Addicted Sisters

Happy 13th Birthday, Darla Dawg...

2011-11-10T15:54:00.003-06:00

Man, it seems like just a few years ago I got Darla as a Christmas present for David. We had lost our prior dog, Shadow, and I thought the time was right to get another one.
Darla was born on November 09, 1998 and we got her on January 11, 1999. I used to take her to work with me at European Home Collection and keep her in my office with me until we got her potty trained.
She has been, and still is, the best little dog for us. She is sweet, loving and all the things you want your pet to be. I guess as I watch her now with Anna Grace I see the same things I saw 13 years ago when Cassidy was just a baby. Wherever the baby is, that's where you will find Darla giving her "famous" puppy kisses. She did it to Cassidy and now she is doing the same to Anna Grace.
One thing about Darla is that she is so very loyal. Every night when I take a bath she lays on my shoes right beside the tub. Everytime I am upstairs in my scrapbook room, she is right under my chair, and at night when David and I are watching TV, she is laying on the ottoman beside us. When the lights go out she goes into our room. When she was a young pup she would jump up on the bed and take her "spot", but now she has to wait for us to lift her up to the bed.
Although she is 13 years old, she is still very much a puppy at times. David and I both marvel at how she still runs around and has so much energy.
Happy Birthday Darla Dawg....you're the BEST.

Grandma's Little Pumpkin

2011-11-03T14:09:00.002-05:00

Enouh said!

Growing Up Way Too Fast...

2011-10-25T13:46:00.001-05:00

She is just so adorable. I know you think I am saying that just because I am her grandmother, but, it is so true. She is beautiful, sweet and growing up way too fast. I love you sweet Anna Grace.

Crazy Hair Day...

2011-10-22T10:56:00.001-05:00

Nothing left to say except it was "Crazy Hair Day" at school for Cassidy & Jacob! Fun...

6 Grandchildren Make a Happy Gram...

2011-10-21T18:52:00.002-05:00

Our trip to North Carolina in the Fall was beautiful, but the best part was we had all 6 of our grandchildren, two sons, and both daughters-in-law with us. What a fantastic few days we had!

What a Hummer...

2011-07-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

You just never know what you will see when you look out at our hummingbird feeder. Some days there may be a little hummingbird, or maybe even two, chasing each other around and trying to claim the feeder as their own. Some days we have looked out and seen a downy woodpecker on the feeder.
But never have we seen a red-headed woodpecker the size of this one on the feeder. I guess he was thirsty and this was the best water he could find.

Fun While it Lasted...

2011-06-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

Usually I help out with VBS at our church, but this year I opted out. Now, I wasn't exactly playing hooky from helping, I just had something else to do. You see, Chris and Melodie were doing all the technical stuff at VBS and couldn't take the baby, so guess who got to babysit all week.
I must say, we have had an exciting week and I am getting pretty darn good at bathing and feeding cereal. At the start of the week she would have her cereal all over her and everything close to her. Last night when I fed her she did so good we didn't even have any on her clothes.
Tonight is family night at VBS so Anna will get to go with the rest of the family...it was fun while it lasted!!!

My Sisters Family...

2011-06-12T14:11:00.002-05:00

Well, I did it again. This time I made "stick people" for my sisters car. This is her family as it stands today. The old folks and their two dogs, Sugar & Spice.
I love being creative!!

Relay for Life...Remembering Sandie

2011-06-06T16:25:00.007-05:00

Sandie's parents, two sisters, niece Kristen, David and I, Chris and Melodie and the three kids, Crissy and her two children, and Aunt Wanda all went to Shelbyville for the Relay for Life in honor of Sandie. It was a great night being able to do something for Sandie and remebering her laughter and smiles and the joy she brought to all of us. It was a sad night because she is no longer here to share the laughter, smiles and joy with us

I'm not sure how much walking we actually did...some walked more than others but it was nice to be walking for something that was for a great cause. There was a really nice service at 9:00 pm when they turned off all the lights and lit all the candles in remebrance of the loved ones lost to cancer. There was a moment of silence for all to reflect on their individual loved ones and then several people spoke. After that several others spoke of the importance of regular checkups for all types of cancer and melanoma was mentioned specifically as the deadliest of all. They warned everyone to be cautious in the sun and to use sunscreen protection.

