post-Disney flood of '09

You know how it says in James 4:13- Listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Hey, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow!
Well, we did not heed that verse. You see, Randy & I and the kids spent most of the 6 hours driving home from Disneyland talking about what we would do the next day... and about all the plans we had for the Holidays.


And then we came home to this... and all those plans went down the drain... well, so to speak. We were shocked. It was so creepy & horrifying to walk in and see this. Can you imagine! Well, within a half-hour a crew from a company that Randy found online came to our rescue... removing the water and the carpet and area rug and leaving us with several high-powered fans. Talk about the ultimate white noise while attempting to sleep. I don't think I slept but 2 hours that night after the crew left around midnight. I just couldn't shut my brain off. The house just reeked of water-soaked pressed board & wood.

The next morning the guys returned to begin tearing out the water damaged walls and all the built-ins. They needed to treat the walls for mold & mildew. Man oh man, what a mess. I had no idea how damaging water can be. All I could think of was the effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, when they were literally shoveling sludge and mud out of their homes after the waters subsided. This was nothing compared to that.


Randy was so sad to see them tear out the window bench seat that he built specifically for the church village we put up each Christmas. I will miss the massive storage underneath for all my quilts, blankets and pillows.



We have now experienced all 4 ways that water can reek havoc in your home-
~ Randy had left on a 2 week concert tour back when we didn't have cell phones. Randy had no more than pulled out of the driveway when the backyard sprinkler system burst, flooding the backyard & patio. I ran next door and my neighbor showed me how to shut off the main water valve.
~ a couple years ago I came home from Bible Study mere moments after the washing machine hose had burst and the water was about to flood the sunken living room. Had I decided to go to lunch with a friend... it surely would have.
~ a year ago on Thanksgiving Eve, with a house full of family visiting from Oklahoma City, the water heater floods the garage. Randy had to replace the water heater that night, so we could take showers and do dishes the next day.
~ and last weekend the water filtration system blows under the kitchen sink and floods our home.

I'd like to think we're done. At least I'm praying we're done!

Lessons learned from the flood of '09-
~ ALWAYS turn off the main water valve when you leave your home overnight.
~ Teach everyone in your home how to turn off the main water valve.
~ Water filtration systems are notorious for bursting like ours did, says our homeowners insurance man.

So, don't get all weirded out if I get in-your-face, I mean in-your-blog, when you post that you're going out of town and I comment in capital letters "DID YOU TURN OFF YOUR MAIN WATER VALVE?" It has become my new mantra. Something good has to come from this.

Seriously though, this is nothing. I mean, really, it's nothing. I know there are some of you that would give anything to experience the inconvenience of water damage over the inconvenience of weekly chemo treatments. I know that some of you would take a flooded home over losing your home because of the poor economy. And I am so sorry. Cuz that's a big deal. This isn't.

Anyway, I will keep you posted as this all unfolds. Nothing of any value was damaged. It's all just stuff. Used stuff. I don't buy new. And nothing of sentimental value was damaged, except for the Polar Express book, cassette & bell set that I got the kids when they were little.
Oh my gosh, I forgot the best part... because our sunken living room holds a TON of water, the bedrooms, Randy's office and my craft room were spared!! It would have surely flooded the whole house had we not had a big sunken room to hold most of the water. The kitchen, dining room and the sunken living room were the only rooms that flooded. We were SOOO grateful cuz it could have been so much worse. God is so good. Thank you Lord!

Disneyland!

We had the best time as a family at Disneyland! Truly THE BEST! The last time we went as a family was 5 years ago but this time we had Emolyn Kate with us. And it doesn't get any better than seeing Disneyland through the eyes of a child.


Of course I had to bring the Princess clothes I have been collecting for Emolyn. (that I found at thrift stores) When my kids were growing up they always traveled with their pretend/dress-up clothes. In fact, those bags took up more room than their regular clothes.


I have been drooling over Amy's aqua Mickey scarf that she got at Disneyland last year and wore when she spent the day at St. Paul's Cathedral in London with Miranda. Randy surprised me and bought me my very own. I love it!


Oh how Emolyn loves her Aunt 'Mandy'!


Yes, Randy & I actually danced in Disneyland, making me the happiest girl in the happiest place on earth! We danced to this fabulous Big Band orchestra from the swing era. They were great!


Maybe a spot of tea to suit your fancy? Come on, we sing and everything! We take requests!


How cute is Miss Emy? At the last second she leaned in to make the shot and got us so tickled.


Love that this little family wholeheartedly embraces Mickey into their family.


