Our Gingerbread Tree

Shane's been spending some time in the kitchen, and things are looking pretty festive!  I thought I'd share one of his creations ~

Turkey Table Runner

I was at my family's annual cookie bake today.  Oh, it was so much fun!  This year I only took my gingersnaps to bake, so that I wouldn't bring many cookies home.  But I loved making just the one kind as I had a lot of time to visit with people that I see all together too little of.  We had games, prizes, and of course, the grand prize. Our grand prize game was to guess the M&M's in the jar, and I guessed 631 - the exact amount!  Now how often does that happen?  I won this beautiful table runner that my sister Linda made:

Don't you wish that you had this on your table?  I always say that Thanksgiving is the forgotten holiday, and I love that day so much.  So it's just lovely to have this decoration!!  If you are wondering about the candle ring, it is the one I made with five sheets of cardstock and the Art Philosophy cartridge.  You can read more about it here.

I love spending time with my family.  In attendance were my mother, two sisters, four nieces, and two beautiful young girls that are dating two of my nephews.  Around mid-morning, a Mary Kay consultant came to pamper us with facials.  It was just marvelous!!  Good company, good food, good cookies, and lots of love make for a great day!

Apples

I don't think I've ever shared with you that a few years ago, I developed an apple allergy.  We love apples in this house, and it's apple picking time right now in Minnesota.  I really miss biting into a sweet tango or honeycrisp.  So this year I was bound and determined to get my apples in!

Something else I may not have told you is that my husband and I started the new Weight Watchers Plus Program in late summer.  We are loving it and so love that WW focuses on superfoods now - those vegetables and fruits that are really healthy for us.  When I looked over the new plan, it made a lot of sense to me, and we love it!  So far so good - Jerry has dropped 28 pounds, and I've lost 23. Wowie!  We've still got a ways to go, but we are feeling better everyday!

Now back to those apples.  I needed to make them in a way that I could eat them, not have an allergic reaction, and still stay within my eating plan.  So I started coring the apple and putting it in the microwave with splenda and cinnamon.  Yummy!!  And no allergies!  Once in awhile I add an eighth of a cup of of kashi granola, and tonight I also added a pear.



I'm finishing it all up with a cup of Starbuck's cinnamon coffee.  Mmmm!!  Now, Shane is at work, Jerry is watching some fights, and I'm about ready to start some crafting.  See you soon with some new artwork!

Remember

I have been busy.  I don't know where time goes, and I don't know how 24 hours can pass so quickly!  I will tell you this, though.  I LOVE being busy, and I love my job!  I am so enormously blessed to be able to call being a Close To My Heart consultant my job. 

• I love teaching.  I am rather shy, but I get to come out of my shell when I teach.  It is truly an honor to share paper crafting with others! 
• I love my team.  I have been blessed with a team that is faith-filled and caring.  Their excitement and enthusiasm about CTMH and life is amazing! 
• I love my customers.  Every time I am privileged to spend time with them, I count myself blessed.  They constantly keep my eyes opened as to why we really scrapbook!
• I love my upline, Karen.  She is amazing, insightful, and full of caring!  Here's a card she sent me for reaching a goal last month.  This is my favorite paper packet, and I was so overjoyed to receive this creative card.  It's just perfect for this post!

• I love my husband.  As we sat down to do the bills last evening (after Jerry had worked a 12-hour shift), I realized again how blessed I am to have a husband that not only supports me, but wants me to be a consultant.  He knows how happy it makes me to play with paper and stamps, to create and to teach!
• I love my Heavenly Father.  There are no words to describe how grateful I am every day that through all the trials and difficulties, He has brought me to place.  What's even more exciting is that I know He's nowhere finished with me yet.  Thanks be to God!

No Artwork, Just a Couple of Yippees!

Well, I am just now sitting down to type you a note so that you can hear about some exciting things in my paper crafting life! I love when I get to share "yippees"!!!

First of all, Paper Crafts e-mailed me last week to tell me that they accepted one of my cards for publication!  WOW!  The card will be going into the Stamp It! Volume 8 edition.  What amazing news!  I've only submitted my work once before, so I was really excited!!  Paper Crafts gives excellent tips for getting published, so give it a go.  You just never know!

My next piece of exciting news is that my work for Memory Works was featured on an online site called Scrap Scene.  I didn't even know that one of my MW friends, Lacey, had submitted it, so imagine my surprise!  It is such a fun place, and I had never even heard of it!  Thank you Lacey and Scrap Scene!!

