WOMEN ARE SAFE

In my last post, I talked about what to do for my in-laws for Christmas. After much internet research, and various phone calls, I finally found a place to send some necklaces. For some reason, I kept going back to finding a domestic violence center.  Women Are Safe is the place I finally landed on. Several years ago while living in Indiana, our church ladies group got involved with one of the shelters there. I learned that many of these women come with very little, usually just the clothes on their backs and many with children in tow. I feel for these women. How lonely and frightened they must be. I know I would be. So, the very least that I could do is to gather up some pretty pieces that might make someone feel special.


First I went through my stash (a beader always has a stash), and picked out a variety of pieces. 

I then made a card to go along with each piece. Since I like to scrapbook, I just got some scrap paper, and punched flowers out, glued them on brown paper, and on the back wrote an uplifting verse:

"The beginning is always today."

--Mary Wollstonecroft

I will be getting these out in the mail the first of next week. I am grateful for my in-laws for coming up with this idea. This is the kind of people they are...always thinking of others. 

DONATING TO A WORTHY CAUSE

Funny, how a good night's sleep can make things look up the next day. Sorry for the negative post last night. Again, I was doing a lot of thinking, and now, I feel good. I know all will work out for whatever is right for our family; it always does. 

I usually have my hand in some project. Lately, my project has been this move. I'm getting a bit bored with it.  With Christmas around the corner, I've been getting my gifts in order. I like to make what gifts I can, and the rest, I try to put a lot of thought into. This year, my in-laws have requested that we don't get them anything. They have told us that if we think we have to do something, then do something for someone else. It can be anything. I got to thinking about this, and thought maybe I could do something with my jewelry. Making jewelry is fun, and relaxing, but one can only use so many pieces. I do make and sell several pieces, but mostly this time of year, and I have not really put the time into it this year. Some ideas I have, is to donate some of my pieces to maybe a women's shelter or nursing home, in my in-laws community; donate it in their name. I know many of the women who wind up in these shelters come with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and many times have little ones in tow. I know I love to wear beautiful things, and maybe one of my pieces will help someone feel special. 

Have any of you done anything like this before? I would like to hear any ideas you might have. Christmas is getting close at hand, so I need to get on the ball with this if I'm going to do it. Today, I plan to do some research, and inventory to see what I have and what I need to do.

I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Frustrating Day

Yesterday, was a pretty frustrating day. My daughter is having some minor surgery on Friday, and I had planned to go down to Baton Rouge to spend some time with her. My youngest son, Benjamin, came home Monday from school with a 103 temperature. Ut oh....maybe I won't be going down. Oh, he should be fine by Thursday. Nope, he is still sick. So, needless to say, I was not able to go down.

I had everything planned. Kennel Sox, set up two open houses...one for the Realtors on Thursday and one for the public on Sunday. Benjamin was excited to not have to go down to Baton Rouge and stay with a friend. Hmmm...change of plans. So I didn't go down. I really felt bad, but Ashley is a big girl, and has a fantastic husband that will take very good care of her.

So, after I took care of those change of plans, I get a call about the house we have had our eye on in Kentucky. This house was one of the first houses we saw, and fell in love with immediately. It has a nice back yard with a beautiful pool. Two, two car garages. One of which is air and heated. Perfect for many options. Game room including our ping pong table, or a craft room, or a dance studio, or a photography studio. So many options. The backyard butted up to horses. Yes, you know the visual you have when you think of Kentucky? You could see the horses from two of the upstairs bedrooms. Nice!  Plus so many other nice things, but, anyway, if you hadn't guessed, yes, this house is under contract. Just this week, I started "moving" into this house. Now it is gone. I was very sad, so I decided to go take a bubble bath, yes a bubble bath in my jet tub that I have not used in the four years we have lived here. I sat and did a lot of thinking.  Oh, and one more thing, my new watch I just bought the day before, stopped working. ugggg. It was time for me to go to bed.

