Garden Swap anyone?

I had so much fun with the Easter swap that I talked with Jerrica and she agreed to teach me how to host a swap. Now remember this is my first and I might screw up, I’ll try not to but please be patient and if you know something I don’t please teach me.

So starting now until the 12th of April you can sign up here in my comment section to play along. On the 13th I will send out a survey for you to complete telling your upcoming swap partner what you like and don’t and if you have any preference to anything. There will be a $20.00 limit and if that means one thing or 5 it doesn’t matter. I’ll need the surveys back by the 16th so that I can get them already to put together to pick out your partner. I’ll send you your partner and their survey on the 17th and it’s all up to you after that. I’d like for you to have your shopping, packaging and shipping all done on or before the 26th so that by May 1st everyone has received their goodies. When it’s all over I’ll get one of the McKlinky’s were you can post from your blog the goodies you got. Now does that sound reasonable, doable to everyone? I sure do hope so. I am also going to partake in this swap. I just can’t do all the work and not play too.

You can cut and paste this button unto your blog if you wish too and link it back to this post and we’ll just see how many great people we get to participate.

 

Good luck everyone and I do hope that this all comes together the way I’m wishing it will.

Oh by the way, like the garden fairy, Kim made this and she said I could “borrow” it for my garden swap. I saw her and thought she was perfect for this. Thank you Kim for sharing.

So take care everyone and have a most blessed, wonderful afternoon.

I almost forgot, if you aren't a blogger and want to do this, just e-mail me at engine3@rileyautosupply.com and you can be part of this too. It's not a problem, I want this available to any and everyone that wants to do this.

Remember the Easter Swap?

My post on the Easter Swap... Well today I received my 1/2 of the Easter Swap. First I have to tell you the friendship, the fun, the challenge, the excitement and the gift…it was so worth it all. I had so much fun getting my goodies to send off and chatting with Natalie along the way made this such a great idea. Natalie at the adventures of Paul and Natalie was my swap partner and I’d have to say she’s a pretty terrific lady.

So I won’t make you wait any longer, see what I got….

The host of this Easter Swap was Jerrica at Something to talk about and if you click on the link I just added you can see all the different swaps that took place. Not all of them are in yet but by Saturday everyone should of gotten and link they goodies.

Thank you to both Jerrica and Natalie. I have to say I had a blast.

Now have a blessed Easter. The good Lord has giving us so much to be thankful for.

Are you a regular blogger?

Are you able to post each day? Do you have ideas that are just running out of your head that you want to share with the world? If you do I have found the greatest challenge for you. Go to I CHALLENGE YOU!!! and see what it’s all about.

I am going to be in the cheering section of this challenge. I don’t think I have that many ideas to share or the time to post something each day (even though I know I can write ahead and have it posted on the right day).

Anyways, you’ve got to head over to Arlee Bird and see what this is about and also about the man that’s putting it all together.

Just think posting through the alphabet, think A is for Anniversary, 30 years in April, B is for Birthday, I’ll be 48 in April, C is for Celebrate, I am one of the luckiest women in the world. I have the most wonderful family, the greatest job, spring is here and we can be out and enjoying the sun and oh so much more like this Sunday Jesus died and arose from his grave so that we (all of us) can except him as our savior and one day spend eternity in heaven with him. Now if you ask me that’s more then a lucky woman, it’s a blessed one as well. D is for diet, a life style change for me, E is for Everyone that I enjoy getting comments from, F is for Followers, I am so happy  you’re there. G is for God, he gave his only begotten son for us. H is for Happy, how can we not be happy, God loves you and so do I. H is for Hell, someplace I’m not going to. I is for me, me myself and I. I’m working to be a better me. J is for Jell-O, sorta like my tummy. K is for those lady exercises so when I do jumping jacks I don’t wet myself. L is for Love, what I have for my husband and son. M is for mama, she’s my turd in my pocket. N is for nope, I just can’t do this challenge this time. O is for opps, I better quit now…it’s almost time for the kids to be up.

Take care my friends and have the most blessed and wonderful afternoon possible.

The moon was beautiful last night…

Was anyone outside last evening and looking up? We were burning last night since the burning ban goes on today and while stirring the pile of hay and what not I was watching the moon come up. It was so beautiful.

        

Burning is not a glamour job but it’s spring and what better way to make sure the ticks aren’t as heavy. Between the chickens and ducks and burning we barely ever get a tick and that goes for the dog and cat too. We’ve already lost a dog to Lyme’s Disease so we now make sure they are protected and have the yard taken care of.

