Eleven years ago I made bird feeders for Christmas Gifts. I just used a clay pot and it's base and glued them together like shown in the picture.. of course before I glued the two pieces together I put the rope through and secured it with a knot. I made about 5 feeders and left them to sit... for 11 years!! Not very frugal of me I would say..

While cleaning out my basement.. I decided to grab one and bring it upstairs.. I was not going to waste these. WHO doesn't love a snowman? I painted the initial pot white.. and then blue.. when that dried.. I painted the snowman on along with the "flakes" and "dots"...


From there I added the face and let the whole thing dry overnight.. The next day I applied an antique medium.. and wiped away until I got the effect that I wanted...


I then added a gingham ribbon with artificial greens with a pinecone...


I then added a bit of bird seed.. and voila.. your feeder is ready..


You can give it a clear spray.. but I didn't have any laying around.. when I make more.. I will add the spray to give it a protective coating!

I just finished reading this book and I have to tell you that I absolutely LOVED it.. I was sucked into the story starting at page one. Because I can't write a great review like others.. here's one I took from the web...

Book One in the REFINER'S FIRE series, tells the story of a timid southern girl who finds her voice as she begins to tell the truth about the atrocities around her. A short stay in the North confirms her abolitionist feelings, but when she returns to the South she finds herself torn between her home, a beloved suitor who doesn't share her feelings, and the principles she knows are true. Standing for right may mean standing alone. Does she have the courage?

I can't wait to read two and three..

I soooooooooooooo NEED one of these .. Anyone game in sending me a Christmas Gift... ???? Could you knit in an MP3 player while you're at it...?????

I didn't mention in the past few weeks that I had been working on my IN-Loves 40th wedding anniversary party... Luckily I had my wonderful sister in law to help with everything.. or should I say.. I actually helped her.. We were on a limited budget.. but all and all.. we did a great job I think!!
Part of what she wanted to do was make them up a scrapbook.. yes.. me being a scrapbooker.. I wasn't so sure if I "felt" like doing it.. UGH.. I know.. I know.. I need so many pictures to scrap.. that I just haven't been in the "mood"..
So.. I put it off...
And put it off...
And............ PUT IT OFF...
Til finally the day before the party came!! YIKES!! I had to do the cover page.. the guest list page.. and our page.. and I had to prod my son to do a page.. and remind my daughter to get on hers...Well.. I finished it the MORNING OF!
I thought I would share those with you today!!

I'm NOT good at photographing layouts.. so forgive me for the lack of a good photo...
Here's the front page...

The invitation we sent to everyone...

One of my two pages that I did..


I made a CD of Love Songs for them that I placed inside this pattern from a McDonald's fry holder.. and I wrote them a little something on the side..

40 years ago.....

Them today..

This is the wedding party.. the best man and maid of honor were hubby's' dads brother and sister...

And here they are today...

And just for fun.. I HAD to share this picture of hubby's uncle.. I would have LOVED to have known what was being said.. instead I snapped the effects...


My in-loves really aren't a big part of our lives.. ( their choice really).. Their church family comes first.. in everything they do..which, again is their choice...
However they DID raise an obnoxious little boy.. ( love my hubby) to a wonderful, loving, amazing husband... He has blessed me in so many ways.. through the good and the bad... My in-loves were a good example of what a great marriage is.. and I'm so proud and glad that my husband paid attention to them! I just hope we are setting the same example for our children!

This past weekend was my buddy's birthday.. little man "T".. however.. upon showing you his gift I made for him I realized that his name is on the box.. so his name will be no secret..
Ty as I said before is slightly autistic.. and I've just recently learned that autistic children LOVE boxes... it was really no surprise to me because all summer long he BEGGED for a box to put his baseball cards in.. just like my sons...

Well with finances being tough.. I was wondering WHAT I would be making for TY.. cause there was no other alternative..
My handsome nephew came over a couple weekends ago and hands me this box...


At first.. I'm thinking.. WHAT?? am I going to do with this??


