21st Birthday

Well, my little darling turned 21.  What a milestone!  I drove to her college town so that I could be the designated driver.  Hard to imagine that my baby is now legal to drink and a myriad of other things.  Well, it was pretty tame and I am just thankful that she was tolerant of me tagging along for her safety.

College kids today are so much smarter than my friends and I were at that age.  The take cabs, they look for designated drivers, they stay home.  I am thankful that they are not willing to risk their lives or the lives of others. 

Notre Dame

Tim's godparents, Sam and Laurie got us tickets to the Notre Dame-BYU game this past weekend.  What a thrill, Tim is a lifetime Notre Dame fan, so Tim, Megan and I flew to Chicago and then drove to South Bend.

An experience that none of us will forget.  Just walking across the campus was a thrill and entering the stadium nearly took my breath away.  I cannot describe the feeling....like I had imagined only infinitely better.  The game was great!  The Irish won 17-14.  After the game, I was heading for the exit and Tim grabbed my hand and asked me why I was in such a hurry.  "Enjoy the moment, Mom!  Take it all in."  He was so right, I just stood in awe!

Sunday we toured the campus.  The Basilica, the Golden Dome, the Grotto were awe inspiring.  I have always admired those places but to actually see them....what a thrill!

Thank you, Sam and Laurie.  One weekend and a lifetime of memories!

Go Irish!

The 5 of us after the game

Tim and Lou Holtz

The Grotto

The Golden Dome

Coaching Volleyball

Coaching kids is one of the great joys of my life and I have been coaching volleyball again this year.  I only have 6 girls but they are so much fun....well, at least most of the time!  I coach the C team which is predominately freshman.  We practice each night after I get home from work for an hour and a half. 

 The good news is that I never have to substitute.  The bad news is practicing with 6 is not easy!  They are having a great season.  I love these girls! 

After a tournament!

Outdoor Shower

I love my outdoor shower, especially during the dog days of August..  When I work outdoors and am hot, sweaty and tired, I am grateful for the cool water.  It is a great way to rinse off and cool off before bed!  Amazing how much more restfully I sleep.

Girls Weekend

Last weekend, two of my sisters, my mother, my daughter and my nieces spent the weekend together in Sun Valley, ID.  Unfortunately, one of my sisters and my daughter-in-law were unable to be with us so we were a couple short but the rest of us had a great time.

We ate out, ate in, played games, hiked, swam and mostly enjoyed each other!  I love the times when we get together.  While waiting for meas, we often ask questions such as, "what is a goal you want to complete".  It is such a great way to learn about each other.  

Me and Mollie.

I know how lucky I am to be surrounded by such amazing women!

Backyard Containers

I used to spend hours gardening.  The last few years, I have been a total slacker.  This year, I stepped it up and have cleaned up the yard, replanted and just returned to spending time working outside.  I am pleased with the results.  My containers are especially lovely this year!

Whiskey barrel on deck

One of the hanging baskets

Red geraniums are my all time favorite

Herb garden

This is the best part of gardening...my sweet little helper boy!  Gabriel loves getting in the dirt and especially loves to water.  He tells me regularly that he is going to be a farmer with his Bubba (grandpa) when he grows up.

Independence Day 2012

We had an amazing 4th of July this year.  A couple of my siblings and their families came home, as they usually do.  We have many traditions and this is the one time of the year that our small hometown really celebrates.  It is a great time to reconnect with old friends and to remain thankful for the blessings of living in such a great nation.

We started the morning with the Fun Run/Walk.  Carl ran the 10K.  Gayla ran the 5K.  Jim and I walked the 5K.  

After showering, we headed back to town for the parade.  Gabriel and James loved it and especially loved collecting candy.  Mollie loves hanging with her favorite nephew.  My mom can be spotted enjoying the parade, too.

 We spent the remainder of the day at my parents house.  As our custom, we had fried chicken, beans, chips, salads, fruits, sodas, cookies and homemade ice cream.  Several of my aunts and uncles and their families join us.  We play games and the kids spend much of the time soaking each other.

My parents with their younger grandsons.

We enjoy family fireworks before we drive into town to enjoy the community fireworks display.

What is better than the 4th of July in small town U.S.A.?

Outdoors

Spring in Idaho is so fickle.  One day we have temperatures in the upper 80's and the next the high is in the 50's.  Gardening is difficult at times but definitely worth it during the hot days of August.  

My front door is so plain.  I have seen several examples of cute stacked pots on a variety of sites and decided to create that for some curb appeal.  I chose some blue and red spray paint and then painted polka dots.  I added vinyl decals and house numbers and then gave the whole pot a spray with urethane.

I love the look!

New Craft

I tried a new craft this weekend.  I used three 8 x 10 canvases and covered each with 2 coordinating papers.  I chose a simple phrase and drew and cut from other coordinating papers.  I then covered them with PVA.  I think that they turned out cute for a first attempt but I am not happy with the photo.  I hope Megan likes them!

