Heavy Heart

Yesterday we received the news that our daughter, Bre, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

I think I spent all last night and part of today in a state of shock.

Bre has been experiencing several MS type symptoms since last summer.  She has gone through several tests, seen many specialists and taken many drugs.  All of us knew that MS was a strong possibility.  I think we all tucked it in the back of our brains and were hopeful that it would just go away.

But now she must decided which drug she will use through injections. 

A tough decision as they all have side-effects,

all have to be self-injected

all will be taken the rest of her life.

Thankfully, we are all believers in God and we know that He will have His hand on her and

her family throughout this journey.  So we remain optimistic.  Studies have shown that the

new medications definitely slow the progression of this disease and in some cases almost stop it.

We love you Bre and we are always here for you.

I will close with that tonight.  We know that our beautiful daughter is in God's loving hands and that gives us tremendous peace.

XOXO Nancy

Row, row, row your boat!

After three days of heavy rain this is what our golf course looks like.
If you had never been in our development you would think we lived next to
a river! Honestly, this is just amazing to see. Obviously, AZ has very little drainage.

Where you see water it should be golf course.
Hubby wished he had a kayak as he thought it would be so funny to kayak past the golfers today.

Yes, Hubby was one of those crazy golfers that went out and played anyway. They actually had detour signs up for the golf carts. Too funny!
I'm happy to see sunny skies today. I ran over to the mall to check out the sales and ended up buying a $60 blouse for $14.75, a $42 bra for $13 and a pair of jeans for.......well, let's just say they weren't on sale!
That's it for today. Just had to show you those crazy pictures of our flooding.
Have a great week!
XOXO Nancy

A Little Glass Creation

I rounded up some girlfriends and headed back out to create some more glass fusion dishes.
We discovered that this is a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends. The only problem I had was that I just couldn't seem to get my creative mojo to really kick in. I fooled around with the design of this plate forever and finally out of frustration I ended up with this. Luckily, it didn't end up costing me too much!

I used all scrap glass pieces for this. Hence, the odd looking shapes!
But hey, the colors go well in my house so guess I'll keep it.
A few of the girls had some really great creations. The best part is that
after we finish with the glass we head back to Uncle Bear's for a margarita and more girl time.
Next month we are going to try making some glass fusion jewelry pendants.

I returned last night from three days with my sweet friend, Diana. She and her family live in CA. Diana has been battling breast cancer since last summer along with a very serious and lingering bout of colitis. She has been one sick lady. On Friday morning she went in for a lumpectomy and removal of approximately 30 lymph nodes from under her left arm. She came through the surgery just fine and we will find out the pathology report this coming week when she goes back to the Dr. I have a whole new appreciation for cancer patients. Having spent one morning sitting in a room with several patients receiving their chemo through a 90 minute IV drip, most with blankets draped over them, no hair, dark circles under their eyes, pale skin, tired and weak with the knowledge that the next few days could bring nausea and vomiting......it was an incredibly sobering experience.
The patients were of all ages.
Cancer knows no boundaries.
I have great admiration for everyone who has ever or is now fighting this horrible disease.

I worked an 8 hour day at the store today and came home to a yummy dinner cooked by my Hubby. And he had spent most of his day caring for Sofia because Jami is sick in bed with the flu and Mike and Hanna were gone all day. I'm a lucky girl to have such a thoughtful husband.
Time to hit the sack. Tomorrow brings church and some needed R & R!
XOXO Nancy

A Big Week

It's official......I am now a part-time employee of my favorite
decor store, Designer Blvd. I went in for an interview the beginning of week and was
hired right away. The owner, Carol and her manager, Vanessa are two of the greatest
gals and girl could work for. Both are extremely talented interior designers along with being a ton of fun to be around. I will work two days a week, one Thursday night a month and two Saturdays a month. I have already worked two days and go in again today. It's a lot of fun and I look forward to spending lots of time surrounded by beautiful and unique home decor, gifts and clothing. Something tells me that my paycheck is going to be spent before it is every given to me! Oh well, I can't think of better place to spend it.

These are just a peek of what this store holds.

Last September Hubby and I flew to Seattle to visit our grandsons. I had arrived a week before Hubby and when we took the boys to the airport to pick-up their Papa I snapped this picture of the waiting.

I loved the picture and decided to attempt to paint it for a Christmas gift for their Dad.
Here's my finished painting. I was pleased with the outcome and it was a hit with Kyle.

On Saturday Jami and Mike threw a big 1st Birthday Party for Miss Sofia.

The theme was "cupcakes" and let me tell you it was a sugar high!
I made this marshmallow lollipop tree.

Jami made all these darling circle toppers.
The cupcakes were so yummy and looked darling
on this cupcake stand.

Here's the happy family.

Sofia had her own gigantic cupcake.

And she LOVED IT!!!

A little more sugar!

OK, time to wash all that frosting off!

Love these sink-baths.

Hey, bet you never had a sink-bath right in front of everyone
in the middle of your birthday party!

It was a busy and eventful week. We also squeezed in a birthday dinner for my dear friend, Rosie on Saturday night.

