Playing It Safe.

I haven't gotten into the Winter Olympics like I normally do, but I'm sitting here watching tonight. Sounds like the cold in Korea is making unique challenges in some sports but one guy summed it up: everyone is trying to play it safe but it's a go big or go home type of situation. I'll be the first to say, I am not a risk taker. Not at all. -- Random thought: how do the skaters spin like that and not wobble around like a drunken monkey?  And is it just evil to watch these Olympians and then a commercial for a bacon, egg and cheese buttered biscuit combo? Just checking.

2017 became the year of vendor events for mom and I and our business, Pressed Clovers. I use the business term lightly, But mom makes girls' hair bows and I sew baby bibs and burp cloths. We tried selling at a tractor show and did great! And then we went full steam ahead. Who knew there were Spring vendor shows? So here we go again... Winding up for round two! Very excited. You can find us online at Pressed Clovers on Facebook and at Pressed Clovers on Etsy. We are on Instagram, too, as Pressed Clovers and I probably post more there as I'm completing items.

I discovered sewing is the only thing that can shut my brain down after a long day at work. If I think about anything, even about what I'm sewing, I will mess up. So I have to clear my mind and just exist for the sewing machine. Some nights it's a struggle. :)

Since I have the Olympics on, let me just say how much I miss Scott Hamilton. I love ice skating but Tara and Johnny are snarky and rude. They have little tact and it's just annoying.

Ok enough of that. I'm switching between the Olympics and Victoria on PBS. If you don't watch PBS, you are missing out on excellent television. Masterpiece Theater is awesome. Independent Lens also brings great programming, too. And I'm loving Ann Curry's show, We Will Meet Again. Good stuff. Tuesday nights - check it out. You'll cry. At least I cry.

So many things make me cry these days. The Apple Iwatch commercial with the letters from users - sniff sniff. Sad movies - sniff sniff. We took Macy to see The Star and when Mary told Joseph something about God never promised an easy life -- SNIFF SNIFF! And I'm sooo tired. I struggle to sleep, struggle to stay asleep, struggle to stay awake at work. It's terrible. If Spring doesn't get here soon and we can leave these snowy, cold, dreary, days behind I'm going to lose my mind.

I'll come back and add more pictures tomorrow. I'm actually doing this from my poor old phone, screen cracked, washed in a load of clothes and then dunked in the tub. Amazing. :) sweet dreams friends!

Friday's Letters... Been a long time coming.

Jump for Joy! How could you not with this wonderful kitty cat celebrating life so expressively? Love!   Get your own here. I like this one, too:

Anyway, today is Friday.  And I haven't done Friday's letters in 1.2 million years.  So today, I am joining the masses writing their letters to the universe and celebrating the beginning of the Wonderful Weekend! Woop woop!

Dear Olympics - I love you and I hate you.  I love the excitement of cheering for Team USA, however, I hate the late nights.  And I'm sick of seeing qualification rounds. Or repeats, like bobsleds that have four rounds! All I really like is ice skating in the Winter Olympics, and I think that's over now. Good. Maybe I'll go to bed and get some sleep.

Spring-like Weather - I adore you. I'm in love with you. I want you to stay here for at least several months and push the hot and humid Summer temps back as far as possible.  Pretty please? And Snow - I'm over you for this year. How about staying away for a while?

Dear Old Friend EJR whose birthday is on Monday - You've been on my mind and I hope you are well.  I so regret things weren't able to work out, but I suppose that's life.  I wish you SO VERY WELL and I hope you are content and at peace in life.  Happy Birthday, RubberSoul. :)

Dear Sweet Nieces - Both of you are home this weekend. Yippiee! And ONE of you has a BIRTHDAY!!! WoOp WoOp!!  Happy 12th Sweet Niece #1! :) I'm so proud of the young lady you are - you are a TREASURE!

Dear Downton Marathon on Sunday - I'm so ready for you... SAD it's the FINALE (What the heck, I thought this season just started?!) but I'm so excited for multiple episodes back to back.