                               

This weekend was busy. We did an Eagle Project for our Local Food Shelf. Alex B. was the man in charge and he did such a great job on his project. Look at the turn out and how much we got. It was just a perfect project. He netted 840 lbs of food. I am so proud of him and the scouts. As you can see my daycare little ones were there too. I couldn’t miss something that important for Alex and Jon wanted so to be part of it so we went and he was able to walk a block and pick up 4 huge bags of groceries.

         

We also went bowling when done and I bowled a whole 91, aren’t I good…..NOT!!!  :o) we had such a blast.

Now it’s back to work today. I have my two and we are about ready to head outside. It’s 40* and suppose to get to 60 something. I am so ready for it to be here and stay. I think we’ll get rid of the chick and chuck house from last winter and get the brooder box out and ready for baby chicks starting the weekend after Easter. I don’t know if I’m going to do the incubator this year or not. We’ll see just how much chicks cost when we got to Grand Rapids.

So my friends. Take care and have a most blessed and adventuresome day. God Bless you all.

Last episode of…….Truck Driving Fridays….

Well I told you I’d just do 6 weeks or so of them and this is my last one. This one for me is sad because it was the ending of something I enjoyed so much. We trucked for 8 years and Jim hated it for at least 7 of them. It really wasn’t the life he wanted but it wasn’t something he wanted to give up right away either. We learned so much out there. Jim was able to bring back such great knowledge for his family business. I’m not sure what I brought back with me, I think I just learned everything there was and have uses it all since so can’t really pinpoint one certain thing. I know I learn independence out there. When it’s just you and the truck there’s no one telling you to get moving, you just know that if you stop you stop making money. You need money to make the payments, insurance, plates, taxes, pro-rated stamps and so much more. There’s permits, fees, fines and more. You want to eat and sleep and not always in a truck stop. You want to play a bit on weekends and not just live in your truck looking out the fish bowl window. So you run, you drive your little heart out and for me I enjoyed it so much. For well over a million miles I drove. Not an accident and really about 5 speeding tickets. One over weight and one over width ticket. Lots and lots of wonderful people met and made friends with. Lots of times I wish I was home but oh so ready to go back out after a few days.

I never knew what was coming. Jim and his dad had been talking but Jim never really said a lot about these calls. I guess Steven was leaving to go into the service and Jim’s dad need him back to help with the family business. Before I knew it Jim had sold our semi and bought a one-ton truck and we were hauling campers for Morgan Drive Away. I think in less then a months time the rug was pulled out from under me and life changed. I don’t remember to many conversations asking me what I thought or felt because Jim knew. He also knew you can’t take the truck away from me and just stop so he thought hauling campers for a few months would help me adjust to no truck. It never really worked. I did know that you can’t be a team if one of those team mates is unhappy and since he was my hubby and he really wanted to go work back his with dad what was I suppose to do? We quit. I cried, I am crying now…after almost 20 years it still hurts…but it’s life and had to be. Jim went back to work with his dad, he was happy. I had to find a job around home so tried a few things but ended up going back to my second favorite job, working at the nursing home. But I couldn’t get driving out of my system so I went back to driving truck just after I had Michael. It wasn’t anything grand or all the time but I was able to drive on Saturdays/Sundays delivering peat. Peat is the stuff you use in your potted plants, they use it on golf courses, lawns and much more. I would get up at 4:00, take care of Mike, pump my breast milk, drop him off at grandma’s,drive to Tamarack, get in my truck, pick up my load and for the day be back where I wanted to be. I took Mike a few times in the truck but it’s not easy with an infant, Jim rode with me a time or two but he wasn’t in his element so it was just me. For two summers I did that until the company went under and I was done. I guess really done because other then helping family haul this or that around I haven’t been back in a truck for a very long time. I miss it to this day. If it was ever possible I think I would jump right back into the truck and off I’d go. But I don’t think that will ever happen again but I have memories, I have shared a few with you and I hope that all of you have had or are having a life that you enjoyed or are enjoying so much that you can share it with others.

I now have my daycare little ones and this is the job for me. I love them all to death and can’t imagine being without them. They are my life and wouldn’t in a million years trade them for anything, even driving truck…that is for now, one day they won’t need me, Mike will be grown up and out on his own, Jim will be full owner of the store and then….just maybe there will be a red International truck out on the road again with a lady driver with the biggest grin on her face doing just what makes her happy, DRIVING TRUCK!!!

Take care my friends. Have a terrific day. God Bless!!!

It’s new friend time….meet and greet some wonderful people…

Head over to Lynn's and sign up for Friday Follow and this week is even better, the folks at Toothsoap is giving everyone that advertises for them a chance to win $100.00. You know how we all could use that extra big of bucks and if you read all about the Toothsoap it really is a great product. So click on my Friday Follow button on the right side, and go sign up to meet and greet some very terrific people and then also click on the Toothsoap button on the right and check them out. Follow the instructions on Lynn’s site about putting the buttons on your blog and take the chance you just might win. I’m trying, as you can see.

