Tolentreasures

  A new board for over Kamden's bed. Would not want him to have an identity crisis, because it is still Kendall's name up there on the wall. And one for an order.   In my paint room, there is so much stuff laying around.   I see something in the stash in the basement, I drag it to the paint room, on the second floor and sometimes it sits and  doesn't get painted and so... the hoard begins to move to a place we see everyday.     Trying so hard to get it cleaned up.  I am trying to finish a few things, drag a few more back down that I don't feel like painting yet, and only bringing them up one at a time.   Wouldn't it just be easier to CLEAN it?

Last Monday morning I thought I was beginning my first full week of work in months. No daytime plans, a full week, forty hours.   I had not worked a 40 hour week in a long time. October, maybe.   About 4:30 PM, I got the call. Dad was taking Mom to the ER, possible stroke.   Leave work, pack, drive 100 miles, two hours later I was standing with her in the ER.   (Please ignore the logistics of the speed I was traveling)   Special thanks to a very good friend who was standing there with my Mom and Dad!    Thanks, Kathy, friends don't get any better than that!   Tests, Nurses that deserve that doctors' pays, One particular doctor that should really consider a new line of work...soon, aides, physical therapists...   It was all determined that she did not have a stroke or heart issues.   What is wrong? No one is sure. Still waiting on that certain diagnosis...

Logan's Valentine Box     With another loss so fresh in my mind and heart. I am once again reminded of how short our time is here on Earth. It causes me to take a serious look at how I spend my time. We all have the same amount within a day, a week a month or a year.   We are not all granted the same amount in a life.   Too often I forget the words of a long ago sermon on "I don't have the time." It pointed out that you do have the time. Saying that you don't only means that what you are refusing to do doesn't take priority over something else you are already doing.   Not that "not having the time" is always a bad thing to say. We have family to take care of first, we have to take care of ourselves and of course, most of us have to work.   Take a look at your time today. Spend some time with God, Spend some time with yourself, Spend some time with family, or call an ...

    I know that I have posted this pic many times on my blog.  It bears repeating today.    These are my painting ladies.  Marie was not able to make this trip in 2009.   We met online around ten years ago and became fast friends.   You can read the link below. It will introduce them all.   Sadly,  this weekend we lost Lesley.     If there was a nucleus, a Mother Hen to the group... it was Lesley.   Always happy, always smiling, always holding us all together. Checking on us when we were not around for awhile, a quick email, a post, a comment.   She was our center.   So many words swirling around in my head, so many memories of her smile, her teasing sense of humor, her art, her generousity, her love that she shared with all of us.   A reminder of how quickly people pass through our lives and how we need to cherish each mome...

  This little girl showed up last night for a sleepover and to make her Valentine Box. What fun we had, cutting, glueing and pasting. Digging through the hoard of stuff that, thank goodness, Grandma keeps. To find the perfect item and to place it in the perfect place!     I think it is very creative and all her own! Then it was off to crayons and markers and colored pencils and Play-Doh. My favorite.   This little girl was impressed with Play-Doh flowers.   Ok, here is an age question. Does anyone remember making these with white bread and white glue and food coloring on toothpicks and varnishing them with clear nail polish?    

Or otherwise known as Things We Didn't Learn in High School   We will start with Jennifer's Math, just because this was so darn funny.   Our daughter, Jennifer lives next door. She is pretty much our "go to" person. She shoulders a lot of responsibility for things for us. Oldest child, calm in the face of chaos (normally) she was a huge help through her grandmother's illness. She checks the house when we are gone, she oversees the shop for us, you get the picture...right?   That all being said, her math skills? Not so good.   So picture this. JWS and I are settled into our recliners. Normal is once again somewhat happening at our house. (It's only been about three days though so I am not getting my hopes up) Jenn comes through the door. Something is wrong.   She has watched Dr. Oz and she is panicked. She wants to call the doctor. Not Dr. Oz, mind you, her doctor. She thinks that she ...

What a Saturday!  Finally, I picked up the paintbrushes and got productive. I have had three of these wine barrel lids in my basement for quite awhile now. It was time to get at least one of them finished. And some folk art painting, Helen Cavin inspired. That book is dated 1989, only about six  years after I started painting. It was time to use the book for something! Another new project is this scarf. This is fun yarn to work with. Mom wanted some scarves for gifts for Christmas next year. She bought yarn, how about that for getting a jump on things?   Under the category of Old Projects is this baby afghan. I need to get it done. Always good to have them finished BEFORE the baby is born. And Retiring Projects. I am putting these away for now.  These nine were all made today.  That's over 25 of them and for now, that is it   They are fun, they are addictive, but re...