live love laugh

I've been gone awhile from blogging. In fact, my last post was November 3, 2010. I haven’t had Internet service since December 2009 and it was turned back on roughly 6 months ago, with brief service interruptions here and there. Needless to say, maintaining Internet has been spotty. I’m just going to account for the last 15 months and give it to you as straight as I can.

2010

2010 was quite a year. I lost my beloved and loyal companion, Chloe, in March.

Chloe was a beautiful Vizsla, with big green eyes, long floppy ears, and the personality of a lamb. She was a wonderful, human-like girl that supplied my entire family with jaw dropping rear end pokes (it’s just how she said "Hello! I'm Chloe.") and endless love and affection for all things. She was very kind and patient with my children; all children, yet she would knock them over with excitement so grab up your little ones. I highly recommend a Vizsla for any blend of family. I buried Chloe myself at my parent’s house in the woods. A very sad moment for me, but I feel good now that I did it alone.

In April, I began working for a wonderful law firm. Yes, I said it. Wonderful law firm and highly successful too. An entertainment law firm that has more perks than pokes. I love my job and I admire the people I work with. I can say that I will be here a long time.

Also in April, Chris, who you’ve known as DH, and I got divorced. I know. I know. The “D” word. Yes, we were divorced in April 2010 and life hasn’t been easy since our separation in late 2009, but how is life after divorce ever easy? And with two children? It isn’t, but I have two extremely loving and supportive parents. Two children that keep me on my toes and sometimes on my nose. I have a great job that pays me well enough to support myself and the boys. I have my many x-stitch pals, especially my Aunt Pam, who I don’t see or talk to as often as I'd like, and my nearby lovelies, Sally and Susan. The children and I have had our ups and downs since the divorce and we continue to make strides and at times fall back, but such is life.

In May, Jose turned a corner: teenage-hood-lum. Yes, he’s 13! He is getting to be such a big person and…

quite the handful these days, which is proving to be the toughest challenge of my entire life thus far. I can’t seem to find the sweet, caring and lovable boy I thought I was raising. I wish I knew where he was.

Very few times, I get a teeny tiny glimpse of the boy who used to call me “mama,” but like I said, it’s just a glimpse. Those glimpses are when I’m happiest.

May was one of Nashville’s worst times. As a matter of fact, one of Tennessee’s worst times in history.  May 2010 was the time of Nashville/Middle Tennessee’s giant flood. Maybe I’m biased, but the flood didn’t get the media attention it deserved and it may have been because of the oil crises in the gulf and the bombing attempt in New York, but we got over it rather quickly. It’s nearly a year later and some of the houses across the street from me are still vacant, still recovering.  The Opry Mills Mall is still closed which has cost billions of dollars in lost revenue and lots have lost jobs. Rich, poor and celebrity lost something in this as well. No one was above the reaches of the water that weekend in early May.

My kids and I personally had to leave our home because of rising water. The homes across the street back up to one of our creeks (Mill Creek) that dangerously overflowed and flooded my neighbors’ home and made our street impassable. Two days later, we were able to come back and by the grace of God, the water only made it to the foundation of my home, but I had roof and leaking issues. Still do, but we were spared and saved. Here’s a 5-minute video (scroll down and click on the You Tube video); and a Wikipedia link, if you’re interested.

So far, my children and I survived a marital separation, a dog’s death, a divorce, I returned to work, Cameron started daycare full time, and a historical flood. All in 5 short months.

By July, my younger brother was living with us. Huge mistake in more ways than one, but I thought it would do him some good at the time. By him living with us meant that Cameron and I had to share a bed. No fun at all. But by December, my brother had moved elsewhere and life started to get back to a bit of "our" so-called normalcy.

At the end of August, Cameron turned 3.

Cameron isn’t above from demonstrating poor behavior, but he’s a wonderfully joyful child, with a radiant smile and the most matured sense of humor any 3-year old I’ve ever known to have. This child knows how to make a person laugh and he’s good at it too! He does like to talk about the normal stuff: cars, blocks, food, tattle tale on Jose, farting, bodily fluids…you know, the normal boy stuff.