It is so nice to meet you all and I hope that you have the most blessed day possible and an even more wonderful weekend. Take care and God Bless!!!

Finished my eggs….

Well this batch anyways. I found eggs at Brainerd Crafts (I wish either Michael’s or Craft Direct or something big would come and bring us a huge craft store or that our smaller craft stores could offer more) but not exactly what I wanted but they ended up working just fine. They were the size you’d use for decorating with bird nests and then they had two bigger ones in wood so got them and I had 5 that came from beginner chickens that we just dry and keep for misc projects and here’s what they all turned out like. I love them and they look so cool on my table.

 

I don’t do to much for decorating but like to have some pretties for my table.

The kids and I will make an egg tree next week but not sure if will use eggs or just cut out egg shapes and let them decorate them. We’ll see.

My daddy and I took a walk last night and here’s what we saw down on their lake.

As you can see it’s still cold here and the ice is still on the lakes but the creeks are opening and the swans, geese and ducks are coming back. We also got to see green grass at our neighbors artesian well. It’s a constant flowing well. It never freezes so there’s always fresh water any time of day or season. Daddy has two of them and we have one.

This morning is was zero when I got up, it might look like spring, start feeling like spring but this morning it’s not.

So I’m off today. Going to take my mama shopping. I broke my sewing machine bobbin holder so have to see if I can get a replacement for that. I would really love if Jim would get me a new machine for my birthday this year but money isn’t flowing too good here so maybe just a new bobbin for now.

So take care my friends and have a blessed day today. God Bless you all!!!

Friday Follow and a great give away….

You all know about Friday Follow, right?  Lynn and a couple other host this each Friday. Well now along with that as long as you follow a couple of rules you could be the winner of a hundred bucks. $100.00

So to get that money you have to do the Friday Follow and also put this in your post and on your side bar. I think it would also be a grand idea to go and check it out and see what it’s all about too so that “when” you win the $100.00 you’ll be able to know exactly who and what about the company. So as you can see I’m going to give it a try. We all can use the extra cash.

Take care and have a wonderful, blessed day today!!!

Wordless Wednesday…

Do you have a caption that’s fitting for this?

Poor mousey.

By the way, he got away.

Take care and God Bless!!!

Blog award…

Momvsboys sent this awesome blog award on to me. It’s so cool getting an award. It feels so nice knowing people like my blog.

For this award you need to thank the person who sent it to you so THANK YOU so much momvsboys for this cool award.

And then pass it on to 10 fantastic bloggers and then contact them and let them know they won. So here it goes…

1. Kim (yes Kim I know you said no more awards but I can’t help myself, with so much happening on your blog you deserve this).

2. The Warrior in ME

3. Joe

4. Jodi

5. Kari and Kari's homepage

6. Stefany

7. Ms. Sarah and Sarah's homepage

8. Casey

9. Angela and Angela's homepage

10. Frenchie

Now really I’m suppose to do 15 bloggers but the reason I picked the 10 is because they have left the most recent comments for me and you know how I love that. Plus a couple extras because they are so great.

Take care my friends. Enjoy our beautiful spring weather. God Bless!!!

Oh I got a great craft for this week….

And I thought Martha was all about things I couldn’t do. Well I’m learning. I saw the neatest idea for eggs so yesterday I went on the hunt for eggs. I remember long ago you could buy wooden eggs in a bag that were different sizes. Well guess not where I’m from because I couldn’t find them at Wal-mart or Ben Franklin crafts in Brainerd. I ended up with 2 large wooden eggs and then some plastic kind but not the kids Easter egg kind, just the kind you’d find in pretend nests. So I’m going to work with them this afternoon along with some tiny dried eggs from here (beginner chickens lay the cutest tiniest eggs and we just collected them and let them dry up. There aren’t yokes in those little eggs so while they are drying they really don’t stink like a big egg would left out). I can’t tell you what I’m doing exactly but I’m hoping that they turn out as good as the one Martha shows. I’ll share when I get started and then you’ll see.

Mike brought home my little bag of Easter decorations. We don’t decorate to much for Easter because for me it’s not the bunny it’s the Lord’s day but with daycare little ones we have to have some. We are going to make the Sock Bunnies to I told you about. Naomi is stopping by the Dollar Store for me today and picking up a package of them.

