WEEK-END TIMES

Well again such a busy week-end. I enjoyed every minute of it, but can't say I am not dragging a bit this morning and am looking forward to not doing too much today.


On Sat., after a somewhat leisurely breakfast and morning, Jeff and I loaded up and headed down to Bolsa Chica beach to spend the rest of the day with my sons and their families. We kind of do something along this line every year at the end of the summer, and somewhat celebrate my middle son's John's birthday as well. The grandkids have not had much of any opportunity to get together this summer, and they all enjoyed playing together soo much. Yolanda, John’s fiancée, brought a yummy potato salad and Carne Asada to bbq. It was soo good. Chips and fresh watermelon finished off our menu. It started off beautiful down there, but ended up REALLY chilly. It takes a lot to make me actually cold, but even I was wrapped up in a sweatshirt and towels, haha…I soo enjoyed watching the grandkids run and enjoy themselves. I took some pics when I first arrived, and then forgot all about it, so I only have pics of James’s family, and a couple of Cody and his daddy. I will show you what I have (I know you are living for them, haha) but they really are just not complete

Tella & her beloved Grandpa

JD posing for Grandma ~ he was soo cold, but not admitting it

The birthday boy John & his fiance Yolanda

Yolanda's youngest daughter Naomi ~ what a little sweetie she is

" LOVE the beach Grandma" says Donatella

Sweet Capri

Beach babies

"It looks pretty big Daddy", says Cody

"Come closer, you'll like it", says Tella to Cody

"Ok, maybe one toe"

"Is this thing safe Tella?" says Cody

"Sure, just hold on" says Tella

How my mom does the beach, haha, ready for a snow storm ~ though it WAS cold

 
 
On Sun. morning Jeff & I got up early and headed down to San Diego to hear James give the message at a church where he was the guest speaker.  How we enjoyed it, and were soo blessed as well.  The people at this church were warm and friendly.  After service we went out to a yummy lunch together and then Jeff & I headed back home.  It was ALOT of driving for a short visit, but we were soo glad we went.  And then last night John & Yolanda came by and we took them out to dinner for John's birthday.  I was going to cook, but after our long day of driving I decided to make it easy, haha...We went to a WONDERFUL Italian restaurant we have discovered by our new house and it was sooo good.  AGAIN I intended to take some pics of this and to show off the new shirts for work we got him as well, but I forgot.  Not sure where my head is. 
 
This is going to be a VERY busy week.  I have several "little" things I want to finish up on the house before Mike & Mel come for the week-end.  I am soo excited to see them both.  They don't have much time as they are coming just for the week-end and Mike hasn't seen his family since Jan., and they have the wedding of course which is why they are coming here in the first place.  But we are going to combine the families on friday night for a bbq, so that is good.  Then Sat. morning I will go with Mel out to Jess's to get her hair done.  That will give us several hours to chat.  Then Sat. night is the wedding, and they leave right after breakfast on Sun.  sigh....BUT!  They will be back in two more weeks for Jessie's wedding.  Soo lot's of Mel time coming up.  How I miss that girl.  I keep thinking that I will "work into" her living 1000 miles from me, but it hasn't happened yet. 
 
My dryer is buzzing which is my signal my computer time is up.  Have a wonderful week....Love to you all

