Spring is here!!!

Oh yeh, right!  Not so folks! However, I swear this Begonia plant is still blooming. We have carried this sucker in and out all winter, and since it's made it this long, we will do our best to preserve it until spring.

 I just thought I'd let you see that there REALLY is a SPRINGTIME somewhere!

 You see that little bird with the eggs in the nest? Shelby gave me that for my birthday last June. I just love it!

So here's hoping winter will be gone soon, and we can all enjoy our outdoor plants. It was 70 here Saturday, and so beautiful, but I hear there is a big cold front coming in on Tuesday. I know it won't be as bad here as it will be for some of you. I do pray all of you can stay warm and safe.

 My daughter and her husband both have the flu. Shelby got sick very fast this past Thursday, and Emily took her on to the doctor. She had type A. Cayden has been taking the Tamiflu so he is doing ok. Shelby is better so I'm going to get her tomorrow so Mommy and Daddy can rest - hopefully!
Praying none of us here get that stuff!!

A Heart from the Heart Swap...

 I almost forgot to post my own heart!! I have already mailed it to Deb at Mosaic Magpie, and she has posted it on her blog.
 It is supposed to be "from the heart", and I wanted it to be exactly that.  


  It was fun to do, but it took me for-e-ver to figure out what to make. I had to "dig" in my boxes to find some old laces and things to use.


The fabric is a wine colored brocade, and the back is a plush stripe decor fabric. The yo-yo strip actually came from an old quilt that my grandmother made many, many years ago. I'm not even sure how old it is. She died when I was 8, and she was about 95 then.


  I found the pink tatting at a craft show, and I used a different little tatting piece made by my other grandma. The buttons are old, and the corner of the scarf was one my mom embroidered that is pretty much worn out. All of this was just packed away in a box not being used so I figured I might as well make something that someone might enjoy.

 The back is just a FSL angel I embroidered on my machine, and attached it by hand.

 I hope whoever receives 'my heart' enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it. There are some beautiful, hand-crafted hearts on that blog. You all need to go and look!

Shirley

Happy 6th Birthday Sweet Cayden!

 Mimi cannot believe that it has been 6 whole years since such a sweet and wonderful blessing came into our lives!

 We were some really nervous people that day! I think it was my son that decided to start a betting pot as to what he would weigh. We all made our guesses, and put in $5. My daughter knew about this also. She thought it was hilarious, and it did help to pass the time.

 I can't remember the exact time. We were in the waiting area, and it was late in the morning when my cell phone rang, and it was Emily. She asked who had bet 8 lbs. 3 oz.? 

 Ha Ha! That was her way of telling us he was HERE! Cayden's Aunt Cindy won the pot, and he was also born on her birthday!

  Our lives have never been the same since that day. We have been so very blessed to have such a happy, smart, and creative grandchild. This is the day he went home from the hospital wearing the little daygown I made him.

You see this smile! He was only a few weeks old.

It was hard to get good pics because he was always laughing and drooling all over himself. LOL (5 months - no teeth)

Seven months - still no teeth!

 Eight months - still no teeth!

Nine months! I think we see some teeth coming in!

 There they are! Just in time for Christmas!!

 

I could keep going, but I won't. I will just leave you with a couple of my favorite pics.


Preschool Graduation...

Kindergarten School Picture - all grown up!

...and finally - missing 2 teeth!

 He makes my heart sing!!

Re-design of a Bargain Dress...

  My daughter bought this little dress for half price, or less. The first picture is the way it was bought with that big, bulky tie right in the front. I knew Shelby would never wear it this way. I loved the feel of the corduroy, and I even tried to find a different fabric for the tie, but couldn't find a thing that looked any better or wasn't so bulky.

We couldn't just tie it in the back because there were buttonholes in the front where the tie was threaded. We couldn't just turn it around because of the little flower.

  I hated for it to be wasted. I almost just cut it off and made a skirt, but decided to try this. I cut the size of the bodice down, took the tie apart, and lined the bodice with the brown gingham. Then I remade straps to go through buttonholes in the front. The ties may still have to be shortened, but I thought I'd wait and see how it fits on Shelby. I know it will look better on a body than on this hanger. She might even be able to wear it for another season.