He has the most energy of any one person I know and he never shuts up. He resembles Curious George too, which is actually pretty cute! He likes his new daycare and does well in all types of activities. He’s very talented and independent. And I’m proud of how well he’s adjusted to living in two places half the time.

2011

It’s now a new year and I don’t have very much stitching to show for. I did manage to finish-finish one piece by La-D-Da called LIVE LOVE LAUGH. 2010 was one heck of a year, and there’s still progress to make, but this design was suitable at the time I was stitching. It spoke in volumes and it lifted my spirits.

Unfortunately, it was the only piece I did complete in 2010, although I started many others. There was just so much to do and such little “extra” time to do it in. Now that I’ve returned to work and take care of 2 children pretty much alone, time is limited for much else.

You’ll think I’m crazy, but I did add a new pleasure to the mix of chaos. I have always been intrigued by orchids and never had the courage to keep one. Mainly because I thought they were too difficult to care for. I’ve never had a green thumb for any kind of plant; inside or out. There’s a lawyer at work that is fascinated by orchids and has a rather large collection in her office. After careful consideration, using her as my muse, and doing extensive research on all-things orchid, I have my own collection now.

This is only 1 of at least 4 that I have now. This was the second orchid bought for me by a very special person and was gifted in October. It still blooms and is spiking, as we speak. In an exclusive "orchid post," I'll unveil my other beauties; some which are species :-)

I have every intention of blogging regularly. Of course, not as regularly as everyday, but as often as I can fit into my day. I have many projects right now and maintaining orchids is actually a "task" believe it or not. They bring me joy...not as much joy as stitching, but they do bring me fresh blooms and color. Thanks for reading and hope you'll stay with me...Talk soon!

preparing for fall

While I’m trying to ready myself and home for fall and Halloween I keep wishing it wouldn’t be so, but there are forces larger than myself it seems. However, tomorrow we are going to be at a high of 82 and I’ll take that over 70 any day.

I wish I could take credit for these next collage photos but I cannot. My mother has stitched every single one of these cutesy pieces and I had to show them off. They are in my home but they still belong to her. If you click on the photo it may behave and enlarge so you can see the awesome (sorry mom) intricate paint job on the molding. I love the old tree and tombstones. The cloudy, full-mooned night. I believe the frame was painted by Kathy the framing lady at our LNS. She does amazing work and is very creative. She definitely can delight and surprise. Anyhow, I believe this design is the Sekas & Co., but I have no ghostly idea what the design is actually called.

Again, can’t take credit for the stitched witches and such, but I can take credit for the nasty witch hanging on the door in my kitchen. She is mine, but once again mother bought her for me so I guess I can’t really take credit b/c it was mom’s idea to purchase her. Oh well…I’m pretty sure, and correct me if I’m wrong, the 9-patch is from Brightneedle and I don’t know who designed the Oops! witch. Again, mom stitched them all.

I still need to share with you a framed Jane, but she deserves her own post so that’ll come later. I also need to get started on my 1800's reproduction table runner which I’ve had ready to start for months and months – it would work so well for fall. I mentioned awhile back that I was changing my summer basket to fall…forcefully…reluctantly…unwillingly, but I did. Well, I decided to use my Stacy Nash pinkeeps and pillows for the basket. I also dug through the fall box up from the attic and found my late-grandmother’s jack-o-lantern she made eons ago and tucked it in too. I would like to stitch something else quick and simple to add to the group. Maybe a primitivebettys freebie I have stashed somewhere. :)

I work out and walk 6-7 days a week. I don’t enjoy all my walks b/c Cameron isn’t always a joy – he tries to wiggle out of his stroller and protests something awful now – so I have to cut those days short and I loath short walks. Anyway, I can really get a good hard walk in on days he’s at daycare, like today.