LIVES THAT MATTER

Every once in a while you come across something that you just know is going to have a profound effect upon your life....Do you know what I mean?  Yesterday, as I was reading on Sassy Granny's blog, she told us about a woman named Elaine @ Peace for the Journey.  I wish I had come across this special ladies blog a long time ago as it is soo obvious that her love for the Lord just permeates through every area of her life.  She was just diagnosed on Mon. with breast cancer.  Obviously with all I have recently been through, I have no doubt I can understand all the feelings and questions and concerns that are running through her mind and that of her families.  It is a difficult place to be.  And yet her peace that can only come from Him is so apparent and leaves you with a feeling that no matter what may happen, all will be well.  I understand and know that peace as I too experienced it when it was my turn to hear those words.  She does a MUCH MUCH better way of expressing what I tried to say.  I haven't had time (yet ~ trust me I will, haha) to fully investigate her blog but it appears as if she has written a book called Peace for the Journey, which no doubt helps to explain why she expresses her self soo well.  The Lord has so obviously blessed her with the written word.  I intend to order this book and read it as I just know it is going to be full of much needed insight into Him.  Everything I have been through has caused me of course to take stock of my life and REALLY look at what is important in this life and what just isn't.  What exactly is the point of it all.  I have much to learn and find myself weak and lacking in many areas.  But something she wrote on her blog just soo summed up what I have come to the conclusion to, that I decided I needed to share it with all of you in case there are others of you out there who have not come across this blog and this spirit filled woman of God. 

“It doesn’t matter how long God chooses to preserve my earthly life. What matters is how I choose to preserve him in the earthly
life I’ve been given.”   Elaine Olsen

Truer words were just never spoken in my opinion....this IS what it is all about.  We are put here on this earth to love God and to spread His love to those around us that we might bring others to the saving knowledge of Him.

Luk 10:27 So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'"

None of us the time or the day that our souls will be required of us.  We may be blessed with a long and healthy life here on this earth.  But what would it matter if we are not living our lives for Him?  Every moment needs to lived as if we KNEW they were numbered.  Wait a minute....they ARE numbered. 

If you get the chance visit Elaine @ Peace for the journey and I know you will find a true woman of God who will bless us all with her journey through life with breast cancer.  Pray for her when you can.  Pray that God uses this circumstance in her life to bring others to a relationship with a living and mighty God whose love for His people can never be matched by anything this world has to offer.  Pray for the Lord to show us how to make our lives matter for Him. 

WEEK-END PROJECT

We had another busy, productive, enjoyable week-end, and I hope you all had the same. Friday nights Jeff & I try to have a "date night"..This means he does his best to get home as early as he can (which coming from LA is NOT easy) and we DO something. Go to dinner, to a movie, get frozen yogurt, or have friends over to talk and play cards or something. Or when we are really lucky, we do them ALL like we did this week-end. We had a nice dinner out (soo many new places to discover around here) and then brought home frozen yogurt to enjoy later and played a card game that we all enjoy soo much. We play boys against girls and the girls are up by 3...haha... Soo fun. Then on Sat. Jeff and I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then got started on our week-end project. I have a feeling we will be having one of these for a while until we get all the little things done around here we want to do. This week’s was hanging the wall stencils I had found the week before at the store with my mom. We had just the perfect place for one of these and I saw it in my mind’s eye before we had ever moved in. I was excited to see it up. I don't know if Jeff shared my enthusiasm as it meant crawling up on a ladder, but he (as always) was ready to give it a try. It actually came out better than I hoped, and Jeff was pleasantly surprised it wasn't as "fiddly" and hard as he thought it might be. He has always done all the wallpapering, painting, etc. we have done over the years and does such a good job. Here are some pics, though again they really don't do it justice, but you will get the general idea

Getting started....Of course this came after much measuring and finding the center of both the wall and the stencil....already too "fiddly" for me, haha

LOTS of rubbing with this little stick!

First part up....looking good

Second part coming out ever so slowly....

I LOVE it....and this verse.

I had also bought some wrought iron scrolls (this is what I have been calling them, I am not sure "what" they really are, haha...but we hung one on either side of this.  Measuring for the exact placement of them was the harder part of this....

Soo pretty

I had to take this pic from soo many angles as you can see how the light from the sky lights played on the wall and it was hard to see.  This isn't the best angle, but you get the general idea.

Found the perfect spot for my new picture...I love it Jennifer and everytime I answer that phone I will think of you I'm sure..

