Christmas in July

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July. Randy and I watched a very exciting Nascar race from Daytona. Tony Stewart (my favorite driver) won. There were a few bad wrecks , but no one was serious hurt and the racing was good.

I am working on a Noah's Ark baby quilt hope to have it done soon and in the shop.

Teamsc is having a Christmas in July sale. I am listing all the participating shops. Check them out for some great sales.

I am offering 20% all the artwork in my shop plus free shipping to the US.

These TEAM SC members are having a “CHRISTMAS IN JULY”sale, discount or give-away♫ http://allaboutthebuttons.etsy.com/♫ http://carolinakloset.etsy.com/♫ http://carolinagirlbowtique.etsy.com/ ♫ http://curlyfrysc.etsy.com/♫ http://customcandycreations.etsy.com/♫ http://ladypippie.etsy.com/♫ http://lolsoaps.etsy.com/♫ http://lowe40.etsy.com/♫ http://minniemaes.etsy.com/♫ http://morganalexadesigns.etsy.com/♫ http://nascarnana.etsy.com/♫ http://roagom.etsy.com/♫ http://stitchnlove.etsy.com/♫ http://thevillagestar.etsy.com/

In Memory of my Father

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

I miss being able to say these words. My daddy went home to be with Jesus May 22,1987. He was in the hospital after having had surgery for cancer,the doctors called the family in late at night on the 21st. He was worse,so they were moving him to ICU. As we followed the bed he was in to the elevator he was singing "I'm going home to see Jesus". The doctor said he shouldn't even be conscious and he wasn't after he arrived at ICU. This memory is even more precious because my daddy didn't sing,EVER! He was happy and at peace.

My daddy was born in 1917. The oldest of 12 kids. He had a condition with his spinal that made him kinda stoop over,this was the reason for his nickname "Humpy".

Daddy loved books, and everything about learning.He would have loved to have been a lawyer.But times were hard and he had to quit school before getting his high school diploma and go to work in a cotton mill.

He was a weaver and a very good one. He taught me no matter what you do in life give it your all. I have always tried to follow this and at times have been a workaholic .

He never stopped reading and encouraged all of us kids to read. He was teaching me to read the newspaper before I stared school. I am still an avid reader.

He also loved nature and gardening. I believe he could grow anything. Once in the mid 1970s he planted a marijuana plant. It was said to be very hard to grow. He planted it among his tomato plants. After about a month it was doing good but he was afraid of getting busted so he destroyed it. I am sure the cops would not have believed he only wanted to see if he could grow it but that was the truth.

He taught me to play poker which I love. I still play at pokerstars.net.(no real money exchanges hands).

He also loved football. His team was the Washington Redskins and I am thankful he got to see them win a superbowl.

I miss him in so many ways. A few years back I had jury duty he would have loved discussing that . We would have enjoyed watching OJ's trail together it would have been about the court proceeding for us not the celebrity.

He had 5 children and now has 12 grandchildren. And at least 6 great grandchildren,one of my nephews may have more than I know. They have all done well. His oldest granddaughter is a teacher I know he would be proud. But so far no lawyer. Maybe one of the great grandkids will be one.

I love you ,daddy .

New Shop on Etsy

www.NanasFinds.etsy.com

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25824020

I have opened a new shop on Etsy to sell vintage items. I am just getting it stocked. Bought my banner and avatar from Sandy,at http://www.morganalexadesigns.etsy.com/. She also made the banner and avatar for my nascarnana shop. Check out her work it is awesome and she gets it to you fast.

I have a doctor's appointment early tomorrow morning (blood work,ugh!) and we must visit my mother-in-law she has been in the hospital since May18th but she is doing better.

After all that I hope to get new items listed in both shops. So when you have a few minutes check them out and let me know what you think.

I've Been Tagged---8 is Great

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23335738

I was tagged by a fellow member of the SC Etsy Street team,Minniemaes. She makes beautiful things with a useful purpose. I am one of her repeat customers. Above is one of her great coupon organizers.

8 is Great is the name of the Tagging game. These are the rules,if you would like to play:

1.Mention the name of the person who tagged you.

2.Do the lists of 8

3.Tag 8 bloggers of your choice.

4.Let said bloggers know they have been tagged!

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:

1. Getting my craft room finished.

2.Having an empty nest come August.

3.The cruise my husband and I have planned for next year.