Well, after a night of not much sleep (one of those nights that my mind wondered), I woke up optimistic. You know, that house must not met to be. So, I will move on....

Benjamin, Sox, and I spent quite a bit of time in the car today. During the Realtor open house, we headed to Sonic for lunch, tried to find people to talk to on the phone (seems everyone was busy), and then just drove around the neighborhood til the open house was done. Within thirty minutes after we got home, I got a call from our Realtor saying that she had someone wanting to see our house. So, back in the car we went. This time we were in the car for almost an hour. Good sign! Not long after they left, I get a call from my Realtor with good news!  They loved it.

Now, we have to get prepared for Sunday's open house. Hopefully, soon, we will have a viable contract on this home, and be able to find the perfect home in Kentucky.

The Christmas Season Is Officially Here!

Can't believe it's been about ten years since we made these in Relief Society in Crossett, AR

I love Christmas. I love the music, the decorations, family times, and especially what the meaning is all about; our Savior Jesus Christ.  This year was a bit of a struggle at first. In my opinion, there is just too much commercialization, but this past week things have gotten better.  Getting all the decorations up, and ready for everyone to get here, and especially after last night I am finally in the mood.

Each year, our church hosts a world wide Christmas devotional which is aired on the BYU Channel. (9304 for all you Dishnetwork people).  Last night my youngest son and I (the only ones at home now), sat down and enjoyed the music from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and talks from our Prophet and his two councelors. I just love hearing them talk...what wonderful inspiration comes from them. I encourage you all to listen, it is very much worth your time. 

Usually, I do quite a bit of decorating, but this year, with the house on the market and all, I figured I should do basic decorating; Christmas tree, wreath on the door, and a few things here and there. 

Just down the road from where we live is a store called Mer Rouge. I love that place. It has all kinds of stuff for you to decorate your home. Needless to say, I have shopped there on many occasions.  Its a fun place to find gifts too.  Anyway, for the past couple years, they have had mesh. That stuff is a lot of fun to work with, and easy too. For the past couple years, I have used it to decorate my front door. This past spring, though, I made my first mesh wreath, and have had it on our door ever since. I just rotate the flowers to make it seasonal.

Originally, I chose the green because I have a green door, but in the back of my head, I figured I would be able to change out the season, easier with a green background. For Christmas, I added a sparkly green ribbon and sliver and while floral and gift sticks.

Mer Rouge has other forms for the mesh besides the wreaths. I've had my eyeball on some candy cane forms, and when I went in the other day, they Christmas tree forms. Oh wow, what a decision. Since I went in for the candy canes, I got two of them. I planned to put them outside, but only made up one and decided to put in on my front door on the inside.

I think I may just save the other one for next year when we are in our new home. I may even go back and get the Christmas tree form and stuff to do that, since I will not be able to go back next year. Boy, I am sure gonna miss that place!

Well, now that I have the decorations up, the Christmas music playing and expecting my family in a few weeks, I am ready. As of tomorrow, I should have all my shopping done, and will be able to enjoy the Christmas Season. Sure hope your Christmas is a happy one too!

Tia Chi, Anyone?

Lately, I have been in a lot of pain. I absolutely HATE it! I like to be active and self sufficient. For the past month or so, I have had all these weird pains. It would hurt just to get out of bed. I have an aunt with Lupus, and a sister with Scleroderma and Fibromylagia, and I know that autoimmune is in our genes. I have hand problems, and have had a few surgeries--carpel tunel and trigger thumb. I've also had some feet issues.  Since I grew up dancing, and majored in it in college, being on my feet and dancing 90% of the time barefoot, that has caught up with me as I have gotten older. Bunions, neuroma, and worst off plantar fasciitus have plagued me in recent years. 


