Turtleman and my daughter???

Uh, I am pretty speechless.  Kentucky's own Turtleman, aka Ernie Brown, has his own show on Animal Planet called "Call of the Wildman."  He is as famous for his trademark yell as he is for getting big turtles out of farm ponds with his bare hands.  Farmers actually pay this guy to clean the ponds of turtles that are eating all their fish.  My sweet daughter is working at Dairy Queen while she is in college and today she texted me and told me to hurry and check my Facebook, she had just met Turtleman at DQ!  There are moments that make a mommy proud and then there are just moments.  She asked him if she could have a picture with him and he scooped her up and said, "This is how we do it in Kentucky."  :) 

Calendar Quilts and Stitcheries

I saw the most adorable little log cabin quilted wall hanging at a local quilt shop last January and signed up for the project.  What I did NOT know was that I had signed up for the whole year --- 12 months of little calendar quilts.  The book is "Calendar Quilts and Stitcheries" by Nancy Halvorsen for Art to Heart.  This has turned out to be a project that I "never-got-around-to-it."  The book has excellent photos and instructions and you can appliqué or stitch each pattern.  I have the book and 11 fabric and button kits, January through November, and will be picking up the December kit at the quilt shop as soon as the owner get those ready.  The cost of the book was $16.95 and I have paid $11.95 for each monthly kit.  I have paid over $160 for the book and kits to complete these adorable little calendar quilts.  I am selling them for $110 with free shipping.  I can mail you the book and 11 kits now (January through November) and then send December as soon as I pick it up from the quilt shop, or just wait until I get December and send them all together.  I just advertised these on Etsy, but if any of my blogging friends are interested I can delete the Etsy listing.  I have taken a lot of pictures and can email more than are shown if anyone is interested. 

A day to count blessings

We sat around the table and talked about how fast the year has gone by.  It seems like yesterday that we were sitting around the Thanksgiving table.  We ate early, around 1 pm, and after the cleanup crashed in the living room to watch football.  I did get a few pictures with my brother and sister and my kids.  We have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow and the weekend! 

Here is a picture of me with my brother and sister.... I am the one with the silver hair. :)  And, here is a picture of me with my children ...

And another of my sister with my kids

I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful day of Thanksgiving with those you love.

I won, I won!!

I had a very nice surprise this week ------ I won a gift from Butterball thanks to a give-away from Tina at Mommy's Kitchen.  If you have not checked out her blog, she has some great recipes and tips.  Here is a picture of my gift:

Yep, $20 check from Butterball.  I also had a $3.00 coupon, so my purchase of a 22-pound turkey cost me only 90 cents!  After having to buy new a new washer and dryer two weeks ago, I was really happy to have this $20 check to put toward my grocery bill.  My husband and I did the shopping together this time.  We straightened up the pantry and refrigerator before we went, had our list printed out, had our coupons ready, and tackled Wal-Mart and Kroger together.  We usually get a ham from the Honey Baked Company, but the nearest one is in Lexington, 70 miles from us.  We decided to order a spiral sugar-cured ham from Cracker Barrel this year for the first time to see how it compares.  It is half the price and we will only have to drive 3 miles to pick it up.  I hope y'all have had a wonderful weekend and blessings in abundance.

Rhonda

Just Blah

This is kinda how I am feeling this week and I am not sure why.  Yes, I have a lot on my mind.  Yes, my job is stressful.  Yes, we have a new household member with Alzheimer's disease and I am the primary caregiver.  Yes, Thanksgiving is near and I know I will be almost too tired after cleaning, shopping, and cooking to enjoy dinner and my family.  Yes, cold weather has kicked in and with it my joints and muscles are crying.  Yes, my washer and dryer BOTH tore up within two days of each other last week and the new purchases put a big dent in the money I had put aside for Christmas shopping.  Yes, I have a lot going on, but then who doesn't?  I am trying really hard to put on my big girl undies and snap out of this whatever-it-is that is going on with me.  I am usually the one who sees the cup as half full.  I am usually the one who always finds the bright side of everything.  I know I have so much to be thankful for, and even in the midst of my blahs I am thanking God daily for all He does for us.  My house is warm, my pantry is stocked full of food, my family is all healthy.  Ugghhh, I just do not like feeling like this.  I know I am physically tired ... more so than I have been in a long time.  I also feel emotionally drained and even kind of spiritually blah, as much as I hate to admit that one.  I need to step back and regroup and try to enjoy the season that is supposed to be full of joy.  Just weary .....

Making memories

Making memories, literally.  I made this memory quilt with high school tee shirts for a friend's daughter who graduated last year.  She gave me enough tee shirts for this king size with 30 blocks, plus a 9-block lap size quilt and two pillows.