Happy 2015 Y'all!

Hi y'all! Just wanted to pop in and say I fervently wish that you have a safe, happy, healthy, peaceful, loving,  prosperous and much blessed 2015. I hope you spend this day reflecting on 2014 and all it brought us to and through. We are so blessed to live in a free country (largely because of our military personnel) and have freedom of speech and religion. I, for one, am very happy that I have been blessed to witness so many growths and changes (some good, some not) and to have been blessed with this many years to share all the things I have shared with family and loved ones (both those that have gone on before me and those that are still here sharing with me).  I cherish each and every memory made, even the not so pleasant ones as they taught me things I needed. I am a very fortunate woman to have LOVED and LIVED a lot! I have great caring friends and a most wonderful loving family that I am so proud to have in my life! I am retired, fairly healthy, and surrounded by my awesome fur babies and able to do as I want and like I want, so I am a very happy lady! I look forward to a remarkable 2015 for me and for all of you! Remember to cherish each day with your loved ones and let them know you are happy they are in your life, as we never know when it may be the last time we see or get to tell them. Let's all make 2015 the most memorable year ever! Love and hugs is sent to each and everyone of you! Until next time...God Bless us all! Mat

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Merry CHRISTmas from the fur babies and me.  We have been so very, very busy and with the problems I am experiencing with the double and cloudy vision...I have not been a very good blogger or been on the computer much.  It gets very tiresome trying to focus with one eye shut....LOL! Anyhow, that will be taken care of in February!
I finally got this home level again and now, all my pictures on the walls need to be rehung and straightened...ROFLMBO here! They came in one day and dug all the holes and put all 18 piers in, then came back next morning and filled all the holes with dirt and gone.  I am happy to have it done and over with, but my bank account is so tired of me asking it for more money....LOL!
I have tenants moving in on the first. A nice young couple.  Of course they had to like cats and the Dallas Cowboys as number one and two priorities...!  They just love the duplex and are very anxious to move closer to their jobs. I am happy also to have passed inspection and have some rental income coming in for that complaining bank account!
I have finished with the baking and house is clean, last load of clothes in the washer waiting to be placed in the dryer and my favorite movie just came on...."It's A Wonderful Life", so think I will make a very short post and go watch it again.  I wish all of you a very, very, very Merry CHRISTmas spent with family and/or loved ones and that you have a very safe, healthy, happy and prosperous 2015.  Make lots and lots and lots of great memories to share and to look back on. Love to all of you for now, chat more a little later. Hugs, Mat

Goodbye my friend....

My friend Carol Cook Rodgers passed away this week....shocking everyone! I created this tribute for her on Facebook using a photo from a Halloween party a few years back and a gorgeous QP by Linda at Random Thoughts at Linda's Place.  Carol and her husband Ken joined the motorcycle riding chapter that I belonged to in 1997 after they purchased a Pearl White Goldwing.  She always told everyone to not breathe a word of it to her mother if we met or saw her, because they had not told her about the motorcycle.  Ken and Carol were very active for the first few years of joining, even fixing breakfast at their home for the chapter, cooking jalapeno poppers at one of many Halloween parties, inviting us the their new home when they moved to another city, being an escort in the Hotter than Hell 100 for bicyclist, escorting the Toy Runs, becoming staff members promoting motorcycle safety, planning rides and participating in all the various events the chapter supported.  Their teenage daughter, Krystal, was always included in these events as we watched her become a beautiful young lady. Their son Kraig was away at school, married and gave them their first grandson Micah that we have seen grow up, then Chase and Cami came along!  Carol always had a big smile and kind word for everyone. She was a "throwback hippie" kind of laid back, but when she got "started" she was so hard to stop.  She had wonderful and kookie ideas (which is very important at some of the events we attended). She loved Ken and her family to paraphrase "more than life and to the moon and back again".  She lost her beloved Ken in 2004 and asked the chapter to ride their motorcycles to the National Cemetery in full chapter dress, then afterwards we gathered at a restaurant to celebrate his life...very memorable event.  Carol and Krystal stayed as active with the chapter as they could with them being so far away, we didn't get to see them as often as we would like, but we had e-mails and Facebook to stay in touch. Carol had recently gotten her real estate license and worked with an agency in Granbury.  She had been fighting a case of Acute Bronchitis when God decided he needed this special lady to come live with Him and Ken to ride on their Wings of Gold.  Her funeral will be this coming Wednesday, a sad day for sure, but as with Ken, we will all gather to celebrate her zest for life and what she meant to all of us!  My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to Krystal and Kraig and his family! Remember all the good times and be comforted that Dad and Mom are together again, watching over all of you!  .Goodbye my friend, I love you, my life was enriched and blessed for knowing you! Mat

Miss Me?

