It's FAIR to Say We've Been a Bit Busy!

It's FAIR to say the very next day after we got home from that beautiful wedding, our daughter plunged right into getting ready for the fair. 

With 5 goats to haul, it always involves the family! Time for the momma's to get shaved and the baby girl needs to be tattooed.

By the next weekend Grandpa had added wheels and a handle to the Goat stand but it was still in need of some paint. We just so happened to have two eager "Grand's" willing to do the job. 

Of course the 4 year old didn't last long painting. He bailed before it was finished, but the 4H'er had to work till it was done. Her reward was a birthday celebration at the water park. Yes, here in Yuma water activities are normal for this time of year.

The beach really was a lot more fun. 

Since the beach is right outside the back door, it gave me the opportunity to finish my table. There wasn't much left to do. The Iris's had opened up really nice and I didn't lose a single one. I was concerned since I picked them up in the beginning of my shopping the day before. What ever was I thinking! By the time I got home they had bent over and the only way to salvage them was to cut the stems at the bends. This ceramic basket that came with a really nice bouquet of flowers a few years back worked just fine. Using glass bead helped stand them up, and a couple that needed added support, cut stems with leaves on them provided the perfect solution. I really like how it came out.

To end the day we colored some eggs. Mom, Dad, and big brother were heading home from a spring training game between the Angles and the Padres. The grandson was excited because his Angels won!

As usual, after church we have our egg hunt. 

It's FAIR to say that I still have some limits, so we used the patio and the beach as the hunt field. Of course we can go high for the oldest "Grand"son, and low for the "Grand" 4 year old, and somewhere in between for "Grand"daughter. They had a great time as always!

Dinner was delicious and filling. 

With a good nights rest and after the days work was done, it was time to take the goats to the Fair!

FAIR to say, it's FAIR time!

Today was a feed only day. Maybe fine tune some things so the momma's and their pen are pretty for tomorrow is Herdsmanship!

It's FAIR to say we are quite busy on Our Journey Through LIFE!

Our St. Patrick's Day Celebration!

"Meant to post this Saturday, but I actually fell asleep with the computer in my lap." 

Everything turned out just perfect!

First the rehearsal...

A quick meeting to go over the plan. Then we all practiced the line up. My son had chalked out the path we will take at the venue and we all walked to our spots. All the kids behaved so well for this, they will surely do an awesome job for the wedding. Once all the serious things had been covered, it was time to get silly!

 We all enjoyed a great meal and the time spent with some awesome friends and family.

 Everyone had such a great time!

"Our Journey Through LIFE" has yet another wonderful memory add to it. 

You all will have to wait till the professional photos have arrived for the wedding. I only took a few before the battery villain struck again. Yep, I had both my batteries charged for the occasion, as well as a blank memory card. Unfortunately the charger with the second charged battery in it never made it into the camera bag. On top of that, the cord I had my phone plugged into wasn't charging my phone, so I had no use of it either. It didn't bother me though as there were so many others taking photos. I was happy that I wasn't going to be one who had their phone or camera in their hands. Always counting blessing!

Preparing & Planning!

Other then working on the many garden and outside projects I have been doing, I have also been working on the rehearsal dinner menu, seating and table centerpieces. 

This was my first attempt with some supplies I found at the $1 Store. I starched the scarf to use as a table runner.

Then while searching for other ideas I found this one.








I love the simpleness of it.


However, completely changing would add more cost, plus more time to shop for the items, both of which I am limited on.


So I came up with my own version using what I had with only having to buy the split peas.

I'm thinking, once I get in the actual room, arrange the tables, and add the necklaces and gold nuggets it will all come together as it should be. I have a Plan A and a Plan B.

I haven't been this excited for St Patrick's Day in a long time.

Remember when we did this in 2011...

It's going to be another great day on Our Journey Through Life! 

It's Never To Late To Be A Rock Star!

While sitting outside watching the "Grand" kid play, I had an awesome idea. 