Sunday found us visiting the same church, and there are many things we are discovering we really like about it.  The Pastor seems to be really anointed by the Holy Spirit and we both enjoy his style of teaching.  The people are warm and friendly and the church is only 5 minutes from our new house.  Could it be we have already found a new church home?  We are doing lots of praying about this.  Though I did notice they have a womens Bible study group starting up in Sept. on Tues. mornings.  Could just be perfect for me.  Guess we will see what the Lord has in mind.  The rest of our day was spent at the swimming pool.  Hubby swimming, me sitting on the side in the shade with a drink, haha.  We bbq's a nice Salmon and some veggies for dinner, and I watched a marathon of the Love comes Softly series on TV.   Hubby hung with me for a while, but finally went into the Grandkid room and watched some of his beloved football.  He always misses Mel about now as she was his game day partner during this season.  I will watch BIG games with him, but that is about all I am good for.  Sure am glad we still have two good TV's, haha....

Little Jeffie and Lindsey started their first day back at school today.  I honestly cannot believe summer has come and gone and the kids are back in school.  The holiday's are around the corner.  Did I say that out loud?  haha  Leah sent me some pictures of the kids via my email.  Isn't it wonderful that we can do such a thing and be able to SEE things soo quickly? 

She's not excited or anything, haha

How darling is this little first grader??  Can't believe he is already in the first grade!

I pray all of my grandkids have a GOOD year and the Lord watches over them all.  Soo hard in today's world to feel good about it all.  Good thing we know the Lord is watching too. 

Hope you all have a wonderful week. 

SOME SPECIAL BLESSINGS

Psa 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Time, as always, continues to whip by it seems and here it is Thankful Thursday again. My heart is full of joy this morning, even though my knees (and my back..sigh) are bringing me quite a bit of pain. This arthritis has truly slowed me down and yet I honestly have found the Lord using them in my life to teach me a few things I might not have learned otherwise. But I will save that for another post. This morning I am thankful for kids and the laughter, joy, and love they bring into our world. I have just always enjoyed them. Some of my best memories included hours spent with kids. Not just mine own of course, but the school I worked at for several years as an aide. I remember some truly special little ones and wonder often what became of some of them. They just say the sweetest, most innocent things sometimes.  I think it is why I soo enjoy reading all the blogs from the young mama's out there in blogland and there are just soo many of you with such cute kids.  I have had my granddaughter Lindsey here for the last few days and how I enjoyed her. Soo much energy. haha  She was helpful and busy and just good company. My niece Katie joined us for some of the time and together the girls (who are only a year apart) giggled and chattered their way through our time. I enjoyed just watching them. We went to the local 3 dollar movie theater and saw Marmaduke. It was really a cute little movie and we all enjoyed it while we munched on our popcorn. After the movie we went to the grocery story and walked the aisles looking for something yummy for dinner. We settled on chicken (cold) and a nice pasta salad. We added on tiny blueberry muffins and fresh cantaloupe ~ soo good, and they decided on making brownies for dessert. What a good time they had making those. After dinner we settled down and watched and cried our way through Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea...how I love these movies. Melody and I read the series of books together years ago, and then enjoyed the movies together MANY times. I never grow tired of them. The girls finished the night off with a LONG walk with Elvis and Grandpa and managed to see several little bunnies that were enjoying the night as well. This park just seems to be full of them for some reason. Soo cute. Yesterday, after French toast and sausage for breakfast (good thing I don't cook for little ones anymore I have a feeling my weight would be even more of an issue, haha) we headed out to do a little shopping. Now my knees don't allow me to walk those malls the way I use to, but I did get around some for sure. Lindsey settled on a new pair of "skinny" jeans and a cute little tee shirt for school. I do try to help out some with back to school clothes and shoes, but all of our extra expenses with moving and all has kept me from doing as much as I would like to this year. After we finished with shopping, I took Lindsey home. Katie's mama had joined us for lunch and a little shopping too, so she headed home as well with her. When I got home last night around dinner time, the house seemed pretty quiet, and I was wondering how long it might be to settle back into that. About then the mailman came and brought a little package for me from my friend Jennifer at Trading Ashes for Beauty. It just made my day and filled my heart with joy...what an unexpected pleasure. It was a PERFECT little picture (I just LOVED it Jennifer) and a darling little birdie magnet for my refrigerator with the sweetest little note. I just can't express enough how wonderful it has been getting to know her and so many others of you out there in blogland.