The roller coaster weather around here has been playing havoc with my arthritis and also my allergies...so, I have been taking it kind of lazy and easy for a spell...ROFL. We had 78F one day and next morning it was 38F and steadily went downhill and stayed there for 5 days...got all my plants inside (thank goodness for the empty duplex, put them all inside there) and all the hoses inside and pipes covered as we had 5 mornings of hard freeze temps in the 20's with wind chills in the teens and even a dusting of snow (that lasted about 6-8 hours before it all melted).  I know, I know, it isn't nearly as bad as some of the northern states...but, for us, it was a real shocker especially the 40 degree drop overnight! Yesterday, we were back with lots of sunshine and 71F and today is to be about as warm, although we have another front on the way that is to bring us some rain and thunderstorms tomorrow. We so need the rain, just not the hail that is a possibility!
With the 4 year drought we have had, my duplex (my side to be exact) is really shifting and beginning to leave cracks around the windows and doors that do not want to close....REAL BUMMER!....but I have already sought out some expert advice and gotten 2 good estimates with 3 more inspections scheduled. I have too much invested to not repair it before some real structural damage is done. There goes a big chunk of change...ROFL...hey, it is only money, right?  Sheezzz! The joys of property ownership!!
Speaking of ownership...I still have not leased it yet, but several prospects have filled out forms for me to check their references. I have mailed my first payment on the loan and made my insurance payment for the year. So far, pretty good and lots of phone calls on it! Very popular area because of the excellent school district and the price range is nice.  I'm looking for someone long term though! 
I am also experiencing some problems with a pesky cataract...my appointment is the 19th of December and am hoping we can solve this soon. You know I read a lot and right now, I am having to close one eye to be able to focus....not fun at all, but one of the joys of growing older I suppose! I am just frustrated that it is impinging on my computer....iPad....Kindle....TV time....sound like a old person don't I?  Just got to B*%&$ about something!!  ROFLMAO!!
I have been creating a little all along on something for my family for CHRISTmas and am about ready to have it printed so I can get it mailed in time!  Plus, I need to check with Linda at Random Thoughts for my CHRISTmas card this year (last year's was really great) so I can get my cards out just after Thanksgiving...wow, it is here already! Next week!! Here's hoping all of you have a wonderful holiday with family and friends and have a lot to give THANKS for! I know I do!
Yesterday was my sister Penny's birthday so I created a card for her of her gorgeous grandchildren (Hayden, Calvin and Annabeth) to put on Facebook wishing her a very happy day! I used a background from Neli, a frame from Fecnikek and a frame from Miriam too. The photos are from Margaret's FB and the other one is by Amy! I like all the pretty colors in it. You can find links to all these wonderful designers on the right side of this blog.

Well, it has taken a couple of hours to type this, think I will hush and get busy....need to put out the trash, the recycle bins and fill the bird feeders....also got to pick up and wash all the outside cat food bowls and refill them, water my flowers, and run the vacuum cleaner. All the inside kitties have been fed and bathed and are all sleeping.  I also need to do a little shopping to refill the cupboards with cat food....I don't need anything for me...LOL! Y'all all have a fabulous weekend making lots of memories to share and say a little prayer for all those poor folks in upstate New York with their weather tragedy! Hugs, Mat

Happy Halloween and FallBack Weekend!

