Sierra

I like bears and I keep most of them on a bench in our family room. Sierra loves to play with them and they are her "babies" when she is here. Paige is starting to play with them too. I have one bear I keep in my room. It is the bear I got for my birthday the day Joseph left on his mission. It is called Laurabell. I found Sierra trying to put her clothes on behind the couch. Cute!

Sleep Over

Daniel and Rick went camping last night with the Boy Scouts. Rick just recently was made Scout Master after being out of it for quite a number of years. Daniel is an 11 year old Scout. He is so excited. It was in the teens last night and I think they were pretty cold. Anyway, I had Jamison and Sierra over to spend the night. We had fun. They came too late for us to do much last night but they were cute. I have a tent that was Joseph's that is a perfect, "in the house" tent. I put it up in the computer/sewing room and they are together and cozy, if they wake up in the night. Even though they were exhausted it took them awhile to calm down and go to sleep. They kept telling me to "go sit beside the couch" instead of laying with them. They would get up and start playing when I did though. First thing this morning (by 7:30) we were playing play dough, then we had french toast for breakfast. Next we painted with these books I have that you just use water. We then played the Cherry game and then painted with real paints. They took the cars (our collection is 24+ years old) and had races around the edge of my couch. I couldn't get it on still pictures but captured it with my movie camera. I moved the tent into the big room and they took all the toys and dumped them in the tent and played in there for a long time. We had lots of fun. I can't wait until Paige and Claire and come have sleep overs! (Paige will be in the next month or two).

Slacker

I get frustrated when the people's whose blogs I follow - don't update them regularly. I want to see what is going on---isn't that the point? It has been a month--so I thought it was time. The week after New Year's I made a commitment to myself to catch up on old projects before I start on Claire's quilt. I got the fabrics right before New Year's, so I am ready with that part. The getting projects done has been slower. I made these cute jumpers for Laura's girls. I haven't seen them on yet, but heard they were adorable. I have decided I like polka dots lately. My two year olds at preschool have some of the cutest tights that are polka dot. Wish I could find them for me. I am too old for that? I am sure - but the "girls" at work would like them. (And I mean the girls, not the teachers). Last Sunday I worked on Joseph's newspaper articles--there are a lot of them--trying to get them in a notebook. I had worked on them a lot before he came home from his mission but never finished them. I spent 4 or 5 hours on them Sunday and thought I was doing pretty good, then found a folder with another year I had missed. I will keep working on them. They may not mean much to him now - but his children will like to read them - or at least see how many there are. I thought I would make copies for Bill and Rick when I am done.

Toddler Aprons

Check out these toddler aprons. They fit size 2-6. E-mail if you might be interested.

Pensive Thoughts

Happy New Year! The beginning of a new year has always been an exciting time for me. I think it is the hope for a better tomorrow. Every year has it's downside, even on the best of years. Regrets of things not done, change that was wanted and has never happened...all part of the past. Today is a new day and a new year. While I try to take this prospective each year, we really have the opportunity to do it daily. When I am not totally overwhelmed with issues in my life, I try to look at each day as a fresh start. Today can be a day to be different or make a difference.

We saw a great movie today, The Bucket List. While the language was offensive, it had a great message. If this year, 2009 was all we had left on this earth, how would we live it? It is definitely food for thought.

I go back to my Purpose: Experience, Learn (from the experience), Do (do something with what was learned-let it change you).

Over the years I have come to love our southern tradition for New Year's Day. It is a little different each year, depending on who is cooking. Today Mom cooked: Pork loin, collards, black-eye peas, corn bread, sweet potatoe casserole, and potatoe salad. Yum, Yum. We all over indulged, but hey, the food is fairly healthy. We don't cook with bacon grease anymore--so that helps.

Maybe soon I will let someone know that I have this blog!

The Plunge

Well, I am taking the plunge. I have wanted to try blogging for quite awhile, but haven't been sure I have anything noteworthy to say....but the worst that can happen is.... no one reads it but me- and that's okay too. I have been terrible at writing in a journal, but this might work instead.

So here goes at the end of 2008....my first blog. Yaya is what my grandchildren call me. It is such a delight to hear them. What I didn't realize is that Yaya is one of the first sounds they can make as they form words. An added bonus...not to take away from their other grandmothers.

Doodles comes from my need to create. Creating things has been an outlet for me as long as I can remember. I have cross stitched many an item, of which I have only a few in my home. I stopped cross stiching when my children were too old and too numerous to allow me to concentrate. I used to tole paint and keep hoping to return to that someday.....but it has been about 11 years since I have done more than a piece or too, so it is beginning to be doubtful. Sewing has always been a daily or at least now, a weekly occurance. Quilting is something I keep close at hand as well. Making quilts for my grandchildren keeps me busy. I have a personal goal of having one of my handmade quilts on every bed in my house. I have one done. I have two baby quilts to make this year, so probably won't happen anytime soon. I have had some items for sale on Etsy for the past year and have had a little success. Etsy is such a large site, however, everything gets lost. One of my goals for this blog other than a new creative outlet, is to offer some of my "Doodles" for interested buyers.

This should do for my first entry! Have a great day!