Reflections of the last year 2008….

2008 found its way in, in a big old hurry and it seems to want to make it out of here with a big bang… We have had snow, rain, freezing rain and wind like you can not believe this winter… Or maybe you can as it seems that everyone is getting hit with it in one way or, another…


Life has this way of making you think about what you want out of it... I want to be healthier for the rest of my life so, the treadmill and I are going to become better friends...:0) I have a lot of great friends and family in my life and online as well and I want to Thank all of you for always being around when I have needed you...

This year has had its ups and downs for all of us… We lost our nephew in January at the age of 19 he was too young and will greatly be missed…

My BIL and SIL celebrated their 24th anniversary…

In spring...
My online friend TOS Sharon showed me some neat new tricks for clickable links on my PC…

The in-laws found their way home again all tanned up from the sun in AZ….

I won an online contest and got some of my very first HM stamps…:0) I also got the chance to help out at the stamp show in Portland for Auntie Amys Embossing Arts I bought some awesome new rubber with my day of work… It was the first time that I got to teach anything stamping related… What fun!

I started working on my own personal goals for my weight loss/health it has paid off in a few ways and I still have a ways to go before I can reach all my goals… Thank you for all the support that you have given me friends and family I need all the help you can give me… We bought a treadmill in May and I have been working on my weight even harder… Thanks to my sister and my BIL I got my treadmill sooner than I could have because, they gave me an advance in pay I work for them cleaning their business…

Let see we went on vacation in April to CA., NV. UT. and AZ. it was so much fun and the best two weeks away ever... I got the chance to go on the U.S.S. Midway and see what Navy life was like for my DH… It was one of those things that you will never forget… I highly recommend it if you get a chance to do it… We also went to day at the dock and had a blast…
Then one of our niece's got married no, we where not there...:0( She got married when we where on vacation… That is two down and two to go...

July came in with a bang we spent the fourth together just the two of us for the first time in a long time because we spend most years with DH’s brother, his wife and family at their fourth party but, this year they where away camping…

Then I got the early morning call that my grandmother had passed…. She will be missed by many… She passed one week before her 90th birthday… I flew back to MI. to be with my family as they laid her to rest… It may have been one of the hardest things I have ever done… I hope that she knew just home much I loved her…
I flew out the night of our fifteenth anniversary…

We made it to fifteen years of wedded bliss… What? Where did the time go? It has been a wild ride and I have no regrets at all and would do it all over in a heart beat…

I came home from MI. and got really sick and slept for two days straight it could have been the flying the weather or, the fact that I lost grandma and it all came to head…

My sister had spinal cord surgery in August and I took a week off to be with her at her side to help out as much as I could… She came through it very well and was cracking jocks shortly after surgery…

We went for some great outings around the state and I played with my new camera that we bought this year…:0)

My sister and her husband became grand parents the last day of September to the sweetest, cutest, cuddly little girl named McKenna Mae… I became a great auntie but, like I said lets face it I was already a great aunt…:0) Our family is so very blessed to have her join it…

DH and his brother went away to Las Vegas for a convention and they came home with new tattoo’s and fun stories about what they had seen and done… They did get the chance to go to the NHRA drag races while there and to breakfast with the ladies of drag racing…
We spent Turkey day just the two of us and it was great…

Made a trip out to see the Christmas lights...:0))))

I made cards for the troops this year again it feels good to do something… God bless them all… My brother is still in the A.F. and serving our great country…

Christmas was fun we opened gifts here at home and then headed to my sisters house… We spent the day with them and it was a white Christmas here... Games a food and fun was had by all...:0)

My birthday was a hoot at my BIL and SIL house we had pizza and drinks, played dice for hours and I won one game..:0) My SIL won seven and my BIL won five I joked and told them that they did not need to let me win...LOL

I have learned a lot this last year and hope to learn and grow in more was this next year... My love for my DH has grown more and my family has become even closer and I hope that they both keep on this path...
I hope that you all had the best year possible and that the next year is even better yet...

Happy New Year!

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Happy Birthday to me!

It is my Birthday!!! I am 36 today age has never been a big deal to me I mean after all it is just a number... Someday I feel really old and others just as young as the day I ran trough the sprinkler when I was a kid or, stayed out side building a snowman in the cold... I got some great flowers and ballons from my sister and her family and my DH made me a card...:0) A few phone calls and emails have come in wishing me a Happy one... I will be spending the rest of the day with my SIL and BIL having dinner and drinks as well as playing games... I need to make a call to my cousins wife and wish her a Happy one as well she is one year younger than I am...

I will have my reflections of the last year in a day or so... I did this last year as well just kicking back and reflecting on all the things of this last year....


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My Christmas loot!

My beloved got me a 14 K white gold chain from Harry Ritchie's for the pendant that I got on our anniversary a few years ago... I put them together in the box for the photo...;0) He also got me the inks that you see Ranger distress inks, Martha's, Color box and Origami book (because I have never done it before)... Five new yummy Stickels colors Yellow, Lime green, Orange peel, Fruit punch and Cinnamon... 15 packs of the Studio G stamps Series 25... Stumps for color with my pencils a stump sander and my very own hammer so, I will stop taking his...LOL He also stuffed my stocking with all the candy, gum and that cute little rooster which came named Booster the rooster....LOL He knows just how much I love roosters and he knows my tastes...
The iPod and nano and the iHome came from my sister and her family... The iPod is the 16GB and she had it engraved with:--- Merry Christmas Love the Bender's --- on the back... She know just how hard I have been working on the treadmill to loose weight and she thought that this could help me to work out even longer... Love you sis....:0)
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7up contest that was local...

I did not win but, I had fun making a card that used 7up in it... I had a 7up stamp and that was the funny part... I put it inside the snow globe stamp that I had...
The bottle has green and red Stikles on it...

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Happy Holidays!

Well, it has been a long time... I am home and not feeling at the top of my game today so, I thought I would post here today seeing as how it has been well over a month since my last post... Sorry, I know I have been away but, I have been great up until two days ago when I came down with this chest cold(I think that is what it is)... Thank you, for the E-mails...:0)

The first card you have seen before it was my prototype for our Christmas cards this year and it went to my sister...
Then the others are the ones I ended up sending out as well...

The image stamp is and Auntie Amys Embossing Art stamp
Warm Wishes stamp unknown it was RAK'd to me thanks, Linda M...
C.B. folder snowflakes
Stickles diamond
Ribbon is Kirkland from costco

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