out why he was doing so good and getting healthier and looking healthier and then this...They are checking into meningitis and other things because found some knots in his back, but scans and blood work show no issues, they are all comin back good.

Please pray for the family and extended family , Sherri and Alvin are still in Washington State working storm claims, Luckily John had some time to take off from post office and is here with Terri ans Wes, Whitney is still in Comanche being watched by a cousin.

Thanks for listening to this....

In HIS hands now and seeking your will

Denise

Stupid Pain and future pics!

2009-01-14T13:26:00.004-06:00

Well finally heard from the nuerosurgeon and first apointment is February 5th. so not looking forward to surgery but the pain and the pain meds are so not good! Stay doppy most of the time now. I am on ten meds now and have to go by a list, YUK! I am a walking medicine cabinet.

Have gotten most of the stuff out of the den and into the new craft area AKA...Matt's old room. Still missing them, but there apartment is cute with all there stuff, and nearly thru with 2 projects for it.

I am slow but steady as my husband remarked....Hopefully will get pics soon when get some more things organized and hung.but for now here is where It wasn't working in the den....as though you need a reminder of that mess. Or maybe not cant find those pics for some reason. Hopefully by Friday will have some new pics for you though.

Wesley my 16 year od nephew is at Childrens Hospital again and they did emergency surgery this morning for another area and shunt this time, We are hoping and praying that all will be fine won't know if sucsessful until he comes fully out of the anesthesia and can ween him off some of the other drugs. Please pray for what Gods will is for him and to not have pain he has been thru so much and yet another surgery.
Hope you are havcing a great day and keep creating...
Denise