Burn Baby Burn!!!

Hoping our dreams aren't going up in smoke!!!

It seems like it has been a very long time since my last post. So I thought I'd better get to it!! I just haven't been up to posting much lately, I know that with the shape our country is in right now it is effecting a lot of people, and yours truly isn't immune to it!! My hubby has been out of work for almost a month. He is an independent truck driver and relies on brokers to find him loads, he is legally blind in one eye, so has a restriction on his license and can only drive in Colorado ,in the winter months he hauls corn and in the summer works on road construction hauling asphalt. So when no corn is moving he isn't either, and he can only haul asphalt when there are road jobs working and in the winter in Colorado it is to cold for that. Needless to say, it has been very stressful on us and on him as the sole provider for our family. He really feels like he is letting us down. I have offered to go get a job, but then there aren't any jobs in a town this size and I sure can't make what we need to keep up. So he has sold a truck that he was so thrilled to be able to have. It was a classic Peterbilt, one like his dad drove when Joe was very young, and since Joe's dad died when Joe was only 11, he had a very soft spot for that truck. He was going to restore it and then drive it, but hard times mean some very hard decisions, he sold it to a very nice man in Iowa that collects and restores trucks and shows them, so we know it went to a good home and will more than likely be on the cover of a Trucking Magazine or on a calendar sometime in the near future, but that really didn't make it any easier to let go. So that took some pressure off for awhile, but that money will all go to bills and will soon be gone also, Joe has been trying to find work all over the place and hasn't had much luck. The price of corn is way down so the farmers aren't selling, which we understand, being a farm girl myself, the farmers have to look out for themselves as much as everyone else, if not more!! But it isn't doing us any good either. He is just sick with worry and so am I. And on top of all of this, I have been a mess, worry, stress, menopause!! lol!! I cry a lot and he just gives me my space but is very understanding also, so I can deal with my hormones!!! Have a said what a great guy he is?? So with all of this,neither one of us sleeps much anymore,but we try to make light of it and not let the kids know how worried we really are. They keep us sane at times like these. Thank God For Kids!!! SOOOO, since my honey isn't running up and down the road in his truck we have tackled the mountains of tumble weeds that found a home in our windbreak over the winter!! And apparently the wind blew a lot!! lol We raked and burned weeds for 5 hours the other day and still have a windbreak line to do. And since we are shamelessly out of shape, we both felt it the next day. It was good to get out in the fresh air and clear our heads for a bit. Ashley thought it was great fun to make the big fire!!!

Burn Baby Burn!!!

My honey watching over things, I wonder what he is thinking about!! I'm sure there are many worried thoughts going through his mind. I hope something breaks for him soon!! He is such a good man and hates not being able to work for us!! I really do think he feels like ours lives are going up in smoke also right now!! I know we will get through this rough patch, and hopefully will come out smelling like a rose not a burnt tumble weed!!! Hugs to you all!!!

Monster Jam crashes & then one of our own!!!

This past weekend we got to go to Monster Jam in Denver. We had gone before, but this is the first time Ashley got to go! She was more excited than Brandon I think. She loves her Monster Trucks especially MONSTER MUTT!! Thank goodness he was one of the trucks that were there. GRAVE DIGGER is always there, that truck is the big draw but they you never know which trucks may be at this show. We went to the Pit Party and got all the drives autographs and pictures with each one. We had great seats close to the auction. Ashley is already talking about next year!!
It was a great family day and the kids and Hubby and I had a great day together. But we had a little smash up of your own on the way home. We were only about 10 miles from home when we hit a deer on a bridge!! My car won, but that deer did some damage. See below pictures. But none of us were hurt and the kids really didn't get upset about it. Brandon just couldn't understand why the deer just didn't wait to cross the road!! Don't we all wonder that!!

The kids and Me with the driver to Grave Digger. Of course look, Mom has all the stuff in her hands to carry around!!! lol

Brandon with his El Toro Loco Banner!!! His favorite truck and that truck was there too!! With the driver, Lupe Sosa, that is the original driver of it!! You think Brandon had just meant the President!! He was so excited!!!

Ashley with her Monster Mutt hat, it look like a slipper on her head!!!

Headed for home. A good time had by all!!! It was such a fun day and it was suppose to snow and didn't!!! Yippee we didn't have to drive two hours on the ice!!

The damage from the deer.. good thing we only hit his hind end!!
Have a great week all my friends. I need to get busy with my Easter goodies!!!

