Changes can be a good thing!!

Well HELLO everyone!!  I've been gone for a while again, but doing good things for me and my family.  School got out in May and I ended the year with a promotion and a new business venture under my belt, and because of the second a belt that is a little smaller and getting smaller as the days go by!!   I'll tell you all about it!!

But a little about what else has been up.  The kids are growing by leaps and bounds, Ashie Jo will be in the forth grade next fall and Brandon will be in 8th grade!! Makes me sad that they grow so fast. Time slips away and they change everyday.  They are awesome kids and get along like best friends and I am so blessed for that.

I'll be in my forth year at the Middle School come Fall and will now be the Head Cook, moving up from Cooks assistant.  It's kind of scary but the gal that was the Head Cook is now the Kitchen Mgr, moving up with the retirement of the Kitchen Mgr that was there for the last 23 years!!  So I'll have lots of help still and we will learn new things together but also it's the same thing just in a new position!!   

And the reason for my waste line getting smaller is also my new business venture.  One of my very best friends since college, Sandy Moss, introduced me to AdvoCare in April.  She had been talking about "SPARK" on Facebook almost daily, saying how great it made her feel and that it was the next best thing next to sliced bread.  She talked about the 24 Day Challenge and how it helped her lose weight and inches and that she felt better than she had in years!!!  I was curious but somewhat skeptical of the product.  But I have been wanting to lose some weight for some time but just couldn't get it together enough to do it.  She messaged me on night and ask if I wanted to try AdvoCare?  Yes, I did but didn't know if I could afford it as I don't make a lot of money at my job, basically just buying food and that's it.  Well she made sure I could try it and got me stated.  I wanted to wait until school got out, May but this was April and she said .. "no you start as soon as you get the 24 Day Challenge Bundle".  Since I usually do as I'm told I did.  I got the box in the mail and started the very next day!!  I was leery of starting while working, we don't get but one break and are going from the time we get there until we leave!!  And since there is a cleanse involved was afraid that I'd be in the bathroom and not working!!  But Sandy assured me it would be okay!!  So I began on April 25 and in 24 days it really did change my life!!  I lost 20 lbs and 16 1/2" of unwanted fat!!!  And I feel better now than I have in years also.  The Spark drink  really is amazing and I recommend it to EVERYONE I tell about it.  It is an energy drink that if only 45 calories and not a lot of caffeine but loaded with tons of vitamins that are good for you.  You really can tell the difference once you drink one you will be hooked,,, in a good way.  Even my Trucker Man loves then and has lost over 15 lbs himself and is notching his belt a little tighter these days too.  I became a Distributor within 2 weeks of trying AdvoCare and have made it to Advisor level.  There is opportunity to make money with AdvoCare along with feeling so great you can also make some money selling it to your friends and family.  The best part is that the company doesn't require you to sell a thing, so if you become a Distributor you automatically start saving 20% on all the products for yourself.  This product sells itself really.  Once you tell people how great you feel and they actually see it with their own eyes how great you look and feel they want to know what you are doing.  I Spark them... give them a packet of Spark and it usually turns into them wanting to try the other products.  These are supplements you should be taking for your overall health anyway.  If you need it AdvoCare has it if you don't need it they don't carry it.  They have a trim line, a wellness line and a line for Performance Elite for the body builders out there.. If you are interested than click on the link above and check out the company.  They are a fly by night company, they have been around for over 20 years and have lots of information for you on the site.  Or message me and I'll help you with anything you might want to know.  It's been amazing for me and my kids sure do like the new better me!!  Ladies if you have hormonal headaches, I DID... but honestly I haven't had ONE headache since I began and I was a 6 pill a day girl before.  I can't tell you it will get rid of yours but I has been well worth it for me and it sure couldn't hurt to try.  As you can tell I'm sold on the product and will use it from now on.  I'm still losing weight even after the Challenge and I am currently down 30 lbs since April 25th!!  I'll do another cleanse in Aug and keep my inside feeling as great as my outside!!

