BREATHING

Well, I have not posted in a few days due to the fact I have been getting ready for the CPA. You have heard of hell week in sororities, well January is that for me in my job. You close out one year and have to be ready for the next with in about 24 hours. After you do that small feat you start doing a months worth of work in about 3 weeks. Of course you have all the quarterly tax things, getting payroll ready for a new year, of course everything has changed from last year, getting w-2's ready,daily things and getting everything ready for the CPA. The CPA left yesterday and only had a few journal entries that needed to be done, so I guess that is a good thing. Now time to play catch up with the things I had to push to the back burner. Oh did I also mention that I had a birthday in all this mix. I am hoping that by Monday I will be back to sort of regular schedule.

So I will be back to posting soon again with photos and short little snippets of my life.

WE ARE LIVE......

AND READY FOR YOU TO CHECK US OUT!!!

You can click on the link here or in the side bar of my blog to see all the wonderful instructors we have coming to this event and the AWESOME class descriptions that will be offered. There is also a registration package available on the site for you to use.

We look forward to seeing you in the fall for this first ANNUAL Mixed Media Advent here in the south.

HAPPY BIRTDAY TO ME!

I slept in late 6:30 am that is. I got up and took myself to breakfast. Read a little and enjoyed a couple cups of tea and breakfast. Went back home for a long hot bubble bath which is such a pleasure and treat. Especially this time of year for me. But since I took the day from work I indulged. Went by the post office box and found a card from my DST buddies with a great happy. I also checked the my emails. had many warm wishes and ecards.

Okay I was going to spend the whole day by myself but who could resist this great smile and wonderful daughter. As it was raining, she couldn't go do what she wanted and under that great smile her teeth were killing her(she just had a orthodontist appointment on Friday and had a ton done to her braces). I invited her to hang out with her old Mom. Of course her take on it was: it's your birthday and I need to drive you and keep you company and there is food and you are buying. So off we went to Collierville a small town about 30 minutes away with a great town square, one of a kind shops and great family owned restaurants that serve food other than burgers and GREAT service. Found a couple of little treasures. Yes I have a problem with spending money on myself.

This is where we had lunch at the Silver Caboose. I really enjoy eating here. The atmosphere is relaxing and very enjoyable. Yes I had great company. I do love having time to just talk with Stephenie. She is so funny and full of life. I like to hear the stories of what is going on in her life. Which just makes me realize that not has much as changed everyone thinks. I am very blessed with a wonderful daughter. Then went to a couple of shops in Arlington to look and I did get a small piece of pottery that matched a tray that I got for Christmas of course Stephenie a treat as she calls it. My friends Renee, Steffen and I went to Macaroni Grill for dinner. Lets just say that the service was not there but the great conversation and friendship was. Steffen got me a really cool set of drill bits and a ratching screw set. I just love my handy woman tools. We had a great time just talking and getting caught up. Then is was to home and bed. Got to work on Sunday, but my birthday was all mine.

Well the birthday treats did start out on Friday. One of my co-workers took me to lunch and had them bring me a piece of cake with a candle. NO SINGING! I am not the one to have the whole restaurant to be looking at me. Then I got a cheese cake and necklace from a couple of my other co-workers. The biggest surprise was the tool box with my name on it and all the tools inside. My god-sister Christy, husband Nathan and Taylor, Samuel and Caleb(which shares my birthday) brought me by the office on Friday. I do know that it is very weird to hear a woman get excited about tools but I do know how to use them and will. My Mom, Susan(sister) and I went out to eat on Friday and had great time just talking uninterrupted.

This is picture of how I would really like to celebrate my birthday. Yes I know it is snow. It is on the list to just go and play in the great white stuff, drink warm drinks by a big fire and relax. You must have dreams! Thanks Lisa S for the great picture of your back yard!

LOOK!!

Okay I have been teasing you with words..now here are some pictures of what great things are in stored for you with Mixed Media Melange on Sept 10th - 13th, 2009. Watch for a link to where you can sign up for this great event on January 15th I will have it posted to my blog on that day. This will be the place that you can release the inter child and all your creative muses with fellow artist.

Look forward to seeing you there!

IF YOU BRING IT THEY WILL COME!

M3 is on the way. I am still pinching myself after the big meeting yesterday. Candice, Robyn, Roxi and I met yesterday for about 9 hours to iron out(just some of the) details for the Mixed Media Event that we are hosting in September. Who would have ever thought that there were so many details to consider. This is something that we have so been wanting here in the south and since one has not come, we are bring it here. It was so hard to chose what classes to offer from all the amazing instructors who prsented us with RFP. So please watch my blog on January 15th for the big reveal of the details and the AWESOME classes available.

So as the old saying goes we are bring it and hope that they will come.

Word for 2009

is DISCOVER
1.to see, get knowledge of, learn of, find, or find out; gain sight or knowledge of (something previously unseen or unknown)
2.to notice or realize
3.Archaic. to make known; reveal; disclose.

I chose this word for 2009 for many reason. As many of you know the last several years has brought many life changing situations to me. Through these difficult situations I have lost pieces of me. I want for 2009 to be a year of discovery of who I am, what I want for me and my life. I know that this sounds selfish but it has come to the time for me to discover what I want and not what others want for me. So let's see what I discover through out the year.

I chose SIMPLICITY for 2008. I did make some changes that helped simplify my life, home, job and world around me.