Then it hit me.. a lightbulb went off.. BAM.. it's going to be Tylers Birthday Present..
I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do with it..
I had baseball cards.. spraypaint and glue.. I was going to spice this box up!!
I did have to run to homedepot and get a few bits of hardware.. but the cost was STILL minimal ..


Ty is a BIG TIME RED SOX fan... and being a "New Englandah".. it's super easy to get stuff for them.. BUT.. it can be pricey.. Hubby and I headed down to Olympia just to "peek".. I'm so glad we did because they were selling clearance stuff!! I got two pennants, 2 composition notebooks and a magnet for $2.09. I couldn't believe it!! I was so happy. I cut one of the pennants up for more design inside and outside of the box..


And in the box sits an official ticket to Fenway Park.. for this past July.. my daughter went to a game and gave up her ticket for Tyler.. GUESS what the FIRST thing all the kids did.. They tried getting the ticket out of the box.. I had to "gently" explain".. this ticket has been redeemed.. and is there for show...

These are the other little treasures I put in the box..
I think he liked the box.. however he also got a Nintedo DS.. and well.. that trumped the box.. lollol..oh well..He did say that his box is full of stuff.. so that's a plus..

So.. for under $10.. I didn't think this was a bad gift..

GREETINGS!!! Guess whose BACK!!!

ME!! I am super excited to have my desktop back!!
I do have a laptop.. but I have to tell you.. I LOVE my desktop better.. not sure why.. but I do..

My poor computer had a WICKED BAD ( for us New Englanda's) spyware on it.. It portrayed itself as a spyware update 2009.. it was NOT! and unfortunately through this process.. someone was able to get my Debit Card # and tried buying some prescription plan in my account.. NOT COOL!Fortunately I have a WONDERFUL credit union... and the money is back in the bank..

So for the past couple weeks.. I have been..

1) Thinking about how my daughter is turning 18 and hating it.. why does 18 sound so finalized?

2) Sweating the small stuff.. when I shouldn't be

3) Wondering where God is in a lot of situations right now

4) Looked into Nursing School and HATED the idea that I have to become and LNA first.. ( not knocking LNA's.. don't get me wrong.. ).. but having spent 15 years in the medical field.. I'm ticked that I have to waste time on stuff that I'll probably fly through..

5) Had a super clean house.. LOL LOL..

In truth.. it hasn't been that bad....

The neighbor across the street is in her 70's and she has a flattop driveway.. something we don't have.. so she lets the kids keep their basketball hoop in her yard.. and allows the kids to play in her yard as long as they are respectful... and most of them are!! So hubby and I decided that it was time for the neighbor kids to give back.. so two weekends ago.. we went to her house and made/willingly had the kids rake up her yard..so of course.. I HAD to take pictures.. and had to share them with you!!

This is my buddy T.. T is slightly autistic and some days when he comes to visit.. I feel like pulling my hair out.. BUT.. deep down inside.. he TRULY is a SWEET kid..He always comes in and comes up to me and kisses my arm and says "How's my buddy doing today"... to sweet!

This is T's brother K.. he is the TINIEST kid... but he surely can hold his own with the other boys!


Here's K again with the neighbor around the corner... Z.. Z has a brother N who has spent almost a month at Dartmouth Hospital fighting an Autoimmune disease.. I was told the name but can't remember it..The boys are twins.. so Z was feeling lonely and lost without his brother.. so we asked him to come on over and rake..

I would call this INTERMISSION...

Here's K again with my hubby.. we were getting him to stamp down the leaves so we could shove more into the bags.. we were trying to be frugal and NOT have to go buy more.. and it WORKED!!

And just to please my buddy T.. I took pictures of the "treasures" he found..