You see that little bow on the flower? That is ALL of the fabric I had leftover.

Thanks for visiting. I love comments, and I do try to visit those who visit me!



100 Days of School...

 This week marks the celebration of 100 Days of School for my little grandson.
  Each child was supposed to bring 100 things to share, and do a project using 100 things.
 My daughter bought him a poster board and 100 popsicle sticks. Her only guidance was that she told him "maybe build a house?"
 This is what he did.  He made a castle, a wall on the bottom, and drew a knight on a horse on a bridge, a princess, a dragon (on right), and another knight. He has actually drawn better dragons, but I think he was trying to make it as tall as the castle. LOL 

 My friend, who is an art teacher, said he is extremely talented for 6 years old (will be 6 Thursday - sniff sniff), and she's sending him a lot of her old "how to sketch" books. He will be so excited!

  I just had to share. You can tell my grands mean the world to me!

Shirley

Meet Me on Monday!!

It's that time again to join in the fun at Never Growing Old. So come along and link up. It's a good way to get to know our fellow bloggers.

1.  What is your favorite kind of fudge?

    I love just plain ole' homemade chocolate fudge the way we used to make it on the cocoa can. My DH's sister makes it sooooo good and adds peanut butter and nuts.

2.  Is there snow outside your window?

    Not hardly! That happened last winter, but that was the first time in a very long time.

3.  What is your favorite meal of the day?

   My favorite meal of the day is dinner, and especially if I get to eat out. That doesn't happen much anymore since we are trying to stick to our diets.

4.  Do you text on your cell phone?

   I do text, and mostly to my kids. I really do miss talking to people. Everyone is so busy these days, and it seems emails and texting is the only way to communicate, but I sure miss hearing the sound of a voice on the other end of the phone. I do have to say that my daughter calls me nearly every day.

5.  Waffles or pancakes?

     Both! If it's a meal only, I will chose waffles. If I cook them at home - it's pancakes with my old time favorite - hot sugar syrup like my mama used to make drenched in butter! Now you know why I have to diet!

Have a good week everyone!

Mexican Chicken Chowder...

 I got this recipe from a recipe group on FB. This is the original recipe. I changed it to make it Weight Watcher friendly, and it is yummy good!

 First let me tell you how I changed it:
I used fat free sour cream, and I did not use Cheez Whiz. When we fill our bowl, we drop a in small helping of Weight Watcher's Shredded Cheese.
 I dropped the raw chicken into the mixture, cover and put it in the oven for about 45 min. It makes the chicken tender much faster.
Figuring 6 servings, it would have 4 pts. per serving, not counting the cheese. (I don't use Cilantro either.)

Mexican Chicken Chowder



2 1/2 cups of chopped cooked chicken


1 can of whole kernel corn- drained


1 can of condensed cream of potato soup


4 ounces of diced green chiles - undrained (opt)


2 tbsp. snipped cilantro (opt)


1 envelope of taco seasoning


3 cups of chicken broth


8 oz of sour cream


4 oz of cheez whiz


Combine chicken, corn, potato soup, green chiles, cilantro, taco seasoning, and chicken broth. Can be cooked on stove top on med to low for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours...then let simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally, or you can put it in a crock pot: low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.


Combine sour cream w/ 1 cup of soup mixture until blended. Pour sour cream mixture and Cheez Whiz in, and then let heat for 5 to 10 min.


Serve with chips if you like!

May I Interrupt Your Blog Time?

 I guess that got your attention! LOL

 I wanted to do a quick post to share a swap I'm participating in right now. It is a Heart Swap at Mosaic Magpie. There is still time if you should want to join in, and once you see some of those creations, you will be sorry you didn't.

 I had a really hard time getting started on mine. It took some real "digging" in my stashes to find things I had forgotten about.

 I'm not posting my heart just yet. I'm going to wait until it arrives at it's first destination. We are sending them all to Deb, and then she is sending them to our swap partner. I love this method because then no one gets left out.

      I just thought I'd share with you what a pile of mess I had laid out to go through and make my decision.

