Thursday, January 29, 2009

Show & Tell: High Stepping

{I've had problems with the pictures showing up on this post-hope they all come through}


Down came the 'death trap' broken steps...

Up went sturdy temporary backdoor stairs made of scrap wood...

And for this old fella...

A super sturdy ramp, Mellow is doing so well learning to go up them...

And since I'm bragging, I mean sharing, Miss Reba is doing so well letting me know when she needs to go out.

She has been in for almost a week, off the lead, out of the washroom, loose in the house, and what a good girl.
 
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Upon seeing my new steps and ramp, the girls I babysit said "Ms Carla, your new porch is beau-te-full". I see sturdy, they see pretty...ah to be 3 & 4 yo old:)
When my chihuahua died earlier this month, she was my baby, hubby asked if I wanted another, I told him I could just love Reba. Reba has really enjoyed the freedom. What a fun girl. Not the same as my SiSi, but a fun good girl never the less, love the one your with, right?
Thanks to hubby for the safe steps and ramp:)
Happy Show and Tell Friday!!!
Show and Tell

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Thankful Thursday: 01/29/09

...SECURITY...


...I saw my dear friends I babysit for, as they redicated their wedding vows (at the Temple), where there was much smiling and twirling...
 

...I saw sweet hubby was along for the ride...

...I heard, and turned to see giggling grands...
 

...I saw my girls enjoying playing with the most simple wooden nativity, which cost me only $1...

...I saw sweet grands, feeling thankful that I am able to stay at home and, sometimes have them stay the night, I saw their sweet sleeping faces, heard their sweet sleeping snores...

...I saw that the abundance of Christmas things was (finally) taken out to the shed (thanks Elders)...

...I realized that I awake in my warm bed in my warm house...

...I realized that we have plenty of food, that 1 yo-2 yo-3 yo-4 yo, who are not related, enjoy each other so much, and I them...

...I saw that my grandchildren love something as simple as my old garden clogs...

...I see that this mistake, out of focus, blurry pic is kind of cool...

...I see my warm coat, that my hubby insisted I get...

...I see that Miss Reba Marie has minded her 'inside' manners, and is well on her way to becoming the inside doggy my hubby wants her to be...

...I see that this big pot of tropical things fits in this spot, that the trash lid works great for a saucer, I see spring will soon be here, and it will be going back outside soon...

...I see that when I over water, my kitties and doggies take care of it for me...


...I see snuggly kitties on cold days all tucked in...

...separately...

...together...

I see that Taylor is healing well after his accident...
I see that the auto insurance is covering his medical bills...
I saw that DJ dropped the grands off, and we visited a bit...
I saw that Misty picked them up, and we visited a bit...
I see that Mike found a safe place to move...
I see that the ice storm passed us by for the most part...
I see the ice lightly covering the ground...
I see my neighborhood is a striking shade of winter gray...
And I think to myself...
What a wonderful world...
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I find that negative things, voices, attitudes can't bring me down when I appreciate what I have now. Counting my MANY Blessings...
I pray for those affected in this weather. As beautiful as it is, it is so dangerous. Stay warm, stay safe...

Tribute to servicemen (& women)

I just have to share this:

To all our miltary, new and old, thank you, for your service, for my freedom, thank you.
God bless you, and keep you.

Finally Home
Mercy Me

And a place to send a free card here
My favorite place with thank you cards by children

AND just found this! From Corgi Dog News here
National Anthem

Amazing!!! How about we just stop for a moment and pray for our country, our freedom, our faith, and peace???

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Bloomin' Tuesday! 01/26/09 inside friends

For Bloomin' Tuesday, I'm spot lighting some of my inside plants (cold and ucky outside bbbrrrr,)

Blurry pic (sorry), new growth on the ZZ, Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, from a plant trade (look close at bright green on the plant on the left) SO EXCITING!! (also Draceana and Ponytail plants)

Bathroom kalachoe buds, this is really the most tolerate plant (IF you don't drown them), I can't wait til they open up for me! Most are the old fashion red, and I think I have some new fancier colors in there too. We'll see:)

Saturday I treated myself to a stop at Home Depot (plant department-of course), and some new friends, this big philo was on sale and wanted to come home with me, here it is beside my old baby rubber tree plant (on left)

Close up of my philodendron hybrid, 'Autumn', I have good luck with these (unless they are left out in the hot summer sun, for weeks, during a move, can you say 'burnt to a crisp'?)

Alocasia Polly (thank goodness for tags), I had this beauty before, and paid full price for this replacement (either burnt crisp or drown victim from the move)- so Miss Polly here better do her part:)

A red cyclamen, I never get one of these, but my uncle grows these outside so I thought I would give it a try (I'm was concerned about it melting in the summer heat-but his survived:), I bought a pink too. I love the blooms which remind me of butterflies, and the leaves which remind me of wild ginger. Currently it is smiling at me in the kitchen window:)

Cuttings from the expensive Jew, free on the floor cuttings from Lowe's, you can't tell, but the white stripes are tinged with pink

This was my succulent pot in 09/08, it is on the shelf above my kitchen window. I received so many zig zag and Christmas cactus cuttings I had to go to a bigger pot (tradigity, I know)

This is it today, can you see all the cuttings??? They are rooted, and some have new growth!! Woohoo!!!

