Missing in action

     I know that I have been MIA for a while here on the blog and I apologize.  I have closed my facebook account and all other media accounts.  I found I was spending far too much time on them.  I could check my phone for the amount of time I was spending on them and it was out of line.  Plus the controversy was getting to me.

      I have found I am getting a lot more done around the house now that I don't spend so much time reading about other peoples lives.

     As always I have been enjoying my crochet and when I last went to Dodge I brought along 35 hats I had made and donated them to a friend who teaches at one of the poorest schools in that town.  I hope they warm many children's heads this winter.  I am working on many more hats to take along with me to my daughters in Missouri for them to distribute to needy children.  It saddens me that so many children don't have the basics like a warm hat for the winter here in our own country.

     I have also been crocheting baby blankets.  I now have several made up and need to figure out what to do with them.  I have a niece who is expecting but one will be sufficient for her I am sure.

     Jeff and I have been working on writing our Wills.  Do you and your husband have Wills?  We are making Holographic Wills.  Do a search to see if they are valid in your state and how to prepare one.  Then it would be a good idea to get it done.  We are not promised tomorrow.

     For my extension club I am putting together a program about hurricane preparedness.  I think it is a good time since we just went through hurricane Harvey.  There is so much devastation in our area its unbelievable.  Fortunately we just had high winds and not floods like Houston and that area.  High winds are bad enough but at least there isn't the MOLD to contend with.  Our house only suffered a few trees down and singles blown off the roof.  We do get a new roof but really we were fortunate.

     Bill and Christina Derixson our friends and former pastors church was flooded and they had to quickly rip out the carpet from the sanctuary and that was a lot of work to unbolt all the pews and then remove them and then the carpet.  Then the water wicks up the sheet rock so that had to be removed as well.  They are having service in the fellowship hall and are working on redoing the sanctuary.  

     Hannah worked with a turtle capture and then they took scientific measurements and released the turtles.  That is right up her alley.  She is studying range and wildlife management at Texas A&M Kingsville.  She worked for the state park for 3 summers and last summer worked for a graduate student doing controlled burns and plant collection, identification and measurements.  She would really like to work on a cattle ranch this summer so if any of my friends who read this blog know of a place she can work this coming summer please let us know.  She is interested in range management but also wants to learn cattle and other stuff like that.  she has always been an outdoors girl.

     I will try not to be such a stranger and post more often.  Y'all take care.

Beach Reach News story

This was from a couple of years ago but Hannah said its pretty much how it was.  Anything you can imagine was happening.

The beach reachers were always in teams of at least two and if they went out anywhere they had to have a guy with them.  It seemed sexist at first but was soon apparent that having a guy with them was a very good idea. 

Beach Reach for Hannah

Hannah went to beach reach this year with the Baptist Student Ministries.   She had great stories to tell and stepped out of her comfort zone a few times as well.  It wasn't all work and no play they did have a couple of hours one day that they got to spend at the beach. 
I'm really proud of Hannah and her heart for the lord.
I had originally written that Hannah went to beach reach for the second year but I was wrong.  She did go to Port Isabel last fall but it was for a community outreach project.  OOPS

This is the group that came from Kingsville College.  Texas A &M

Hannah takes a glass blowing workshop

Hannah began a glass blowing workshop this week.
  She seems to be a natural and is enjoying it.  Her father was a professional glass blower.

 Here she is picking up color.

 Keeping the glass hot and fluid at the furnace.

Shaping the glass with a wet wooden mold type thing.

Happy Birthday Kaleena

Today is my second daughters birthday.  Happy Birthday Kaleena

Happy birthday Joy

Yesterday November 3rd was my third daughter's birthday.  She is such a joy just like her name.


JOY

Happy birthday Joy.  I thank God for you.

Fiber Arts

This is the little sundress I made of muslin fabric.  Hannah died it after I made the outfit instead of dying the fabric.  I like doing it this way better for this application because when she gets done with the dying all I have to do is iron it and my part is done.
Since Hannah is getting into tie dying we decided to just make it part of her school.  We put together a class where she will be doing her tie dying as well as learning to track inventory, order supplies, market, advertise and package her product.  A fun entrepreneur class.

Sweet 16

Happy sweet 16th birthday to my daughter Hannah. 

 My prayer for you is that you will love God with all your heart all of your days and that you would want to be close to him always.  That you have the life you always dreamed you would and that you are happy.
I know that you already know that life is not like a dream and that it isn't always happy all the time but you have a good attitude about things and I admire you for that.  You make the best of situations and rarely complain.  May you stay sweet and funny and my God bless you all of your life.
I am so thankful that the Lord let me be your mother.  You are a special blessing to all of us.
Happy Birthday
I love you,
mom

Mollies graduation party

Today was Mollie's graduation party. The pastor and his family came to help us celebrate. He is taking the picture so he is not in this one. I will post more pictures as I get them loaded.

Mom and Dad and Mollie

 Joy, Mom, Mollie, Dad, and Hannah

Mollie and Bill (our pastor and friend)

Mollie is a high school graduate.

Congradulations Mollie.  We are so proud of you.

My little Aunt Jemimas

In case you thought I was joking in the last post, here is Hannah with Elijah and Sammy with kerchiefs tied like Aunt Jemimah.

Sammy

This is Sammy our preachers son. He is the cutest thing ever. Hannah is always playing with him and getting him to wear funny hats and such. This is what she came up with for him the other day. He got the funniest look when his mom was taking his picture. I just get such a kick out of him and his whole family actually. See why we love them?

Kaleena and Justin

Kaleena's wedding is coming up. Its Sept. 19th. Kaleena's favorite color is purple. Her wedding colors are purple and silver I think.

When I saw the picture of the bride it made me think of Kaleena. And the purple flowers say Kaleena too.

I sewed for a while on Hannah's dress today, the one for the wedding. I like the pattern its not too hard. Thanks to Joella for cutting and fitting or I would not be saying that. I am trying to finish her dress so we can bring it along to the wedding shower so Kaleena can see it.

I told Joy we should bring her dress along too and just leave them both there so we don't have to bring it later.

I will have to ask Kaleena if that is ok. Then I need to think about something for me to wear. Joella suggested a sleeveless dress with a light jacket. I may do that if I have time after I make Mollie's dress of course.

Tomorrow we need to run to Perryton to pick up the case of lye I ordered to make soap. They called this afternoon and said it is in.

more kid pix

kids

The grand-daughters are here so they played in the pool with the preachers girls and baby boy.

It was a hot day. Cooling off felt great.