In two weeks we’ll be getting our baby chicks so then I’ll take some pictures of my daycare kids for Easter. I try and take pictures each year for the parents and save them a bit of money. I’m not a bad photographer so sometimes the pictures are priceless. If for some reason we don’t get chicks before I need to take pictures we’ll go and “borrow” a baby goat and take some with that. I may also see if Terri has any baby bunnies by then, now that would be a cute picture too, baby bunnies and goats. I’ll check with her this week and see what’s happening.

Today we put away all the winter toys and bring out the summer ones. Get the bikes ready to roll all the Tonka stuff out and just maybe this coming weekend I can go get a load of sand for the new sandbox. We have one huge one but am going to make a smaller one for the wee ones.

Well the week is off and running so that means I had better be too. It’s time for eggs and sausages for breakfast and then we’ll be heading outside.

Take care my friends and I do hope that you have the most blessed day possible. I’ll post my project later on and show you what’s happening here. Click here if you want just an idea what I’m going to try.  Glittered eggs  then while there, check out the slide show and see all the other ideas I really want to try too.

God Bless you all!!!

Truck Driving Friday….

Well it’s Friday again and it’s another episode of Truck Driving Friday.

Have any of you been to Disney on Ice? You know like the Icescapes but with the Disney crew? Well for about 6 months Jim and I worked with them. We started out just hauling their trailers from city to city on Mondays/Tuesday and then sitting on our buts for 5 days waiting to go again to the next city. Well if anyone knows you can’t work two days a week and make a living so we talked to dispatch and the the crew of Disney on Ice and if we couldn’t haul something in-between times we couldn’t stay with them. That didn’t work for dispatch or Disney because they needed a guarantee that there would be someone to haul that trailer to the next city on time. So we became guards, security guards. We worked 12 hour shifts, Jim nights me days, that is unless Jim wanted to go out with Danny (he was another driver that only needed to work 2 days a week and enjoyed play time). Another story, another time.

Do you remember the show that you went too? Was is Snow White on Ice? If it was that was our show. Do you know that for 6 months, 4 days each week, 3 shows per day we were there. We could tell you word for word what was going to be said, what move they were going to be making, what moved they missed, what move they changed. We got to know each and everyone of the skaters and families and we became their family. For awhile we lived in our truck for each week while working or not. After about the third week or so of hauling for them, being security for them, becoming part of the Disney family they took us in, each time we got to a new city there was room for us, a place to stay and always our dog was included. Try this on for size, downtown Denver Colorado, a grand Holiday Inn and here we are truck drivers…nothing fancy but we are going in and out the front door with our 125 lb Malamute named Bear. People look, people watch but we are welcomed. It felt good to become part of their family. We were there for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, for Easter and then they were done in the United States and were heading to Japan. They invited us to come with them but that just wasn’t for us but it was great to be asked.

I can still remember Pete and Darlene’s names, they were Snow White and the Prince. Heather was the Wicked Witch and all the dwarfs were very young ladies, very petite ladies. You know how hard they worked and practiced every week to bring everyone that show. Each day they skated for at least 2 hours each, (not including the 3 shows per day, 2 hours each) working, practicing and working together to make sure everything was timed perfectly. They would add or subtract a move to improve the show. They were always working on costumes, sets and we were right they helping them too. I even learned to skate with them. Oh I could always kind of skate but Jim went and bought me a new pair of skates to work out with them. 

It was another one of life’s adventures driving truck. Wouldn’t trade it for anything at all.

So that’s that. It’s the start of a great weekend. Take care my friends. God Bless you all!!!

New Friend Friday and Friday Follow…

Diana at The Girl Creative is the host of New Friend Friday and she’s also got so many other goodies to read and learn about. You should see the purse she made yesterday. So cool.

and

Lynn at Midday Escapades is the host of Friday Follow (really it’s her and a couple other cool ladies). Go sign up at both places and start meeting and greeting new people.

It is so neat being able to learn new things from others, see what is going on in different parts of the world and meeting and greeting new people.

I have met so many wonderful people, had new people think I have something interesting to share, get comments that are so much fun reading and seeing. Give it a shot, I promise you, you’ll love it.

Have a great Friday. Take care and God Bless.

He did it…

Mike just bought his first vehicle today. I picked him up from school and he was so excited to go and get it. We met the owner at the License Bureau and did the title transfer and license fees and the car was officially Mike’s. When he owner handed the keys over Mike just smiled. This is a priceless picture. His first of many.

This was one of those days that will be etched in my memory forever. When Mike did the show and tell to his grandfather, he just beamed at Mike and made Mike feel like a million bucks.

So a day in the life of a young man. So cool to watch him grow up, so proud of what he’s becoming.

Take care my friends, thank you for letting me share my son with you.

Good night and God Bless!

