Vegas Baby!!! OH YEAH!!!!!

It was so great to get away and ....relax? Not much relaxation happened on this trip. We went non-stop from the time we arrived Friday afternoon.

On our way down, we stopped for a drink and guess what they had at this truck stop....

A petting zoo

We had to pull over and snapped a few pictures

When we pulled into Vegas at about 3:00 we were so excited to go do a little sight seeing. When we climbed out of the car it felt like our skin was blistering immediately!

115 degrees? UGHHH 

but It didn't stop us, it just slowed us down a bit.

We got settled in our beautiful room then headed on down for a little slot machine action and dinner.

Being the researcher that I am I had pulled up a few places that sounded fun. After dinner I pulled out my research papers and we decided on a destination. We headed out to drive down the strip..well...just because... and then drove to Freemont Street (which was on my list) It's down town in the older part of Vegas. I was getting a little worried about where we were going as we left all the bright lights and the streets were a bit darker and seemed a little creepy. Then in the middle of all of that we saw lights...as we got closer we saw all the people...The Freemont Street Experience was one of the funnest parts of the trip! We left our camera in the room and our phones both needed charging. I got this one picture before my phone totally died. To bad, This was soooo cool!! Street Performers, Bands, Casinos, all kinds of vendors. It was a riot!! If you go to Vegas, I would highly recommend going to

Freemont Street!! It all out doors but this canopy light show cover it....It's a few blocks full of fun!!

Saturday morning we headed on over to Hoover Dam

INCREDIBLE!!

We went down to the Luxor for dinner and played a few slot machines then went back down to Freemont Street for awhile.

Sunday we went to visit one of Barney's oldest friends. We had a great time catching up. Barney has know him since kindergarten (I think) maybe even earlier.

When we got back to the room we had a late lunch delivered to the room and relaxed for a bit then we were off to go to The Bodies Exhibit and The Titanic Exhibit at the Luxor.

All I can say about both is WOW!!!

I wish I could have taken a few pictures but it's not allowed.

After the Exhibits, we headed across the street to M&M World!!

Very cool place!!

We spent the rest of the evening just roaming around the strip.

Totally AWESOME and incredibly hectic extended weekend

I am so glad we were able to get away

We needed it terribly



ROAD TRIP!!

We haven't been able to get away for what seems like FOREVER!! I have been counting the days till we leave...

2 MORE DAYS!

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go!! My sweetums and I celebrated our 28th anniversary on the 12th. We had so wanted to get away but it just wasn't possible on that weekend....BUT!!! we were able to swing it for this weekend. We were both able to work out a 4 day weekend....YAY!!!!!!

Friday in the wee morning hours we are jumping in our car and heading to an unknown destination for four glorious days!! I think we are leaning towards a Vegas trip but nothing is set in stone yet. All I know is we will come home relaxed, refreshed and ready to jump back into the daily grind.

Hope you all a a fabulous weekend !!

Memory Lane is calling...

This is for my Barney, the love of my life. To celebrate our blissful and unwavering love and our lifetime commitment to each other.

I have been taking a walk down memory Lane this week. Looking back over the past 28 years...all the special tender moments in time replaying in my mind like a movie. I can hardly believe it has been that long since I married the most wonderful and loving man I have ever known.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SWEETHEART

I LOVE YOU!

I strolled through some of my past posts and found one I wrote on Valentines Day 2010. I simply had to copy (and tweak just a bit) that letter I wrote to my Valentine because there are just no other words to better express how I feel about my Barney. This has been a difficult year for us in many ways and I want to remind my sweetheart once again just exactly how I feel about him.

To My Barney,

I love you! I know I tell you every day (sometimes it must seem like every five minutes), but every time I say it I mean the words with all of my heart.

Things haven’t exactly been easy for us. Frustrations have been the name of the game, but just like we’ve made it through before, I know we can keep making it through. Right now in so many ways it feels like our world has fallen apart around us; yet here we are. What surprises me about our life is not that there are struggles; instead I am amazed at the miracle I live every day~~to have found you to struggle alongside me. My perfect match. You amaze me. When I look back on the past 28 years and recall all that we have done, blessings we have received, crisis' we have been through, all we have built and torn down again, it is no wonder why sometimes we both feel like we have been hit by a truck at the end of the day; yet at night when we look at each other and we are tired and there is nothing left to give; I am smiling because you are by my side. You are my past and you are my future. You are my hope and you are my strength. You've given me gifts that I treasure with all my heart and memories which live deep within my soul... One of the most amazing things to me after all these years, is this: when you walk unexpectedly into a room, and I look up and am surprised to see you, in that moment when I realize it’s You, I still get a flutter…and…there is still a slight, very shallow, very sudden intake of breath…”Oh. It's you”.... ~SMILE~ You are my reason for everything
You love like no one else I know. You don't offer it easily, but those you love, you love deeply and you reserve that love for a very select few. Those of us who have been lucky enough to be loved by you know your loyalty is intense. You will go to the ends of the earth for someone you love, I am so thankful to be included in those lucky few. You are mine, and I adore you. I think the best thing about you, if I had to pick one would be~~you understand me. Really, and truly, understand me. You've seen my absolute best and, I’m embarrassed to say, my absolute worst, and everything in between. You not only accept who I am you LOVE who I am! I don't know how I got so lucky. I don't know what happened or how it happened or why it happened. Sometimes I look around, at you, at our kids and grandsons, at us, and I still can't believe this has worked. I can't believe we are this happy...this in sync. There is nothing and no one I love the way I love you.

