Retirement

I retired 3 months ago.  It is strange and wonderful at the same time.  I have to plan my days differently, so I make sure that I accomplish something.  My days have been filled with crafting, 2 trips, knitting, cleaning my craft room, visiting with friends, grandma days, taking classes and enjoying life.  There are some days that I over plan - thinking that I need to cram everything into one day.  But, I still have tomorrow to complete tasks, just not the weekend. 

 I enjoy my Sundays more because I'm not working on lesson plans or prepping for school.  Today, I spent the day making Halloween goodies.  I am wanting fall weather, sweater weather instead of the heat that we are still getting.

Every day is a new beginning.

I took this photo from the airplane as we were leaving Hawaii.  The most beautiful sunrise after a storm.

Priceless Sunday

I wish there were more Sundays like this one.  Waking up to the three oldest grand babes asleep on the floor in my bedroom.

Papa getting donuts for breakfast.

Knitting with the rain coming down.

Hubby making dinner.

This Sunday has been priceless.

Joy58 - The Project

Elise Blaha Cripe has a wonderful blog.  Last year, she did a project to celebrate her 29th birthday.  MAKE29- she made 29 or 2900 projects every month.  I wanted to do something similar, but lets face it I will be 58 in March and I am not doing 58 of anything, every month.  But, the project kept haunting me and I needed to figure out a way to do it.  This year, has lots of changes for me - I will be retiring in June, spending more time with hubby and the grand kids.  Trying to figure out where I fit in to this new life.   I thought about the things that bring me JOY and wanted to do more of those things, in smaller chunks.  I love creating things, but I don't really need 20 knitted shawls - but I realize that  I love the process of creating things.

Then, yesterday, Elise revealed her next birthday year project - the idea of giving.  You can read about it here.  My idea hit me so strong that it almost knocked me over.  I love when someone inspires me. So here is my project for the year.

4 Joys a month x 12 months = 48 Joys + 10 extras = 

 Joy58 

Here is the Project:

Joy of Giving -  Every month, I will give something to a charity.  It could be a hand made item, like a shawl or hat or quilt.  I am doing a lot of test knitting for pattern designers, so I could donate the finished item to the cancer center where my sister is going.  I, am giving myself a little fudge room - it could also be items from my house that I am cleaning out.  Something that will bring Joy to someone else and me by giving.

Joy of Reading - Every month, I will read a new book.  I love to read, but after working all day, I am exhausted, so my choices of books are pretty easy.  I want to read a best seller each month, a book that I can discuss with my husband. A book that moves and inspires me.  A book that has a reaction.  Suggestions for books are appreciated.

Joy of Learning - Every month, I want to learn something new.  Something big, like digital scrapbooking, changing the oil in the car (probably will let hubby do that), stained glass - something that grabs my inner teacher and lifelong learning experience.

Joy of Food - Every month, experience a new restaurant.  Hubby and I love to eat out, but we are always going to the same places.  I want to try something new and experience all that the restaurant has to offer.  It doesn't have to be in our City, but something new and fresh.  We watch the Food Network and they talk about all these yummy places to eat.  I want to try some of those places.

+10 Extras - During the year, I want to visit 10 different beach piers.  I live in California and I have only seen 3 piers.  Hubby and I put it on our bucket list of places that we would like to see this year, when I retire.  So, I am taking it off of the bucket list and adding it to this project.

During the year, I want to create a book of all these experiences.  Maybe, I will do it digitally and have it bound or scrapbook with paper, not sure yet.  I want to experience more JOY on purpose this year, because I am finding out life is way too short.

One Word 2015

I started thinking of what my word would be for 2015 about Christmas time.  I wrote a bunch of words down and thought about them for a couple of weeks.  One word kept popping out at me.  I kept trying to push it back in, because he seemed to Christmasy.  But, it wouldn't allow it.

My word wanted to be heard.  So "JOY" became my word for 2015.

I was ready to blog about it.  Tell the reasons why I wanted this word to be the word.  I was going to find the JOY in everyday life, everyday decisions.

Then, Monday, January 5th happened and I immediately couldn't find a single reason for JOY.  None.

My sister was diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer, at the beginning of December.  She started her chemo treatment, we were going to fight this together.  She had a doctor's appointment and we asked the statistical question.  Blah, blah, blah.

If she didn't continue with chemo, what was her life expectancy?  

The doctor said, 6 months.  She had a rapidly growing cancer that would attach itself to something else in her abdomen, sometimes the liver.

I hit the wall, didn't see that train coming.

