What I've been working on!

I wanted to share with you what I've been working on the past few days.....snowmen! Last year I purchased a couple of small snowmen for our tree, and this year I went back to get some more, but the store didn't have them. DH said, well, why not make your own surely it can't be too hard! Well, with his help here is what we have come up with. All this out of my scrap bag of fabrics and craft supplies. We have made enough to cover my year-round tree. I've decided I want some lace for garland for the tree, but need to make a run to Wal-mart for that. Hopefully, tomorrow I can get a photo of the tree taken and posted. We are very proud of ourselves!

The top photo is an angel that was given to me by a friend from church. It is made using yo-yo's, a thin dowel stick, a very small flower pot and a round ball for the head. The halo is wire, and the head and halo are painted gold, as is the small flower pot for the base. The angel wings are gold ribbon wired together and hot glued on the back. There is a card around her neck which reads.....

Friend Angel

This darling little angel

will watch over all

you do. She'll be a

reminder that you are

loved too!!!

These would be very easy to make also.

I can't believe I'm into all this craft stuff! Oh me, oh my, there is never enough time to do all the things in my "to do" baskets! If I live to be a 100 (which I plan on doing), I will complete everything.

I also want to take this time to wish each of you a very Blessed New Year and hope good health for each of you during the coming year.

Happy New Year!

Sharing a Bit of Christmas, finally!

The top photo is our new snow family that came to live with us this holiday season. They will bet to remain with us during the month of January, before being put into their boxes to rest for several months!

The second photo is small gifts I received from friends on a stitching group I belong to. We are a small group of ladies that enjoy stitching and sharing. From Judy, there came a card with a mitten shape on the front with a needle attached, now how did she know I have a hard time keeping up with needles. From Nancy, a beautiful card that will look very nice on my January snow tree. From Britt, in Germany, another beautiful card with a miniture ornament inside. From Christine, a really cute card with a snowman being adorned like a cowboy, and inside was a skein of WDW thread, Sugar Plum. From Joni, another beautiful card with two skeins of Carrie's Threads. I have never stitched with these threads, so will have to find a chart to use them on. The colors are Olives and Too Blue. And from Heidi, our list mom, a beautiful card which I can't read, since it is in Dutch and a ribbon set for making pinkeeps in 2008. Thank you ladies for thinking of me. I love each item and your thoughtfulness.

The third photo is a couple of gifts I received from Tresa, my best friend from church. Tresa is so talented. She painted the Santa on a brick and added the cap. This was my gift from her last year. And this year she made the cat from holiday fabric. They add so much to our holiday decorations.

And finally, this was our Christmas tree this year! With Wayne's health the way it is, we didn't want to bother putting up the large tree and doing all the decorating that we normally do. One year, I didn't get Christmas decorations down until July 4th, and would not have taken them down then, but we were having a family event here.

I hope each of you had a Blessed Christmas and I wish each of you many Blessings and Good Health in the new year of 2008.

Blessings,

Barbara

An Interesting Day!

My DH had cataract surgery yesterday on his right eye. He spent most of yesterday afternoon napping in his recliner. This morning we had to see the doctor in his office to get the patch removed and the eye checked. The nurse removed the patch and PANIC......he could not see, everything was a blur. But, before we left the doctor's office things were better and Dr. Butler said it would take a couple of days for the eye to clear up, but that everything would be fine. So today we have spent the day putting drops, to different kinds, in his eyes and watching the clock to make sure we do it every two hours. We get to do this for 3 days, then only one kind of drop for the next 4 weeks. Then, next Monday, he has the other eye done, and we do the same thing all over again! Life will be very interesting here.

I haven't done much with my Christmas decorating. I need to get myself in gear, as we are having friends over this Sunday evening for refreshments. Also, need to decide what I'm going to serve. I know I will be having hot apple cider and the Creamy Apple Dessert I posted on my recipe Blog, www.granniesrecipes.barbara.blogspot.com

I'm still stitching on some small Christmas decorations for my tree. A friend at TOPS this morning (I weighed in at 7:30 this morning and left), gave me a handmade quitted ornament for the tree. It is a Santa and so very cute. Maybe I will get a photo posted in the next few days.

Time for more drops in DH's eye!

A new month begins!

Today is the first day of December and I have all my Fall decorations down and put away. Now it is on to Christmas decorations. We aren't going to put every thing up this year....there will only be one tree, here in the gathering room, center pieces on the dining room table and kitchen table. A few assorted items on other tables around the house, wreaths on all three doors, candles in the windows, and Christmas CD's in the player. No fireplace mantel decorations, no large flocked tree in the living room and gathering room, and no small trees in the three bedrooms.

But...we will be thankful for our health, our home, our son and DIL, and our wonderful grandchildren. Wayne and I will spend a very quiet Christmas here at home, as the doctor's do not think it wise for him to travel this year, with the urinary tract problem and the COPD. My shopping is done. I need to wrap everything and get it all in the mail this next week.

Wayne is having his first cataract surgery this Monday on the right eye and the left eye done the following Monday. We are also anticipating prostate surgery sometime this month. He has been busy all week doing things in the yard, getting wood where I can handle it for the fireplace and the wood stove. Making sure both vehicles are serviced and in good condition, as I will be doing most, or all, of the driving.

Today was very windy, however, the temp did get up into the lower 60's, but it sure looked much colder from my kitchen window. It really looked like it could snow, but the temp was way too high.

