Passing God’s Tests!

        I WILL GET IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!…

With a son who has Bi-polar disorder… It seems he finds this time of year EXTRA STRESSFUL!…

and we get the repercussions…

I have to pull myself up and continue on… or I would definitely lose it…

Almost have…

Bobby has only one more treatment on the 14th of December…

The biggest Christmas Present for me and him this year!…

Almost a year of running to VA… ENOUGH!

I’ve shopped some for my Grandkids…

Kennedy… my 13-year-old Granddaughter is pretty much complete…

she is my fun one to buy for this year…

Grandson Carson… 11 years old… is too…

but, the 20-year-old… a little to do for her…

We  drew names between the adults as I’ve said before…

I can finish that quickly!…

Our dryer being out… has us running to the laundromat…

Interesting experience… for sure…

We have an area in our end of town… where for a better word…. Refugees…

have been placed…

Not a lot of English is spoken… but, with us having to use these facilities… until probably after Christmas… we will be making contact with people we do not normally see…

It is an awakening adventure…

Language can be… a barrier… but, it doesn’t seem to stop kindness flowing if you allow it…

My husband having chemo has him wearing his Viet Nam Service Cap a lot… Loss of hair being that side effect…

He is shown such respect…

A little boy and his mother told him, “Thanks for your service”… and this has happened several times…

A lady in clothes that are wrapped around her in so many directions… beautiful dark skin  … offered to help him load clothes yesterday…

and shared her Fresh Cherries with me…

as I see… a token of kindness….

We have shared fabric softener … quarters… etc. … and smiles abound…

Hearing “God Bless You”…

One gentleman even asked in his own way for instructions on use of washer/dryers…

 

Not knowing how the machines worked…We communicated enough for him to get the idea… with a gratefulness that shown on his face…

Maybe… just maybe… we are given these little tests  from God to check our Humanity…

I hope we passed!

 

 

Finish This #7

1. I plan on buying… some items for our vacation this summer… a few new pairs of shorts/t-shirts… and new PJ’s…

2. I give ____ five stars because… Five stars would have to go to a fellow blogger… Terry… for being her brother’s care tender for so many years… I admire her devotion!…

3. I felt courageous when… I wrote my resume… and applied for a new job… Actually got the job… and “courage” was my word I had picked for the New Year!

4. I feel about swimsuit shopping like I do… because I wish I was smaller in size… but, since going to water aerobics… I have learned that we are NOT all perfect… and we are more accepted for who we are rather than what our bodies look like… I have been ordering my bathing suits on-line… because they fit so much better!

After Christmas “FINDS”!

Cleaned out my pantry to start off my day…

Did I plan to???

NO, but, when it hits me… I do it!…

Why not!

and it feels so good to accomplish these things…

********************

Have you ever found Christmas remnants after Christmas…

These are the things I found yesterday around my house…

A Santa hanging high… you have to know I’m kinda short!…

An Angel holding a kitty…

I like cats so much… maybe I didn’t really want to take it down…

A few ornaments in the bathroom… They matched so well… they just blended in…

*******************

Do you after Christmas shop?

I like to… but, only a few oddities so far this year…

Unique Thrift shopping had me finding this cute older Santa Sleigh with Sweet Reindeer…

It requires batteries and when inserted later… it worked!…

The little reindeer move their legs and it plays various Christmas Songs…

I played it for the last time this morning as I will pack it away until next year…

Another thrift find…

Snowman Candles… aren’t they the cutest!… Using them as my winter centerpiece on my kitchen table… 

Makes me smile!

A brand new Christmas Mug with a pretty ceramic topped spoon to match… These 50% off sales at a thrift store are the best finds…  

A few boxes, wrapping paper, clings , pot holders, placemats… was fun to find too…

I’m a “think ahead” girl…

I will still be on the look out for more bargains… because like I’ve said before…

“The fun is in the hunt!”… 

Related articles

• Just a glimpse…… (angiesgrapevine.wordpress.com)
• The best time to shop at a thrift store ()

Sunday Grateful: December 8, 2013… Salt Dough Ornaments and Grandkids

My Granddaughter opted to go Ice Skating with a friend instead of coming over last night…

I admit I was a little disappointed, but so understood…

She will be 12 in April… and growing up so fast…

Friends are so important… at any age… so… when you get the opportunity… on a snowy day… to go ice skating…

That was a no brainer!

