Found Treasures

Hello, friends!  Today I'm sharing some treasures that I found a few months back at my favorite antique mall, Merchant Square, and some treasures I already had.  Even The Man enjoys roaming around this antique mall, and it was the perfect way to spend some time on a VERY HOT Arizona afternoon...nicely air-conditioned space! 

The Man actually found this sweet teapot, which just so happens to be the only missing piece of the china set that had belonged to my dear mother-in-law that now belongs to us!  If you would like to see the story behind this china and a look at the entire collection, you can find it HERE.  I also found a booth with lots of vintage ribbons and this little stack of vintage bingo cards...love using these in my scrapbooking, junk journals, etc.

Cool down AZ so I can enjoy some tea!

I have been scouring Craig's List for an old typewriter that was in good working condition.   I was not expecting to find one in an antique mall that was affordable, but here she is!  It was in pristine condition....absolutely spotless inside!  It reminds me of the one my grandmother had that I used all through school.  I quickly ordered a new ribbon and have been happily using it for my Project Life stories in scrapbooking.

This is a scan of a very old photo of my grandmother sitting at her writing desk...love that you can see her old typewriter in the background.

Another old treasure that I've pulled out of hiding, is this very old Bible that belonged to my 

Great-Grandmother.  I've searched it from cover-to-cover looking for a date, but there is only a small

hand-written note from my grandmother & great-aunt that the Bible was a gift to their mother.  I'm guessing it is probably about ninety years old and very well loved.

Here's the best treasure in my life.  We celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary in June!

We had agreed not to exchange anniversary gifts....it just gets kind of silly, you know?  But I had one of those "light-bulb"moments as I was sorting through some things that I want to put in a heritage album.  

The Man's mom kept so many sweet little treasures from her 4 children's childhood (my mom kept nothing), but it was her Cub Scout Den Mother's cute little hat that was the catalyst for my idea of creating a shadow box for The Man for our anniversary.

I included our favorite photo of the grandparents with all 9 grandchildren,

and photos of he and I as babies...I'm the one who looks like a cupie doll, and he's

the precious one!

Don't you just love his Davy Crocket coonskin cap!

I also found a sweet little card that he had given his mom on Mother's Day!

He was very happy with the gift and helped me juggle the gallery wall so the shadow box could be hung just below a great photo of his mom and dad.  I've been trying to be very intentional in using some of our family treasures.  I don't have anything that is of any great monetary value, but they all touch my heart and make me smile when I see them.  If something gets broken in the course of using it, then so be it.  I want to see them, use them, and touch them knowing people I love have held these things in their hands.  How about you?  Do you display and use your family treasures?

I hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead.  I do have more "Fall" to share later on.  We may be finished with triple digits, so I can decorate our front porch....I hope!

Warm hugs,

Carol

I'm hope to be joining these lovely ladies this week:

Kristi at Making it in the Mountains for The Creative Gallery

Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday

Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Carol at The Red Painted Cottage for Share Your Style Party

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Happy 47th Anniversary!

Hey everyone!  Here we are, another year older and celebrating another anniversary!  I feel so truly blessed and pinch myself often as a reminder of just how lucky I am to have found this outstanding man, who loves me in spite of my many quirks.

Blushing bride!

Oh, wow, I was young and teensy!  I cannot believe that dress was a Size 6!

Here we are with two of the most precious people in my life, my grandparents.  Hubby's grandparents died when he was quite young, so he didn't mind that my grandparents "scooped" him in and loved him as their own.  He was pretty crazy about them, too!  I am so grateful that our children got to meet and spend even a small bit of time with their wonderful Great-Grandparents.  I think about them often and hope they are looking down on our family and feeling happy.

Don't you just love the cute little hat?  Well, I was wearing gloves, too!  This "Going Away" outfit created some giggles when I had to go into a pharmacy a couple of hours into our trip to purchase my birth control pills that I had forgotten to pack -- oh, yes, the pharmacist was quite amused!

