Where have I been?

This year is flying by, with going to school and more projects assigned to me than I can handle, things like blogs have gone to the wayside. I hope to pick up again soon.

January and back to normal life!

The Holidays are over and now I'm getting back into the regular routine of working and working on school work.

I didn't get to volunteer in 2008 so I am going to try and get back into that in 2009, but take it slow so I don't burn myself out, like I am good at doing!

Hope your 2009 is going good so far!

Wrapping up 2008

I apologize that I have not kept this up. I normally keep up on what I start! However, my dad's health continued to get worse and he passed away in October. While this was rough on me and my family, it was something he was praying for because he felt so bad.

Then came the Holiday's and I just didn't come to this blog to update.

Will try to be better in 2009!

Another long break from blogging!

Life is still trying to see if I can make lemonade out of lemons. My full time job was very stressful during the month of July. I even had to call off a couple of times for my part time job due to the full time job! Good news is they worked with me.

Then on July 18th, they put my dad in the Hospital. For those of you reading who don't really know me and my family history, my dad has had 4 open heart surgeries with several other surgeries over the last 30 years. He was sick in Feb and we thought we might lose him and he bounced back. I went to visit in May and he seemed a little bettter...but on July 18th they sent him to the hospital. They released him the Wednesday after...but he wasn't doing well so I left on Saturday July 26th to go back to spend some time with him.

Thank God I have a job that allows me to work remotely so I was able to work when he rested and didn't get behind at work...although family comes before work!

I leave on vacation with my daughter, son-in-law and family friend in 12 days....I am so looking forward to a vacation...although we are going to California...where there are fires and earthquakes! I think there is the makings of a country song with how my life is going lately!

Been busy.....

Haven't been here lately, I'm working two jobs and going to school, so free time isn't something I have much of lately!

In almost a month, we'll go on our vacation to California, I am so ready for it!

What have you done for vacation this year?

When life gives you lemons.....

make lemonade. I've heard that statement many times over my lifetime but this week gave me and my daughter the opportunity to do that.

This was a rough week. We found that due to a financial surprise, we had to cancel our trip to Alaska. We were both so disappointed and I was very cranky!

But now we have worked it out that we are still going to go on a vacation with her husband, and 3 friends. We are going to California. I have been but as a teen-ager so its been a long time! =)

We are now planning to go to Alaska for the cruise in May 0f 2009. May is really a better time to go to Alaska than in August from what we have been told.

So when life through us lemons this week, we made lemonade and now we get two trips one this August and one next May!

My great nieces graduation!

Some Misc Pictures from May of 2008!

Another Swap received!

This has been a fun week as I am receiving my swap items from my partners. The latest one received is for the cupcake swap. My partner did a great job.

Here is all I got:

cute ice cream scoop. Ice cream sprinkles in a cute ice cream cone shape! Ice cream lip gloss. 2 candles Ice cream buttons Big Brothers/Sisters key holder. Ice Cream stickers. Ice Cream frame.

Great stuff huh? Can't wait to use the ice cream scoop, think it may happen tonight! =)

Like fabric? Here is an opportunity to swap with others!

My daughter is hosting a Fabric Swap. Please check-out her blog for all the details!
http://www.itching2bstitching.blogspot.com/

First Name Swap

I received my First Name Swap yesterday. It contained lovely gifts and was a nice surprise to a yucky Monday.

D= Food Coloring for "Decorating" and Other Decorating Items for baking.
I= Ink-received a cute pen.
A=Album for pics of the family!
N=Notecards. (This was my favorite...had cute pics of cats and dogs on them).
E=Egg Timer.

Magnet Swap

I received my package for the Magnet Swap, I was so impressed with the magnets I received from my partner. She had included one with a cat on it that looks just like one of my two cats! The others were items based off of things I said in my profile, so this impressed me more! It was a nice surprise as I have been having a rough week at work and this made me smile.

More Swap gifts received!

I received my 2nd Newbie Quick Swap items, it was a great book for my coffee table titled "The Ladies Room Reader" plus a couple of recipes and some cards to send. I loved it all.

