GRATEFUL TODAY

Mary Lee Bonasera Matthews : Worry is not necessary. Spend an equal amount of time counting blessings. Start with your childhood. Take the time to remember to really appreciate each blessing, absorb it and think of all the good effects it has had on you and others. Don't overlook the ordinary. There are a thousand blessings in every moment, if you look. Each breath and heartbeat, every color, texture, taste, smell. A lifetime of blessings, beauty, love. Thankfulness is like water. Allow yourself the release, the cleansing, the quenching that gratefulness brings.


I just want to say how grateful I am for my parents first of all. They raised me in a Christian , loving home that instilled in me those morals and values. Without that and all that Ive been through in my life and still going through I would be lost. Im clenching to the Truth of my Lord and Savor that gives me HOPE everyday. Im thankful and grateful for a family and friends and a church that is thinking about me and praying for me during this time. When you're hit with something like cancer a flood of thought go through your mind. I have had the "work case scenario" go through my head,but I have rebounded out of that with God's help. The quote above is so true about what I'm feeling. You tend go back in time in your mind and remember the good memories, like the childhood ones, like the texture of mud in making mudpies on the deck, then seeing blackberries in produce and recalling the time us girls on "circle" would go a pick blackberries and then your own kids have a liking to killer whales and then you remember the time when you and your sister and Amy lugged the HUGE ,I'm HUGE inflatable Shamu to the neighborhood pool and finally getting to cool down in the pool! Good times that make me smile. So anyway, be grateful in EVERY aspect of life.

This is Blog-worthy: SNOW!!!

Since I'm cooped up inside most of the day it was so nice to see white ,fluffy flakes falling from the sky! I love snow! It wasn't much but it was beautiful! It made our trip this morning to my Radiation treatments a bit more adventurous...not really but it felt like it. I'm just getting back to blogging and those who visit this site bare with me. I was diagnosed 4 weeks ago with colorectal cancer. It's been fairly easy so far. God has given me a peace that surpasses all understanding and a great husband to take care of me along with support of family and numerous friends that are praying for me and just want to help. I am feeling some effects of the radiation/chemo...the icky stomach at times and tire easily. To me it seems like the easy part before I have surgery(if I have to have it... God is a miracle worker ya know) If I do have surgery I know I will definitely be SLOW going. Keep praying. I'll keep ya posted here and there.

"It's a twister! a twister!"

Okay, If you know my son, Nick he is quite intrigued by tornadoes. And when he said that's what he wanted to be for Halloween I thought, How am I going to do that! Well 2 poster boards, batting, hot glue gun, and grey spray paint will do the trick! I couldn't help not laughing because he looked so cute and he was so "proud" to be a tornado. EVERYBODY in passing thought it was the best they saw all night! Someone also said to Nick in passing, oh a hurricane. and his little voice out of the cone said ,"no, I'm a tornado" and kept walking. We got one more wear out of the astronaut suit for Chad. He said he wanted to be MARS next year!Do these kids think I'm a costume designer or what:-) Well the tornado winds died down about an hour later and went back to my Sisters house to chill. WHEW what a night!(The picture with my niece Greta wouldn't load up so maybe I try again later)

Silly Faces by Nicholas

I was going through my stock of photography and came across these! I couldn't resist! Everybody says how quite and well behaved this little boy is... If they only knew the wild , silly side of Nicholas!

Cub Scouts: A Tiger and a Weebloe!

Okay, first off I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I haven't been in the mood. Usually I like to put pictures with my blogging and haven't felt like doing that either....I got sick again, this time a really bad cough and congestion! So I'm feeling much better and I'll posting more often too.

Well , tonight we signed the boys up for Cub scouts! As a child I never was into Brownies or girl scouts...just swimming on a team was great fun for me! WE felt that the boys needed to meet new friends and be involved in something they liked and also on Wed. night church they are part of Awana. So these boys will be busy! I'm sure I'll be posting about it often. till then... it's good to back!

Where Have I been Lately...

S O R R Y! I've been, hmmm, busy, tired, lazy, working, getting ready for the school year, just finished getting over a flu bug! I promise I'll blog more...sometimes you just get in rut and can't get out of it:-)

B, B, and more B's

Finally home from our Trip to Michigan. What a trip! This year we decided to take along our bikes. It was nice to ride down the dirt cul-da-sac with no traffic, great for the kids! A little bumpy and lets just say my 'tush" area paid for it!

Next on the B list is Birthday! Nick turned 7 ! We visited more family at Coolwater Campground which is ALWAYS a treat! Our kids get to visit with their cousins, have campfires, and this time we ALL went to the beach at Manistee, Lake Michigan! When we returned ,Aunt Heidi had made a special "tornado" brownie for Nick. As many of you know he has such a fascination with tornadoes! Thanks Heidi! It made his day and so creative!

Few days after the trip up north I realized that me feeling not so good had manifested into a bladder infection! The not so fun part of the trip! Well I did take a nutritional supplement recommended for these types of things called D-Mannos. It's a sugar that is naturally found in cranberries and other fruits... well the bacteria/e-coli attaches it's self to this sugar and doesn't stick to your tract but is flushed out when you "go" . I kid you not I felt relief of my symptoms after 30 minutes! I had to take it for 5 days and I felt 95% better!

Next on the B list is a good one... Bang ups !