Win this giveaway and have a pretty new blog!!

While surfing all of the awesome blogs late tonight, I came across this nice giveaway from Graphic Pretties!! She has a beautiful blog and is giving away a Blog Makeover!! How fun it that? So go check out her pretty blog and get entered, she gives you four different ways to play. Hurry she is drawing out the lucky winner on Feb 14th!!!

Have a wonderful day my blogging friends, it makes me happy to see your comments, so leave me a diddy just to say 'Hi, I dropped by'.

Hug someone you love today!!!

Fun with glue, paper and paint!!! lol

Good day all!!! I've been having so much fun with paint and glue!! No, I haven't been helping in Ashley's pre-school. My GF Susie, Yankee Lane Primitives, sent me some of her hotter than hot labels and I got busy right away!! SuXie, as we call her in our eBay group!!, long story!!, has been buried in labels and I can see why, they are great and so much fun to cut and paste with!!! My hubby needed a box or something in his bathroom for Q-tips so I found this cute paper mache box at Wal-mart for less than $1, I think it was .97!! And I sprayed the inside matte black. Then I took some of my leftover wallpaper from the same bathroom, and covered the
bottom of the box with it and then I painted the top black then put on some crackle medium, let that dry then painted it a color called THICKET, Once that was dry I used Mod Podge and adhered the label that I fancy cut with some scissors I had from my wedding, I knew I get to use them again!! Then to really prim it up I brushed on some strong coffee mixed with paint called COFFEE BEAN to give it a good aged look, then sprayed it with a clear coat and let it dry!! My hubby said that it was a pretty fancy box for Q-tips!! lol, He really does like it and it now has a new home in his bathroom!!
Go check out Susie's labels
on eBay and she also has a Lemon Poppy Seed site and a blog. She is a busy girl these days!! Tell her I sent ya, she may throw me a goodie or two again!!
I got the plaque at Wal-mart also for less than $2 and I sanded it first then painted it Raw Sienna and then sanded it again, then painted it Barn Red, sanded, dry brushed on some black, glued on the label with mod podge, then let it dry, added the holes and wire then I dry brushed it with some black again in some places and sanded for a good worn look!! I love it and now I just need to fix up my laundry room so it will be as cute as my plaque!!! Oh all the paint I used it the FOLK ART brand you get at Wal-mart!! Can you tell that is the ONLY shopping place I have here!!! lol
Thanks SuXie!!! Love ya girlie!!!

New Listings for Easter on eBay & A New Friend!!

Oh my, where did a week go??? I had a great time with my sister at my nephews games. It was a lot of driving but well worth the time away and with my sister. Ashley was a perfect little traveler. She never once said she was bored or asked "are we there yet". She slept a lot and just sat back and watched the scenery. We went through the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, it is a very large, long tunnel, she was so excited to get to go through the mountain. I am finally getting my house caught back up and back in my routine again. And I finally did get a few things for Easter listed. My Valentine's hearts did okay, nothing to ease the national debt but they moved so that is good. So here is what I have listed this week, I hope to have more done soon. This cheese box has two 3-D egg and a "JUST HATCHED" chick!!

This door doll was fun to make and she is ready for Easter.

This lamp is in a blue swirl chamber pot. They are all listed on eBay if you want to take a peek!!
Also when I was gone a got a nice message from a fellow blogger, CJ, from Sweet Harvest Farms asked if we could exchange links, go take a peek at her blog it is wonderful. Thank CJ and I'll be visiting again soon!!
Hope you are all having a wonderful week, it has been cold and windy here, I'm ready for Spring to arrive, and soon!!!

ROAD TRIP!!!

My sister emailed me yesterday and asked if Ash and I would like to go to Grand Junction and Gunnison to watch my two nephews play basketball, they both play for CSU-Pueblo, if you look at this site, my nephew is Jake #34, he is 6' 9" and has been playing very well the last few games!! Brother, Ty is only a freshman so doesn't get a lot of play time, but he will. Anyway, we are leaving this afternoon to go her house and then leaving in the morning. It is about a 6 hour drive and she wanted some company. It will be good to get away for a few days. Ash is just excited to get to stay in a hotel, she was laying out all her clothes this morning and telling me what she wants to wear each day!!! It will be fun and will nice to spend some time with my sister and Brandon and Hubby will get some good Dad & Me time also.
Have a great weekend everyone!! Go T-Wolves!!!