Now on a work-related note, I was named the employee of the month at our JCPenney store!  What an honor!! 

To top it all off, two of my sisters and one of my nieces are going to a Close To My Heart charity crop with me on Saturday.  I am so looking forward to spending time with them and hearing everything that's going on!

It's been a good February!!  Thanks for letting me share my good news!!

What a Lovely Weekend!

It has been a lovely weekend in our house!  On Saturday, we spent a part of the day at Jerry's mother's house.  We brought up boxes and looked through pictures.  I have been wanting to scrap some of Jerry's little boy years, so I was on a mission!  I found treasure after treasure in those bins of pictures.  I made copies of some of the things and hope to spend another day looking through some more.  Bins of pictures can be daunting, so I am trying to do it piece by piece.

Today was another wonderful day!  My niece and nephews had a surprise 25th anniversary party for my sister and her husband.  Oh was it nice!!  It was so nice to spend time with ALL of my sisters and my mother.  I thought I'd share a couple of pictures from the day.  Look at my sister's beautiful family and see just what 25 years brought them!

These sisters of mine will never know just how much they hold a piece of my heart.  It must have been wonderful for my mother to have all of us together...

I took pictures of each of my sisters and my mom individually with me, so you will see those in layouts in the near future.  Here's a really sweet picture of Jerry and me:

And I have to share this last one.  These are my god-parents.  I just never think to take out my camera when I see them, and I am so glad I did today!  (In the days to come, you'll also see a layout with a picture of me and my god-son.)

Now that I've shared some of my weekend, I wanted to ask you if you are a subsciber to the "Here's the truth..." daily thoughts from the Brave Girls Club.  These are daily inspirations written by Melody Ross (GCD Studios).  I love getting this in my e-mailbox every day!  Go HERE if you want to check it out and sign up.  For me, they seem to say the right thing at just the right time.  I wanted to share one of them with you.  First my thoughts to go along with this one.  I am a goal setter, and I have always liked having "the next step" in mind - whether it was to move on toward a long-term goal, finish something, or just plain start a new goal.  I think we can all agree that this is a good thing in life!  I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so caught up in THE goal  - and sometimes getting discouraged along the way - that I forget to look back and remember what I have done or been through in life.  Well, read for yourself - this is a good reminder.  And I hope you find as much inspiration in this as I did.

Dear Incredible, Beautiful, Courageous Girl,

You have been through a lot...and you always pulled through. You are a champ at pulling through! Sure, there were some things that you may have done differently given the chance, but all in all, you made it through every storm, every fire...and up every mountain.

When is the last time you sat down to REALLLLY think about how far you have come? When is the last time you listed all of the things you have learned, all of the weaknesses you have overcome and all of the times you chose to see the good stuff even though the bad stuff seemed to outweigh it?

Sometimes you just need to tally it all up. We all forget how far we have come and we only focus on how far we still have to go. Imagine having to run a marathon and never knowing how many miles you have run....you would probably feel like it would never end!

You are so much further along that you think you are. You are so much stronger than you think you are. You have done so much more in the world than you think you have. Sit down today and really think about the long path that has brought you to now...and pat yourself on the back a little...you did a great job!!!

And you will continue to do a great job.

Thanks for being so brave. You inspire more people than you will ever know!

What Have You Been Doing on This Fine Day?

I have had the most pleasant of days!  I had a full day off, so I was really happy to just kick back and enjoy the weather.  I am afraid I don't have any artwork to share because it was just too beautiful outside today!  I'll share some of the highlights with you in photos:

(I had to snap several pictures to capture this, but don't you think this one of Sassy is too cute?)

(Look at Miss Chanel!  There is nothing she loves more than being in the boat!)

(Jerry's big catch of the afternoon.  What a great time we had out on the boat!)

And a BIG happy birthday goes out today to my sister, Linda!  You have seen her lovely handiwork on my blog from time to time.  She sure is a treasure, and I love that I am able to call this wonderfully talented and kind person my sister!!

Thoughts on Kindness

I have some artwork in the post below, so please scroll down if you'd like to see it. 

I have been studying the book of Ephesians in the Bible.  This book is filled with so many wonderful words of encouragement.  The verse I am focusing on today is from the 4th chapter. verse 32:

"Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."

