Congratulations!

My granddaughter graduated last night. It was such an incredible experience! We've been close to her since she was small. And my husband and I had decided that we were going to try and do as much as we could for her. My daughter also helped. Between the 3 of us, we were able to buy her class ring, yearbook, clothes for graduation, announcements, cap and gown, and we're throwing her a party.

It's honestly the least we could do. She's had an uphill battle. Her entire life! And this was such a giant accomplishment for her. We are all so proud. Especially since she graduated with good grades. She was on the honor roll. And received an award for that.

The icing on the cake, was that the principle talked about her during his speech. It really made her feel special. My granddaughter has taught us all amazing things. Especially that, you can accomplish anything. It doesn't matter if you have disabilities, learning problems, or are in special education classes. The sky is the limit! We are all so proud!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my dad's 97th birthday! And even more shocking than that, he is in amazing shape. Better shape than most people half his age! As in, he still climbs the roof. And feeds his animals. I can only hope to live as long as my dad. And be in the great health that he is.

I thank God, for letting me have so much time, with my dad. He's such an amazing man. So loving. So caring. Just a great dad. And a great human being. He's the first man that ever loved me. And the first man that I ever loved. I really think that our relationship has helped me so much in life. He taught me how men should treat women. And I owe my marriage to my dad. What an amazing man!

I'm praying and wishing that my dad has an amazing day! That he enjoys his birthday. And has another year of health and happiness. Happy Birthday dad!

Happy Birthday

Today is a very special day. Not just because it's October 10, 2010. I think that's incredible. But today is The Guy's birthday. He's my daughter's boyfriend. And I'm very grateful for him. He's taken care of my daughter for over 2 years. She's been through so much, in the last few years. And he's been so strong for her. He has also made my daughter so incredibly happy. That alone, makes me happy!

They travel a lot. Both of them work so hard. And this weekend, they happen to be in CA. Working. I wish that we could see them. Enjoy a nice dinner or something. But I understand. I just want The Guy to have an incredible day. One full of love and happiness. He deserves an amazing birthday. Not only is my daughter incredibly blessed to have him in her life, we are all blessed. Because he makes our lives better. Even if we've never met face to face. He's so special. Happy Birthday!

Church Fiestas

This weekend our church had their annual Church Fiestas. It was a lot of fun. Even with the very "moody" weather. During the day, it was so hot. In the upper 90s! And in the evening, it would get cool, windy, and rain. Yes, it would rain. Not the best weather for an outdoor fiesta. But it happens every year. And we learn how to sit out the weather.

On Saturday, my husband and I were in the parade. We have an old car. And we really enjoy being in the parade. My brother and sister in law were also in the parade. We had invited a few friends to join us. Unfortunately, they didn't come. But we had lots of family there. And lots of friends too. We always catch up with old friends and family.

The food was good too. And there was some good entertainment. Not as much as normal. But still very good. Same with the food. It wasn't as good as in years past, but it was good. And we ate a lot. I'm probably good for a few days. Do you get that way? You eat so much, in a short amount of time, that you lose your appetite for a few days. That's how I feel.

But we had a great time. We spent most of the weekend at the Fiestas. We ate most of the weekend. And I even managed some shopping. There was a Silent Auction. With lots of nice things. I ended up bidding on, and winning, 5 copper bracelets, a pair of earrings, and a rosary. All for under $50. A good deal, considering I've paid up to $60 for a single copper bracelet, in the past.

We had a lot of fun. But I'm exhausted now. I need a day or 2 to recover. But this is a weekend that we look forward to every year. Just seeing old friends and being a part of the community is so fulfilling. Something that my husband and I definitely enjoy.

Happy Birthday

Today is a special day. I young man, that I've known his entire life, is turning 30 today. We're all very proud of Dr. LS. Who happens to be a neurosurgeon. And very successful. A young man that I watched grow from that little t-ball player, into the man that stole my daughter's heart. It's amazing how quickly kids grow up. Before you know it, they're grown ups. Working hard. Making a life for themselves.

Dr. LS we're all proud of you! Happy Birthday. Enjoy the day. And enjoy what God has given you. You're blessed because you bless so many other lives.

Busy Weekend

This had to be 1 of the busiest weekends we've had in a long while. A graduation party, a wedding, a baby shower, and a post wedding get together. I'm exhausted just thinking about all we managed to pack into 2 days!

Yesterday started with an early breakfast and quick trip to the tire shop. What a day to decide to change our tires. I know. But we did. I went home and made some salads for my niece. Her daughter's graduation party was Saturday evening. And she was making all the food on her own! Italian food. So I offered to make the salads. Unfortunately, we didn't get to go to the party. There was just too much to do.

But we did go to a wedding. Some of our best friends, friends we've had for well over 30 years, had a son that was getting married. Our kids actually grew up together. And the bride is a really good friend to my daughter. So close, at one time we thought the groom's cousin and my daughter would be married. They dated when they were younger. The bride is one of my daughter's best friends. They were all really close growing up. The 4 "Musketeers."