One of my besties Tanya, of Bead & Needle is also on the product and she is doing amazing!!  I just go to see her this week, she was in Denver visiting her parents and we got to take my kids to the zoo for the day.  It was a great day and I love her so much and am so happy she is feeling as good as I am and looking even better!!  If you want to check out my AdvoCare micro site, I encourage you to do so. Lots of good information there.  Please use my name to get to my page under the "find a distributor" link  JOLEEN LOCKE or my Distributor #130455450.  Get some Spark!! You won't be sorry!!!

The pic on the top is my kiddos and Tanya and this one is Tanya and me!!  

 Well I've gone on long enough but I'll be checking in more.  When you have good things in your life to blog about it makes it easier to blog!!!  Until next time!!    I'll post more pictures of my our zoo trip soon!! 

Vintage Country Style & Bead & Needle Giveaways!!

Slow but sure I'm getting back on here...So I'll post another giveaway from a fellow blogger and my Sis Tanya of bead and needle!!  Vintage Country Style is giving away patterns, she has amazing patterns so go check out her blog and get a free pattern to create something awesome!!

And also go check out my "Sis", Tanya, we aren't really sisters, but actually get along better than most sisters!!  She has one of the most amazing, creative and beautiful blogs around, just like her. 

It's Bead & Needle.  She is giving away some really pretty potholders but also gives you step by step directions to make your own...aww just enter the giveaway.. I want her to do the work!!  lol.. They are very pretty and she does amazing thing with beads too!! Such a talent!!  Love you sis..

So until next time....

Yes I'm still ALIVE!!! I had to post this!!!

Yes I'm here, I have been AWOL for way to long!!! I miss posting but just don't get it done!! I'm still working at the Middle School as a cook's assistant and am glad I have a job but don't love it but I don't hate it either!!  I am thankful for the income and I get to work with some great people!  Some day my Trucker man will win the Lotto or I'll go on Wheel of Fortune and win big so I can quit and stay home and sew again!!  
The giveaway!!!  Sweet Meadows Farm has always been one of my favorite doll makers and she is having a great giveaway!!  She is giving a pattern a month away for 2013!! Wow, now that would be a good reason to get back to sewing!!.. Go check it out here for several changes to win!! Click on the link for your chance!!! http://sweetmeadowsfarm.blogspot.com/

Good luck and I'll try and check back...my kids have grown a lot since I last posted and I'm sure I could find a picture or two to share!!  

Thanks for stopping!!

Old Grey Mare Giveaway...worth a look!!!

Well I'll start by posting again, so much for my trying to get this done every week...been a short, busy summer!!! But what better way to begin again than with this wonderful mega giveaway hosted by old grey mare , she asked some of her bff's to help her out and they have all stepped up and donated some wonderful items for the giveaway.

http://oldgreymareprimitives.blogspot.com/

My BFF Tanya, bead and needle is one of the contributors to this giveaway and I will be bragging very loudly if I win even one of the items offered by ANY of these artists!!  So go check it out, you won't be sorry you did because even if you don't win, you get to discover these talented ladies blogs which was a treat in itself!!! Who knew there were so many!!!  So go now, scoot on over and tell her I sent you!!! 

Where in the world have I been????

My oh my it has been a day or two since my last blog post!!!  I wish it was as easy to post on here from my phone as it is to Facebook!!  tee hee..  I have been busy with end of school stuff and then the kids both have summer courses that we are doing.  Ashley in Puppetry and also playing T-Ball and Brandon took a golf class that he loved and he wants to take his dad on now for a game or two..

School is out so I am back home too!!!  I love my job but love being here with my kids too!!  Brandon is moving to MIDDLE SCHOOL!!! Oh my goodness where has the time gone!!!  He is a little nervous and had a hard time his last day of school!! The unknown of it all is getting the best of him.  But I think it will help that I will be down the hall in the kitchen most of the day!! I hope so anyway!! 

I know, I know I still don't have pictures of my aprons that I need to post, but I have fabric for more, so when I get them done then MAYBE I'll post them all at once!!  

