...following my heart, dreams and Jesus

Funny how you cruise along life and basically life goes along okay even with some of the minor bumps that life offers. I would manage to get over those bumps pretty good and if I fell, I'd just dust the dirt off my knees. Since I last made the previous post, I ran into many hard hurdles! Many of them really hurt me emotionally! Ouch! Without going into details of those hurdles, I have been falling flat on my face and bruising my knees with scrapes of tough changes in life. I have become a care-giver for someone who I love dearly. So frustrating! ...for her So over whelmed! ...for me So full of uncertainties! ...for her ...for me I went back to church last Sunday. It had been too long and it was time to come "home" again. I am reminded that my life matters too and I can "do" this. Slowly, I am regaining myself back. ...for me ...for her Slowly, I am getting back to joy. ...for me ...for her A nudge sent me into the kitchen. No excuses, all...

In the previous post I mentioned that Grandpa and I shared this month celebrating our birthdays. It has been really rough on me, missing him.  In spite of the grief, I still celebrate Grandpa's life for he is an amazing man! You noticed that I use present verb tense regarding Grandpa? I refuse to put him in the past because I am part of him... living! A while back I saw a cake on Pinterest and said to myself "I am going to make THAT cake for Grandpa and I. LOOK! Isn't that divine? Chocolate Christmas Cake I checked out the recipe and decided to do it my way with the short cuts! After all, I wasn't really in the mood to all the extra work. I'd rather enjoy the cake than labor over it. I used these items below for my version! Much easier, don't you think? Also, since this was to be the special birthday cake... all the diets were off! I think that I did a pretty darn good job of this cake! No, I don't think... I KNOW I did! Happ...

February is one of the many months that I enjoy tremendously. There many special occasions within this month. In the years past, My Grandpa and I had fantastic way of celebrating our birthdays. We perfected it (celebrations) to fine art! He and I would begin few days before my day by take me to the local deli store owned by my Great Uncle Ken and get some penny candy. Yes, those existed in my youth! Then we would drag in the rest of the family to celebrate with us. Many birthday wishes before, during and after! Then my day would officially arrive on the 3rd and have the official cake and party. I had many wonderful party and most of them were at my Grandparents' home at the lake. Now, picture this... the location of this home at the lake is located at one of the minor Finger Lakes in New York. This is February, remember! That lake typically freeze every year but do not know about it these days with Mother Nature being temper-mental these...

<~~~ As you can see. I am begging and shamelessly too! Thank You so far, to the contributors! Recap: The Full Story About Dr. Von Threadmore's Travel Fund  (a.k.a. Kyrstledawne) With that note, I would like to share something that would be  totally wonderful for the  coming year. Many of my readers know  that I LOVE to attend the  Palmetto Tatters'  Guild  's Tat Day and  any other Tat Days! I hope to teach a class or two. I also dream of  my daughter  Kyrstledawne  from  Kyrstledawne ~ Fine Lace  Jewelry , to come to  Palmetto's Tat Days held in Toccoa, GA. (Sept  7 & 8, 2012) I have lived here since  2004 and she has yet to  see my home or the "South"! Wouldn't you Tatters also like to  see and meet Krystle too? *gasps* Even Dr. Von Threadmore?  Maybe she.. err they  would teach a class or two at Tat Days?  Wouldn't you like that too? Well, I k...

Why? I am glad you asked! Long ago on the 4th of January, I was exhausted from having 72 hours of HARD labour! I kid you not! Then finally, I became a Mom for the first time. A beautiful girl was born onto me. My life had changed forever on the day of her birth. I fell in love! I held her firmly with my love. Even now, many years later I still have tears of joy. I did not know then what life would be like for me as her Mom. I loved her and taught her my best to love God. I prayed for her back then for her future husband. I prayed for strength and patience for me. I watched that sweet baby girl grow and transformed before my very eyes! I was inadequate and helpless to raise her without God. He sustained me and guided me as this little girl's mother. She, herself has become a wonderful mother with two little girls of her own.  Now I see her as I was so long ago, a young mother of two beautiful girls. There are no words for the amount of pride that I have...