And because I haven't done this in awhile.. I wanted to share what I've read...
Quick Easy Read.. and LOVED it!! Although Debbie isn't a Christian Author ( cause we all know that I'm snobs to Author's.. Ü) She writes pleasantly.. and I enjoy her sense of humor.. and love her characters.. while searching for this book picture.. I found that she too has a blog.. ( ok.. who DOESN'T have one now adays).. she seems super SWEET.. so check her out.. DEBBIE MACOMBER.
Currently I am reading this.. My thoughts?? Well.. it's set in the early 1800's, which I love due to history.. and it is set in a Shaker Village in Kentucky. However I'm finding the story to be DRY.. I'm NOT grabbing it to read it to find out what happens next.. but grabbing it to read more of the history on the Shakers. About 5 years ago I was lucky to be able to take my Girl Scout Troop to a Shaker Village in Canterbury NH. It is jammed pack full of history and if you're like me.. I LOVE to TOUCH history..
The Shaker Village in Enfield NH is right around the corner for us.. so naturally I had to go there too.. If you ever get a chance to visit a Shaker village.. DO SO! They are not like the Amish or the Mennonite even... To my knowledge the religion is long gone.. but it's preserved for us to still learn about what they believed in.

It's so good to be BACK!!

I got my computer back from my BIL...BUT.. it's worse than when I first left it..WAHHH

The spyware is gone... but my computer now sits because my Outlook Express is gone.. so no e-mail.. and all my favorites are strangely favorites from a time before when I had another virus.. it's almost like it's a system restore.. and everything I had is lost... but all my old is found?????

I'm still frustrated...So it's going to a real computer shop...


On a SIDE NOTE...
GET OUT and VOTE!!!

No matter what anyone says.. your vote counts!

Missing you all!! I have pictures to share...

I haven't been blogging.. I haven't been able to read many blogs...

Ask me why.....

You really want to know WHY???

Cause THIS lives in my computer right now..

This computer I'm on is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... so I get frustrated sitting here for to long... so when my other computer comes back.. I will be back up and running to blog.. all my really cool pictures are in my computer too.. sniff sniff...

So I promise to be back.. and up and reading when I get a chance..

The POSITIVENESS in all this... My house is CLEANER.. and I'm de-cluttering again...

BUSY! A WORD THAT I DON'T WANT IN MY VOCABULARY!

I'll admit it.. I haven't blogged in a week because of many things that have been going on.. and things I've been trying to get ready for.. but I REFUSE to use the word BUSY!
The word to me means.. "I don't have time for you".. or I find it to be a "big" Excuse to not notice the little things in life... Being to busy means you miss some of the most special, precious moments, with family AND friends...you may miss a moment when someone NEEDS you the most.. a moment that you may never get back.
I think I'm one of those rare people in today's society that says "hey.. you pick the time and day when we get together.. I'll make sure that day is open to you".. yeah.. I really say that.. UNLESS there is a family obligation.. but you won't get off the phone or away from me until our time is set.
How many times have you heard.. "Oh, I'll have to get back to you".. or "Oh.. gosh my days are filled up.. sorry"... ?
Maybe I'm to detail oriented and have to discover and acknowledge all that is around me..?

Of course this doesn't mean I think everyone should be coach potatoes and do nothing... I think to many people ask the question "How are you"? to REALLY NOT wait for their answer.. or hear what they are saying.. or could really care less how they REALLY are doing...

With all the activities of the week ( I'll blog later).. I still took the time to slow down and capture some more of our Fall before it blew away in the rainy wind...

Canadian Geese...My retriever was going NUTS!!

Random Maple leaves

Cat and 9 tails

these things... I have to pick them off my dog after ever walk... I call them pricker balls.. lol lol

Mums.. just a fall favorite..

6 Things That Make Me Happy

I was tagged by the beautiful MERE.. to write down 6 things that make me happy!!
So here it goes...

1) To those that read my blog AND leave me a comment.. that makes me HAPPY! and I appreciate it.

2) Fall and the cool air.. that makes me HAPPY!

3) Seeing my kids faces each and every morning... that makes me HAPPY!

4)A clean and organized home... that makes me HAPPY!

5) An unexpected phone call from a friend whose just calling to say 'hello'.. that makes me HAPPY!

