HELLO EVERY ONE OUT THERE. I WANT TO WISH YOU A VERY PEACEFUL NEW YEAR. I WISH FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE A BLESSED 2009!!!!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND SWEET COMMENTS THIS PAST YEAR. I LOVE MY BLOG AND ALL MY FRIENDS, SINCE I HAVE FOUND BLOGGING I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO MY LIFE. SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING ME IN TO YOUR HUGE FAMILY. GOD BLESS.
HUGS;
ALAURA
Good evening to all my dear friends. Today was a very pretty day the sun was out and the wind was not too bad and the temp. was in the high 30s. So my Sweet Sister and my Baby Girl Heather, and her son and I went to the Mall to just walk and browse. So many sales going on. We had a very enjoyable time together. I should have remembered to take my camera with me. darn it..... oh well I will try to remember next time. Tomorrow I am going to take down my Christmas tree, some times I feel sad to take it down. but I do need to start painting again, and the tree is in my way. I have found a different Sage Green that I am painting on my upper walls. My sister is painting her bedroom that color, and I just fell in love with it. So I am going to use it for my family room. Now hubby does not know about the color change, I have two walls to repaint so that is not too bad. I will take before and after photos so you can see the difference. So please don't tell hubby ok it will be our little secret ok... shhhhh lol So now I will show you some Christmas photos just a few...
Here are my four sweet and pretty grand daughters oh and their new puppy brownie she is so cute. This was taken on Christmas Eve.
Such excitement when Mamaw says who wants to open up gifts.. Haylee did a dance for us how cute is that...
Family photo with our girls oh and Hubby. he he I love this one too. Poor Caileigh you can hardly see her in back.
Isobella try to figure out what is in her stocking. She was not too sure of it at first. It was like she was scared of it.
I don't think it bothered Gracie Bell too much. She just stuck her nose in it and found her treats. lol. They had fun digging in them.
This is my youngest grandchild Madison and her daddy. She is getting so big and walking all over now.
Zachary is Mamaws boy love his blue eyes. He is the older brother of Madison, they look so much a like they could be twins.
I hope you enjoyed looking at some family fun photos. I will be posting some others to share. I want to thank you all for the kind comments. My dear friends you are all the best ever. I love how every one is there of each other no matter the problem and that is so special. So again Thank You all. I hope and Pray that each and every one of you have a safe and happy New Year. God Bless;
Hugs;
Alaura
Good morning to all my dear sweet friends. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. How was your weather??? Ours was just awful, we had such high wind gusts. I was a little scared. Ti howled out all day and night. Yesterday when I got up I let out my babies and saw my wicker love seat tipped over. I was hoping it did not smash the glass table top. I was so relieved that it did not. I must make room in the shed for it before it gets any more bad weather. Hubby and I did venture out a bit on Saturday morning to get a few things for our New Years Party. We like to stay home where it is safe and warm.
Our family Christmas went so wonderful and great. Every one loved what they received from Santa Mom and Dad. lol; But I really must share what my Lovely Children gave to me and Hubby, it was such a sweet gift I was crying again. lol So I will show you now.
Ok not don't be scared it is just me with my big mouth open. lol After I saw what was in side, that is Regan helping out Mamaw Goddess, {that is what my grandkids call me I did not teach them that, our Late daughter April did, it is a long story I will share with you some day} anywhooooo she loves to help.
It is family portrait of them, I was so excited and touched that they would come together for such a beautiful gift. Heather is holding some Purple flowers, they represent April who is no longer with us, she Loved purple. I have been missing her alot this year, so this photo sure did help out.
Hubby's was a 5x7 black and white one for his desk at work, he just loved it, he even had some tears. I know it is hard to see the photo, but just click on the photo for a closer look, Baby Girl was taking the pictures and did not know how to use the close up.
By the way it is with my New Camera!!! I just love it, it takes the best photos ever. So now I can take more photos to share. We found it at Best Buy for 1o9.00. it was 189.98 so I think we got a great deal on it don't you..... We used the gift card that hubbys bosses gave him as a gift, so we used it to get a camera we only hd to use 10.00 of our own money. Pretty kool huh....
I have lots more to share with you, but will wait till tomorrow. I won't show them all don't want to bore you. lol I will only show the best of the best...... Well I hope you all enjoyed my Christmas gift photos as much as I did receiving them .
