"What in the World?"

Yes, this is my boy. I was doing laundry a few days ago when I had to leave the room for a minute. I came back to this sight. Joseph had decided to wear the laundry. He had on my pink and white bathrobe, Doyle's underwear, and a flashlight up to his mouth-this was his mic. He was giving quite a performance. I know they say that kids imitate what they see, but I promise you that NOBODY has been running around the house like this!!

"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!"

These are the 4 little Valentines that belong to my Sweetheart and me.


Valentine's Day has always been a special day in our family. I remember watching my brother buy these beautiful Valentines for my parents. He had a GRIT paper route, and had some cash to spend on such luxuries. I wanted so badly to be able to give a nice gift, but I was too young to have a job. I will always remember Kerry helping me make some special Valentines. I used construction paper for the hearts. I could only find a brown piece and a white piece. Brown for Dad and white for Mom. I was able to get some M&Ms to add to the "colorful" hearts. I wrote a nice little note and poured the candy on. I wrapped plastic wrap around the wobbling hearts and presented my gifts to my parents. I have made replicas of those 1st gifts. Since then, I have been able to give some more elaborate gifts to those I love, but the gifts I gave that day will forever stay in my memory. The gift was small, but the giver's heart was big.

"The Hunter"--Part 2

I promised to show pictures of some of my treasures I have found on my hunting trips. I will only share a few, because if I continued to show pictures you could be here all day. I was raised with the philosophy that you don't ask someone how much you paid for an item. It was not good manners! Well, you never asked. I just decided to give you that information since I enjoy sharing my hunting stories.


I paid $1.00 for the shoes. They match the purse that I got for about the same price.


This is one of my neatest finds. The large gold picture frames were.....are you ready for this? --25 cents a piece(brand new)



I just found this Saturday. I was at a thrift store and found the plaid lined Adolpo skirt, green sandals, and the Cato blazer. The complete outfit cost me $5.00 It was a perfect match and everything was in new condition. I don't think the shoes have ever been worn.



The following pictures are ones of after Christmas sales. We have an Outlet store here where the colored dots change values each month. I kept my eyes on the calendar. When the discount moved to 95% off, I filled 2 carts with things for next year. I was like a kid in a candy store. The 1st picture is my 2 containers filled and ready to be stored. The shovel was $20.00--I paid $1.00



I really liked these cute trees. They were about 30-50 cents a piece.


All kinds of goodies . When I give gifts to all of my kids' teachers both at school and at church, I hand out about 30 gifts. That is one of the reasons I hunt for bargains. I can give to more people.



I really liked these boxes that came in different sizes. They have a magnetic closure. I thought they would be a perfect way to hand out a dozen cookies or a loaf of bread.



Another picture of my boxes. I need to share this story even though I don't have a picture of my finds. That is because I have already shared most of my treasures. Last year I went into a store in February, and found that they wanted to get rid of their Christmas stuff so badly that they had marked every item down to a penny a piece!! I couldn't believe my eyes. I bought so much stuff that I used this past Christmas. It was so neat to open up these containers and have gifts already purchased.
I really think that I would still enjoy bargain hunting, even if I was extremely wealthy. I think it is part of being a wise steward of what God has given to me.

"The Hunter " Part One

I was raised in a family of hunters. I can still remember my dad waking my brother at an unbelievable hour to head for the woods. They would buy snacks that were not normally found in the house, and make memories in the quiet early morning. My brother got his first deer at the age of 10-an 8 point buck. It was a big deal. I also remember my uncles, cousins, dad, and brother going hunting on Thanksgiving Day. I have memories of all of these orange hats coming across the hill, guns over their shoulders, smiling faces. So, why am I telling you all of this. I thought it would explain why I love to hunt so much. Oh, don't get too excited. It is a different type of hunting--bargain hunting. I would somehow like to believe that I have inherited this activity, and that it is connected to my roots. With this in mind, let me share some of my hunting techniques.
1. A license is not necessary.
2. The season is always "in."
3. You don't have to wear orange, but if it helps you identify with the clearance signs, go for it.
4. Carry your firearm properly-I like a shoulder purse.
5. Don't forget your ammunition-cash or card.
6. A hunting buddy should come along for safety reasons-they can keep you from getting lost in the purse aisle.
7. When you are smelling out a good deal, be aware of your surroundings. This will help you avoid running into other hunters.
8. Make sure there is room in your vehicle to carry your "big win" back home.
9. Follow hunting regulations-It must be drastically reduced and fit within your budget to be considered a real bargain.
10. When finished hunting, proudly bring home your treasure to show off to your loved ones, and display where everyone in the house is reminded of your "big hunt".
11. Talk about your hunting experience to other hunters, and compare stories.
12. Dream of the next time you can go hunting.
To be continued with pictures of bargains.

More Memories with Family

My nephew Josiah celebrated his 3rd birthday--he is such a cutie.

Samuel and Joseph--my boys

Lydia and Alayna-close cousins

Kaleesha shares a hug with Lydia

Esther and I found a good deal on matching shirts after Christmas

Our families together

Chris and Esther

Julianna shares a special moment with Melanie

Josiah and Joseph had lots of fun together

Samuel plays his trumpet for a nursing home

My step-dad Dave, opens a gift

Julianna and Lydia playing violins--they also played for the nursing home

Esther brought her recipe for chocolate mint truffles--so yummy

Julianna and Lydia--new pajamas and dolls

My brother, Kerry and me

Kerry, Karen, Kaleesha, and Kaleb

Making truffles with kids

Mom and me

"A Winter Wonderland"

I just had to share these pictures with my friends. No, they were not taken here in the Sunshine State. I grew up in Indiana and Kentucky, and I always look forward to going back to see friends and family. One of the things we hope for on our annual Christmas trip is snow. Since we know this is the only chance our kids have to see the stuff, we really pray for a white vacation. This year we were not disappointed in the least. We had so much fun freezing to death. It had been 2 years since we had seen snow, and I got a little carried away with the camera. It was one of those snows where it stuck to the trees and sparkled. I drank in the beauty.
We even had a chance to go to a state park in Indiana that has a 1400 ft. of refrigerated toboggan track. The older 3 couldn't get enough of this. We even took Joseph down once--that is all he could handle. It is kind of like being shot out of a cannon. It dawned on me at the end of the track that he had never even been sledding; we really broke him in. He told me after we returned to Florida that he dreamed he was on that sled, and he did not like it. Well, if you are from the north, these photos might not mean much to you since you see it all winter long. We have returned to the sunny south, and it definitely is not snowing--but I do have my pictures to enjoy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIANNA

Julianna turned 11 on Thursday. This was her year for a family birthday. She "ordered" chicken, homemade dumplings, and peas for supper. We had a nice time celebrating her special day. I took cupcakes to her classroom in the morning, and surprised her with a balloon and candy. Her wish came true at her party when she received a digital camera. She was very excited!!
Her cerebration continued today when she placed first in her division in the school spelling bee. We were very proud of her accomplishments.