July Happenings

Well, another month is almost over.  With this virus and stuff it feels like each day is the same and I really have to stop and think what day of the week it is!  I guess it wouldn't matter if the virus was upsetting the normal of the world....I'd still be confused!  😂

This Dude turned 4 on the 8th.  He didn't really have a party but his Mommy makes sure the day is recognized.  He is really into Ninja Turtles....and all other action figures!  They were here this past weekend......we had a GREAT visit!

This lovely lady brings us a gift almost daily (yes that's a mouse in her mouth!)...............😳

I had Miss Lyla a couple of weekends ago and we went out to my friend Diane's for a visit.  Lyla got to ride a horse for the first time and feed the chickens and collect eggs!  She had a blast!!

Exciting update...we put a window in our front door!  HAHAHA  Whoop dee do really but I love the sunshine it lets in!

I had an online Thirty One party (a gal I know from the school I worked at sells it) and the party was so successful I got $320 in free product and some other free gifts!  What a haul.....all of this and all I paid was $50!  (including shipping and taxes)

Hubby is finding a few small jobs here and there.  Another bid goes in today for a bigger job in a town close by.  Fingers crossed he gets one finally!  My friend Pam is coming for a visit next week and I am so excited!!!!!!  I can have a conversation that isn't about Covid or our corrupt government!!!!!!!!  I think Hubby will be heading up north to do one of these small jobs while Pam is here.  Just girl time!!!!  

It's been super hot the past couple of days.  Today is to be hot too (not quite as hot but still hot!!!)  I spent most of the day yesterday in my nice cool sewing area in the basement but last night I didn't sleep well and had the ceiling fan above the bed going full blast and a smaller fan blowing on me too!  The house didn't feel as cool this morning as I would have liked.  We have Lyla and Brody this weekend for a couple of nights so a bit cooler would be nice.  

Off to do computer work for Hubby!!!  Enjoy your day!

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.....

Oh rain....please go away!  I really can't complain as we haven't been getting near as much as they have up north.  This bout started yesterday afternoon when I was at my friend Diane's.  Oh it was a great visit.......I really needed that.  I popped out there after I had my hair cut  💇.......feels so much better than before!  It was "long" and heavy!  Now it's more layered.

Last post I put a pic of our shack in the woods shortly after we moved in.  We really really really need to re-side it and I am hoping that will be the first thing to happen when Hubby gets working again and we can get ahead (that will never happen but we have to do the siding sooner rather than later).  Things looked okay on this dated siding when we moved here but we discovered the previous owner had slapped paint on and now it is peeling in places (lipstick on a pig!).

Our outside "improvements" have been with the deck.  New railing and stairs going down the south side.  I also tamed the flowerbed and added new perennials.

                                                                             Before:

Now:

When I had the kiddos on Saturday for a sleepover, it was nice enough in the morning to enjoy some outside time.  Brody is asleep after going for a walk in the stroller.  Lyla could swing for days!!!!

She came dressed as a princess!

Computer work with Hubby today I think.  Job searching.......we need groceries but I don't want to go out in this weather......maybe it will stop later.  🙏

Enjoy the day!

Time Flies!

Three years ago today we had everything packed up in High River to move to where we are now.  It was a bittersweet day....exciting and sad....and SCORCHING hot!  I really, really, really miss our HR home and neighbourhood but I do love the quiet of country living here.....I can go out in my pjs and no one will see!  😄I am thankful we have great neighbours here too.

This shack has undergone several changes both outside and inside.  It still has alot of things that still need to be done.  The perfect size for Hubby and I but it gets a little squishy when everyone is here.

This pic was taken shortly after we moved in:

My friend Liz and her husband flying over the other day: 

We are definitely in the woods!  😁

But it is home and home is where the heart is.  I am thankful.  

Hubby has gone up north and I have Lyla and Brody for overnight today.  It's to start raining/storming this afternoon.  Ugh.  I was hoping we could be outside.  Oh well, it will be a fun day nonetheless.  

July, Fluff and a Funk

Happy July!  Oh I pray the weather starts improving.......we need sunshine and heat for more than a day here and there although they have it much worse up north.  I think they are over saturated up there!!!  Come on summer weather!!!

Here's a picture of all our outside furniture around the fire-pit after putting the gravel down....nothing exciting!  