There is a lot in that one scripture, isn't there?  One thing that came to mind as I was reading this over and over is the fact that we, even as adults, have to deal with cliques.  Whether it been in the neighborhood, the workplace, at church, even within your family sometimes.  Anyone who knows me well, knows that "clique-e-ness" is one of my least favorite things in life.  There is room for everyone at all times - don't you think?  Division of any kind or leaving people out is not tenderhearted, but rather very sad to me. 

It is so much lovelier in life to be happy and treat each other kindly!

The classes I teach at work are very relaxed and easy-going.  People come to get away for a time and to learn some new techniques.  There should be nothing but loads of happy during those times!  However, inone of my recent classes there was a person talking harshly and angrily towards gay and lesbian people.  I don't know what started this conversation between her and another class member, but I just listened without saying a word.  What I need to tell you here (if you do not know) is that our son is gay.  If you read my blog regularly, you must know how very sad I was after this class. I love this child God has given me.  This is not the first time I have been in a situation where I could not say anything about this.  So coming across this verse the other day in my reading helped me tremendously.  No matter what, I have to be kind, tender-hearted and forgiving.  Thanks be to God for His written word!

Have you ever wondered what happens when are kind to another person.  Do you suppose it makes that person feel so good that they in turn are kind to another?  And then so on and so on.  What a wonderful world this would be if each one of lived thinking that way!

I am by no means a perfectly kind person all of the time, but I am so glad that God works on me regularly.  To find the gems in his Word, and then to apply them in our lives - what an avenue for growth!  I pray many rich blessings upon you, and pray that you are greeted with kindness along your day!

Put on Your....

This is one of my very favorite sayings. You get the idea. Life is what it is, and so you might as well pull up those big bloomers and get on with it. LOL!!

It has been terribly busy at work, and I felt myself needing to say that a couple of times today. Just the thought of pulling up your big girl panties can make even the crazed person smile! We are having a HUGE make and take event at Archiver's this weekend. We all have our "spots to be," and I am teaching the paid make and take. It is a gorgeous mini album, and there are so many fun techniques involved. I was privileged to teach 5 straight classes today - about 30 people or so. I go in again tomorrow for the same thing. It can get a little hectic (especially with paints involved!), but with the help of that saying ringing in my head and my trusty diet mountain dew, I weathered the day just fine!!

Truly, I feel so blessed to teach and help others learn new techniques. That is the bomb! Off to put my feet up so my tootsies are ready for the morning. Can't wait to get back to my own crafting next week!

No Artwork, Just Ramblings

I hope that you are having a fabulous sweet and romantic Valentine's Day!

We got up this morning and went to run a couple of errands. I think it was about noon-ish before we even remembered it was Valentine's Day. What a pair!! That's truly a sign that we're comfortable and have been together so long that every day is like Valentine's Day for us!

We did take in a movie this afternoon - "From Paris With Love." Love John Travolta, but I am also a huge fan of Jonathan Rhys Meyers. It turned out to be a great action movie, so it was a fun afternoon at the theatre.

Both Jerry and I are starting to get cabin fever. Winter has just been long enough here in Minnesota. He is anxious to fish on a lake that isn't frozen, and I am just waiting to spend my time in the backyard. Summer is so short here, we really have to take advantage of it.

In the meantime, I picked up a new Slice Design Card today - Spring. I spent time die-cutting Easter baskets, bunnies, eggs, and jelly beans. So much fun to think of spring right around the corner!! I have been scrapping every day, but almost all of those pages have gone right in my books. I promise I'll share something new soon.

Have a good week!!

Catching Up

I just returned home from work, and I plan to get busy catching up on blogs. Gosh, I can't wait to see what everyone is doing!!

I also want to let you know that you may not see me for about a week after this. I am working every day except Monday all next week. I say this joyfully! I love my job, and I am teaching 4 classes next week - love that, too! Go to Archiver's online to see what they are - Very Valentine, Recipes for Gift Giving, and Shabby Chic. I made the Shabby Chic cards today at work for examples - how much fun is that?!

Did you look at the moon yet tonight? Oh, it's just beautiful! It is said to be called the Wolf Moon as it's the biggest and brightest moon of the year. You know, God's beauty and the way He has so awesomely given us things as simple as the moon never cease to amaze me. When I have pictures of it, I'll share them with you.