6) the little conversation I had with my son today...
Me:.. hey bud.. guess what?
Bud:.. what?
Me:.. I probably have to go to work full-time
Bud: Why?
Me:.. cause dad's pay was cut and I have to help out with bills and stuff
Bud:.. Great.. whose going to keep the house clean? Whose going to cook my meals? Mom.. nothing is going to be able to replace you...

Ha Ha Ha... that makes me HAPPY! to know I'm irreplaceable! So when my home becomes a pigsty.... and I complain.. please remind me of this conversation!!

Sing A Song On Saturday

It seems just about every Saturday Morning I get up.. and listen to music.. since its a day that I don't normally have to rush around. This morning I was reflecting back on the week.. thinking it was better than last week.. but STILL a hard week...All week long I'm thinking of our troubles and each time I'm thinking or praying about our situation.. the phrase "Lay it at the feet of Jesus" has popped in my head...

Cause seriously.. there is nothing I can do to fix this problem TODAY! I have to wait and be patient..and leave it to our God...

Some may read this and say "Wait.. you're a Christian.. nothing is suppose to be going wrong.. why isn't YOUR 'God' fixing this... "... I hear this a lot.. Well.. it couldn't be more opposite from the truth.. Being a Christian has made me MORE aware that life isn't going to be handed to me on a silver platter.. and I'm DEFINITELY not going to get my own way. ( doesn't mean I still don't act like a brat from time to time)..

Joshua 1:5 says .. "I will never leave you nor forsake you"

Isaiah 46:4 says..." Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you;I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

So no matter what trial God promises me that it may not be easy.. I might not like the outcome... but he is NEVER going to be away from my side.. Now.. for myself..I have to take the time to place all this at his feet.. and let him help me carry all this sadness..weariness.. and defeat...

This song is a great reminder...What are you worried about? Is anything making you sad lately?

BITTERSWEET

This past week and a half has been one of those weeks where I have felt just BLAH.. ( why I haven't blogged anything). If anything could go wrong.. it did.. if I could find the negative in anything.. I did... As I read a few blogs I realized that other's were feeling the same way as me.. but other's had more of a "right" to feel like they did.. then I... So I asked God to ship shape me back into reality and stop sulking about things that I couldn't fix...

This happened to be a little devotion I got in my in box this past week.. and it really spoke to me .. because last week.. I really felt like giving up everything.. Was it worth doing what I was doing anymore... I was trying to budget my bills and expenses.. and here I was sitting listening to people brag about how they were getting breast enhancements.. or how someone was getting something new... but yet these are the same people that told me a couple months ago.. they were struggling to pay their mortgage...
God told me.. it was none of my business.. and He's right..
When has he ever let me go hungry? homeless? or Cold? He reminded me that I don't live OF this world.. I live FOR HIM...But I'm human and He knows that .. and I got sucked into the "beauty" of materialism... it's easy to do.. but it's easier to jump back out of it when you know you have a Loving God who takes care of your NEEDS and your WANTS...

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (NLT)


Meditation
You may feel, "It's not worth it!" today. God knows your efforts and struggles. Don't lose heart! Everything you do for the Lord is worth it. When was the last time you felt like giving up?

My heart has been heavy too.. listening to my daughter speak about college.. I think about the cost.. I think about the traveling.. but most of all I think about the loneliness that will begin in the late summer.. when she starts packing her stuff away and moving on to achieve her dreams and goals.. something that I have always WISHED for BOTH of my children.. but now.. when those moments are staring you in the face.. it's scary... to know when I'm 40 years old.. my kids will be off and doing their own thing.. makes me wonder what am I going to do for the rest of my life...

Yesterday I was faced with a reminder that this school year is already moving along fast...My daughter had her LAST EVER.. Home GAME in field hockey.. All the parents were acknowledge.. and we had our picture taken with our children.. ( don't get excited.. I don't have that picture...tee hee).. but I have a few of my daughter to share... I miss the Barbie Doll Days, The Little Mermaid, The Charlie Brown Specials and the Wizard of Oz Nights... They went by to fast....



