Monday, January 25, 2010

Whirlwind Week

source

"You can do it. You can do it. You can do it."
... I keep telling myself .

Every week is filled with lots of "to do's".

...cleaning,orders,driving kids,errands, laundry, driving kids, appointments, meals,

driving kids, church work, driving kids, and so on...

Then there are those weeks where things pile up.

AND this would be one of those!

* Tuesday Hope's Appt. 9:30 am

Tomorrow Hope has an appointment with an
Orthotics & Prosthetics specialist.

It will be pretty much an all day event to the Medical Center.

She is getting a new brace.

Her Orthopedic Surgeon told us people come from
all over the world to see him.

That is a "good thing" about living in Houston.

The BAD thing about living in Houston is apparently no one got the memo

"Drive Texas Friendly".

(even though it's kind of hard to miss!!!)

I get so stressed out driving in the city. Thank You Laura for being our driver tomorrow!

* Cupcakes & Music 4:00 pm Sis. Miner's House

Sister Colson and all of the MiaMaids are coming over to decorate
cupcakes for New Beginnings

and work on their solos and duets with Sis. Anderson.

We're making little flags for the cupcakes that say

"Strong & Courageous", our theme for New Beginnings this year.

*Wedding Favors 7:00 pm

Mom and Kayley are coming over to help me make the wedding favors for Cassandra's Wedding.

This is where she got the idea for what she's having me do.

Martha Stewart Weddings

The Label I made for her:

We're attaching the label to herbal tea bags and putting them in pretty vellum envelopes

that Cynthia got from Martha Stewart ( of course).

* Wednesday NEW BEGINNINGS

I'm so excited. I think the girls will love it!

* Thursday- Hope's Bassoon Lesson

Solo & Ensemble Recital 5:30 pm MMJH

Marci is going to record it for us.

What would I ever do without her!

* Friday - Flowers for the Wedding

Addie's 3rd Birthday

(Last week she celebrated in San Antonio with Meema & PaPa)

* Saturday - 8:00 am - ..... ?

Cassandra's Wedding Day♥

*Sunday - Another Birthday Celebration for Miss Addie!

Why am I sitting here????????????
Gotta Go!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

When we bought this house, I was excited there was a little corner room upstairs that I got to call my own! It's my creative space and I love it. I've always sewn in our bedroom, dining room or basement and truly it worked just fine. I sure could never go back now though. One of the best benefits is I can make a HUGE mess while engaged in my projects and just close the door. Sshhhh....that will be OUR secret.
"My Room" was due for a little re-do and some organizing.

Thread & Ribbons

Embroidery & Computer Desks

Patterns & Sewing Books

Sewing Table

Pineapple Hill Designs & Etsy

Closet

Buttons

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Thank You Thursday-LAND of The FREE Because of The BRAVE

(I'm going to sell these charms this summer)
This one is my favorite!

This is why.........

Largest National Guard deployment since WWII

January 5, 2010

St. Augustine’s Major General Douglas Burnett was joined at ceremonies in Ft. Lauderdale by Florida Governor Charlie Crist and United States Representative Ron Klein in hailing the courage and sacrifice of the Florida National Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team during today’s deployment ceremony.
St. Johns County Commissioner Mark Miner, who is an Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer on military leave from his elected position and has previously served one tour of duty in Iraq, is part of the 2nd Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, being deployed this month in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Today’s ceremony honors the Florida National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, and is the first in a series of company-level and battalion-level deployment ceremonies taking place this week throughout the state.
This morning’s event honored 600 of the nearly 2,500 members of the Florida National Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team who are being deployed to Kuwait and Iraq, the largest single-unit deployment of Florida National Guard since World War II.
“Our state and country are safer because of the Florida National Guardsmen and women who proudly defend our freedom alongside the rest of our nation’s military at home and overseas,” said Governor Crist. “Their heroism and honor, as well as that of their families, are examples of the remarkable selflessness in Florida’s long and distinguished history of military service.”
In addition to Fort Lauderdale, deployment ceremonies for the Florida National Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team are being held this week in Bartow, Bonifay, Cocoa, Eustis, Hollywood, Lake City, Lakeland, Leesburg, Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Panama City, Pensacola, Pinellas Park, Sanford, Tallahassee, West Palm Beach and Winter Haven.
The nearly 2,500 soldiers, many of whom already have combat experience, are deploying for a year-long mission in Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They will be responsible for various security missions, including providing convoy security for coalition forces entering and departing Iraq. Prior to their deployment, the soldiers will receive additional training at Fort Hood, Texas.
The 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team will join the nearly 1,000 Florida National Guard soldiers and airmen federally mobilized in the United States and overseas. Since September 2001, more than 11,000 members of the Florida National Guard have served on federal active duty in support of the ongoing war on terror. Most recently, 432 troops with the 146th Signal Battalion and nearly 70 members of the 256th Medical Company returned home, concluding year-long tours in Iraq.
During his remarks, the Governor expressed his profound gratitude and confidence in Florida’s servicemen and women deployed abroad and at home. He also applauded the families of Florida’s dedicated servicemembers for their selfless contributions to the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans.
The 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is headquartered in Pinellas Park, with battalions located in Miami, Orlando and Panama City.

