MY YARD SALE FIND...

Don't you just love this old wicker rocking chair??? I picked this up on Saturday at a yard sale...we are going to be building a veranda on the front of our home this summer and I thought it would be perfect for the veranda! It is so comfy!! I was sitting in it on Saturday afternoon...stitching away.

I have been missing in action once again...........I guess I haven't really felt like posting...no real reason....

Also, if you are so inclined, would you keep my oldest in your thoughts and prayers? She has really struggled these past few months with growing up, things/people in her life changing and career/school choices......19 is such a hard age........so good thoughts that she will find what she is looking for and make good decisions for her are welcomed. She's a beautiful girl and I want to see her very happy.

Take care everyone!
Marion

HERE I AM AGAIN...AND MORE PHOTOS...

Thank you all for your comments...I really appreciate them!! I know we will be fine..we always are...and that job isn't DH's only source of income, he actually has his own business, so we will just have to incorporate benefits into that......god has a plan for all of us and we will survive. I just get stressed about things sometimes!

Anyway, I do have another finish!! I started this a couple of years ago and dug it out of the UFO pile and told myself..."Self, you are going to finish this!" I love this design, and hope to get it framed soon.....I'll give my framer a bit of a break, since he only frames in his spare time..LOL

Also, a few posts back I mentioned that I was doing a Mother's Day exchange with an online friend of mine......we were to make something, and then send something else we thought the other person would like......I made a pin cushion (Blackbird Designs) and FOB for her, and I included a couple of other things in her package, which for some reason I did NOT take a photo of?!

And, this is what I got from Terry! Look at that beautiful wool to make myself some cozy slippers! And a dish cloth, which she knitted, a sweet change purse, which she made herself, and two pairs of earrings, which her daughter made!! Thank you Terry!!

Anyway, enjoy your day everyone...it's sunny here, so I am going to enjoy mine!

LONG OVERDUE....AND PHOTOS!!

Good evening everyone!

I have been hibernating lately...I've been here, but not really in the mood to post.....I've been doing some "soul searching" so to speak.

When I made the decision at the age of 41 to leave work and stay at home with my children, I did not do it lightly...I had been at the job for 20 years, but I KNEW that the time was right, and it was what was needed to be done. I had wanted to do that the entire time I had been married.....fast forward 11 years.....I am still a stay at home mom, with the exception of a 3 year stint as a school lunch monitor at my childrens' school (again I felt it was needed for a couple of reasons).....and now I am at the age where had I stayed at my origional job of 20 years, I would be 3 years away from retirement. Do I think I made the wrong decision? Not on your life, but there are times when I wish my future years were more financially secure. I think what brought this on was a change in one of the jobs that DH does. We thought it would always be there....it is no longer going to be there after next week...and it was a shock to us. Not the end of the world, but it was the job that paid our medical and dental benefits, and therefore we must (and have) search out alternate benefits. I don't like change...I am the first to admit it! I have been thinking that maybe I should start looking for a part-time job, now that my youngest is almost 13....but at what? I am not trained for anything anymore and the thought of a department store makes me gag (sorry if any of you do this...I admire you, I could not do it)...so....I have been doing some soul searching and whining! When I read Katy's post today I realized how selfish I had been...and how fortunate I am......thank you Katy!

I guess we all have days/weeks where we feel unsettled, discouraged, etc...


I took a couple of photos, (borrowing from Katy's idea)...of the wonderful things in and around my home, and yes, I am truly blessed.
My doggy...Nallie...who is 12....and my daily companion:


Looking out my large kitchen window to the back deck and back yard...

My other kitchen window...looking towards the road that passes by our home....

AND.............TA......DA.......

Here it is in all it's glory!!! I love it!!!! "STILL WATERS"

I truly love this piece and am so glad I decided to stitch it (and finish it! LOL)

Have a great evening everyone!! Maybe you each can tell me one thing you are thankful for in your life today!

