New Reviews!!! Now In.

I have been compiling a list of things I love and things that do not deserve my love! (in my humble opinion).

*****First, and at the top of my must have list is....the Everblade or Blade Buddy brand razor sharpeners. I really, REALLY hate spending so much money on razor blades. Even at Costco, they really SLICE (get it?) into the old budget. The deal is though, you have to use it every time you use your razor. It is kind of a rubbery pad that you lubricate with shaving cream or soap and run your blade over it several times (read the directions, a little more detail than I am giving you). I have only changed my blade once since Christmas and I am a hairy girl :) I shave my legs (oh yes, and armpits-or anything else that needs a little taming) every time I shower (bathe). They are a  little spendy at 15.00 to 20.00. Don't get the battery operated one-not needed. I gave one to each of my kids at Christmas to save them money on blades. Pretty sharp eh?

*****Second, Sand (by Brookstone). The coolest thing ever. Another Christmas gift from me! A big hit!!  
Special properties make it soft and stretchy 2% polymer clay-98% sand.

• Won't make a mess (sticks to itself but not to you)
• Never dries out
• Non-toxic
• For ages 5 and up

   There are other brands but all about the same $$.    

*****Third, Miracle Glove!! Yes, it lives up to it's name. We tried out a set while camping and (as stupid as it sounds) picked up red hot coals from the bottom of the camp fire. So I don't think a hot cookie sheet could hold a candle (haha) to that! They are around 10.00 for a set of 2 gloves. Who couldn't use a pair of these? Uh, no one. Gifts all around!

The items that I would not buy again, or should I say "flops" are:

***Heat Holder Thermal Socks. Very nice and soft, but its like wearing 5 pairs of socks. I wanted to try a pair, but ended up giving them away. You see, when you have big ole hooves like I do, why would I want to make them appear bigger. I would have to buy larger shoes to fit these socks in them.



**Garcinia Cambogia Extract. Yes, I am a sucker and a fool. I saw all the ads and the amazing results that Oprah and Paula Deen got from taking this amazing drug.  Well, I have been taking it for quite some time and guess what?? I am still fat. Nuff said.



          

Traveling with the In-laws!!!

My husband Stuart  and I just got home from a 10 day vacation with his parents. I am pleased to say that we are all still speaking, and actually like each other. Well, at least I like them :o.  We started in Weiser, Idaho and traveled south to hopefully warmer weather.When you are a farmer in  Idaho, winter is the only option for a vacation.

First stop, Grand Canyon

Pretty Amazing I must say.

Next stop, Yuma AZ.  Had to check out any and all farm ground and what they are growing and when will it be harvested and how they irrigate.......

A famous restaurant (bar, pub, pool hall??) in Yuma. Fun time and good food.

Maurice and Garold Dick at the Cloud museum in Yuma.

Our view from the Hotel in San Diego.

The Midway

Elephant seals along the beach, this was an unexpected sight. Very cool!

The Beach bums..hahah!

Our room on the ocean, my one request on the whole trip!

Barb and Maurice and the Golden Gate Bridge!

Me and my lover...lol  Alcatraz in the background. Fitting for us to pose with a prison in sight.

Driving highway 1 along the California coast...love love love

San Franciso, beautiful!

Oakland Bay Bridge

Wedding~October 20013

Thought I would share some wedding pics.  I thought I had already posted some but I don't see them. My memory gets confused with my good intentions.

We had so much fun putting the wedding together, refinishing furniture, painting, gluing, shopping, making signs, decorating....in a very short time. Yes, you can put together a perfectly beautiful wedding in two months! Good old fashioned country wedding. It turned out just as she had envisioned  and (as to my knowledge) no one got mad, everyone is still speaking and Kirsten (my youngest child ;) and Cameron are Happily married.

Signs, signs everywhere signs.

We were fortunate enough to be able to buy some property last month that borders our farm ground.  It just happened to have an old farmhouse 70+ years old. Unfortunately the home was not in any shape to save but I did get to salvage some great finds (junk as my husband thinks but doesn't say any more), old doors, windows, wood and lots of barn wood from an old barn. Also got me a sweet outhouse. Not sure what I will do with it, but I am so excited about my one holer. That is kind of sad isn't it, an outhouse makes me happy. Oh well, its the simple things in life, right??