4.Getting a second car--we have been making due with 1 for almost 6 years.

5.My daughter coming back from Kuwait.

6.Putting wood floors in our living room.

7.Finishing the many projects I have started.

8.Learning to use my new embroidery sewing machine.

8 Things I did Yesterday:

1.Defrosted the deep freezer.

2.Did the laundry.

3.Mopped the kitchen.

4.Grocery shopped.

5.Talked to Mama on the phone for an hour.

6.Took Jenny to work,then picked her up.

7.Read my emails and some blogs.

8.Filled the bird feeders.

8 Things I Wish I could Do

1.Have a deck built outside my craft room.

2.Have landscaping work done to our yard.

3.Learn to speak Spanish.

4.Have a cabin in the mountains.

5.Become motivated to exercise more.

6.Open a gift shop.

7.Travel cross country for a couple of months stopping at interesting out of the way places.

8.Send more support to my favorite charity:Food For The Poor.

8 Shows I Watch

1.Nascar Racing

2.NCSI

3.Flashpoint

4.Clean House (it makes my house look better)

5.House Hunters

6.CSI:NY

7.Jeopardy

8.The Big Bang Theory

8 Bloggers Tagged

1.Golden Willow Products

2.Simply Charming in SC

3.Yesterday's Glitter

4.Southern Belle's Blog:)

5.Rock N Roll McAshley-My Life Blogged

6.Magnolia Blossom Art

7.Michelles Charm World

8.Designs by Vanessa

There you have mine. i hop you chose to play I am looking forward to reading every one's.

The Adoption is Final!!

My oldest daughter; Angelique is not able to have children. But even as a little girl she always wanted to be a Mom. So in January 2007 her and her husband took into their home to wonderful little boys. At the time they were stationed in Germany and the boys are from Oklahoma. Before the adoption could become final she got orders to Illinois. So then they had to meet standards for both states. During all that time we could not display their pictures on any of our web sites. That's tough on a Nana. But as of today they are legally my grandsons . So now I can post all of my grandchildren pictures.

It's a happy day in this family.

10 Day Countdown

I have my counter set to countdown til May26. It will be a day of a wide range of emotions for me. On that day my oldest daughter must report for duty in Kuwait. She will be there until late November;leaving a husband and 2 sons back home in Illinois. The adoption of the 3 boys will be final Monday 05/18/2009. My heart breaks for her having to leave them. And of course I am afraid for her,but I am also very proud of her. She went in to the USAF 10 days after graduating from high school in 1992 and this is her first really dangerous assignment. She has made her mother very proud.

On the same day in the early evening my baby will graduate from high school. She will be leaving for college in August. She has also made her mother proud. She is in the top 15% of her class,has been active in school clubs,church,and held a job since late 10th grade.

I am also very proud of our 5 other kids and if I listed their accomplishments I would be here half the night. But these 2 are the bookends of my "career as a mother" . I start a new phase in my life I will always be a mother and be there if they need me;but after 35 years I don't have to be as serious or as responsible. The thought is exhilarating and scary at the same time.

So I guess I need a whole box of kleenex for May 26th.

Facing Motality

I have not blogged in almost a month. It seems like I have come face to face with my mortality and I am trying to deal with it. My Mom's health has started to decline it is hard to witness plus I share some of the diseases she suffers from. She has not taken care of herself and I am not doing a good job of taking care of myself either. In late 2006;early 2007 I faced a terrible emotional upheaval I tell myself I have put it behind me, but I never was good at taking care of myself ; always taking care of others. And now I seem to have given up on myself. I have reached the highest weight of my life 210. That's bad for a 5'4" woman who has diabetes and high blood pressure.
I know I need to lose weight and to exercise but I just seem to be stuck in park.
I thought I was on the right track last year when I opened my etsy shop I was finally doing something I wanted to do and my creativity was starting to show up.
But now I don't seem able to create anything. It's like I have lost my zest for life. Everyone keeps pulling at me to do for them and I am tired I expected to be able to do things for myself at this stage of my life but instead I am stuck in park with my insides overheating.
I know this probably makes no sense I am just rambling but I am trying to get back on track and quit wasting my life. Life is short and I really do want to enjoy the remainder of mine. I don't want to be like mom depressed, bitter, and negative.
Hopefully I will figure a way to make it out of this dark place.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings hopefully the next update will be more upbeat and not so far apart.