That's where we were. And it was an amazing wedding! Beautiful, full of love, and so elegant. My daughter was the maid of honor. The groom's cousin was the best man. And those dresses, they were breath taking! I also helped with the food. And spent a goo part of my day cooking. Good thing it was an evening wedding!

We were easily out until 2am. That's how good the wedding was. And some of our dearest friends were there. It was just a nice event. It's incredible to see how much all these kids have grown. They're adults. And in many cases, married with children! I still remember going to little league games. Watching these little boys play t-ball! Now they have sons in t-ball. My daughter was just a little younger than them. The only girl! But they all grew up together. The boys took really good care of her both then, and now.

And today. It was just as full! My husband and I barely made it to church. We were so tired. But we did make it, and then to breakfast. And then off to our friends' home. Since my husband and I got married, it's a tradition to have a post-wedding lunch for the bride and groom. Just close family and friends are invited. And the wedding party.

It's more of a lunch to get to talk with everyone. You know, on the day of the wedding, you're pretty busy! But this is a casual event. And the bride and groom get to open all their gifts. We had a wonderful time. Lots of food, good company, and laughter. It was a nice afternoon and evening.

I had been invited to my Goddaughter's baby shower as well. She just had her 2nd baby on Thursday. But the shower was on Sunday evening. And I didn't make it. On the way home, we drove by my niece's home. And we dropped off mine and my daughter's gifts. I felt bad for missing it. But there was just a lot going on this weekend.

Here it is, almost 10pm, and my husband and I just got home! But it was a weekend fill with lots of love. And so many good people. The celebrations were amazing. And one day, I look forward to my own daughter's wedding. Whenever she decides to tie the knot. (wink, wink. That was a hint.) Until then, it might take until next weekend to recover!

A Little Family Time

On Sunday, we went to the Zoo. It was a lot of fun. There was a big fiesta at the Zoo for Father's Day. And my daughter and I took my husband.

There were so many people around. It was a little ridiculous. So we dropped off my husband near the Zoo and we went to park. It's a good thing we know the area. And we found a relatively close parking. About 2 blocks from the Zoo. We live across the river from the Zoo. So it was a nice to know the area.

Like I said, there were so many people there! I think in the newspaper it said that there were 10,000 people. It was full! And we really didn't do much. It was so incredibly hot out. My husband's leg was still bothering him. So he sat and watched a band perform as our daughter and I went to go look at a few animals. She made it to town this morning and met us at breakfast. It was a good morning.

We didn't see many animals. There were too many people. And it was incredibly hot! The animals were hiding. And in the few cages that there were animals, there were too many people. So we went back to sit down. And the reason we went, for a concert was about to begin. Some friends of ours were playing a mariachi concert. We were very excited.

My daughter had packed a nice lunch for us. Some tuna salad, watermelon, and all the fixings. So we sat and had lunch. Again, it was incredibly hot. So we really enjoyed the watermelon. and the concert, well it was good. We enjoyed the music. Although we didn't really get to see the musicians/our friends. The people just wouldn't sit down. At one point, they stop the concert. It was that bad.

And then the storm started to come. It sprinkled on and off for a while. The wind was incredibly strong. And before we knew it, about 2/3's of the people had left. We enjoyed the end of the concert. We actually got to see a few familiar faces. And just before 6pm, it ended.

We cleared out. My daughter carry our 3 chairs, cooler, and a small cooler bag. I felt bad for her. But she insisted. We came back and picked up my husband and headed to Dairy Queen for a little ice cream treat. It was so yummy! And I'm pretty sure, no positive, that my husband enjoyed his day.

Then yesterday, we were invited to the casino. Our son's girlfriend invited us to meet them for dinner. My daughter, husband, and I left a little earlier than the 2 of them. We wanted to go look around. We had never been there before. Even though, I'm pretty sure it's the closest casino to us.

We did the usual things. Signed up for the player's club, looked around, and found some good machines. We played for about an hour before our son and his girlfriend got there. She also happens to be one of our employees. And is really one of those people you enjoy being around.

We went to dinner. The food was very good. And the company was even better. We sat and talked about many things. Remembering good people. Laughing and joking. It was a nice evening. Then we headed back out to gamble. My husband went back to the machine where he had been winning before dinner. And I went back to mine. Side by side. But it was so cold. So I moved to sit behind him.

Before I knew it, my husband had my daughter playing a machine! My machine. :) She was enjoying herself. And every time she went for change for us, she would tell us about these "I Dream of Jeannie" machines. She really wanted to try them. But we never left our machines. By the end of the night, we had all won a little. I had around $20, my daughter the same, and my husband had about $15. We went to go cash out. And there were those machines. I remember, I had $23. Because I gave them each $1 and we sat to play.