I'm so excited, today is my 13th wedding anniversary!!! 13 years on the 13th..must be lucky or a blessing!! As my friend Judy said, " there is no such thing as luck, just blessings"... well I hope she is right!!!  We celebrated on Sat with the kids.. yup no romantic dinner for us.  My trucker man left it up to me.. I opted to take the kids!!  They are our heart and soul and are the reason we are a family so they got to go with us.. just pizza and ice cream for our fancy dinner!!   But what I'm really excited about, don't tell my trucker... is that tomorrow I get to meet up with my dear, dear friend, Tanya, a Colorado girl that now lives in the desert and Chris and her sister from Missouri!!!   I 'meant' both these crazy girls in an eBay group now we are fast friends and feel like sisters that don't fight!!  tee hee..  Tanya and I meant up last year and had the best time, well we talked Chris into coming clear out west to meet us and we are going to go junking and then staying in Central City, CO for a night at the casino and maybe even a midnight stroll through the haunted cemetery, that one may require an adult beverage or two before we are brave enough to do that!!!   

Well, I still have a million and one things to do before Ash's game tonight and then off to my mom's for the night where the kids get to stay for a couple of days and the Trucker Man still have to stay home and work..hey someone has to stay home and feed the fish!! lol..

Here are a couple of pictures of our Brandon on his last day as a 5th grader!!! We are so proud of him and Ash too!!  She's moving on to 2nd grade...not that she liked the idea of not getting the same teacher again.. but she will do great!!!

Hugs to you all and vacation pictures hopefully next week!!! 

Trucker man and Brandon!!!   He surprised Brandon and got to come to the Celebration!!! It was a good day!!

Me and my boy!!!  I love him SOOO MUCH!!!  I'm very proud of him!!!

Brandon's last day at Campbell!!! On to Middle School!!!

Check out this....Primitive Echoes - Treasures of the Past Giveaway

Primitive Echoes - Treasures of the Past: My first Giveaway: "I think it is about time I got in gear and did my first giveaway. I keep saying to myself, 'do it tonight' but then life sucks me in and I f..."

Hair nets and aprons..

Well, it has been a day or two since my last post..As is touched on in my last post, I got a job as a 'cooks assistant' at the Middle School here and absolutely love it! Yes, I'm a LUNCH LADY!!! But a nice one I So I don a hair net and apron everyday.  I have been busy sewing aprons for myself since I didn't have but one and they don't supply aprons that are cute!!  Only dull white one!!! So I have made myself four new aprons and have two more that I ordered but aren't here yet ... gotta try and look good, even with a hair net!!  lol . My BFF Tanya sent me a cute pattern and a book full of aprons patterns so I need to try a couple of them out too!! Thanks Sis.. love you most!!.. I work with three other very nice gals and I am really enjoying it.  I only work 4 1/2 or 5 hours a day, I don't have to go until the kids are on the bus and am off before they get home, so it is perfect for them and me!!  I won't have to work in the summers or any vacation or other days the school kids have off!!  I sure won't get rich but it's a little spending money and some well needed ADULT time for me.  I do miss being home and my routine here, but it has been good for me.  It helps I like the ladies I work with and the kitchen mgr told me today she sure was glad she picked me!! Any vote of confidence it a good thing. I am having to get used to being on my feet so much, but it is getting better, I sure do sleep good at night!!  I do need to get busy sewing a special order for a friend of mine, but she is being so great and not rushing me.  It snowed here today so it will be a good weekend to do some stitching!!  I'll get them done Bonnie!!! tee hee.

I hope to be know as a nice lunch lady not like this gal!!! LOL... I did have a student tell me he liked me because I'm nice to them and don't yell all the time!!!  So I guess I'm doing okay!! :O)

Well, it's Friday night so I get the night off from cooking..so I guess I'll head to town to get some dinner!!

Have a good night... 

7 Things About Me!!

One of my best friends EVER, Tanya of Bead & Needle tagged me on  her blog, so I’m playing along, it just took me a few days to figure out 7 things about me that you might actually want to know.  I live a simple, kind of quiet life with my kids and my Trucker hubby, he isn’t very out going and I on the other hand an VERY outgoing, so how we got hooked up in beyond me.  So over the past 12 years instead of him coming more of his shell, I just don’t go like I used to, some because I don’t like to go alone and maybe more because of financial boundaries!!  It’s not fun being poor!!  But I am rich in many more ways so it’s all good.  Okay now the 7 things I thought maybe you wouldn’t necessary think of when you think about me.

