Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Summertime Apple Pins


We are having a Red Apple Celebration at work on Wednesday, and I made these little apple pins for door prizes. Our company has received a Red Apple Designation from a state hospital organization for offering healthy choices in our cafeteria and vending machine.

If you love apples and would enjoy wearing a little lapel pin, I listed one in my etsy shop.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Handmade Beaded Necklace

I am in awe! One of my customers on Etsy bought a heart face from me awhile back. She just finished this intricate beaded necklace. So beautiful!



Friday, June 26, 2009

Fingerprint Friday


I'm the guest blogger today on Pampering Beki's blog! Visit her blog to see all the Fingerprint Friday posts and to join in!

And remember ... take time to appreciate every little thing.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Beautiful Wedding Necklace

My friend Carol's beautiful blue and white wedding necklace is featured on this blog!

It has a Western Theme, really different!
Photobucket

Be sure to visit her etsy shop, silverbeadsandclay for a variety of gorgeous necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. I have a couple of her necklaces and adore them.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Life Lessons

Regina Brett's 45 life lessons and 5 to grow on
by Regina Brett

To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week, so here's an update:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Friday, June 19, 2009

Fingerprint Friday - Father's Day

Father's Day is coming up Sunday. We'll have a fun weekend celebrating with my son and his family tomorrow, and we'll do something special with my husband on Sunday. But I miss my Daddy and just want to take time to remember him and be thankful for his presence and influence in my life. He was a wonderful, generous man who helped many people, as a businessman and a leader in the community. He passed away in 1995 at age 79. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Here is the last photo of him we have of him, at a community event about a year before he died. I love how happy he looks. He had kidney failure and was on dialysis for the last 8 years. We were very thankful that the procedure kept him going so long.



This is him and me, in the 1950's...one of my favorite photos.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Fingerprint Friday - First Bath



What an expression! My Fingerprint of God this week is Baby Amber who is three weeks old. Her mom and dad both work with me and this is their first baby. Here she is getting her first bath. Her mom said she seemed to enjoy it. The froggie seemed to also. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Graduation!



Last night we braved a huge thunderstorm and one HOT gymnasium (no air conditioning) to watch our son Johnathan receive his high school diploma. Yay, Johnathan! We're proud of you!

Johnathan with his girlfriend Kelly...



Johnathan and me...



Johnathan with me and Mike (Dad)...



Johnathan and Aunt Kathy (Mike's sister)...



The big moment...

Friday, June 05, 2009

Fingerprint Friday - A Bird in the Hand





A friend from my church choir and I were standing outside talking after Mass a couple of Sundays ago, after everyone else had left. Brother Michael, one of our Capuchin (Franciscan) friars, came out to lock up the front doors of the church, and said, "Oh, look, a bird." A little bird had apparently hit one of the front windows and was sitting on the window ledge, dazed. After a few minutes it flew up in the air but couldn't find its way out from under the carport in the front of the church, and landed again on the window ledge.

Brother Michael picked it up, walked out into the parking lot, and waited for it to fly off. It was apparently still dazed because it sat there for several minutes before it flew away, and I was able to get these photos with my phone. Brother Michael kept saying, "I've waited my whole life for this to happen." So cool! He looks just like St. Francis.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know it's true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

Where do you see God's fingerprints? In nature? kids? animals? They are all around us!

Thank you to Pampering Beki for hosting this each week! Everyone is welcome to join. To see how to join, as well as find links to other Fingerprint Friday posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.