This past year has been quite the wild ride, physically and emotionally.  The loss of several friends and family, and my own diagnosis of breast cancer would put a monumental strain on anyone.  What could make some relationships weak, proved to strengthen ours.  I've said many times over the course of chemo, surgery and radiation, that this man is my rock; without his love and strength, my cancer journey would have been so much more difficult and could have had a far different outcome.

Now, looking at 47 years, I am so happy to have had this wonderful man in my life for all these many years.  We have weathered many storms, celebrated wonderful events like the birth of both of our children and our children's children, provided solace in times of need; and through everything, have remained strong for each other.  People always seem so shocked when we say we've been married for so many years and often ask what our secret is.  I don't think there is a secret to a good marriage, but my advice, if anyone wants to know is:

                                                     a)  Be good friends

                                                     b)  Be honest, but not hurtful, & trust each other

                                                     c)   Love deeply 

                                                     d)   Forgive and forget petty issues

                                                     e)   Be willing to say "I'm sorry" and mean it

Would I marry this sweet man all over again?  You betcha'!

Who You Know and What They Do!

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!  We were suppose to have company for Easter dinner, but my friend got very sick a couple days earlier, so she and her hubby couldn't make it.  I feel so badly for her....what started out as a bad sinus infection is now accompanied by Shingles!  Yes, you heard me right!  Candy and her hubby traveled here in their motor home for a couple of months of fun in the sun, and now she just wants to get well enough to go home.  Please keep her in your prayers and positive thoughts.

I've been entertained this morning with pics of the antics of my two youngest granddaughters.  They live in VA and last week was their Spring Break.  Our son and family spent the week in CA, having some (a lot) fun and also narrowing down a search for where they want to live....yes, lucky us will have them a whole lot closer when they move in June!  Insert "Happy Dance" here!  Anyway, I'm doing the typical Nana-thing with photos and some bragging; and of course, I think you should all agree with me that they are truly "Super-Cute!"  Just kidding....no, NOT KIDDING!  Oh well, you be the judge.

See, I told you they were super-cute!

Best way to view daddy's new office!

Already has the "Beach Babe" hair!

I'm not quite sure how these two "Gangsta-Sistas" passed White House security......

 But here they are for the second year in-a-row at The White House Easter Egg Roll!

Daddy is the Chef for one of the restaurants, SweetGreen, selected as a food vendor for this event....so it really is all about who you know and what they do!  Even better when that 

special person is your daddy!

Thank you so much for stopping by and allowing me to do some Momma & Nana-bragging.  Hope you have a wonderful week!

Warm hugs,

Do You Multitask?

Hey everyone!  Welcome to week 8 of the new year....it sometimes feels that time is moving at lightening speed, doesn't it?  So many things to do and not quite enough time to do them seems to be the main reason we turn to multitasking.  Some say that a person cannot multitask and actually be successful at any of the things they are doing.  Hmmm....sounds like something a man might say!  If you've ever carried a crying baby on your hip while putting dinner together, you are a multitasker!  If you've ever cooked a large meal (like for Thanksgiving), you are a multitasker!  If you knit, crochet or blog while watching tv with your hubby, you are a multitasker!  Whether you work outside the home or run an in-home business, you are a multitasker!

I'm a multitasker!  I've carried on lengthy phone conversations while putting together "Welcome Bags" for a business I owned.  I've cleaned up my whole kitchen and solved all the world problems while talking with a friend.  If you've ever answered email or written a blog post while eating your breakfast or lunch, then you are a multitasker!  I don't think it's a bad thing, do you?

There are many things that do require our undivided attention.....listening to a child, because they know every time if you're mind is on something else and they will call you on it!  Talking with teens requires your full-attention, because you just may not get that many opportunities.  Listening to and lending a shoulder to someone who needs you is an all-in situation.  Driving...NO PHONE & NO TEXTING......enough said on that subject!  And please, please don't forget yourself.  Sometimes you are the most important person in need of your full attention, because if you haven't tended to your needs -- physically, mentally and emotionally -- how can you be strong and sharp for anyone else?  You cannot!

