Moth invasion and other stuff...

When I say we are having a moth invasion, I am not kidding.  It is horrible and disgusting.  There are thousands of Miller moths everywhere.  I start off the morning sweeping them up, and there are hundreds. No joke or exaggeration.  Then in a couple of hours, I do the same thing, and that is how my day goes.  We have a bug zapper on the back porch, and my patio area underneath the light is covered with dead moths.  We have nice, plump birds in our backyard.  I think they are satiated because usually they eat all the bugs, and they are leaving a lot of moths...which means I have to sweep them up!  Someone told me the life span was 12 hours, but that is not so--I looked it up.  What I did not know is the caterpillar stage is of this moth is the army cutworm.  This information makes me more determined to get rid of the nasty things.  Cut worms can wipe out your garden overnight.

Gross isn't it?

Okay, on a more pleasant note, we had a mini birthday party for Erynn today since it is the Thursday before her 7th birthday. (Monday she is officially 7.  Can you believe that?).  We had cake and ice cream and a few presents.  Then we went to Roswell Regional Hospital or should I say "Lovelace" Regional Hospital since it sold, to feed the Coy fish, then on to the railroad tracks to look for wonderful RR spikes. Reid found the most, and he started testing the ones that were holding down the track and found a ton that were loose.  He pulled them out and had quite the haul.  Hopefully, we will not have a train derailment as a result.  Oh, and we laid pennies on the track and will go back next week to see if we can find our flattened pennies.

Little Miss Erynn and her cake.

Notice the loot in his hand, and he is diligently searching for more.

Now for some our flowers from our yard.  Are they not gorgeous?

Peony and Iris. 

And I cannot forget my wonderful man tucked away in his favorite spot doing his favorite past-time.

Love this man! He makes my heart sing!

"Life is like photography.   You use the negatives to develop." --Anonymous 

Nice surprise

On Thursday, Warren went to get his final  diagnostic test done for his back...a CT myelogram.  It was pretty uneventful, and we do what most others do at a hospital...wait, then wait some more, and then wait even more.  I had to go with him because they did not want him driving afterwards.  So I waited and read while he was getting the x-rays done, then while the dye was diffusing into his spine I joined him, and took pictures using my iPhone to document the day.

Signing his life away.

Waiting...pictures are good when you are waiting.  It helps kill time.

He was hungry afterwards so we literally integrated Burger King.  We were the only white people in the place. 

We learned what we already knew--his back is a mess.  We will send the films and report to the Dr. in Denton, TX, then see what he recommends and go from there.  So it was not a very fun, or exciting way to spend the day.  But I am happy to report it did end on a very wonderful note.  When we got  home, there was a strange box in our mailbox.  Warren is usually the one who orders stuff, but he had not ordered anything.  I looked at the address which was not familiar with me, until I remembered that my niece had her mom had moved recently.  Well, this was a "just because" box filled with the cutest, most wonderful stuff!  It did bring tears to my eyes.  It was from my niece, Melissa Norcross, and her mom, Mara Yachik.  There was a very sweet note tucked inside, and it made feel so very loved.  A big hug and thank you go out to them.  I know your on pins and needles wondering what wonderful stuff was inside...
There was a tea towel with the cutest lambs all over it; Mary Engelbriet cards, notepad, pen, and cupcake papers that are just the cutest things I have ever seen.  I wanted to stir up a batch of muffins or cupcakes right then.   See for yourself.

Isn't this just the cutest stuff ever!

And aren't these cupcake papers adorable.  Good advice on the bottom too!

Love these sheep... I am the "worried" one.  My slogan is "I worry so you don't have to."

Since I received this and it lifted my spirits way up, I want to encourage everyone who reads this to think about doing a "just because" package for someone.  What a wonderful thing it is.  Thank you so very much.

For a Senior Album

I am in the process of putting together the pages of an album for a local graduating senior.  Here are a couple of my favorite pages.  Well...I should say as I finish each page I think it is the best, so I guess I like them all, but I won't make you look at more than two.

Of course, it does help to be beautiful like this as well.  I just love working on these photo albums, and seeing the final product in print.  Most of all, I like seeing the eyes light up of the person for whom I have created the album.   I am about half-way done with this one.  Here's a good quote for all those graduating seniors.

"Where so ever you go, go with all your heart!" -Confucius

Abandon

The digital art journal challenge prompt was: "Abandon."  I finished my layout tonight and posted it here:
http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?album=8&pos=0

Hopefully that will take you right in so you can see the comments if there are any.

Journaling prompt: Abandon! 

A Little bit of this and that...

It has been busy, busy, busy around here.  I took the grandkids over to see the kitten we would be getting in several weeks.  My how she has grown.  And her ears are even starting to look more like cat ears.  I thought I might show pictures of the red car where she was born, and the cat condos.  Like I said before, this place is a cat haven.

This is where Maggie was born...

Underneath the big white thing in the trunk.  

The cat condos or apartments...

More outside. 

Now for a look at our little kitten, Maggie.

Isn't she the cutest thing?

upclose

Reid was not interested in the kitten or the cats.  He really liked playing in this old pick-up cab.  I would have liked to have taken it home with me to put in our 'way back' yard.  I loved all the colors in this pick-up cab.

A perfect playhouse for a boy!

So much to see...

and explore.

