I LOVE YOU

I just finished a book that was recommended by my son James. It had a few bad parts so I wouldn't recommend it but I came away with the overwhelming feeling to tell those I love that I love them. I am sure the people that read my blog are the people I love most. I love you.

I love my friends. I thought about listing them but I know I would forget someone. I have special friends that can truly bring me out of a funk when we get together. I always feel better about myself when I am with them. I have friends that have taught me things like how to can fruit, how to sew, how to cook, how to share, how to make the gospel the center of my life.

I love my sister and brothers. I wish we lived closer (my fault) and I wish life weren't so demanding that I could talk to them every day, and I wish we were close enough to talk every day. That love never leaves though. They are forever connected to me and we share so much past. My siblings got the best of the gene-pool and I got the left-overs. They are all talented, smart, beautiful. I love them.

I love my mom. She gave so much so her kids could have so much more. All my life I have wanted to make her proud of me. I want to be a good mom and I wanted her to recognize it. Her impact on my role as a mother has been immeasurable. Until 5 months ago, I still called her on a regular basis with questions. I miss her.

I love my husband. I don't think I ever realized how much I loved him until recently. With the loss of my mom, I have realized how much I need and love him. He is my strength. I don't do so well without him by my side. He is the greatest.

I love my husbands family. He has great parents that raised a great man. They love us and our family. They have taught us so much and have been so patient with us as we have struggled to raise our family.

I love my children. This love is so deep and woven throughout every fiber of my being. I love them so much it hurts. I love them so much that I find myself continually thinking of them and saying little prayers for them. Lord, please bless Amanda as she struggles to raise her little ones with a husband in a demanding grad program. Please bless Sarah with strength during this pregnancy, bless Brad on his school work, in his new marriage. Bless James so far away. Please bless him to know how much I love him over this distance between us. Bless Hannah that she won't be exposed to so many evils in the world. Bless her to be strong. Bless them all to be happy, right where they are in life. Bless them to know what is important and seek after those things. Bless them to know I would do anything within my power to help them and I love them. That love fills my chest until it truly hurts. It aches for them, it swells with pride to the point of pain, it rejoices in their successes and I sometimes wonder how my body holds all the love I have for them. They are my life, they are what I have lived for and what keeps me going. They are the greatest and I want them to know, I LOVE YOU!

I love other things and people too. I love deeply but find it hard to express that love to others. I tend to bury it in the day to day activities that I busy myself with. Just because I don't say it, doesn't mean it isn't true.

What have I been doing???

The beginning of summer I ordered a new couch and rocking chair for the living room. I gave the old (crappy) stuff to Brad and Jessica (hahaha, they got stuck with it). So finally the furniture came it. The one wall got a fresh coat of paint (from green to yellow) the old blinds were removed and new ones put up. We got rid of the carpet Larry hated and got new carpet.

Today, I spent the morning in the basement working on curtains for the windows. I am getting ready to hang them now (should have waited to take the photos). I love the more simple living room. Not as much clutter. I still have a bookshelf to clean off but so far, so good.

Now, on to Tuesday's project. I made this quilted placemat. Scrap fabric but it was easy and actually fun to do. I think I will do a couple of more. Maybe I will choose fabric I actually like or would use. Anyway, I really should get around to working on my Block of the Month squares.

Maybe tomorrow.......


PS For James. Living room with Curtains but nothing on the walls yet

How can I be sad???

I went to Texas over Labor Day Weekend to visit Larry's parents. As always I came home with an exciting project to do. I tried to work on it last Tuesday before Amanda came home from Sarah's but didn't get much done. I wanted to work on it today but ended up washing sheets and grocery shopping, maybe tomorrow. I love my in-laws (I don't think I will call them in-laws because I have been in the family for almost 34 years) and it was a nice relaxing visit. We didn't go outside much so I didn't die in the Texas heat and I am sure (even though they deny it) that they turned their air-conditioner to a reasonable temp because I didn't freeze to death this time (except at Gwen's house). So, Shirley showed me an easy placemat that you quilt as you go. I am so excited to get busy.

Last week, on Wednesday, Amanda and I headed to Boston with her 4 kids. I swore after riding with Bennett as a baby for 12 hours I would never get in a car with kids for a long trip again. But, Amanda needed me and like Superman I had to rescue her. The trip wasn't too bad though. Miles did have a couple of screaming times but I kept shoving food at him and it seemed to help. We spent the night in a stinky hotel (have no fear, they brought us Fabreeze to cover the smell :(. Amanda's new appartment is soooo nice. I love it. Because Casey had unpacked the whole house, had beds made and groceries bought, I didn't have much to do while there but sit around and play with the grandkids. Tough job but someone has to do it. Then I flew home on Saturday. I found a place in Boston with TVs all over the place so I went in and ordered a bowl of Clam Chowder so I could watch the beginning of the BUCKEYE game. Rascal Flatts did a great job on the National Anthem. Then in Baltimore, I had two hours so I found a Mexican place to eat and watch the second half of the game. I was sick from all the food but it was worth it to watch the Buckeyes win. I was surprised at how many Buckeye fans there were in Boston and Baltimore.

So, I made it through Sunday and then today I feel a little blue. I was in Sams Club and felt like I should be talking to someone but no one was there. I came home to mow the lawn and start dinner and I know I fixed way too many ribs for me, Larry and Hannah.

I miss my grandkids. Isn't that picture so cute?