Fun was calling her name…

Carson… my Grandson… did come… which was great!

We are pretty good buddies …

We like the same things… and have fun…

Off to Deal’s ( His favorite $1.00 store )…

He had brought along his saving’s bank with a couple of dollar bills and lots of quarters…

He had plans… and knew just how much he had to spend…

After leaving there… he said, “I’m really hungry!”…

I told him Chicken Nuggets… Fries or Pizza were in the freezer…

He would have chicken first… since it could be microwaved…

He wanted something to eat soon!… and by the time he finished… the pizza would be ready…

As I said, “He is a planner!”…

TV is always fun… Me watching whatever he wants… “Jinxed” I think it was… Kinda cute…

We then put together the salt dough and cut out some Christmas Ornaments… Fast and easy…

Since the ornaments take 2 hours to bake and then have to cool…

We painted them this morning…

But, not until pancakes, sausage and bacon were cooked…

He got two of the ornaments ( Star and Gingerbread Boy)… finished before I told him it was shower time…

He was getting picked up by Mom and Dad… to go to an Awards Ceremony for a Football Trophy…

He was looking forward to that!

I finished up the painting project… and hung them on my hodge podge Christmas Tree…

This year there is definitely a variety of ornaments on it… but, quite cute too!… Old-fashioned in appearance…

Snow had fallen again today  …

and a quietness seeped in after my little boy left…

Grandkids sure do bring happiness and joy to a home…

and I’m Grateful for them and the easy craft project!

Related articles

• Change In the Weather! (babyjill7.wordpress.com)
• Salt Dough Ornaments and Packing Cookies (babyjill7.wordpress.com)
• Homemade Christmas Ornaments (lauramhowe.wordpress.com)

SOAPS: Pretty Enough to Eat!

I finally made some of the soaps I had planned on making for Christmas presents…

You know… those people you just need a little something for…

These would be more “ladylike”… but, I think I’ll experiment with some men fragrances soon…

I had a few forms which were in varied shapes… and then I experimented with a couple of things I had around the house…

Why not!  

I had bought the one “JOY” Christmas form in a kit from the Thrift Store  …

https://babyjill7.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/easy-soap-making/

I then saw some cupcake / muffin silicon forms as well… and bought them…

Sprinkle natural ingredients in bottom… before pouring in soap…

Soap poured into forms…

I checked around my kitchen cabinets and found an E’clair Tin

Oatmeal sprinkled in tin… Put in first… then pour in soap…

and a glass Candy Dish…

After I popped these out… I decided to cut them in half… Making more like little hand soaps…

After cooling… I stick in the refrigerator to speed up the time… just barely pry up on soap and  they pop right out… As I say to my Grandkids…”LIKE MAGIC!”…

They all worked… Of course I have my favorites…

Glycerine Squares come in a bag at “Hobby Lobby“…

Melt soap squares on low heat in a saucepan… stirring occasionally…

Liquid Scents and Coloring too…

I chose Honey Almond and Plumeria… some of my favorite scents…

Add as much of the scent to please yourself…

Red, Blue and Yellow seemed like soap colors…

Of course the more you use… the brighter the colors…

Just add a drop at a time and stir… until shade you desire…

You can add natural ingredients for exfoliating…or texture…

I used Oatmeal  …

Poppy Seeds   …

and Dried Orange Rind  …

I’m just experimenting at this point… Will learn what works best as I continue to make them…

I love pretty soaps… and I know I can do anything if I try… So why not make my own!

It was fun and easy…

One of my favorites… The poppy seeds make the “JOY” really stand out!

The scents of “my soaps” ended up being called…

“Honey-Almond-Poppyseed”

“Orange-Honey-Almond”

“Oatmeal Plumeria”

Now to wrap them in a unique way… and make sure people know they are “SOAP”… not, something good to eat!