This year the fluff from the trees has been sooooooooo bad!  It hasn't been this bad since we moved here......July 4th will be 3 years and we haven't seen the white stuff so horrible....or the mosquitoes!  ARGH!  Do you see this tree covered?  We don't have many of these trees around but enough to make things annoying!

These two came to visit Tuesday for a sleepover with their Mommy and Auntie......Brody is getting so alert and bright eyed! He is a good baby!  They are back Saturday for a sleepover...just the two of them!  

I did some cleaning. organizing and rearranging in my sewing area recently (I honestly can't remember what day it was!  the weekend maybe??)  It didn't need much but nice to have a refresh.  

Then I tackled these:

Scraps from my scrap bin......I looked up Bonnie Hunters method and got the idea to cut 1.5", 2", 2.5", and 3.5" inch strips if the scrap was 12" or longer.  If it wasn't then I cut squares the same as the above mentioned sizes. (she also cut 'bricks' but I didn't bother with those) I had better use them now!!!!!!

Alot of back breaking work!  LOL  I needed an anti fatigue mat (I now have some of those foam blocks at my cutting table and ironing station)  It sure doesn't look like much compared to what I started with but I did throw some out....Christmas, flannel, fleece and of course there were scraps from the too small pieces!  I've added more as I found a few more pieces I had pulled out for a different project. I will try and keep up! 

Here is a small stitching project from Jenny at Elephantz.  I am not sure what it will be made into but I am also working on another one with the lettering she uses....I changed this one to "tea" and "cuppa time"

Then, here's another project from my favorite FB group!  I used scraps for the borders......not sure I am loving this one......I might try making another as I love the embroidery!  But then again, there are so many, many others to try!

I've had back pain for a few days....it's the weirdest thing....an ache.  Sometimes in a particular spot, sometimes running up and down my back....to my neck, under my arm.  It's annoying because it can sometimes make me feel sick to my stomach.....I slept better last night and this morning it seems to be concentrated in one spot.  I hope it goes away soon.  Maybe it's a psychological consequence of the funk I seem to be in.  I pride myself on being a very strong minded person; I can deal with hardships and loss without losing my mind; I don't let things bother me much; I like to be common sense and look for the good and not dwell on the bad.  But the stress of the news surrounding this Covid (going on for MONTHS! even though my views are not those of main stream media), things our idiot Prime Minister is doing, Hubby talking about it all the time (because he reads news stuff on his phone); our financial situation right now (Hubby not working); loving being at home but feeling trapped at the same time, well, it feels a bit much.  Stupid things like my weight and my hair(!!!!) are depressing too!  haha  ALL THINGS I CAN CONTROL AND CHANGE  (except the work situation).  I know things will get better and I will pull myself together and make a plan....for my weight, my hair 😂 AND my happiness!  😊 Onward and upward!!!!!!!

Have a great day everyone!!!!!  I am going to get this house spic and span....that will make me happy!!  

Gravel!

Happy Summer!!!  It's started off okay......it's been warm but not scorching hot which is okay by me.  We've had a bit of rain too.  Hoping that now we can really get into summer weather!

We had been talking about putting gravel at our fire-pit area......it is a big PAIN to mow the grass and have to move all the chairs and fire pit and the grass doesn't really grow great there (but enough that it needs to be mowed)  There's a gravel pit right down the road from us so we did it!  Bit the bullet and got some gravel!

I didn't take a picture of the furniture back in place....I will!  It has rained enough now that the gravel is washed off and looks more like the driveway! We will enjoy the maintenance free zone even more now!

I love pottery!!!!!  So when a friend was doing a FB live visit and showed us her new mug I had to order one for myself...and another one of course!  This pottery shop is fairly close to us (maybe an hour and a half drive) and I would love to visit it sometime this summer.  I love these and the little free gift (star)!!

Last weekend we moved some of Son2s vehicles around (we are his storage area!!!!).  I think Hubby would drive this car all the time if it was reliable!!!  LOL

This peanut was here too....a hillbilly in her rubber boots!  A cute sunhat made by my friend Pam (she also made one for Brody and another Frozen fabric one for Lyla)

The next birthday blocks for Diana which I will deliver today.  Her birthday is on Sunday.  I can't wait to have a visit with her and Diane!  

Stitchery is done!  Now to put borders on and quilt it!!!!