I was extremely proud of Cassidy as she got on the computer and created the banners she and Jacob were wearing. Both of them hold a special place in their hearts for their Aunt Sandie.

Just Married...

2011-06-02T19:12:00.006-05:00

As most of you know, I love, love my Silhouette cutting machine. I made this little car and lettering for Greg and Leslie's car while they were gone on their honeymoon.
Since I am not the most creative person, I thought it turned out really cute.

Now mind you, I had NO part in the decorating. The culprits for that were the three pictured below...Jacob, Drew and Cassidy. They did have a little help from Pop and Chris while us girls looked on.

From This Day Forward...

2011-05-25T11:41:00.004-05:00

On this day, May 18, 2011, Greg and Leslie became Mr. & Mrs. on the beautiful island of St. Lucia.
The only way this day could have been any better was if I could have been there to see this event in person. However, due to the wishes of the bride and groom, they preferred to do this alone and we were happy to honor their wishes.
Looking now at their pictures, I can see how in love they are and what a beautiful and romantic setting it was for the two of them. Our family is very happy for the two of them and we welcome Leslie, Landon and Jade into our family with open arms and love.
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Greg Horton!! We love you...

Just Two More Weeks...

2011-05-03T19:37:00.002-05:00

Two weeks from tomorrow Greg and Leslie will be wed on the beautiful island of St. Lucia. We are very happy for the two of them and wish them everything wonderful in their lives.
The two of them are building a beautiful new home for their family of five...which means we will be gaining two more grandchildren, taking our total to six. Very exciting for us.
Leslie is not only a blessing for Greg and Drew, but she is also a blessing to our entire family. She is a wonderful girl and we will be proud to have her as the newest member of our family and our "daughter".

Easter Blessings...

2011-04-26T13:38:00.003-05:00

I was truly blessed this Easter to be able to work with the youth at our church in presently an Easter drama. I am so proud of all of them for the great job they did.

After church we headed home and prepared an Easter dinner of turkey and all the trimmings for all our family. It was a gorgeous day here in Tennessee and we enjoyed the day, the meal together and our family being all together. Praise God for sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins.

Spring Is Here...finally!!

2011-04-13T16:54:00.006-05:00

After thinking spring would never get here, it finally arrived. This has got to be my favorite season of the year with everything in bloom. This year our dogwood tree was just covered in blooms and beautiful.

Words of Wisom...

2011-04-11T13:01:00.002-05:00

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now

I'm not sure what others would've done had they known they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was.

I'm guessing; I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special.

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

Even those are not words I wrote myself, they are very true. Thank you Bettye for sending this to me...we should all heed this advice.

Looking Back...

2011-04-07T19:41:00.003-05:00

As I was sitting here thinking of the beautiful weather here in Tennessee today, it made me think back to April 10, 2009, when we had a terrible tornado roll through our state. The devastation was so widespread and two lives were lost...although they certainly are not forgotten.
As we walked on the greenway a few weeks ago we came across the spot where the tornado crossed the trail. They have put in a memorial marker that tells about that terrible storm on that day and it will always remind us of how blessed we are each and every day. Sometimes we forget to thank God for our everyday blessings.
When God pilots your ship, you need never fear storms.

Cousins and Friends...

2011-04-05T10:09:00.002-05:00

Cassidy is so excited she will be gaining a new cousin in just a few more weeks. Of course, she's not the only one...we are all very excited. Although many changes come about in our lives, one thing is for sure...God will take those changes and turn them into something beautiful just as he has done in this case.

It's In The Jeans...

2011-04-04T11:28:00.003-05:00

I just couldn't resist posting this picture of Anna Grace in her first pair of jeans. We went to a dinner at church where we all dressed western, so Melodie just had to get her a pair of jeans to wear. I guess I might be a little prejudice, but I think she is just the cutest baby this side of Texas!!

So Far It Is Green...

