Being Grateful and Thankful

Being Grateful and Thankful

 I am ever so grateful for my family, the past year has been challenging. 
My mom passed away, my husband went thru surgery for prostate cancer and we dealt with reducing our house and having a big estate sale.

 My very best friend moved to California to live with her daughter due to a very stressful life change. 

Again, my saving grace was my family.
  My girls were so supportive, my brother and sister in law were always checking on me and hubby. 
My hubby always my rock was positive and never waiving in faith.  , we were blessed, he had severe chest pain due to stress after my mom's death and was admitted to the hospital by 911.  They found it was acute inflammation of his pancreas and gallbladder.  He didn't have surgery but was seen by a surgeon.  On followup the surgeon referred him to a urologist because he had a spot on his kidney.  Long story short, PSA normal and only symptom was a small amt of blood in his urine.  His surgeon saved his life by referring him to the urologist, the cancer was advanced but contained and the urologist was able to do robotic surgery and got it all.  Now a year latter hubby has a clean bill of health.

We have sold our house, moved closer to family.  We get to see our grandsons all the time and my brother's family is one hour away. 

We have been challenged along the way more than I want to reflect on, but we are together.  We are healthy.  We are joyful.  I have learned to be calm, trusting and knowing.  I know HE has guided me and I have learned to trust Him.  It hasn't been easy, I have failed more times in my faith questioning but
 I know HE is always there for me. 

I am very Thankful this Thanksgiving for my friends and family.  We left some dear friends in Orlando and they were very supportive during all these challenges I miss them and know they are happy for me.
May your holidays be filled with joy, family, friends and happiness.

I am linking with

Di

Dreaming of an Ironstone Christmas

Dreaming of An Ironstone Christmas

I have been collecting Ironstone for a while, I love the marks on the back, buffalo china and pitchers.  But going through the plates that I set aside for my shop and my house, my daughter and I had a day of playing and sharing memories.

                                               This one I'm keeping, it reminds me of my fiesty dad.  My dad made my brother and my family a set of reindeers for the yard.  He also had a set for my mom and him.  As we were sitting in the family room at their house, I saw someone in the front yard.  It looked like they were taking the reindeers!  I shouted and my dad and I rushed to the front door.  This fralie man pushed me out of the way and headed out, ready for a fight.  Well, it was a joke, his friend was taking the deers to hide them!!  We laughed so hard, I don't know what was funnier him pushing me out of the way or me thinking I could handle whoever was stealing our deer!!

Which is your favorite?  I asked my daughter, "can't I just keep them all!"  Remember "To much of a good thing is a good thing!"     

My mom loved butter pats and I can tell you we bought quite a few, funny thing is they would disapear!  We would come home and honestly they would not be in the package.  I think I gave her one a month...I still do not have one butter pat to this day (even after going through her estate).  Where did they all go...well, they are still on my wish list.  I saw a great collection at frog goes to market.  I am putting this on my Christmas List.

Joy to you all and keep the laughter and memories coming.

                                                DI
Linking to :

Busy Busy Bee

Busy Busy Bee Projects

I have been busy preparing for the holidays and have completed so many of my "Wish List Projects".  It started with my fabric stash!  I love vintage tablecloths but since we moved we only have room for our farm table.  My great vintage enamel table now lives at my brothers house.

So I took my fabrics, tablecloths, lace, burlap and books and started creating.

Apples

 

                                      
                                                                         Banners

They are reversible

                                                          
                                                                Market Bags

                                                                          Lined and reversible

                                                                               Paper Banners

                            My Beautiful daughter made crochet hats

                                                                Now off to make more white ironstone and burlap projects, which will showcase next!!!  Oh yes, I have to get a new case of sewing machine needles since one broke!  So out in the rain I go and I hope you will stop by to see my goodies at my Etsy Shop.
                                                                    Di
Linking to:

Mom's Recipies

Mom's Recipies

Don't you love to find handwritten recipies?  My mom my Birthday Cakes for me for years...I have the memories of her preparing this cake.


It has been cold in Asheville and that certainly puts us in the mood to nest.  We had a great Pie day testing our recipies for Thanksgiving.     So we gathered our recipies...me prefering my handwritten heritage recipies and my daughter, hi-tech, with her Epicurious search.

We got out the 1950's mixer because I wanted to make my pie like my mom did
 
             I didn't get my usual pie for my birthday so I made my mom's Lemon Meragine Pie.  Kiki said I even did the Meragine perfectly.

KiKi made her Apple Crumb pie.  Both came out fanstatic and we have just a little tweaking to do.

Ro and I had date night on Friday to see his cousin Charlotte's play.  Ro bought flowers to give her after her performance.  Best date night with my grandson.

I hope you have a fantastic weekend... Safe Travels, Di

Fishtail Cottage One Year Giveaway's Celebration!

 

http://junktojoy1.blogspot.com/2011/11/french-farmhouse-giveaway.html

Linking up with some fun people

Common Ground's: Vintage Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage's: Feathered Nest Friday

Freckled Laundry's: Air Your Laundry Friday

Romantic Home's: Show and Tell Friday

2805's: Potpourri Friday

Vintage Farmhouse's: Creative Things Thursday