I want to Thank You all for the all the kind and sweet comments you left me, I have never had so many comments before, I was so excited when I saw how many had stopped by. What a great feeling I get when so many pay me a visit and leave comments, it makes me feel so Welcome and loved in the Blog World. I thank you for that...... So here's to you and my the Lord Bless you and your family..... God Bless;
Hugs;
Alaura
Well here it is Pink Saturday, I am happy to be back participating in all the pretty Pinkness. I love it when Saturday rolls around, I get my coffee and laptop sit on my comfy sofa and just look at all the pretty Pinkness out there in blog land. I have seen so my beautiful treasures that my blog friends are sharing.
Well what I am posting on is my two Pillow Shams, I finally finished them,,, yeaaaaaaaaa!!!!! they turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. lol.
Now normally you are to use a red for this some of you might know it as Red Work, well I love Red Work but I decided to use a pink and brown. I think the colors are very nice together. On one sham is a Rose pattern, and the other is Daisy pattern. I wanted them to have a subtle difference but share the same color and theme such as flowers, does that make sense.....
Close up of the Rose's
And a close up of the daisy's. Daisy's are my very very favorite flower. I have lots of other flowers that I like, but these I really really love.... To quote Sheila; can you love a daisy......... why yes you can..... lol;
And for my last Pretty Pink I have this very pretty Pink tea cup and saucer. The flowers sort of look like Poinsettia flower. So it is so perfect for Christmas I had some tea in it on Christmas Eve, it was so nice, hubby made a fire and all was cozy. ahhhhhhhh. oh sorry I sort of went off the track here,,,,, lol I am back now. Oh yes and the tea cup an saucer photo..... hang on. 
The saucer is just a pretty as the cup don't you think this is a very sweet tea cup..... I do.............. can you love a tea cup??????? hmmmm lets ask Sheila, so what do you think,,,,, can you???
Why of course you can... lol well I hope you all enjoyed my Pretty Pinkness. I have lots of great Christmas photos to share with all of my dear friends, but I will post them like a to be continued. So please keep stopping in so you can take a peek at my lovely and silly family.
I want to thank you all for stopping by to read about my life and family from day to day, the projects I am working on and things like that. It truly means the world to me, and when you leave a sweet comment that is the Cherry on top.... So thank you all and I hope each and every one of my Dear Friends a Blessed New Year.
God Bless;
Hugs;
Alaura
Good Afternoon and a Merry Christmas to all. Well this morning Hubby and I went out to do our last bit of Christmas shopping. My goodness the stores sure were busy, I wonder why.... hmmmm.. lol So at my house we are ready for Christmas day..... I think {wink} :] So today I am going to be wrapping and stuffing stockings. I am so happy that I am all done. In past years we have been known to be shopping on Christmas Eve. So we are a head of the game for once. I hope we stay that way. lol Now on my hubbys side of the family we are not having our Christmas until Jan. 3. She has so many of us that no one house could hold us all, so we all chip in and rent a space to have it, we have been doing this for quite a few yrs. now it has a kitchen large area for tables and for the kids to run and play. It works our just grand. So I have some time to get all those after Christmas sales for then. I am trying to make most of the gifts, I am doing pretty good with getting them done. I finished the Shams and Neck roll for my Daughter Chas, I have take photos of them but I can't show you all until after she gets them, she reads my blog. I love how they turned out. I hope you all like them.
Ok now on to my swap box.
My partner was Debra for hop hop jingle boo, don't you just love the name of the blog.... I love her blog she has some really amazing homemade pretties. So stop by and pay her a visit if you have not yet, you will love it. And way I just love all the pretties she sent me. She did a amazing job on making them and carefully wrapping them. Ok now for some photos.
This is what I saw when I opened the box and unwrapped one package, It is a altered art note book, I am going to use it for my new address book,, she did a great job making it, it is still wrapped in the cellophane.
Now when I opened this,,, well ladies let just say it took my breath away. The beautiful sparkly star it is of good size . I just had to hang it on the top under my Angle, it looks so pretty up there.
Debra also sent me a vintage Santa Post card standing in the back he is so cute don't you think...... And she printed out some very cute and sweet vintage clip art, I just love them, I am going to use some for scrapbooking and maybe some cards..
