Getting cozy

Today I'm focusing on being deliberate over at Focusing on Life.  (I know, that's a shocker!)

Stop by, pull up a chair, sit a spell!  I'd love to hear from you!

In other news, Katy and I are totally bummed out about that lost hour this weekend. Well, at least I am, Katy-eh, unless there's a squirrel involved-not so much.  Now it's not going to be light at all for my early morning loops around the neighborhood! grr! At least not until we get closer to summer!

I vote to end this madness!  Put an end to daylight saving time resetting the clock crazyness!

Have a great weekend!  I hope you can recover from losing that hour! (tear)

xo,

I spy

texture by Kim Klassen

My daily 4 mile loops seldom vary. Sometimes I head in one direction and sometimes I get crazy and head in the opposite direction.

Either way, 2 miles of it are ordinary neighborhood sights and 2 miles of it are more open, nature sights.  When I'm out and the sun's out, I've been noticing new things along the way.

The trees are putting on quite a show right now.  They are so pretty with all their blooms.  Since we've gotten some rain, there is a lot of green stuff covering the ground.  It's mostly weeds but they are putting on a show of their own.

My picture is a few blooms on an ornamental plum tree I pass each day.  This tree is gorgeous!  It is in full bloom!  No leaves, just white flowers.  I had to have a shot of that!

I'm even noticing new sounds and smells.  Dryer sheets are no longer the only scent in the air.  Mountain laurel's grape kool-aid smell is the new scent I am detecting. On weekends I can hear the sounds of children playing and people working in the yard.

I'm thankful for all the distractions as I am sorely in need of some new socks.  Not the shoes this time!  I decided this after 3 days in a row last week where the balls of my feet were on fire after I got finished and 1 day I had a huge blister there.  Until I get out to get socks, I will be wearing 2 pairs!  I let that go too long! And I am bad about wearing socks around the house. oy! my aching feet!

Are the sights/sounds/smells in your neck of the woods changing yet?


This weeks photo is linked to Kim Klassen's Cafe

I desaturated the photo a bit
added 1 layer of KK happy heart at soft light




Stop by the cafe for a treat!

xo,

Bubbles, batteries and Walmart

Last week, I made a trip to our local Walmart.  I had a list of things to get there.  Walmart is the only place I can get some of the "must have" things in this house.  (are you listening HEB?)

The local Walmart has Chobani Greek yogurt, the flavors of Dannon yogurt my arm candy loves and Joseph's Lavish Flat Bread. If you've never tried Joseph's Lavish Flat Bread you must locate it and bring it home. It's full of good things (grains and such) and low in calories and fat (my waistline appreciates that) and it tastes good.

Also on my list was toys/games/fun stuff for the girls to play with outside.  In my neck of the woods, we are happily coming out of winter and will be outside often.

I found a jump rope, a badminton racket set (rackets, birdies, no net) bubbles and the "hurricane".  The "hurricane" is a bubble blowing machine that promises a gazillion bubbles. Of course it also requires a gazillion batteries and I made a mental note to grab some at the check-out.

Fast forward to the check-out and my powers of recollection deserted me and no batteries were purchased.  A fact that conveniently entered my brain as we were driving out of the parking lot. grr!

What's a Grammy to do?  The 1 yo will be napping until it is time to pick up the 6 yo from school. hmm.  Maybe the 1 yo can "wake up" a tad early and we can grab some batteries on the way to school so nobody is disappointed. Remember how disappointed you were when you got something for your birthday/Christmas and it required batteries and there were none? yeah, don't go there.

Batteries were obtained, 6 yo was picked up and after the 3 of us had our snack (yes, I said "our" it's important to have several small meals a day! duh!)  we were outside to play. The excitement as I loaded the gazillion batteries into the "hurricane" was almost too much for the 6 yo!

The woefully inadequately sized bottle of bubble juice was poured in the "hurricane" and the switched was switched.

It was awesome! Yes, it made a gazillion bubbles!

At one point the 6 yo said the whole yard was full of bubbles!

She was right!

10 Truths

brush by Kim Klassen

I am taking Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers online class and it is actually beyond layers. It's not just about photography, it is about so much more. Part of it is getting to know yourself through various exercises like 6 word sentences and sharing "your story".  She shares stories of inspiration and encouragement. She offers ways to express yourself and take care of yourself and achieve your dreams.

