Peep Show time! 🐤

Ready for the PEEP SHOW?!

Nathan was so happy to have his picture taken.

Some critters, I love The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Something to snack on, deviled chicks!

Floral displays

Characters

Some quilt pieces and paintings too.

More characters

Misc...

The wonderful thing about Tiggers!

Who knew, a PEEP manger!

Go O's!

Our treats, what fun!

My not quite finished attempt at Peeps, the purple one must be on a diet!

Update on Mom 😍

During part of Nathan's spring break, we went to stay with Dad and visit Mom in rehab. Gman1 came down for the day.

This is standing outside her chapel next to the new statue Dad bought for her.

Always a delight to spend time with Mom's roommate, she was able to room with her again!

Oma's looking great!

Nathan started some stitching.

Dad promised Nathan a fire while we were there. 

So my Mom is doing much better, she may be another month in rehab. She's finally on solid food again, but is alternating with the mush pureed food too. She's doing well with her breathing, but still on oxygen. They are hoping eventually she'll only need it at night. The staff there are all impressed with how hard she pushes herself, and she is now walking down the hallway with her walker, one direction so far. They all LOVE her, awesome!

And finally, the cards... WOW, thank you!!!

I don't post on facebook much, but I did post a request there too about sending cards to my Mom. Here's a breakdown of what she's received.

From growing up - Pam, Sharon, Jonnifer, Paula, Kimmy, Tricia, Sherri

From family - Tammy, Erin, Gerry and Ron, Ruth and Jude, Lucy, Kelly, Jeanie

From friends she knows (but may not remember meeting!) - Margo, Kim, Linda and Phil, DJ, Denise, Donna

From my hometown friends - Lynne, Paula, Debbie, Ginny and Malcolm, Lisa

And from my stitchy friends - Martha, Katie, Faith, Maggee, Penny, Sheryl, Barbara, Claire (Mom met DJ, see above!)

I love the way they are trickling in, thank you so much for the cards and sweet words, Mom is loving them!

This is what she had received when I was there.

The big card came from Lisa and she included confetti (luckily big!) saying Blessings, Happiness, and Smiles.

And this lovely heart was in the card sent by Sheryl! Thank you, Sheryl, she was thrilled and it's hanging in her room.

 Mom enjoying a real cup of coffee, not thickened!

 Dad sent this today, there was a dog show and these cuties were visiting.

All for now, I hope to go back in about 10 days.

HL score!

I finally made it to Hobby Lobby, and luckily too bad I didn't find more! I saw ones that I would love to get, but they weren't on sale.

I took Nathan later in the week to try again and he found two things he wants to make for his grandmother. She sings, "♪You are my Sunshine♫" and loves butterflies. He has until July to make them so he needs to get busy!

I'll have to try, try again next week for the ones I didn't get, crossing fingers!

And for those of you not living in the States, take a look here... Hobby Lobby Cross Stitch. If you see something you like, I can always see if it's on sale when I go next week. The sale price doesn't show up on the website, so I won't know if it's on sale until I go.

I'm still waiting on the mojo to show up, maybe starting one of those kits might help?!

Nathan and I are visiting my Mom tomorrow, so I'll update then!

♰ Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop 2018!

It's time for Jo's egg-citing annual Easter Blog Hop!
Enough of the cold, let's roll into spring!

If you haven't already, start the trail there to find out who to follow for letters in the mystery phrase and then report back to Jo.

This is a Mill Hill cutie I stitched, I love the colours and the flowers.

Just a little collage of some of our Easter decorations.

An oldie but a goodie, stitched way back in '88.

And finally, what you've been waiting for, the letter...



Now it's time to hop on over to see what Shannon @ With Work in Hand has for you!
Thanks again, Jo, Hoppy Easter!

Request for my Momma ✉

This was my Mom with her roommate, Gail, just before she was discharged from rehab on February 27th. I think you can see how much fun they were having together!

But since then, she's had a rough time of it at home. She ended up in the hospital 11 days ago because of severe breathing difficulties, mainly caused by scarring of her vocal chords from the rheumatoid arthritis, plus she had laryngitis and a cold. She ended up on a ventilator again and ultimately needed to have a tracheotomy, which will most likely be permanent.

I was finally able to come up and see her on Saturday and I brought her a scarf to cover up the tracheotomy and oxygen tube. My Dad was going to take pictures of just us, but she wanted to be in the pictures too! GO MOM!

The Gmen stopped by on Sunday on their way home from the lake, she was pleasantly surprised to see them.

Even my younger brother came for a visit, another surprise.

Group photo!

 And Dad had his picture taken too.

