Seriously.....I hope to be better!!!

Oh my stars!!! I haven't posted anything on here for so long - lots of reasons why, but maybe after posting today I will get back into the swing of things!! Our lives have been topsy turvy for the past 3 years. My sweet Momma was so sick and passed away in 2012. The lowest point I have ever been in my life. I know that this is a club that alot of folks belong to, but I would rather not have joined!! It seems that I didn't have a chance to grieve her - or maybe I didn't let myself grieve, I don't know. Daily it seems I get teary anymore thinking of her and not being here for me to talk to her. I know, I know, she is always with me - but I really, really need her more than I have ever let on and the fact that she is "with me", does little to nothing in the comfort zone for me. Does that make sense? Probably not, but it's the best I can do for now!! After she passed away, our son was sent to Afghanistan for 8 months or so. He is a Marine - we are so proud of him!! It was so hard not to see him or talk to him during that time. Sure there were sporadic phone calls and pictures we could see of him and his fellow Marines on Facebook, but a Mom just has to touch her son for it to be all safe for us all!! He finally got back and got to come home for about 3 weeks to visit. Unfortunately - or rather fortunately for alot of reasons, my father-in-law had gotten sick during the last 3 months of 2012 and passed away Christmas morning while our son was home. It really was a blessing that he was home - it helped my husband tremendously with his sanity to have our son at his side during the loss of his Dad. My mother-in-law had passed about 8 years earlier and my husbands brother died in 1976 so he was the only child left. With my Momma passing a short 9 months earlier, our son in Afghanistan and then my father-in-law passing - it was a pretty crappy 2012!! We vowed that 2013 would be better but that entire year was a struggle as well. Slowly we may be coming out of the gray, but it seems like it has taken forever to slice through the grief and turmoil brought on by it all! Everything is looking up for us so far......our son is out of the Marine Corps as of December of last year!!! He is back living at home with us while attending college. I am blessed to be able to talk with him daily and get hugs and kisses that I have sorely missed!! He is our only child so he gets all of our attention - whether he likes it or not!! He is my heart and soul so just having him with me has started to help me mend my heart over losing my Mom. That's all for today - I feel a bit better, but still the tears are just flowing down my cheeks this moment!! Thanks for listening!! Robin

That crisp feeling is in the air.......

What a beautiful day it was yesterday!!! And this morning it is so cool and is just begging for Fall!!! These are the days that make me feel sooo good!! I have such great intentions when I get up in the morning - and hopefully this will be one of those days where I actually get done what I think I want to get done!! I pulled out all of my totes in the basement for Fall decorating yesterday and I plan to make my home all Fall-like today!! I'm going to burn some pumpkin scented tarts and just tear it up!! Yes, I am!! We had a get together last night for my sweet Dad. He turned 80 on Friday and it was such a tough birthday for him. My Momma passed away in March of this year and this was his first birthday without her. I know he thought of her all day and was so sad. They were married 61 years and were so in love!! They were that older couple that sat on the same side of the booth - held hands always - went everywhere together - and loved each other so deeply. We got together with Dad, my two brothers and their wives, a couple of great cousins and their wives and two of my nephews, new niece-in-law and our brand new baby of the family - a four month old great nephew!! I so expected to walk into the house and see my Sweet Momma there - it made my heart so sad that she wasn't. But we all braved through it and rejoiced that we could be there together to celebrate my Dad. Delicious food of course but most of all being together with my Dad. So for today - get my Fall on!!! I will, I will, I will!!! I've already been on Pinterest this morning to get inspired......this will happen!!! Have a Fall-tastic day!!!! Love yas....... Robin

Pinterest.......

Oh my, oh my, oh my!!! What a wonderful thing Pinterest is!! I can get lost for hours and hours!!! I guess I'm a major "lurker" and this satisfies my inner craving to look into someone's ideas without having to know them at all!! But, with the links provided, I can certianly inquire as to how to, and do you mind if I do questions to the original "owner" of the idea. Now, I don't "pin" if I can't locate the original idea or if the "owner" says no to pinning. I really understand when people get ticked off if someone has horned in on their particular idea, claimed ownership to it, or doesn't give the credit where the credit is due. I know that new systems take awhile to get all the kinks worked out of them, and improving it as well. I think Pinterest is doing a fine job growing from at least where I started following it. I've tried lots of the recipes from there - what a great avenue that is!!! I've tried some of the organization tricks and tools and some of the crafty decorations. I think this Fall is going to really spin out of control for me on Pinterest!! Fall is my favorite time of the year and I'm like a addict - with Fall being my crack!!! I actually have followers on Pinterest - people with much the same interest that I have. I have followed many as well. I think of all the posters that I like or re-pin as friends I have yet to meet. Oh what a wonderful world we have with technology!!! LOVE IT!!!! Have a great weekend!!! Robin

Remember Me??? I Barely Do!!!!

It's been how long????????????? Way to long, I know!!! My life has been topsy turvy for the last 3 years. My sweet Momma was ill for so long and I have devoted much of my free time physically and mentally with her and my Dad to get them both healed and healthy. Unfortunately, we lost my Momma in March of this year. A devastating loss to say the least. She was the kindest, most loving and forgiving person. If I ever got the chance to pick out my Mom, she would have been the #1 pick - I just got really lucky!! I had the honor of being by her side when she died. I talked to her and told her everything that was going on outside, I thanked her for everything she had done for us all, told her I loved her, talked about my son. I know she heard me, I just wish that I could have heard her voice one last time. I know people say it wouldn't have been enough, that I would have wanted more time. Maybe they are right, but I would have loved to have the opportunity to ask again.... My son is currently serving in the USMC and is deployed to Afghanistan. Another stresser - huh? He's my one and only child and I tend to focus completely on him - amazing, isn't it?? Not something he enjoys, I'm sure!! I hope and pray everyday that he will be safe and come home to us just as he left us. He got to come home for 4 days when my Momma died, but quite honestly - that wasn't long enough!! I'm a greedy gal!! These last 4 months have been so hard. I miss my Momma so much that it hurts. I know that I'm not the first one to feel this....but it sure feels like it! I'm slowly getting out of my funk...maybe I'll post to this blog on a more regular basis! It feels so good just to type it out and not say it outloud. I think I may be back!! Peace..... Robin

A week!!! Am I getting on track or what??

