Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to all of you who entered my little giveaway! This has been so much fun, and it's been great meeting a few new people along the way, too!

Oh, and I SO appreciate your comments about the upcoming home school Open House "carnival" that I hope to be hosting...and that you liked the button so far! Really? This was my very first attempt at something like that, and I didn't even have my artistic husband helping me, so I guess I surprised myself!
I am aiming for Tuesday, October 28th, for our kick-off open house, and I'll let you all know the details in next week or so, so stay tuned!

The girls and I are off for a gal's overnight stay with my mom today only have a moment! (For those that don't know, she's 81, and though she doesn't update it often, she has a blog which you can check out in my sidebar!),

But I couldn't leave without annoucing the winner!
So...without further ado...on with the drawing for the Pampered Chef medium scoop!

First, the hat for the drawing...
And all the teeny tiny scrunched papers, representing all of you...
My six year old excitedly did the honors and carefully reached in...

AND...

The battery on my camera died.

Heehee... Sorry, but it really did!

But I won't keep you waiting any longer! You'll just have to take my word for it that she drew... (drum roll please)...

Darlene of Darlene's Days!
She is actually one of the new bloggy friends I just met through this contest! Congratulations, Darlene!

I wish I could send each an every one of you something...so I guess I'll have to have another giveaway very soon!
Thank you again for all who stopped by with 350th post wishes! Now, I'm off to my mom's for the night! Be back to catch up with you when I get back!

Blessings!

Celebrating Marriage...Quietly

Yesterday was our 13th wedding anniversary.

We both wanted a quiet evening at home since we were both fighting colds...
we just celebrated our youngest one's birthday...
we just came back from our road trip with plenty of excitement...
and...
we're old.

Hehe...well, we feel like it anyway this week.

But my sweetheart brought me home these...

And this beautiful card...it didn't photo well for me, but the old-fashioned couple can actually swing back and forth.
I absolutely loved it!



He also surprised me with a gorgeous dress that...well, let's just say it was very flattering.
So much so, that this modest gal will have to do a little altering. Either that, or just wear it for hubby's eyes alone!

As for my gift...

Here's the little poem I made up and slipped inside his card to reveal his present...

"In thirteen years of wedded bliss
The token you once wore
Became mysteriously smaller
(and made your finger sore!)
So as my gift to you this day
That little band of gold
Is being stretched so all will know
It's you I have and hold!"

Meanwhile, as a gift to us, our six year old who has inherited her daddy's artistic abilities, sat at the table with my flowers and drew and colored them for us!
I don't mean to brag...but I think she shows promise!
And it definitely going in a frame...


Besides gifts and cards, our quiet celebration consisted of looking at the wedding album as a family...

And then the girls settled down for Barbie's Swan Lake while my sweetie and I watched "The Lakehouse" upstairs...well, before he fell asleep, that is.

And you know something? The evening was a serenely wonderful anniversary.

Blessings!

Next post- San Diego! (Really...promise!)

"Nammy's" Birthday Weekend

The girls and I just said our good-byes as we watched my mom pull away in her van.
Yes, she not only still drives, but my little 80 year old mom drives a big old van. She says it she likes how her 4'11 self can tower over the freeway. And she just had her license renewed, so if you see her comin' your way, just move over to the slow lane and get out of her way! heehee

Seriously, we had a wonderful time. No big fan fare, no huge throngs of guest nor parades in her honor...but a wonderful visit, nonetheless.
She arrived Saturday around noon, and because the children were at an Awana racing event with their daddy, it gave us a chance to visit quietly for awhile.
Later, she and girls watched movies and read stories...just spent some good old-fashioned "grandma" time.

(At far right, the girl watch as "Nammy" opens her presents.)

Sunday morning, we all went to church together...something that hasn't happened in a long while... and would you believe, that the message was partly about honoring those people who are of age, both men and women, and caring for the widows? Very timely!

Our pastor is fairly young- about 40, if that- with small children, so I found it refreshing that he was focusing on this subject a bit.
Afterwards, even though the congregation is large and service was the middle of three, I decided that my mom's 80th birthday was reason enough to try detaining him a moment and introducing her. Only two other people were ahead of me on this idea, so it worked out well.
At our turn, he didn't disappoint, but came down the steps and spoke to her with such graciousness and the honor she was due.

I think she might have appreciated the meeting more, if she hadn't needed to make a mad dash for the Ladies Room about then...but still.

After church, I had to do another quick clean-up around the house (didn't I just clean the day before?) and then the girls helped me decorate her little home-made cake. As you can see, nothing fancy...just made with lots of love. We only had a few minutes before my sister in law, Molly, stopped by, as well as one of my good friends, Missy, her little girl and a friend, to join us in our festivities.

Hubby has been given opportunities to fix a few cars lately, and earn a bit of needed extra money...so because he was under a deadline, he had to spend most of the weekend in the garage.
But at least he was able to join us for church, and later, gifts and cake. He even managed to pick a few beautiful Camellias for her!



The rest of the day was filled with simple pleasures. She and the girls decided to all finger paint together! My mom rarely gets the chance to smoosh her hands aroundf paints these days, so she was enjoying this childhood joy all over again.
The paintings pictured here are the two that she painted. She declared, with a laugh, "I'm no Grandma Moses"...but I think these are treasures, don't you think?

(My mom and daughters painting away...)




And at some point during the day, my oldest was even able to convince her arthritic "Nammy" to try playing Nintendo with her! Apparently, she was not too tuckered out from all the celebrating, and seemed to be actually enjoying herself.

Nammy zoomin' around the virtual tracks

I guess maybe something comes over you on your 80th birthday...maybe you go from feeling like maybe you're too old... to feeling like you just want to jump into life while you still have that kick!

The weekend seemed to fly by for all of us. And because it wasn't going to be a huge celebration, I worried that it would be good enough. But because she said more times than I can count just how wonderful her birthday was, I really believe it is true.