I've been remiss in the 6 word sentence and story sharing because it does require some time to condense my thoughts down to 6 words and as far as my life story? how much time do you have!

Anyway, this week she challenges us to share 10 truths about ourselves. Here goes:

1. I am married to my HS sweetheart and feel truly blessed that we celebrated our 35th anniversary last fall

2. I love ice cream but only in winter and only vanilla (with Hersheys chocolate syrup) and only Blue Bell. I could seriously eat the whole 1/2 gallon by myself. Hence, my freezer holds only Skinny Cows.

3. I am a loner and have only a few friends. I've always been this way.  I like quiet. When I am home alone, I don't turn on the TV or the radio.

4. I hate licorice! H-A-T-E it! And anise! And fennel! bleugh! When I was a child and would put my penny in the gumball machine, if a black one came out I wouldn't even touch it! I just let it drop on the floor!

5. I love to create, I have become adept at many things, once I decide I want to do something there is no stopping me until I master it. (Or at least master it in my own mind!) I taught myself to sew, crochet, macrame, embroider, needlepoint, cross-stitch, knit and cook.

6. I love sunny skies and warm temperatures and hate cold temperatures and snow. I have skied, tubed, sledded, ice-skated, lived in and driven in a snowy and icy climate.  I loved it as a child, not so much as I grew up.

7. I go barefoot all the time and if I must put on shoes it is usually flip-flops.

8. I love to read (know any good books?) and watch reality TV (hello TBL, Survivor, DWTS, Celebrity Apprentice, Storage Wars)

9. I will do anything for my family and have a lot of patience, but I am sensitive and easily hurt.

10. I like iced tea and cold beer.

11. I lost 70 pounds 4 years ago and have been gaining and losing the same 20 pounds (twice!grr!) since then. It's an ongoing battle and I am determined to never give up. I am always reading about different ways to lose weight and have become skeptical about almost all of them.

12. I like bright colors. When I was a child living in San Antonio, Texas, there was a yearly celebration in May called Fiesta (still happens) My dad worked downtown and took me to his building where I could sit in a corner window and watch the parade. I loved the dresses on the Mexican dancers. They would twirl in them and they were so pretty and very brightly colored. I wanted all my dresses to look like that! still do!




Okay, that's 12. Sorry. Pretty random and boring stuff. I'm sure there are many more lists just waiting to come out! Stay tuned (or not!)

Your turn!

xo

white

textures by Kim Klassen

These lilies were sent for the funeral of my mother-in-law last fall. They were beautiful and lasted quite a long time after the service.  

My mother-in-law wold have loved them.

They took up residence in our house after their time at the service. I enjoyed their beauty and was surprised at their scent. I never knew lilies has such a lovely scent.

This picture is liked up with Kim Klassen Cafe Texture Tuesday where this weeks theme is white.

1 layer of scripted edges at screen

1 layer of happy heart at soft light

pop over and see some of the lovely creations!

xo

The Blustery Day

A soak in a hot bubble bath was just what I needed.  Lemme splain.

Friday was my day off. My SIL had Friday off because he had to work on Monday so he kept the girls which meant I had a day off.

I love my job, my boss is terrific, but I do like having a day off during the week.

My morning walk was going to happen after sunrise and my camera was going to accompany me. I checked my weather app as I always do. Thursday we had temperatures in the upper 80's so I hoped we would get a repeat. The weather app said it was 49 degrees outside. That is warm enough to go out without a jacket so that is what I did.

OMG. That was a big mistake! I neglected to notice that the wind was blowing and coming in from the north! The wind chill must have been about 0! Well, maybe not 0 but it was definitely cool enough for a jacket.

But I convinced myself I would warm up as I got going. Didn't happen,

The wind hampered my attempt at a shot of a beautiful Idon'tknowwhatitis.  The buds looked like peppermints and they were open now and so pretty but the wind was blowing them everywhere so that's a shot for another day.

I did manage to get a shot of a bird tree. There were several trees that were just loaded with birds.

Is spring springing in your neck of the woods?

xo,

Focusing on February

Today I'm focusing on the thing about February at Focusing on Life.

Stop by and see what it is!

xo