Here she is to the right... cheering on the opposite team.. each girl gave the other seniors on the team flowers...


Waiting for the ball..


Defending the net from a corner shot ( I guess these are good for teams if they get the chance to do)So she's standing right in there next to the goalie..
And the team running our way.. They won 4-3.. The game went into overtime.. and they got the next goal with in minutes...
I've watched these girls grow up.. listened to them bicker and fight.. gain friends.. lose friends.. and through it all.. I wouldn't change a thing.. ( well maybe wish for one more year... Ü)

This weekend... this is exactly what we did.. we replaced almost ALL of our old windows.. for the exception of the kitchen ( because I want to knock a wall down and lose a door) and the big .. big window in my computer room because it has the original stain glass on top.. and I'm not going to part with it..
It's about 60 degrees in my home and I have yet to turn the heat on.. My "good buddies".. ( dripping with sarcasm) at my oil company are coming tomorrow to clean out my furnace.. oh how I WISH my BIL lived closer.. that's what he does for a living... but.. oh well.. So after it's cleaned and OK'd.. I suppose I'll click that stupid little red switch back on.. UGH!

On a happier note.. cooler air brings changing colors!! and even though the economy is poor.. I've still seen MANY and I mean MANY out of staters driving around NH &VT!! I did it myself.. so I thought I would share just a few pics with you..

This one is in Cornish NH.. it's a nice little town.. some people around where I live would say it's a "rich" little town.. perhaps it is.. but some take it to seriously about being the "best" town to live in... It's quaint.. but I still beg to differ...I LOVE.. LOVE the farm house and all the buildings surrounding it!!

Here is a barn still on the same property .. just closer to the road.. I was actually surprised to see someone has started fixing it up!!


As I turned to the left a little this was another view.. forgive the "cloudiness" of the pictures.. it was rainy and cold.. but as I was driving home from work.. I KNEW I had to stop...

And this is the top of a church that I got through the trees...


Ok.. here's where I went "CRAZY".. this is Newport NH.. the town my SIL and BIL live in.. again.. another rainy dreary day.. but I took this picture as I was driving by...

And this is a picture WHILE I was DRIVING..shhh don't tell anyone...

This is a picture of my actual town on a back road... I love this area.. probably my favorite area of my town..

And NOW.. the moment you have been WAITING for.. a Picture of "ME".. well.. not exactly "ME".. but "Mii"... LOL LOL LOL... My kids laughed so hard.. because they told me that my character indeed looks just like "ME".. Notice how she looks cute from the neck up.. um I seriously have a round face.. and freckles.. and blonde hair with pigtails.. lots of times.. when I started Wii fit.. my character was so cute and slim.. and then I stepped on the scale.. and she Plumped me right up.. THANK YOU FOR THAT... the Makers of NINTENDO.. yeah.. YOU!! I know you can hear me!!! I love the gentle reminder when I step on the scale and it says "THAT'S OBESE"... real CUTE!!... NOT!! However.. I think everyone whose used our wii fit has been told they are OBESE or they have room for Improvement... My goal.. to change the shape of "Mii" and "Me".... ( sorry for the bad pic... got to learn how to take pictures of the TV!!)

THANK YOU everyone for your wonderful comments on my daughters pictures!! I'm a picture Junky.. I am one of those people you could invite over and show me boxes and boxes of pictures.. and I would be interested.. I'm a nerd!! LOL LOL..

I think we are going to go with the second picture.. but a different shot of it.. so the sign isn't in the picture.. because she's on the yearbook committee she can take her time.. ( cheater.. lol lol) I'll let you know what the final one looks like...

But for now.. during the photo shoot.. I took this picture.. I LOVE it.. the color of this flower.. is the flowers TRUE color.. which amazed me for the Fall Season.. I LOVE them!!


The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.... Isaiah 40:8

Stay tuned for tomorrow... I'm going to share a picture of "me" with you all!! get ready!! You're going to LOVE IT!!