My husband really did good. He must have won $25 in about 10 minutes. Even our daughter won another $21. We decided to leave with our winnings. And our free tote bags. But it was a lot of fun. We got home sometime after 11pm. But we had a good time. We lost our son and his girlfriend during the evening. It turns out, our son had won almost $400. And put it all back into the machines! But honestly, we had a great time. And that's all that counts!

Father's Day

Working Dad,

I hope you have a great day. Today is your day. I'm glad that our little girl is coming home today. You don't know that. It's a surprise. I think it will make your day more special.

When I think about it, both our daughter and I are so lucky. We have you in our lives. A strong, caring, and loving man. We've always had a great time as a family. And that is because of you. I'm very glad that God sent us into each other's paths in life.

We don't always say it, but I really do love you. And you make my day so much brighter. The time and care that you've given our daughter over the years, it's really amazing. I'm glad that you're in our lives. And I hope that we're able to give you all the love you give us.

Love,
Crafty Mom

My Daughter Surprised Me

My daughter and I talked last week. And she felt really bad because she couldn't come to see me for Mother's Day and my birthday. But I understand. She is busy. And lives across the country now. I just appreciate that she calls to talk. On Sunday, I got a big surprise when she walked into the restaurant we had gone to for breakfast.

For me, that was more than enough. To spend the day with my daughter. But she brought me some beautiful gifts that she made me. My daughter made me a pretty gold and green necklace. Green is my favorite color. She also made me a pretty charm bracelet and 2 pins. I really need to take some pictures so I can post them.

But it didn't end there. Daughters really do spoil their moms. I got some nice beauty products from Bath and Body Works. Some nice creams and lotions. My daughter also gave me some makeup. And some flower seeds. I really like to garden. These seeds are for hummingbird plants. I'm really excited to plant them!

My husband gave me a porcelain doll. It's a Mexican Dancer. So beautiful! She has a pink dress and so much detail! And I got a pair of earrings to match a ring he bought me for Christmas. As you can see, I was spoiled this year.

We spent the day just relaxing. In the afternoon we went to the cemetery to visit some of our relatives, who have passed away, my Mother in Law, my grandmother, and a few other relatives. No afternoon drive is complete without ice cream. We made a stop at Sonic and had sundaes while we watched the ducks swimming in the river. There were so many ducks and ducklings swimming. It was really a nice afternoon.

My daughter made dinner that night. It was really good. She has turned into an amazing cook. I even got a pineapple upside down cake. It was delicious! My daughter couldn't stay long. But it was so nice to have this happy surprise! She left early Tuesday morning. I'm not sure when I will next see her. But I had a wonderful Mother's Day. Because I got to see my little girl.

Happy Apron Day!

Today is Apron Day. For my youngest daughter and I, it's just an excuse to wear our aprons. In the last few years, my daughter has definitely grown up. She's my baby. The only child my husband and I have together. But she is definitely no child anymore.

I remembered her when I woke up this morning. Because she has this love of aprons. My daughter has been collecting all things apron for the last few years. Today, is one of those days that just make me smile. I can guarantee that she will be wearing her apron today.

For me, aprons remind me of my childhood. My mom made me a white apron when I was just a girl. It was full of ruffles. And white. I remember it being white. I would put my apron on and my handkerchief on my head. Then I would go about cleaning our house. I was the oldest daughter of our family. And I was always cleaning. Not because I was told to. But I enjoyed it.

Over the years, my mom came across my little apron. And it was misplaced again. But the memories are always there. Very fond memories. Now as an adult, aprons have a special place in my heart. When I think about my aprons, I think about taking care of my family. Of cooking for them, and cleaning our home. Aprons symbolize love, family, and togetherness for me. Because when I have my apron on, I'm usually doing something to take care of my family.

My daughter jokes with me, that she can tell how much I love her by looking at my apron. We no longer live in the same place. In fact, she moved away almost 9 years ago. But when she comes home to visit, I enjoy cooking and baking for her. My aprons are usually covered in flour, dish water, and dirt. The dirtier I get, I suppose the more you can see the love for my family.

Don't forget to put on your apron today. Whether it's to go shopping at the fabric store or to bake up a batch of fresh cookies. Here's a poem that I was sent a few years ago.

Mama's Apron

An apron played a big part in mama's life
As common to wear as being a housewife.
She used it to gather eggs at the end of the day
To gather vegetables to can and put away
To feed the family on a rainy day...
She used it to pick up chips
To start a fire in the old wood stove.
To cook the daily bread,
For her main concern was to keep her family fed.
She folded it around her hands
When at the table the blessing was said.
And wore it in the rain to cover her graying head,
She wrapped it around the baby's legs when it was cold
And sometimes used it to wipe his lil' nose.
It was a faithful servant thru sad and lonely years
She even used it to dry away her tears.
When the children were tucked in and their prayers were said...
She laid out a clean one at the foot of her bed.
Their job is over now, they did their best.
Mama and her apron have been laid to rest.
If all is true about Heaven I've been told,
Mama is now weaving an apron of spun gold…
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