McKenzie joined us later in the afternoon, and we all went to the Racquet Club for a swim.  Reid actually put his face in the water and swam the length of the pool (25 yards), without floaties on his arms, only stopping long enough to catch his breath and put his face back down. (He has picked up Erynn's habit of holding his nose.)  Oh well, we can work on that later.  I don't know who was more thrilled: him or me.  He did not want to leave to come home.

He's an official swimmer now. No more floaties.

McKenzie and Erynn.

Erynn and Reid.

Erynn came up with this pose herself.  I think it is rather lovely!

Finally, I caught a great picture of the first dragonfly I have seen this year.  

The name of this dragonfly is: Flame Skimmer...

And it is a female.

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety or liberty." -Benjamin Franklin

Playing catch up

I have gotten so behind on my blogging--which seems to be the story of my life--always behind. I decided today I would get some what caught up, so there maybe several postings today.  First, I want to say one of my favorite days of the month is the day I meet with my Art Journaling friends at one of the lady's home for a "playday" where we can all get together and work on our art journals.  We do a lot of talking, show-n-tell, and eating too!  I will have to show my pages later when I get them photographed, but here's sort of what it looks like:

Play Day...this is only half the room!

Supplies, and Lucky, the cat loves to "help out."

Needless to say, we have a very good, creative time.  I thank Margaret for hosting this wonderful day once a month.  I cannot wait until our next one.

For this next part, I have to blame the "flylady."  I cannot remember how I stumbled onto her website, http://flylady.net/, I think I found it at Pioneer Woman, but I love it.  Remember how my word for 2012 is "Purge?" Well, this website specializes in helping a person get organized and stay organized.  I am pretty organized, but this lady is over the top.  I like how she has you do things that you never get done.  I just follow her daily tasks, I don't do the control journal, or the rest.  You are not supposed to spend anymore than 15 minutes on a task.  Well this one day, the task was to sweep your front porch, and tidy it up.  The sweeping was no problem, but I looked at our front door, and the side panels and thought, 'my these need to be repainted!'  Since it was only the bottom part that needed it so badly, I thought it would not take anymore than 15 minutes.  

And it didn't, but I decided while I had the paint and paint brush out, that I would paint the legs of our wooden outdoor table.  Which I did.  Then I noticed our back gate needed some touch up.  So I got out the blue paint and did that.  This led to painting the border of the outdoor table, which led to me painting the rest of it.  

Here's the whole table

one end up close

the other end up close

Needless to say, this took longer than 15 minutes.  I worked on it on and off for a couple of days.  Since the round tiled table bit the dust, this table has taken its place.  Just so you will know, painted tables on Mackenzie-childs, http://www.mackenzie-childs.com, are $1,500- $15,000.  (I mostly look at the pictures and drool, plus get ideas).  I am sure my table would not be worth that, but it sure looks a lot better than it did.  I only got around to this because one thing led to another, and it all started with the Flylady, so I blame her.  

Lastly, here are some Thursday afternoon photos.  We invited McKenzie to join the grandkids for swimming and Easter egg hunting.  

Reid, McKenzie, and Erynn

We cannot forget my awesome husband who is on his way out the door to sing in the choir for the Easter musical presentation at our church.  

Love this man!

Just a reminder...go to Jordan's blog, http://themckelvyfamily.blogspot.com/2012/04/opening-day.html, and check out "opening day."  I promise you that it will lift your spirits, and put a smile on your face.

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Teresa

Easter...

I think it is cool that you can see the moon on the left, and the sun on the right.  

He is Risen!

I am so thankful for a Risen Lord who is seated at the right hand of God and lives to make intercession for me!  It truly is amazing love.  The cost of our redemption is indeed without comprehension.  I am so grateful that He called me out of the darkness and brought me into His marvelous light!

Jane gave me a wonderful Easter lily:

 Luke even did a photo shoot and sent me photos!  Thank you!

Sawyer and Tate bunnies

Finally, Ian and the grandkids showed up for an afternoon of fun.  Photos will be forthcoming.   Happy Easter to everyone.

"And the angel answered and said to the women...I know you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here. He is Risen!"  Matthew 28: 5-6

Future addition to the McKelvy home

Today, I took the grandkids over to meet our future kitten.  I have been hankering for a cat for sometime now.  I was under strict orders that no cat could come into this household until after the birth of the twins. So after I got home from NC, I began to visit the Human Society regularly scouting out cats.  They never had any kittens, just older cats.  One day, Karen Fulkerson came into my Pilate class and told me that one of her friend's cat just had kittens and she showed me their pictures on her iPhone.  I found one I like immediately, and had her call her friend to see if I could have it.  I was so happy when she said, "Yes."  Today was the day we met.  This friend and her husband live in a warehouse, that has one corner carved out for their home.  They have about 10 cats.  I will have to explain the environment with pictures.  Trust me when I say it is a cat heaven...but outdoors.  My kitten lives in an old, red heap of a car with its mom and two siblings--nicely tucked away in the wheel well for the spare tire.   The kittens are two weeks old and have just opened their eyes.

Here she is...so small!

The top one is going to be ours in 6 weeks.

Hope these claws don't like our furniture!

What a cute face!

Erynn holding the kitten.

Bigger picture of her face.

I think she is a pretty kitten.

Okay, this is the last one.

She is a calico...all calicos are female.  I have been trying to talk Warren into letting me have two, but so far he had not budged.  Hmmmm.  I think it needs a playmate, so I will keep working on him.  I decided to name her "Maggie" and I hope she will be a great cat!  

            "A kitten is in the animal world what a rosebud is in the garden."     --Robert Southey