Sunday Lessons

I have become a huge fan of Cardinal Dolan.  He is spot on!

Cardinal Dolan: God's time is not our time. We prefer the microwave. He prefers the crockpot. The food is usually better.

I need to paint the upstairs and have been contemplating color choices.  Oh my goodness, the options are almost overwhelming.  I found a great blog with great color combinations and paint tips.  Check it out... http://www.favoritepaintcolorsblog.com/

Weekend

I spent another weekend in the Treasure Valley.  I picked Gabe up on Saturday morning.  He and I headed to Krispy Kreme for a late breakfast.  He had never watched the doughnuts being made and he was really enthralled.  We ate our doughnuts and he told me about the events of his life for the last couple of weeks since I last saw him.  We jumped in the car and drive to Caldwell to watch Mollie's softball team.

The day was beautiful and he found a couple of other little boys to play with at the games.  He seemed to enjoy the warm day and playing outside for hours.  

Mollie, Gabe and I went to an early dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then we took Gabe home and Mollie and I went to the movie.  We went to the Hunger Games.  I really had no desire to see the film but I couldn't resist spending the evening with Mols.  I actually liked the movie more than I thought that I would.  Well, like is maybe too strong but it was thought provoking for sure.  Maybe I need to read the books.

Running

I have decided that I am running 5K races with the other members of my family.  I am "old" and usually use that as an excuse when they run and I walk.  I have had it.  I am tired of not keeping up with my siblings.  

I checked out the internet for some advice and found a great site which has a schedule to follow  From Couch to 5K   It is almost like a personal trainer.  I am too cheap or embarrassed to hire a trainer.  Crazy, huh?

This is week 2 for me and I am actually "running" the course.  Last week the weather was cooperative enough to run outside but today no such luck.  I gathered up my courage and headed for the gym and the treadmill.  I have never wanted to run in the gym because I didn't want others to see my pace or the time which I can run.  Actually, that sounds so narcissistic.  No one is paying attention and I know it.  Anyway, I DID it.  I ran/walked for about 45 minutes!  Wahoo!!!  I am still on track. 

Be Mine

These are some Valentine decorations and crafts that I have made this month.  This is the decorated mantle.  I made the banner a year or two ago.  I framed 1st Corinthians 13 Subway Art.

I decorated these wooden hearts on dowels with paper, glitter and ribbons.

 

 

I made two of these pillows, one for Leslie and one for me.  I think that they turned out very cute.  My sewing is definitely getting better.

      

I decorated these two set of I Love U sets with paper, ribbons, glitter and bling.  One of them is for my sister Gina's birthday tomorrow.  I think that they are darling!  

I sewed bunches of little heart pillows and placed them in the tiered basket and looped a strand of red lights throughout.  I love the color in my dining room!  

 

Happy Valentines Day!

Simpson Tournament

The College of Idaho softball team played in its first tournament of the year, the Simpson Tournament in Redding, CA.  I went to California with Glenda and Richard Azevedo because Courtney's team also played.  

Mollie's team played 6 games, won 5 and lost the last game in extra innings.  Courtney's team played 3 games.  We had so much fun.  We took the girls to dinner on Friday night and spent a couple of hours just all hanging out!  I have missed spending time with all of these people!

Different colleges and Mollie and Courtney are wearing the same colors once again!

McCall Winter Carnival

I spent the weekend at Pat and Leslie's cabin in McCall and attended the Winter Carnival for the first time since college.  We got there Friday afternoon and worked around the house.  P & L had bought some new rugs so we moved furniture and laid them.  They were great additions!  Wish I had taken some photos!

In the evening, we drove into to town and watched fireworks over the lake at Greg & Helen's house.  Out on the deck we enjoyed wine and fantastic fireworks in the cold night air.  It was a perfect place to watch.  Afterwords, we ordered pizza and Mollie and her friends arrived.  We spent the remainder of the evening catching up with Mols and getting acquainted with the girls.

Saturday morning, we went to the parade in the middle of town.  The parade was typical small town fun with civics groups, fire departments and kids participating.  The theme was Mardi Gras so the entrants threw lots of beads.  It was too cold for anyone to duplicate New Orleans to receive the beads.  We ate lunch while wandering through the vendors and ran into Mollie, and then Gabe.

The girls went tubing and we went back to the cabin and just hung out.  Jack and Chelsea arrived and headed out to the tubing hill until Jack drove through a road which wasn't plowed and got stuck!  It was a couple of hours before Pat and Jack got the truck dug out.  We fixed dinner and Greg and Helen came over to eat.  It was a splendid evening with old friends!

Sunday we headed home.  What a great, relaxing weekend!