2011-03-31T19:06:00.003-05:00

For all of you who have voted for Drew's contacts color....so far GREEN is in the lead. I will keep you posted on what he decides.
This picture of him was taken on his 13th birthday a couple of weeks ago...he is really growing up. I know Sandie looks down on him from above every day with love and is proud of the young man he has become...After all, God doesn't make junk!

Help Drew Decide..

2011-03-30T13:52:00.004-05:00

When you are 13 everything seems to be very important...even the color of your eyes. Drew just got colored contacts and is trying to decide which color he likes best. Please let us know which color you think looks best with these gorgeous lashes of his. The top photo is green, then dark blue, followed by a lighter blue.

Bittersweet...

2011-03-26T09:56:00.004-05:00

Today is a little bittersweet, as it is moving day for Greg and Drew. I am so happy for both of them as they begin a new adventure in their life. Greg will be getting married to Leslie on May 20 and they are building a beautiful new home on 5 acres of property. We are very blessed that Leslie has come into their lives and that they will be starting a new life together. That is the sweet part.

The bitter part is that the home he is moving from is where he and Sandie lived together until he lost her to melanoma. I know he will never forget Sandie and the love he felt for her, but with time and Gods help the wounds do heal. We are thrilled that Greg and Drew will be starting this new life with Leslie, Landon and Jade.

When God pilots your ship, you need never fear storms and I believe God has put Leslie into Greg and Drew's life for a reason.

It's Good To Be Home...

2011-03-23T14:57:00.002-05:00

Sometimnes we mumble and grumble about the everyday things in our lives without actually realizing just how very lucky we are. While on a recent trip to Florida, it was not unlikely to pay anywhere from $3.57 to $3.63 for a gallon of gas. As I was driving here in Murfreesboro the other day, it just dawned on me how lucky I was to be living here. Gas prices are much less here than in Florida and so are many other things that we take for granted each day. So as I was looking through all my pictures on my computer today and saw this one I thanked God for the privilege of living in this great state of Tennessee.

I don't always start out each day with a smile. In fact, today I am kinda grumpy because I have a really bad sore throat and my back hurts for some reason. But, even though I didn't start today out with a smile, it is not too early to start practicing for tomorrow. Have a beautiful and blessed day.

What a Difference 3 Months Can Make...

2011-03-22T08:58:00.005-05:00

I can hardly believe three months have gone by since our beautiful granddaughter, Anna Grace, was born. She is turning into quite the "chubby" little baby now and getting so much personality. She will smile at you and actually laugh out loud. It is so funny when she starts laughing like that...you just can't help but laugh back at her.

Who knew life could be this good.

A Little Bit of Sugar and Spice...

2011-03-21T11:21:00.003-05:00

My sister and I had a great time while I was in Florida. We didn't do much but hang out together and talk about "sister things". I think that is why it was so much fun. We share a bond only sisters have.

In this picture she is with her two best friends (BESIDES OF ME, of course), Sugar and Spice. They are both rescue dogs and have found themselves a wonderful home with my sister and brother-in-law. Of course, our dog, Darla, was there too so we had an apartment full.

Praying for Japan...

2011-03-11T11:54:00.004-06:00

Today my thoughts and prayers are with the people in Japan after they went through an 8.9 earthquake followed by a tsunami of great strength. The waters are still heading toward the Pacific Coast of the United States. Hopefully throughout the day they will subside and the states will be safe. It seems as though there are more and more tragedies happening in the world around us and it makes me wonder if God is trying to make us take heed.

As I look at the above picture, I cannot imagine the feeling the people in those homes and businesses must have felt. My heart breaks just looking at that wave of water heading towards them.

Speaking of Florida Gators...

2011-03-10T15:03:00.002-06:00

Okay, this one is for you Kim. This is the alligator we saw in the pond at the apartment complex where my sister lives. Just taking a stroll around the complex and there he was. He was only about four feet long, but "momma" had to be around somewhere. That was a bit scary.