I have been too busy updating and making ready the other duplex so that it is ready for lease by this weekend that I have neglected my computer and family and friends....so, to those birthdays I missed and the phone calls and the blog notes....I am sorry, but sometimes life just takes over my fun times.
My fun times have been filled with repairs, cleaning fireplace and stove and refrigerator, and putting in new sinks and faucets, updating bathrooms and cleaning windows and blinds, oiling cabinets and gel glossing countertops, painting, adding smoke detectors, adding deadbolts, adding peepholes in the doors and yardwork....all I have left is adding light bulbs, steam cleaning bathrooms, running vacuum and mopping floors. I don't think I could have gotten all this done without help from Teri and Liz...they have been a tremendous help to me.
I have had several phone calls with a couple of good possibilities to pick up applications for it.  I still have to have the city inspector come by and issue a certificate of occupancy (quite a few things I had to do to comply with this new law).  I will be very happy when it is rented and I can slow down and do some much neglected scrapping......but the holidays are just around the corner....never ends does it? I am happy that I am doing something other than sitting on my fat fanny in front of the computer daily, though I do miss the contact with family and friends...ROFLMAO!!
I missed my BIL Jim's birthday (no call and no card to him, so sorry), I missed the twins birthday too (Sorry Lance and Lamar, love you both), but I do have a good excuse...just busy, busy, busy and the days just seem to get shorter and shorter.
I haven't been on Facebook and I am over a week behind in blogging with some of my "sisters" and I know I have a lot of photos to "snitch" from FB pages of the great nieces and nephews and some terrific QPs, kits, clusters and wordart that I have missed from some fantastic designers that need to be downloaded and I do need to design a couple of things that have been clogging up my thinking and......on and on and on! Time needs to slow down some, right?
We still haven't really had Fall weather yet...been rather warm in the upper 80's and low 90's, however, they are promising another front to bring us into the 50's at night and 70's in the day for this weekend and maybe, MAYBE, maybe some desperately needed rain by the first of the week, but then back to the 80's for the rest of the next week.  Wish Mother Nature would make up her mind....LOL!
Halloween is tomorrow, but will see no trick or treaters, kids don't do much of that around here even though we live in a pretty safe neighborhood, all the local churches (and they are VERY numerous) have Trunk or Treat activities for the kids with lots of things to do besides collect candy (which they have trunkfuls of) and the mall merchants always have lots of candy for them as well.  This is much safer for the kids to be in well lit places and much supervision, however, if you want to see the costumes, you have to go to where the activities are...not as much fun as in our days I think, but they get lots more loot than we ever did!
I need to get appointment to take in the brother (Sideways) and sister (Misty) kittens that I acquired in July (after a family moved, no mommy around and they were so tiny) to have them their shots and "fixed". I have tried finding them a home...want them to stay together as he is a bit handicapped (legs weak in back and his teeth are not developing) and she is so good with him.  I have been trying to massage his legs a lot and he seems to be getting stronger with his climbing and running (but still runs into walls, thus his name) and he is the sweetest thing. I am still fostering them for now though.
Okay, I have rambled on enough, best get up from here and start the day...y'all have a good weekend and remember to turn your clocks back and enjoy that extra hour of sleep or play! Chat more with you next time!  Hugs, Mat

It's a done deal!!!!

All the papers have been signed on my end....the other party is signing theirs now in Minnesota....when all is completed and sent this way (about 2 more days) the funds will all be distributed and by the end of the week it will all be mine...I am so very happy for it to all be over with...can't tell you what a relief it is...now I can get back to my life....ROFLMAO.......!
Tomorrow is little Miss Hayden's 6th birthday so I took a few minutes to make her a Happy Birthday page to post on Facebook (she likes seeing herself on there)! I used a template (6) from Laurrie at cheyOkota  Digital Scrapbooking Designs and the background, flowers and tag are from Oklahomadawn's Autumn Art free kit. I used an assortment of photos of her with her mama, her daddy, her brother, her cousin and some friends to complete the collage.

I also got a chance to make a couple more Autumn pages that I want to share for my book!

Ruby, Jayson and Jade in an Autumn QP by Fecnikek

This one of Hayden and Calvin is also a free QP by Fecnikek

This page was created with freebies by Arlene from Baby Bear Digital Scraps. Another shot of Hayden with Calvin.

Just adore this photo that Amy took of Calvin and Annabeth playing together so put it in a gorgeous QP by Linda at Random Thoughts at Linda's Place

And this one is by Eudora Designs of my friend Liz that I did for her birthday on the 12th.

