Time Management

I usually get up around 6:00 to 6:30 a.m. and go to bed about 9:30 to 10:00 p.m. I have never been a really good time manager apparently, because I struggle getting things done in any given day. My husband teases that I have A.D.D as well as O.C.D. I am a pro at multitasking and can have any number of things in my hand on a mission through the house, depositing, transferring,and accomplishing. I NOTICE what needs done and it will not happen unless I make it happen. I've donated so many things over the years to the "pass it on" shops in the attempt to "de-clutter" my surroundings. I am NOT at all a nick knack person, so it's not like I have a lot of extra objects to just look at but for some reason I can never have enough space... Oh, I forgot to tell you that I am a bit claustrophobic. I really like seeing my floors! ANYWAY, I am getting a new-to-me embroidery machine that belonged to my late sister. I am super excited and yet a bit nervous at the same time. I am giving a pretty penny for this machine and want to make money back to put back into our savings and I am giving myself two years to do it. So this is where as of late, I am even more determined to have a better time management plan so that I can still take the best care of my family and have a small business goal. This a.m after waking, I felt stiff so I forced myself to get in about a twenty or so minute workout, ate breakfast, fixed hubby's lunch, hung and folded the laundry that I didn't get into the dryer until late last night, stripped our bed to wash the linens today, (still needing dried as I write), vacuumed the upstairs two rooms, added the ingredients for the sour dough bread that I set out last night for it to go through the first rising, washed the dishes and thought about my routine and how I'm so tired at night that my blog writing is getting neglected and that I really need to make time in the mornings to check e-mails, blog and work on setting up the online shop. Here it is already 10:30 and I haven't gotten into my sewing room yet. I'm sure it will all work out and after my learning curve on this new machine, I will start with Christmas and then move on to planning for next years agenda. I just wish that I could make more time to connect with others who are making their home businesses work. I will squeeze in some time to seek. Happy Tuesday, Oh and Graceful Acceptance couldn't be more appropriate to my life because I am in constant reminding that everything happens in God's time and I have chosen to accept those things with as much grace as I can.

In Memory of My Mom... for me: My Sister

This was put together by my nieces and I wanted to include it. My sister was the most creative, remarkable, kind, soft spoken, gentle person that I've ever known. At the end of this video are some of her beautiful paintings as well as some quilts that she made. I have many wall quilts and table mats and things that she has given me through the years. They make me so happy to have them. She has taught me so very many neat things about painting and quilting and today, I worked all day in my sewing room just thinking about how patient she was and what an inspiration to me she will always be. God truly Blessed my life having her in it. Enjoy!

Hole in My Heart

It has been a few days and I'm probably still not ready to be posting yet. I had very recently sent a link to my blog to my sister. This was the very first person who I sent a link to. I am usually a very "private" person and wanted a very inspirational and highly respected "close" person to share it with and my sister would have understood where I wanted to take my blog eventually. She passed away Tuesday night. I don't know if she got a chance to view it or what she thought of it. So many things are missed and so many memories to hold tight to. I feel like I've been in a sort of whirl wind. It was only three months ago that she was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic cancer that spread also quickly to her liver. This was someone who barely suffered from a head cold so it was so sudden for our family. There is no one as kind, patient, creative and inspirational as she was to me and all who knew her. I give so much credit to her for any creativity that I possess. What an inspiration she will forever be to me.

Nostalgic Photos

I've changed the header above several times in the past few days. I think I may keep this one at least until I have more time to play with the graphics programs. The photos are my own. I think the old doily and baby shoes against the barn wood and box gives me the feel of the nostalgia that I'm looking to share.

Yesterday morning, I spent the first four hours after and during my coffee-time, baking oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies and a chocolate pudding cake. While the oven was on, I wanted to get as much done to share with family members that I will be seeing this weekend. Even if I wasn't visiting, it always seems a bit of a weekend-time-saver, if I get some of the cooking out of the way ahead of time. The temperatures have been in the mid fifties at night and upper seventies in the daytime, so with that chill in the air, I do get in the mood for sort of "nesting" activities.

Grandkids in Mo. started their first day of school for this term. The year will finish out quickly, I'm sure. Before we know it we will be planning Thanksgiving & Christmas as it seems once school is in session, it all goes so fast.

I'm so anxious to meet some of you who have the same interests. 

New Grandbaby

We've known about our newest Grandbaby since very early into the pregnancy and are very excited about it. We shared a phone call this evening with our daughter in-law and learned of the gender. We now know that we are having a girl! No doubt this baby will be cherished (not using the word "spoiled") as are the first five grandkids. Children are such Blessings and I believe they keep us young. Witnessing them grow and seeing the individuality in each is simply amazing.