I remember back in the 1980's when I learned to water ski. We were having a house built at the time so my dear boss, Mrs. H let us live at her cottage while we were basically "homeless". Her place was on Lake Dora and on the weekends there were plenty of boats and skiers. We would often have lots of company there on the weekends to swim and go boating. Her sons, Tim and Tom would bring a boat up and they taught me to ski. I was petrified because there were so many gators in that lake. As I was skiing and praying I wouldn't fall near a gator, that is exactly what happened when I crashed into the water. Looked up and there he was very close to me. Most of the gators are just as afraid of humans as we are of them and thankfully would just swim away. There were many days when there would be a gator or two laying on the beach by our dock. For some strange reason it didn't seem to register that we shouldn't be in the water with them. Greg and Chris and many of my younger co-workers would jump off the dock into the water and the gators would just swim up into the weeds. Never in a million years would I allow that now. I guess in my younger days I wasn't too smart!

Florida Gators....

2011-03-09T10:29:00.004-06:00

Since I am in Florida right now it made me think of some pictures I took a few weeks ago of our grand-daughter and our dog, Darla. For Christmas I got Cassidy a Florida Gators shirt and I think it was the hit of her Christmas. She loves it and wears it all the time. A few weeks ago she spent the night with us and she put on that shirt, had all the rest of us wear Gator clothing, and she even wanted Darla to be decked out. So she headed to my scrapbook room for ribbon and found the perfect orange and blue. As you can see, they both had their hair in "pigtails". I don't think Darla was having near as much fun as Cassidy was, but they sure were cute!! Gotta love it.

Life Goes On...

2011-03-08T18:00:00.006-06:00

It has been so long since I posted on my blog but I think the time has come that I can finally get back to it. It has been a really rough year with the loss of Sandie. She will always be loved and remembered as a wonderful part of our family, but as they say, "Life Goes On" so we will go on and do the best we can.

Since I posted last we have had a beautiful new addition to our family...Anna Grace, born December 21, 2010. Everyone tells us she is the cutest baby they have ever seen. I must say, I have to agree!!

Right now I am enjoying the beautiful sunshine in Florida...March is the perfect month for a visit here. I am enjoying the time visiting my sister and brother-in-law, while David has gone to visit in Mom in Dade City. Linda and I love to spend our time together "shopping till we drop", and we have done plenty of it. On Saturday we went to the mall and were there for four hours and never left the first store. On Sunday, we had lunch at Longhorn with Debbie, Steve and the girls. Today we met with an old friend from when we lived in Orlando.

2010-02-02T11:17:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

Meet Sandie...

2010-01-25T15:22:00.004-06:00

I know so many of our friends have been praying for us and for our beautiful daughter-in-law, Sandie. We thank you and ask that you please continue those prayers.

It seemed life was going along pretty good, but on Friday night, one phone call shattered our lives.
Let me back up a little bit. As most of you know, Sandie was diagnosed with melanoma a couple of years ago. Last year she had to have surgery in which they removed 51 lymph nodes from her neck area. She had over 200 stitches in her head and neck and never once complained about anything she had to go through. After her surgery she started radiation treatments where she had to wear a mask that fit snug to her head and had to be bolted to the table so she couldn't move. She did all of her radiation treatments, again with no complaints. She was so strong, I didn't know how she did it...she amazed us all.
After radiation, she started on chemo treatments. Unfortunately her chemo made her very sick and with the approval of her doctor, she stopped after a couple of weeks.
She seemed like she was doing very well and seemed healthy. That is until this past week.
This past Thursday, Sandie had an excrutiating headache and was seeing flashing lights and had loss of vision. On Friday she was taken to the emergency room at Vanderbilt Hospital. They did a CAT scan and an MRI of her brain and within the next two hours we were given the terrible news that her cancer had spread to the brain. Like I said, one phone call, and our lives were shattered.
Sandie came home from the hospital on Saturday afternoon with medication for her headache and steroids to shrink the swelling. They have told us she has three lesions on her brain and she will start a new round of radiation treatments this week to shrink the tumors. After that she will be put in the hospital in an induced coma to begin chemo treatments for an entire week. After that week, she will go home for three weeks and then start the entire process over again. It is going to be a long, hard road for Sandie, Greg and Drew, and we are asking for prayer for all three of them as they begin this journey.
David and I know that God is the Great Physician and he CAN heal her. Please pray with us as we pray for Sandie to be healed of this terrible disease. Thank you also for your love and prayers over the past months as we have gone through all of this with her.