We had a cold front drop in and leave us some rain and lots and lots and lots of wind...around 1:15 a.m. the winds were at 60-65 mph and blinding blowing rain (lots of electric lines and trees downed)....the temps never got out of the 60's for 2 days and after the rain left we had 40 mph winds (with gusts to 50 mph) all day yesterday and still not out of the 60's, it was 53 this morning, but the sun is shining, the winds are down to 20 mph and it is heating up to mid 70's. I love these temps, cut the AC off and opened windows, however, back to the upper 70's and low to mid 80's for the rest of the week, so I know I will have to put the AC back on, but I do like the lower humidity and now that the SALE is over, I can do something else and really enjoy the Fall weather again.
Okay, off to do some celebrating that this ordeal is over, just wanted to let everyone know about it and to share a few quick pages with you.  Have a fantastic rest of the week and make sure to make lots and lots and lots of memories to share.  Hugs to all of you! Luv, Mat
.

Crap!! Summer is back in Texas!!

We broke record high temperatures for October yesterday.....100 degrees and it's gonna be 95 again today!  We did get to enjoy Fall for 4 days, yippee!! It is almost unbearably warm this morning at 83 at 5 a.m.  I did get to view a bit of the eclipse this morning before some clouds obscured it (after it was complete) and with the moving of the clouds for sunrise, we had a pink/orange glow to everything....sure was pretty, but I was unable to capture it on camera. Of course, with the increase in the southwesterly winds also comes the higher humidity. Yesterday, I just could not stay dry and it seems today is going to be the same....UGH!!  BUT...I thank God for another day of waking up and able to see this glorious day!
I have been busier that a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs....ROFLMAO!!!!  Not only are my "girls" demanding a lot of attention (because of the baby brother and sister I still haven't found a home for), but because of the disruption of their routine (I haven't been at home much except at night) and the jealousy of a couple of friends that are vying for attention!  Sometimes it is nice to know you are so loved....BUT...there are times it is a real distraction (this is one of those times).  LOL!
I am also in the waning days of close out on the purchase of the duplex and more and more "little" details are beginning to crop up...will be so GLAD when this is all over.  I have managed to get the smoke detectors all up and have the "peep" holes for the doors, all the locks required are in, got a reliable yard service finally in place for both sides, and have a couple of small handyman things yet to accomplish, then it will be ready for inspection to get a Certificate of Occupancy and a tenant as soon as the sale is completed (supposedly the 15th)!
I haven't been on Facebook or been able to Blog in over a week....I am beginning to have withdrawals here! LMAO!  I did manage a birthday page for Jayson's 3rd birthday, but did not get an anniversary page for Kathy and Jim (45 years) nor anything for Jeff's birthday today, but I will get a call in to him sometime this evening.   I am so behind in catching up with my blog sisters and friends, but hopefully, things are calming down some and the DRAMAS are over......PLEASE!!!
Here are some pages I got done before it all started...just want to make sure they are posted so they will appear in my Blog2Print book at the end of the year!  LOL!

Christina with her birds....the QP is one from Auntie M Designs, love the photo corners and it is a freebie on her site, give her a visit.

Jade and Ruby's school photos this year in frames from Neli.  She offers 2-3 frames daily for free on her site, you will not be disappointed if you pay her a visit.

Mr. Mustache...Jayson being silly and so fun in a cute QP from Connie Prince's CT...she also offers some cute freebies each week.

Cute little man turned 3 on the 27th of September....here he is a great QP by Brigit from Designs by Brigit at Digital Scrapbooking Studio called Brothers Birthday!

 Here we have cousins....Hayden and Annabeth in a cute pose that Amy got...I put them in a template by Oklahoma Dawn and used her free Indian Summer kit for the colors, she offers some fantastic templates and given so freely y'all. The wordart is by Anna-Jolanta.

Cutie pie Annabeth in a frame by Fecnikek who offers some really terrific frames for free.  Annabeth fell asleep while sitting up playing...according to Mimi Penny, she was afraid to sleep because she might miss something!  LOL!  Such a cute shot Amy!!

Another cute back to school frame for the first day of school photo of Jade and Ruby in a QP by JMC
Well, my dryer has stopped so guess I better fold and hang up clean clothes...will try to be a bit more attentive in days to come...ROFL...y'all have a great "hump" day and have lots of fun making many memories to share...catch ya next time...Hugs!! Mat