Well, I've rambled enough for today. Time to stitch a bit and watch the Missouri/Oklahoma game. Of course, we are hoping Missouri wins!

Another year old!

Well, it's Happy Birthday to ME! Yes, I am a Halloween birthday gal. I was born 65 years ago today, except it was on a Saturday and I was born at 12 noon. I always told my mom I was born in time for lunch!

We had a guiet day. I had a meeting at church with our pastor this morning, home for lunch, then to Joplin to have my eyes examined and set up cataract surgeries in January for myself. We ate dinner at a place in Joplin, called The Red Onion, a very nice place and excellent food. We shared a great dessert, Pumpkin Cheesecake, very rich, but very tasty. We did stop at a book store between the doctor's office and dinner, but neither one of us found anything we wanted to purchase. Then home for cups of pumpkin spice International coffee before a cozy fire in the fireplace.

I heard from our son in Germany. He called while we were having lunch to say Happy Birthday and see how we were doing. I had received a package from them on Monday, and waited until today to open it. I will post a photo tomorrow. The grandchildren called this evening with wishes for "grannie" and to tell me of their fun and games tonight. So my day was complete.

We have to be back in Joplin in the morning at 9 a.m. for DH to see the urologist and hopefully get a good report.

I hope everyone's day was as good as mine,

Barbara

Almost like Fall!

I can't believe this weather. We have had 3 digit temps since the 1st of August, then yesterday it was in the 90's and today it's in the 80's. It looks and feels just like a beautiful Fall day, and I love it.

We've had an eventful weekend here in the Ozarks. The funeral service for the three shooting victims last Sunday was held yesterday, in Anderson which is aboout 10 miles from here. Today the Congregational Church, where the shootings happened had a memorial service. The Micronesian's from all over came for the funeral service and the memorial service. They are a very close community of people. My DH has worked for some of these people over the years and found them to be very kind and friendly people and love to be living the USA. There was also a healing service later this afternoon to help our community as a whole get over this terrible tragic. My heart goes out to all of these people.

Not much else is happening here. We attended Sunday School and church this morning, and went to a friend's house for lunch. Debbie asked me bring the dessert and I made a pineapple pie and a chocolate snack cake, and came home empty handed! You can see the recipes on my recipe Blog.

I cross stitched a bit yesterday, not making much progress, but every stitch counts!

I leave you with this:

Weatherwise, it's such a groovy day.

Frank Sinatra

Blessings to all, dear friends,

Barbara

Five months ago!

Oh my, I can't believe it been also 5 months since I last posted on my Blog. A lot has happened since April 1. We were having a normal Sunday, or normal to us. DH and I were getting ready for bed and he started complaining of not being able to get a breathe. He was a smoker! It got so bad that I had to call 911 and get an ambulance here at once. My DH was suffocating to death. The ambulance did arrive in a matter of minutes with oxygen and everything of necessary means. They took him to the hospital and immediately admitted him and he spent the night in ICU attached to all sorts of medicial machinery. The next day he was admitted to a private room and stayed the week in the hospital on oxygen and taking steroid medicine. Needless to say, my DH DOES NOT SMOKE now. However, we have had a long struggle with meds, a sore mouth from the Advair and the nebulizer. Now, he is struggling with pains in his abdomen. They have ruled out gall bladder and an ulcer. This week we have been to the doctor 3 times for tests. They are still thinking it might be gall bladder, even though the test did not show that. Today was a cat scan of the pancreas and liver. Hopefully, we will know something the first part of next week. He is able to work some and gives him some pleasure, as he enjoys his work and the people he works for, (he is a self-employed contractor).

And, to add to all this, the stress of all this, added to my Lupus problems. It really flared up this time in my hands. Fortunately, I have been able to keep myself on my feet, but close to home. I have not been able to do any cross stitch or quilting during these months. I'm doing good to cook and keep house and care for DH. The last few days have been good however, and we are very thankful for that.

The weather here is VERY HOT, temps in the 3 digits. Everything is very dry and starting to look very droopy!

And finally, our beautiful little town, has a tragedy here last Sunday. A man entered a church here in town, actually the beautiful old church across from the building that we owned in town, and killed 3 people and injured several others. But, our town, always comes together, and supports each other, no matter what nationality you might be. Tomorrow is the funeral service for the 3 men and Sunday, the church in town is having an afternoon memorial service for their families and the families of the injured people. It is just a shame we had to make national news about something so sad.

Last Sunday was promotion Sunday in our church for the Sunday School children. I now have new 5th graders and my 5th graders are now 6th graders. I lost a group of great kids, as the 6th graders moved on to the youth department, but gained a new group of great kids. This Sunday I am having donuts, milk and juice for them and will be spending time getting to know our new members.

I am also going to head up the Wednesday night meals again at church. I won't be doing a lot of cooking, but they want me to be in charge and see that things run smoothly. I have all the menu's planned for the next six weeks and have several ladies lined up to work and grocery shop. I had actually resigned from this position, and our pastor came to visit with me, so, we'll see what happens.

I cross stitched the following Bible verse many-a-year-ago and it hangs in my dining room. I have read it several times a day during the past few months.

He gives strength to the weary and

increases the power of the weak...

Those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength,

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:29,31

Blessings to you, my friends,

Barbara