I'm looking forward to the up-coming farm life activities. The honey is needing to be extracted and there's tomatoes that are ripening quickly. I will be appreciating the work-up in the kitchen and am always very pleased when the larder gets stocked. The price of groceries lately have been strangely astronomical and there's very little said about why. Although we know the obvious reasons, it just seems a bit unusual when in one segment of the newscast we listen to, the report is on starving kids in the community having to rely solely on food banks and the free school lunches and the next segment is about profits. I'd be interested in hearing one about the waste that goes unmentioned.

 Continue to pray for those less fortunate!

Still Winter

Our measure of this "snow emergency" is 9.5". Hubby got the day off and spent about an hour blading out our driveway. I took the dog and the camera out for picture taking but it was difficult to get my camera to cooperate with gloves on and those little tiny buttons. It was really more fun just playing with the dog. He absolutely loves the snow.

I built a blueberry/strawberry mix cheesecake pie this morning and it turned out scrumptious. I had some crust leftover so I chopped up two apples and made a miniature fritter sort of thing with it. I love being snowed in. I tend to get creative and my survival mode sort of kicks in. I find and use up every little left-over and turn them into any little treat I can think of. My Mom taught me that.

There were ten of us kids and Mom would stretch the smallest amount of ingredients to make some elaborate and very satisfying meal with absolutely no complaints from any of us. I love what I've learned from my Mom as well as from her Mother, my Grandmother.

I also planted some heirloom tomato seeds and some lavender seed this morning. I have one of those portable four shelf miniature greenhouse units. It comes in handy this time of year for starting my seeds. I get rather anxious this time of year and the smell of soil gives me an awesome burst of energy. I use to raise worms and loved the smell they kicked up. I don't have the room for them anymore so I  let them all go and make their happy homes in my flower gardens.

Here is a photo of two of our little ladies who obviously aren't fond of this weather. The other is of ironweed. If those little garden fairies are still around this time of the year, I'd like to think these little snowcones are a treat for them.

Gift Show

It is January 27, 2013 ALREADY. Time sure flies when your having fun!!
The Holiday Gift Show has long since come and gone. I did manage to fill a booth and enjoyed being back in the excitement of sales. (Compliments were awesome, too). The couch did get finished. The garden provided an ample amount of produce in spite of the drought. Birthdays, Christmas, a couple weddings, among many other family affairs are all beautiful memories. I can't believe how time seems to just get away from me.

The studio and exercise room that was in the basement that I had previously posted about, has long since been changed again. My beautiful Mother 'n law has been diagnosed with Alzheimer/dementia and will be moving in with us so that we can do our best to give her the care and attention we feel she needs. We have done a complete remodel and turned the whole basement into an apartment for her. It has turned out beautiful with only a few more fine tuned projects left before it is ready for her move. This alone has been quite a project to see through and in doing so, I've re-arranged a lot of household "stuff" in order to make it work. Donation centers are awesome and it doesn't bother me a bit to be rid of excess bulk not needed. Why we brought so much "stuff" home through the years, is bewildering.

My latest project is down-sizing my crafty junk. I've dabbled in too many different art forms and feel the need to pin-point only one (or two) projects. Or at least just one project at a time. My problem is that I like creating things and am like a child when given all the "goodies" to play with. I am now giving tons of stuff away... first to my daughter, and then to whomever wants it. I have been helping hubby with computer generated graphics for his business and have had to focus on learning the software. I love doing it, but I will still always love getting my hands into physical art forms too. In saying that, my craft/guest room will be where I put that must-have treadmill that got moved up to the barn along with my exercise bike and stationary weight machine. There's no room for the stationary, but I can make room for my bike!

Okay, for now I feel that I have somewhat caught back up. I hope all is well out there.

July 17th Already

Wow, where is this month going? I guess when you have wonderful grandkids to spend part of their summer vacation with their grandparents, time isn't so noticed until that vacation is gone. The house always seems so quiet when they leave and I miss them already.

I think that I mentioned the choice that I made about staying home to "work". It has only been about a month and first on the agenda was to get the house back in order and organized. I work SO much more efficiently if I am somewhat organized. I don't like excessive clutter. So my craft area is more on track and I started with simple things while the grands were here... some stockings that can eventually join my inventory for sale. However, I'm anxious to start painting again, so may scoot the fabric items over and start some hand painted ornaments soon.

I got a little side-tracked yesterday by cleaning up the tool area of the basement to make room for that "must have" treadmill that hubby and I had to have three years ago. We have several weight machines and benches as well as a bike down there so, in my household re-organization decided that it needed to be re-located too. Once moved, it will leave more room in hubby's office and library space. That should be the final inside house project before I can get fully engulfed in my "work".

I have started making my gift-giving list for Christmas and wish that I could get them accomplished half as fast as they come into my head. I may become more monetarily rich if I could!

For now, Still Happily Posting!