Fall is just around the corner

Look how pretty my new look is....Miss Boots you do gorgeous work....thanks a million for keeping me looking so good! Loving the fall feel of things in here...now if we could just get rid of this heat and humidity and it feel more like fall, I would be one very happy camper...LOL!
I thought retirement meant boredom.....not in my case....I seem to be so much busier than I ever was while working and there never seems to be enough hours in the day.  Granted, I do have more time at home, house stays cleaner, laundry always done, cooking more, gardening more, etc....but...I am happy to say...I have more time for friends and visiting and helping them and that I really do enjoy a lot! I thought I would have more time for my scrapping and designing and blogging...and I do occasionally have those periods...but I am reconnecting with things outside of my home and that makes for really fun and sometimes tiring but happy times.
This month has been a particularly busy month with birthdays and the "little" things that have to be done to proceed with the purchase of the other half of this duplex.  What a lot of red tape, hope I never have to go through this again! It is certainly exhausting all the crap that the lenders are requiring now and these politicians have nothing better to do than make life miserable for the consumers with all these ridiculous "new" laws. Enough of that, getting off my soapbox before I really start a rant....LOL!
Yesterday was my awesome brother-in-law's birthday so I decided to make a page for him and put it on Penny's Facebook for him to see.  Then, I just could not stop there...I had to add a few more, so here they are for all my blog readers to see (and they will be printed in my year end Blog2Print book)!

 

This is a QP freebie by DbR called Tell Me Again, Weymond has his arms full of Annabeth and Calvin with their bottles. He loves holding both of them at the same time.

 

This QP freebie is called Best Friends Shenanigans QP 005 by StyRock. Papa is reading to a very tired Hayden after school.

 Mr. Cutie Calvin in a series of photos I got from Margaret's Facebook, He is on the tractor with daddy and in the car with Mama. He is 29 pounds now and has cut 6 teeth this past 2 weeks...he will be one in November.  Big Happy Boy! I used a Free template by Oklahoma Dawn from 9-7-14 and recolored to go with his clothing and increased the size of the postage photo frame.

 This marvelous free QP is by Deanna a CT for Connie Prince designs and is called You are my Gift which I thought so perfect for Miss Annabeth.

This adorable little cutie is Neli Mandel's great granddaughter, Maria Helena, that was posted on her Facebook page and I decided to do a RAK and create a page using Neli's frame (turned sideways and doubled) added some lace from Kyra at With a Russian Dutch Heart and some pearls from Laurrie at CheyOkota Scraps. 

And this is my sweet niece Sebrina in a QP that I created as a freebie for Miriam's Scraps for y'all! I started with just the Wordart, then I created the cluster frame and the background, then decided to put them all together to make a QP and used a current photo of Sebrina that I put on her Facebook as a RAK for her mother....ROFL!  I have all three in one download on Miriam's site if you want it. 
You can find links on my blog roll or I have linked some of the designers mentioned....they offer some really lovely freebies and are very generous with sharing so pay them a visit. I thank all of them for sharing their talent with me.
Amy and Margaret and Christina have shared some awesome new photos, so I hope to be making more pages soon to share...especially next week as a little boy I know will be turning 3 years old...right Jayson?
For now, though, I must get busy, got to change the bed and get a couple loads of clothes done, and bake another couple loaves of scrumptious banana bread from this absolutely simple recipe from my Cajun friend Chris....3 ripe bananas, 2 eggs, 1 yellow cake mix.  Mash bananas, incorporate the eggs, pour in cake mix and mix together, put in two medium or one large loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Totally wonderful bread, not overly sweet and so great with morning coffee or evening snack with cold milk.  (You can add nuts if you desire, I put pecans in mine). Think I need a piece now to tide me over...LOL!
Y'all have a fantastic weekend, make lots and lots of memories to share and I will chat with you more next time.  Hugs, Mat