Here is the home before "we" happened to it..

Kind of sad...

The barn and firewood we shared with the neighbors.
The trees had taken over the place.

And....my out house!!!! Yay

 

Now, whatever shall I do with all that barn wood? Well, I am only beginning but I have lots and lots of the good old Idaho barn wood to create with. So here I go.

Studio Time..

A bulletin board for my daughter to use at work. She posts photos of nails she has done. And probably a few pictures of her momma ;)

For my Etsy shop. Unless I decide to keep it before I list it. I have a problem with that.

Set of giant chunky candlesticks and a chunky clock post.

Magnetic chore charts for the grand kids. (if you ask me, they are such good kids that they don't need chores ;)

Sweet Bami!

It is January 28, 2014.  Today my grandma would have been 100 years old.  She was known as Bam to everyone who knew her. She was generous, kind, loving, caring and selfless.  I want to be just like her. But I am exactly half her age and I am not even close to becoming that person. She worked hard as a ranchers wife (to her husband of 50 plus years) riding horses, cooking for a crew and whatever else that was needed of her. She took in our family when we were in need.  We (my sisters and I) found such comfort in her presence. We spent much of our growing up years at her ranch in the country. We climbed hills, picked wildflowers, watched Grandad tend to the horses, and took in everything that their sprawling horse ranch had to offer a kid.  At night we got to sleep in the meticulous and beautiful purple room. Every room in the house was that way, but she never made us feel like we couldn't enjoy every inch of that home.  We would lay in our beds as she read to us from our favorite book, Little Brown Cocoa (slightly politically incorrect). Sometimes she would rub our backs with rubbing alcohol (not sure why the alcohol) but it felt so good even though her hands were rough from many years of hard work. 

Bam volunteered at the elementary school for as many years as I can remember. Several of the teachers she helped out clear up until they retired, but she kept going. Another teacher was always thrilled to get to have Bam in their classroom. The kids loved her too. She sent good old fashioned letters and cards to hundreds of friends on any occasion or maybe no occasion, just because she enjoyed making someone feel good. She was active in her church and would do anything asked of her. But even with all she did, I knew that she was always available when I needed her.  When I had children of my own, she was there to help in any way possible. She cooked for us, cleaned for us, babysat for us, ran errands and was there at the drop of a hat when I called and needed her. I can't imagine life without her. She was only about 4 1/2 feet tall but she was the strongest women I knew. She was a rock. She was stable. She was firm but loving. She was, above all, humble. I barely touched on all the memories I have of her. I am so thankful that I had so many good years with her. I will never be the grandma to my grandchildren that she was for me, but I will try. Everyday I will try. I love you Bami..always and forever!

Big Girl Panties!

Well, another year has come and gone. My youngest child turned 21 on New Years Eve and now we begin a new chapter in our lives. I don't really understand when people say they cannot wait for a new year to start. It is the same life, you are the same person and probably will have the same people in your lives. Unless you have made some major life decisions, not much will change. But we can change our thoughts and habits. We can decide to do things differently. We are creatures of habit and it takes a lot of self control and discipline to change even the smallest areas of our lives.

I am not big on New Years resolutions. It only makes me feel like a big ole fat failure when I don't follow through with something that I was so passionate about on the first day of January. Especially when it is only the second of January ;)  I may have a secret stash in my mind of things I would like to accomplish or change, but I rarely speak them aloud as that would make me more accountable. And, then everyone would KNOW that I am a big ole fat failure when I screw up.

So this brings me to my plan for 2014. I will not make any resolutions or promises that I cannot follow through with, but I will say that my plan is to work on self control and discipline.  I believe that these are the  actions that control most everything that I struggle with in my life. I will be more disciplined at eating healthy and have self control concerning the things my body does not require. I will discipline myself to exercise more, real people exercise(not that insanity-kill yourself  for a week then quit). I will  be more disciplined at taking the time for my daily devotions. I will be more disciplined at finishing what I start. And most of all I will be disciplined in asking God to help me with my self control and discipline ;) 

Fruits of the Spirit, notice the last line???  Happy New Year Everyone!!