About ten years ago, I really started having major pain in my feet.  It was so bad that I had a hard time walking at all, sometimes, at night when I had to get up to go to the bathroom, I would just crawl to the bathroom (I know, sounds pitiful). The doctor said it was probably fibromyalgia. I knew it was not, and soon I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. After some physical therapy, I was able to start tap dancing and power walking again. The therapy I had was wonderful. We were livng in Muncie, IN at the time. Our local hospital, Ball Memorial, had a special therapy they were new to using called ASTYM. Let me tell you, it was one of the best forms of therapy and it worked real well with me. In addition to the ASTYM, I also started wearing Birkenstock shoes, and now that is pretty much all I wear.


So, why am I have pain now. I have pretty much been pain free for almost ten years, and now it has come back. I went to the doctor, and they took a bunch of blood tests. So far the only thing they have found is that I have a lot of inflammation. But Why? The jury is still out. My doctor did finally talk me into taking Prednisone, a form of steroid. I really did not want to be put on this, as it is going to put some weight on me, and personally, I think this might be part of the problem. I was doing so well with losing weight til I had those stupid blood clots last year and had to be put on Coumiden and avoid all my favorite foods--spinach, lettuce, all the green leafy veggies. But anyway, that is another story. I've been on this Prednisone for two days, now and boy, can I ever tell a difference. My pain is essentially gone. I will only be on it for eight days. I can tell, I have put on some lbs, but maybe after the eight days, I will be able to get some of it off, and hopefully, I will be pain free.


You are probably wondering why I am sharing this with you. Well, someone told me that Tia Chi, is a good way to control pain. I Googled Tia Chi and found there had been a study with persons with fibromyalgia taking Tia Chi. Looks like I might be doing some additional research. Even if my pain goes away and never comes back, I think Tia Chi might be something that would be good to do. Research has shown that in addition to relieving pain, it can reduce high blood pressure (which, thankfully, I do not have a problem with), stress, depression, and other medical issues. As I do not have a problem with any of that except the pain, who knows what the future holds for any of us. Tia Chi might be something that is good for me to learn regardless if I have medial issues now.


Have any of you had any experience with Tia Chi? I would like to hear what your experiences have been. 

It's Warm Again!

Got up this morning to some nice warm weather. It is suppose to be into the 70's today, and I am CELL-O-BRATE-ING!!!


My body just CANNOT handle the cold. It seems to just shut down. 


The sun is coming out and it looks to be a really nice day.

Advice Needed

It's almost been three months since our house was first listed. We have had a total of four, yes, 4, that is......
F-O-U-R look at our house! In the last six weeks or so we have hand none, that is ZERO. Now I do realize it is the holiday season, but I have seen other houses in the neighborhood actually sell recently, or have a contract on them. Not just one, but several. Why have they not come to look at my house?  


One thing I think is strange around here is that they do not have a realtor caravan for all the new listings. We have sold several homes, and the first of each month all new listings are visited by a caravan of realtors. I think it odd that it is not done here, but then again, I do live in Louisiana.  I have found Louisiana does a lot of weird things.  The argument is, is that since homes are on the internet, realtors can look at the homes on line.  First off, I don't think that is being done, and second and more important, you really cannot get a feel of the home until you actually go see it in person.


I've been communicating with my realtor as to what more we can do. When we first listed, open houses were discussed.  Knowing that there is a very low percentage of homes sold with open houses, I pretty much discarded that idea.  Well, since we are looking at three months on market and essential no traffic, we have decided to do some open houses.  Next week, we decided to do a realtor open house AND a public open house. We have lowered the price and I have staged the home. It looks really nice.


O.K., now, I need ya'lls help. What are some good ideas to make the house beyond perfect? Like I said, I have staged the most important parts of the house--living room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast area, master bedroom and bath, and two of the other three bedrooms, including the main bathroom and half bath. I have special towels that I set out, and even have set the breakfast area table. I open all the blinds when it shows, which makes it look very nice and bright and cheery. We have also dropped the price.

Our realtor plans to have a small lunch for the realtors, and some finger food for the public open house. I'm hoping to have a good turn out and maybe even a nibble on the house. It sure would be nice to be able to go back up with my husband after Christmas.