Need to Slow Down

Wow, what a rushed two weeks....I need a breather and to slow down some.  Whoever said retirement was so boring must have had no life at all! I am much busier than when I was working full time...LOL!
We hit a snafu with the lending company over a Texas Law that their lawyer had a really weird interpretation of regarding cashing out...WHATEVER...the loan manager found another lender that interpreted the law as it was written and passed so....we had to start all over with new forms signed....etc! All is done and in process again, the survey has been completed, now we have to have an appraisal, that should be the end of all the requests other than fulfilling the escrow accounts.  Whew! buying a home (or buying out a co-owner's interest, in this case) is a long and tiring process! I hope it all is completed soon and things get back to somewhat normal around here....ROFL!
I also did some graphics work for my CPA's Naval Reunion later this month, that was fun, but a very tedious job and finished all requirements and turned over to him yesterday. He seemed very pleased with the results!
I had a girl friend come and spend a couple of days with me that took a little of my time too, we did a couple of things together and cooked and chatted until the wee hours catching up! That is always fun!
We had a cold front come in early this morning with a few little showers and dropping the humidity and  temps a little bit, so I turned off all my overhead fans and dusted all of them, what a mess that makes. Then I vacuumed and wet mopped the whole house, all the laundry is caught up, cleaned the litter boxes and started fresh with them and even planted some mums around my mailbox. Now I can enjoy this lovely weekend that is approaching. Yesterday we broke records with the heat at 103 degrees with the humidity it felt like 108 and today it didn't reach 90, but with the humidity down it feels so cool. Tomorrow is supposed to bring more showers (yeah, we need them so badly) and cooler temperatures for the whole weekend in the upper 70's to low 80's!  So, so, so happy to see that and no humidity. That has been simply awful this summer or I have really been super sensitive to it!
I haven't had much time for the internet, no Facebook, no games, no blogging and no designing (for me anyhow), but I did manage a quick page to post on Facebook on the 9th for Annabeth's first birthday. Can you believe it? Already a year old and is weighing in at 22 1/2 pounds.  She surely is a cutie pie.  Wish I could go for a visit, but...too busy and must be here for this real estate deal. Just look at her in this page I got from Fecnikek.

The top photo was made the day before her birthday and the lower one was made around Valentine's day! Isn't she a little doll?
I had started putting together another double page of my sisters with their grandbabies, so I finished that today and thought I would post it too. The QP is called Because of You by Booland Designs. You can see I titled the pages Because of You..(the of is split between the two and should look good when I have the book printed.

Well it is getting late and I need to feed all these kitty cats and start closing the blinds and curtains and get ready for my nightly routine...TV and a couple of puzzles....and hopefully lots of sleep. Will chat with y'all some more a little later on.  Have a fantastic weekend, hope you make lots and lots of memories to share!
Hugs to all! Mat

Hello All!

Hello All!
I downloaded a free template the other day from Oklahomadawn that I simply had to stop everything I was doing and make a double page of all 6 of my great nieces and nephews. I posted them on Facebook and got lots of interest in them, so thought I would put them here along with her information so you could visit her site, she has LOTS of lovely templates and kits that are yours free for the downloading! I met her on Scrapbook Flair sometime back and am glad to see that she is now into designing! You can find a link to her blog on the right. 
Another designer I found (via Linda at Random Thoughts) that has beautiful kits for free is Molemina Scrap. I used her free kit called Tenderness Feel on these two pages. I hope you enjoy looking at both these new sights.
When you visit all these very generous designers and download their freebies, please leave them a thank you for sharing with all of us.
Y'all have a terrific rest of the week. I will try catching up again real soon, but am really busy right now with all the paperwork involved with this purchase.  I even have some interested parties to rent it, but cannot do anything until after the closing! Chat more next time. Hugs to all, Mat

The Sale is in Process!

But not what you think....LOL....I am the buyer of the other side of my duplex!!! Yep, you heard me right!! I will not be selling my side and moving back to Georgia (not right now anyhow)!  After speaking with my CPA and a few others...right now is not the time for me to be making any major financial decisions as big as moving. ($6k to move my furniture-storage until I get settled-buying something else-etc) so I asked about me buying it and renting it out....that makes more sense as I have lots of equity in my side (the place has been paid off since 2010) and I get a tax break and extra money to pay not only the refinance loan, but the taxes and the insurance for both sides (and the homesteading and freezing of taxes for seniors to boot)! Plus, when I do decide in a couple of years to move....I will have the whole price of the place or rent from both sides! That makes more financial sense for my future. OK...win-win here, but the emotional turmoil has really been a roller coaster ride. The contract is signed and executed (not giving them a chance to change their minds) and the first meeting is Tuesday at noon and all should go off without a hitch (fingers crossed here) and closing in 30 days! Say a prayer that all goes well.  I am busy this weekend pulling together a long list of things I need for the meeting.  Most all I have together, but for the life of me....I cannot find my SS card. I have looked everywhere it could be....so, gotta get off here and look some more or again...LOL!
Hope all of you have a fantastic weekend and make lots and lots and lots of memories to share. I am glad it is to be such a HOT one so I will stay inside and get this done, plus the races are at Bristol tonight and the preseason Cowboy game is too...one will be taped to watch later! ROFL!!  Oh well, I did sneak in a couple of scraps that I put on FB (not been able to be on my computer very much with all these meetings and papers to fill out)!  Chat more with y'all next time! Hugs, Mat

This was for mama's birthday that was on the 18th! The page is one from Arlene using With A Russian Dutch Heart kit.  Both ladies do awesome work.