Mack is leaving his Dream Girl for a Year

to serve our Country. This will be his second deployment to Iraq.

Here is another article from the newspaper.

Commissioner Miner, thanks for serving our country

We are now proudly hanging one of these

in our window.

The tradition of the Blue Star Service Banner dates back to World War I. Mothers of young soldiers hand stitched red, white, and blue flags to hang in their windows as a sign that a loved one had gone to fight in the war. The flag design was simple, a white flag with a red border and a single blue star for each family member in Service. Each flag could hold up to six stars. If a family member unfortunately lost their life in the line of duty, the mother would stitch a gold star over one of the Blue stars to honor her fallen loved one. This tradition was later extended to the wives and families of service men serving during the war. This tradition encountered a huge resurgence in World War II and again during the Korean War. Even during Desert Storm some U.S. ships sent service flags to the families of everyone aboard.

Thanks Mack and Thanks Cheryl Joy!

I am thankful to you both♥

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Happy Birthday Mark

Today is Mark's Birthday!

Happy Wishes to YOU!

I am so in love with this guy!

(JUST 30 OF THE REASONS WHY)

We went and saw

INVICTUS

today.

We highly recommend it.

Want to be inspired, go see this movie!

We are having a Family Birthday Dinner this Sunday.

(per his request)

Mr. Mark's Birthday Menu:

Roast Beef

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Artichoke Feta Salad
Green Beans or Broccoli
and

Rolls

(He's worth it)

( picture from Christmas Eve)

and of course his traditional annual Birthday Treat,

Million Dollar Pie.

p.s.
Dinner will be served at 5:00 pm

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Thank You Thursday-Happy

Today I became ONE year older and WISER too. Thank you to my sweet family and friends for all the well wishes. It was such a fun day!

I got this card in the mail from Mack and Cheryl. It cracks me up. I love it so much! Thanks guys♥

I took a nice long bubble bath in the morning
with this....thanks mom!

and then Mark and I headed off to Costco so I could renew our membership. When we got home Scott and Hope had decorated the kitchen

and baked a birthday cake.

Yum! It was delicious. Good job Hope.

We had a family birthday dinner at Vida Loca Mexican Grill

Mom's Birthday 2009 from Mike Freeman on Vimeo.

My sweet mom and I

The food was wonderful but being with the fam was the best!

(I miss Cheryl and Mack already :( )

It is almost here....

my wish for you...

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Clever Martha

Have you put away your Christmas decorations yet? I usually have by now but won't even be able to get to it for a couple more days. I need another ornament box....problem solved!

Martha's Organization Tip for Today:

Keep your treasured ornaments safe and sound until next year with this surefire way of packing them away.

Protect your dearest ornaments from damage as you pack up after the holiday this year. Cut a piece of corrugated cardboard to line the bottom of a plastic storage bin.

Then use a hot-glue gun to attach paper cups to the cardboard. Wrap ornaments in tissue paper, and place in cups. Then stack cardboard-and-cup flats inside the container. Store smaller ornaments in egg cartons.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Time for a Change

Remember these

String Quilted Stockings?

Miss Hope informed me that "it was about time we updated our stockings". (I will keep those heirloom stockings until someday when someone wants them.)

Hope was right, the time had come for a change and I had a lot of fun making some new ones.

Our New Christmas Stockings:

I wanted to make them all a little different. So I used different fabrics and cut out different shapes for each stocking. I set out bunches of fabrics and let Scott and Hope pick the material and embroidery font they wanted.

I'll tell you a little secret. ....... This one is my favorite

Shhhhhh

Original Post Date

12/07/2009

Thank You Thursday-Mrs. Miner

There's a NEW Mrs. Miner!

Saturday our oldest Son married his soul mate, Cheryl Joy Whitley. Cheryl said God made them for each other and I believe that to be true. Honestly, I could not imagine Mack with anyone else!

Mark and Cheryl Joy's Wedding Day

November 28, 2009

As guests arrived there was a check in with a security guard. The girls just had to get a picture with him.

The wedding took place at Alpine Groves Park.

I loved this two-story farmhouse. It was built in the early 1900s and moved to the park to represent the history of St. Johns County's citrus industry.

Cheryl and her sisters, Carla and Cristin

The Wedding Party just before

(Ella and Addie -sweet little Flower Girls)

Cheryl made their cute baskets.

Meet Talan
(Cheryl and Mack's best friend's little boy)

Cutest Ring Bearer Ever

Cheryl and her adorable dad.
(I wish I had a picture of the expression on Mack's face as he watched her walking towards him with her dad.

No doubt about it, he is soooo in love with that girl)