Life is Hard Sometimes...

 But be happy anyway. And do the right thing. It's worth it.

“And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.”  —Mosiah 2:41

The Word is: HOME

 Just got home (last night) from a trip to Utah to visit my sweet sweet grandmother, aunt, uncle, cousins, and friends. It was a good time, and I had great intentions of taking lots of photos. I even had my camera in my bag the entire time... and how many pictures did I take? That would be, um, zeeeerrro. What a bad blogger I am. I was just having so much fun visiting with everyone, and I just never ever EVER think to take pictures until it's too late. I need to change that. Bummer. 

So my grandmother has been patiently asking me, ever since we completed our kitchen remodel over a year ago, to show her some photos of our new-old home. And since Rich is so helpful and amazing, we did manage to get some photos last week of our home, that I was able to take with me to Utah. Here are a few of those. 

OK, well, It is WONDERFUL to be home. Today and the rest of the week will be filled with unpacking, laundry, housework, grocery shopping, and getting caught up on mom-work as well as work-work. Oh, and lots of hugging on Rich and my kiddos. I missed my family! Life is so good and I am so very blessed. Time to run... 

"Where we love is home."  —Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

For Carrie

My friend Carrie and her family are moving away. Her hubs Mike is taking over the family business in another state so they are headed east. I will miss them! On top of being a wonderful, smart, witty, funny and faithful friend, Carrie is an English teacher extraordinaire and also is cute as can be, with great hair and fashion sense. And she's an awesome daughter of God. I will also miss the oh-so-fun Christmas parties she and Mike would host every year... the holidays just won't be the same without that shindig!

I created this subway art piece as a good-bye gift for Carrie and her family (I erased her street address here; it's there on the real piece). I plan to offer custom designs like this in my etsy shop (when I get to it) but if anyone is interested now, please email me at the address over there ———> and we can talk. I'd love to create one for you! Any occasion, or just because, and you can get it in whatever size, font (or combo of fonts) and color you like (I would send you a pdf and you would do the printing).

So... farewell for a time to our dear Carrie. We've been through a lot together, our little group of bag hags. May you have lots of fun and good living in your new town! Love you bunches.

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”  —William Shakespeare

Today I am Thankful...

...For seat belts, and showers, and washer-dryers, and air-conditioning, and soft mattresses, and friends, and avocado egg rolls, and cheesecake, and love.

...For jokes, and laughter, and gardens, and reliable cars, and fresh vegetables, and comfortable shoes, and sometimes when I just gotta have some: diet coke.

...For my house, and my clothes, and my food, and my computer, and for scriptures, and for knowledge, and for life.

...For Rich, and Stephanie, and David, and my Savior, and for tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.

(artwork soon available as a rubber stamp, coming this Fall from Impression Obsession)

"Life is full of give and take. Give thanks and take nothing for granted."  —unknown

So Apparently I Bug My Kids...

And sometimes they say I am mean... but hey, what can you do.

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together.  —Pearl S. Buck

Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had, and dealing with fears you didn't know existed.  —Linda Wooten

She never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn't take them along.  —Margaret Culkin Banning

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother.  A child is a child.  They get bigger, older, but grown?  What's that suppose to mean?  In my heart it don't mean a thing.  —Toni Morrison

William

Hi - just had to share this video that Julie (William's sweet mama) posted of William singing in the car. It's awesome. This is from last year - William recorded himself on Julie's phone as they were driving home through their neighborhood. Tomorrow is the memorial service (Celebration of Life) for William. I'm sure that boy is in Heaven right now running, jumping, and feeling good...  as he should!

"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads."  —Henry David Thoreau

Looking Ahead.

Well here it is, June already. 2012 is almost halfway over. It's crazy! So much has happened this year, some good and some not-so-good, but my oh my has time been flying by. It very well could be true that I am getting old....... yep.

This is the time of year when we put the finishing touches on our new stamp designs for Fall and Winter, since the big release happens at CHA next month in Chicago. So that's where most of my mind has been: designing for the coming seasons. It's fun but it also has a way of making time seem to pass even MORE quickly, living with my brain focused five and six months into the future. Anyhoo, I thought today I would share a sneak peek from one of my new Thanksgiving sets. Some swell new stuff is coming from Impression Obsession, and I also have lots of other things in the works. That Kalani chick has been busy!

OK - time to go water my garden. Even though I have Fall & Winter on the brain, it's still SUMMER here in NorCal so I better go soak up some of that lovely sunshine! Hugs.

“Green was the silence, wet was the light, the month of June trembled like a butterfly.” —Pablo Neruda