Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you God for the blessing of my children. I am still in awe of the beautiful gifts my children are. Help me to be the mom they need and the mom you want for me to be. Steer me on the right path when I fail and watch over my family. Days like this make me realize how incredibly blessed I've been in my life. There have been a lot of tough times but The Lord has always pulled me through.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Healthy concoctions

Had to share a couple of things that I found on Pinterest and have made me feel better. Don't know how to link to Pinterest from this blog app but have the photo and link for the one. First. I read about drinking parsley water to clean out kidneys. Boil parsley in water...keep in refrigerator and drink some every day. Gets rid of all the salt and other junk that stacks up. The other was a cough remedy but the ingredients in this, especially the cayenne pepper is good for so many things its crazy.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Duchesses and Wendy...

Life's been crazy.  April was a whirlwind and hit May head on with a trip to Corpus Christi for Buccaneer Days.  Beautiful Miss Haley King was a visiting duchess for the coronation and we had a wonderful time drinking in her charm and beauty :)  It was like a fairy tale seeing everyone so dressed up and having a great time.  Something to remember always.  Thanks Tammy and James for including us...it was a very special time and will always be a special memory for my family.  A few shots...

I've also finished a crochet projecct that I had put on the blog earlier...my Wendy blanket is done and I love it.  I actually got to use it for a nap the other day with our lovely cool weather.

I still havn't gotten photos up of the trip to St. Thomas...what's up with that?  Like I said, tired, stressed and a bit depressed...must kick that in the butt and turn it around...we can't have any of that!

Thoughts for Holy Week...

    Happy be your Easter-tide. Peace and joy with you abide,

and upon you one above, shed his blessing and his love.

 

Some days are for searching for that "something"...that cork to fill the empty spaces...The words that bring "hope" to the light, healing to the broken hearted.   Words that bring peace to those that feel there is no peace in sight.   Help to find joy where joy is hard to come by.  There are days that you wonder why we have such heartache and pain in this world.  Why we have a hard time seeing the beautiful blessings that are in our lives.  Why we can be drug so far under that we can't see and feel the blessings that are right in front of us.  Joy feels so very far away.  We dwell on the hard times, the mistakes, the why me's, the I screwed up agains...  I don't know about you but I could use a little "Easter"...a little BLESSING, a little FORGIVENESS...alot of JOY...  What in the world made God send His only Son to die for me?  For this world?  We hurt each other...we take each other for granted.  We grow hard in our hearts and we don't forgive.  We forget about the BIG ...major...unselfish LOVE that we've been given.  We've been given a clean slate...(I don't deserve it)...probably not many of us do.  We are a poor excuse for His children.  We just want more more more (like the commercial says) and just expect it to be so...to be given without anything in return.  Only with Jesus is that gift given.  And let us know...and believe in our heart of hearts that yes, we are here because it was planned...and it was planned to be good, full of joy and hope for the future.  If things are tough maybe it's so we'll see the blessings in the little things...we'll appreciate where our "help" is coming from...from whom the sacrifices have been made.  Jesus didn't have to go to the cross for us.  He had the capability to say no...not today, they aren't worth it Dad...they won't even appreciate what's been done for them.  Please God...during this HOLY WEEK , help me to see the LOVE around me...feel the PEACE you've given me...glimpse the HOPE that can come in believing in YOU, and dance for the JOY that you want me to have...that I was born to have...

Jeremiah 29:11  New International Version (NIV)     ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Isaiah 55:12 - "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." (NIV)