Of all the times we have traveled to Michigan we have never gotten in an accident, well it happened. To make a long detailed story short, A cell-phone talking chick,failure to use turning signal, decided she would turn right into our driver side bumper and headlight! Thank goodness the speed at impact was less then 30mph.

Last of all: Bella , the boys and Bear Creek Marsh...

She is my niece and she just hangs tough with all the boys!

Grandma Connie

(LtoR: Me,sister,Karla,my Dad, Grandma Connie, My Mom, sister Kelly, Husband Chad. Next row , Emily,Greta,Chad,and Nicholas.)

It's been at least 12 years since I've seen my Grandma Connie. She was visiting in Baltimore,MD and my parents picked her up and brought her down for a couple of days! It was good to see her! She still looks the same and ages quite well for 86! We ate dinner at Abuelos and headed to my sisters house for dessert, talking and catching up. I loved hearing stories about my Dad with all the animals...raising pigeons, and dogs and all the names of the dogs, and him being a junior lifeguard. I'm so happy to have shared this special time with my husband and the boys( her great grand kids!)and everybody else too:-) So always savor the moment, give hugs and always say ,"I love You".

Upgrading the blog

Bare with me as I'm upgrading the Blogger:-) I have to redo my sidebar...real fun! and my header!

Changing Sunset...

I just had to show this beautiful sunset! I just love the progression of brilliant colors! What view I have from a top !

The Bike Brigade

Well Chad and I finally decided on getting bikes! Getting a bit more exercise in our routine (for Chad):-) this summer! We just rode up and down our side street and a few times around the Church(the block) with the boys. Whew! My legs are not use to this and neither is my rear end!

The "Goods" have arrived! ...

I got back from my Florida vacation and returned to work and found that my 5 year "goods" had arrived! I received a fairly nice watch, a pin to put on my name badge and a magnetic clear block frame. I don't know a lot about watches but I hear the one I received is quite expensive:-) Almost afraid to wear it. It even is engraved Gap. Inc. on the buckle part of the watch. Well maybe you'll catch me wearing my "bling" one of these days:-)

Florida Vacation 2007

Okay, sorry it took a while to post for those who were waiting. Just a few snipets of our time in Florida! We had a great time and avoided rain on the important days. Maybe because I left my umbrella in Va.! Well it helped! The kids enjoyed the beach for the first time and just loved it! Enjoy...

Kindergarten Graduation...

Nick receiving one of the numerous awards that day.

Nick getting his Kindergarten Diploma! Yeah Nick! Also

with his teacher, Ms. Deppensmith.

Chad received Most Improved Spelling award!

So now we have a 4th grader ! and a 1st grader!

Another Year, another Birthday...

A Fieldtrip Mom...

Last month I went on a field trip with Nick's class to the Explorer Park that is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mts. It showcased how the city of Roanoke was back in the 18th century. Oh and along the way Nick was quite smitten with his classmate, Abby.

Just today, I went along on another fieldtrip to Johnson's Farm(/Orchards/Winery). It was quite warm but we managed to dodge the showers! Nick finally decided to feed the goats...he seemed scared at first UNTIL he saw ABBY doing it.Hmmm?

You can't tell but this goat only has 3 legs! He moved so fast I didn't get a good shot of it. The farm also has a cat with only 3 legs...his name, TRIPOD! Cute huh.

And of course a horse(miniture).

Nick and Abby. He stuck to her like a magnet! I think he forgot I was there during some parts of the day:-) So cute aren't they.

I've Hit A Milestone ...

Yes, I've made it to the Big 5 Year mark at Old Navy,Gap Inc. I get to order really nice watch and I get a plaque! I can't believe I made it...that's the longest I've ever worked for a company! I think the next business I want to work for is studioKathome ...I hear she's really creative!:-)

If I only got paid $85,939 - $138,095 for being a MOM

Check this out!
A MOM's SALARY.
Maybe if I got paid ,my house would be cleaner!?!?!?

Guess what I'm getting...

an early Mother's Day gift!

A 50 mm f/1.8D AF for my Nikon D50. I'm quite excited! A fair amount of people say you get a lot of "bang" for your buck! I cant wait to see the difference in sharpness! It will be a while till I get it (like a week a least!) UGG! I'll be sure to post some pictures to see if you can tell the difference:-) It will be challenging using a "fixed" lens and having to move my body in and out instead of the lens! Till then, happy picture taking:-)

INSPIRE ME THURSDAY( A WEEK LATE )

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: ECO ART
This week the focus is on Eco Art. Think green. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Honor our planet. Turn some trash into treasure.

Okay Im a week late on this challenge and a challenge it was just trying to find time to do it! There are things I collect that I mean to use for something artsy and I finally got to use them!

So I had some bottle caps, one of my photos hangin' around , and a wood stained IKEA frame...

The bottle caps added more demention to my typical 2-D photos that I'm always posting... it was fun adding another element into the mix!

Go Fly A Kite !

Beautiful weekend, in the upper 70's, Cloudless day and a Kite Festival at Green Hill Park! I wanted the boys to get a Free kite and t-shirt, so we hurried to get there and beat the traffic...we made it, but still outragous traffic! The free kite kit was just that...no frills! When put together, it looks like a Kroger bag flying in the sky! But the boys managed to get them flying with "variable winds". Lots of running back and forth ! It was great to get out and about instead of watching "news" on Va.Tech...You could see a lot more smiling on people's faces today .