Thanks for looking, and as soon as I receive the heart that is being sent to me, I will post it also.
Shirley

I'm a Lucky Girl! (or old lady)

I entered 2 giveaways a few weeks ago, and I won both of them! I wanted to post a BIG THANK YOU to the blogs hosting the giveaways, and to the blog that sponsored one of the gifts I won.

  I won this beautiful bookmark made by Joy at The Vintage Rabbit. Visit her blog and just look at all of her pretty things. Thank you Joy!
 Thank you Cinnamon Sticks Design for hosting the giveaway of the bookmark. I do love it. It is so soft, and the word "cherish" is printed in the fabric. Cherish can mean a lot of different things to different people.

The other giveaway was hosted by Donna @ Brynwood Needleworks. I love her blog as she always shows so many pretty things to make. Thanks, Donna. I was so amazed that I won this prize. It is a Photobook Creater. I know my daughter and I will have so much fun with this as she takes literally hundreds pictures of my grands. Plus we can bind photos of the many drawings the kids make to have to look at for years to come.

 I know some of you think I win everything I enter, but I can promise you that I don't. I have been very blessed to win some things that I really wanted to win, and some are things you just can't go and buy. Those type giveaways always take my eye, and especially the handmade items.

 I noticed I am getting close to 100 followers, and I really can't believe it! I will be having a giveaway soon. So keep checking back!

Blessing to all!
ShirleyC

Cayden Learns about Embroidery....

 My little grandson, Cayden (almost 6), asked me the other day how I wrote his name on his jackets, etc. I tried to explain to him I used a machine, which he didn't remember seeing in my sewing room.

 I then asked him if he knew what a needle was. His answer, "It's a stick with a hole in it, and you put string in the hole." Yay! You're on the right track. 

 So I promised him the next time he came to Mimi's house that I would show him how it worked. Of course, he didn't forget, but neither did Mimi.

 I let him pick a color, and he didn't even hesitate when he chose blue. I explained to him about how he could NOT touch anything once the machine started, and he totally understood.

 He watched me thread the machine, and when it started stitching, that boy got so tickled. He laughed and laughed - not being silly - he was just so mystified with it all. He said he hoped that when he got big that he could learn how to do that. (We won't tell his dad.)
 I snapped a couple pics of him watching.

 Then I had to let Shelby have a turn.(Sorry, I didn't get a pic.)  At 3 years old, she wasn't just totally overwhelmed, but she did pick out purple thread, of course! Once it started stitching, she said, "Mimi, you put in purple, and it's painting my name!"
 Pretty good observation, Shelby! 

 We had so much fun while they were here especially considering it was raining the whole time, and we couldn't get outside.

We can't wait until the weather gets warm, and they can play outside while Mimi and PawPaw sit and rock on the patio! 

 These ages 3 1/2 and 6, are so much easier. Now they can bring us water and put in their own DVD's. LOL 
    Life is Good!

Meet Me on Monday....

My grands are here so I don't have time to use any pictures or graphics, but I wanted to participate in Meet Me on Monday over at Never Growing Old while they are watching a movie.

1. Do you like your ice cream in a dish, waffle cone, pretzel cone, sugar cone, or cake cone?
  I love waffle cones, and I get one when possible, but that doesn't happen too often. We're back on the good ole' diet.
 I do have to tell a funny story. Every now and then we will make a run through Dairy Queen for a dip cone. I ordered a dip cone in a cup, which normally they just put in the ice cream and top it with the dip cone chocolate that get hard - yum! The last time I asked for a dip cone in a cup - that is exactly what I got - a dip cone sitting in a cup! Need I say more?

2. Do you read the newspaper daily?
  I only read the paper on the internet. 

3. Marinara or meat sauce?
  Definitely - meat sauce!

4. Last time you cried?
  Actually - yesterday - missing a friend that passed away in the spring. Long story. Terry was an avid fan of the Miss America system, and the pageant was on last night. We always watch it with a group of friends - and it just wasn't the same without him.
 
5. What word/phrase do you find really annoying?
 I could probably find several, but since I am a retired reading/Language teacher I think the one I find the most annoying is "my bad." 
  My principal used it in front of a class I was teaching one day, and I almost blurted out, "Seriously?"