This is a close up of the Star hanging on my Christmas Tree, she looks so lovely up there watching over every thing. So I hope you all enjoyed my Swap Box goodies from Debra. I am have had such a wonderful time being apart of the two Christmas Swap's and meeting two new friends. So thank you for stopping and taking time out of you very busy day to visit me. You have no idea how much it means to me.. and it means alot.
I want to thank you all so very much for you very sweet and kind comments. Each and every one of you who visit from time to time I really do think of you as my family and friends.
My Christmas Prayer is for each of you and your family's to have a very safe. warm. and a Loving time with you family and friends this Christmas season. My the Lord watch over you all and Bless you... For that is my Prayer for you all.....
Now this is going to be my last post for I need to take time now for my family and friends during this time. I will be back to posting and reading all you lovely blogs and posts. See you next year dear friends. God Bless.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs;
Alaura ho ho ho
I am very sorry for the huge mistake I made by posting your last names. I am so new at this that I really did not know not to do that, just now my hubby really let me have it, telling me what I NEVER put in my blog. I feel really bad and hope I have not upset any of you very much, it was a honest mistake that I will not let happen again. I hope I am not kicked out of the family of blog land...... :{ And that I did not see the wrong I did until now, I have removed them, I was not able to get on line until now, I know that is no excuse by any means what so ever.
So again I am so sorry for the huge oops and I hope you all can forgive me.... God Bless;
Hugs;
Alaura
Well today is the day we all show our Christmas Cards and little goodies that were inside. The Swap was hosted by Jan, from Jan and Toms Place. I want to thank you Jan for hosting such a wonderful swap. I had a great time with this one. One of the traditions I love to keep for Christmas is sending out Cards. I try to get them out early in the month so everyone gets them on time. So when Jan did a post about the swap, I jumped right in, it gave me more of a opportunity to meet new blog friends and share in the Christmas joy. I had list of 10 that I was to send out.
So here are the dear friends I was lucky enough to send cards to them, and in turn receive one from them.
Angela; from shopannies
Shelia; from notesongs
Laura; from ourscentedcottage
Ceekay; from thinkinofhome
Barbara; from cinnamongirl93
Negan; fromwanderingdc
Kathy; from mimisgarden
Joy; from joytotheblog
Sheila; from the quintessentialmagpie
Jan; from janandtoms place
I suppose I could have done a better job at showing all my beautiful Christmas Cards. So I hope you can see the one some of you have sent me. I took a photo of the great little gifts that were inside.
I just love all the pretties I found in side the cards, not the Joy to the World in the back was not in the swap, I won that in a drawing, but I could not help my self it is just to Christmas looking. So sorry about that. lol
I added more Cards to the wall, some are form family and some are for other blog friends. I want to thank each of you for sending such beautiful cards and the small gift. I just love being in Swaps, they are great fun and getting to meet new ladies and new blogs to visit, I have so many to visit and read it takes me two or three days to get to every one. lol And I do make it to them and leave a comment, I keep finding more too, through others blogs and who they visit. My list is getting pretty long. lol How do you do it, so no one feels left out all the time, I hate to do that and make some one feel like I don't care to visit, so if any of you have any suggestions please pass them on........ I hope you all enjoyed looking at all my lovely Christmas Cards. Stop by Jan and see more Christmas Card Swap photos. Have a great weekend every one. God Bless
Hugs;
Alaura
Good morning every one, so this is what we woke up to today. This was taken from my bedroom window. It started about 2 am and it is still going on. Later we are getting some snow, and then more of this. So hubby and I are hunkered down keeping warm, hoping our electricity does not go out. So is any one out there getting some wonderful winter weather???
Now this is out my front window, my poor little Weeping Pea tree, and my little angle sitting on a silver ball. She is doing well though she is a tuff little angle, won't leave her post. lol; All the schools are closed so I am sure my grand kids are just having a ball in the snow and ice. Wish I had some ice skates, hmmmmm maybe not. well if I had lots of body armor I just might take a go at it... lol
Do you think I waited to long to store my out door furnisher??? Good thing every thing is made of out side, the wicker is not the real wicker it is more durable. But just the same I need to clean it off and get in my garage . OK now I have some Christmas photos to share, I did just a few more decorating, not allot just a touch.
