I think I have her figured out

Mother Nature that is.

I recently saw a picture on another blog, of Mother Nature from the Chiffon margarine commercials from many years ago. Can you picture her, wreath of flowers on her head? By now, Mother Nature is getting up there in years, but I figure for her, time has stood still. She can't age and die like the rest of us, she has to live forever, like the Easter Bunny. But she's still a woman.

Every woman getting up there in years can relate, it ain't always easy. I'm dealing with the hot flashes, and I've only just begun! Imagine if you were stuck in time and had to deal with them! I know since my body can't regulate my temperature, I adjust other things. Blankets on, blankets off. Thermostat up, thermostat down. My family of men love me! But how does Mother Nature adjust?

She plays with our weather! She gets hot, turns down the temp and we get below freezing temps. She cools down, we get spring in January. Yesterday was pleasantly warm, although a bit too drizzly for my taste. More nice temps today, but I see single digits in the forecast again tomorrow. I guess if I look at the weather from this perspective, I can relate and accept it a little bit easier!

I decided I might as well make the most of the weather while I can. Not going to work out inside, instead get out and move. And I'm taking my grandaughter with me

Doesn't she look thrilled! She has become way too "laid back" with these cold temps, time to snap out  of it!  I'm going to get a flu shot this morning and over to visit my MIL. The walk will wait until this afternoon. Maybe she'll be ready then. And she can recover from it while I study the evening away.

Liebster Award

I have been nominated for a Liebster Blog award by Kat over at katsstitching! Thank you for this Kat, I'm super excited! This award is simply another way for bloggers to get to know each other. I only had three followers before Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party last weekend. My blog has grown, and I have met so many wonderful new people. And I haven't even had a chance to visit all of the blogs that signed up for the party!

Of course, there are rules to follow for the Liebster, not bad ones though:

1. You must post 11 things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.
4. Choose 11 new blogs & link them in your post.
5. Please leave me a comment on this post with the URL to your Liebster award so I can learn more about YOU!


Here goes, 11 things about me 

1. I am a violinist. My step father gave me his violin when I was in middle school, and I have loved it ever since. I was asked to audition for the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra when I was a junior in High School, but I chickened out the day of my audition. The only time I play now is Christmas Eve.

2. I won a pageant when I was in High School. Back then, (1983) it was called America's Junior Miss. It has since been renamed to Young Woman of the Year. This pageant has always been based on Poise, Physical Fitness, Talent, Scholastics, and speaking ability. My picture hangs in the Portage High School auditorium where I won, along with all the other winners.

3. I'm afraid of heights. I think a lot of people are afraid of heights too. I try so hard to not give in to this one.

4. I have been up in the Eiffel Tower. This one is crazy, see number 3 above!

5. I have a fear of bridges as well. I have always been afraid of going off into the water, and not being able to get out of my car. My youngest son LOVES to tease me about these bridges when we travel-at least he gets a good laugh. I think the worse ever was Mackinac Island!

6. I've always wanted a horse. When we bought our house on ten acres, the lower half was already fenced for the previous owner's cows, has a creek running through, and a pond-it was meant to be. My neighbor asked me to go riding with her one day, so we went to saddle up. I couldn't lift the saddle. Nor can I pick up a hay bale. No horses here, end of discussion.

7. I love to run. Several years ago, I was too quickly approaching 200 pounds. I started walking every day. The weight came off, but walking wasn't good enough. I just really like running, but my body does not. It hurts my knees and hips. I do it anyway, when it's not twenty below outside! 

8. I achieved lifetime member with Weight Watchers. It has been 5 years since I met that goal. I've put a few pounds back on now, but am working to get them back off. It's not so easy at my age!

9. I really enjoy Jillian Michaels workouts. Have you ever tried them, wow! If I skip a couple of days, then get back to them, I know I have skipped them, my muscles hurt. Note to self, didn't work out today, better do it tomorrow!

