Friday, August 31, 2012

Come and listen to my story about a man named Ted...

I think I have the most wonderful husband in the history of marriage.  Now don't get me wrong, he's not perfect but neither am I.  Having been married for twenty years, I'm a firm believer that love is an action word.  Love is what we do when we don't see eye to eye..love is what we do to get us through every minute!
What brings this up, well here he is taking precious vacation days to drive me, my parents and sister to the Royal Wedding.  Tomorrow, cousin Bart marries princess Lindsey and we get to be there to share in this special occasion asking with numerous family members.  Last night and this morning, he's been driving through remnants of Isaac, this is one trip we won't forget! 
Thanks honey for loving all of us...

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Forget me not...

August is here and it's time again for the fair!  The kids excitedly scramble around looking for all the things they have created during the year that might be fit for an entry into the Benton County Fair!  Of course Mom is willing to suppy a few items so they can get crafty with something fresh and new.  This year, it was two plain white plates and a brand new package of the ultra-coveted Sharpies!

Thanks to Pinterest, I learned that you can draw on an inexpensive plate with Sharpie and make it a masterpiece!  Since Mel and Jess are budding artists I thought this would be a good creative outlet-inexpensive and fun!  At the store, they each took their time weighing the pro's and con's of each style of plate and bowl.  Mel settled on a salad size square plate and Jess a rectangle dish slightly longer than an ear of corn.
Saturday afternoon was the perfect time for creating.  Mel immediately knew what she was doing!  The words Peace, Love, Joy, Hope and Happiness on a plate with confetti dots.  She practiced her penmanship until she felt she had it just right.  Jessica grabbed her tablet and began a Google search for "cute elephants."  I encouraged her to draw from her heart and that is exactly what that child did!

Ted and I are truly crazy blessed for each one of our girls has an amazing and caring heart but Jessica-- that kid is something else!  She feels things on a different level than the rest of us-she is like a little mother, always jumping up to help someone.  When one of us is sick, Jess is at the ready with an extra blanket, grabbing another box of tissues or getting your favorite pillow fluffed just right.  I should have known that I was in for something that would tug at my heart when Jess went to work on just a simple elephant. 

First there was the simple outline in black of the kind of elephant that can only be drawn by a true seven year old lover of elephants. 
Next, the plate began to fill with hearts, the kind that can only be drawn by a seven year old with a heart full of innocence and love.

I then turned my attention to Sweet Melissa who had completed her work of art filled with the sophistication of a ten year old who is savvy of things popular in this world...



I then looked back at Jessica who had for some reason added fresh green grass along the bottom of her design and was adding some flowers but not just any flowers, that child was drawing forget me nots!  I then put together the symbols on her plate-the elephant who never forgets, love, forget me nots...the Alzheimer's Memory walk is coming up soon.  Anna has established a team once again, here is the link to my donation page.  If you have a dollar to spare please take a moment to donate so that so many loved ones with this horrible disease might be helped. 

Forgetting is really the hardest part!