This is in the living room.
I just hung up some green garland with a pretty red bow on each end, the other bookshelf looks just like this one. I think it turned out pretty, do you.......
AWWWW my Santa on top of our TV Armoire, can you see his little beady black eyes,, my flash really washed out his sweet little face. lol;
The top of my China Cabinet in the dinning room. I am sorry that it is dark, but when I used my flash settings it just did not work to good, that's what you get when you buy really cheap.... But I do like the lights, in the crystal vase you can barely see it have two very heavy Red glass balls. I bought them at Cracker Barrel.
And my sweet snow man, I made him a long time ago at a class I took at Hobby Lobby, I talked my Sweet Sister into going with me, so she has one too, on she did hers in a really pretty red and gold. I like doing the ice blue and white. We used the round boxes and glued them to each other and used a thick texture snow mix and then painted him we had a great time that day.
I had to show off my gift wrapping skills, lol I offered to wrap the gifts my Sister bought for her hubby.
I found most of the decorations at Dollar Tree, love that store. I used some green and gold glass ornaments, with green ribbon with a gold wire edge. Some silk poinsettias with a bit of gold and sparkle on them, some evergreen tips. Then last but not least I used some vintage Christmas tags, that were made by Kathy from Country Chintz , we did a Scrapbook trading card swap, and she sent me the most amazing tags, I will have to take some photos to show you all. Stop by her blog and take a look at what she can do with bits of paper and glue, just amazing.
Last one I promise just a close up of the bow and other pretties.
Well I hope you all enjoyed my Photos, I still have to get my bum in my sewing room to do some sewing. But first I am watching a movie Christmas with the Cranks. I just love that movie so funny. I also have my big bowl of popcorn so I am ready to do some blog visiting, then off to sewing when the movie is done.
I really want to give my sincere Thank You for all the Sweet and Thoughtful , inspiring words. It has been a tough Dec. for me and you all have made it so much easier with all your Prayers and Love. I have the most wonderful friends in blog world, that I think of as extended Family. I hope and pray that every one has a Beautiful and joyous Christmas...... God Bless;
Hugs;
Alaura
Today is my Mom's birthday, in the photo above she is 16 yrs old. She has been gone from us for 19 yrs now, this is not a good week for me I have been in a not so jolly mood. Just two days after her 57 th birthday she passed away at home. It was just a few days before Christmas that she was laid to rest. I have been missing her a lot this year as well as my Daddy.
Mom was a firm one, she laid down the law. When she said something that was it. But she did have a great Loving heart. She raised 5 kids three boys and two girls, poor Mom we were not the best most times. But she handled it pretty well. She worked of years at the Hospital as a CNA. Then she was a EMT she loved that except for how fast the EMS had to go, she said that it was a scary ride. She did not believe in babysitters, she always said that no one else was going to raise her kids, so she always worked shifts so she could be home for us. We always had a hot breakfast before school, and a great dinner when we came home. I have so many stories of her that it would be a very long post, so I will just use a few.
When Mom would work on weekends Daddy was to keep and eye on us, right, well he would take us out to his brothers farm and we would spend the whole day there, then he took us home before she did. Mom did not know about this for years, and when she did well lets just say that Daddy was in the dog house.. I had no idea she never new we went out there every weekend. smile .....
In our family we have a on going joke, that when we would have family picnics some one always for got the bake beans. So you all understand every time we would go on a picnic Mom would always for get the bake beans, and she would yell stop!!! I Forgot The Bake Beans... not sure why it was always the bake beans, hmmm. I remember the day she got her first sewing machine, she was so excited, she would sew clothes and pillows. And boy could she knit she knitted baby sweater sets for her grandkids they were just beautiful. One Christmas she had really wanted a Motorcycle she loved to ride them, so Daddy bought her one, he was going to bring it in the house and set it by the tree, well guess who told her what she was getting....... yep it was me,,, I gave her a clue that she new what it was, boy was I in trouble that Christmas.
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Mom is holding Jason my brother's son with my sisters son Chad in the background. This was taken at my former husbands home, so many years ago.
