Never So Simple #1

Well, I told you my life was Never So Simple. Seems like one thing always leads to another. Five years ago Eleni and I begged for a pool. Now I was thinking one of those ring pools that you buy at Sam's or Walmart. Well, Ray and Eleni had a different idea. So within a month a 27 foot pool and deck were put up in our yard. 

   

The pictures above are from Jessica's graduation party in 2007. One of many pool parties.

This is the small deck that was added by the pool. Perfect for sunbathing, one of my favorite things to do. :)

Now for the Never So Simple part. About a month or so ago I heard a loud pop. I looked out my bay window and noticed a huge limb had fallen onto the cover of the pool. The pop I heard was the pool pillow we use to hold up the cover, or at least that's what I thought. This past Sunday the wind caught the cover and blew it off. I had noticed the cover was sinking but I thought it was from the pool pillow popping. With it being so cold I hadn't been out in the yard a lot. Well, Sunday we realized the pop was the actual liner. The limb came down like a sphere and punctured the cover and liner. When the cover blew off we seen the hole and all the water was gone. The pool pillow had actually survived and was sitting at the bottom still full of air. I called my insurance company to see if it was covered but after my deductible it wasn't worth the hassle of the claim. We didn't use the pool a lot last summer so we decided not to replace the liner but to take the pool down. I am a little sad but with all the things about to happen to us in the near future I knew it was the best decision. My sister actually is taking the pool. She has a nice big yard and her children will really enjoy it plus if my girls want to go swimming they can go to my sisters. 

  

Here is where my pool once stood. We have to fill the hole with dirt and plant some grass seed. 

 

Here is my sister trying to help break down the deck. My niece and nephew are in the background tearing up the old liner and bagging it up. We still have more deck to break down. We did as much as we could do before it got dark. I just hope we don't get the rain they are calling for this weekend. I will be happy to see this project done. 

Donna

It's Here! It's Here!

  

Hello I hope everyone had a great weekend. I was a little lazy Saturday. I sat around most of the day watching those house flip shows. Then I switched to a movie or two. :) Nothing exciting well that is until Ray came in with the mail. There it was my box from Janae over at http://coopriders.blogspot.com/. I was so excited. I ran to the kitchen and ever so gently cut the box open. By now the whole family is standing around to see what I won. I have to say Janae out did herself. Everything is even prettier in person. Janae also has her own online shop when you get a chance stop by http://libertyhillprims.blogspot.com/ and see her prim goodies. Janae I can't say enough great things about my new treasures!

I just love everything. I have been feeling down as you all know and this really made me smile. Thanks again Janae.

Donna

A Re-Do

As you seen in my past post I love stars. I bought this star to go over my mantel. I love it but wasn't very crazy about the rusty color. I have seen several of you with the same star but in black. I bought the paint to paint it awhile back but it's been too cold or windy. Finally last weekend we had a nice day and Ray took it outside and painted it for me. Now I love it even more!

  BEFORE

  AFTER

I think it turned out great and very prim looking. It also matches a lot better with the rest of my decor.

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Well, I have to admit when I first lost my job I was up early and went on about my day. As time has gone by I have gotten bad about sleeping in. I try to be up by 8:30 or 9. Which isn't late but not as early as I would like for it to be. Unfortunately Abby has also gotten lazy with me but she is far worse. 

This is Miss Abby still in the bed after 10. She didn't get up until after 11 and the day before she slept until noon. She likes to snuggle up in the covers and sleep. She is first in the bed and last to get out of it. She is spoiled rotten.

Well, that's all for this posts short and sweet. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Donna

Help My Teen Has Been Abducted By Aliens

UGH! I made it through raising one teen girl now to make it through my youngest. She was so sweet, kind, pretty, and lovable but I think she has been abducted by aliens. We are talking major attitude and smart mouth. I know a lot of it is her age  since she will be 16 in July but I swear she is going to be the death of me. I thought me not working was going to be a good thing for her. NOT! We are really clashing on everything. I think it's harder this time around because she is my youngest. I wish the aliens could abduct me for awhile instead. :)

                                                   

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On that note I have a question for you ladies. What do you hang on your walls? I only have a few pictures. I prefer more dimensional items. I have a few peg racks and a lot of stars and baskets but I don't really have any shelves anymore. I used to have tons of them but did away with them all because they had heart cut outs in them. I did keep one that I love but I'm not crazy about the hearts anymore. Usually we show pictures of a room but I'd like to see more wall decor. Here are just a few things on my walls.

  

The star hangs over my mantel and the picture hangs in my half bath.

  

The baskets hangs in my bedroom and the star hangs in my foyer.

  

The picture hangs over my stove and the scoop also hangs in my kitchen. 

This plate rack hangs in my living room. The plates are wooden wish I could find some wooden bowls. :)

These are just a few things on my walls that I love.

Oh thanks ladies for all your comments on my last post. I finally received more than 9 comments. I hope I don't bore you guys too much. Thanks for all of your visits and comments.

Donna

What's your Addiction?

First I have to say how excited I was when I seen I won Janae's give away at CozyCoops Corner! I never win anything. I not only won but I won big I feel so blessed! Thanks again Janae. 

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Now I have to ask what's your addiction? Almost eleven years ago I quit smoking and everyone knows one addiction leads to another right? Well, my new addiction was collecting. I started collecting the Boyd's Bears and then it went to another collection. I am now addicted to Longaberger Baskets. I bought one from my sister in-law then she had a party and I bought another. She talked me into booking a show. I sold over $1000. They were having a special for every $500 you sold you got a free market basket. So I received 2 market baskets and several half price items and I believe over $100 worth of free merchandise. When I realized all the free and 1/2 off items you could earn I was addicted. It's been about 8 years since I bought my first basket and I have so many I am scared to count. If that wasn't bad enough I then started collecting their pottery. I used to have a lot of book parties but I have calmed it down now to one big blow out a year. I usually earn enough to get that new basket I must have. Here are few pictures of my addiction.