See that strip of random rocks, it goes the whole length of the house. Well, I remembered a blog I had seen with a number of garden ideas, and remembered these flowers. I think this would be the perfect spot and I think it's about time the railing gets added too so it can't be used as a short cut anymore.

There was also a fairy garden at same place. 

Can you tell I LOVE all shape and sizes of rocks! Yep, they seem to follow me home all the time. Not only that, but some years ago I had 3 different sizes delivered by a BIG dump truck. These rocks have been reused and re-purposed a number of times over the years. Thanks to the ideas from the blog post, I now have a few more ways to reuse them again.

In case you need more projects on your list like I seem to do...check them out at...

http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.com/…/the-best-garden-ideas-a…/

Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

When our daughter wanted to get married at the house back in 2009, I bought two fake triple topiary trees. You can see them on each side of the stairs. 









They hung out there for another couple years. I think it was during our 4th Boo Bash, we draped an old sheet over them to create a  couple ghost. It was then that I noticed the sun was destroying them, fading the leaves, and causing them to deteriorate. So I moved them up closer to the door after that.





Between 2012-2013 high winds had blown many of the leaves off so I filled in the blank spaces with spring flowers and tulle. 

I have searched many years of photos looking for the first transformation with no luck. During 2013 I swapped out flowers though out the year.

My favorite was the poinsettia's for Christmas. For some reason I didn't snap a shot of both of them done. I added some of my stand up decorations along side them. It looked really nice. Why didn't I capture it?







By the beginning of 2014 they had fallen completely apart, so in the dumpster they finally went. Large eggs filled the planters that spring.






From Spring into Summer I planted flowers in them which did fairly well. Until we had to leave for a couple weeks and by the time we got home, the sizzle of our summer sun had done them in.


Since I didn't do "Grand" trees this last year, I use two of the trees to create a Christmas front porch.


I have looked into replacing the fake trees but for now have decided to just keep being creative with the planters for another year.

So today I am going to fill them with some spring annuals and see about making or finding some kind of bunny on a stick for some height. Maybe add a couple eggs, with the jumbo eggs along side. I'll just play around with it and see what I come up with. With 40 years of STUFF, there is no need to go looking for anything new.

It's just another way I get to enjoy Our Journey Through LIFE, reusing, re-purposing and recycling things I already have! This year a lot of things are getting a new look on our JOURNEY! 

PS: Hubby is reusing and re-purposing some things also to create a milking stand for our "Grand" daughter. I can't wait to share his process when it's completed.

Thirty-Eight Years Ago

3/4/1978

March On!

March is going to be a busy month!

Hoping to feel better soon so Grandma Days can start up again. Every Wednesday is a short day at the granddaughters school, so I pick her up and we do what young ladies like to do, SHOP! She also likes doing experiments and crafts. They have changed from years before, but that is how life works. Nothing stays the same and one must be flexible in order to adapt. Hoping next Wednesday will be the day we get to resume, since my doctors appointment is on Monday, I would be so happy if some restrictions are lifted.

We also have a wedding this month with daily activities from the 16th through the 19th. Then it's Easter on the 27th and the 29th is the beginning of Fair here. Our granddaughter will show her goats for the first time this year. She had the pleasure of staying out there last year with her new step-cousin and her pig Oreo. I'm sure it will be different for her this year. She will have two dairy goats to show and now 3 babies as well. 

Here is her goat Brooke, she finally had her baby this morning! They thought she would have two, so one was a surprise.

Chloe had her two babies back on February 23rd. The two of them are sisters and have never been apart. 

Wish her luck!

This afternoon I googled March Events, and not only did I find a list of what is a National celebration this month, it also had a calendar describing each day. Some were normal Holiday's, but some were really wacky holiday's.

Do you recognize any of these? Did you know March is:

Irish American Month

Music in Our Schools Month

National Craft Month

National Frozen Food Month

National Irish American Heritage Month- designated by Congress in 1995.