And then it was time to head home. Along with all the other rides, I made sure to ride my favorites Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, CA Screamin and Soarin over CA two times each. I've become quite the roller coaster maniac! And there is nothing better on the planet than the sensation of Soarin Over California.

But then we arrived home...

Stay tuned.

Pioneer Woman Cooks!

Ok, so WOW, it's been quite an eventful weekend. But before I tell you all about Disneyland and then coming home to a flooded house, I'll start you out with the Pioneer Woman's cookbook tour here in Tempe Thursday night.
Ree was amazing, so elegant, charming & funny. And she has the most gorgeous hair. Seriously, gorgeous. I loved her. She was like a rock star. But so down-to-earth. I want her to be my best friend. I want her to invite me to the Lodge so I can wash vegetables in her vegetable sink.


I went to the book signing with my friends Judi and Cheryl. We had such fun visiting in the standing-room-only bookstore till Ree, Missy and Marlboro Man's Mom came out. I loved the Q&A session. I even asked her a question so she would notice me. I am such a groupie like that.


But because we were scheduled to get our books signed in the wee hours of the morning (I am not even kidding), we chose to leave our books for her to sign and later pick up. Poor Ree has been signing books till 1 am at every city on this tour so far! Isn't she the best!
*** Disney and flooded house posts coming soon.

Etsy, Disney, Suns & Tyler

~ spent a couple hours on Etsy yesterday looking at vintage travel postcards. I hope to decorate my cottage on wheels with vintage National Park postcards.
~ my friend Nancy & her husband Terry are visiting Smokey Mountain National Park this week and I found THIS for her travel postcard collection.
~ how cute is the paper towel holder above the door and the magazine rack to the right in my little cottage? So cute & way functional.
~ the plaid metal picnic basket will hold all our snacks when we travel. A yard sale find for $3.00.
~ so excited to find two pieces of melmac & raffia thermal ware for 69 cents each. (clic pic to enlarge)

~ what do you give your 20 year old son for Christmas when he's leaving for the Marine Corp on January 4th? A family trip to Disneyland! Yup, Randy & I, Shawn, Nicole & Emolyn, Miranda and Tyler leave for Disneyland Friday morning! SOOO excited!

~ our PHOENIX SUNS are 4-0!! GO SUNS! (oops, 4-1, they got beat last night)
~ speaking of Tyler & Disney, check out Tyler's arrangement of Circle of Life. (he's singing every part you're hearing) He is such a gifted musician... but with a humble heart for God. And this mama could not be more proud.

Randy's Christmas Concert!

Randy's Annual Christmas Concert is coming up Friday, Dec. 4th & Saturday, Dec. 5th. You are all invited to this free concert in Phoenix. Randy has been doing his Christmas concert for 15+ years but was unable to do it last year so this year we are offering you two nights to choose from. Hope you can join us at our church auditorium on 19th Ave. between Northern & Dunlap starting at 7PM. Seating is limited so come early.
You will be hearing most of the songs off his "Through Different Eyes" CD and as always he will be joined by his band and his family... Shawn on lead guitar, Miranda, Tyler & I singing back up vocals on various songs with Randy. It is such a special evening. Plan for an hour and a half of inspiring music and stories that will make you laugh and cry. You will truly come away focused on the true meaning of Christ in Christmas.
Check out THIS post I did after Randy's Christmas concert two years ago so you can get an idea of what you will be experiencing.
And be sure to come talk to me after the concert!

Halloween highlights

My husband loves to decorate for Halloween. Seriously, he transforms our front yard into an old cemetery using old rod iron fences with bones & skulls & headstones scattered about. Rather creepy but in a fun creepy way. The Trick or Treaters love it.


Such sweet, memorable moments from the Wine & Cheese Party Friday night. I love the people in these three pictures. And I have many more snapshots in my mind that make me smile. That's the thing, photos can only take you so far... and then you remember a funny story that someone shared or that first bite of warm pumpkin pie or feeling the love in the hugs from our hosts John & Suzi. Those can't be captured any other way but in your heart, mind and soul.



It's hard to believe we actually needed warm coats this past weekend. What a treat to wear cute scarves & sweaters once again. Love this time of year.


So I woke up Saturday morning and thought split peas soup. Yup, I had to make split peas soup for our Halloween supper... along with those buttered rosemary rolls featured on the Pioneer Woman's blog.


So I did. And they did not disappoint. I now call it my cast iron meal. Both were made using my real old cast iron skillet and dutch oven that were passed down to me many years ago. You do know, the older the better, especially if seasoned properly over it's lifetime. Anyway, the soup & rosemary rolls were the perfect compliment to each other. You gotta have yeast rolls to dip into thick peas soup and later to sop up that last lovin' spoonful. Mmm, mmm, good!

AZ Bloggers Luncheon

You know how much I love a great story. Well, this is a good one. This is my long-lost 4-H friend Cindy from Wisconsin, that I was reunited with at the AZ Bloggers Luncheon last Friday. Cindy & I knew each other through 4-H and competed in the Jackson County Dress Revue each year throughout high school. We had not seen nor heard from each other in 35 years. Well, a few months ago while reading my favorite blogs I came upon her Applestone Cottage blog. I loved the name and decided to check it out. (like I needed another blog in my life) Well, it became quite obvious that this blogger was from where I grew up. And her son lived in Tempe. So I emailed her and told her I knew a Cindy from 4-H back in the 70's and sure enough, this was her! And, get this, she is married to Dan whom I knew from high school! Talk about a small world!


We immediately began making plans to reconnect when she came out here to visit her son in October. Several AZ bloggers decided to have a luncheon while she was here and Cindy invited me to join them. So Cindy & I rode to the luncheon together. I shared my life as we drove to the luncheon and she shared her life home from the luncheon. And during the luncheon, we met the most wonderful women! Marty & Ceekey greeted us at Gooseberries when we arrived. Such dear, precious women. They made me feel so welcome.


Karen surprised Cindy by driving all the way from California to the luncheon, so they could finally meet face to face! How cool is that!


I sat by the talented & lovely Laura and the sweet as can be Sherry. Had the nicest visited with Liz who had heard my husband in concert a few years ago. Again, small world.
Be sure to click all the highlighted names so you can feast your eyes on some of the most beautiful blogs out there!


We all brought a fall decoration for a gift exchange. Look what I received from Char! She made that pumpkin! I immediately filled the candy dish with autumn MnM's. I know it's empty. But I just couldn't stop myself. Thanks again Char!


As I was linking to these lovely ladies I saw that Marty had posted the best group picture of all 17 bloggers at the luncheon. Be sure to visit her blog A Stroll thru Life as she posted other luncheon pics along with links to the rest of the ladies.
Thank you again to all you delightful women with extraordinary blogs! We are truly connected for life!

Trick or Treat!!

Hey everyone, have a safe, sassy & spirited Halloween weekend!
Mine has already gotten off to a great start.
~ The AZ bloggers luncheon was amazing. (pics to come)
~ We made a brief appearance at Shawn & Nicole's Halloween party. It was a smash hit. Emolyn made three costume changes throughout the night! She was quite the hotdog! I'm serious, she was a hotdog. And speaking of going gaga over my granddaughter, word has it that Lady Gaga actually made an appearance after we left. HE was quite the sensation. Now that's creepy. (pics to come)
~ And the Wine & Cheese Party was perfect. Old and new friends connecting over backyard fire pits. Sipping good wine and devouring delicious appetizers. I even had my first piece of pumpkin pie w/ whipping cream! The best! Thanks John & Suzi! (pics to come)
And yes, my heart is filled with love & gratitude this morning.

this 'n that

~ the last couple mornings I woke up to 38 degree temps! I know. It's actually been colder here than in Wisconsin. And I'm lovin it!

~ I spent the last couple days fluffing my little cottage on wheels. I'm determined to decorate with what I already have. But then...

~ I found the perfect 70's welcome mat at Goodwill on Wednesday. Marked at $7.99. No way. But it was 1/2 off all purple tags. Still no way. But at 9 am yesterday it was 99 cents. Ok, now you're talkin. And SO worth the gamble. It was still there. Don't you just love it? And you're thinking, heck ya it was still there! Who else would want it! Ok, I'll admit, I wasn't too worried.


~ I love pork. So I made my yummy pork & scalloped potato skillet meal last night. So yummy!

~ I had planned to go buy some Rhodes frozen dinner rolls and fresh rosemary so I could make THESE to go with the meal. I didn't get around to it but I will someday soon. Cuz how can you go wrong cooking in cast iron. Randy & I both grew up with Mom's that cooked with cast iron and now I do. And my daughter-in-law does too.

~ I'm attending an Arizona Bloggers luncheon today. I can't wait to tell you all about it!

~ And a Wine & Cheese tasting party tonight. Good times.

Bo's Cafe & Pioneer Woman Cooks

~ Got my Pioneer Woman Cooks in the mail yesterday. I can hardly believe that a week from tonight REE will be signing this very book, only a mere 2 miles away at Changing Hands Bookstore here in Tempe, AZ! Wasn't she adorable on the Bonnie Hunt show?


~ Speaking of book signing... on Tuesday night we attended the BO'S CAFE book signing/release party! Wow! What an amazing, special night! Trust me dear blogger friends, GO BUY YOURSELF A COPY of BO's CAFE! Right now! OK, first check out their awesome, interactive web site HERE. The book is available at any chain bookstore, Walmart and of course Amazon. When I finish the book I will be writing a book review... so you'll want to read it for yourself so you can let me know what you thought too.
It was written by my dear friend and teaching pastor John Lynch along with Bill Thrall and Bruce McNicol whom we have known for many years. These are very important men in my husband's life... John being Randy's very best friend for the past 25 years.
The publishers of THE SHACK have made BO'S the follow-up book to THE SHACK. Isn't that wild! Oh, and the author of THE SHACK, William Young spoke at the BO'S release party Tuesday night and also gave his endorsement of Bo's Cafe.
So, like I said GO BUY BO'S CAFE and you'll know why I am so passionate about everyone reading this very important, thought-provoking book.

our cozy cottage is home

She's home! The guys brought her home safely. Randy says she pulls like a dream. That's a good thing.


Look at my kiddos and grandkiddo lounging on the bed. Are they not the cutest! We sure missed Nicole being with us for the cottage reveal. Poor Emolyn didn't know what to think of a house on wheels, but in time she will grow to love her little playhouse.


But we sure had a fun day together. Several sweet photo ops. Emolyn loves her baby dolls and takes them everywhere she goes.


She loved the park, especially walking barefoot on the playground sand, the grassy park and the basketball court.


At one point she noticed she had pockets and was determined to work her little hands inside those pockets. Cracked me up.


After bath time, we put her in the cutest pj's for a photo shoot with the Halloween quilt that her Mommy made for Randy. We love getting that lap quilt out each year.


I grew up with a jewelry box similar to the one I found recently at my little thrift store. Emolyn loves to watch the little ballerina girl twirl round and round to the sweetest music.


And occasionally she has to take the ballerina girl off the pedestal to give her a little kiss. Just melts me.


Just before the guys pulled in with the cottage, Miranda read her niece several books. Emolyn loves books.
Btw, had a fantastic women's retreat weekend. Came home refreshed, renewed and refocused. Such good stuff. Still processing it all.

My Cozy Cottage on wheels!!

Can you believe it! She's ours!
You know how much I've talked about one day having my very own cozy cottage in the woods? Well, my dream has come true! Only this is my cozy cottage on wheels... that will transport me to the enchanted forest of my dreams. Ok, so I got carried away... I meant the woods.

How cute is my little 1976 Travette travel trailer! Like way cute. Like, talk amongst yourselves way cute! Like... ok, you get my drift... my cozy cottage is way cute!
I know, it's not the '56 Shasta of my dreams. They either cost a pretty penny... or they need total restoration. This one was hit the road ready and totally within our budget. And the whole 70's motif? It's growing on me. Throw in some tangerine orange and you've got my kitchen colors when I married in '79. (aka Tupperware colors)


Here's the scoop-

~ found her on Craig's List
~ located near Chino Valley
~ that was the main reason for our 356 mile Sunday drive
~ it was love at first sight
~ totally restored to our satisfaction
~ the bench seat & cushions make into a queen bed
~ a 13 footer which was exactly what we wanted
~ only $1100.00. Such a sweet deal!
~ fits in our side yard perfectly
~ and doubles as Emolyn's playhouse

Randy & I are so excited to take it up to the Mogollon Rim and experience our first rainfall inside our cozy cottage. Can you imagine the sound of the rain pelting on the aluminum roof? Heavenly.


Basically she's a step up from camping in our van. We are now camping in a travel trailer where we can actually sit at our table and play cards, watch dvd's, share meals, scrapbook, write blog posts on my Mac, sip mugs of hot chocolate, read books... whatever suits our fancy! And when we're tired, we make it into a queen bed, turn out the lights and call it a day. Heavenly.

So, my awesome husband and cute sons are bringing her home today. And I get to spend the day with Emolyn while they make the road trip up north... praying they make it home safely.
And in case I don't say it enough... thank you Randy! I love you. You're my favorite husband ever :)


*** All of the above pics were taken upon meeting her for the very first time. Ain't she a beauty!

wickedly cute

The other night we had a family dinner. A dinner high in iron quite frankly. And why you ask? Well, the next day we were giving blood at our church blood drive and the last couple times I have tried to give I was turned down because of low iron. And this time? Well, as they say three's a charm! In fact my iron was very good. YEH!
Could Emolyn be more wickedly cute! I think not.