Oh Hubby is home from coffee/breakfast/gab session.  Best get going and enjoy the day!!!!  I hope all of you reading this will as well!!!!!!!!!!  

Flowers and Bees and Babies

Sitting outside after house cleaning, laundry (not quite done) and having my lunch.  It's sunny (now) but a little breezy.  Still very comfortable.  😁

Here is a busy little bee on our apple tree blossom......the blossoms are almost gone now (after all the rain!) but it was just buzzing with activity.

I'm coming along on this (year long!!) project.  Seems weird stitching on a Christmas themed project during the spring/summer but I really would like to get it done for Christmas this year.  I think I will.

This little guy turned 3 months on the 10th.  He's really a content fella!  

We had visitors on the weekend and they brought me two bunches of beautiful peonies!!!!!!  I LOVE peonies! 

 I bought this dude some old/vintage Ninja Turtles at the children's consignment place in town.  He LOVED them and played with them the whole time he was here.  I joked that he had to leave them at our place and wasn't able to take them home!  (yeah right!)

Out in the Gator but he wanted to ride.....then the battery died so he had to walk!  HAHAHA  This belonged to his Mommy (the driver) when she was little!!

I dug out my ice cream maker and first off made some strawberry ice cream (it was good) and yesterday made vanilla ice cream and remembered some frozen raspberries I had.....I think it turned out the best!  I may have over churned the strawberry ice cream.  It's still tasty of course but a different consistency.  This is a picture of the vanilla raspberry:

I really, really don't need to be eating ice cream or anything with calories!  My middle is likely the biggest it's ever been...well except pregnant!  Wish I was in the right frame of mind to do something about it!  I was texting with Kim this morning and I told her I have too many worries and no "excitement".....hum drum kinda life and do not feel motivated to track points (WW) or start walking every day.  Don't get me wrong...I am NOT complaining and I know that only I can change things because, let's face it, it is all in my head (for the most part)!!!!  Sooooooo many people have things going on in their worlds that are not good.  I just need to decide to change what's going on in my mental "place".  Hopefully soon.  😊

Still Shopping and a Pet Peeve

This darn pandemic isn't keeping me from shopping!!!!!  Here are a few quilty books I've received lately.  I also bought the new Art To Heart book....no pic.  ARGH I'm weak!!!  My friend Pam went to Fabricland in Grande Prairie yesterday and was told she had to wear a mask......I will not be shopping in a mask so it's a good thing I don't NEED anything and IF I do, it can be ordered online!  😝

I may have to breakdown soon and see how my hairdresser and their shop is working things.....my greys are taking over and even though I don't mind my hair longer, it needs to be thinned a bit! Looks like I have a hair helmet on my head!!!!!

We bought this swing/chair and these two enjoyed it last weekend!  I love sitting in it too but Hubby put it a bit high so getting out of it is interesting!  😂 Good thing it's tucked away in the woods!

Great Grandpa meeting Brody for the first time:

And this thief!!!!  I was in the basement picking thread colors for a stitchery.  I went to put them together in a bag and realized one was missing....well this guy, who is always down there "helping" me, went running off upstairs with it in his mouth!!!!!!  We had quite the chase happening before I got it back!!!!!!

Have you ever watch Hoarders on tv?  Did it make you feel like cleaning your house and maybe do a bit of decluttering??  Well, realty listings do that to me!  Now, maybe realtors can't talk to people about hiding their clutter before taking pictures.....maybe they aren't allowed to touch a towel hanging askew on a towel rack.....I was looking at a listing for a property close to me...just out of curiosity....I don't know how much land but it was listed for $799,000 (see? only looking because I was curious!)  Well, I couldn't continue "looking" inside the house!  For one, the pictures were grainy (a BIG pet peeve of mine.....use a professional photographer OR good camera at the very least!) and the clutter EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!  Not sure why it's a pet peeve of mine but it drives me nuts...like looking at listings in the middle of summer that show winter pictures!  Update your pictures!  Really, realtors make good money.....make them work for it!  My hubby has always said I should have been a realtor....not sure about that!  LOL  Maybe I could be a stager.....anyway, now you know a pet peeve of mine (and why, when I cleaned yesterday, I made a few de-cluttering changes!)!!!!

Sunny day here today....but we had frost warnings again last night!  Argh....I can't wait for a day when it's warm enough to sit and have my morning coffee outside!  I'm sure it will happen eventually 😁🤞