If she did chemo, what was her life expectancy, especially since she had cancer before and was so weak?

The doctor said that not many patients even make it to the 5 year mark. What?????

Hit by another train.  We were both speechless, we knew that it wasn't good, but we didn't expect that answer.

There was no JOY, I couldn't find  a single thing to be JOYFUL about it.  I walked out of the room and lost it at the nurse's station.  Like in a pile in front of the nurse's station.  But, I pulled it together and went back to my sister and carried on.

In the two weeks since that date, both my parents have been in the hospital with pneumonia, my sister was in the hospital to gain her strength, and received blood.  I got bronchitis and I had to go to Colorado to tell my sister's daughter, my niece about the outcome.  It was one of the hardest things I have had to do.  We still haven't told my parents, yet, because they have been so sick.

But, where is the JOY in this - my word seemed like it needed to be changed to FAITH. 

But, I want to find JOY in the everyday.

I want to experience JOY with my sister for the time that she has left.  I want to bring her JOY.  I want her to see the JOY in the world and both of us to be apart of it.  But, how can you find JOY in this horrible disease.

I, guess, I need to find out.

Yesterday

Yesterday, was one of the roughest days I have had.  My sister was diagnosed in early November with cancer... again.  We were shock, it had been 30 years ago. At that time, she was pregnant with her only child.  She had cervical cancer, but because of the pregnancy it spread to her lymph nodes.  The doctors wanted to take the baby.  My sister refused.  After the birth, they immediately started radiation treatment, followed by chemo.  On her first chemo appointment, they overdosed her and she lost her hair in the parking lot. My sister was so sick.  The chemo was awful. They had to knock her out for the other treatments.

Today, that beautiful niece is 30. 

So, when the doctor called in the beginning of November, we ALL felt like we just experienced a horrific car crash.  She had surgery the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to remove her ovaries, tumor and 7 nodules. The doctor said that the tumor was a different looking tumor and that she would have to have some chemo, but we would know more after the pathology report.  They sent it to the Mayo clinic. She hadn't been eating, was depressed - sleeping all day.

Then, we got the call last Tuesday that it was Stage 3 ovarian cancer.  We weren't ready for that news.  But, SHE really wasn't ready for that news.  She has been angry, sad, mad at everyone.  Why her?  Why a second time.  The fear of going through chemo again, was worse than the fear of dying.  

She made a decision to fight through the chemo, still being angry.  I took her to her first chemo,  It took me 2 hours, patiently waiting for her to get ready to get in the car.  When we got to the clinic, we would walk a little to a bench or chair and she would rest, then repeat it until we got to the door.  I hated seeing her hurt this much, but I was holding it together - for her.  We got her all settled into the chair and the wonderful chemo nurse explained all the medicines.

My sister and I held each other's hands and cried when they started the chemo medicine.  

She kept waiting for the side effects, she didn't have any.

She waited to start feeling horrible and throwing up, like the last time - it didn't happen.

When it was over, she said she was starving.  I think the extra fluids helped her.  I got her something to eat on the way home and she ate all of it.  We thought she would get sick, it didn't happen. By the time, we got home (a 2 hour drive) - she said that this chemo was 100 times better than the last time. 

I hope that she did well last night, I will check on her this morning.  We made it through the first step for her healing.

Simple

This morning I am craving simple. I am tired of running and not being able to catch up ... On anything

My soul wants quiet

But how do I find the balance

Any suggestions????

Organizing my Pinterest

I love Pinterest.  I might even be slightly addicted to it.  However, my boards are a mess.  I spent 20 minutes looking for a breakfast recipe and never found it - so I decided to get organized.  I love looking at the pins, I would like to actually use my boards for inspiration and creating.  This meant, I needed to get organized.

The first thing I did was to look at my boards.  Some of the cute titles of the boards just didn't work for me anymore or the board was so huge I would never be able to find anything.  I renamed some of my boards.  I put "celebrate" in front of any board that was a holiday.  That way they would all be together, instead of all over my "mother board".

Next step, I wanted the individual boards to be in alphabetical order on the "mother board".  I clicked on the individual board then dragged and dropped it where I wanted it to be on my "mother board".  It is so much easier to find things on the board now.  It reminded me of the game where you would slide the tiles over.

Then, I took a board - "yum" - and broke it up into individual boards.  I want to be able to find the pins, quickly.  Plus, sometimes when I am looking for something on one of my boards - I get distracted, lol.

