Rain - Rain- Yahoo-Rain

What a wonderful rainy day this is.. Living in the desert southwest, we don't have many days like this. the weatherman had predicted rain for today and everyone was anxious for it to begin. This morning on the way to work it was misty, but not raining and by the time I got home around 1 pm it was just starting to rain and it hasn't stopped in 4 hours. We are suppose to get rain for the next 24 to 36 hours and our desert needed it so bad. the good thing about rain in the desert is that the mountains up north are getting much needed snow.. It is a stay at home day and work on projects.. I have a baby shower next weekend to attend for 2 girls from work..so I've got to get busy on their gifts.. I'll share when I'm done. Have a safe weekend and watch out for the crazies on the road..

Moments

In life, there are no ordinary moments.

Most of us never recognize

the most significant

moments of our lives

when they're happening..

Kathleen Magee

What a wonderful thought to start the day with.

If we just take the time to look around us and see what is

really happening in our lives, what a joy.

As the old saying goes ,"take time to smell the roses".

At this special time of year let's all take our time and

cherish each day and the wonderful things

that are happening all around us.

Remember:

"You don't know what you get back

until you give".

Give joy to others and reap
the benefits ourselves.

Have a wonderful day.

Give Me 5

This weekend I worked on a large bulletin board for Williams Sonoma.. We are having a corporate visit today and they wanted the board re-done, so I volunteered to do it. I love this kind of thing. It is based on the theory that when you sell an item you should make sure that the client has everything they need to use that item when they get home; Say they buy a waffle iron, you would suggest waffle mix, syrup, a mixing bowl, measuring spoons and maybe a spatula.. 5 things that would add to the sale.. I love the way it turned out. I also made wooden plaques for the visitors: Pat our new VP (she was the very first district manager I had when I was the manager in 1985), Janet the new regional manager and Wynter the district manager.. Pat's says Believe, Janet's is Inspire and Wynter's is Dream. I made cards with that theme for each of them to go with the plaques from all of us in the Biltmore store.

I had fun making these projects and loved working on them & I can't wait to see everyone's reaction at work.

I really need to get hopping on Christmas gifts. I have been buying through out the year, I now need to gather it all together and see just what I have and what else I need to get to make Christmas complete.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's 6 a.m. and I'm getting ready to put the turkey in the oven, just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful day. I am so thankful for all my blessings; one being my friends and their love and support. So thank you for all you give to me every day and may the Lord bless you and your family on this Thanksgiving Day.
I love this quote by Booker T. Washington " I learned long ago that those who are the happiest are those who do the the most for others.". so lets do for others during this holiday season and know that the smallest of efforts can yield positive results.
Have a fantastic day.
Jean

Snowman Lane

It's "Snowman Lane" at my place.. Just love snowmen and have been collecting them for a few years. I have my entire place decorated for the holidays with snowmen.. It is so warm out I have the windows open and have been sitting at the dining table doing my Christmas cards today..watching the golfers go by..

Last night we had our monthly "All About Me Club", at Connie's house..another fun evening. We created layouts entitled "For One More Day", and "Escape".. It is so fun to share with each other our journaling on the pages..

Turkey & Dressing

One of my favorite things to do, is to fix Thanksgiving dinner. Each year I start early and love the smells and the memories and the enjoyment I get from preparing this meal. For the last couple of years we have had this wonderful "event", at my son Steve's house and I haven't prepared the turkey.. They all asked me to bring my dressing and a couple of the other traditions from Thanksgivings past. But this year we are having the dinner at my youngest son Jason's home. When we were deciding who would bring what, I was asked to bring the "TURKEY" and the dressing..Yahoo.. Since I am working again at Williams Sonoma and Thanksgiving is a BIG DEAL with WS, I am going to brine my turkey this year.. I haven't ever embarked on this procedure before and it is an all new thing for me.. But I hear rave reviews at the store from clients who swear by it..so I'm going to do it.. For the last couple of weeks I have gotten to be the one preparing the food demo for the day and presenting it to the customers in the store. I made a pumpkin pie with all the fixings from the store, pie crust mix, pumpkin pecan butter and even the pie tin and the leaf cutters to make the crust SO CUTE.. this week we had (now get this) mashed potatoes, no, not just any mashed potatoes.. I peeled, quartered, boiled and then riced them. Then added hot cream infused with chives and melted butter. After this was blended into the potatoes I added sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.. put them into a casserole and topped with more cheddar cheese and baked them..YUM-OOO. They are so awesome.. Yesterday I prepared focaccia stuffing with our turkey gravy.. Wow what fun I have being able to cook.. when I go to work.. I tease the staff that we get to work there and we get paid and win prizes and get a discount.. What a fun place to be..fun customers, smells & tastes and great associates to work with.
I am excited to fix my turkey and will let you all know how the brine goes.. Have a wonderful week and take time to reflect on those things you are thankful for. Each year after we finish eating and the evening is winding down we sit around in a circle (all 20 of us) and share what we are thankful for. The grand kids love to share and are so honest in all the things they are thankful for. I am thankful for my family, they are so supportive and such a strength in my life. I am thankful for friends and their love. I am thankful for the knowledge that I am a child of god and he blesses me every day of my life.. I am thankful for wonderful memories and new beginning's. Yes I am thankful for my life..