Look at the photo I took early this morning while crossing over the Cumberland River. I haven’t seen a sky this crisp and clear in a long time. The moon was still showing itself (see the little white speck?). And can you believe it??? I caught this image with my cell phone camera! The moon was much more visible with the naked eye than in this photo and this picture doesn't do what I saw any justice. [Try clicking to enlarge.] Talk soon!

where i’ve been; where i am; where i’m headed

Where I’ve been...

The boys and I went camping during the Labor Day weekend with some friends and had a blast. I’m not talking campers or lodges even though there were a ton of people all around us with campers. I’m talking tents, sleeping bags on the ground, sittin’ around the fire, the whole nine yards. The only thing we didn’t do was our business in the forest. The camp grounds had a shower/bathroom house for that sort of thing.

Red tent was for our friend Dave and his entourage. You could park a mini van in this tent it was so big.

These two tents were ours. Surprisingly Jose slept by himself in a tent (left). Cameron, Dh and I were in the other.

Just around our site.

Friday evening was spent setting up our site and the kids just messed around. Cameron didn’t know what to think, but he cozied up immediately to the idea of being outside all the time and was in heaven. Cameron is one brave baby. He wandered off twice; once in the dark. We had to find him with the flashlight which didn’t take long. He was behind our site with the campers. The next time he wandered off he was two sites down sitting on a child’s tricycle. Other than this, he kept wandering off like he was one of us. He just didn’t get it so that was frustrating, but lucky for us Dave and his girls were good about helping us.

My boots came in handy especially in the wee early mornings - glad I brought them.

The view from inside my tent.

It was so beautiful to pop our heads out from our tents in the morning and have these trees looming over us.

Our friend Dave had this hanging from a tree and the only thing that crossed my mind was, “Ahh, what do we need this for?” Dave is quite the outdoorsman so he had some excuse as to why he needed this butcher blade but I can’t remember what that reason was. If you knew Dave you’d understand – LOL.

The strangest mushrooms I had ever seen but so pretty - picture worthy in my opinion.

These little wooden bridges were spread out all through the trail - very cool.

We went for a mile hike the next day which was great. This was the first time I went on a hike and I really enjoyed myself. We saw all kinds of nature enticing sites, at least for me b/c I've never really done this before. I had a really nice time collecting acorns with Dave's daughter Devinee. We chatted and ooh'ed and ahh'ed over the size of some of those acorns (the squirrels must not have been doing their jobs). The kids played in the creek of course and I watched. I think it's true that it isn't so much what you're doing that is enjoyable but that the company we keep that make it so.

We had a good time...That is until Cameron had one of his meltdowns on the middle of the trail. [If you can click on the picture and enlarge it he has his mouth wide open letting all the wild know he's beyond pissed off.]

He decided he wasn’t going any farther. Dh had to carry him the rest of the way which was no easy task b/c Cameron wiggled like a worm the entire time. And wiggle is really an understatement.

Of course, here’s the happy camper once the hike was over ~ little rascal! At least we all survived.

Dh did a terrific job at keeping the fire going the whole time we camped. It even burned through the night enough that there was no flame going, but underneath the log embers were kept so that by morning he could throw another log on to reignite the flames. At one point Cameron decided since daddy was keeping the fire lit by throwing logs into the flame that his Blue Bear should help so in Blue Bear went. Blue Bear escaped with 3rd degree burns.

Somewhere….in a forest far, far away…Smokey the Bear is mourning Blue Bear’s injuries. We pulled him from the flames just in time before too much charring took place. We mended his injuries though and he continued to sleep with us in our tent even though he stunk to high heaven. BB made it home and Cameron continues to love him just the way he is – burnt and all.

We arrived Friday afternoon and left Monday morning. Each child got sick at least for a moment and I turned into Nurse Betty and a pretend mom but it was well worth it. I loved every minute of it and would do it again if I could. It rained our very last night which called for an extremely looooooooooooooooooooong night in our tents, but funny thing is that dh had his laptop (he was on-call for work) and we were able to watch some of Cameron’s cartoons – I know, not camping related, but welcome to 2009, right?