P.S. The little munchkin that was with Mike is Hannah, my littlest daycare one. She loves him so and was trying to wake him up so he could play with her before he headed off to work and school. See I kept Wordless Wednesday wordless, at least the picture part. Had a couple request as to who she was so wanted to explain.

Wordless Wednesday…

St. Patties day…

It’s tomorrow and I’m a bad daycare mom, we didn’t make anything at all. I put up a tiny bit of garland and that’s all. And our name is Riley….now that’s bad. I’m not Irish but Jim and Mike are but I don’t think either of them care what I do to this house as long as they can find their chairs, find the bathroom and find food. I know Justin and Hannah don’t care as long as we are doing something fun so this time this holiday can come and go and we’ll just start on Easter next week.

Kari’s daughter brought over some cool sock bunnies that Kari shared on her blog, I think that is something the little ones and I can make and take home next week. I bet I can even find kid socks at the Dollar Store and I already have everything else we’d need to do them.

Of course we’ll do eggs and I think I’m going to see what I can find for either paper ones or foam ones the kids can paint to put on a egg tree. We don’t do to much because Easter IS NOT about the Easter bunny and all that stuff, it’s about Christ dying for us and raising up so that we can except him, follow him and one day go and live with him. I do teach that part of Easter to the kids too so they get a bit of this and that and it’s up to the parents to take it all further if they want too.

I am going to try and work on a Tablescape. Karin over at the Style Sisters has send me the most beautiful light blue napkin ring holders and I promised to make a tablescape with them. Boy did I make a big promise. For me I don’t have fancy things here. We have mostly just your normal every day things, I do have a nice set of dishes my mama got me a couple of years ago that I can use but no napkins, no table clothe, no candle holders, no stemware …. any of that stuff to make it but I didn’t tell Karin when I’d get it done so I will search the thrift stores, maybe mama’s house and Kim’s house and see what I can come up with. I’d like to do something springy or summery so we’ll just see. I’ll keep you posted and show you what I finally come up with. I had e-mailed my aunt Pat because she has the most beautiful house and I knew she’d know something about it and she gave me a few really neat ideas to work in.

But all in all guys that’s about all that’s happening. Oh there is one really super cool thing, Mike bought his first new car this past weekend and tomorrow will go and get it. He is so excited and I will take a picture of it and share with you all. It’s a 1991 Chevy Suburban, 4x4. Did you know that we already own 3 other 1990 Chevy Suburban’s?  There’s marshmallow, it’s the rustiest, most wore out one and rides like your sitting on a marshmallow. There’s my winter sub, it’s 4x4, 1/2 ton with plenty of rust on it and then there’s my summer sub, it’s also a 4x4, 3/ ton but came from Las Vega and hasn’t a spick of rust on it so it sits all winter long waiting for the roads to get cleaned off of all that salt plus it’s the one I had the accident with last year and still needs to make it into the shop to have the rear doors replaces. It really wasn’t my accident but I was part of it. A young man and his two friends were busy chatting away and miss that fact that the light was still red and no one was moving so creamed us at at least 30 mph. No one was hurt except the muscle aches later on so a blessing there, just his truck was toast, mine just the rear doors and the van in front of me his hatch was never going to open up again because the truck hit me hard enough to push me into the van. I didn’t have any front end damage so that was good. This is also why I am so happy that Mike decided to get a suburban. He’ll be safe in there from just about anything on the road, at least same size or less. Oh one more thing, since it’s a Chevy (as you can tell that’s what we like) they all have at least 150,000 miles on them and the one with the most has almost 300,000 and is still going strong. There’s also  2 1989 blazers, 2 1988 1 ton trucks, 1 1949 Chev fire truck and 1 1962 Chev fire truck. We’d make a great Chevy commercial.

Take care my friends and have a blessed afternoon. Happy St. Patrick’s day to anyone that celebrates it or enjoys it. God Bless you all!!!

I finally beaded…

Nothing huge like I had planned but I made this instead and I think it turned out really neat. I got the butterfly when Kim and I went Thrift Store shopping, paid $1.50 for it, had all the beads and even the glass pendant. It’s not one of those lead crystal ones, this was one of the very first glass ones I bought before I found crystal. It’s still very pretty though and I really like it.

The kids and I are heading over to see great grandma and grandpa and then down to the barn to see the goats. I’m going to bring my camera today and get new pictures of them. The last time Mike, Scott and I were over there it was so much fun getting into the pen with them. The goats are so spoiled and so loving and …. well I love them as much as the kids do.

So take care and have a blessed day.

Truck Driving Friday #2…

#2 only because somewhere along the lines I lost it. I wrote it yesterday, had it ready to post, and this morning it was suppose to posted but….well it’s not there. So I guess that means I’ll write it again….but the second time is never nearly as good as the first time.