1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE antiques, my house is NOT full of them but I wish it was.  One of my best days last summer was when I finally got to meet Tanya and we just spent the day at an antique mall in Denver, we had the best time and it felt like we had known each other forever and it was just a nice,nice day and I can’t wait to spend more time with her this summer!! LOVE YOU!!

2. & 3. My trucker husband tells me all the time that I should be the truck driver in our family, I am a night owl, but also an early bird.  Don’t know why, but I don’t require a lot of sleep.  Maybe it was all those years of shift work but I can go with very little sleep.!!

4. I’ll admit it, I’m a big ole cry baby!!!  I cry at the weirdest things,  commercials, soap operas, greeting cards, or just kind words, I’ll cry at the drop of a hat.  Not a good trait I admit and it isn’t one I have outgrown as I have gotten older!!

5. Yes I was cheerleader, nothing like the ones in the picture above but none the less I wore the skirt and sweater and cheered for the Prairie Mustangs.  I can from a very small school and it was one of those things that if you didn’t partake in most of the groups then there wouldn’t be a group.  I graduated from a class of 14, so that should give you some idea the size of the school!!  I think my senior year there were 180 students and the was K-12!!  But I loved it, we were one big family!!

6. I love, love, love volleyball.  I played in high school and college and on several city league and intramural teams.  If it weren’t for my knees hurting so much I would still be playing as much as I could.  I played when I was preggers with Brandon and Ash, but since then I  haven’t played much.

7. I really like hearts,  I made the banners in the pictures for my Ash, she said I didn’t have enough  Valentine’s decorations.  But hearts have always been a favorite of mine.  Our wedding cake was even heart shaped, and I have them worked into my décor  in most of the rooms of my house.

Well there you have it, 7 things about me that you may not have know. I think I am suppose to pass this on to ten other bloggers, but I’ll leave that up to you…. If you see this post and want to play along , do it and let me know and I’d love to come read 7 things about you!!  Thanks Tanya, this was fun, I did think of a couple other things but didn’t want to get to carried away.. lol

Love you girl, I hope to get to going on some sewing so please keep checking  back to check out my things, I’m going to really try to get some things on ETSY soon..

Oh and I just got a job too!!!! I’m going to be an assistant cook at the Middle School here, not a lot of pay, but great hours.  I only work 4.5 or 5 hours a day, so I can still get the kids on the bus and be home when they get home and I will be home for holidays and in the summer!!  Perfect for them and me for now!!

Birthday, Bowling & Basketball!!!

Seems like forever since my last post, I guess I've just been busy!!

Ash had her 7th Birthday on the 19, it would have been my Grandpa Kings 107th!!! She had a great day, besides having a bout with the flu bug and missed some school that week, but she got her cowboy boots she wanted and I made her a Tiger that she requested and then on Saturday we surprised her and took her bowling for two hours.  Just the four of us!! It was fun and the kids loved all the bowling they got to do in two hours.  Brandon is playing basketball so we have been busy!!

Ash and the tiger I made her. She named him 'HUGGY' because she said he looks like he is going to HUG you!!

My beautiful kids. Ash now 7 and Brandon 11 !!  LOVE  YOU!!

She wanted to wear this so she wouldn't see where we were taking her for her 'surprise'.. I hope no one in town saw us, they might have thought we were bad parents!! lol 

My Trucker bowling for the first time since he was 11 or 12, we won't say how many years that is!!  He did great!!

Brandon waiting for that strike!!! He had a basketball game first, so he got a good workout that day!!

Such pretty shoes!!! 

Ash trying out this day glow orange ball!! 

Now he's getting the hang of it!!  What a fun day we had!!

Heart & Flowers

In my last post I had some fabric all set to make a special order lamp for my friend and good customer, Judy, in Florida and after a few unexpected delays..moms perm, me being sick, and on and on...lol... I finally got it done today and I must say I do like it a lot.  I wasn't sure about the greenery at first but now that is is all together I just love it and Judy approved to it will be headed to her kitchen in the morning. 

