The Date Is Set

Our youngest daughter got engaged over Christmas. We were thrilled for her and the happy event was to be sometime in 2012. Then on New Year's Day, she informed us the date has been moved up to July 2011. Her fiance is from Europe and his family is coming over this summer for the first time. They wanted to get married while they were here. Now we had to find a venue, caterer, photographer, dress etc, all in a couple of weeks. It is going to be a small wedding and they wanted to get married at a winery. I don't want to tell you how many wineries I called and they visited. We were able to get the vineyard and the caterer they wanted for the one Saturday date that was open. The date is now set. The place reserved and food done. The next priority was the photographer. The one she wanted was just picked by the Washington DC Bride's Magazine as one of the top ten photographer in the area. I gave her a call and surprisingly she was available for the date. Whew, that's another checklist item done. Next comes the wedding dress.

Next week I'm going up to Northern Virginia and her sister is flying in from Ohio to help with this mission. You have to understand what shopping is like with my daughter. We have been known to go to 7 different malls in one day just for one pair of jeans that would fit her properly. I still have nightmares about those shopping trips. We only have two days to get a dress. She wants to make a appointments at 6 or 7 bridal salons. Remember how long it takes her to find a pair of jeans. My daughter has no idea what style (for example lace, beaded, plain, strapless) she wants. She is meeting with her "fashion friend" at a bridal shop to look over the inventory and get some idea on what would look good on her. That will make it easier on us. Since this will be her special day, I am going to put all those past shopping trips out of my mind and help her find the perfect dress no matter how many salons we need to go to or how many trips I have to make to Northern Virginia.

Just To Update

Tomorrow is day FOUR of the GA ICED IN of 2011...In the twenty years we have lived here I do not remember ever having 3 days of school closings due to winter weather much less 4 and for the college daughter it is the whole week. Of course, being home schoolers this week has not been too different from any other week. However, we do meet with a co-op on Thursday so the younger daughter was holding her breath until we learned for sure that the county schools were closed tomorrow (our co-op follows the county schools in weather closings). It has taken all week but she finally gets a snow day!!! Boy, am I so ready for summer!!!!

I posted this on my Facebook page today -- an amazing morning!

If you or someone you know was one of the two amazing guys that returned the bank deposit slip with all the cash still attached to it in Warren, PA this morning----THANK YOU!!  I appreciate your good deed and I wish you both lots of good deeds in return.  Pay it Forward on your behalf is now a goal of mine for 2011. It's going to be a great year thanks in part to both of you. Amen!
Pay it Forward, think about all the good deeds that go unnoticed, consider being one of them, it's  WIN - WIN for all involved.  Enjoy being a winner :)

This is the second time that Pay It Forward has come into my life in the dozen short days of 2011.  A message, a gift, I'm not sure, but I'd be stupid not to notice.  Most of the time I can't believe my good fortune in life and I thank Him daily for what He's chosen to give me.  Perhaps I'm being asked to give more and you know what......it feels really good! 

Iced In

Not so much snowed in as iced in... just south of Atlanta with some 1/2 inch of ice on the driveway and roads means no work for the husband or school for the college daughter therefore no school for the "home schooled" high schooler..we have had a nice lazy day at home, all together with the fire burning. college already closed for tomorrow too. Husband plans to be at work by noon tomorrow and I am suppose to be at work tomorrow but we will see...The temps are not suppose to get much above freezing which will mean the ice can't melt..What to do, what to do? I did finish my book "Anne of Green Gable" for bookclub Tuesday night but then we may not be able to get there...Sometimes you just have to go with the flow...

Homemade Pay It Forward

I saw this great post on another blog I follow and thought it was the coolest idea.  Not sure if there are even 5 people who read this blog but I'm hoping to be surprised and if none of the original FAF gang have a problem with it, I'd like to claim this blog for my personal blog, welcoming their posts anytime.  I won't take possession until 1/17/11, giving all ample time to comment.


In the mean time, here's the Homemade Pay It Forward game plan.  I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here.  They in turn must post this and send something they make to the first 5 people to comment on their blog.  The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 recipients sometime in 2011.  I've really enjoyed meeting new people and making acquaintances through hobbies this past year and think this project will be a great way to start this New Year.  Please join me and just in case I don't get 5, I'll still Pay It Forward to the brave few!!  I'm excited and already thinking about what I can make and send to followers far and wide!  I might actually finish some projects this year....WIN - WIN for all :)

Belated Happy New Year

Just got back late last night from my trip to Ohio for the holidays and want to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year! I hope 2011 brings you joy, the love of your family, warm friendship and good health throughout the year.

Happy New Year

I pray everyone had a fun time ringing in the New Year and that 2011 will be your best year, yet!