(Oh yeah, and Joey Votto hit a walk-off home run on Saturday night when I got home :)

Cutie - I am in Love

Okay, I have had a secret crush on Joey Votto for awhile now. Why else would I watch so many Reds games. I have to admit that he is pretty cute for a young whippersnapper. But Joey Votto doesn't have anything on my hubby. Isn't he a great looking Grampy? He was, by far,the best looking guy in school. He was a very handsome soldier but he continues to be the best looking guy I know. Not only does he have great looks but he has so many other wonderful qualities that set him apart from every other man in the whole world. Here are some of the things I love about this man of mine.

He is a great provider. He is always putting his family first. He worries about each one of us and does whatever it takes to make us happy. He is very loving. He loves his family and he doesn't hesitate to tell us. He shows love by serving us. He enjoys what he does. He finds joy in work and play. He likes baseball, and football, and takes me to games (and he doesn't mind that I think Joey Votto is cute). He is a spiritual leader in our home. He is open to growth (most of the time). He is involved in church and has a great desire to serve the Lord. He loves being a Grampy and is always looking for things to make the grandkids happy (that ugly treehouse in our back yard is proof). He is a good friend to me and to others. He hates colds but doesn't complain when he runs a carving knife in his finger and out the other side. He likes yard work. He likes taking care of the pool so we can swim. He always waters my flowers for me. He does the dishes, laundry, mops floors, takes out the trash, washes my car every weekend and the list goes on and on. He LOVES fancy dinner. He gets excited for family time.

I could keep going and going. He is a great man and I love him more than Joey Votto, ANY DAY!!

August Family Birthdays

I can never seem to get these pictures to upload in the right order. Maybe because I don't update my blog often enough to have it set in my mind how to do it. Oh well, it's an update! Landon will turn 6 on August 18th. I picked green for his number 6 because he loves his soccer shorts and shirt and they are green (I think). Landon is a great kid. He is so funny and LOVES to be the comedian. He likes to make people laugh and boy do I laugh when I am with Landon. He is also a nice guy. He is kind to his sister and brother and he loves his mom and dad. He likes to be read to and he loves to swim in Nana's pool (he needs to come swim soon before it gets too cold).

Hannah will be 15 on August 15th. How crazy is that???? She is such a great kid (don't tell her I said that). She is usually happy, loves friends and family, has an old woman's head on that young body and makes me very happy. I am so thankful we had Hannah and that she is still at home.

Miles turned 1 on August 2nd. He is a big guy but such a good baby. He was here this summer without the other kids and it was fun to see him walking around and being so easy going. He is a handsome little man too.

My mother-in-law, Shirley Porter turned (like I am really going to tell :) TODAY!!! Happy Birthday Shirley. I truly feel blessed to have such a great mother-in-law. I have always felt accepted in the Porter family. So many people complain about their in-laws and I truly can't understand how they feel. I hope to be able to make my son and daughter in-laws feel as comfortable in our family as my in-laws have made me feel. We don't get to see them as often as we would like but we love them just the same.

Happy Birthday to all my August Birthdays.

I didn't have a picture of my brother-in-law Scott. His birthday is this month also. He's a keeper, I just don't have a photo.

Low Carb Diet

Monday, we started, AGAIN! The stress of the past three months had caught up with me and I had to go buy bigger shorts so we are 'dieting' again. So far, so good. I was up about 10 from where I was and up about 14 from where I would be happy to stay the rest of my life.

For those who want to tell me how unhealthy I am being, I will post what I ate yesterday.

Breakfast:

A delicious omlet with lots of onions, green peppers, tomatoes and some cheese. Talk about sticking to ya!

Lunch:

1 smoked sausage, lots of broccoli

Dinner:

Taco salad with vegies and homemade Cilantro Ranch Dressing.

Snack:

Jello

I have to admit that I can't wait to get through next week when I can have some fruit. I had to give a watermellon to Brad and Jessica and fruity koolaid isn't satisfying my need for fruit.

Wishing and hoping that I can lose this weight fast, and that Larry and Hannah will be even faster than that.

My temporary Happiness

FINALLY! I talked Larry into trading in my Honda Pilot with it's 16 MPG, seats for 8, great storage, DVD player, etc for a TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID!!

I am "in love' with my car. Silver isn't the best color BUT 38 MPG or so is so great!! I love it. It is so comfortable, and has lots of bells and whistles. It is a very smooth quiet ride. Yeah, I love it.

On another note, it is strange to me how often I think of my mom. Going to the store I notice the foods she liked, recipes she gave me, sharing my grandkids with her, shoes she gave me, things she would say, etc. Here are a few examples: She swore WHITE NECTARINES were the best; When she visited me in Germany she always made me a PEACH PIE (mine didn't turn out this weekend and I want to know how to fix it); I made BROCCOLI this week (I made it for me when she was sick and she was grouchy and said "Who stunk up the trailer with Broccoli"); THE REDS struck out Adam Dunn last night (Larry wanted to call her and say, "What about that Adam Dunn?" like she always did); MY NEW CAR, she had a Camry and would love my new car; I mentioned once how much I loved my EDDIE BAUER FLIP-FLOPS and she brought me 5 or 6 pairs she found at an outlet; When I see a MOM on TV, I think of her; When I SWIM I think of how much she hated the water; SAMS CLUB, I always bought her real vanilla and pecans........ this could go on and on. Everytime I think of her my eyes start to tear up and I realize how very much I miss her. It is selfish of me but I wish I could go back 3 months and ask her some questions and feel her love for me. I am sure this will get easier as time goes on but right now, it is hard, and sad, and everything reminds me of her. Her influence is all around me.