10. I am the queen of unfinished projects. Last spring I started remodeling my basement. It was already a finished basement-full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc. We were going to knock out one wall make it a walk out basement. I replaced the kitchen cabinets, counters and floor. Boxed up everything in the basement (craft room, son's bedroom, books off bookshelves, dvds, etc). Weather was too wet, then we were too busy with son's racing, no time to do the digging. Decided to just replace the carpet and wait another year until son leaves for college.  Carpet still hasn't been done, boxes not unpacked. This is just one project.

11. I am very shy and quiet. I've always had a very small group of close knit friends, because I get tongue tied around other people. This has been such a challenge in my life. Since my husband is an Army officer, it requires a lot of politics, many social events. I cringe at the suggestion of another event we are 'required' to go to. Blogging is much easier, I can talk without looking you in the face, wondering what you are thinking of me while I speak!


Moving on, the 11 questions from Kat:

1. When and why did you start stitching? My roommate in college taught me to stitch. She couldn't stand that I loved to read for fun, so she had to 'broaden my horizens'
2. Do you do any other crafts or have any other hobbies? I scrapbook, make cards, sew, and on my bucket list, I want to quilt. I've even bought quilt kits that I haven't started.
3. What has been your favorite cross stitch project to date? I made a tooth fairy pillow when my boys were little, all three used it. One of the boys pulled it out of hiding last week, and displayed it on the living room couch-while I was still in SC!
4. Do you belong to a stitching group or guild? Sadly, no. Wish I knew of one where I live, I think I'd give it a shot. 
5. What's your favorite LNS?  ONS? Because I'm in the country, no LNS here. Closest city (over and hour drive) is Indianapolis, I try not to drive there too often. I usually shop from 123Stitch
6. How many hours a week to you spend stitching? I stitch every evening, so at least 2 hours a day, more if I can. I have at least one project on all three levels of my house so I can stitch at any hour, without waking my family. 
7. What's one thing you would love to try, but haven't yet? Raising chickens! Bet that's not what anyone would expect!
8. What does your stitching area look like? My favorite corner of my living room, Grandma's glider, small table with ORT jar, and a good Ott Lite.
9. What is your favorite type of project? (BAPs, bookmarks, ornaments?) Most of what I've stitched  have been gifts for other people, usually a medium sized picture that is their interest.
10. What is your favorite book?/Who is your favorite author? The Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury. Favorite author is Richard Paul Evans.
11. What is one thing you truly love about yourself? I am compassionate. Maybe that's why I am so happy working in a nursing home.

Next, 11 questions for the people that I nominate:

1. If you could have any job you wanted, what would you want to be

2. What was the last movie you saw, what did you think of it

3. Do you prefer to cook, bake, or go out to eat

4. Do you like to watch sports-live or on tv

5. What was your favorite Christmas gift you've ever received

6. Do you prefer to vacation by yourself, with your family or your girlfriends

7. What is your perfect vacation

8. Are you a one project at a time person, or a serial starter

9. Do you prefer to be inside or outside

10. Describe your decorating style

11. Who is one famous person you admire

My nominations:

Sylvia @ Sylvia's Stitches

Deb @ Ramblings of an Empty Nester

Rajeswari @ diapermum

Denise @ Neesie Natters

Wilma @ Wilma's World

Ronda @ Mountain Delights

Kathy @ Kathy in Ozarks

Retired Knitter @ My next 20 Years of Living

Laurie @ 111 La La Lane

Jan @ The Comfort of a Safe Place

Sandy @ French Laundry 132

I encourage you to stop by and check out these blogs!

Music Running Through My Head

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head, and no matter what you do, it keeps playing over and over and over? Today is one of those days. I woke up this morning, looked out the window, and the music started playing, without much effort on my part. Wanna know what I'm hearing......


Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

And yes, I was happy to look out and see the beautiful snow falling, a good reason for these frigid temps! Hubby planned ahead for this, brought his computer home from work yesterday. With the snow we woke up to, his usual hour and and a half drive would have been two and a half hours today, so he's home, with me, all day. I love my hubby, but I have my routine, and my agenda for the day. I didn't get my morning "me" time. Our plans collide on days like this. I'm hiding in my basement, trying to get my stuff done. He wants to work on taxes, together. We don't even have the documents in yet, ugh! It just might get frightful inside today, maybe I need to take a walk in the snow, where it's calm and quiet!