As of yesterday, she was transferred back to the rehab facility, but unfortunately was unable to be Gail's roommate again. Dad said she was very confused and I'm hoping it was just because it was quite an effort getting her there and settled. 

After dealing with RA for almost half of her life and having so many medical issues because of it, she is a very determined, strong, woman. It must be the German in her!

She turned 79 in January, and she’ll be the first one to tell you that she never thought she’d live this long with all of her complications from RA.

So my request is... would anyone be interested in sending her a get well, or thinking of you card? She enjoys her chapel, reading her Bible and study books, angels, birds, flowers, and Pekingese dogs!

If you're interested, please let me know and I'll reply with the address.


Here's a memory of something I wrote for her several years ago...

These hands held me as a baby.

These hands carried me when I was tired.

These hands comforted me when I cried.

These hands tucked me in bed.

These hands fed me when I wouldn't eat.

These hands held my hand when I walked.

These hands picked me up when I fell.

These hands helped me get dressed.

These hands scratched my back whenever I asked.

These hands spanked me when I needed it.

These hands helped me to swim.

These hands made my dolls clothes.

These hands knitted our treasured afghans.

These hands held all three of my babies.

These hands still make the German pancakes I love.

These hands still try to pinch my bottom.

These hands still hug me tight.

These hands, I love these hands.

I love you, Mom.

Sharathon #6 for me!

It was that time of year again,

Sharathon at 95.1 SHINE-FM!

But somehow Mother Nature decided to show up and cause some trouble.

I arrived at 6am on Tuesday, ready to answer phones for a shift, and then help out in the background for the rest of the day. The weather forcast was calling for rain/snow/whatever, and sure enough it started sleeting in the morning. To be on the safe side, they transferred the phones and had us go home. It was mainly wet and slushy on my way home, but not slick.

Nathan came home from school three hours early because it was changing over to snow and by Wednesday evening, I think we ended up with about 6" of ice/sleet/snow. It sure does look pretty out there.

No school on Wednesday and no Sharathon either. Nathan actually went outside with our neighbour and they decided to try and build a fort. They didn't finish, but had a good time!

Memories of the Gmen's first snow in their "sled", which is now being used as a laundry basket. 😉

Still no school on Thursday, but Sharathon was on! Nathan was able to go to a friend's house and I headed in for some background stuff. Still a bit of a slow day there, but the show must go on!

On Friday, they had to go into SNOWvertime to make up for the snow days they lost. I started helping on the phone from 6am until just after 1pm. I spoke to so many wonderful people, all saying wonderful things about the station and how much they appreciate it. 

Because of that darn snow delay, it took until almost 7pm to reach their goal, but they did it!!! Amen!

I ended up staying until just before 9pm to help send letters out and this was my view of Baltimore as I was leaving.

It was another great year spent with wonderful people at the station, I love being able to spend time with them!

And sadly, I've lost my stitching mojo. I'm hoping it will decide to come back soon. Please feel free to send stitchy thoughts!

Scenes from a... road trip!

On March 9th, we took a trip to Ohio to see the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Gman2 is interested in transferring there in the fall for his ministry studies.

We headed out Thursday evening, no work for DH and Nathan had off on Friday.

We hit some blinding snow in PA, but luckily it didn't affect the roads at all.

Still snowing a little in WVA, but not too bad.

And finally, four hours later we were in Ohio. The university is just inside of Ohio and we stayed in a hotel that night.

It was rather chilly and it flurried a bit so it was hard to take pictures, everything looked dark. But this turned out!

And, they gave us warm sugar cookies while we waited for the tour, yum!

The students attending there were our tour guides and they did a great job. So friendly and genuinely interested in all of us, they were even trying to recruit Nathan for the future!

What the students affectionately call, "Snowboarding Jesus" OR "Surfing Jesus" when it's warm!

The Portiuncula ~ "This small chapel, like St. Francis' original, has become a place of adoration, conversion, and prayer. The simple beauty of the small stone structure reverberates with the power of the Lord's presence. The stillness, imbued with the peace of the Lord's tender concern, draws visitors in and focuses attention on the Eucharistic Lord."

Then it was time to leave, the guys had the Italian meal to prep for with the CYM at church.

We went a different way home due to traffic that was shown on the PA turnpike.

It took us past Morgantown, into MD and... 

right past the lake! It's only about 1.5hrs away from the lake house, the perfect meeting place if Gman2 brings his car to school.

So it seems to be decided, this is where he wants to go! I wish it was as close as Mount St. Mary's, but I think this is a better fit for him.

Let the excitement begin!