Related articles

• What is Melt & Pour soap? (pandaleesoaps.wordpress.com)
• Easy Soap Making (babyjill7.wordpress.com)
• Friday Food Processing: soap, for beginners (twowrongturns.com)
• Cinnamon and Honey Soap (thestrangetwo.wordpress.com)
• Candy Cane Swirl Soap (ragamuffinsoap.wordpress.com)
• Fortune Cookie Soap Winter 2013 Soap Box (atuxedopalette.wordpress.com)

Not a Match Box Car

I found a Match Box… No, not a little car…

Not a collectible…

It’s a metal box used to hold real wood matches…

I decided to paint it to “match” my kitchen where I hung it…

Sprayed it black… then used my acrylic paints to paint it…

Looks similar to my wallpaper border…

and my painting I did a few months ago…

I use matches to light my candles… my gas stove sometimes, when it won’t automatically come on and the fire pit outside…

They use to be a staple for a kitchen… but, not so much anymore…

I imagine people collect these… being from the 1940’s…

These are a few from EBAY… priced around $12.00…

I probably paid less than $2.00…

I liked it probably… because of memories of having one when growing up…

Related articles

• The making of a Giant Butterfly, acrylic paint, on canvas. (busybeebea.wordpress.com)
• Finishing off the acrylic painting “The Fifth of July” (selftaughtpainting.com)
• Acrylic paints (inevitabillis.wordpress.com)
• Art Journal Page – “Divine Indulgence” (jannikretlow.com)

My Sunday Grateful: November 17, 2013- Friends and Shopping

Friday I was asked to a sale at my neighbor’s place of work… Sale on NFL Jerseys… football… basketball and hockey…

Why not!

might as well check it out…

and I did find Steelers and Viking Football Jerseys for my grandson and a hat…

Wasn’t it nice of her to save me a coupon to go and look with her!… I thought so!

The next day…

I met up with two friends I worked with for lunch…

One is retired like me and one is younger and still working…

We sat and enjoyed a drink for about an hour before ordering our lunch…

We had all agreed on the place to meet…

and anticipated hearing all of our tales of woes and good times…

The waitress was very understanding… and told us to take as much time as we wanted…

So we did!… and had a very leisure lunch…

I talked and listened so much… I had to take half of my food home… but, that was OK… I enjoyed it later…

We left there and went shopping for about an hour or more…

Both of my friends have little granddaughters… two and under…

So, I knew I could find them in the little girl’s department looking for Christmas presents…

I was on my own… looking for presents for my 3 grandkids… who are getting older…

I browsed just in case I saw something I thought they would like…

I came home with some great little brown leather low-cut boots for my oldest granddaughter… and a great price on them too!… Now… if she likes them as much as Grandma does… You never know!…

We met back up and checked out each other’s purchases… and said good-bye with a group hug… promising to get together after Christmas…

This week I’m going with a sister, sister-in-law and a friend to shop again… and I get to choose the place to shop and eat…

“Old Time Pottery“     and

“I-Hop Restaurant”…

How does chicken and waffles sound? …

Sometimes I purchase an item or two and sometimes just look and look… getting ideas…

The best thing about all of these little trips… is being with such great friends…

I’m so grateful for the people who are in my life and sharing good times together!

Related articles

• Sunday Grateful:  November 10, 2013… Grandkids Inspiration! (babyjill7.wordpress.com)
• Sunday Grateful- November 3, 2013 : My Husband’s Family (babyjill7.wordpress.com)

Easy Soap Making

On one of my trips to my favorite Unique Thrift Store… I found this little Soap Making Kit … Made by Delta… and called Soap Creations…

This one happened to be an Evergreen Scent in a pretty green color and the mold said “JOY”…

It was supposed to make two bars…

Soap included… scented already… mold…

What did I have to lose…

I might even be able to make a few Christmas Gifts from it… and Homemade too!

You cut the bar of soap into pieces and microwave in a microwave safe dish… I used a clear glass…

Only for about 15 seconds…

It melts quickly…

You then let cool a few seconds and push back the film that occurs…

pour into mold… and cool…

I put it in the refrigerator to hurry up the process… which it says you can…

I made a bigger bar evidently… more than I was supposed to… so I got out my leaf candy mold and made 3 little guest soaps…

They turned out quite well…

Popped right out after cooling…

I have read how to make glycerin soaps… and now that I have a few molds I think I will give it a try…http://www.marthastewart.com/

I also found my “turkey” candy molds (Thanksgiving) and “hearts” (work anytime) … that would be good… for the seasons coming up…

I have some “bunnies” and “Easter Eggs”… but, will wait for Easter to use them…

This was fun!

