Altered Tins and Merry Christmas

Made these for goodies at my family get-together.  Filled them with candy and kids $1 puzzle from Walmart!  Also gave our daughter a Georgia Bulldogs Red and Black tree.  I made the ornaments for that. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

A post with no title

I have the crud now ~ just before Christmas no less.  A touch of bronchitis and sinus infection, fever.  Got a shot, antibiotics, nasal steroid, and was told to begin using a Neti Pot.  I'd heard of it and have used saline in my nose, but this thing is a trip!  Works, but it's weird!!!!  Check it out. 

I've also lost my voice ~ hubby thought about posting something on Facebook about a peaceful "silent night" ~ but to his credit, rethought that!!

Here's to the crazy few days before Christmas, long lines, traffic, counting packages to make sure everyone gets the same number, last minute stocking stuffers, fretting about the gift that did not arrive in time, that string of lights that went out on the tree, cooking, polishing silver (does anyone do that anymore), deep cleaning the house so everyone can walk through the door and mess it up in less than 3.2 minutes, making sure the cookies are ready for Santa, and the famous last words ~ I planned on getting this done earlier this year! 

It's all worth it as long as we remember why we celebrate this season.  It is the birthday of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  No other gift matters.

Joy in the midst of it all,

 

Christmas is almost here

Really, I've not posted since September?  That was just a week or so ago, right?????  WOW, how this year has flown.  It's been a busy, exciting, life changing, and sad one for me in many ways.  Always blessed though.  As things happen and progress in life, whether good or bad, I always try to hang on to an attitude of gratitude.   God is always faithful and takes care of me and my family through all the crazy times.  If I don't post again before Christmas, I hope you have a peaceful, loving one.  

Joy in the midst of it all,   

Convertible!

I've always wanted a convertible Volkswagen bug.  This weekend one of my best friends came to visit from Nashville and drove her new convertible bug!  It was a glorious weather weekend and we rode with the top down most all day Sat.  FUN!!! 

HOPE

HOPE

Holding on Praying Expectantly.

This is a beautiful post and piece of jewelry from The Vintage Pearl.  Check out her other things, but be sure and order one of these!!!! 

Voting

DISCLAIMER:  I am NOT a women's libber, bra burner, protestor ~ just a women who has a passion for equality in all forms.  

Just off the heels of our Independence Day celebrations, let us not forget some of the reasons we are able to have freedoms and rights in our country.  We began early voting here in our county for the July 20th primary vote. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you, especially women, to vote.

August 26th marks the 90th year celebration of women's legal right to vote in the US.  The women that fought for our rights went through some AWFUL times. Women were beaten and left for dead, jailed, husbands divorced them, cussed at, etc.

AND

Wars have raged for years, many of those fought to protect our freedoms.  Our servicemen and women continue to sacrifice their lives, leave their families, and try to make the world a better place all in the name of protecting the rights and freedoms we enjoy, and many times take for granted. 

Materials about the Women's Suffrage Movement are available on the internet, in our library, etc.

http://nwhp.org/

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/aw01e/aw01e.html

are a couple of good sites.

Okay, off my soapbox!

VOTE EARLY ~ VOTE OFTEN!

Random stuff

I hope everyone has enjoyed their 4th of July as much as we have.  We did absolutely NOTHING that was not necessary!  We've had a whirlwind few months and chose to just veg this weekend.  We'll cookout with the our kids and grandkids tomorrow. 

I've spent an inordinate time on my laptop.  Catching up on blogs, cleaning out e-mails, etc. 

Wanted to share my great-niece's blog with you.  She and her husband had a baby boy almost a year ago now.  Logan is PRECIOUS.  She made a video for her husband on his first Father's Day, then she and her brother and sister made one for their dad (my nephew).  Both of these videos are priceless and truly show what kind of family they are.  The only down side to it is that we live about 8 hours apart and do not get to see each other often enough ~ this kind of thing just makes me miss them more.   

One of my dear friends, Jenn at Delightfully.cliche. posted a photo meme and a love post on Friday.  I'd done the photo meme a couple of posts back ~ HERE ~ if you want to check it out.  She shared some of her favorite blogs and I've been reading them this weekend and added several to my google reader to keep up with their posts.  Check her posts out and see her favorite bloggers.

While looking at blogs, I discovered several dedicated to dachshunds.  We have two right now and have had two others in the past.  They are a pain in the tail, stubborn as everything, high maintenance, and spoiled rotten (born that way, we did not do it, LOL).  Vet bills, constant carpet cleaning (did I mention they were stubborn?), dog food to buy, etc.  They bark at nothing, are jealous of each other,  want to be beside one of us AT ALL TIMES, sleep in out bed, and pretty much run the house.

But we would not take a million dollars for them (actually if you offer. . . ).   The current two still surprise us with their personalities and discoveries.  My daughter-in-law lovingly named Molly, our 16 month old, "crack dog" because her energy is over the top.  Our 4 year old Sassy, (we just inherited her in April), is the most docile dachshund I've ever seen.  Polar opposites!

I might mention at this very moment the random fireworks going off in our neighborhood ARE NOT something these two enjoy.  

Last but not least, it is the 4th of July and thinking about the men and women that have fought and are still fighting to make this the best country in the world to live in, moves me to tears.  Thank you cannot BEGIN to express how much you and your families sacrifice mean to me.