This was for Throwback Thursday. It's from my trip to Hawaii in 1999, my friend Sandi was there at the same time, we met on the beach, had a blast! My friend Mary went over with me. This was taken at the Hale Koa hotel. The page and cluster is also by Arlene, but from her own BabyBear site,

This QP by Janet from PixelScrappers and Alpha from C4M Monograms holds a scan of a Polaroid snapshot of my mother's first trip to Texas in 1970. Her niece Nancy made the trip with her along with my brother Pepper and sister Penny. We did a day trip to Mexico for mama to buy a leather purse. We all laughed until we hurt on that trip, so I used this for Flashback Friday on Facebook yesterday!
Thanks to all the designers that so generously supply us with their gorgeous freebies!! :)

 Page border and a page overlay in 300 dpi png format I created.

Both of these are freebies I offer at Miriam's Scraps if you are interested in them! Click on her name and it with take you there!

Stressed??????

Man the joy of trying to sell a duplex that you co-own with another couple that do not live in the same state you do!  That alone will stress you out, right, but when it finally gets listed on MLS (took 4 months to get this done), the couple decide to go to SWITZERLAND for a month and be TOTALLY incommunicado with anyone here! The offers are coming in (vastly different too) but cannot make any decisions until they return to the states (and the decisions have to be all or none).  I am going to get a haircut today, so as not to pull it out by the roots!!  ROFLMAO~~~~~it really isn't quite that bad, but as usual....I am having to take care of all the details....AGAIN!! (This was a very hard lesson learned to NEVER EVER purchase anything with friends)

OK, enough about that for now, but it does explain why I haven't blogged much lately, nor have I been able to scrap or create much. I am now taking a little time to do just that. I snitched some photos off Facebook of the great nieces and nephews and did these few pages but they took me all week to do them as we have been having electricity "brown outs" that has created some problems with my computer shutting down in the midst of creating them and having to start over.  Good thing I am a patient person....LMBO!
OK, enough belly aching....here are the ones I've completed so far....

My lovely niece Sebrina had to return to teaching duties this week and got a new shorter hairdo and posted it so I decided to make a page using Kyra's background, a cluster by Irene at Raspberry Road and the wordart is by Ginger.

Cutie patooties Ruby and Jade started back to school this week, Ruby is in Kindergarten and snaggle-tooth  Jade starts 2nd grade.  Chris made photos while waiting for the school bus and I put them in a cute frame from Just So Scrappy called School Rules on a background freebie by Oklahoma Dawn. 

And poor "Bud" had to stay home but he wanted to go with his sisters so badly, poor baby had real tears that almost did mama in.  So I put him in this cute frame from Neli. He will soon realize that he now has his Mommy all to himself, as well as the birds, the cat and all the toys...at least for a few hours each day!

This photo is from May of Calvin's first time on the beach. Daddy is holding him up so he can put his toes in the sand. The kit I used is Kyra's with a cluster by Arlene and sorry I don't have the TOU for the wordart, I have had it for a long time.

Little miss model, Hayden's cute pose in another QP by Linda at Random Thoughts, I just adored the layout and it goes so well with her dress.  She also started kindergarten last week, but I don't have any photos yet!

Mr. Calvin in his float in the pool at the beach, doesn't he look terrific in this QP by Linda? She created this using Kyra's At The Beach kit and is free on her site.

Here's a freebie cluster overlay I created and am offering for free on Miriam's Scraps if you would like, hop on over and download it.

And finally, this is my attempt to follow along with Diane at ADB designs as she offers tips each week on creating an Interactive Journal. She offers questions in order to get you journaling about your family's history thus making it a little easier to start your tree. I think I used a kit from Kyra at With a Russian Dutch Heart to create this first page....I am a few behind, but I am hoping to catch up soon.
Guess I better get the trash out and ready for pick up, get my shower and dressed and off to the Salon for my haircut. Got all my babies fed, the bed is made, ran the vacuum and cleaned litter boxes before I sat down in this chair! I will chat with y'all a little more later. Will try catching up with my blog reading when I return home. Make lots of memories to share today! Hugs, Mat

Nice End to July in Texas!!