Jerry is ice fishing this weekend, so it's peculiar at home. I have the furry kids with me, but I've never been home alone like this. Shane has always been here when Jerry was gone. Last night I got home from work near midnite, and the last time I looked at the clock was 3:22 am. Needless to say, I'm one tired chickie tonight! I think after blog reading, I will fall asleep easily!!

Have a great first week of February!!

Have You Been Sneaking Peeks?

For a couple of days I have been watching different company blogs. WOW! There are some new and amazing products coming up! I was just over at Making Memories, and I am thrilled with the new Slice Design Cards they are coming out with! In case you didn't know, I LOVE my Slice. I think it's own of the best inventions ever, and I use it every time I scrap. First of all, they have a new Hands-Free Slice Kit. No matter holding the Slice in place. There are a host of fun design cards, but I am already in want of Paws & Claws, Bon Appetit, and Family Words and Expressions. Can't wait!!

One of my other "can't waits" (is that a word? If not, I made it one!) is all the new product at Bo Bunny. I love the coordination of their papers and all the matching embellsihments they add to the mix. Check out their blog, and see if you don't agree with me. You'll want the Jazmyne paper for you Easter projects. All those shades of purples and floral! Be sure to look at Mama-Razzi. Woo - what a great line for us picture takers! There are four more new lines, too, and what I really liked this time around is that added so many clear stamps to their papers. Perfect and affordable!

Ok. Can you tell by now that new products are truly my favorite thing in the world? I just could never be a digital scrapper because you just can't touch, feel, and see the richness of the colors.

The other person doign some great things is Tim Holtz. Wait until you see his new stamps in the Stampers Anonymous line! Look at the new machine he introduced with Sizzix that cuts and embosses. You will be astonished!

All rightie, I could go on and on, but I'll quit here. ;) Tell me what you've been finding and are looking forward to. For now, I am going ot continue watching the Vikings. Tied up right now at 14-14, and it's just about half-time. I'd love to see them have a go at Peyton Manning and the Colts at the Super Bowl!

Catching Up

I haven't gone anywhere! I have been so busy getting ready for Christmas! I have also been working almost every day (LOVE that!), so when I am home I have been taking time to get ready for this week's celebrations. I had to share a picture of these gifties that were at work for me when I left last night. What a nice thing to find!! Don't you love it? That treat bag is adorable with the polar bear. TOO MUCH FUN!

I came home on Saturday evening, and I had to take a picture of the German food my husband made for dinner. What a sweetheart!! These are called Oktoberfest Bierocks, and yes, Jerry did make these on his own! The inside mixture consists of Leinie's beer, cabbage, apples, onions, hamburger, vinegar, and some spices. They are surrounded with a bread dough, brushed with egg yol, and there you have it. He did a great job with these, and they are really yummy!! Now, he covered his heritage with this batch. Next time I'd like him to go a little more Finnish and fill the pockets with pasty fillings. That would be good, too!! It is so nice to have a husband that is not afraid of the kitchen!

I work through Wednesday evening, and then Shane is coming here on Christmas Eve and staying through Christmas night. YIPPEE!! I talk to Shane several times a week, but I don't really get to see him too often. I've already gotten his "wants" for Christmas day meals, so I'll be making our traditional quiche for breakfast (I will share my recipe with you later this week - so easy!) and ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner. Creme Brulee will be Christmas dessert. On Christmas Eve, Jerry's cousin always has a gathering, so we'll head over there for a visit.

Well, I have a little time to craft, so off to my desk I go. Especially when busy, I find it very important to do something creative every day. It's what keeps us paper crafters sane!!

I'll be catching up on reading blogs this week, and I can't wait to see what you've all been doing!!

December 1st - My Musings and a Recipe

Well, I for one cannot believe we have reached December 1st! Time just goes so fast!! It's beautiful here in MN today. From what I heard on the weather this am, it may very well be our last near 50-degree day before the cold hits. I'll be outside quite a bit today with the furry kids!

I made a really good chili last night. I found the recipe through my friend, Jeanne. She made this at the retreat I went to a couple weeks ago. The recipe is from Cafe Latte in St. Paul, and I'm going to give it to you as done by Cafe Latte. Afterwards, I'll tell you what I did differently. I wouldn't be a good Slovakian-Finnish woman if I didn't add my own twist!!

