Cool Outfit for Our Hot Summer Days!

 The weather here has been sooooo hot! I've been working on using up some one yard cuts of fabric I have in my stash before Shelby gets too big. That girl is growing like a weed.
  This is Simplicity 2461 - just a simple pinafore type top with some bloomers.
 My daughter won the fabric from Fairytale Frocks and Lollipops a few months ago. It is such sweet and soft fabric!
  I made the rolled rose from some designs I bought at Embroidery Garden. It was fairly easy after watching the video. 
 I can't wait to see it on Shelby. When they were here today, they went swimming so my daughter will have to make some pics for me.

Shelby was in the pool when PawPaw announced we were having watermelon. That girl  hollered, "Get me outta here! We got wallermelon!"

Our Family Needs Your Prayers....

I'm asking for your prayers for our niece's husband, Jason. Jason had a light stroke a few weeks ago caused from a disease called MoyaMoya disease.  This is a very rare disease and only about one in 2 million have this. We know he has about an 80% blockage on both sides of his brain. Jason has had type 1 diabetes since age 7.

Jason and Sissy, plus her mom, Robin, will be headed to New Orleans Monday to Tulane for some testing and meet with a team of doctors who have some experience with Moyamoya. They will be there the whole week we think. The doctors there feel they can consult with the doctors at Stanford also. They just don't think he can travel all the way to California. They said he needs this surgery ASAP to prevent a massive stroke. Until Monday it's blanket and couch and movie weekend.

There is one website www.moyamoya.com  and it has alot of information. Strange thing they have learned on that is most of the patients who are discovering this in their 30's have fathers who went to vietnam and were exposed to agent orange. Jason's dad was there in 68-69. Jason was born in 71.

 Jason and Sissy have a 4 yr. old little boy that we call our miracle baby. That's a whole other story. Jason is really upset about having to leave Kayl, but hopefully, if Tulane does the surgery, then he can go for visits.

 I appreciate prayers from my blogging friends. Even if you don't leave a comment, please pray for them. They need a miracle. This disease is treatable with the surgery, but Jason's risks are multiplied with him being an insulin dependent diabetic.

 Also if there is anyone out there with any direct information about this, please let me know. Sissy and Jason were in such shock, they didn't even know what questions to ask the doctors.

Thanks so much. Hugs to all,
Shirley

If You Love Beautiful Handwork and/or Sewing....

 .....go HERE and visit Jenny of Elefantz.com and read about her work. She does some remarkable work, and is having a giveaway. Go HERE to register for the giveaway. Be sure to follow her directions. 
    She lives in Queensland, Australia.
  I don't think I've ever met anyone from Australia that didn't do remarkable handwork or sewing.
  Jenny now has her own magazine so check it out, and also visit her Etsy Shop. There's a link on her blog.

 This is what she's giving away. I just love it! It's one of my favorite words - BELIEVE - Just think about it for a minute - BELIEVE!

Woo Hoo! I'm Lucky Again!!

 I really am not obsessed with entering contests. If I run across a blog with something I like, I enter. There has been more than one occasion where I entered, but wasn't the real winner, and I received a prize or prizes.

 I wrote a comment on Pigtales and Quilts giveaway a few weeks ago, and Thearica was so generous that she shared a lot of her goodies from the giveaway here with everyone who commented. So see, it pays to make a few comments here and there.

 She sent me this primitive towel that says "Simplify." (Do you know how much that applies to me lately?) A cute candle holder, and this precious moon figurine. I wish you could see the detail on the figurine. Even the little hairs on her head stick out!

 Thanks so much, Thearica. I do appreciate you sharing your goodies with me!
 
 I am loving the quilting and sewing blogs viewing everyone's fabulous creations!

ShirleyC

Things Have Been a Little Rough Lately....

 I didn't want to post anything until I found out more.
 As most of your know, I had tongue cancer surgery 3 years ago. When I went back for my checkup in May, my doctor found a small knot in my neck. He treated me for an infection for a week, but it didn't go away.

 So I waited until after our vacation to have a CT scan on my neck. That was on June 2nd.

 Today was my appointment to find out the results of the test. We waited for 2 hours to finally find out. The dr. had to do some kind of procedure so that delayed us.

 Come to find out, it is a clip they left in my neck during the surgery. He said it is made of titanium and harmless, and also, it's not that big. It's used to clamp off veins and arteries.

 I'm not really surprised as I had so many doctors working on me for 12 hours. I'm sure it's not that uncommon, but dang, what agony I've been in since they told me.

 My nerves got the best of me, and when we got to the church to pick up our grands from VBS, I puked my guts out. If you knew me, you'd know this is just not my norm.

 I feel better now, but not good. However, I am very, very thankful that the diagnosis wasn't what they suspected.

 My DH said he didn't realize I was so upset because I appeared to be calm and cool. I asked him, "You mean after nearly 40 years of marriage, you can't see panic on my face?" LOL He normally can read my mind!
 Of course, it hasn't helped things that we had to have our little Yorkie puppy put to sleep on Monday. She had complications after her surgery 2 weeks ago, and just couldn't bounce back. 
 Thanks to all of my friends and blog friends that continue to check on me. I will have another checkup in 6 months. 

Praising God in Louisiana!
Shirley

Happy Birthday to my Baby Boy!

On June 7, 1977, we were blessed with a beautiful baby boy - 8lbs. 13 oz. - and I was induced 2 weeks early!

 Well, his dad said he was not beautiful, but his mommy and his cousin, Robin, thought so. If I could find his baby picture, I would scan it to show you.

 Cody was the happiest, friendliest child growing up. His first word was "hiiiiiiiiii" at 5 months old. 
 He was a Mama's boy. (and still is!) I am so proud of the man and the dad that he has become. We have been two very blessed parents when it comes to our kids.

 This is a pic of Cody with Cayden letting Cayden get in a real firetruck. (Cayden was 27 months old)

This is one of my favorite pictures of Cody with Clayton and Bubba from the beach 2010.

I love it when they all act the same age!

I've already posted the lastest beach pics in my last post. I do wish I could share pics of Cody with his foster child, but that isn't allowed. They melt my heart!
  Thanks to those of you that read and comment on my blog. I do appreciate you so much. My life is my family!

Just a Few Family Beach Pics...

 For the second year in a row, we were able to get some family pics. These pictures mean the world to me to have us all together.

 The one above just cracked me up!
 The one below include our little foster grand. We can't show his picture from the front. This picture was Cayden's idea. He had seen one like this and insisted that he, Shelby, and little grand do this pose. We just love it! It will be a lasting memory for them.

Thanks for looking.

Vacation and Home Again!

 Sorry I've been away so long. I have just been snowed under the whole month of May, and then we left for Destin on the 23rd, and came back this past Sunday. I have been exhausted!
 I will share some pics of things we did. First is the Pirate Ship Cruise we went on from Panama City, FL. Definitely worth the money! Two hours of fun for the kids. It totally revolved around the kids.

 They gave the kids instructions, and the first activity was a water gun fight!

Then they sent the girls to get their faces painted while the boys mopped the deck. This cracked me up!

They had a sword fight and lots of marching and dancing with tamburines. Plus they had to do the limbo!

Of course, every pirate ship has to find a treasure chest! The kids helped to spot it in the water, and pulled the rope to tow it in.

Every child was allowed to pic 3 treasures from the chest.

All pirates have to have tattoos!

Even PawPaw!

 We even got to see some dolphins playing in the water. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous!

 We all had a blast! They gave the kids all kinds of trinkets and a pirate hat.

 This little guy was in hog heaven!