Ready to start

Soo fun!

Yummm

Lindsey's turn

Ready to bake!

Best part...

Katie & Lindsey

All ready for shopping

My new treasures....how darling are these?  Thank you soo much Jennifer.  I will find a spot for the pic. soon.  I have a couple of places in mind..  Love you!

Newly painted pots....not quite the color of red I was thinking, though I do like this alot.  Don't think I see the front door this shade however, and now a red like I was thinking of might clash with the pots.  Soo now I am thinking maybe black?  Or maybe it should just stay white.  I will dwell for a while but would welcome any suggestions or thoughts.  And yes Jennifer these pots do stay out year round in California.  I moved all of these from my old house where  they sat around our pool.  I've had the Sega palms for years.  They were tiny when I first got them.  They grow VERY slowly.  My fig tree at one point was HUGE...I trimmed it back last Fall and it's not nearly as large.  It has not been getting enough water, and thus it's sorry look.  I am hoping to get it to come back nice again.  Anything that flowers (that I have here anyway) does not last year round and I only sit them out in Sprintime and nurse them along through the Fall.  Winter time I don't bother. 

Pro 17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.

Psa 113:9 ..... Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

Pro 31:28 Her children rise up and call her blessed....

Join the others for Thankful Thursday posts HERE

A BUSY WEEK-END

Good Morning and happy Tues to everyone....First let me start by thanking everyone for their comments and encouraging comments on my hair.  I feel silly making such a big "to do" about something like that, but I do feel a little better about things.  I am still TRYING to watch what I eat, but I can't say I am feeling very successful yet, but I am not giving up...but enough about all of that.

We had such a busy and productive week-end.  Friday my mother came up and we went to that store which was sooo much better than I remembered.  What a collection of treasures.  Soo much to look at and their things were soo nice and soo up my alley.  I am surprised the name of the place wasn't "Deb's place" haha...Now their things weren't exactly budget friendly but we had a good time looking.  I did buy a rub on stencil for our family room wall which displays one of my favorite scriptures...Jos 24:15 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.  I am anxious to get it up.  As soon as my hubby gets the time (this week-end maybe?) he will climb the ladder and hopefully easily get it on.  On Sat. my son James and his family came up for the day.  It was soo nice to have them here for the first time.  How I enjoyed my day.  We swam for an hour or so in the pool here at the park and JD displayed his new found skills.  Quite the little fish for not yet quite 4.  Donatella has grown up quite a bit and is talking up a storm.  What a dollie she is.  She reminds me soo much of Mel it is a strange feeling.  She's got her mama's skin and is sporting quite the little tan in spite of wearing a #50 sunblock whenever she is out.  Her hair is white ~ have I mentioned that she is darling and this Grandma loves her to death.  I got lots of hugs and kisses, but she too is a Grandpa's girl.  I can't quite figure out "why" they are ALL such softies for Grandpa, haha...For dinner Jim & Larissa made us a yummy dinner of Chineese food from Trader Joe's.  Soo good.  Here are a few swimming pics on the day...

JD MUST have his goggles, haha

Tella was pretty fearless too

The girls watch JD leap off daddy's shoulders

The girls take a ride

On Sun we went to early service and then began our "project" on the front porch.  Naturally it took A LOT longer than we anticipated and I think by the end by hubby was about to pitch me off the side as I had him rearrange those GIANT AND HEAVY pots several times.  It just didn't want to fit up there right.  As it was we did pot one of the Sega's in the ground in the front area.  That is another project still looming so I will talk about it later, haha.  But the front porch is shaping up nicely.  Now the pots still have to painted (I think that is on his agenda tonight after work and supper when it cools off a bit) and I need possibly a small hanging bird house and some wind chimes and possibly a hanging plant or maybe two, but it is close.  I am also thinking about painting the front door red like the pots.  What does anyone think??  Though I guess it would be hard to say until I show you the newly painted pots...haha.