2010-01-10T16:34:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

What a fun time we had sliding down the "hill" at our house. It was wicked cold outside but we only played for about an hour before heading in to sit by the fireplace.

2010-01-08T16:29:00.003-06:00

I don't know why or how, but when I added the "Sassy Blinkie" I lost my signature. I have worked all afternoon to get it back and have had an awful time. Now it is finally there but has a box around it which I guess will have to stay. My brain is too tired to do anything else.

2010-01-08T14:31:00.005-06:00

I have worked really hard today trying to get this "blinkie" made for Sassy Scrapper and changing "my signature" so it wasn't so over powering. Wow...I think I did it. If you want the "Sassy Blinkie", you should be able to grab it and post it to your blog. If you have any trouble, just leave a comment and let me know. Man, my brain is exhausted!!!

SNOW????

2010-01-07T21:40:00.001-06:00

Yeah....we got some snow today!

2010-01-02T20:05:00.003-06:00

I pray this will be a safe and wonderful year for all of us. When I reflect back on 2009, I can think of so many challenges our family has faced, but we have come through them all as stronger people.
The most difficult time during the year was when we found out one of our daughter-in-laws had melanoma and she underwent radiation and chemo treatments. Sandie is a very strong girl, but the chemo was just too much for her and she ended up not completing the treatment. At this point we can only pray she received enough of the chemo to kill the cancer in her body. Please continue to pray for her throughout this new year.
Our other daughter-in-law, Melodie, also had surgery this past year to remove her thyroid. She is doing great now. My sister also had surgery...knee replacement, and is still having to go through therapy and perhaps another surgery.
We have been blessed in so many ways throughout the year. God is good and has never let us down. We truly have to live each day to the fullest and treat others as we want to be treated. Kind words and a smile can reach others like nothing else can.
Happy New Year.....

A Rare Occasion Indeed...

2009-12-11T19:53:00.002-06:00

This was indeed a rare occasion...my sister, my brother and me all in the same place at the same time. Even though I went to Florida to help my sister out after her knee replacement surgery, I was fortunate enough to get to see my brother too. It had been way too long since we were all able to get together and it was wonderful.

Amber & Sergio...

2009-12-06T20:54:00.002-06:00

My great niece, Amber, and her boyfriend dropped by for a visit while we were at Linda and Raiford's house. Ohhhhh...to be young and in love.

Ride 'em Cowgirl...

2009-12-06T20:26:00.003-06:00

Eden celebrated her first birthday while we were in Florida and this was my first time to see her. She is just adorable and I am proud to be her great, great aunt!!

New Blog for Silhouette Users.....

2009-11-06T10:52:00.002-06:00

I wanted to share a new blog I found for anyone who has the QK Silhouette. It is a great site with so many cool tips and tricks. Check it out at www.silhouettemachine.blogspot.com

Back in Time...

2009-11-02T20:48:00.003-06:00

to the 1950's, where poodle skirts, saddle oxfords and pony tails were the rage. It seems like just yesterday when my sister and I were sitting in the back seat of our old Studebaker singing along with Connie Francis on the radio to "Lipstick on My Collar"...told a tale on youuuuu. Gee whiz, back then I was younger than my granddaughter, Cassidy, is now. I guess Hannah Montana is the new Connie Francis.

Fly Away Home...

2009-10-19T21:46:00.003-05:00

I'm gonna miss you little guys...have a safe trip and see you next year!

North Carolina in the Fall....

2009-10-15T21:50:00.004-05:00

Our trip to North Carolina to spend time with Linda and Raiford was absolutely wonderful. We had no TV, phone or internet...just each other. We did lots of driving through the mountains and taking in all Gods beautiful creations. The leaves were just starting to turn as we were there a bit early for that, but it was stunning anyway.
Lots of days we just stayed at the cabin and enjoyed each others company. Linda and I have so much to talk about and the cabin is a wonderful place to sit and be able to do that.
I remember how much my mom loved that cabin in the woods, so everytime I go there I have alot of time to reflect on her and the wonderful role model she was in my life. I miss her more as each day passes.
Thank you Linda and Raiford for inviting us to stay with you at your "Cabin Sweet Cabin". We love you guys!!