So, Are you ready for the year 2012? Ready or not, it is coming! We do not know what the new year will hold for all of us. We could plan for it and hope that it will go that way?  Do you make resolutions? I used to but gave up doing them, most of them were futile and far reaching. I used to smoke and finally quit but it was never a resolution. It was something that I finally decided that I needed to do for myself, just for me. That was nearly 6 years ago! What will be new for me now? I have made some adjustment in the way I shop for groceries and the way I eat. This is not for a way to lose weight but it will help that in a long run. I am choosing to cut out or cut back on things that are high in carbohydrates, such as white pasta, white sugar, white breads, etc. I am not diagnosis diabetic but if I do not make adjustments now, it is possible. So I have changed with what I pick to buy and eat. It sounds rough to be without those yummy things but I did not look ...

For those who know me, will eventually realize that I am not a Southern originally. My Hubby evens calls me Yankee, affectionately. Funny thing is I do not consider myself a Yankee. It is true that I was born in New York, please note that I did not mention city.  My Hubby is a native Georgian born gentleman. Well, ever since moving to Georgia from Washington (I didn't say D.C.) seven years ago, there is a quote or phrase I hear often and I mean often. "It's the Southern thing". I have learn many differences of the Southern thing and it depends on who you talk to! I ate enough Brunswick Stew to notice that there are different styles and this depends on "where" in the South! Among the locals and Southerners, they even debate about whose stew is the best or better. So, it is the Southern thing. Then you have grits in the South and you can find it on nearly all menus! I like grits my way which is the Northern thing, with butter and maple syrup which I do for...

Yesterday was my Hubby's special day, his birthday!  Sooo, did we do anything special?  Well, we did take care of our errands and contacts. Then got some gasoline for my vehicle. Gas prices... OUCH! Then we went to a restaurant in town, one that we had never tried. I have no idea why we haven't gone there for the whole 7 years of living here! Well, we are pleased to say that Mike's Pizza & Sub was well worth the wait for this realization! Hubby and I ordered the Bistro Burger and fries with sweet tea for Hubby and unsweetened tea for myself. The burger was as big as the plate. Below are some pictures to illustrate that! Mike's Bistro Burger, step by step, sizzling on the grille! Let's get it together! All together now! ...borrowed these photos from Mike Even though I was hungry, I was unable to finish my burger. I ate 1/4th of it and packed up the rest to have at home for the next meal and the next... See, it is big! Bistro Burger is 3/4 ...

My Grandpa   05 February 1919 ~ 05 November 2010 Grandma & Grandpa ...come February, I will dedicate a blog entry to my Grandpa. Right now, it is hard... the void is so deep. For now I will leave this entry with many Irish blessings to honor my Grandpa May the blessings of light be upon you, Light without and light within. And in all your comings and goings, May you ever have a kindly greeting From them you meet on the road.  May you live long, Die happy, And rate a mansion in heaven.  May the hand of a friend always be near you, And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.  May your heart be warm and happy With the lilt of Irish laughter Every day in every way And forever and ever after.  May  brooks  and  trees  and singing hills Join in the chorus too. And every gentle wind that blows Send happiness to you.  May the joys of today Be those of tomorrow. The goblets of life Hold no dregs of sor...

Well, I am thankful, even with a heavy heart. I miss my Mom and wish to be with her, to support her in her time with the hurdles of life.  She is having to face and fight cancer the second time around.  I am truly blessed to be growing up with a great example of a Mother. She is a strong woman with compassion. She loves me through thick and thin. Believe me, I was not an easy child through tough illness and teen years. I only hope that as she watched me through the years, she has become proud of the woman that I have become and is. ...after each post, I will include a scripture verse that comes to my mind and touches my heart. * Deuteronomy 32:3-4 I will proclaim the name of the Lord.     Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect,     and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong,    upright and just is he.