Marion

Over-Scheduling?

I have had something on my mind since last night....
I took my youngest to her gymnastics. I usually don't stay for the entire time (2hours) I do a few errands and come back and stand in the lobby for a while to watch. Last night I went to the "viewing room". There were other parents there from another class that goes several times a week and compete. As I was watching my daughter, I was listening to some of these parents talking about their childrens' schedules...what it basically came down to was that besides several hours, several times a week, some of these children were in other activities that were several hours a day, several times a week, and in one case the only day off was the middle of the week, and that was homework night!!! When do these kids get to be "just kids"? Hang out, relax, have a friend over???? I ended up leaving, going to do some errands and coming back and watching from the lobby. I just could not imagine......and the other thing...these particular parents seemed to have the same type of schedule themselves!! Like they needed to schedule a time for everything! I'm all for activities...my kids have all been in activities, but due to money and time we limited the activities...geesh!
I just was in amazement.....
EDITED TO ADD: My youngest only does the advanced recreation gymnastics (which she has done for 4 years....once a week and she takes piano lessons as well.) She's 12 and this is quite enough for her...still involved....but has it's limits.
Marion

'MORNING ALL!!

Good Monday morning to each of you!

Well I did it!! I finished "Still Waters" by Plum Street Samplers!! No, I don't have a photo here of it....I am taking it to my framers this week, so I'll do a seperate post when I get it back framed!

I love it....just love it!! Cannot wait to hang it in a place of honour in my home!

On the stitching front...I started "Gloriana" by Plum Street Samplers. I think I am going to actually change this up at bit.....when I was looking at the letters, I realized that without a lot of changing, my last name would fit instead of Gloriana, so I am going to try that.

I also dug through my WIP's and brought out "Bethlehem" by K. Elaine Kramer Designs and worked on it a bit. I hope to get most of it (or all of it) done this time before I retire it once again to the WIP container. This is a beautiful design so I really do want to finish it.

We have been having wonderful spring-like weather here.....I'm so enjoying it!

Anyway, have a great day everyone!!! Love the comments....makes me feel like someone is actually reading this!!

Marion

An Honest Scrap (a Meme)

I decided to do this about myself...got it from Mel's Blog

1. My most favourite food in the world is pizza! (Pizzeria Pizza, homemade pizza....)

2. I am a "what if.." person...I always evaluate the "what if" in any situation.

3. I am a homebody and get more so as I get older.

4. I am a worrier. I have to worry about something!

5. I started doing needlework when I was about 3-4 years old. I can remember doing this embroidery thing as a little girl and everyone being excited about it. I still have that piece of embroidery.

6. I had a wonderful imagination as a child. Something I am grateful for.

7. I always wanted to be a stay at home mom. I didn't achieve that goal until my youngest was almost 2. I hate it when people ask what I do all day!!!

8. I am a private person. Maybe that comes from being an only child?

9. I always said that if I didn't have kids by the time I was 30, I wasn't having any...I had ALL 3 of my kids in my 30's! Thus I am now an "older" mom.

10. I crave chocolate. I also crave Doublemint gum.....weird, I know!!

And, that's it! I am not going to tag anyone...feel free to do your own.

A Stitchy Update!

I HAVE been stitching lately. First of all, I have been working on a little something for a private exchange I am doing, and I can't post anything here, in case she reads my blog, but once it's received in time for Mother's Day...I'll post photos!

Also, I have tons of new charts I want to start, but I do not want to put "Still Waters" down until it is finished...I am getting close! This has been an absolutely wonderful chart to work on, and I have so enjoyed it! Thanks to Paulette for designing this!

In other news...I am feeling much, much better!! So glad, as being dizzy is not a pleasant thing!!

I have been trying to read all my fav blogs, but for the most part have not commented....I have read though!! And I will get back to commenting in the next couple of days!

Take care everyone...

Have a great day!

Marion