2009-09-01T09:16:00.002-05:00

Somedays I just want to stay in my pajamas and do only the things that make me happy. Today is one of those days. except, right now I don't know what makes me happy. With Sandie being sick I have a knot in my stomach that just won't go away and I can't seem to find happiness in anything except my grandchildren. Of course, they are in school so I can't spend the days with them either. I've tried scrapbooking which I usually find relaxing and enjoyable, but I can't even begin to think about how to create anything right now. I did get my scrap room all cleaned up yesterday so it's ready to scrap in again but I just can't find the much needed inspiration. I hope all my friends will bear with me and understand this "funk" I am in right now. It is so hard to have someone you love be so sick and know what she is facing for a very long time to come.
Life isn't all bad of course. We had a wonderful Sunday starting with Sunday School and Church. After Church Greg, Sandie, Drew, Chris, Melodie, Cassidy and Jacob all went with David and I to Famous Daves for lunch. Anyone with the name Dave got to eat for free and if your middle name was a David, you got half off. So we racked up with one David and two middle names of David. We ate till we were stufffed and had a great time with our family. I was so thankful for everyone being together.
When we finished eating we had to rush back for Church and then had an ice cream social after that. I was soooo full when we got home. I guess you could say at that point I was fat and happy.

Yep, that's me on that

2009-08-17T11:20:00.005-05:00

TUBE!!!! Oh what a great day we had at Percy Priest Lake with Greg and Drew. I wasn't going to do it, but I finally changed my mind and braved the cold water. Actually, I thought I could get in the tube without getting wet, but when I got in, it tipped over with me and under I went. So then, I was already wet so I HAD to go on and tube. It was so much fun I didn't even want to stop. I'm not sure what the fun about it actually is. You are being pulled behind a boat and being beat to death with the waves the boat makes....doesn't make mnuch sense, but, yes, it is FUN. Thank you Greg for a great day on the lake.

The Real Thing...

2009-07-23T12:50:00.005-05:00

This is an arrangement Sandie received from a friend after her surgery. It was made from real flowers and was absolutely beautiful. I told Sandie if she would give me the container, I would try to duplicate it for her with silk flowers. Now, mind you, I am no floral designer, but I did used to work around floral arranging so I thought I would give it a try.

Wowza......I am pretty proud of how my arrangement for Sandie turned out. Granted, most of the flowers are different than the original, but that's what was available at our local Hobby Lobby store. I know Sandie will love it and be reminded it was a gift of love from her dear, sweet mother-in-law...LOL!

All Good Things Must Come to an End...

2009-06-30T11:33:00.002-05:00

My sister, Linda, and niece, Debbie, flew up from Florida for a week long visit. They mainly came to visit with Greg and Sandie before Sandie goes in for her surgery next week. We all had a really great visit...but, like I said, all good things must come to an end. They flew back to Florida last night, and today our house is quiet and lonely. I miss them already!!!
Debbie is a great photographer and she took loads of family pictures. I will post some after she edits them and gets them back to me. She took David, me & Darla Dawg...Chris and Melodie...and Greg, Sandie and Drew. I can't wait to see them all. Thank you so much, Debbie, for doing that for us. You're not just a niece, but a great niece and we love you.

Good News....

2009-06-26T08:34:00.002-05:00

As most everyone else will remember yesterday as the death of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, it is different for me. Yesterday was my oldest son, Gregs, 39th birthday and he received the best gift of all. Sandie got her test results back and her PET scan showed her cancer has NOT spread to other parts of her body. There could not have been a better gift on Greg's birthday than to receive such wonderful news. Sandie still needs lots of prayers as she will be undergoing a major, 8 hour surgery, on July 6, but God has already answered so many prayers.