You can see how badly these pots need to be painted and the fig tree is looking a little sad but I think I can nurse it back.

 

Meanwhile I picked up my granddaughter Lindsey (9 years) to spend a few days with us.  We are heading off to a movie this afternoon and my niece Katie (10 years) will join us for this and then come back and spend the night tonight here as well.   After that I will let the girls do a little baking and then we will watch Anne of Green Gables tonight.  Tomorrow we will get Lindsey a new outfit for school  which starts next week.   How I love these summer days with kids.  Soo I guess I will get off of here and finish up my morning chores.  It is nice to have a little helper this morning.  = )  Hope you all have a wonderful day...

THE NEW "DO"

NEW DO

It is really kind of hard to see how the hair really looks but this shows the highlights really well I think.  I wish I could think of way to show the hair without my face, haha  Kind of like a wig on a wig stand...I wish you could have seen some of the ones I "tried" to take of myself...haha  I looked like the old deer in the headlights.  This morning I was showered before my hubby left and he took one for me...Hope you all have a WONDERFUL week-end.  We are still looking for a new church (since we moved of course) and have another one we are going to try....I really just kind of miss our old one.  We fellowshipped there for over 20 years.  Have I mentioned I don't do change well? 

My hubby insisted we take one of the back, haha.  I does show the color pretty well..

See our sky light on the top?  We have two of them..they really do let in light well.

A CHEERFUL LOOK

I am a little behind, but better late than never right?  haha  It is time for thankful Thursday and I decided to list some of the "little" things I am thankful for.  I think sometimes they are much easier to overlook than you might think.  Especially when the "big" ones are right there for all to see.  Let's see....

I am thankful for all the BEAUTIFUL weather that So. California has been enjoying this summer.  Everyday for days and days now (or so it seems anyway) we have been hitting "maybe" the low 80's.  Cool ocean breezes (and we are still a ways from the ocean) blow accross the land at night and keep us all soo comfortable during the day.  Generally this time of year we are sitting at the upper 90's or even into the low 100's in the inland valley (though I have technically moved from there into Orange county, haha) making everything you do (short of sitting in a pool) pretty unbearable if you are outside.  Now I am sure it is bound to change and heat up, but in the meantime, boy I for one am REALLY enjoying it.    I am thankful that Jessie was able to help my hair dilemma's yesterday and I left there a pretty happy camper.  She added quite a few highlights to start with.  Now my hair had already lightened some just with washing it several times as I had been sooo blonde it was bound to do.  But the highlights really helped.  And then she cut a GOOD 2 and a half inches of the length and layered it all over.  The result is a much fuller, bouncer style and I just hope I can kind of work it like she did.  You know how that is....you rarely ever look again like you did when you left, haha, or I don't anyway.   I am thankful that my son James & his little family are coming up for the day on Sat.  We have not had this kind of day since WAY before the surgery and I am sooo looking forward to it.  I am happy for the time that my husband and I have enjoyed here at our new house "alone".   I am thankful that I am ready now to add some plants and flowers to my front porch.  I have been soo looking forward to it.  And lastly, Melody will be here AGAIN the first week-end in September for a friends wedding and this time her hubby is coming with her.  I haven't seen Mike in 8 months and I have missed him too.  I am thankful my mother lives close enough to me now that she can come out and we can do things together.  She is coming tomorrow and we are going to one of our favorite little stores that is having a 3 day sale.   Sooo, I guess that about sums it up for now.   Again, my heart is light and my spirit is full of joy.  This verse in Proverbs is one of my favorites, and just sums up how a thankful heart is a happy one...it has just been stuck in my head for a couple of days since I read it on Loren's post...thanks Loren  = )

A cheerful look brings JOY to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones

Just couldn't resist adding this picture of Cody at the beach...