Okay-so it has been exactly a week and I'm back on here updating my blog!!! Shut the front door!! I'm done - patting myself on the back isn't a position I'm comfortable with, but I'm going to get better at it. I am one of those people who require alot of positive reinforcements, and unfortunately, I haven't been getting them either in my job or at home, so I have decided to start it for myself. Hopefully others will pick up on this and take over this oh so important job that I have!!

What a crazy week this has been! My heart goes out to those in the Joplin, Missouri area who were hit with the nasty storms/tornado's!!! I've been glued to my TV set watching as much as I can - it makes me feel more connected I guess. I told my hubby this am that I was going to donate $$ to the RedCross. I have lots of clothes that I can donate as well - but will do that after they get their housing situation all lined up. I can't imagine sending down a bunch of clothes and items until they get a place to live established. Hopefully there will be others thinking along this same line.

Getting geared up for the weekend!!! I'm taking tomorrow off - going for a much needed pedicure with a girl-friend, I can not wait!!! Then another friend has a birthday tomorrow and my hubby's is on Saturday so we are having a combined party of Sunday for the birthdays! I have invited about 25 people over, we (my hubby) is going to smoke a turkey and deep fry one as well. So I gotta remember to get those out of the freezer tonight so we can marinate them Saturday night - oh they will be delicious!!! I cannot wait!!

Taking home good ole KFC tonight for supper - this is my hub's favorite so this will be his birthday supper!!! An easy night for me in the kitchen!!!

Going to sign off for now, I'll be back now I just know it!!!

Wow - I am such a slacker!!!

Ok, so it has only been a couple of years......who would have thought that I haven't been back to update this!!!

So life was a roller coaster for the last couple of years, maybe I have my head on, maybe I don't!! We'll see what happens!!!

My son has joined the Marine Corps - he's been in 2 years in December and is now deployed to parts unknown!! OPSEC tells us that we can't know where they are at because of National Security - okay, just let me know he's okay for the love of God!!! I know he is, but it is still soooo hard to have him away. He's my one and only child, so he has to handle his mother, mothering him all over the place!! I don't think he minds much - he's pretty used to my ways by now!! My problem currently is not being able to touch him and look in his eyes to know that he is okay - I will get that chance soon tho - the end of September and he will be back in the states!! Woo Hoo!! I can't wait for the moment that I will first see him, and it is suppose to happen on my 50th birthday!!! I'm sure I will be back many times (at least I hope) harping about what a great guy he is, but that is my job, right???

Also, I've kinda moved from more primitive/crafty ideals on decorating to junk - that's right - junk!!! It really just speaks to me for some reason!! Hopefully, I will be able to get my act together soon to make a difference on my home. I know I will!!!

Enough for today - gotta finish my 9-5 job!!! Thanks for reading if you are and if you didn't come today - you missed out on ME!!!!

Fall In The Air!!!!

Finally back to post. Nothing much new - but I did get the shutters up on my back door, and I was right....they look fantastic!! I'm so happy! Maybe I will get motivated to do a bit more - I hope! Today I'm going to pick all the blooms off of the hydrengea bush and hang them on a drying rack for the front porch. I never know what to do with that bush, if it rains really hard, the darn thing gets all droopy and doesn't bounce back and the blooms look nasty all down. So I think today I will pick them all off and hang them to dry naturally on the rack. Of course, my hubby thinks that it is crazy, but I have to keep reminding him that the only taste he has was when he was picking me out for a wife!! And, I had to convince him of that!!

A three day weekend was really needed!! The first two weeks of school are crazy and we were counting down the seconds until we could close the doors on Friday!! I work with college students, and I love it...but a break was really needed!! My office staff is down one person so we are twice as busy, and we switching companies that help us process claims and that has been a nightmare as well! These 3 days will do alot of good in recharging everyone's brains!!

Our local area has a large Labor Day celebration so I believe I will head out tomorrow and see what all the crafters and fleas have to offer. I haven't been in ages and I think it's time to get back into the thick of things. I've really put off lots of things I enjoy to enjoy life with my now 18 year old son. He will leave in December for the Marine's, so I will be just me again and that will have to help occupy my mind while he serves our country. I probably will post a bit more here and try to figure out the next step in my life with my hubby. It's been such a long time since we've been alone - it scares me alot!! I hope we can make a new life out of our old life and find more things in common than we did when we started out.

Someday I want to own my own primitive/country/antique store in my small little town. I know I can do it....I just hope that I do!!! I thought that I would have a shop and then a weekly/monthly craft session with guests in the back of the store learning new crafting!! Naturally, I thought that I was the first in the world to think of this because no one in our area has ever done anything like that!! Wrong!! It seems that others have been doing it for a while and it works fantastic!! I stumbled onto one such gal through a blog and am so excited!! I'm going to pick her brain a bit to try to get my ideas come to life!! Before all this blogging thing started...how did people know????

Well, I'm off to hopefully enjoy the weekend and start on some new projects. Thanks for listening!!