This took me some time to do and I'm not finished yet.  But, my "mother board" is user friendly.  I will probably break up some of the boards.  My Christmas board is huge and it is hard to find things.  So, I will probably sub-category them into smaller file boards.  It will be easier for my daughter-in-laws to find things on my board too.

I plan on spending 15 minutes every day cleaning and organizing my boards.  Now, I just need to quit pinning.

Project Life - Week 2

I did it, I finished the first two weeks of this year's Project Life.  The first week was ok, but I like this week better.  I am having a hard time figuring out what I want to add.  I don't want it to be too busy, but then I want extra stuff.  I used the Studio Calico - Copper Mountain Project Life kit.  I have 4 other of their kits, but this is the first time that I used one of the kits.  I really enjoyed it.  

I put letter stickers on the twins' photos.  I know them now, but I probably won't remember in a couple of years.  Ok, I get confused now looking at older pics of them.

I love, love the puffy stickers that came with this kit and used them on my quotes and pics of the twins.

I had extra pages in the middle this week - three 8 x 11 pages that held my penny maps and a 3/4 protector about my amazing Disney Sunday adventure.  You can read more about it here on my Disney blog.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Enchanted Tiki Room, so I pressed some commemorative pennies and put a set in the album.  

I am enjoying the idea of Project Life, but will probably still create some bigger albums for the grand kids.  Especially, since I take so many photos.

One Word and Project Life 2014

Each year Ali Edwards picks a work to focus on.  She embraces the word and tries to make the word part of her everyday.  I haven't picked a word in a few years, but this is the year.  My word is ...

PROMISE

I PROMISE to get healthy

I PROMISE to make lots of memories

I PROMISE to only say "yes" to the things that I truly enjoy

I PROMISE to dream of a passion project

I PROMISE not to sweat the small stuff

I PROMISE ....

I'm not sure where this word will take me this year, but I do want it to be part of my everyday life.

So far.....

I have made it part of my Project Life 2014 cover.  

I took some wood veneer letters that I had leftover from my December Daily kit and used Black Diamond Stickles on top of them.  It took two coats, but it gives it a raised shiny look.

This is my first page of my album.  I used the same wood letters and Stickles for the year.  Some of the cards are Becky Higgins Midnight and the rest are from a Studio Calico Project Life Kit (I can't remember which one).  The little blessed button is, also, from Studio Calico.

I might replace the top left card with a black and white photo of the grand kids.  I think it would help make the page pop.

December Daily

I am doing December Daily, I have tried to do it in the past - but couldn't follow through with it.  In the past, I even bought the kit.  I have no idea where it is at.  I have made excuses like - I don't have young children at home, I am too busy, my life doesn't look other people, she makes it look better than mine, I will be gone a lot. 

This year, is different - I have 8 grandbabies to share with

 I bought the kit

  I am going to make my album reflect me and what is important

  I am going to make memories with whoever is with me that day - school or home

I am going to make it simple

I bought the Studio Calico kit, signed up for Maggie Holmes' class, bought Ali Edwards' overlays.

Then, my brain froze - I had no idea what to do.  I planned the cover for 4 days, yup 4 days.  I ended up making the most simple cover, ever.  But, I love it and it is mine.

I painted the cover white, using Martha Stewarts' paint.  It took about 4 coats.  I used some red glitter Stickle paints, that I had from a few years ago.  There are a total of 12 stars on the front cover - one for each of my four boys and eight grandkids.  I added some of the gold glitter tape and the 2013 sticky thing from the kit.  I saw a lot of beautiful covers on the Studio Calico gallery page.  A lot of them had a bunch of very nice elements that were sticking up.  I knew that I wanted this album to be handled by my grandkids, so that wasn't an option for me.  It needed to be simple, I didn't want to be worried about things falling off the cover.

Then, I spent a lot of days figuring out the inside pages.  I couldn't decide if I wanted one page or two pages for each day.  This process was really hard for me.  I wanted it to be just right.  I tend to overthink things.

So, I made a rough calendar of the events that I knew would be going on this month.

I decided if I wanted those particular days to be a full page, 1/3 or half pages.  The process became easier for me.

I printed out all 3 sizes of Ali Edwards' templates.  Then, I started putting them in the protectors based on my calendar planning.  It dawned on me, that I could move the pages around - if I needed to.  I didn't have to preplan everything out.  I saved all the printed templates that I didn't use, so I could use them in my bigger Project Life album for December for journaling.

This was an important step for me.