   

My trucker man is finally back to work, but still up in the air about his truck so I think all the stress of him not working and just no money in general has me sewing, I think mainly to keep my mind off things and I also go two sets of this Valentine's Day heart garland done today also!! My daughter, Ash didn't think we had enough decorations for Valentine's Day, I think after all the Christmas pretties, my sparse heart decorations weren't quite enough, so I made these up today just for her!!!  She was excited and said she loved them all and couldn't pick her favorite one!!  I also got a call for a quick mending job today so I made a little spending money today which is always a good thing!!!

   

Well, now that I'm back in the sewing mood, I need get busy and try to get some things on Esty and give that a try!!!

Shades of Blue and a splash of red....

I need to get to work....on something... I haven't sewn anything for a few weeks and I'm getting the itch do get busy.  I am struggling with what tho.  I have a special from my friend Judy in Florida.  She is a great customer and needs a lamp for in between Christmas and Easter.  I don't want to make it to much of a Valentine's Day theme, I want her to be able to use it all year not just for a month of so.  So I found this pretty blue floral print and am going to make some hearts out of it and then apply a smaller heart in the middle out of osnaburg using a blanket stitch.  It's for her kitchen and it sounds beautiful...navy blue and cream with a touch of red and barn wood floors, and a big rag rug...I'd love to see it in person.  So I'm going to add just a touch of red in this piece possibly with the bow or the container I use.  I haven't decided on that yet, wanted to make the hearts and go from there. I hope she approves of my choice of fabric.. with only ONE fabric store in town and no funds to travel or shop on line I had to do with what I found here.  I love it tho and think it will make pretty hearts and I think I may makes some Easter Eggs with it also for a shabby chic look!!  What do you think.. What do you buy??  I need to make items to sell and that is the key word... TO SELL... I need to use my time on things that will sell for me.  I need the income and would like your opinion on what you look for, I'm up for ideas and suggestions I got a couple from the ladies in my eBay group and they reminded me of things that have sold well for me in the past and I will get started on those too, so throw something at me, I may just run with it!!! :O)

I also have some great cutter quilt pieces that will make great prim eggs.... oh my, the wheels are starting to turn again....