Cafe Latte's Chicken Salsa Chili

• 3 T. olive oil
• 1# chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
• 1-1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp. chili pepper flakes
• 1 T. fresh minced garlic
• 2 tsp. minced fresh jalapeno peppers
• 1-1/2 c chicken stock
• 3 T. Chili powder
• 28-oz whole tomatoes, undrained and broken up
• 29-oz. tomato puree
• 2 cans (15 oz each) kidney beans, drained
• 15-oz can hominy, drained
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice

Warm olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Saute chicken until cooked. Add onions and reduce heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until onions are tender. Add all remaining ingredients. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When serving, top with sour cream, additional onion, grated cheese, and tortilla chips.

Good recipe, huh? It's like a mix of taco soup and chili. Jerry could pick out the lime flavor, and said it was the perfect twist. So be sure to add it! Here's what I did a little differently:

• I increased the chili pepper flakes to 1 tablespoon (I think - I don't use measuring spoon).
• Instead of chicken stock, I used vegetable base.
• I decreased the chili powder to 1-1/2 T. Seemed more reasonable.
• I didn't have any tomato puree, so I used a 6-oz can of tomato paste + 15-oz tomato sauce
• I always use cilantro paste by Gourmet Garden. Sometimes fresh herbs go bad quickly, so the pastes are a good option.

If you make it, let me know how your family likes it!!

I'll bet your wondering what I thought of Adam Lambert's American Music Awards performance. I haven't said anything yet because I have become quite reasonable when it comes to rock and roll. (We can thank my son for that!!) Adam is an unusually gifted performer. There are few out there that can cause as much of a stir as he has so quickly. I don't know if there is a grey area with his music. You love him or you hate him - BUT, I would never discount him because of one poorly judged performance. After all, didn't we see MANY good displays on American Idol? I side with Adam on this one. He pushed the envelope, but it wasn't too well received. It made me uncomfortable at certain points, but in the end, it was what it was. That being said, I have watched his Early Show (too bad ABC cancelled him), Letterman, and Ellen performances. You know, I really think he is a genuine person. And who could resist that smile? If you let him, he'll teach you acceptance through his music. Much like Lady Gaga and Pink.

So if you love him, go buy his CD. If you don't like the cover, flip over the insert. But if you like the likes of Queen and good rock & roll, you'll like it. You might not like some of the lyrics here and there, but the end result is a fabulous CD with a bunch of great music. I heard yesterday that it's sold nearly a quarter of a million copies in a week!

I'm off for a walk now. Hope you are having a good day in your neck of the woods!!

Black Friday

I thought I'd share some pictures of our little family from Thanksgiving day. Shane had to serve tables, but he got to stop by ours a lot. What a pleasant way to spend the day! Jerry and I firmly believe that no matter where Shane is on the holiday, we need to adjust to spend it with him. That has brought us to some unusual places! Once we cooked Thanksgiving dinner (the whole deal) and brought it to the hotel where Shane was working. We ended up eating dinner by the pool that year!! Time goes fast, and we are so blessed to be a family. We don't want to take a minute of that for granted.

Jerry and I headed out to the stores today. It really wasn't that bad at all. Kohl's was very, very busy - but they always have such a good sale. Target wasn't bad at all, so all was well. We had a blast shopping for Shane's Christmas gifts!

We put up our tree tomorrow, so then I'll have time to get back to crafting after that. I hope you are all having a great weekend and doign what you love!!

I'm Back! Thought I'd Share a Little Work

I am back from my 4-day retreat at Old Crafty Corner. We had such a great time in such a cozy retreat house! Lots of laughs, talking, and good food. Mostly though, we all got a lot done!! I have always separated my Christmas pictures, so I tackled them this weekend. I managed to get 10 years of Christmas done. When I started only having scraps left from particular paper, I used those to create my Christmas cards. I think I ended up with about 30 cards. Good, productive weekend!

I thought I'd share some of my work with you this morning. I wish I could remember what company makes the paper for this first card. I've had this paper in my stash for awhile, and I just love it. This is a 6x6 card, and I've used both sides of the paper. As you can see, it was a relatively easy card, but I think it will be a nice winter birthday card.





















The second card is made from the CTMH Jingle paper packet (everything is CTMH). I used a template to make the card shape, and this was quite the simple card, too. For the star, I stamped in Creme Brulee first. Then I covered the whole star in Dazzle Versamark ink and clear detail embossing powder. That's why you'll see a shine to the star. Cute card using just a little of this and that.






















If you have a chance to retreat, always try to make the time! You and your scrapbooks will be very happy that you did!! We all get so busy, I know, but this is a great way to make time for yourself and bond with friends along the way!

Off to a Retreat!

I am off to a retreat tomorrow! One of my friends has a retreat house called Old Crafty Corner. There will be five of us scrapping the weekend away. The car's packed, and all I need to do is get some sleep tonight so that I can scrap for 4 days. FUN, FUN, FUN! I won't have any computer access, so I'll check in with you on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Jerry and I had a wonderful time today on a Chocolate, Cheese, and Wine tour. The first stop on our tour was Indian Creek Winery and Grille. There was lots of wine tasting (all made in elsewhere in Wisconsin), and a pleasant lunch with 40 other people from the tour. The highlight of our tour, however, was Chateau St. Croix in St. Croix Valley. Now this was a winery!

It is on a sprawling 55-acre spread complete with a carriage house, stables, and an outdoor patio. It was completely designed as a European estate with a gallery done in 1600's design, a sitting room in 1700's, and a large 1800's hunting lodge style. The owners (who are also the winemakers) are very young, and they have put thought into this winery. While they lived in Germany while he was in the Air Force, they traveled to see many different European vineyards and found it very appealing. They brought their experiences right back to Wisconsin!

One of my favorite experiences was the chocolate and wine pairings. Never did I know that fine chocolates (there was a chocolatier present) wines taste so differently. Smell the bouquet, sip the wine, and a small piece of chocolate. When you sip your wine again, your chocolate covered palate will give you the richness of the wines. Very nice!

The production tour guide was so knowledgable and that made it fun. Maybe I waas endeared to this young man because he said that women should never have to say they're sorry to their husbands because they are the "givers of life." Guess he knew exactly how to say the right thing to make women buy wine - LOL! I watched loads of women walk out of there with cases!

Fun, fun day! This is the second tour we've taken through our school district. They are a great way to let someone else do the planning and drive you to your destination. LOVE it. Off to do a little scrapping while Jerry watches a fight on TV. Hope you've had a great Saturday!

2012

We had a fun date night this afternoon/evening. First we went to a matinee of 2012. Such a great movie! The action started right away and just kept going. Perfect movie for the big screen! (The mix of Whoppers, Diet Mountain Dew, and John Cusack is a good thing!)

Then we did a little shopping for my scrapbook retreat next weekend. I think I am all set with everything I need for the 4-day retreat.

Finally ended at Carbone's for the house pizza - Jerry's favorite!

Perfect movie, perfect food, perfect guy all made for a perfect date!

When the Bird Flies Away...

the nest is left empty.

I've been looking at this nest the past few weeks in one of our maple trees. The finch played out there all spring and summer, so I am quite certain is was left by a kind mama finch.

I've found it to be pretty symbolic because I have really been feeling our own empty nest. Let me start out by saying that I am really proud of Shane for his leap into the world! He is working hard, taking care of responsibilties, and really enjoying his life. This is what a mother wants for her child! My husband and I are blessed to have such a fabulous marriage and have found so many commonalities in life.

Back to the empty nest. I'll try to explain it this way. I loved watching Shane grow through every stage of his life. In the past couple of years, I enjoyed so many conversations with Shane in the morning before he went to work. Even though it was time for him to spread his wings, it left me feeling as if I had been laid off from the most important job I have ever had.

I don't know too many empty nesters. Most of the people I know have more than one child or have grandchildren soon after their children leave. Their houses are still full at the holidays. One day we will have those grandparent days, but not for awhile yet.

It's new and different to me to run our home without thoughts of Shane. Gosh, the grocery bill has gone way down, there are less clothes to wash, and a bathroom that virtually stands empty. It's peculiar to not be concerned about a dinner time or whether Shane needs me to bring home anything from the store.

Yes, this is an adjustment for sure. So there may be children out there that get school supplies (Shane and I loved buying them!) or little gifts in the mail. That is my way of working through this empty nest and feeling like I can still be useful and nuturing. Gosh, can you believe that I sent Shane a box of fruit snacks a couple of weeks ago? He loves them, and in that simple gesture, I felt like I was doing something for him again! What a silly mom.

I hope that nest stays undisturbed all winter in our maple tree. I'd like to see the mama finch come back next year and start all over again!