Also, I am enjoying some much needed time with my sister and niece who flew up from Florida to visit and be encouragement for Sandie through these tough days. We are all having a great time together and it is so wonderful to feel the love of family.

Tests...yuck!

2009-06-25T09:17:00.003-05:00

Prayers are still needed for our daughter-in-law, Sandie. She has undergone her first testing and still waiting on results. It was a very hard day for her with testing most of the day. She is so strong though and I know prayer will bring her through all of this.

Sons Make Great Dads.....

2009-06-22T07:06:00.004-05:00

David and I are so proud of our sons for the great men and fathers they have become. We got to celebrate Father's Day this year with both sons and their families and it was a great day. I hope all dads out there had a great day!

Frustration!!!!

2009-06-17T12:17:00.002-05:00

My computer is acting ugly today and won't allow me to upload any pictures to my blog site. It has a mind of its own and obviously it is smarter than I am because I sure can't seem to get it to do what I want it to do. I guess that's the way it will be for now until I can get Chris over here to help me outsmart it.

I haven't blogged in awhile just because there has been so much going on. Like I stated earlier, Melodie had her thyroid removed but she is pretty much fully recovered and doing very well. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns for her.

Please keep those prayers coming our way though because Sandie also had surgery on that same day to have a tumor removed. Unfortunately, Sandie's didn't turn out as well. Most all know that Sandie had surgery about two years ago for skin cancer so when this lump showed up the doctor immediately wanted to remove it. Unfortunately, when the report came back, it showed the tumor was cancer again. Sandie went yesterday and met with an oncologist in Nashville and going next week for a PET and CT scan. She will be undergoing an intensive 8 hour surgery on July 6. Right now Sandie needs lots of prayer and I am asking God to please intervene here and just wrap his loving arms around her and protect her. Please pray that Sandie's PET scan will come back okay...which would mean the cancer has not spread to other parts of her body. Even going through this difficult time in her life Sandie is an extraordinarily strong girl and I am confident the Lord will heal her. She is a wonerful wife, mother and daughter-in-law whom we all love dearly.

Even though we are going through alot of tough times right now, I know that God is here with us every single moment. He has never promised to take our troubles away, but he has promised he would take us through our troubles. I know he is with all of us now and will bring us through to be stronger people. Right now I am relying heavily on my Lord and I believe he can and will answer our prayers.

There have been wonderful things going on too. My back healed just in time for David and I to take all three of our grandchildren camping for a week. We had a wonderful time just being lazy all week long and enjoying each others company. While we were there Cassidy attended Horse Camp so she was in seventh heaven. She got to take two trail rides each day, groomed the horses, learned how to tack a horse, and even had to clean the stalls (or scoop the poop, as I call it). Needless to say, she had a smile on her face the entire week.

Rough Week...

2009-06-06T13:18:00.004-05:00

What a week it has been!!! Both of our daughter-in-laws had surgery last Friday. One had to have her thyroid taken out but is recuperating and doing great. It just looks like she to tried to slice her throat. I told her to just be proud of her new "necklace". The other surgery was to remove a knot, which turned out to be cancer. Please keep our beautiful Sandie in your prayers as she begins treatment. She is such a wonderful girl, a loving wife to our son and a great mother to our grandson. This is such a hard thing to accept, but through prayer and belief that God can heal her we are praying for a complete recovery. I ask you keep her in your prayers also. This is a heavy burden to bear but Sandie is such a strong girl and has a very positive attitude. We love you Sandie and know you will be going through some rough times ahead, but believe God will carry you through it all.

On top of everything else, I hurt my back. My hubby had to take me to the ER after two days of horrific pain. Nothing broken, ruptured or fractured!!! A severe back sprain is what they called it. To me it felt like a charley-horse in my lower back that wouldn't go away. After 10 days of pain I am feeling a bit better and able to move around some now. I pray for brighter days this coming week!!!

Locks of Love....Before & After

2009-05-27T07:17:00.005-05:00

I am so proud of my 10 year old grand-daughter who decided to grow her hair long and then have it cut for Locks of Love. She heard about this organization from someone and told her parents that is what she wanted to do. It is through selfless dedication she did this to support a mission to help children suffering from long-term or permanent hair loss due to an illness.