List-making and multitasking seem to go hand-in-hand.  The habit of making lists can be a very good thing, unless it puts us into over-drive in multitasking.  We are assured of a major breakdown if we don the cape and cuffs of Wonder Woman!  As I shared my thoughts on "home keeping" last week, we have to keep things in perspective and not feel the need to do it all or do it all right now.  

As women, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters & friends, a lot is expected of us and we expect a lot of ourselves.  Go ahead, multitask when the situation calls for it, but learn to recognize the signs that call for single-mindedness and blinders.  Don't become a wreck because you forgot to stop in time!

As always, thank you for stopping by.  I hope this is a great week for you!  And just remember:

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

I often party with these lovely bloggers:

Monday
Dee at Meatloaf and Melodrama for Merry Monday

Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Tuesday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Wednesday

Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Thursday
Jemma at  At Home With Jemma for Thoughts of Home on Thursday

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

For the Joy of Home-Keeping

Hey everyone!  What a glorious week this has been so far!  I'm feeling stronger by the day, needing fewer afternoon naps (although I do hate to give those up...heehee), and thoroughly enjoying home-keeping.  During the past few months, when I was too exhausted & weak to do much of anything, my heart ached for the simple pleasures of tending our home.  What does home keeping mean to you?  To me it's all of the things, big and small that give life to our home.  While cleaning the toilet might not rank right up there as a joyous chore, it has to be done so our families stay healthy.....that's the joy. The Man did a wonderful job of taking care of all the basics, and it gave him a renewed respect for all of the things that go into making our home run smoothly.  I don't think he ever realized what I did behind the scenes that he just took for granted, but I'm sure I would be in the same situation if I had to take on his responsibilities.  That's why we should always be mindful, grateful, and hand out sincere "Thank you's" for even the smallest of tasks....there is much joy and love in being grateful.

Have I always found joy in home-keeping?  Absolutely not, but I have always taken pride in having a clean & inviting home where good food was cooked and served daily; but terms such as "housework" & "chores," didn't really evoke much pleasure of any kind.  It wasn't until I heard the term "Home Keeping," that I found new respect and joy in the things I did to care for our family and our home.  It's amazing how a few simple words can so greatly affect us.

Our home is not big by today's standards, but certainly more than adequate for us.  It's not grandiose or filled with high-end fixtures and expensive trappings.  It is filled with love and memories, things that remind us of special occasions or vacations, and mementos of special people who are no longer with us.  It doesn't really matter what your decor is or whether you spend a lot or a little to dress your home, it's the love of tending our homes that brings joy.

Puttering or tweaking, whichever term you use, is a major part of home keeping....in my humble opinion anyway!  Puttering (my word of choice) is sheer pleasure to me.  Sometimes puttering involves a lot work, like rearranging & styling bookshelves, or it can be the simple act of pulling things from my "stash" to create a new floral arrangement.  It still evokes a wonderful feeling of bringing joy and love into my home.  Puttering is high on my priority list for home keeping!

How do you feel about home keeping?  Is it a list of "chores" that have to be done, obligations that cause you stress or even anger because you are the one doing them?  I've been there and understand the overwhelming feeling of not being able to get it all done, and wondering if there was ever going to be time for "me."  It's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to give yourself a break....spend a little time puttering or tweaking!  Maybe then you will find joy in home keeping.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I always appreciate your sweet comments.  If you have a "NoReply" email, it will probably take me longer to respond.  I hope the remainder of your week is wonderful.