Related articles

• Making soap (poppelmann.net)
• Crafting Soap: Sweet Almond Poppy Seed (thebubblycrafter.wordpress.com)
• Honey and Oatmeal and Vanilla Melt & Pour Soap Recipe (honeymilkandroses.wordpress.com)

Daily Prompt: On the Edge

We all have things we need to do to keep an even keel — blogging, exercising, reading, cooking. What’s yours?

Photographers, artists, poets: show us ACTIVITY

Things that keep me having an even keel… “keeps me balanced”…

You mean, “Things that keep me from going crazy!”…

Blogging

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Best stress release I have found since I started in 2011…

Blogging friends to talk to… Just a few words to perk a person up… How neat is that!

Exercise

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

My swimming aerobic class at the YMCA…

Have met such nice people… even made a new friend… Will be doing for two years as of Jan. 2014… just keeps me moving… a good thing…

Reading

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I read more on the internet than books lately… but, a book once started… is wonderful…

Cooking

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

More like baking… I’m better at that… but, I love trying new recipes… and YES… keeps me busy and even…

Crafts

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

and redoing older items… a favorite thing of mine… When busy with a project I’m a happy camper…

Friends

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hearing different conversation… Gives your mind some new things to ponder on…

Phone

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

with sister… friends… cousins… Leaving my worries behind… Concentrating on them for a while…

Grandkids

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Listening to them talk… playing with them… shopping with them… No better way to keep me happy!

Clubs   

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BUNCO (2)… TOPS Group…

Talking… learning… preparation for programs… Definitely… a mind stimulator…

Thrift Store 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Actually looking and looking… for that special “treasure”… like a hunt… that makes you smile when you find it!…

I guess I have lots of things that keep me on keel…

so, maybe I won’t go too crazy!… or get too off-balance!

Sunday Grateful: Bardstown Festival – October 13, 2013

Watching my grandson play football was on the agenda…

He’s eight! 

A sad day for the team… being beaten soundly!

but, being with their buddies… out on a Fall day… Grandparents, parents and sister with

friends watching…

It can’t be all bad!

And since it was the last game of the season… a reprieve from practices… quick suppers… hurrying… and being tired all of the time…

Our next agenda item was the Bardstown Autumn Festival…

and not far from the football game…

A perfect combo!…

A quick early lunch from McDonald’s since we had no breakfast,,,

and then on to see all of the crafts and food people have made…

We lucked out in finding a close parking space for free…

The going rate was $5.00 at most places…

It was very crowded and had only been open for 2 hours…

You could smell foods like kettle corn… pork sandwiches… peppers / onions with sausages and sweets…

Then we saw fudge, cakes, candies, sandwiches, drinks, popcorn, ice cream…

Probably good we had just eaten… kept me from all of those goodies!

We walked and waked…

Of course, I was looking at everything!…

Even Bobby looked a lot… getting ideas for his wood working projects…

Lots of orange (autumn colors) in door hangings… decorations… but, Christmas was there too!

Everything you can imagine… Doll clothes, pet items, girly scarves, hats, jewelery…

Metal lawn art… spread out under the trees…

 

Blow ups for the kids to play in…

Hand made wood items, pottery, sun catchers, purses, quilts…

I always buy homemade soaps…

Pretty, useful and smell so wonderful… Making nice gifts for someone…

I did find these unique “rusty” Christmas Stockings that are candle holders…

I wouldn’t actually burn them… looks like it could be a little dangerous… but, will make a cute little decoration hung somewhere at Christmas…

We covered the whole area…

and by then we were ready for a hotdog and Cherry Lime – Ade from Sonic…

on the way out-of-town…

Bardstown is known for Stephen Foster’s Birthplace

… “Oh! Susanna“, “Camptown Races“, “Old Folks at Home“, “My Old Kentucky Home“,

“Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair“, “Old Black Joe“, and “Beautiful Dreamer“. Many of his compositions remain popular more than 150 years after he wrote them.

There are Bourbon Distilleries…

Talbott Tavern…

A quaint, clean little town… with some beautiful homes…

and a great festival for a Fall Day!

I’m grateful for a lovely Fall Day consisting of Football, Crafts made by talented people, good food and an outing with my husband,,,

Related articles

• Day 25, Bardstown, KY (aprylkim.wordpress.com)