I liked the way Ali had cut a protector in half for her title page.  I might have flinched a little, when I cut it - but it felt good that I could change something that didn't work for me.  I put some little tree confetti in the top pocket, I got it at Michaels and added the calendar 3 x 4 card from the kit.  I sealed the top and the bottom with the gold polka dot tape, found in the kit.

On the back side, I used another 3 x 4 card from the kit.  The right side of the page is Ali Edwards' template, 6 x 8.  I knew we would be at Disneyland on the first day and I wanted a picture of one of the trees to be added.

I will add the pictures and journaling this weekend.  It is too hard for me to do it during the week since December is so busy with Kinder babes.  I, already know what pictures I am using for this first week - so it should be easy - I hope - to put it together.

As long as I don't overthink it again.

Baby Dedication

The twins were dedicated at church on Sunday, it was a very special day.  After, we had a luncheon.  I am so blessed to have an amazing daughter-in-law, her family is equally special.  They, always, make us feel welcome at their house.  I took a bunch of family photos for her side of the family - her sisters' families and her mom with the grandkids.  I was, also, able to get this photo of my mom with 3 of her great granddaughters.

This is very special to me.  I love how my mom wore the same colors as the girls.  I think, this is the only picture I have of my mom with any of my grandkids.  I will probably make it larger and give it to her for her birthday.

Note to self: Don't forget to take pictures like this.

Mr. K's Birthday

We celebrated my grandson's first birthday a couple of weeks ago and I finally got the pictures finished.  Hubby and I did all the cooking - my sister made the most adorable, yummy monster cupcakes for the party.  My mom made Mr. K's Hawaiian shirt, this will be a keeper.

My sister made 5 different cupcakes.  The purple guy had a big gumball to hold the head up.

They ordered the cake with the Hawaiian monsters on it.  It was really cute, but the cupcakes tasted better.

His smash cake - which he enjoyed.  We had our Hawaiian friends sing "Happy Birthday" in English and Hawaiian to him.  It was very special. 

 This was every one's favorite cupcake.

The shirt that my mom made for him.  I bought the material on a recent trip to Hawaii.

The smash cake - love this picture.  I feel he is saying "back away from my cake and no one gets hurt".

It was a lot of work, but so much fun.  The party started at 1 and the last people left at midnight.  I was smart enough to volunteer to take the baby home, so I could sleep.

I am linking up for Saturday Snapshots go check out all the goodies.

Christmas

I am getting so excited for Christmas.  This year, there will be 4 little babes in the house for Christmas.  My planning has started.  I bought Disney passes for my kids and older grandkids - so that just leaves me with my parents and the littlest grandkids for presents, plus co-workers.

My mind is spinning with decorating the house, which I haven't been able to do for the last few years because of visiting hubby in Hawaii during the Holidays.  But, he is home now and I want to start decorating.

I bought 3 ornaments at Disneyland, yesterday.  Adorable.  They have resin ears and shoes of the different characters.  I should have counted how many they had but I wanted them all, so maybe it is not a good idea to have a number in my head.

Isn't Tink's shoe the cutest, yes it came home with me.

I love this tree - want them all.

These cups always scream Christmas to me.  In fact, I might have let out a little scream when I saw them.  Don't judge me - it is the little things in life that make me happy.

Fall

I am loving this cool weather this morning.  I wanted to stay in bed and just snuggle with the blanket.  Instead, I got up, enjoyed a cup of hot tea and worked on my Project Life Disney page from Sunday.  I am really liking how it is coming together.  The hard part will be to stop adding to it.  Tonight, after work, I will add the journaling.  Hopefully, I will get it finished before I take more pictures on Friday.  I am taking Miss S on Friday night for a grandma/granddaughter evening at Disney.  This is one of the best parts about being a grandma.

October Crazy

This month is crazy, like out of control busy.  I got back from Hawaii at the end of September because I needed to go back to work.  It was really hard leaving Hawaii and my hubby this time.  But, I missed the grand kids a lot, too.  I got back on a Wednesday, spent two days catching up and running errands.  I set up my classroom on Saturday, then we headed to Disneyland for the evening.  I bought the kids and

grand kids passes.  We have been to Disney - 3 times in a week.  I love that magical place.

This is why my month is crazy - Back to school/work, 1 baby shower for a son, 1 wedding for another son, 2 grand kids birthday parties (that I am in charge of), hubby and mother in law are coming for the birthday parties.  One of the parties is a slumber party, at my house.  The other party is a big first birthday, luckily at my mom's house.  Then, I have parent/teacher conferences, a pumpkin patch field trip and a fall party at school.  Whew, I am going to be tired - but I will add some more Disney trips to the mix.