Not a fantastic picture, I know. Jose is being a weirdo and I'm taking the photo myself. Oh well...we're camping, what do you expect?!?! Glamour shots? :o)

Where I am...

Since I finished my Jane Austen sampler and she’s off getting framed I needed another sizeable design to stitch so I decided to begin a new one. Like I don't have enough WIPS...

I fell in love with Mayflower Landing and verse from Diane of Little House Needleworks. I believe I’m quite patriotic and the older I get the more my love grows for my country. US history intrigues me and I really want more pieces in my home that represent the homeland. I thought this design was very appropriate since it is about one of the earliest pieces of our history, and the colors are beautiful.

I changed the linen to 28 ct. Light Mocha instead of 32 ct. Putty, but I’m sticking to all the called-for threads which are a combination of Crescents and DMC. I started this a couple of days ago so it’s proving fun and fast. However, I’ve run out of DMC 3051 so I need to pick some up this evening when I’m at my LNS.

My mom is the sweetest mom in the universe. Right before the camping trip I received a piece of mail. It was the new Stacy Nash Merry Hallowe’en pinkeep book. My mom bought it for me. Isn’t she the sweetest???!!! I can’t wait to start one of these pinkeeps…and then the next and the next and the next. LOL

Where I’m headed…

This evening mom and I are attending moonlight stitching at our LNS with all our friends. I wasn’t able to attend the stitching night in August b/c my FIL was having his birthday on the same evening so I’m really looking forward to hanging with the girls and getting some stitching in. Good munching food too.

I know this is a long post but I haven’t been in the mood to do any daily blogging. Part of that is b/c my laptop is still out of commission so it’s difficult to sit at the actual PC and get anything done. Cameron has become awfully demanding these days and doesn’t allow it either. Plus, I've felt bottled up and preoccupied. Anyhoo...Talk soon!

memorial day

My Grandpa was a WWII veteran. I can’t possibly imagine the things he must have witnessed during the war and I can’t possibly fathom the nightmares that followed. But one thing I know, he was a remarkable man of very few words, but when he spoke it was funny and genuine. He passed away from pneumonia in 1993 when I was 16. There isn’t a year that passes where I don’t wish he were here today so I could sit and chat with him. I know he would find my morals, opinions and views uplifting, and he would agree with my thoughts wholeheartedly. He would also find my sons fascinating and that makes me laugh. I love him more today than ever before and wished that he was here with me and my family. [This photo is really in color and I turned it to gray scale. These are grandpa's hats, his dog tags, and a Japanese flag he acquired somehow before coming home.

Grandpa in the South Pacific during the war.

Grandma and Grandpa in their younger days.

I stitched Bent Creek's Courage a couple years ago in remembrance of my grandpa. Sadly, I haven’t found a way to finish-finish it yet. Once it’s finished I am setting it next to the items (photo above) that belonged to my grandpa located in my curio cabinet.

I’m thankful for days like Memorial Day because it’s just another excuse, another reason more, to sit back and pay tribute to him and all the others just like him. Happy Memorial Day!

Onto stitching…

Me and mom met up with our friends, Sally and Susan, today to do a little Memorial Day cross stitch shopping because the LNS was open and why not!!! We had a good time and continued our visit at Red Robin for lunch. That was yummy-fun. Even Jose tagged along at the store and for lunch ~ he was awfully patient and well-mannered! Here’s some great stash I picked up on our outing.

I love the punchneedle sampler design by Stone & Thread. You don't see these too often in punchneedle so I had to have it. Everyone notices the Notforgotten Farm Christmas Cat! design. I love the verse: Not a critter was stirring...except for the CAT! LOL I don't own a cat but it is still cute. And lastly, Banbury Cross by Little by Little. This design just struck me. At first I didn't realize that the monkey was riding a rooster and when I looked more closely I knew I had to have this chart. The colors are yet again vibrant. The design itself is really cute. It reminds me of India - minus the rooster. It's just a whimsy piece that I think will be fun to stitch, so into the stash pile it goes.