  

  

  

This is just a few of my many baskets. I just love them and use them in every room in my house. I also love bowls. I have bought almost every Longaberger Bowl they have made. I also love stars and miniature pieces of pottery or jars. I also scrapbook and I have a thing for ABC's. I have to have them in all sizes shapes and colors. Oh and my newest addiction is picture frames. One day I'd love to collect old crocks and wooden bowls.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will share some pictures of your addictions/collections. 

Donna

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope everyone has a Happy Loving Valentines Day. A few years ago I decided instead of a card I would write my girls a letter and tell them how much I loved them. So the next year I decided to do this again. After a few years I thought the girls were getting older I will just get them a card. Last year Jessica was away at college and she said to me Mom don't forget my Valentine letter. I was a surprised how much they looked forward to that letter. So once again they will receive there special letter and a little something to go with it. I guess everyone likes to hear how much they are loved.

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About a month ago I shared with you a picture and story of my husband Ray. He was celebrating having his kidney for eight years. Everyday that Ray is healthy is a special day. I chose today to tell you a little more about him. Well, we have been together for over 20 years and as you know we have two beautiful girls. When Jessica was almost 4 I became pregnant with Eleni. We were your typical family. In a few short months our lives changed drastically. I was about 7 months pregnant and Ray became very ill.  He threw up a lot everyone laughed and joked that he had sympathy sickness. Well, after about a month it got worse and he became sicker and very very thin. I finally talked him into going to the doctor. I really thought that he had an ulcer. I was in total shock what seemed like a normal trip to the doctor turned in a life changing event. Ray was admitted to the hospital right then and there. His blood pressure was 280/160. No I didn't type that wrong. The doctor couldn't believe he hadn't had a stroke. He was just 24 years old this was not common. After many many test is was confirmed Ray had severe high blood pressure that had caused him to lose his kidneys. We were in shocked we had no idea. When they say it's a silent killer they are telling the truth. Here I am 9 months pregnant with now a 4 year old. I didn't have a clue what dialysis was or what to expect. Ray was in and out of the hospital my whole 9th month. He had to have a shunt put in for dialysis. Then he caught the flu. Well, then I caught the flu and ended up in the ER. Can I just tell you I was so happy when Eleni was born. Ray started dialysis the day after Eleni was born. He did ok but it was a huge adjustment for all of us. He wasn't fond of being on a machine 3 times a week for 4 hours each time. He didn't get to see the girls much because when he wasn't at dialysis he was weak and slept a lot.

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After a year of dialysis Ray's sister donated one of her kidneys. The kidney worked right away but not for long. He was in and out of the hospital a lot that first year. He would do ok for awhile then he would get sick again. Finally they told Ray that the kidney would probably reject all together it was just a matter of time.  He became very ill again and this time complained of severe chest pains. We went to the doctors once again never expecting the news we were about to get. Ray was 28 years old and had 5 blocked arteries and one was a main artery. He had to have a quadruple bypass. It took him a long time to recover. He  never really completely recovered from the transplant and now this. He ended up doing very well over time. Then about 6 months later more bad news came. We were told that the dye they used to look at his heart and the over all heart surgery caused his kidney to completely reject. He ended up back on dialysis. That kidney lasted Ray for almost five years. Ray went back on dialysis for almost two years when we received that wonderful phone call saying they had another kidney for him. He has had that kidney now 8 years knock on wood. Ray had a mini stroke a few years back and it took him some time to recover from that as well. We now think the stroke may have been caused by stress. They ran a bunch of test and then they wanted to catheterize him and look at his heart but he wouldn't let them. He's scared it will mess up this kidney. They told him that was a risk and they understood. He goes for regular check ups and takes 10 different medications. He looks well and is doing well. I know we have been blessed so many times. I am thankful for everyday Ray is in my life.

 

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Thanks again for all the kind comments on my past post. I have my down days because I worry about Ray a lot. Finding a job is not only about the money but also taking some of the load off of him. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and even if you don't do anything special for Valentine's Day tell that special someone how much you love them. You never know what tomorrow will have in store for you.

Donna

Boyd's Bear Country

  
I was looking through my pictures and found pictures of our vacation in 2007. My father and brother live PA not far from Boyd's Country. As you have seen in my previous posts I have collected Boyd's Bears for many years. Since we were going up to PA to visit my brother and Dad we went by Boyd's Country. I went a few years back and loved it. I was so happy to see that the decor had changed a little since my last visit. Even if you don't collect Boyd's it is a very nice place to visit. They have tons of antique's and Prim goodies. Oh and did I mention hundreds of bears. I don't collect them anymore but I loved going and would go again. Here are a few of my pictures.

     

I guess the bears need to have some fun sometime. 

     

This is actually an old tractor and the bear is sitting on a child size tractor. I think my brother had one like that when he was little but it was green.

    

You can actually walk across this little bridge and it has actual running water.

Even the bears have to eat sometime right?

  

Here are a few of my favorite things.

    

It's hard to tell but the first picture has an old singer machine in it. I loved this old washer in the middle picture. My favorite is this old tub. My Nanny had a tub like this and I could soak for hours.

   

My girls were amazed at the old cameras and movie reels.

    

I loved this old truck and I loved both stoves.

This place is three stories and packed full with so many things to see and it offers something for every age. I saved the best for last.

From here they go to the nursery.

      

I hope you enjoyed a few of my pictures. If you are going that way it's worth the visit. 

Donna