Well, I'm off my diet. I lost 6 lbs. and then came to a dead standstill. So decided it was time to get back to the gym this morning. I am going to be sore tomorrow. Geez, I was so stiff I could hardly bend over and touch my toes!
Time to get some ironing done before I head to work...."work", now that sounds weird!
I'm suppose to be retired!! I just can't sit still so my as well be busy and make some money at the same time.
XOXO Nancy

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!

Today is our granddaughter,
SOFIA OLIVIA'S
1st Birthday
It's amazing how much growth and change happens in
twelve months.
She is our little doll and has a happy disposition
(although a little temper is starting to show itself)
and we wish she would stop growing so fast!
Here's a few pictures of this past year of her life.

Like any other grandparents, Hubby and I just think everything she does is
so cute! Her wide-open mouth kisses, dancing to music, clapping, talking,
standing on her own, how she reaches for us as soon as she sees us
and her sweet little face nuzzled into our neck sound asleep.
Such treasured moments that make life that much sweeter.
PAPA & GIGI WISH YOU A VERY SPECIAL 1ST BIRTHDAY, SOFIA
We love you!

Cutest Little Doggie Face

INTRODUCING......"MY PINK HEAVEN"
This is my latest purchase from the talented
Julie Haymaker-Thompson
This sweet little doggie is made from paper-clay.
She is the first arrival in my new
collection of small handmade dogs.
She's extra special since she was created by Julie, an incredibly talented
mixed media artist, jewelry maker, painter, etc., etc., etc.
Check out her blog to see all the amazing things she does.
It's really fun to take one of her classes.

So this past week I started back at Art Group. I am having a bit of an artistic block
these days so I really wasn't sure what I wanted to paint.
This is what I have done so far.
Not much, huh?

Not sure where I'm going with this painting but if and when I finish it I will put it on my blog. I certainly hope it evolves into something that I won't be embarrassed to show you!
I'm still on the HCG diet and have lost 6 lbs. But I cheated bad tonight and will probably pay for it tomorrow in pounds. So back to 500 calories tomorrow.
I took 6 girlfriends to Glass Fusing today. We all created different dishes. I was bummed cause my camera was locked up for some reason and wouldn't work. So no pics this time around.
After 3 years I finally pulled out my Serger. I decided it was time to get back into sewing and picked up some fabric to make a little skirt for my granddaughter.
Tomorrow I will see if I remember how to thread the thing and then will attempt to sew the skirt.
The other news.......I have a job interview tomorrow morning!!! Yikes!
More to come on that.
Now off to bed!
XOXO Nancy

OK, I'M A DORK!!

Yes, I really am a dork! It must be this diet I am on.....I'm not loosing pounds, I'm loosing brain cells! I thought I had completely lost all my journaling on my blog. Even put a new post out asking for help. Well, after working on it for at least an hour and a half, I finally realized that I had the font color on "white" not black. GEEEeeeez!
Two days without any weight gone. First two days I loose 4 lbs. and now, nothing. I will give it one more day and see how it goes. I must say that I do get hungry and 500 calories (even with the HCG drops) just doesn't take cut it.

I still wanted to post more of our Christmas holiday pictures. I know that it won't be very interesting to some of you, but our family and friends will enjoy it. So bear with me in this post.

Here we are in Jami and Mike's kitchen on Christmas Eve making our big dinner of turkey, ham and swedish meatballs (200 of them).

Then it was time to just play and hang-out together for the evening.

We had a "show us your muscles" contest....

played in the hot tub....

listen to Papa read the story of the birth of Jesus...

Put cookies, milk and some reindeer oatmeal with sprinkles out for Santa...

Christmas morning tree at Jami and Mike's before we started opening gifts...

Checking out what Santa and his reindeer ate...

Opening stockings....

A break for singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.....

including birthday cake....

Time for presents for the kids...

and adults....

playing with the Guillory's new 3-man slingshot...

shooting water balloons down the street...

back at Gigi's & Papa's for homemade smoothies...

playing Batman with their new capes...

time for new games...

family picture day with the photographer...

an afternoon playing at Bounce U...

throwing blocks....

drawing pictures...

family loves....

out for a bite before leaving to go home to Washington...

a final Good Bye.

Sofia took her first bath in the kitchen sink with Hanna washing her.
At first she didn't want to touch the bubbles.
But she soon figured it out and had a blast splashing water all over the kitchen!

A few days before the kids went back to Washington, Coleman lost his first tooth.
He had gone in to take a nap and came out a few minutes later to tell us he had pulled it out but lost it in the bedroom. After a short hunt we found it on the floor beside his bed.

That night he put it in a glass of water for the "tooth fairy".

The next day that tiny little tooth grossed $1.50 from the tooth fairy!
Boy, have times changed!!

There are tons more pictures but I don't want to bore you with all of them. For us they are a reminder of the great Christmas we had with our family and friends.
It was busy, loud, messy, wild, funny, loving, crowded, and wonderful!
We are blessed.
XOXO Nancy