Pillows

I am changing my procrastinating ways and today was a beginning.  I embroidered a couple of pillow tops several years and geez, even bought the backing fabric.  Well, today, I finally finished those babies.  This was no minor feat for me because I don't really know how to sew.  

I never took home economics as a high school student(I was going to be a career woman- why did I need to know how to sew or cook???)  That was great thinking, wasn't it?

I had to watch a YouTube video to be able to thread the sewing machine.....I practiced on some scrap fabric and then got busy!

I am, actually, quite pleased with the results.  Not too bad for first attempts and I am ready to make some more!

Cute little mittens!

I love the little snowflake and house buttons on this one!

 

Tragedy

Eleven years ago today, our lives were forever changed.  Tim, then 16, and Mitch, then 13, left early in the morning to hunt geese on the north side of the canyon their friend, Ryan, 16.

I was braiding Mollie's hair before her basketball game when the phone rang and Chuck (Ryan's dad) was on the other end.  He told me that the boys had been in a car accident and were in the hospital.  He assured me that my boys were walking and talking but added that Ryan wasn't doing as well.  I dropped Mollie off at the gym and asked another dad to coach my team and keep Mollie with him.

I got to the hospital in about 30 minutes and discovered the seriousness of the situation.  Tim's injuries were superficial.  Mitch was to be loaded into an ambulance and taken to Boise because his spleen was torn.  Ryan was air flighted to Boise with severe head trauma.  I rode along in the ambulance praying the entire 100 miles.  Mike made sure Tim and Mollie were supervised and then headed to Boise with our parents.

Several hours after we were at the hospital, Ryan's grandfather told Mike and I that we should come say good bye to Ryan.  His family had decided to remove him from life support and donate his organs.  Ryan died with minutes.  Mike returned home to tell our kids and I stayed with Mitchell at St. Al's.

I have such strong memories.  Eleven years seems like so long ago and yet, merely months ago.  Our families now share an incredible bond.  We have experienced real joy in the years since but there is always the emptiness of our loss.

Tonight we will make our annual trip to the cemetery and release balloons.  As I write this, I am wondering who Ryan would be as a 27 year old man and I am so thankful for the very lives of my sons.

Epiphany

Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, as celebrated in the United States. The Feast is actually January 6, which is the 12th Day of Christmas. What a lovely way to celebrate the peace, love and joy of the Christmas season. Think how wonderful it would be to plan our Christmas parties during the 12 days.

Maybe if Christmas was extended 12 days, the consumerism and secularism might diminish. I am so dismayed that our society reaches a shopping frenzy and the success of the Holy Day is measured by whether or not you received the "perfect" gift. I am saddened that celebrating Christmas ignores the "Reason for the Season". Church seems to be an afterthought, even for many Christians. I pray for a society that returns to worshiping Jesus' nativity.

The Magi traveled to worship even though they were not even of the Jewish faith. They were Wise Men, indeed. 

The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11.

Adoration

Each Thursday night from 10-11 p.m. I go to the chapel at my church for an hour of Adoration.  Catholics believe that during the mass the host becomes the body and blood of Christ and that he is a real presence with us in the Eucharist.  This single belief is what distinguishes us from Protestants.  

I spend the hour reading the Bible or other religious books and praying.  I love the hour and my relationship with Jesus Christ has deepened and become so much more personal since I signed out to serve an hour.  What a privilege to spend an hour devoted to my Lord and Savior.

Resume Workouts

I am wondering why I haven't been to the gym for so long.  I finally hit the Y tonight and already feel so much better.  I have been lamenting a weight gain but haven't done anything to combat the "battle of the bulge."  That is so frustrating to me.  I actually like to workout.  I love the way that I feel when I do workout....I love the energy that I have.  I sleep better and actually even eat less.  I am quietly celebrating my first step towards wearing a size 6 once again!

Weather

Currently, at 10 p.m., it is 37 degrees outside.  It snowed before Thanksgiving and then we have only had a skiff or two.  Winter, where are you?  I need an excuse not to be walking and exercising outside.  I need an excuse to be sitting in a chair reading and drinking tea because it is too frigid to be outside.  I want to ski.  I want to have an excuse to craft inside because it is too cold outside to do anything constructive!  C'mon winter let's get busy here! 

Welcome 2012

Happy New Year.  I plan to continue working through the list that I made last year....101 things to do in 1001 days.

This new light fixture is now hanging in Mollie's room.  2012 will be the year that I spend making a number of improvements and this is the first.  I bought the chandelier @ the Re-Store for $5 and painted it green.  I plan to add some beads and bling.  It looks very cute in her new "grown up" room. 

Pillow

I made this pillow for Leslie as a Christmas gift.  I took it to McCall and gave it her there.  This is really just the "prototype" and I am making another.  I was actually pleased with the way this turned out but I want to make a larger version with a little more bling.  The colors matched her bedding at the cabin perfectly.