National Nutrition Month

National Peanut Month

National Women's History Month

Red Cross Month

Social Workers Month

Granted, this information was from one source, but what else would you expect from a heading I found, 2016 Bizarre , Wacky and Unique Holidays. 

I feel a bit bizarre today. Maybe a little wacky too! I have always liked unique thing, so why not some off the wall days to celebrate. 

Did you know yesterday was "National Pig Day" and "Peanut Butter Lover's Day". I did see something on FaceBook about the Peanut Butter one though. I wonder if GMA found the same wacky site?

Today is "Old Stuff Day"! 

I like my idea of it. I don't want to put much thought to days of old, boring days, when life had hit a bump. I just like Old Stuff!

I have lots of Old Stuff. After all I am old. All the stuff I inherited from the parents and the grandparents, and a few things from the Great Grandparents, is even older stuff. My biggest collection is of Christmas Ornaments and figurines that only come out once a year or are behind glass to look at only.

Tomorrow is "I Want You To Be Happy Day"!

This day was created as a day to make someone happy. Encouraging us to do something nice to make others happy. Putting a smile on someone’s face tends to put one on ours, too. I want everyone I love and know to be Happy!

It is also "If Pets Had Thumbs Day", this was cute! Along with "National Anthem Day", and Peach Blossom Day".

The 4th is our 38th Anniversary. I loved our day! So many things went wrong, yet it didn't matter. I accepted what was happening, silently prayed, and everything fell into place. It took maybe 90 minute or 2 hours for the organist to show up. It became a daze after the first half hour. It really didn't seem that long though. I was shuffled upstairs into the living quarters while others tried to solve the problem. It had been raining off and on all morning. The afternoon had an overcast, like it could rain again at anytime. Just before it was time for me to walk across the garden to the church, the sun came out. Leaving the church was interesting. Our best-man had fun driving us through a chase type race to the reception. Did any of you do that back then? Is it even a tradition any where now a days? I don't think it is meant to be a race, but after all I just married into a family that drag raced and loved all types of racing. 

Also on the 4th is "Employee Appreciation Day", a great time to let those who work hard at the job they have and the job they do, how much they are appreciated. It is always the first Friday in March. Also on the 4th is "Holy Experiment Day", "Hug a GI Day", and "National Salesperson Day" - Always the first Friday of the month. I'll have to show my appreciation to two very special salesperson as well!

Here is the rest of the month, so grab your calendar and mark the days that mean something to you or somebody you know. It doesn't mean go out and buy something. An "Act of Random Kindness is all that is needed. A thoughtful gesture. A smile. A hug.

I understand why some don't want to recognize certain days or occasions because of all the commercialization and corporations constantly advertising about them. So, don't be tempted by the frivolous adds that promote spending of your hard earned money at their stores or place of business. Just because it is advertised for their gain, don't let that stop you from doing something nice. 

The best part, doing something nice is FREE! 

I am no different then anyone else and sometimes we do need to buy something, for some reason or another. I will watch for adds, but they are for a certain % off or clearance adds. Even my dress for the upcoming wedding hung out in my cart until a sale started. 

 Might I add a tip here? When ever I got something on sale and saved some money, I never really saved that money. It just got spent somewhere else. A few years ago I started actually transferring the amount into my saving from the receipt. Then when I quit smoking, I transferred that money as well. I've done a change saving jar for years and count it every few years or so. One time there was over $300 in it. Once my children got to divide it between them for their souvenirs the first time they went to Disneyland. That jar has filled Easter Eggs for a hunt. Bought cigarettes when I smoked, or helped out a "Grand" with a class fund raiser. 

This is just my feelings on the topic. I am not perfect. Nor do I celebrate all these days. It was just doing something fun that kept my mind busy today while my body continues to heal.

Continuing on, here are the rest of those bizarre, wacky, and unique Holidays...