Time Flies...

2009-05-22T08:09:00.002-05:00

Gosh, Drew, it is so hard to believe you are graduating into Middle School. It seems like just yesterday we were at your graduation from Kindergarten. As you move into a new chapter of your life, just know that Gram and Pop are extremely proud of you. You have done amazing through your school years. It seems as though you were on the honor roll most of your school years and I pray you will continue to strive for excellence through your Middle and High School years. Congratulations and just remember how much we all love you.

What a beautiful morning...

2009-05-20T07:47:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe that it is mid May. The weather is just gorgeous here....nice cool mornings and beautiful afternoons. A simple thing, like the geraniums on my front porch steps, makes me happy. As I look around my yard there are so many things blooming. I have day lillies, beautiful roses, and gerbera daisies just to name a few. The grass is freshly mowed and ohhh sooo green. There are bird nests in my ferns and my ivy, waiting for new babies to hatch. As I look around I am in awe with all of God's creations.

Thank you for a beautiful morning!

What a great weekend....

2009-05-18T08:28:00.003-05:00

What a wonderful weekend I had. I was actually off work, which was very nice. We try to rotate between having the grandchildren spend the night with us and this weekend was Cassidy's turn. She came over on Friday night and we watched "Finding Nemo". On Saturday we got up and she went with Pop to get doughnuts...her favorite. In the afternoon we went in the spa and then I painted her nails and gave her a foot massage. Now that I'm writing this, it sounds like she's the one who had the great weekend. Her daddy came and picked her up in the afternoon and I collapsed after that.

We had a beautiful church service on Sunday, which was wonderful because we have been having some controversy there. I truly believe we need to learn to have the patience to wait for God to intervene. As humans we are so impatient and want things to happen in our time frame, but that is not the way God intends for it to be.

Tonight I am looking forward to teaching my second digital class at Sassy Scrapper. I always get stressed before a class but for some reason I am excited about this one and not worried at all. See you tonite girls.

Latest Layout I Created.... Tear Bears

2009-05-15T13:14:00.003-05:00

I will be teaching this class at the store later this month. These tear bears are cute and fun to make. Hope you like them!

I'm Lovin It

2009-05-12T12:30:00.002-05:00

Never thought I would...but I've been struck by the blogging bug!!! Yep, I'm lovin it.

Brain Dead

2009-05-11T15:43:00.004-05:00

It has taken me nearly a whole day but I think I finally got my slideshow and my playlist uploaded and working. The older you get the longer it takes to learn all this high tech stuff. I've decided that this must be for the younger generation but I am determined and I won't give up on it.

Thank you friends

2009-05-09T20:13:00.001-05:00

Thank you Susie and Amy for being my first two followers...you guys are great!
BTW, I love your blogs.

Fiskars in the Boro

2009-05-09T20:01:00.005-05:00

I wanted to share a few pictures from our "Fiskars in the Boro" event that Sassy Scrapper put on last weekend at the Hampton Inn. There were about 50 ladies there and we had a blast. I taught a class on this cute little chipboard book. I must admit I was a nervous wreck trying to come up with an idea to do on this bare book, but when it was all done I loved it and enjoyed teaching the class.

2009-05-08T22:02:00.003-05:00

I never thought I would be "blogging" at my age BUT... since I love scrapbooking, both paper and digital, this seems to go right along. Please bear with me as this is a new experience for me and I'm sure there will be many blunders along the way. I will try to post something every day or so and hope you follow along my "blogging journey" with me.

You may be wondering where my title of Addicted Sisters comes from. My sister and I always scrapbooked together and we actually sold some premade pages on e-bay...that was our name.
She no longer scraps but I am consumed with it. I love paper, digital and hybrid. I am lucky enough to work at my local scrapbook store, Sassy Scrapper, and just love it there. I work with some very talented girls and have met many other talented and creative girls at the store.

The things I love in life are my family, scrapbooking, camping and working in my yard. These are the things that make my life complete and I enjoy them.

Life is Good!!!!