Birthday Wishes

I want to wish my brother, Wally, the happiest of birthday wishes.

I am so happy to have him in my life.

Our history with each other and his sense of humor makes me happy.
He has so many talents - it is mind boggling. There is no end to his creativity.

Thankful

I give thanks for all my many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

♥

Prairie Quilts by Johanna Wilson

I ordered this book on Ebay and it arrived today.  Something gnawed at me that I needed to add this book to my library.  I have to say.....I love, love, love this book.

On the inside cover, top left corner, is a little gold sticker with black letters that reads:

"Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society, Inc., DeSmet, S. Oak 57231

"Little Town on the Prairie"

I have found a treasure.

Projects for the home inspired by the life and times of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I only glanced through the book and read a little.  I already know this book is not just a great quilt book, but a wonderful source of information of what it was like to live in a more peaceful time like the Ingalls did.  So, combined with beautiful quilt patterns and directions, a family's story, and a whole lot of Americana - which are three of my favorites, I am very happy with this book.  Sometimes when you least expect it, you can come upon something so unexpected 

- that makes you so happy.  ♥

Our trip to McDonald's

Saturday was our first visit to McDonald's together
Keegan loves Chicken Nuggets, French Fries and milk.
Oh ya, and he likes to dip his chicken and fries in BBQ sauce, sweet & sour sauce, and ketchup
he's a double dipper    ♥

Postage Stamp Christmas Quilt

sometimes quilt tops get done quickly,

sometimes not so quickly

I started this one last winter as one of those easy-design projects to take my time with

this year I picked it up and got the top done

I can't say when it will get quilted, because I have a few other projects right now

including a baby quilt for my daughter

I look forward to getting the time to get this one quilted

This really is a great story!

Lucky Dog

Anyone who has pets will really like this.
You'll like it even if you don't and you may even decide you need one!

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.
Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box
and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box..

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer.
Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.

She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cudd! led with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through.
If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him!
The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening!
walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserab le.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom.
Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap..

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called.
It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life. 
He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free.
Lucky, he still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure..

Remember......live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials,
the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care for us.

Live simply.. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

What is a calorie?

Calories are the little bastards that get into your wardrobe at night
and sew your clothes tighter.

My closet is infested with the little shits!

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the
empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.
The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.
If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you.

So...
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your spouse out to dinner.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.
'Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'
♥

It's about Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror,
And noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

'Well,' she said, 'I think I'll braid my hair today.'
So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror
And saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

'H-M-M,' she said, 'I think I'll part my hair down the middle today.'
so she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed
That she had only one hair on her head.

'Well,' she said, 'today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail.'
So she did, and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and
Noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

'YAY!' she exclaimed.'I don't have to fix my hair today!'

Attitude is everything.

Be kinder than necessary,
For everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly,
And pray continually.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.