"What is this stuff on my hands?"  haha

Join the other grateful hearts HERE 

A MIXTURE OF THINGS....

I am not sure where to start this morning.  I have soo much swirling around in my head.  I think I will start with the positive. 

Last week my grandson Jeffie came and had his first overnight stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  How I enjoyed him.  He was a "little" hesitant about the whole thing, but he ended up doing just great.  We made pancakes for breakfast, got a fresh hair cut and my sister brought her kids over to play later on in the day.  All in all a good day.  Here is a couple of pictures of his cute little face.

He was pleased to see "Bambi" had come to stay on our new porch

He's lost two teeth now...such a cutie.

Next time we will head over to the lake and let him feed the ducks and maybe do a little fishing.  If all goes according to plan, Lindsey should come and stay with us next for a couple of days.  I am looking forward to that too. 

On Sat. we had a few people over and celebrated my mother's 79th birthday!  We bbq'd hamburgers and had all the fixings to go with it like fresh corn on the cob and home grown tomatoes.  It was quite yummy, but more than that it was nice to fill our house again with people.  I intended to take pictures of the day but somehow forgot.  I did make my famous Oatmeal Cake which my mother LOVES and I make for her every year.  I decided to share the recipe really fast as it is easy and is soooo enjoyed by all.

You simply take a stick of margarine and 1 and half cups of boiling water and 1 cup of quick cooking oats and put them in a covered pan for 20 min.  Then, you add 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of white sugar, 1 tsp. of salt and baking soda and cinamon, and 2 eggs and stir well.  Then you add 1 and half cups of flour and pour into a greased 9 by 13 pan and bake at 350 for 35 min.  While the cake is baking I mix up the topping.  It is just 2 tablespoons of margarine, 1/2 cup each of brown and white sugar, 1 tsp. of vanilla, 1/2 cup of evaporated milk and a packaged (small) of chopped walnuts (or whatever kind of nuts you like ~ I've made it with almonds too) and pour over the top of the cake just as it is coming out of the oven.    This cake is good all by itself with a cup of coffee or tea, or with a little whip cream on top, and of course a scoop of vanilla ice cream is wonderful too. 
 
Today August 9th is her big day and I thank God for her.  I enjoy a closeness with my mother which I treasure and look forward to many more years with her.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