Have you ever been hit by lightening, not really you…say your car or really very close to the car? Well it happened to me not one but twice in one night, in the truck hauling 60,000 lbs of saw dust from Minneapolis to a small family farm in Wisconsin. What started out as a super cool summer night turned into the most scared I have ever been in my whole life and that includes being in Chicago in the middle of the night, dropping of garbage cans in Louisiana where I was the only white person around (by the way, not that color makes any difference to me what so ever, I was just way out numbered), not almost driving over an older couple in their teeny tiny little car on a freeway going 80 miles an hour in Texas during a rain storm. Never before or never since. Anyways,

It’s a warm night, the radio finally comes in (no XM yet), the windows are opened on the truck and Jim is sound asleep in the bunk when all of a sound there is this bright light and a deafening noise. Lightening has hit the guard rail next to the truck. I scream, at least I’m pretty sure I did, I come to a quick stop and the truck dies. Lighten and electronics just don’t mix well. Jim still sleeps. I change a couple fuses, start the truck back up and head down the road again. I’m guessing less then 10 minutes later it hits my truck. The mirror bracket on the passenger side. Instantly the truck dies and I am pretty sure I saw my life flash before my eyes. It scared me so bad. It’s an amazingly bright light and the noise, it’s not just a bit loud it’s beyond that. Jim is awake now sure that I’ve killed us yet again (by the way, in the million miles I drove, I never, ever had an accident but you’d never know that they way he always thought I was going to get us killed). Since the truck is dead and Jim’s the fixer he gets to spend the rest of the night replacing fuses, rewiring a few things and trying to calm down his almost hysterical wife. I had to change my clothes, you know why and then sit and relax for a long time before I was able to function safely again. I think that is why I really hate lightening and thunder now, it just scares the pants right off me. It never happened again but twice in a life time was two time to many.

Do you like Hot Air Balloons? I was driving though Iowa and they were having some kind of festival or get together or something and there were hundreds of them. I really mean hundreds of them. Some in the air, some getting there, some flat on the ground. It goes on for miles and miles and I’m so interested in watching them, keeping up with them I’m speeding along and not paying a bit of attention to my speed and next thing you know, well I bet you can guess, I get my first speeding ticket in the truck. 80 in a 65, not good and quite expensive and my first real learning experience with paying attention no matter what. But I did get to see the most beautiful sights watching those balloons floating in the air. It was really good.

Last one, yes it’s possible to cry yourself out of a ticket when it’s Christmas eve and all you want to do is get home for Christmas. It was late on Christmas eve, we’d been out for 9 weeks and I wanted to go home. I wanted to go home really, really bad so I’m hammering away and just thinking home, home….and out of no where comes this officer. I stopped and before he’s even to the truck I’m crying. Not because I’m about to get another ticket, because I just wanted to go home. He looks at me, motions me to get into his car and I’m a blubbering idiots. I told him yes, just give me the ticket, I was wrong and I knew it but I wanted to go home. I just wanted to be home with mama and daddy. We sit and chatter a few minutes, he never asked for my log book which really was great because you can’t make it from the east side of Ohio to where I was at in the time period my log book said and I think he knew all of this. I think he was checking, doing his job without wrecking my Christmas. He let me go with a Merry Christmas, a hug and a bit more respect for the officers of the law. They are human not just mean machines out there to make some money.

So there you have it. Another story in the life of a lady truck driver. It was a great life guys, we say 48 states, 2 providences. We got to sight see, visit a few place we would never of gone in our life time. We made a bit of money and learned more life lesson in those 8 years then lots of people learn in a life time.

Thanks for stopping by for me to share Truck Driving Friday. Take care and have a great TFIG!!! God Bless you all.

New idea…

Like Friday Follow? Like to meet and greet new people, well here’s another great place to become involved with. Just might find someone that likes you, that wants to follow you, that thinks your interesting. Or someone you like, you want to follow or you find interesting. Give it a shot. I am. You just never know who will come into your life and give you something you didn’t know was missing.

Meet and greets, such great ideas from some super great people. Thank you everyone.

Click on the Something New banner, New Friend Friday.

Quicky...