Birds and Berries by Sheepish Designs. The colors in this piece are so vibrant and cheery.

The leather cording and yarn stuff would be nice to use for hanging pillows or cupboard door cushions. There was scrap linen and this piece was only $2.20. It is 32 ct, 9 1/2 x 10 1/2. I plan on dyeing it with RIT dye. Not too shabby I thought. I got a skein of pink Perle cotton to make a tassel for a pair of vintage scissors I own.

Me and the boys are off to have dinner with my FIL. I believe we're having Mexican food at El Chico ~ Adios!

Talk soon!

revising and playing catch-up

You know, I get on a roll, something happens and I am set back. Cameron has broken the wireless adapter to my laptop ~ he cracked it as a matter of fact. So, I haven’t had my laptop in 2 weeks. I was making due and finding little ways to use my desktop PC since it is in an area of the house that’s off limits to Cameron, but this past week I’ve fallen way behind. I mean, way behind. I have blog catch-up, group catch-up and email catch-up to do. Then my email/Internet was interrupted and thankfully my dh fixed it, but I didn’t have any access for nearly two days. I loath the dependency I have on technology. It’s frustrating and addictive. Okay, I’m off my Internet/computer hang-ups soapbox...until next time (keeping fingers x'd).

I have fallen off the current rotation wagon. SHAME ON ME!!! I’m disappointed with myself, but a little relieved. Having seven projects for each day of the week leaves little time for those very special projects you just can’t seem to put down. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I’ve decided, the heck with the current rotation and have a loosely fit rotation schedule with less going on. I think I’ll get more projects done this way. Besides, there are days I can’t stitch until nighttime and if that is the case then how much progress am I really having?!?! Not much.

“Who’s that girl” finally has a tree to sit underneath on those hot, hot days, along with a sweet visit from birdie. And suddenly before I knew it, “who’s that girl” had the starting of a pink little cottage to visit.

I can’t keep my hands off the Traveling Stitcher by LHN. It uses Crescent Colors and done on lambswool and is fun to stitch. I’ve had the Needles design stitched, but not assembled into the needlecase holder yet. Aside from the LHN project, I cannot keep my needle away from Susan’s Sweet Tin by Susan Greening Davis.

These stitches are so neat. One is called the Lace Wheels Reversed stitch (right) and Grid for Strap stitch (left). There are several sections or rows to this piece and I have more stitches to learn. One is called the German Interlaced Herringbone stitch (I've stitched it since this photo was taken so more on this specialty stitch later) which is known to make people talk to themselves and go crazy bc of its complexity. This design was all about pulling threads and re-weaving with a Perle cotton thread. So far, I’m having a ton of fun with this project.

I can’t decide which other project, if any, to add to the revised current rotation. I would like to stitch on each project for a couple days and then switch designs, which means that I can only have 2-4 projects per week. Four at the most. I’m thinking I’d be better off with three. I believe I’ll get more accomplished with fewer projects in my hands. I mean, c'mon, I do only have two hands =)!

My mom sent me a link this weekend and I think lots of you will be interested. It’s a free SAL. Go check it out HERE for more details.

Jose’s 12th birthday is May 31st. I can’t believe he’s turning 12 – a tween as society calls them. Where has the time gone? Jose’s last day of school was Thursday, but unfortunately he lacked effort through this school year and has to attend summer school. On the flip side of the unfortunate is fortunately for him summer school only lasts 3 weeks. Whatever happened to summer-long summer school? Ahhh, we need a vacation.

I’ll leave you with a couple of pictures of my sneaky little snake. Cameron managed to get an empty Coke bottle out of the trash, got the cap off, and then quietly snuck into the bathroom and used the cap as a cup. The things that go on his little head…

Talk soon!