HERE IS WISHING YOU A GREAT 2009 the year to DICOVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008 is closing and

2009 is on the horizon..

Well, time sure flew this year once again. It seems like just yesterday I was wondering what 2008 had in store for me and now I am looking back reflecting on what happened in it. I was able to see parts of this great country I had always wanted to see. I was able to spend time with family and friends. I saw my first born leave his teen years and embark on his 20's(hey I remember those..I think:D) I now have a chauffeur(no I didn't hit the lottery, just have a 15 year learning to drive, which thinks I have forgotten how to since last April) that in 2009 will be driving herself. Said good bye to a several friends that passed away. Made new friends and enjoyed getting to know the old ones better. Found a new strength in myself and learned that there are people out there near and far that do care about. Started a new chapter in my life on my own again. Thankful that I still have a job with the state in which the economy is in. Thankful for having BLESSING to count. I think this is the year in review in a nutshell.

Wishing you a WONDERFUL, CONTENT and LOVE filled 2009.

Thanks for reading over the past year and please continue next year starting Jan 1 for my word choice for the new year. I have found a word is much easier to do than making resolutions that I usually break by Jan 2.

Merry Christmas

The day started off with Stephenie and I seeing what Santa brought her and Michael (we will deliver it to him when he comes over to the Reynas for food and gift exchange) yes still at 15 and 20 Santa comes to our house. Then I threw a couple of surprises in for Stephenie(Miss I know everything I am getting). I gave her a blanket that I made and a couple of movies that she had mentioned that she wanted. All awhile I had a couple of breakfast casseroles cooking in the oven. We got dressed in our matching pj pants and off to the Reynas for food and gifts. The snowmen above were made by Katalina. I think they were so cute and she made each of us one.

There were many gifts. I got new gloves to walk in and dress ones too. But once again my Mom and Dad gave me a great surprise. This embroidery piece that my Mom's Dad did in 1911 at the age of 5 as you can see was written on the piece. It was done on paper.(sorry for the picture but glass really sucks). So now I have another great family piece for my house.

After all the food and gift unwrapping. We all went different directions. As you can see where Susan and Jose went. They were watching Holiday Inn. Dreaming about it is more like it. Yes they are using their new blankets that I made for them . They are 9 feet long so that you can really can cuddle up in them.

Ms Wilson you gave Joesph the most awesome present(his words exactly). He wanted pictures with the book. He loves Mustang cars and can tell more than you ever wanted to know about them. He also got a t shirt that Ford Mustang on it.

Good thing that Santa brought 4 controllers to the new Wii that the Reynas got. This is what the kids were doing after we finished the gifts. Yes they were playing and not fighting. I must admit that this a REALLY cool game system.

It also attracted the older generation too. Now Dad is saying that a Wii might be a good birthday present for him in February. I think that it is so cool that something can bring the young and older generations together.

Micheal and Stephenie went to pick up their Grandmother and took her to their Dad's for Christmas. I came home to watch my good old black and white Christmas movies. Have got to get to bed early as tomorrow is a work day.

I hope that this post finds you all enjoying your holiday and family even if it is via phone calls.

20 YEARS AGO

at 8:41 am I delivered my first born. When we came home on Christmas Eve they brought him in this stocking for me take him home.He was so tiny that he didn't even fill up the stocking. Now 20 years later we still use it for Santa for him. Each year as I unpack it the memories flood back and I always wonder where the time has gone.

I am glad to say that he has gone from a precious little bundle in a stocking to a handsome and wonderful young man. Michael has had some great trails in his 20 short years but he has taken them and turned them into life learning experiences and is making his way in this world. I am sad to say that my first born has had some tough times in his first 2 decades, but has come thru them with flying colors!! So HAPPY BIRTHDAY my FAVOR TIE boy. Mom is so PROUD of you and LOVES you with all her HEART!!

Best Ever Hostess Gift and other Updates

I always like to give someone a little happy when they are nice enough to open up their home. So yesterday since I was the hostess to our stamp club I got a few nice little happies. Well this I must say this was the COOLEST hostess gift EVER. My friend Shelly H gave me a WHOLE dozen of FRESH, GREEN eggs from her chickens.

Here is a shot of them all in their glory. Yes I am a little nuts about these but they just bring back such great memories from my childhood. To think that she shared them with me..a whole dozen of them:D

One last shot. Shelly has some really great shots on her blog of these great eggs, chicken stories and great artwork. THANKS for sharing with me Shelly.

Boy where has December gone. I can't believe that it is all ready the 14th. Still so much to do before Christmas Day and the EOY. Sorry it has been so long since the last update. I went to San Antonio on the 5th and came me on the 7th. While in San Antonio came down with the crud. Which I really didn't need. As I had a party yesterday for my stamp club, gifts to finish, cards to make, work to do....as everyone else this time of year with a 1000 things to do and all you want is to take time and REALLY ENJOY the SEASON(like we should).

The party yesterday was a great success. Everyone brought great food to share. The weather was great. It was really fun opening my house for others to share. It is so funny how we spend so much time doing things to and in our homes to make them nice and never open them up to others to enjoy. I think of my home has a great big piece of art and that I need to start sharing it with others. I am not saying that it is a master piece but it is a reflection of me. Well I have got to get going on that list of many things to complete today. Thanks goodness for a great night of sleep and feeling like a human again.