On Sunday, we got there when the park opened and stayed until noon.  I was home by 12:45 and in bed for a nap by 12:50.  I love taking naps on Sunday afternoons.  Here are a few pics.

This little guy wasn't too sure about the characters.  We hadn't planned to look for characters, this trip.  But, there was a wait for breakfast - so it worked out perfect.

I love the decorations at Disney, during October.  I am going next Sunday, just to take pics of the decorations.  I need to get some scrapbooking done.  I haven't done anything in such a long time.  My poor grandson will be one at the end of the month and he doesn't have a scrapbook - at all, nothing. So sad.

This month is going to be crazy busy, but I wouldn't change it.  The best part, besides all of the memories happening - hubby is coming home for good.  Yup, when he comes home for the party - he will be home.  He has been living in Hawaii for 3 years and now, he will be all mine.  The grand daughters are super excited that he is coming home.  I love that guy.

Paradise

I have been enjoying sunrises like these each morning.

I have been sewing and quilting the grand babes Christmas stockings - finished quilting two of them.

But, the most important thing is I have been spending time with my mother in law and hubby.  We have been walking most mornings and just hanging out together.  It will be hard to leave him next week.

Morning Coffee

I get up at 3:30, most mornings - a habit that I can't break.  My hubby would go to work at 4:15, so I would get up before he did - to make his coffee, get his breakfast/lunch together and kiss him goodbye.  Then, I would study for school while the boys were still asleep.  Now, he is retired - living in another state, boys are grown up and I still teach. 

But, I still get up early...

My time for a cup of coffee, time to do school work or just be creative.

I gave up coffee for three months and morning just weren't the same.  So I am back to drinking a cup each morning when the house is quiet.

Sometimes, working on a new scarf in a yummy color.

Summer Love

I am a knitter, quilter, photographer and crafter.  I need to do something creative to fill my soul.  Every summer, my favorite yarn dyer Dani has a Summer Love Photo Contest.  We post some of our favorite pictures of summer, she picks about 5 pictures and dyes yarn to match the colors of the picture.

A couple of years ago, she picked one of my pictures - I was super excited.  A couple of days ago, she sent out a email blast, that she was doing it again this year.  My picture from a couple of years ago was featured in the post. 

It made my day to see my picture, all over again. The excitement level was definitely high on Monday.  I took the picture of the orchid when I was in Hawaii.  Of course, I bought a few skeins of the yummy yarn. I knitted a shawl with the yarn, I probably should take a picture.  Plus, I made a scarf for my mom for Christmas that year.  I posted a few pictures, this year and I should know by next Tuesday, if she picked another one of my pictures for inspiration.  If she did, I know which yarn I will be taking with me to Hawaii for a project.

Howling at the Moon

I want to remember this amazing moon shot that I took last night.  It brings me comfort that my hubby was looking at the same moon in Hawaii.

Hawaiian Stockings

I was so excited to see the Hawaiian quilts on Polka Dot Chair from her vacation that I decided to pull out my stockings that I started last November.  I haven't worked on them at all.  I am making them for my grand babies and now, I need to add two more.  One for a great niece and another grand daughter coming in November. 

I bought a huge fat quarter pack, so they all coordinate.  I only need to use half of a fat quarter to make the actual design.  Each pattern was picked for each child's name or birth order.  I, now, have the problem of having two babies with the same middle name and two with the same middle and first name.  Of course, those two were the two hardest patterns to find.  Lucky for me, my friends in Hawaii are searching for double patterns and I will be there in a couple of weeks.

The stocking order (also birth order) from left to right is:

Siouxsie, Kayleigh, Morrigan, Caleb, Keahi,

Remie, Bowie, Elizabeth and Lily

Pattern is Lily - picked this pattern because that is her middle name.

Pattern is Plumeria - picked because this is my favorite Hawaiian flower and this grand child is named after me.

Pattern is Hibiscus - this grand child loves to pull the flowers off my plant every time she comes over.

Pattern is Kahili - picked this pattern because there is a joke about his dad being the Japanese prince, so that would make him one too.

Pattern is Maile - maile is a vine that grows in Hawaii that smells wonderful.  This grand child's middle name is Ivy.

The other patterns I picked and need to applique are:

Breadfruit - for my first born grand son, it is a traditional pattern

Rose - for the grandchild and great niece with the middle name of Rose

Lily - for my last born grandchild coming in November, it will be her first name

I can't wait to get them finished, so excited.  I was able to work on quilting the Kahili, a little today.