• 5   Multiple Personality Day 
• 6   Dentist's Day
•      National Frozen Food Day
• 7   National Crown Roast of Pork Day
• 8   Be Nasty Day,  International (Working) Women's Day   
• 9   Panic Day
• 10 Middle Name Pride Day, Popcorn Lover's Day    
• 11 Johnny Appleseed Day, Worship of Tools Day     
• 12 Girl Scouts Day, Plant a Flower Day
• 13 Ear Muff Day, Jewel Day
• 14 Learn about Butterflies Day, 
•     National Potato Chip Day, and of course, 
•     National Pi Day- Why today? Because today is 3.14, the value of Pi.
• 15 Dumbstruck Day, Everything You Think is Wrong Day,
•     Incredible Kid Day - date varies,  
•     National Agriculture Day (date varies)
•    "Ides of March". I also googled it. Had I clicked and some of the key words in my reading about the Julian Calendar, I would have read about the Ides.

"The Romans did not number days of a month sequentially from the first through the last day. Instead, they counted back from three fixed points of the month: the Nones (5th or 7th, depending on the length of the month), the Ides(13th or 15th), and the Kalends (1st of the following month). The Ides occurred near the midpoint, on the 13th for most months, but on the 15th for March, May, July, and October. The Ides were supposed to be determined by the full moon, reflecting the lunar origin of the Roman calendar. On the earliest calendar, the Ides of March would have been the first full moon of the new year.^[3]"

• 16 Freedom of Information Day, 
•     Everything You Do is Right Day

I will recognize freedom of information, because without it I wouldn't have found this information to share with you. I so believe that everything we do is going to be right on this day, because the next day, being "St. Patrick's Day", is also the rehearsal dinner. With all the preparations done right the day before everything will turn out to be a great!

• 17  St. Patrick's Day 
•      Submarine Day - the hero sandwich or the boat?
• 18  Goddess of Fertility Day 
•      Supreme Sacrifice Day 
• 19  National Quilting Day - third Saturday of month,
•       Poultry Day -
• 20 International Earth Day, 
•      Extraterrestrial Abductions Day, Proposal Day
• 21 Credit Card Reduction Day, Fragrance Day
• 22 National Goof Off Day,
• 23 Melba Toast Day, National Chip and Dip Day,
•      Near Miss Day
• 24 National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day
• 25 Good Friday - date varies, Pecan Day, Waffle Day
• 26 Make Up Your Own Holiday Day, National Spinach Day
• 27 Easter - Date varies, National "Joe" Day
• 28 Dyngus Day - always the Monday after Easter, 
•     Something on a Stick Day

Being at the fair, I'll bet that a certain 4 year old grandson of ours will be having something on a stick! Any guesses?

• 29 National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day,
•     Smoke and Mirrors Day

We're a Mom & Pop business, and there is no smoke or mirrors about it. 22 years in business is a milestone. Yes, we're a franchise of a corporation, but we are considered an Independent Dealer. BIG difference. Shop local on this day, or once a week, once a month even. Keeping your money in your community means something to the community.

• 30 National Doctor's Day, I am in Control Day,
•     Take a Walk in the Park Day

I'll have to remember to take my doctors something, like their co-payment, LOL. Honestly, they have been so awesome, along with being very patient with this patient, Haha! 

I surely will be recognizing I'm in control because sometimes I need to have control in some manner. It's a personal thing! A walk in the park sounds like a wonderful idea!

• 31 Bunsen Burner Day, 
•     National Clam on the Half Shell Day.

Yes, I google Bunsen Burner Day. But I'll let you read it for yourself. I pick and choose what I google and read. Yes, I can be obsessive about it sometimes, but Bunsen burners mean absolutely nothing to me. I now know why there is a Bunsen Burner Day, I already knew what they are, I knew who used them, I don't know anyone in-particular who does, so it will just have to be another beautiful day for me without clam on a half shell as well. 

Our Journey Through LIFE is so blessed with some so many opportunities. The memories that have been created along our way in the 40 years we have been together, has been absolutely wonderful. Ok, maybe not every minute, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I look forward to what else is ahead? 

March On!