This is the pot on the left side of the shelf above my kitchen shelf. These guys like lots of watering (unlike the succulent pot). This was taken 09/08

This is the same pot, same layout today. These little babies are growing nicely:)

Looking down at my most favorite grouping,

This was it 09/08, it sits on the window sill of the kitchen window

Here are the kalachoe (free on the store floor) cuttings in 09/08

Since then they have grown roots, new leaves, and is now working on budding:)
Must say again, this is a great plant:)

I had a large very neglected mother-in-law tongue plant that did well until I drowned it. I managed to save a leaf and was able to root it, I was so pleased to see this new growth (it is left of the fork)! This plant will get too big for this pot (in the window) but for now this is perfect.

Best picture so far of this pot-sickly mini roses have been removed, kalachoe and Christmas cactus, and red begonia are filling in nicely:)

This was my kitchen window 09/08

This is it today! Makes washing those dishes a little more pleasant!

Hubby just called to inform me of the pending ice storm (our first this winter), and that it was too cold for his old basset to be outside:) I asked if that was his reason for calling, he said the too cold for the old basset was a second thought, I was the first-but I wonder...{in case you too are concerned, BOTH the bassets are inside, safe and warm in their bed:}
Stay warm, stay safe:)
Happy Bloomin' Tuesday!
I'm joining MsGreen "thumb" Jean for Bloomin' Tuesday! Come join in or see others!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Questions answered...

Deep thought provoking questions from Gail from At The Farm
(really did have to think on some of these)
#1. If you were a kitchen utensil, What would you be and why?
pocket knife, so I could be useful, portable, and safe (all folded up), maybe a Swiss army knife with all those cool pieces:)

#2. What is your favorite book and why?
Currently, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, because it was great! It was not all about sex like the movie (shame on whoever did that to the story!!)

#3. If you HAD to have a tattoo, what would it be, where and why?
see below...

#4. You have one week until you are rescued from a sandy island in the middle of some ocean. You have enough food and water for two. Who would you bring to share it with you?
with enough food and water?? Hubby for sure...

#5 What is your earliest childhood memory?
Going with Grandma to see new brother at the hospital, when I was four.

She 'accidentally' sent me these, and I like them so I'm posting them...

#1 You are trapped on a dessert island, a week until you are rescued. You have food and water enough to last. You can have one person(anyone, fictional or real) and two things. Who and what would you choose and why?
Hubby-we need a week alone, PLUS the man has survival skills and puts up with my crap:)

#2 If you could be any breed of horse (excluding Icelander), what would you be and why?
Clydesdale-purposely large and beautiful!!

#3 If you HAD to choose a tattoo, (Three part Question) where and what would it be and why?
in a private spot, swirly OJ , just for my husband (wink wink)

#4 Where was your most romantic outing and with whom?
camping on the beach with hubs! So loved our 'tent' and 'beach' time:)

#5 Who is your hero, again they can be real or fictional, and why?
Laura Ingalls Wilder, because she lived it, and shared it. (might want to change #1:)

Well, that was painless:) Thanks Gail! Want some random thought provoking questions to answer?? Head over to Gail's!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Son-Day: "Oh Great Light Of The World"

Oh Great Light Of The World
Bebo Norman


Sometimes at night
When I am afraid
I cover my eyes
And I cover my shame
So here in the dark
Broken apart
Come with your light
And fill up my heart

Oh great light of the world
Fill up my soul
I'm half a man here
So come make me whole
Oh great light of the world
Come to impart
The light of your grace to fill up my heart

The wind of this world
Can push us around
Folding us up
Backing us down
Here in the dark
I'm not alone
So come with your strength
And carry me home




Thus cries my heart...thus cries my soul...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Thankful Thursday: 01/22/08 (& My Hubby Rocks on Saturday:)



So much to be thankful for!
...for the sister-in-law who gave Mike Maverick basketball tickets...


...that Mike took his brother Taylor...





...that Mike isn't afraid to be silly...


...that Mike took DJ to the next game AND they won...


...that my boys are still boys...


...for DeeJay staying the night...


...for never ending silliness...


...for purple love...



...that this brother...


...upon hearing about this ...


...was more worried about this...that this, Tay, was driving under the speed limit, and wearing his seat belt, and is ok...


...for kitties sunning...


...for frozen meatloaf (two meals worth)...


...sweet girls I babysit coloring and Mikey filling out job apps...


...for Tay just up and vacuuming...


...for enough to pay the bills, and buy the seeds...


...for my Chico finding a good safe home...


...for my pretty kitties....


...for Heavenly Father painting the winter sky pink...


...For Myspace where my kiddos post their pictures, enabling me to download to my computer...Tiffany and family...


...and LauraJune and David...


...and Aaron...


...and Eric...

Count your many blessings name them one by one...

This week's prompt:
Tell us about a time that your spouse went out of his way to serve you.

When Taylor called to say he was in a car accident on his way home, my sweet hubby dropped everything (including his work schedule) to come home. Meanwhile, he called the police to find out where Tay was, he spoke to the wrecker, and the hospital. He called grandma as back up. The next day he took off, to take Mike around to do the wrecked car stuff. He is such a good father. I'm thankful he is the father of my children! Thanks babe:)