Happy Anniversary my Love!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Just a glimpse of my sweet daddy's life

I miss him so much !!

My dad and 2 of my 4 brothers

 

My dad worked for the railroad.

Isn't he handsome in his uniform?

One of my favorite pictures of my dad.

#1 Grandpa..I know my girls sure thought so

 

Hanging with a few of his grandkids

 

He began to slow down... Emphysema is a wicked disease!!

This is a collage me, my brothers and sisters put together and displayed at his funeral service.

 

Memorial that the mortuary put together for us.

 

I am proud to say my dad was a World War 2 veteran and was given full military honors

He was the best dad a girl could ask for

I miss him so very very much

Welcome to our family!!

Yesterday my fabulous nephew TJ and his wonderful wife Alisa were blessed with their first child.
They are going to be great parents!!
and my sister Kari and her hubbs Shawn will be awesome grandparents!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
sending
Love and Light to you all!!

I can't wait to meet my precious great niece
 Ellie Nicale

7 lbs 4 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long

born 8/10/11

Awww my sweet sis took these darling pictures with Ellie in the hat and snuggle sac I made for her.
I just had to share...isn't she just one of the most precious little angels EVER!!
When I made this for her, I had a picture in my mind of her all snug and cozy in it. It brought tears to my eyes to see the real thing only BETTER!!
LOVE HER!!

Crocheted rope mat

I got some rope and tried my hand at a basic mat..I really like it a lot and will definitely make more of these in different sizes and stitches.

Grandma's Mustard Pickles

My inner domestic goddess appeared last night and continued into this morning.

In the late night hours I peeled and chopped up all my veggies and got them soaking.

 got up early and got it cooking...

YUMMY!! I can't wait to taste this childhood memory favorite!!

 and.....TA DA!!

all done!!

Here is the recipe in case anyone is interested.

Grandma's Mustard Pickles

4 quarts cucumbers

4 quarts pearl onions

6 quarts cauliflower

cover with salt water (1 cup salt per gallon of water)

soak over night. Drain and rinse.

In big pot (I use my roaster) Put

1 1/2 quarts distilled vinegar

 2 quarts sugar

stir until sugar is dissolved.

Add veggies and cook until

tender.

add

2 jars pimentos

in separate bowl mix to make a paste

1 tbsp. tumeric

24 oz. jar of prepared mustard

3/4 cup flour

add to veggies mixture and simmer 30 minutes

Put into jars and seal.

Dylan's Dental Surgery

Waiting patiently to get this over with.

I think it was harder for mommy

 All done and trying to wake up

There was a small complication and they weren't able to save his two front teeth. He will be toothless until his permanent teeth come in which will be 2 or 3 years.

He looks pretty cute when he gives me that big ole grin.

We got home and Jace was waiting for him. He had been worried all morning. When he saw what happened he was very upset about it. Papa and I took them for a short outing to pick up some rope for my attempt at crocheting a rug. Smith and Edwards is the best store. I got my rope and then we all got ice cream. On the way home Dylan fell asleep. I was talking to Barney and from the backseat Jace kept saying we needed to be quiet because Dylan was sleeping and he had a hard day. LOL I sure love my boys. They always look out for each other.

All I can say is WOW!

HOLY SMOKES!!

I LOVE THIS!!

I was roaming around blog land today and happened upon something that I just have to try and make!

I think I will be trying this over the weekend. My brother in law made me an awesome hand carved extra large crochet hook several months ago and I've been wanting to make something totally COOL with it. I think this is it!!! This full size mega doily rug was created using cotton rope. She made it with her bare hands!

I'm thinking I could do something similar using my special crochet hook

I will let you know how it turns out.

You can check this beautiful original Ladies & Gentlemen studio design rug out in their  Etsy Shop.

Mega Doily Rug

To my Mom



Well, my beautiful mom would be 81 years old today. Sadly, I have not been able to celebrate with her for many, many years. I have a strong feeling that I need to celebrate her birthday differently than I have in the past. My plan is to go get some balloons and as a family I want to release them into the air. We may even have cake!! I can't believe it has been almost 24 years since I lost you.

Here's to you mom!!

~ HaPpY BiRtHDaY ~

MOM

You are in the sun that wakes me in the morn,

and in the moonlight that kisses my cheek before I sleep

You are in the rain that falls upon my face,

and in the wind that moves my hair.

You are in the clouds that roll across the sky,

and in the stars that shine at night.

You are in the beauty of a butterfly,

and in the sounds of all the birds

You are in the sounds of delight and laughter,

and even in the sounds of my despair.

You are not only forever in my heart,

but also in my soul.

You are in the song that I sing,

and in every moment of silence.

You are in every hug I give,

and in every tear of joy and sorrow.

You are in the light of the eyes of my grandchildren,

I can see you when they smile.

In all these ways, I remember you,

and get comfort in knowing you are always with me.

I Love you and miss you more than EVER today.