So now I gotta ask, is there going to be a song stuck in your head today too?

Home Safe

Had just a moment amongst the chaos of returning home, to thank my new friends and followers for your prayers for our safe return home! Due to mechanical difficulties with a broken dirtbike early this week, we chose to drive home yesterday, instead of through the night Monday. I was happy for that. I find it easier to drive at night, but doing that when the temps are sub zero is not good. With our many years as Boy Scout leaders with our sons, we know and live the motto: Be Prepared. We had extra hats, gloves, coats and blankets, but why push our luck. As it turned out, we were very fortunate. We made it safely to Lexington, KY last night. We had made several stops along the way, so we were still traveling later than expected (final tally was 16 hours to get home). We had just pulled onto the interstate, and only a few cars in front of us, traffic came to a complete stop. For over half an hour, we sat. It was 18 degrees. I was thankful for the extra blankets. And I was tense. Not for us, but for the reason for the stop. We could see smoke ahead, and realized both directions of traffic had stopped. We all know bad things happen when this is what you see at eight thirty, on a dark winter night. When we finally started moving, our stomachs tightened at the sight of what was once a pick up truck, only the bed remained. The smoke was clearing, but it was obvious there were no survivors. We only saw the one vehicle, but that was enough. We realized how blessed we were for the timing, we could have been right there.  I thought about the fact that my son would be planning to drive himself home at the end of his training, and I decided he would not. I can't protect my children everywhere they are, but I will not let an inexperienced driver travel 800 miles alone. I will be returning to South Carolina next month! Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families that were changed by that accident last night.

Wordless Wednesday!

A little bit of beauty I found, amongst the bare branches, and despite the cold temps!

IHSW Update

I was so excited about how much stitching I was able to squeeze in over the weekend, I just couldn't wait to share. This piece is getting so closed to being finished, maybe next month's IHSW weekend, I will be working on something else! Here i what I started the weekend with:

And this is what I had when I finally put it down to try to sleep last night

I'm so anxious to see this complete, and ironed! How about you, did you get to stitch, or craft this past weekend? Let me know what you worked on, I'd love to stop by and check it out!

Simple Woman's Daybook

This morning seemed like a good time to get my thoughts out there. If you want to learn more about the Simple Woman's Daybook posts, you can read about it here: http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/


For today

Outside my window I see the fitness center, where 25 ambitious young men are warming up their muscles, preparing to ride. Just beyond that is the motocross track, still right now, but in an hour, will be filled with these boys on bikes, their mechanics, trainers and parents that are here.

I am thinking that it looks like it's going to be so nice outside today. How can the weather turn so cold so quicly, it will be in the twenties here tonight.

In the kitchen, at least the bathroom counter top that is the make-shift kitchen, I have put some food in the slow cooker I brought from home. Although I won't be here for dinner, I know that my son will eat good tonight!

I am wearing comfy traveling clothes for the ride back to Indiana. I tried to put on layers, hubby likes to have the window open so he can smoke, but I am always cold.

I am wondering if I can make it through today without crying. I am letting my youngest son experience life on his own. I'm just not ready for this yet!

I am reading schoolbooks as I travel today. When I get home tomorrow, I will go back and check out all of the blogs that signed up for the Grow Your Blog party, since I didn't get to do that this weekend. The link to these can be found here:http://vicki-2bagsfull.blogspot.com/

I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, with my own pillow.

Around the house are probably a lot of dust bunnies waiting to be caught. My hubby doesn't usually do much cleaning, and I've been gone for two weeks. With three dogs in the house, I'm sure the hardwood floors need some attention!

One of my favorite things is being with family. My hubby, son and I spent yesterday acting like tourists here at South of The Border. We walked through shops, took pictures sitting on statues, the whole nine yards. And I loved every minute of it.

A favorite quote for today: When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade