Home again Home again....

Wow!  Sorry about being gone so long.

Well, there are a lot of cliques I could write but I won't.  I'll save you from that dribble, for now.  I don't have much of an solid explanation for the long departure from blog world other than honestly, I felt like I was talking to myself, as no one comments here for whatever reason. So... I drifted away, until TODAY!

I'm back....

Let's see, what would be the best way to catch you up on all my little klips of life....?  Hmmm?  Should I present you a professional bullet list of items? Nah - kind sounds and feel too corporate: "bullet list" I have so-o-o-o written my fair share of bullet list in the 13 years of corporate work.  Okay, let's see - maybe just a verbal dump of it all.  Sure that could work, wait no, that might go on for pages and pages. What to do? 

Hey!  I got it!  I'll work in a show and tell fashion, duh!  To avoid any sleepiness, just imagine my voice an octave higher with a smidgen of bubbly rhythm to it.  Not the annoying "I wanna smack her" kind, that's too for bubbly, just a notch or two down from there should work for you and me.

 

Okay here we go (I wonder how long this will take--eek).

 

We left off toward the end of June.  That will be our starting point.  I was working on charms.  Oh my goodness.  I worked on them a bit that week and the next.  I haven't actually worked on any since, other than ideas and gathering supplies that is.  I love, love, love gathering supplies, except I have a weird buyers remorse afterwards.  I don't morn the purchase just the loss of funds...  So my best defense is to think frugal and outside the box.  Sure, it would be so easy to run to town (Olympia that is) and buy what I need or order my 'stuff' on line.  Have I ever mentioned I don't tend to always take the easy route? 

So, I scout out the thrift stores for things I can convert, gut apart or use as is.  I use other artist's blogs and works as inspiration to look at items in a new way.  For instance,  don't you just love magnetic message boards and creative magnets!   Yet, you find you can never find one in the color or pattern you like or that will match you room.  I've seen all over the place how crafters will take a cheapy cookie sheet, paint it with a can of rattle paint in their color(s) of choice, add a picture hanging kit on back if needed and Wa-La!  Add magnets, hang on wall of choice and you're done. Of course there are many, many variations to this little craft, you are only limited by your own imagination.  You do have more of an imagination, you know!  You have just probably chosen not to trust yourself enough to let it out and color outside the lines.  Go for it!  Anyway, I digress we were going to catch up....

You may recall I had purchased a set of Pan-Pastels a while back.  I also signed up for a class using this lovelies at the same time.  My class was held the last week of June at: Art-N-Soul in Olympia.  We created a series of cards using the Pan-Pastels, nothing real extensive at all.  I learned a bit more about how I can use them in masking/layering techniques and I did enjoy sharing the experience of creating.  Here are my finished products, which do you think is my favorite?

Then came July.  We honestly did nothing special for July 4th this year.  It's pretty sad actually.  I had ALWAYS celebrated the Fourth in some manner from childhood, to parenthood into empty-nester.  This year we just didn't have it in us, Bill had to work on-call so we couldn't go anywhere and well, I don't like to go alone where's the fun in that I ask ya!  We did sit out on the deck after dark and watch all the firework displays going off all over town.  I was wrapped up in my snuggie eating an ice cream, if those of you in Texas can imagine that!  I'm betting next year will be better!  With the onset of July came me favorite part of summer....travel to my babies in Texas!~

I think they are starting to realize, that no matter how grown up they think they are, they are and will always be:  My babies~I love you guys to the moon and back.

I was sort of having mixed emotions about traveling to Texas the week or see before I was to leave.  I don't know if you are aware or not but see Texas is unique.  And in that I mean Texas doesn't have just Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.  Nope, not Texas, we do it up big on EVERY thing in Texas.  In Texas you have, Winter, Blizzard time, Spring, Tornado/Hail Season, Summer, Super Summer, Drought, Fall, Rain and More Rain.  Then the cycle begins again, but wait! There's more!  If you don't like the weather give it a few minutes, it'll change and fairly drastic too, except in Super Summer.  During this time of year, well, it's damn hot! That is all there is to it.

Again, I digress - forgive me.  My point was, I'm now in Washington State were if it gets anywhere near 80 degrees the natives think we are having a heat wave and face it, your body tends to acclimate to your environment over time.  I figured two years had gone by now and I had sort of adjusted to being out of the furnace.  I was worried I'd step of the plane in DFWhoo!

I stayed with my lovely sister-in-law and brother-in-law this trip, along with their cutie pie daughter.  That reminds me, I'm delinquent on sending my thank you note-oops better get on that one or I won't be welcome back.

The day after my arrival my darling grandson turned three years old.  Oh, my how time flies.  We took him to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch, hoping he might eat.  We were viewing it as a test run for Character Meals at Disney later this year.  Ummm, he failed the test.  He's going to be one hungry little man when he gets home from Disney, that's almost all I have to say about that!  Other than it taking for--ever to get our food he behaved very well.  We'll have to hope for faster service at Disney, crossing my fingers here.

Isn't he a cutie pie with that little pucker!

The next day was his party at Gatti Town.  Oh my goodness there was so much going on the poor child couldn't hardly focus on anything.  That being said, I think he had a blast.  I actually stole away with him all by myself into the arcade area.  We just strolled around alone, he lead the way and I trailed behind him. 

I was snapping pictures at about waist level of him trying to capture at least a few shots from his perspective.  I let him climb into every game console they had as long as it wasn't occupied.  Believe me, he had no fear of climbing into someones lap if it interested him, he only tried to do that once, it was so funny to me.  Anyway, he'd climb up handled the controls for a few seconds then move onto the next. He went all through the room like that, then went back for seconds on some of his favorites.  All without a swipe of the card or a coin in the slot!  Imagination is great!

Yes, my visit was focused around this little dude.  I miss not being able to go grab him up for a date night with Nana.  My daughter is great about keeping me posted on his doings and all but it's not the same as a slobbery kiss or hearing a pure gut wrenching laugh.  Oh well!  I keep telling her what a great place Shelton is for kids but she hasn't bought the idea yet.  What's a Nana to do but keep trying!?

I then went and spent a few days with MY Mom. It was a really nice visit.  We hung around the house and just visited, went to Allen and then Denison to my favorite store of almost all time....Hobby Lobby.  My sister stayed overnight and we laughed a lot together, it was great actually!  My brother dropped in one evening for dinner, we were doing it simple, hot dogs.  Jordan was actually with me.  We served Jordan a hot dog and he made the funniest face and squealed ewwwww!  I swear to this day it cracks me up to think about it.  I mean seriously, how many kids do you know that won't eat a hot dog of all things!?  I tried and tried but he would just turn away and squeal ewww!  I tried a peanut butter and jelly sandwich next, to no avail.  My daughter keeps telling me he doesn't like PB&J like I do (it's still my favorite sandwich).  Funny thing here is earlier in this particular afternoon the kid had no problem eating peanut butter with Nilla wafers!  Anyway, he had hardly eaten all day, I was worried being a Nana and all.  I finally found a box of cereal to try on him, remember now I'm at MY mother's home and she isn't prepared for little ones.  Low and behold the boy likes Rice Crispy cereal even with out sugar poured all over it!



His daddy got a little concerned because he was eating cereal for dinner but I didn't care.  He was finally eating something that wasn't loaded with sugar or fat and that made Nana happy.

I left Mom's and headed back toward my sister-in-laws home for a few more days of their love and comfort.  We had a really great visit, at least I thought so.  It was kind of have a challenge for them because they were all still in work mode while I wasn't so we had to be mindful of a family's work week schedule.  I think we did pretty good with that overall.  They are wonderful host I might add.  I got to pick dinner just about ever night!  They took me to all my favorite 'have to eat here' places.  Anemia's in Flower Mound, mmmm love their crazy nachos and bean soup. 

Then there was Logan's Steak House in Lewisville, ya' I know I could have gotten this in the Northwest but hey, it's the dinner salad dressing and spices on these skewers that I was after.



I had a Bowtie Festival at Johnny Carinos along with a tasty Bellini and a wonderful mini Turimasu. Mmmm. I could so easily enjoy a repeat of this dinner right now and I just ate lunch!  Oh, well good thing I can't have it as I would probably be terrifically sick from over eating.

With all this wonderful food and there was more mind you.  I have to tell you my most favorite thing of all did not even register in my little brain until a few days into the trip.  Once I had my little paws on it there was no holding back.  To make things even more interesting, my sister-in-law had never experience the joy of this wonderful treat, she's now enlightened and joyful!

Ta-Da!  The most wonderful thing in dessert world,

especially when you can't just run out and grab some.

We all had a terrific visit all in all.  My niece drove in from Killeen and brought her beautiful baby girl to visit me.  Thanks Cynthia!  Sadly, it wasn't until I returned back home that I realized I didn't get to hug up our little June bug.  I reflected back on that and realized my sister snagged her up before I could and then it was nap time.  Darn!  Well, that's all good because they are moving to Colorado and I might just be able to make a weekend visit next spring!  Then there is the fact I was a bit distracted by the most entertaining man there.

This all takes us up through just the first two weeks of July if you can imagine that!  I'm going to stop this post here so you aren't too bored with this klip.  Check back in a day or two for more Klips from Kim and I'll show some small town fair entertainment.  Until then,

Hugs of Love,

Kim