This was actually the first time I was able to successfully give since I contracted the West Nile Virus 5 years ago. It was discovered when they were testing the blood I had given at a bloodmobile over Labor Day at our local Mall. By the time they called three days later I was very sick. Long story short, I had gotten bit by the mosquito exactly two weeks before I got sick. We were visiting friends and next door was a green infested swimming pool and we were all getting bit. The reason I remembered it so vividly was cuz we had just gotten back from WI and I had not gotten one bite in the whole two weeks we were there, but I get bit in Phoenix. Go figure.

Anyway, I was sick for two weeks and after calls from various agencies I was asked to take part in a study where I gave blood a couple times a month for a year. And I got paid $30.00 each time. How cool is that! I couldn't give for three years after that. And then when I was finally able to, my hemoglobin was too low.
But not this time!!


So, I am off to our Women's Retreat this weekend at Lost Canyon near Williams, Arizona. Where it is very cold and I will need to wear cute scarves and drink hot beverages. I know! Finally!

*** OH, and I have some exciting news to share with you all on Monday. VERY exciting news! I could give you a hint, but then you would guess and that would spoil the fun. But trust me when I say, it's BIG. Ok, I'll give you this much... something on my bucket list came to fruition. And it will facilitate the fulfillment of other things on my bucket list. See, I've shared too much already.
Feel free to take a stab at it if you want.

Sunday drives

Shortly after I started my blog in 2006 I did a post about Sundays... then & now. Clic the title and read about my Sunday memories growing up on the farm. Well, as I said in that post, Sundays are way different now than the Sundays of my youth. Sundays are a long work day for my husband. He's the worship pastor at our church. So he's out the door by 6 am for rehearsal/sound check and then followed by three services. He's home around 2 pm. Tired and done for the day.


Well, last Sunday he didn't have to lead worship so after 2nd service we took a Sunday drive. A good old-fashioned Sunday drive. A first of many future Sunday drives. A 356 mile Sunday drive to be exact. And it was glorious! We both needed a change of scenery and a change of scenery we got!


Arizona is sooo beautiful... so unique in its varied terrain. The mountains were full of color. The winding canyon roads from Mingus Mountain to Jerome took my breath away! The drive from Camp Verde through Strawberry, Pine and Payson made my heart soar. Seriously, I was on such a high marveling at God's magnificent creation. Truly awe-inspiring.


And then to witness such a stunning sunset... if you ask me, a fitting climax to the perfect Sunday drive.

3-tiered wooden platter

My Dad is doing better. Thank you for your prayers. But I gotta tell you, I am wiped emotionally, mentally and physically. I spent a good part of the time going through hundreds of old pictures and found great comfort in looking through my Dad's life. We are putting together a slideshow of his life. It's something I have wanted to do for some time and the events of this past week forced me to get started. Of course we're praying we won't have to view it any time soon. But it's nice to have it ready when the time comes.

I thought I'd post my latest fall decoration. I've had my eye on this 3-tiered wooden platter at my little thrift store for the past month. It is rather large and marked at $5.98. Well, the other day a gal was packing away all the items that had not sold in the past month and I told her I was waiting for their half-off day to buy that. She then told me she'd mark it down to $1.98! I was like, I would have bought it at half-off. Too funny.

Anyway, I love it and have big plans for its many uses. I have a couple glass tiered platters, but it's fun to have a wooden one for outdoor use. Right away I filled it with dried gourds, leaves, acorns and pine cones. And then Randy & I had a spontaneous date last week and went to dinner at Culver's in Mesa and then drove further east to Hobby Lobby to buy a couple little pumpkins and acorns to complete my 3-tired arrangement. It is finished.

Emolyn in overalls

Is there anything cuter than my grandbaby in overalls? I think not. I found these Old Navy overalls at my little thrift store and then found the cutest top at Kohl's to give it some pop. Of course her hot pink Crocs add even more pop to the ensemble, wouldn't you agree?


And what does she do right away? Slips her little hands in the pockets. That girl is killin me with her cuteness!



Love these two. Daddy & daughter.
My own Dad has been in the hospital this week with pneumonia. My heart has been heavy and sad and anxious. He has been in a nursing home for the past 4 months, in the later stages of Alzheimer.
So we pray... and wait on the Lord.