The kids broke my heart today and it really wasn't even their faults, well sorta anyways. They were so naughty that no matter what I said they did the opposite. I finally had a screaming fit, sent them all outside to sit on the porch and work it out. They made me cry and I know why, my period is coming and no matter what I did to not cry it just didn't work so I cried, I let them see me cry and blamed it all on them. Told them they hurt my feelings and it made me sad. Boy I think you could of pushed them all over with a feather when I said that. Then I went inside and ignored them all sitting on the porch with no coats, no shoes just thinking. A short time later, maybe 4 minutes or so the door opens a crack and a little voice is heard..."I'm sorry Julie, I love you". It was Justin. That did it, I went back outside made them promise to please be good and we started our party for Rachel's birthday. After all was said and done it was a pretty good day here. Rachel got a necklace and bracelet with agates from me plus that box I had made for her. Anton brought her a bunny he got last night and the coolest letter card he wrote all by himself and Jon made her a triangle with a guitar pick on it (he knows she like to play guitar). She got her angel food cake with lots of fudge frosting and lots and lots of love, that is after my melt down.
Here's "my" Rachel and me....I sure do love her.

Friday Follow…

The greatest most wonderful way to meet and greet some terrific, wonderful, charming, talented, creative, fun and more people. Please hop over to Lynn's and join in the fun. I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

For me, I’m a normal everyday person. Working my hardest to be the best me possible. I am a wife of just about 30 years, a mama to the most wonderful 18 year old anyone could ever want. I am on a new life style change. I want to feel better, look better, move better and be better in this body the good Lord has given me. It’s a challenge, a hard one but so far I’ve been able to lose 11 lbs and about 22 inches in fat. I run a home based daycare and have 3 families that join me just about every day. They are in ages from 1 – 10 and in fact today is Rachel's 10th birthday party. I have had all of them except Jon since babyhood, and Jon came at 1 1/2, and they are an extension of my family. Mike is an only child but only when he wants to be, he has “bothers and sisters” any time he needs them and they have a big bother that loves them to death. Mike said when Abby was  born how was he going to love her as much as Rachel, just a few days later after she was born he said, my heart grew I can love her and lots more mama. It was so cool to hear him love them that much.

So if you want to know more, go read all you want. I have a second blog that’s fairly new, I just started it in January, it’s Julie, the going to be new me...one day I hope....Join me on my journey in life and I promise you I’ll try to keep you entertained and maybe once in awhile be able to teach you a thing or two.

Take care and have the most blessed Friday Follow. God Bless you all!!

Give away….

Over at Kim's she’s having a cool give away. You’ll love the goodies she has. She is such a talented lady, you’ve got to check out the rest of her blog too. I sent her to a few other places to add her give away too so hurry up and sign up tomorrow.

Kim has taught me so much guys. Before I met her I didn’t do a whole bunch of crafting. Oh I made jewelry and some sewing and clocks but nothing putzy or nothing useful. Kim has taught me to take a piece of material and turn it into a tote, a basket or something else cool. She’s taught me to look at things and see past what it is. That’s how the chair came about or mama shelf or even the wood crafts I’m learning. She has a creative mind like none other. Go and see just what she’s been up to. Look at her past post and just see if she can inspire you.

Thanks Kim for all that you do for me. Your friendship has been a god send, really. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Great friendships are hard to find, I am so glad you are in mine. I love you girlfriend!!!

Now go guys, check her out and tomorrow sign up for her cool give away. It’s Kim at www.ubercrafter.blogspot.com

God bless my friends, take care.

Did you know….

That you can spend a whole day on two small crafts? That’s what I did. Oh I did get the chores done, the house picked up and a good supper made but other then that I worked on these…

I just used 1/4” plywood and the scroll saw and cut them out from a pattern I got from Kim's blog. You’ve got to go there and see her creation. Anyway, It took me a good chunk of the morning to cut out these pieces. The bunnies weren’t to bad but the other little ones, well it took me awhile.

Here’s the finish project. I didn’t do one of the bunnies, gonna save that for Rachel to do and if anyone else decides they want one I’ll cut out more.

I used scrapbook paper and Mod Podge, glitter and a piece of yarn, oh and wood glue to put it all together. I think they turned out pretty good. Mama was here today and I think she’d like the chicken and my sister collects bunnies so I’m sure he can find a home there. That is unless I decide to keep them that is.

So that was how I spend my childless day. No one to talk to on the phone, Kim was gone, mama and daddy had business, Brenda was off so it was me, myself and I and you know, I wasn’t to bad a company. It was really quiet though and I think next time it’s just me like that I’ll turn on the radio, but otherwise it was a great day. Back to work tomorrow.

Take care my friends, have a great evening and nights rest. Tomorrow is a new day, less just see how great we can make it. God Bless you all!

Wordless Wednesday..

I have seen that on many blogs and haven’t a clue who to give credit too so just so you know, I’m not taking credit for it and if it’s your idea, please tell me and when I do it again I promise to say you told me to do it. :o)

Anyways, I was looking though lots of photos the other day and came across a few that I think would be so great for a Wordless Wednesday. So for today here’s the one I picked….

It’s title is Niner… a turkey we hatched with the tiny yellow incubator you see in the background. He was hatched on 9/9/99 and this is my son holding him. Sorry about the sticker by Mike’s head, I had it attached in my cupboard for years and somehow got that darn thing on it.

Truck Driving Friday…a bit late…

 

As you know I took a few days off from blogging and total forgot about Truck Driving Friday so I’m going to post one here but it’s just going to be a short one and then I’ll be better this coming Friday.

Oh I have a good one to share.

While our truck was having a new engine put in it we drove for another friend of ours. We ended up in a cab over. That’s where the engine is under the cab and not like our truck with the engine out front. Sorta like driving in a fish bowl.

Any who, it was dark, Jim was sleeping and I missed my turn so I’m about to turn around in a propane dealerships parking lot and it’s a down hill driveway and in front of me is a huge propane tank but it’s not a problem that is until Jim feels me slowing down, wakes up and peaks his head out of the bunk and proceeds to scream, I hit the brakes, he hits the windshield, he yells pretty sure he’s going to die and I’m not breathing to great. Here’s what he thought, he felt me turn, didn’t understand why, took a peak out and saw the truck heading right for the propane tank, thought maybe I’d fallen asleep, screamed and hit the window. Can you imagine what was going though his mind? He was scared to death. He said he saw his life flash before his eyes. Me I was just doing my job, miss a turn and was turning around. After we both caught our breaths, got situated and headed back to the drop off Jim was wide awake for a full day before he could relax. To look back at it, it’s funny but at that time….well let’s say Jim will never ever forget that day, nor will I.

Enough for today. Just a snack before next Friday.

Take care and have a great and blessed Sunday.

Don’t forget too….

The Groschen Goblin’s St. Patties give away. You can click on the side bar poster and it'll take you right to them.

Just thought I’d remind you just in case you’ve forgotten. I think I’ve enter just about every one of the Groschen Goblin’s give aways.

Take care and have a great evening. God Bless my friends.

Fun idea…

Name: Easter's Blogger Swap
When to sign up: Now, in the comment section at Jerrica blog
Deadline to sign up: March 12th
Swap Date: March 25th.
What's going on?: She’ll send out a survey. You all fill it out and send it back to her. She’ll assign everyone partners. You'll send your partner (which is the same person that will be assigned to you) a package of Easter goodies. (Spending limit $20)

Oh just think of the goodies we can find since we know a bit ahead of time. I’m going to join, are you?

Have a great and blessed weekend.

Remember I told you…

That Kim was coming over for a visit today and we were going to putze a bit. Well, we putzed a lot. She brought her stamp pads and stamps over for me to finish up the front of my frame. You really can’t see the stamping to well in the picture but it’s there. Now all I have to do is finish up the hanger and picture holder part on the back and I’ll be ready to hang it.

She brought over bread dough so we made Mike homemade cinnamon rolls. I say “we” but really she did all the work, all I had to do was bake them. Of course my little ones had to “help” too. I had pictures of all three of them working on the rolls but accidently deleted them, now that royally bites because it was such a cute picture. But here’s the rolls.

Then she taught me how to make a take along filing system. She started me off with the how to’s and left me to get it done. Hers is better looking but mine will work.

We had a great time, I so love it when she comes to visit. I think we need to make it a regular routine her coming here and teaching me things.

The other night I was cutting out chicks on a stick. I got the idea and pattern from Holly and then did my own thing. I love how they turned out and may just have to make some more. Brenda stopped and really liked them so just may have to make her a couple.

I also did this. I got a sample of Koshi Cereal in the mail and just loved the box it came in so I recovered it and now it’ll make a perfect gift box for Rachel's birthday coming up. That is if I can part with it.

 

And last but not least….

Mama and I finished decorating her downstairs basement. It started out like this….

And ended up like this…

The total cost of the redo was $30.00. The Thrift store finds, the shelf I redid, the candle thingy's, the ivy, agates and all was less then $5.00 and the little creatures were the rest of the budget but hey, there were just to cute to turn down.

Since I haven’t sat on my computer for a good chunk of the evening I was able to get my end table taken apart and sanded and now will figure out how to use my router and then add the 1/2 marbles, grout, bar coat and put it all back together. That will be another day and time but hopefully before spring gets here.

So my friends, that’s that here at the Life of Riley’s. I’ll be back to pester you next week sometime. I’m thinking it’s a great time to go to Terri’s and see the baby calves and to Mark’s and see the baby goats. Soon it’ll be time for baby chicks and ducks. Spring is coming. Just think it’ll be time to start the gardening soon (well for us another 3+ months but it’s still not that far off).

Take care and God Bless!!!