Christmas is coming!!!!!!!!!!

Did anyone notice that? It is almost the end of November!!! CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!! And I still haven't made one card!! I have, however, created two gifts and purchased three! That is a real accomplishment for me.
My question to you is this...WHERE DID THIS YEAR GO????? Wasn't it just January? Time is just flying by and I don't have anything to show for it!! I mean, once we got mostly done with the kitchen, we have just sorta been coasting along. Not really accomplishing much, just fiddlin with stuff. Have to get some motivation going here!

Here is a site that our Aunt Maggie sent to Trav today,
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze201j5/countdown.htm

I think that it is a good thing to have handy...it might just nag me into getting something done before the new year. (might being the operative word here lol ) Thanks Aunt Maggie, I needed that!

I think I am going to use those templates that I have been seeing for One Sheet Wonder cards...that might make it go faster and still be pretty unique. My thanks to the Daisie Company message board for that inspiration. (LibMary to be precise)

Speaking of Daisie Company, there is going to be a card crop on Saturday, I am planning to attend. I am excited about it too. Learning new techniques is really one of my favorite things.
If you are interested in joining us here is the link with the information...this is a really fun group of ladies (at least I have not spoken to a male on there, so I am assuming) with SO much talent and giant hearts of pure gold. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

http://www.daisiecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22462

http://www.daisiecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22955&highlight=



Anyways, I think I should probably think seriously about starting my work day now....sigh...I'll talk to you later everybody, Have a great day!

Something nice to do.

Something nice to do.

Something cool that Xerox is doing

If you go to this web site, www.letssaythanks.com , you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can ' t pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

How A M AZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! Please send a card!!

It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all..

One is Evil.

It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good.

It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Count Your Blessing

Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself. 

Pre Thanksgiving Day Thoughts

Here it is, less than a week from the wonderful holiday Thanksgiving. I think this is one of the most misused holidays we have - most of the people who celebrate this one, don't even take a moment out of their day to think about what they might be thankful for...or think about the ones who could use a little help to be thankful for.

I am thankful for so many things that I don't think that I can list them all. Lets see, where to start...I am thankful for my Lord and Savior, for all He has done for me and all the forgiveness that He has granted me. I am thankful for all the blessings He has bestowed upon me, starting with my salvation and walking through my life to include my Dear husband, my family - both born to and joined into - all the wonderful people who have and do wander through my days. The people I work with who's company I delight in...all the friends that grace my life, Trav, Christa, Howard, Jan, Donna, Clay, Brenda, Olie, Shellie. To our pets who give us SO much of themselves and ask so little in return...I am thankful for our jobs, they not only pay our bills, but also give us something to do and learn each and every day, they give us a purpose and an outlet. I am thankful to have a home and the means to maintain it as well as the room to enjoy my hobbies. I am thankful to have the truck, I know many people who do not have any means of transportation, and that is an awfully lonely thing. I am thankful to have enough food - more than enough food, and the ability to enjoy it. I am thankful that the Good Lord saw fit to give me enough talent to enjoy my hobbies (did I already say that? lol) I am thankful for my health, it may not be the very best, but it is good and it allows me to live my life, not just survive it. I am thankful for Traveler, my partner, my best friend, my mate, my port in a storm, my cohort in mischief, my soul mate, my other half, my everything! God has truly blessed me - he gave me Trav. I am thankful for Trav's family...Ron, Donna, Debi, Althea, Jesse, Becca, Anthony, Jeremiah, Lexi, Kaleb and of course the Aunts and Uncles and Cousins that I am just getting to know. I am thankful...Very thankful. I cannot even begin to say just how thankful I am, but I have tried.

What are you thankful for? anything in particular? or just a little of everything? or nothing? Who are you thankful to? anyone special? or a little of everyone you meet or noone?

Ok, now to help the animals!

Hi, all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple. The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals.
It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "feed an animal in need" for free. It's in a purple box in the middle of the page. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising.


Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know. There are more worthy sites to check while on this site. Please look for them.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com

This is the sort of thing that you do once a day for every day you can remember, so mark it on your calendars and feed the hungry puppies and kitties.

Please ask your friends to come read the blog and then they can go directly to the site and give those babies some support!!! Thanks SO much everyone!