Now this one is of Mom with my son Dustin he did not like his photo taken, and still dose not like it. So Mom chased him until she caught him. I love this one.. She so loved all of her grand children, and she had many... But she did not get to see her first great grand child, my niece Jenny was pregnant with her first born Brittany who was born in March. She was almost finished with the sweater set for her when she passed, my sister found some one who could finish it for Jenny so she could bring Brit home in it. It was a very special time for us all and a sad one. Christmas was a favorite time for Mom she would really get into it. In the stores she would shop and sing Christmas Carols lol poor Daddy he would just walk away. ha ha She had the huge glass Brandee Snifter to put hard Christmas Candy in never missed a Christmas where there was none I think that is the only time she would let us have candy. During Halloween she would go though our bags when we were asleep and take out all the gum we did not get to chew gum, and Dad would eat our popcorn balls, so we finally got smart and would eat them before we got home. lol
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This photo was taken at Jennys wedding, Mom is with Jenny's Dad.She was so happy to see her first grand child get married.
There were times that I did not get along with her, but we had times where we were great friends. She loved to fish, so hubby would take her fishing some times they would be out all night fishing for Walleye, which she caught quite a few. Mom's very first Brown Trout we had it mounted for her, and hubby still has it in his room. My Mom loved being out side she would have a large garden and would can and freeze veggies. She loved flowers too, always making sure she had some planted for summer.
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So HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM we miss you so much and love you lots. I do have peace that she is with our Lord and all the family who have passed since, It gives me great comfort. I hope I did not bring any one down with my post, that was not what I meant to do, I wanted to share some of my memories of her.
I want to Thank you all for your kind and sweet comments and taking the time to visit. I hope you all keep stopping by from time to time, and let me know you were here... God Bless
Hugs;
Alaura
Good Evening to all my Dear Friends. I have had so much fun in the two Christmas Swaps, the first one was hosted my Heidi of Foxgloves , fabric and folly. She also hosted the Halloween swap. She did such a Great job on them. I have met some new friends and their blogs, to me that is the most exciting thing about being apart of Swaps, meeting new friends and getting to know them.
My partner in the Vintage Christmas Swap was Donna from Party Wishes. If you have not been to visit her blog, I hope that you take the time to do so. She a very sweet and generous Lady. I was so excited when I saw my box sitting out side my front door, I bought it in and set it on my kitchen counter, I just looked at it for a bit, like a silly girl.... ......... :] Well when I came back from where ever I went,,,,,, I grabbed my big knife and ripped the box top, I was very careful not to hit some the very wonderful treasures that await me inside.
After I opened the box, I set it under my Christmas Tree to see what was in side. Donna took such care in wrapping everything and then put shredded paper all around so nothing was broken, how sweet of her. Now it took me a bit to get though all the paper, but when I found my first gift it was so great..
I am sorry that the photos are dark, my camera does not take very good photos. She had made me this very wonderful and beautiful Stocking, the colors match my tree ornaments, how cool is that. I love the big pink Rose on a Red background with a wide strip of light green around the top, it is a well made and heavy one, I hope hubby can find some goodies to put inside.......
I love this teacup set, you can't really tell, but the colors are red and gold green it looks like a Christmas teacup and saucer, I have had some wonderful tea in this sweet little teacup.
The saucer is so pretty I hate to cover it with the cup... lol; Donna has great taste.....
Donna also had a cute Snowman with a red hat and mittens she is very elegant.
What a sweet face....
A sparkly silver Snowflake. I hung it on my tree and the lights really make it sparkle. I love it!.
Again sorry for the poor photos, take my word for it, it looks so pretty on my tree. I really love the sparkly shinny ornaments.
She also put in some very yummy coffee and Chocolate, hubby and I really enjoyed the Peppermint coffee over the weekend. As for the candy I have not been able to take apart the beautifully wrapped chocolate. Some day I will..
So there you have it, I want to Thank you Donna for the time and thoughtfulness that went into this. I am so grateful and blessed to have been apart of the Swap and to have met a very lovely new friend, we have emailed each other a couple of times and Donna is such a kind and thoughtful person I love reading her blog she has great decorating ideas and her family is so sweet. I hope you all enjoyed my post and taking a look at my goodies.
Thank you all for taking time to visit me and leave sweet comments. I so enjoy reading them all. You are so great, I hope you all have a great week. God Bless;
Hugs;
Alaura
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