The next was a Cupcake magnet and cupcake recipe from 1 of the 3 partners I have for the Cupcake Swap. They are both great gifts.

This is fun!!

Pictures of "First Name" Swap

My partner has received her package so I can post pics now. I had so much fun doing this and if I must say myself...did pretty good for my first swap! I made a "letter" card for each letter of her name which happened to be Tracy. (Since my daughters name is Tracey....it made it easy to remember her name!)



Here are the cards for each letter:



Here are her gifts in order of her name; she liked the tote and fabric the best!
T is for Tote for Traveling:

R is for Ribbon:

A is for "All about Family".

C is for Crafts and Cooking:

Y is for a Yard of Fabric:


I also made her 3 bookmarks and sent stickers for her kids:





The stickers were "Cars" for the son and "Princesses" for the daughter.

I wrapped all of my partners gifts separate and then placed them in the tote. I wrapped the kids separately so they would have something to open.

I'd appreciate any crafters or swap-boters opinions on how I did!

Swap Surprise Received Today

I received another surprise today. One of my Quickie Newbie Swap gifts arrived today. I received 3 candles and an oven mitt set. I had a rough week this week and it was a nice surprise to get home and see this had come. Thanks to Nina for the great gift.

Working hard on swapping....

Whew....got all 6 gifts wrapped and ready to take to the post office tomorrow...hope I don't faint when I hear the total due for postage!

Once I know people have received them, I will post some pics.

First rating....and more....

I got my first rating on swap-blot. You hope for a 5 and if they really like it a Heart. I got a 5 and a Heart! What a way to start!

I also received my 3 postcards today from the Post Card Swap. They were from California, New Orleans and St Louis. They all were beautiful and I loved them. I love receiving them from all over the place! They each made me smile.

I shopped today so that I can mail 3 of my swaps on Monday. The one is the Newbie Quickie one. I have two to mail. I bought one an Art Magazine and the other a book on cats. I can't wait to see if they like them.

For the cupcake swap, I have three partners. I bought each of them something different to make them unique in what the receive. I will post pictures next week.

For the magnet swap, I have one partner but was to buy 3 magnets. I did that today. I will have pictures of them next week also.

So far I am having a blast with this..but as I said, I'll have to slow myself down going forward! =)

Addicted...

For those of you that know me well, finding out that I am addicted to something won't be surprising. For those that don't know me well, don't worry, its not an addiction to things that are bad for me or illegal!

I am addicted to Pepsi, a Mexican food place near my home, jelly beans, mini powered donuts and now I add a new one to the list...

Swap-bot. Yes, I admit it I have become addicted. So to help myself out...after I finish the ones I am currently registered with, I am going to have to limit myself to 2 swaps a month!

See I'm getting better, I at least recognize now when I pick up a new addiction!

Waking up to Tornado sirens....

I don't know if I will ever get use to being woken up during the night to the sound of tornado sirens. Its a sound that goes right through you and you sit right up in bed. Monday night I took a Tylenol PM as I have had trouble sleeping a few days prior to Monday, you got it Tuesday a.m. at 2:30 AM CT I was woken up by the sirens. I was groggy at first but luckily I was able to make sense of what was happening and got my two cats and myself into the bathroom. My one cat could have cared less just curled up in a ball and went back to sleep. The other meowed at the door to be let out. I told him that curiosity killed the cat and he should be thankful that I had him in a safe place. I don't think he appreciated my comments.

We had storms again last night and more tornadoes, flooding and wind damage happened as a result of this storm. I have been lucky except for losing some sleep and being woken from a sound sleep, nothing has happened to my place or car.

This has been a hard year on Oklahoma already, with ice storms in January worse than any others in the history of the state and now this...

Just to make sure you understand, I am grateful for the sirens, they just make your heart beat extremely fast when you hear them!

Swap update

I mailed my box today but since it is going out of the US, it could take her 6-10 days to get it, pictures will be posted when she has received it.

I mailed my postcards today too!

2 swaps done!

I will be shopping this weekend for the cupcake one!