Veteran's Day

Well, once again the annual reminder that Freedom isn't Free has come and gone...did you remember it as anything more than a day off? Or holiday pay? Did you say Thank You to someone for what you have? We seem to like to take things for granted, freedom being the most common thing, as we are not often reminded that it is a special part of our lives. Not that we don't KNOW that we are free...we do, just look at all the times that someone takes someone to court or complains about something or demonstrates against something, or For something, or disagrees with something the "Man" has to say or has done. Those are all signs of Freedom. Signs that we do not often even think about, let alone thank someone for. One day a year, wow, that is just amazing, only one day a year does the 'average American' thank the keepers of that freedom, if then. The 'average American' does not raise a flag to our soldiers, does not smile at our soldiers, does not take the initiative in making sure that our soldiers know that we appreciate them...the 'average American' might nod at a soldier in the airport, or stare at one in a restaurant but to walk up to one and say "Thank you"? Oh no, THAT would be out of the question! I know, lot's of people will think that this is unfair...sorry bout that...I think it's unfair that the very people that are protecting our right to protest their actions are having their actions protested. What makes me go off on this? We had the day off from work, and when we came back in yesterday there was not one single thing visible showing that anyone in that entire building had even noticed....no flags, no signs, no buttons, no red white and blue, no NOTHING. Isn't that interesting? Let's see, for the 4th of July we decorate the whole town and have a celebration that everyone attends, we get the day off, have picnics, go to the shore.....but to honor those people who PAY for that, we get the day off, and the Veterans organizations hold ceremonies that are so poorly attended that we don't even know they happened. You know when the fireworks are going to start, but not when we are going to say thanks...this is a very sad commentary on our country. Of course if there is someone in the family that is in the military, or over seas, stationed in another state/country, then this is a different story. But most of us do not have someone like that...so we just put that disturbing picture out of our minds and 'get on with our lives'. It's sad. And I feel like I need to tell every soldier in our military that I am sorry, that this country has become so apathetic that they can't even say thank you. So, on that note....

THANK YOU!!!

Good bye Donna

Yesterday was a bit difficult. A friend that I worked with left and is now heading for Mississippi. She is one of the most enthusiastic people I know and I am going to miss her....a LOT!!! We had a little surprise going away party for her yesterday afternoon and gave her a couple of gifts that we knew she would love. And she did. She is going to have SO much fun with her new die cutter and dies. And if she really wants to be creative/crazy she can use the handbag we gave her to carry it in when she travels to crops and such.

She has a smile that endears her to everyone she uses it on and is a truly caring person.

As I said, I am going to miss her - even tho we have promised to keep in touch and to visit, it's not the same.

Donna, thank you for making my life better by allowing me to have you as a friend. I am so going to miss you. sniff sniff love ya

ok, here's the pictures

It is just unbelievable how much we do to try to make our pets comfortable....here are a couple

of pictures of the birds new indoor outdoor/cages.



this is a full front view, you can see down into the 3" PVC that we used to make their doorway to the outside world



this one shows the bigger cages attached to the outside of the window, so that when they go thru the tunnel they are still in a cage, but can get fresh air and lots of exercise



a detail shot of the PVC tunnel...note the elbow/angle piece, to help slow down the winter wind.



this is a pic of the birds themselves...the blur in the upper left is DB, the Parrotlet, and the one trying to bite thru the bar is QP, the African Brown Head.

This has been an adventure, but it's worth it in the end, we learned new things and we are helping our pets to have a happier home. Talk to ya'll later, have a good nite.

Christmas Cards

Ok, it's November. It's way past time for me to get my Christmas cards made and be thinking about mailing them. And you know what? I haven't even got the first one done....ho boy is THIS going to be a long month lol

On Daisie Companys Forum a member, DebH, reminded us to send an extra card or two this year...to:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

I think this is a really good idea, so I am passing it along....

also, don't forget the ones that are still out there:

A Million Thanks
17853 Santiago Blvd. #107-355
Villa Park, CA 92861

visit this website for all rules:

http://www.amillionthanks.org/How_To_Mail.asp


and hopefully we can brighten the lives of some of the people who make OUR lives better.

Thanks for thinking of others.

Birds are finally done

Whew, was THAT ever a job! But they are done and settled in. Good thing that we modified the little cage with plexiglass between the two of them...they decided to try to get to each other shortly after they were put in there...that would have been a REAL mess.

I didn't get any pictures, by the time we were done, we were both done in lol maybe tomorrow? hope so. Goodnite all.

Digital Scrapbooking Day

Today was the first annual Digital Scrapbooking Day and I had planned to spend the entire day glued to my puter, either playing games on the message boards or scrapping...that did not work out. It is starting to get a little chilly at night around here and altho it isn't all that cold to us, my poor birds are still on the front porch, where we moved them to save them from the remodel. So, Trav and I spent the entire day trying to figure out a way to give them all the room they are used to but get them in the house. We made two trips to Ocala, one for a new cage and one for the items to make tunnels. When we finish this up tomorrow we will post pics so you can see the innovative design and how we will have indoor outdoor birds. They will love it and we will only have one small cage in the house instead of two big ones. It is late, and I am tired, so I will write more tomorrow. Enjoy your evening!