Ashley's Birthday what a fun day!!

Getting her Birthday hug from Daddy!!! He can't leave the house without his hugs & kisses in the morning!!Trying out the new slide, and it sounds like a piano playing when you slide down it!! And yes she dressed herself!!! lol She is in need of a haircut also!!

Ashley had a fun day for her 5th birthday!! Neither one of them had school so I had them to myself all day. She picked the newly re-opened McDonald's for lunch and that was perfect as you can see they have a indoor playground and the wind here was just terrible yesterday so it worked out great. We stayed for a long time and they got to do a lot and had fun!!

Brandon, enjoying his day off from school and fun with Sissy!!

Ashley with her Madagascar cake. she just wanted to get the plane off and play with it!!

Time for presents!!!

I got some of those candles that re-light. they both got a good giggle out of that and they blew and blew..... lol

Happy Birthday My Beautiful AshleyJoleen!!

Today is my sweet girls 5th Birthday!! It's hard to believe it was 5 years ago. Where does the time go!!?? We had a trying year with her and her health and just feel so blessed and fortunate that she is so much better and healthy and happy. She was born on a very bitter cold day and I day that was clouded with grief also. A young woman in my hometown community was killed in a car accident on her way to work as an EMT here in Sterling, she has an identical twin sister, they were both very popular girls, they were excellent basketball players, and she had her whole life ahead of her, Her name was Andi, When I heard the news I didn't want to have Ash on such a sad day, but as someone from Stoneham said when they heard I had Ash, "What a wonderful and happy thing to happen on such a sad day." I guess it just goes to prove that life does go on and that is God's way of letting us know than even in sadness there is hope. I just tell everyone That Ashley has the best Angel ever!!

This picture is from June of 06. Brandon was the ring bearer at his Kindergarten teachers wedding. They both looked so nice and made me very proud that day!!
They are such good friend!! I love them so much!!
She informed me this morning that she must still be four because she just doesn't feel five yet!! Oh just wait!! lol

This was her 4th birthday!! Yes it is January and she is wearing a sun top!! She wanted to wear that for her birthday, a hand me down from cousin Paige!! She was so happy to be wearing something that Paige had!!

This picture was just last month. She was eating her fruitie pebbles watching "her shows'. She is such a blessing to my husband, Brandon & I. She really does make us a complete family and we cherish each day with both of our kids. I sure don't know what I would do without either one of them.

Happy Birthday sweet Ashley!!
We Love you forever and ever!!!
Mom Dad & Brandon

Look at the pretty Sunrise ~ More Hearts!!

As Brandon said when he walked out the door to the bus... "Oh My Gosh Mom, look at that!!! "What a beautiful sunrise we had earlier this week!! So glad I don't have tall building blocking the view!!

I have the big heart in this set listed and was waiting for a response from a buyer on the smaller set but I haven't heard from her so I guess I will list them and hope to get some bids, I've only got a bid on my garland so far this week. I should has just skipped Valentine's and went to Easter, it is getting late for hearts already!! Heck I make candy corn in July and sell them about as fast as I can make them!! It's carzy how far ahead of the holiday things actually sell!!

This set is flannel with osanbury stitched in the middle

I love this set,they are listed, click here, the can be stacked or displayed like this, I primed them up with coffee/cinnamon and baked them too!! I won't be sad if they don't sell. But I can make more if they do!!
Have a great week everyone. Ashley is turning 5 tomorrow so we have cake and ice cream to eat!!!

Whatca Working on Wednesday!!!???

I got more hearts done!!! Finally, I haven't sold since September on eBay, mostly because of Ashley's being so sick but also because of my craft shows and the fact that eBay was so slow and things were going for hardly anything if at all, great if you are a buyer but if you are trying to make grocery money with it, it was bad and the fees would eat up most of your profit!! I know you all know that, but I have decided to try to get more things out there and sell again. My hearts did very well last year so I'm hoping for the same this year. There are so many talented artists out there that I am always a little humbled that my things sell, you are all amazing!!!

This set is so pretty and can be used all year, not just for Valentines Day!!
This set is on eBay now under my seller name *theprimitivebucket* go take a peek I also have the set of red ones with the Mary Engelbriet fabric listed.
Thanks for all of your nice comments and if you see something you like let me know. I have more sets that I don't have listed yet that are in the works. But I will be working on Easter and Spring things also very soon!!
Have a wonderful day my friends!!