Have a great week! 

My Special Little Grands....

 I'm participating in a linky party at Deb's blog - Jeremiah 29:11. I love her blog, and we seem to have so much in common.

  First I wanted to share a couple of pics of my little granddaughter, Shelby. She is 3 1/2, and this is an outfit I made in early spring last year. It was too big, but it is corduroy so I knew she would still get to wear it this year.
  Both grands had dentist appointments yesterday. Shelby got her teeth cleaned. This was her 2nd time to go, and she does so good even though she got upset when they did the flouride treatment and flossing. Regardless, she did let them finish. (She was sort of having a "bad hair day" with the cold weather and electricity.)

  Cayden did so awesome. He had to have his first 2 baby teeth pulled as his permanent teeth were coming in, but his baby teeth weren't even loose. He was so funny looking at himself.
 Cayden has always had the most beautiful smile, and that boy smiles all of the time. It's just hard to imagine him without those teeth! This is Before!

This is after!

 There's not a lot of difference right now, but it's coming. LOL
  These are my special little blessings, and they make my life so rich and full!

  Now I thought you might like to see the waiting area of their dentist's office. They have a little playhouse for the kids to climb in and play inside. What kid wouldn't want to go to the dentist here?????

Have a wonderful weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

My grands wishing for more snow! It just didn't happen!

Meet Me on Monday!

 I haven't participated in this for a few weeks. Things have settled down a little so I'll try to start back. If you'd like to play along, go over to Never Growing Old and grab the button.

1.  Have you (only you..not a group) ever won first place in anything?

 Right now all I can remember is winning 1st place in the 4-H craft contest in 8th grade for a quilt top I pieced all by myself. We were very poor, and my mom asked me to let her sell it, and I did. I can't remember how much she got for it, but I know it was necessary.
 I know I got a few first places during field day events. I kept those ribbons for a long time.
 When my daughter did kid pageants, I made her dresses and sportswear. She won a lot of "Best Party Dress" and "Best Sportswear" trophies, so I guess I could say I won 1st place, right?

2. Are your toes always painted (sorry guys..this question for girls only)?

 No, never. I have horrible toes, and I don't even like looking at them let alone painting them. LOL

3.  What color eyes do you have?

  I have brown eyes - just dull brown eyes. I always wanted blue eyes my whole life - well, when I was younger.

4.  Look to your left...what do you see?

  Well, normally if I'm sitting at my computer or my little sewing machine, I see my embroidery machine. That's a pleasant sight to me. I love my sewing room.

5. Soft  cookies or crunchy cookies?

  I like them both ways. Cookies are my weakness. That is the main thing I miss being on WW. I love afternoon coffee with a hand full of good cookies.

  It's fun getting to know fellow bloggers. I hope some of you will participate.

Parents - Educate your Children - Please Read!

Our governor, "Gov. Bobby Jindal, Lousiana, has enacted an emergency rule to outlaw the sale and possession of drugs known as fake bath salts, which can be snorted, smoked or injected to get high."
 Dr. Julie Lawrence Sanders, that was interviewed in this article, is a very close friend of ours. Julie and my daughter used to be roommates, and she is like my own daughter. Julie lost her step-son in November because of these drugs.
  Click HERE.
 You need to read the article for all of the details. My heart aches for them. At the time they didn't know about the effects or the use of the bath salts. They have taken a stand in our state to help get people educated about the problems these cause.

 Please pass this information on through your blogs. You may be saving someone's life.

 They would also appreciate your prayers. This has been a heartbreaking reality for them.

Love to all,
Shirley

Need Prayers for a Friend!

 The husband of a very dear friend of mine was found to have a brain tumor on Monday, and they did surgery this morning. It is cancer. They got all but a couple of spots because of where they were located. He will have to have chemo and radiation.
 The good news is that he did very well with the surgery, and he was already talking and eating when I left the hospital this afternoon. 
 I won't post their names for their privacy, so just remember them as C (man) and his wife D. They have 3 grown children. They are definitely believers, and will appreciate your prayers.

Thanks,
Shirley

Fat Quarter Giveaway

You all know how much I love fabric so just remember, if you win you can always send it to me!!  Click here.