The day after the hottest this year, 103 officially-108 unofficially, we had a front slip through again and we have had 3 glorious days of high 80's and now are looking at low 80's for the rest of the week.  YIPPEE!! This is normally the hottest time of triple digits for us, so this break along with a few scattered showers is such a nice reprieve.  You can actually go outside without losing your breath. I'm not complaining at all about this second breather during summer! So nice to sit on the portico and watch the birds and squirrels again.

I've been in a reading mood or some kind of funk lately, not wanting to scrap or even be on the computer, but think I am now out of that and back to scrapping and attempting to catch up...LOL! I got a few photos from Margaret and even some from Christina (that I am working on now) so here are a few pages I made last week.

For my sister, Kathy I used a photo of Jason and the kids ready for a karate course....they were in Springfield, MO for a tournament of some sort when Chris snapped them in the hotel hallway! Jade and Ruby both take classes and I am sure Jayson will as soon as he is a little bit older.  Aren't they adorable in Raspberry Road Designs cluster by Ellen and paper and word by Susan from her kit Wanderlust.

Miss Hayden wanting to put her toes in the sand...I used a QP by Linda at Random Thoughts

This is sweet, squishy, cutie pie Calvin.  I don't remember whose cluster this is, it is a very old one I got!

Here's a gorgeous photo that was taken of Hayden and Calvin at the beach at Panama City, FL.  Isn't it just a beautiful photo?  The QP if from Marijja at Fecnikek and the word art is from Donna at Donna's Digital Creations

This is also a freebie QP from Linda of Penny's 3 grand kids Hayden, Calvin & Annabeth.
And for Papa I did this page of Hayden to look as if she is looking at her own reflection...the frame is by Neli at Lugar Encantado da Neli

That's all for now, I did manage a QP to put up for grabs at Miriam's Scraps if you want it.

Well, got to get up from here, have a cake in the oven and I need to get out of this gown, I have a house to go clean this afternoon so will stop for now, chat more with all of you a little later.  Have a fantastic hump day and make lots and lots of memories to share.  Hugs, Mat


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It's been a while.....

Sorry it has been awhile since I have posted anything.  I think I have been a little depressed since losing Tommy, but have finally come to grips with it! I know I gave him a good life even if it was a short one!

We are deep in the throes of triple digit TEXAS summer heat....LOL! Yep, finally the 100 degrees was officially hit yesterday, but....we have had a week of triple digits unofficially and with lots and lots of horrible humidity. The air has been so thick it is almost impossible to breath. I had forgotten I had asthma, because I haven't had any problems with it in several years since removing cigarette smoke from my environment, but this weather has caused some congestion to creep back in....soooooooo....this cookie is staying inside in the AC as much as she can! (ROFLMAO...as if I need an excuse!)  Surely have done a lot of catching up on my reading, napping, movies and TV shows I had taped up! Such is the life....RIGHT?  Sometimes, ya just gotta do what you gotta do!  BUT....if the weather casts are anywhere near correct (???) we are to experience a cold front starting tomorrow that is to drop temperatures by 20 degrees by Thursday!!! Hip, Hip, Hooray!! Best of all, it is supposed to bring us some very much needed rain too!  If that all proves to be true...I will be out dancing in the rain puddles!!  LOL!

My hibiscus surely has shown off this year with blooms.  It has new blooms daily, from 1-8 each day and they are so big and brilliant in color.  The wind has blown so much I have to keep rotating the pot as it is causing the whole plant to lean, I finally tied it to a shepard's hook last evening to give it some stability. I have had to water the plants each evening as they are so thirsty from the heat and winds. Here's a couple of shots of the flowers from day before yesterday! I am surprised at how lovely they are each day! This is the first year I have seen a hummingbird...it loves the hibiscus so I hung a feeder for it just above the plant under the shade of the overhang and it visits daily. I am hoping to have my camera and get a photo, but they are so fast and I can't shoot through the windows as I have full screens and it has just been too hot to sit out front and wait and not scare it away!

Okay, time to get my behind out of this chair and get some things done...I have to move before I get so stiff I can't...LOL! Y'all have a great week ahead and keep on making all those memories to share! Chat more with you later! Blessings sent to all of you! Hugs, Mat