As for the rest of what is in my head, it is kind of hard to explain.  It is just such a mixture of things I guess.  But unfornately right at the top (or near it anyway) is how I look.   I guess I don't expect any woman who has had a double mastectomy to not go through a period of time adjusting to how they look.  I don't think it is something I gave much thought to before the surgery.  There really wasn't time for one thing, and when you are battling breast cancer it is not really your top priority.  Or it certainly wasn't mine anyway.  All I could think of was removing the problem and moving on with my life.   And the fact that I have been able to do just that remains the MAIN thing I focus on and fill my heart and head with a gratitude that can't really be totally expressed.  However, as I have moved past that and got through our big move, I am looking in the mirror finally, and to say I am somewhat horrified would put it mildly.  I have never been what I consider to be a particularly vain woman.  I TRY to look my best.  I color my hair (I am almost totally gray anymore) have my nails and feet done on a regular basis, and try to wear clothes that suit my age and body.   I wouldn't consider stepping out of the house without my makeup on and yet that is about where it all ends.  I have been overweight for years and it is a constant battle, but let's face it if I cared more about how I looked this wouldn't be the problem that it is.  I've dieted in the last year or so do to health concerns more than how I look.  However now I have added a whole new problem to my dilemma's.  If I am being honest, I look like an overweight man....you know BIG stomach but flat chest.  I won't lie...it's not a good look.  If I weighed what I should weigh, it wouldn't be nearly as bad I am quite certain.  Now I can of course EVENTUALLY get my prothesis which should help the problem alot, but I am AT LEAST 5 more weeks away from even getted fitted for that and who knows how long after that before I get them.  And it may be more than 5 weeks as well.  The swelling on one side is going down slowly.  SIGH....Sooo in the meantime, it is what it is.  Well, I decided I would do something with my hair.  Maybe that would help....My hair is VERY long right now and had become VERY VERY blonde.  My hair (when it HAD color) was more of a very warm med shade of brown.  Well, to make a long story short I went last Friday and colored my hair a VERY VERY dark reddish brown.....It was such a change and shock that at first I couldn't decide if I liked it or not.  Well the decision is in....I HATE IT....haha....I don't think it was what I wanted to do in the first place, but the bottom line is for many reasons what I did.  However, I am not going to be able to live with it.  Sooo on Wed I am going in and we will begin the process of highlighting it to get back more towards what I "think" I may want.  Jessie is wonderful with color, but obviously she can't wave some magic wand and turn me into a thin younger woman with a curvy figure, haha....I think I am going to cut it DRAMATICALLY as well.  I am trying to diet.  But so far that is all it is.  A weak attempt at trying.  I just can't seem to get my head into it.  I know I must eat healthy and right to feel my best, and yet I battle it everyday.  I am not giving up.  You need not worry that I am cutting back too much or going about it in a ridiculous way.  I am lucky if I somewhat stick to the plan at all.  It is such a vicious cycle.  Meanwhile, I look somewhat like Ozzie Osborne I've decided so the long dark hair will have to go, haha...Please pray I get my head in the place it needs to be.  Please pray that I get my eating under control and come up with a hair do that suits both my coloring and age and extra weight in my face.  But my importantly I need to focus my head and heart more on Him and what He would have me doing with my life right now then on how I look while I am doing it.  My arthritis in my knees has reach all new proportions as well, but I will save that for another post....I've many things to do today but I hope to get around to visit everyone later...

This is kind of blurry but you get the general idea....Mel wanted to "see" the hair, so here it is Mel, haha

BRIDAL SHOWER # 2

This afternoon I got to go to another bridal shower for Jessie.  Such fun...It was at her other maid of honor's house down in Huntington Beach out in her back yard.  It was such a nice day.  The weather was perfect, and Jessie looked soo adorable.  I had planned on taking a lot more pictures than I did so that I could post them here and Melody could see how everything was.  It was kind of weird (probably just for me) that she wasn't there for something that was all about Jess.  I know she missed being there that's for sure.  Jessie got soo many nice things including a family cookbook that Diane put together for her.  This brought Jess to tears, so you know it meant a lot to her.  I have decided after looking at these pictures that I am somewhat disappointed in myself as I have soo obviously gained a little of my weight back.  I have been off my diet really ever since the breast cancer surgery and move etc.  I know it is no excuse but stress just means eating to me.  And in the long run it just produces more stress.  But what's done is done and I do have my appointment for Jenny Craig on Tues.  I was SUPPOSE to go last week ~ but it is a long story as to why I didn't which I won't bore you with.  Please pray I get back into the grove of the diet.  I still have quite a ways to go, and undoing all I had accomplished, (almost 60 pounds) is just NOT going to happen this time.  Health wise especially it just has to be over.  Anyway, I have had such a nice week-end and I am soo grateful.  My mom and dad came for dinner last for the first time in the new house and we played cards.  Soo fun (even though we lost Mom) and I am looking forward to more nights like these to make this house feel more like home.  I am anxious to have a holiday here, and to make new memories.  Sooo, here are some of the pics I took of the shower minus the ones where I looked REALLY awful....sigh.....I am missing my girl tonight too.  Female family gatherings without her just don't seem quite right somehow, but I am glad I got to be a part of this day with Jessie.

Jessie and her mother, my sister Danae

Jessie just looked adorable ~ happiness suits her well

My mom & my sister

Opening her gifts

Some more of Jess and her friends ~ such nice girls

Me, & Jess & my sister Diane

(my eyes aren't slits or anything ~ of course it WAS suuny, haha)