Just a note to say..........

I am MADLY in love with this man!

I'm still here!!

Were you starting to wonder?? I've fallen behind badly in my blogging!

I hope you had a WONDERFUL Christmas and New Years. I sure did! Josh surprised me with a trip to Florida to be with my family down there for the two weeks surrounding Christmas and New Years, and we had a great time. We spent precious time with family and good friends, did some fishing, enjoyed the warmer weather, and spent more wonderful time with family and friends. :-)

(My very excited little sister on Christmas morning) 

I have some great news!!! My brother Brandon ( the one who has been in Afghanistan) is supposed to be home in 34 days! :-D They are letting him come home for the birth of his first baby. ♥ His wife Amanda is Very thankful, as are Mom and Dad and everyone else. :-) The pregnancy is going well for Amanda. The baby is a girl, and her name will be Ashlynn Madison. Pretty, isn't it? ;-) Please pray for safekeeping for my brother this last month that he will be in Afghanistan, and a healthy end of the pregnancy and birth! It's an exciting time!             

                                     

(Amanda and her daughter, Keylan)

Are you ready for a LOT of pictures?? :-)

 (The Christmas tree on Christmas morning)

 (My brother Brason just a few days out of a body cast that he had to wear for TWO MONTHS after he broke his leg in October!)

 (My brother Boaz)

 (My handsome brother Ben)

 (My sister Bethany passing out presents :-)

 (My sister Brianna)

 (Dad opening his airsoft rifle from Ben)

 (My two littlest sisters, Beri and Providence) 

 (My cutie-pie niece Keylan with her teddy bear from my brother Brandon, which says " Someone in Afghanistan loves me!" ♥

 (My sister-in-law Amanda, and Keylan again :-)

 (My handsome fisherman husband!)

 (Me. Aaaaannd a BEAUTIFUL sunset!)

 (My handsome man ;-)

 (My handsome brother Benny ;-)

 (My beautiful/handsome wonderful amazing parents) ♥

(Us. Not the BEST picture, but it's the only one of both of us from the trip. ;-)

I have TONS more pictures, but I don't feel like uploading anymore. ;-) It's almost 2:00 am and I SHOULD be in bed. 

 We have been getting some snow for the last two days. It's pretty outside! :-D I'll try and get some pictures tomorrow to share with you. :-) Tomorrow I'm also planning on making some soap. Kelp and Lime with a loofah sponge in the bars. I'm hoping it turnes out good! I noticed this evening that my fans have big dust balls on them. :-/ I'll be cleaning those tomorrow too. Fans collect a LOT of dust! 

 Anyway, I will REALLY try to be more consistent with my blogging, so you should be seeing more of me. :-) Bye for now! ♥

Fallapalooza Blog Party Is Officially Started!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited about the Fallapalooza Blog Party going on over at Below the Plateau!!! It's going to be so much fun! It has officially opened for entries today, so be sure to go on over there and enter! See the rules and ways to enter here.

 

 Here are my answers to the interview questions!

Interview Questions:

1. Ring! Ring! You receive a phone call from a national sweepstakes organization saying that you have won a life-time supply of your favorite beverage!! What would that drink be?

 Well, this may be weird, but my favorite drink has always been milk. ;-) 

                    

2. If you could live in a Jane Austen novel, which book would you pick? What character would you be?

 I would have to say Pride & Prejudice. That is my all time favorite Jane Austen novel. :-) I love Lizzy's personality, but I think I'm more like Jane.

                    

3. What is your theme song, that favorite song that absolutely matches you?

 That is a hard one to answer, but it would probably be Every Time I Breathe by Big Daddy Weave.

4. You are trapped on a deserted island. Your only supplies are the clothes you have on, and a box with five things in it. What are those five things?

My Bible,  WOULD MY HUSBAND FIT IN THE BOX?????, a gun, a knife,  matches.   