Okay now I'd better get to it!!!

~~~ HAPPY NEW YEAR ~~~

Happy New Year!!??!!
Will it be, can it be??!!
Well we had a really wonderful Christmas, the kids were happy and my Trucker man really outdid himself and got me more than I asked for or feel like I deserved.  I got a net book, so fun.  I'm typing on it now!!  But still learning how to use it.  It is super fast and so nice to be sitting in the living room surfing the blogs and FB instead of in the basement.  Problem, trucker and kids want on it too!!!  So I share..:O) And we did finally got some much needed snow!! Yes I said much needed...it is so dry here, we need to moisture that comes with it.  But  bitter cold along with it.  It is so pretty but can warm up now!!
Now for the "New Year" and the bitter pill we are having to swallow, already.  Actually the "old year" didn't end the best after Christmas.  The trucker has had the demons with his trucks the past couple of years,and he finally found one, we thought, that was going to be a good truck for him and it went down on him and it isn't just a 'small fix'.  It's a 10K fix, many more K's than we even have.  He is just sick about it and really has been lost the past few days.  He hasn't worked since Friday of Christmas Eve.  We took the truck to a shop on Tues hoping to get news that is may only be a minor problem but no such luck, it's major!!!  He has only had this truck about 3 weeks, and only bought it because was told that he had a complete overhaul,  well people aren't honest and now we are no better off than we were three weeks ago with no truck, because basically we have still have no truck!!  And he as tried call some people about renting or leasing until we can get this one fixed or replaced but haven't had much luck there. They guy he bought it from wants to try to help, he wants to do a quick bandage fix, not the fix it needs to get going, but we know that bandages come off and it would soon need the major fix and it would be all on us then. So frustrating and sad.
I did very well at my shows but used that money for Christmas, if I would have known I would have rat holed some of that money to help out, but he was working and so excited about this new truck.  It was running so great!!!  Talking about taking some time to go back to Illinois for Easter to see his mom, but now we are just lost and trying to keep our spirits up for the kids sake.  They just play so well and are such happy kids.   It breaks my heart to see my husband like this.  He works hard and is honest as the day is long, so for someone to NOT show him the same really tears at his heart and soul.  
We will make it but we were really looking forward to a New Year of new hope and things turning around for us...but it's early....!!! 

~~ Cookie Art ~~ My Tree ~~ Simply wish~~

The kiddos are home now!! Yay... I LOVE my kids being home with me.  Yesterday we tackled making some sugar cookies. Well, let's say we ALL started and I finished them up.  But it was fun.  I'm no Martha Stewart but they did turn our pretty and they are pretty yummy!!

 We tried to be creative, Ash was handling the white frosting part of the time!! 

 The ones above are trees, the one on the far right is her tree.

 To the left....Most of the finished product!! 

Left: This is Ashley 'Lion', why a lion??  Don't really know, but I can see it....don't you??  

The days are growing shorter when the paper will be flying, then just as quickly as the moment is there it will be gone and it will be filled with empty boxes and torn paper and bows.  But the LOVE that will fill the room is,for me, the best present ever and the best part of the day!!  I didn't ask for anything from my Trucker man, I just told him all I cared about was that we were together and the kids have a great day. 

I thought I'd share my tree and some of the pretties one it.  My 'sis' Tanya, Bead and Needle, shared hers one her blog.. so I'm copying you girl!!! lol... Love to see all the trees!! 

 

There is no more room under this tree!!! 

Ash made this for me.  So simple I love it!!

Buzz....love's Christmas...to Infinity and Beyond !!!

Glass Santa, I have about 5 of these all in different outfits and colors.

Swirly...

Tin heart... Love it...

Merry Christmas my dear blogging friends.

My Simply Wish for you is that I hope this Christmas is filled with joy and laughter and LOVE, three things you can't wrap and put under the tree but in your heart!! 

I couldn't be more proud...

"I already have enough toys.."

Out of the mouths of babes. My son Brandon makes me so very proud everyday, but last night was a very proud one for me.  He was having a tough day anyway.  He was asking about a new jacket for Christmas and I asked him why he wanted a new one when he had his 'red' one...

Now the story..

He had left his 'red' jacket at school sometime ago and I told him to make sure and get it out of the lost and found box, well as things go, you forget or don't think about it again because the weather has been cold enough that he has had to wear his heavier coat.  Well so when he asked about the new jacket for Christmas, I asked if he didn't get his out of the lost and found box.  He said he looked and it wasn't there and that another boy was wearing it now.  I then asked him if he asked for it back and he said he did but the boy just told him he 'bought' it.  Well if you know my son, you know is a bit of a tender heart, not a baby, just very sensitive AND the last thing he ever wants to do is get anyone in trouble or to be called a tattle tale or teacher's pet.  Kids at this age can be so mean and the last thing Brandon wants is to not have someone NOT like him.  He's a little insecure about that,  but we want him to stand up for what is right and for himself.  So we told him he should have told a teacher or us when this happened so we could get it taken care of, he just started to cry and shook his head "no".  I felt so bad for him because he just doesn't want to get any kid in trouble, even one that stole from him. So I've emailed the teacher and called the school but haven't heard anything back yet.  