For just one more day

Next week at the "All About Me Club", one of the pages we are creating is entitled " For just one more day". The homework asked the questions : Who would you like to spend just one more day with.. What would you do, what questions would you ask them.. when I taught this page the first time, I decided that I would make it about spending another day with my mom. She died so suddenly and there were so many questions I still had for her, that no one else could answer. Even though I would love to spend another day with Kent. So for the page for next week's class; I thought about it again and would love to spend time with my parents or even my grandparents, since they died while I was young, but in reality I would really love to have "1" more day with Kent.. To have an entire day to look into his eyes and laugh and talk with him.. To do those things that we loved to do together and be with him for an entire day.. I would cherish that opportunity and ask him so many questions, like. What is heaven like? What does he do all day? Can he see me and watch over me? Can he give me inspiration and help me when I need it? Just to have him put his arms around me and kiss those soft sweet lips again.. and look into his eyes - to feel his love for me and our family. As I wrote the journaling piece for this page, I missed Kent so much.. It is hard this time of year, when everything centers on family and traditions. But I have such a wonderful family that all live so close and support me in every way. I am truly blessed and feel so thankful for each of my children and my sister who are all so close to me.

God Bless America

This morning I was watching the broadcast from Temple Square with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and they were singing patriotic songs in honor of Veterans Day. As they sang the theme songs for each branch of the armed forces and then God Bless America tears ran down my face. I am always so touched by the songs that celebrate our country and the freedom we cherish. I received an e-mail the other day to send cards to wounded veterans in the hospital and thought what a wonderful idea, to help show my appreciation for all the brave men and women who are fighting to protect our freedom. Remember to keep these brave heros in our prayers each day and ask the Lords help in protecting them and keeping their families safe while they are so far away from home.

I have conquered the Mountain

YAHOO.... I have conquered the mountain of boxes in my garage. We stacked the boxes into the middle of the garage so I could organize and sort out where each went. I still have some organizing and sorting to do, but I can now see my car and can walk thru the garage.

before I conquered the mountain...

The boxes in the middle are empty & broken down. I have to keep the 2 trash cans inside my garage.. uck

It is amazing how much room I really do have in my garage now that the mountain is gone. Since my garage is long and narrow I have to keep it un-cluttered so I can maneuver around in there. I am putting one of the work benches from the house in the middle (like a kitchen island), so I have a work space for my wood projects.

I had a great class last night at Mad Scrappers and am looking forward to tonights class. Tomorrow I am having my carpet stretched at the house and having it cleaned from top to bottom.. so it will be ready to show and SELL... I am going to tackle the rest of the garage at the house and pitch and clean it all out. Till tomorrow..Hugs to you all

Embrace Change

I read this quote this morning and think it defines my life at this point:
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

As I get settled into my new home I have many feelings going thru my mind. I am excited about the change in my life, still I am nervous to make such a drastic change, I am proud of myself and the decision to sail away from the safe harbor, I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends, but most of all I love it. I am the only one living in my building of 5 units at this time. The buildings around me are slowly starting to have people move into them, but it is really quiet around here. The evenings are so quiet .. it is really pretty and peaceful.

This week I am teaching my annual Christmas Card Class at Mad Scrappers. My classes are tonight and tomorrow evening. We are using the new Candy Candy Lane line of papers and embellishments from Imaginisce.

Next Weds, the 14th. I have my 2 regular advanced card classes.




Then on the 28th I am teaching a darling mini album (designed by my sister Judy) called "SHE". It is all in black and pink and filled with fun quotes, and embellishments a great gift idea.
I am slowly getting boxes un-packed and things put away. Soon I'll be ready for a party..
have a great day.

Whew, moving day finally !

All last week I loaded my car and made the run between my house and the condo.. I had everything moved except the heavy boxes and the furniture. Saturday morning the "wonderful" moving crew arrived at my house at 8am, with a huge furniture truck and lots of willing helping hands. Jason hopped into the truck and the assembly line proceeded to fill the truck.. Would you believe that in "1 hour" my house was loaded and ready to go. I love it.. Wow did those guys move.. We then had a caravan to the condo and in about 45 minutes everything was un-loaded and they were on their way. My boys, Steve, Jason and Don stayed to help me get organized. Jason and my grandson Kelly started putting together my new table and chairs on the patio. Steve, Don and I started to arrange the furniture in each room.. Kristan took all my discards to Deseret Industeries for re-sale.. Grant checked out the new TV and kept everyone up to date on football scores. Around 3 we were all winding down and everything was to the stage that I could finish, slowly unpacking boxes and sorting things to find homes for them. What a fun busy day.. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful supportive family.