I often party with these lovely bloggers:

Monday
Dee at Meatloaf and Melodrama for Merry Monday

Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Tuesday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Wednesday

Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Thursday
Jemma at  At Home With Jemma for Thoughts of Home on Thursday

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Great Health News

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey everyone!  I hope this first week of the new year is going in a positive direction for all of you.  It definitely is for me.  So many of you have been following my health updates, and have so generously sent me sweet, loving comments (cards and gifts, too) and kept me in your prayers.  I am so grateful to each of you.  You have even made a "Blog Believer" out of The Man!  He is always sharing with someone about the blog his wife has and how wonderful the blog friends have been during this cancer process.  "Old dog, new tricks," I guess, but "shhhh," don't tell The Man I used the word "old!"

Yesterday was another Monday at MD Anderson, but I was not there for Chemo....we have shut and locked the door on that phase of my treatment!  I was there to begin Phase 2 and 3 of this wild and crazy ride.  It was a very long day due to insurance updates -- all that first of the new year stuff.  I only had to do some minor paper work at my first stop and was then given a lavender wristband so I would not have to repeat that process.  The Man and I were at the Cancer Center from 9am to 3pm for appointments with my Radiology Oncologist, my Breast Surgeon, and pre-op tests....EKG, chest X-ray, & labs. Surgery is set for the 12th -- Out-Patient...YAY!  Radiation starts 3-4 weeks after surgery.  More good news -- only 4 weeks of radiation instead of 6.....again YAY!  I cannot express how impressed we are with these doctors and their nursing staff.  They exude confidence, never act rushed, and treat you like you are their only patient.    

Again, I cannot express how grateful I am for all the support I've had... No. 1 is my hubby!  He has been with me for every single appointment, enduring hours in very uncomfortable chairs, early appointments and long days.  He has taken over all of the household chores and meal preparations and with no complaints.  He has given new meaning to the vows we took 46+ years ago...."In sickness and in health."  I could not have done this without him by my side.  No. 2 of my "support team," have been our children, always keeping in close contact.  No. 3 has to go to all of my "cheerleaders," and you know who you are! My journey is not quite over, but the end is insight!

Were you worried that this might be a picture-less post?  Well, never fear, this proud Nana has to share the photo that was included in our Christmas cards this year.  Now, we can all be happy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR  from the "Six" and from me!

My "Not So Typical Christmas Letter" & Merry Christmas to You!

Hey everyone!  This will be my last post of the year, but I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas before taking a break.  For the last couple of years, I have written a Christmas message to enclose with our Christmas card.  It's not your typical holiday letter, and I thought I would share it with all of you this year.  I hope you enjoy it.

Merry Christmas One and All

Christmas 2015

It is again time to celebrate the joys and wonders of Christmas, say goodbye to 2015 and look with anticipation to the new year.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see things the way children do, where time moves slowly as they anxiously wait for each and every moment?  Adults always seem to play catch-up, usually trying too hard to create something memorable.  We cling to traditions and try to stall the passage of time, even as we see it slip silently away.  Maybe now is the time to simply enjoy and savor what is now.

Many of us have started planning and writing our yearly missive, filling it with a detailed recap of what is going on with our children and grandchildren, and sharing how busy the year has been for us with trips, accomplishments, and contributions.  Are our family and friends truly eager to hear all of that?  I don’t know, perhaps they would just like to know that our family has the same struggles and concerns, the same “ups and downs” in life that they have.  Maybe they would rather know that we haven’t been so wrapped up in the busyness of our own lives, to think of them often and hope they are doing well.    

This past year has had much joy, but also more than enough heartache, illness & loss.  Maybe now is the time to be more thoughtful of those who are experiencing pain and sadness, and offer them extra helpings of kindness and tender care.  Perhaps a sweet note sent in February, June or September would brighten their day.

As we look to the approaching new year, perhaps we should try to see it through the eyes of a young child, where there is joy and excitement in the simple things of each day.  Maybe 2016 will be the year that we become more mindful of the needs of others, and take the time to give of ourselves more freely.  Whatever the new year holds for each of us, let us see it as a gift of new possibilities and hope; let us be present and not waste it.

May 2016 be a Happy New Year!