5. Chocolate or Caramel? 

  DEFINITELY chocolate. :-)

  

6. Vacation! If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

    Oooooo, I'd have a hard time deciding between Ireland, the Caribbean, and horseback riding out west. :-) If I could go horseback riding in Ireland, that would be where I'd go :-) 

7. If forced to do one of the two, which would you do: sky diving or scuba diving? Why? 

 SCUBA DIVING!!!!!! Because I'd much rather swim with sharks than jump out of an airplane.  ;-)   

          

8. Favorite TV show, and why?

  The Andy Griffith show! :-) Because it's clean and really funny!

9. Are you a coffee and donuts sorta lady, or a tea and scones type of gal?

 Coffee and donuts without a doubt!

10.The time machine has finally been created, and you are the first to be able to use it! What era would you travel too?

      The 1700's. I think it would be so cool to see how life was really like back then first hand.

11. What is the last movie you watched? 

      The Fiddler on the Roof.

 

12. Ding-dong!!! Your favorite actor/singer/celebrity is at your front door! Who would it be?

 Mrs. Duggar! She qualifies as a celebrity now right?? :-) I'd love to meet her.

13. What was your absolute favorite toy as a baby? 

 I had some little plastic model horses that I LOVED :-)

14. What types of blogs do your like best? (examples: DIY, cooking, journal, ect.)

        I love blogs with a lot of photography,  but my favorite thing to do is read creative and interesting and uplifting posts.!

15. What is your favorite Bible verse, your "life verse?" Jeremiah 29: 11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, " plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."

Ok, now go on over there and get yourself entered!!! :-)

 

Giveaway!!!!!!

There is a really cool giveaway going on HERE! Go check it out!!

Fallapalooza Blog Party ~ And Fall Is Here In Ohio!!!!

Ok, I'm really excited about the Fallapalooza Blog Party going on at Below the Plateau!!! I just posted about it on my other blog, so instead of re-writing it here, ya'll can just head on over there if you want. Don't miss out on the fun! It's going to be a blast. ;-) The giveaway opens for entries on September 22nd - THAT'S ONLY SEVEN DAYS!!! So yeah, go on over there and find out how to enter. :-)

                                           

Something else I am VERY excited about is that........... FALL IS HERE!!!! The trees aren't really changing yet (although I have seen a few twinges of color!! :-), but the weather has turned cool, the goldenrod is blooming,

the corn fields are turning from green to yellow,

and I am barely resisting the urge to PLAY CHRISTMAS MUSIC!! (Yes I am one of THOSE people)

My sunflowers are almost done blooming.

I LOVE sunflowers ;-)

The ones this color are my favorite. :-)

For those of you who love in warmer places ( I mean YOU you Florida people ) don't be discouraged, the heat will soon give way to beautiful cooler weather, the pumpkins will be out, the grass will no longer need mowed, the leaves will need raked, and before you know it, Christmas songs will be playing on the radio. :-)

And now, for some pictures of my kitchen, which underwent some re-organization last week. I told my dear friend ( you know who you are ;-) that I would post pictures, so here they are:

This is me ( duh) getting ready to tackle the cabinets....

My lovely apron- a gift from my Aunt Polly :-)

My first victim, I was always struggling to get what I needed out of here.

And here it is finished!! I decided to move my pots and pans here because it was much easier access than the one they have been in. :-) I can even get to my pancake griddle now!! Woohoo!

This is where I used to keep my pots and pans... I like this much better :-) Now to make some sort of curtain to cover the opening. :-/

Can you believe ALL of this came out of these TWO cabinets?? I couldn't. :-)

That's much better. Yes.

And here are all the others all cleaned up! :-) I am very pleased with the results!

And now I must go do some laundry and pick up the house. :-) Have a LOVERLY day girls!!!

Amazing Giveaway!!!!

I am VERY excited to announce a wonderful giveaway over at Below the Plateau. It has 5 different giveaways sponsored by Etsy shoppes- including one from MINE!

Go on over, and enter!! It'll be a blast, and all of the giveaway items are awesome!!! Don't forget to check out all of the Etsy shops! ♥

Excellent Quotes

I found these in a little book that I have, and I really liked them so I thought I'd share them with you. :-)

Lincoln is definitely not my favorite president, but I completely agree with this quote from him!