Thinking back...homecoming...so blessed

Tonight I'm thinking back on so many years ago.  My dad left us ( due to brain cancer on the 15th of March) 40 plus years ago..  My sweet brothers birthday is tomorrow.  yes St. Patty's Day...he'll be 49,  most people don't count each birthday as a wonderful milestone.   Unless you have a devastating loss of someone you love at such an early age.  I remember being so afraid.  That I'd loose my mom, that i wouldn't make it past 34...  It's funny what molds your life.  I have been very blessed.  yes there have been very tough times...Losing a parent at 10 years is tough... But...daddy died at 34...on March 15th...buried on March 17th...on my brother's birtday.  Yes that sucks.  Life can suck.  But through faith, love,  and perserverance....that same life can be good.  You see the people that have supported you through the years...you understand the unique way you have been raised...(by the amazingingly strong super woman strength)   Monte and I were blessed with the most amazing parents. I can't event begin to explain that.  I don't have the words.  I just know that it has been terribly difficult to live up to in my life time.  But I also know that the good Lord doesn't expect me to be compared...just to carry on the amazing lives that have carried me forward.  We (my family) has been carried by the good Lord and people that have meant so much to us...people that daddy touched in his life, people mom touched in hers. and people that I've had the great priviledge to cross paths with in my life.  I am daily blown away by the beauty and compassion that I come across daily.  I have total positive feelings toward the people in our world today. Daily I cross paths with amazing, compassionate, caring people.  yes...there are the negative aspects out there...but I know they are hurting in ways that they can't get past right now.  I've been there, felt the pain...over and over again.  I just pray that those people who need to feel the love and compassion of their savior allow HIM to come into their lives, totally wrap them in HIS arms...feel HIS comfort...HIS compassion...HIS love...  Bask in it, believe in it...be healed by it.  Totally pass it on to those you love and to those that you feel a blockage to...we are here on this earth to show love, compassion, blessings to others.  We are all here because HE chose us to be here...Yes at the same time, together, with HIM...bringing others to HIM...sharing HIM with others we love, we know, we don't know, we see at the store.  Do  it, it's your job, it's your calling...it's the reason you are put on this earth.
Love you all...especially those that are closest to me...you know who you are.

Amazing Wine...Amazing Food

Some of you may not know this...but I love wine. :)  I love good wine.  I love going to Wine Country...everything about it...  I also appreciate really good food, clean food, prepared so that you taste the real essence of what you've started with.  It's been a long time since I've been able to escape to Wine Country, but last night I was in heaven as Wine Country came to Castroville!  Don Hartford of Hartford Family Winery (facebook page)and Republic Dist. worked with Chef Lynn Oefinger at Le Chat Noir (facebook page)to bring us an amazing evening that we just don't get to experience too often.  Lynn & Monte started off by tasting the Harford Wines last week and along with Don Hartford they chose 5 to highlight with a food pairing in a 5 course meal that we experienced last night.  Lynn did an amazing job pairing the foods with the wines and Don Hartford praised  her for the great job that she did.  Mr. Hartford was amazing to listen to...how he described his wines, how he described the food with the wines and how they complemented each other.  I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved listening to him!  He was also a truly nice gentleman.  Now I didn't sit down and enjoy the meal with everyone, but I had the priviledge to help serve it.  And it really was a priviledge.  I forget how much I enjoy enabling people to have a good time...funny...I know, but I really enjoyed pouring, serving, removing dishes.  I got a taste here and there of the wonderful food, learned a little bit about how to get that wonderful panacotta out of those darn little cups!  I had my own wine glass around the corner and every one of the 5 wines was superb!  Only down side was that my feet were killing me by the end of the night...but it was worth it.  Thank you to everyone that came out...and I so wish that everyone has a chance to enjoy that kind of quality food and wine some time in their lives...even if you don't think you like wine, or that weird looking food, or whatever your preconceptions are.  Try something new in life and start off with the best...you may learn of a new kind of heaven...

Yarny Friends, Wendy, a 31 party, and welcome home Wyatt!

     I got to eat lunch with a bunch of women that I miss terribly...Funny how work can get in the way of your fun!  I've really missed them...my loosely knit wine friends...they were at mom's today and I got to sneak over and join them...get hugs...and laugh... Miss them.  Mom made a delicious lunch...salad with strawberries and a wonderful raspberry viniagrette, and a home made pot pie!  Heaven!
     Still crocheting on my Wendy Blanket...did my 60 squares and now working on the 8 rows after...then 74 squares...ugh...But it's a cheerful project and I'm enjoying it!

    We painted the bathroom...dying to get to work on the bedroom, but there seems to be other plans...funny how that happens!  Maybe when I'm supposed to be sleeping?  I'm also re-purposing an old chest of drawers...need to by some shelves and paint them...Can't wait to get the master bedroom and bath liveable again!
     Had a 31 party on Saturday.  I really enjoyed preparing for company...cooking...having a clean house...The 31 party was fun...thanks Roxanne and all that attended...Can't wait till my pretties come in.  I got some luggage type items to use on my trip in April.  And of course Ashley needed a couple of things...:)
Here are a few of the things I made...

Source: familyfreshmeals.com via Brenda on Pinterest

Source: keyingredient.com via Brenda on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Brenda on Pinterest

...and they were all yummy...I will make them again.  Had mimosas... with fresh squeezed orange juice and a splash of Pom... and I made Lynn's Brie recipe that is to die for!  It was a good day, but I was exhausted at the end...It dawned on me that I hadn't sat down all day.
     Some really good news...Wyatt came home this week...the neighborhood is a brighter place to be with our buddy back at home...Prayers to Chesney & Weston...and all of the family.