I just wish things like this didn't happen and if that boy wears that coat home, what has he told his parents where it came from?  If one of my kids came home with a coat I didn't buy I would sure be finding out where it came from, but maybe they don't care and that is why he thinks it is okay to keep it!!  Sad world we live in at times.  So we get past that trauma and I was looking in Brandon's planner and there was a note from "Santa" saying that all the kids at school need to write a letter to him and the best letter will win a prize.  It was due today so I asked him if he had written it at school and he said no and still through the tears he was shedding from the coat thing, he told me that he wasn't going to write a letter because he already has enough stuff and that some other kids might need new toys... Okay so now I'm in tears too, but I did talk him into writing the letter and telling Santa what he told me... here is part of his letter!!

"..there are kids all over the world that don't have toys and I have lots of nice things, so my wish this year for Christmas is for you give the gift you had for me to someone else because they need it more than I do... and please don't forget my sister Ashley, she wants a guitar!!"

Thanks and Merry Christmas"

Brandon Locke

Brandon and Ash... my heart and soul!!!

I must say I have never been more proud that I was when I saw what he had written!!!  The true spirit of Christmas lives in my son's heart and has made my heart swell with more love and pride that I could ever express!! 

Merry Christmas Brandon... Mommy loves you!!! 

Oh I may have to try these!!!

Okay, I'm being a little lazy today and letting Jen of Dangerously Domestic handle my blog post, but when I saw these trees I just had to share her tutorial with you!!! She is so creative and there are so many pretty ones, it's very hard to choose a favorite!!! 

Go check her it out.. Humm, I'm thinking this would be a fun swap gift for next year, it sure would be fun to see what my girlfriends would come up with!! 

Have fun looking, I sure did!!! 

Go look there's more!!!!

My family.. a night out for my birthday!!

Well one more birthday under my belt!!!  My trucker Man and kiddos took me out to dinner at Delgado's Dugout. It's a Mexican/Italian restaurant that is in the basement of an old church.. Pretty good food, but really good drinks!! wink wink!! 

Ash, Joe and Brandon

We had a nice family dinner and then came home for ice cream cake which only Ash had some, the rest of us were too full!! 

I got a very nice new wallet, but no money in it!!! tee hee... and a new camera.. so the kids had to take some pictures, the don't 'center' very well so I did some editing and cropping, but it takes very nice pictures and I didn't know how to use the timer yet so none of all four of us at the same time!!! lol.. 

Joe, Ash and Me

Me and my kids... they are my heart!!!

Truck Man, Me and Brandon... I love Brandon's face in this one... He love's me

It was a nice evening with the people I love the most!!
~

Oh and I have to add another picture of one of my birthday goodies... My dear friend Bonnie from Ohio sent me this cute snowman for my birthday also. I accidentally left him out of the post from yesterday.. He is sooo very cute and had a special spot on an old prim crate in my living room!!!  LOVE HIM and Bonnie too, she is a sis I never have meant but hope to very soon!!!  Thanks Bonnie for him and the yummy room spray also!! 

He is awesome!!!

 

I AM LOVED!!!

I must say I am feeling LOVED today!!

It is my ?? birthday, and I was greeted by my kids with a "Happy Birthday's" this morning and I beautiful card from my Trucker man!!  I have had a pretty good with in the 'gift' category too!!  A few of my Ebay friends and I had a swap of snowmen this year and boy did I load up. I 'borrowed' the picture of Tanya of Bead and Needle, I was to busy...aka... lazy to take my own picture!!!  Hers was so nice I knew she wouldn't mind!! Thanks Sis! :O)  Anyway as you can see in the picture I have some very nice snowmen to scatter about my home now and they will be cherished for ever.

The snowman on the right is from Pat,ahlcoopedup , the hand painted book and little snowman on the right are from Chris, theantiquepallet,the cutter quilt mitten in the back is  from Suxie, Yankeelaneprimitives, it a card holder..how clever is that!!  The little snow girl in the middle and the prim gingers were my items and the smiley snow girl on the left is from Tanya, and the snowman in the red in front is from Barb, I don't think she has a blog..sorry Barb!!!

And speaking of Tanya..

Here she is...

 She spoiled me this year.. She is so very talented and I am lucky enough to have not one but 4 of her beautiful creations!!!   Here are the two latest ones. 

This one is so pretty... It's my birthday present!!   It's tiger eye agate and brass, the work on it is just amazing and I will always cherish it and anything she makes me !!  I love it Sis and you too!!

Okay this next one is special to me for more than one reason!!! 

This one is to DIE FOR!!! Actually this one was a choker necklace that my mom had and was getting rid of, I snagged it up but it was to tight on my neck so I sent it to Tanya just to MAKE IT LONGER FOR ME!!  That's it and this is what I got!!!  Mind you all it had before was a chain and the large stone piece with the silver pieces in the middle, but now it is full of silver and REAL turquoise beading and a extra chain with a silver and turquoise bead.   Simply amazing!!  I can't tell you how beautiful it is and the work, time and money she put into it for me, makes it all the more special!!  I may have to hide it from my mom now, she may want it back!!!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! Thanks again girls and for making my day great.  My family is taking me out on the town for dinner tonight!! I really am blessed and I guess birthdays aren't so bad after all!!! 

Have a wonderful day, I plan on it!!!