Friends Grace & Sherry - I enjoyed dining with you, Grace, and phone visiting with you, Sherry! I feel so blessed, so thankful that God put such special people in my life to be my friends.

I hope all your weekends are wonderful! I'm off to go dancing to my car like the cats above and spinning myself on home to see my family.  Enjoy! :)

Photo Challenge Wednesday: 6

This is another week of sickies, but thankfully I'm feeling better.  Especially as I sit here and watch tons of snow coming down with the expectation of up to 5 or more inches over the next few days. Heaven help - I'm Southern, I don't like cold weather!

Anyway... moving on to this week's photos, starting with Wednesday, February 5...

Ready for bed... ZZzzzzz....

Wednesday, February 5: My first mostly full day back at work! Woo hoo! So happy to be feeling better and getting life back to normal. I've been sleeping for up to 10 hours at a time, so it's about time for me to get back to the ho-hum regular life.

Macy concentrating on the Ipad 

Driving to work with a pretty sunrise

Thursday, February 6: I worked ALL DAY! And saw Macy for the first time in ages (or so it feels...) She plopped herself in my lap for me to read to her. Melts my heart.

As soon as Dad laid down in the floor (with a leg cramp!) Macy hopped right on top of him,
like he was her personal jungle gym! hahaha

Driving home - isn't this tree so pretty?

Friday, February 7:  The opening ceremonies for the Olympics! I love the Olympics and thought it was a beautiful start to the games. Yes, I know the stupid snowflake didn't open, but seriously - there was SO MUCH MORE TO IT than just that! Dang... let it go already.  Best wishes for ALL athletes to be safe and compete fairly and ethically.

Susan Branch calendar!! My first, I'm so excited! 

Found this in Books a Million.  Really? Cats love it? Really?!

Saturday, February 8: Mom has been so sick and really wanted to get out of the house but hasn't felt up to it.  So we did a quick run out to pick up some felt and this WONDERFUL calendar by Susan Branch.  Don't know who she is? Oh, please visit her site and check her out. I really enjoyed the outing with Mom... glad she's doing a bit better and back to keeping Sweet Niece #2 again.

Sweet Niece #1's feet sticking out of the Princess Tent.

So good to see her this weekend! She cracks me up!

Sunday, February 9: We all skipped church with the coughs and aches. Lost power briefly, but it allowed Dad to test out the generator for the coming snow this week.  I gave Sweet Niece #1 another Valentine - MadLibs Valentines and she had a BLAST with it! We all laughed ourselves silly over her crazy valentines! She is such a joy and a lifesaver to Katie since she basically kept the baby this past weekend.  Everyone else in the house was sick!  Of course, Sunday night = DOWNTON ABBEY!!!! A.D.O.R.E. that show. 

Will you be my valentine?

Monday, February 10:  I finished up sewing these felt hearts and delivered the last batches this morning.  I counted it up and realized I made more than 50 felt hearts, which were sent all over the country.  I can't explain to you how much joy I received by sharing a little bit of handmade love with friends.  This bowl held the reminder, but now I'm down to just four. :) *love*

Cold feet? My coworkers sock-covered piggies hugging the heater.

Bye Sweet Niece! Aunt Beth has to go to work!

Tuesday, February 11:  The minute I walked out of the house, I was hit with SNOW. Fat wet flakes making the morning a little chilly.  Sweet Niece #1 wished me well on my way to work, blowing me kisses.  Once again, I'm at my desk, watching the snow pour down.  Sounds like we are in for a serious storm here in South Carolina, so I hope all you Southerners stay safe and warm.  I don't plan on leaving my house once I get in it! More Olympics tonight - Eeiikk! Ice skating, which is my favorite in the winter games.  And I so hope we won't be expected to drive in this mess tomorrow... ya'll, say a prayer because I despise driving in snow and ice.

And so, I'm scheduling this to post Wednesday morning in hopes I'll still be home in my warm bed, WITH POWER!  :)  Hope you are enjoying the photo challenge as much as I am. :)

Friday's Letters - 6

Dear dear friends Sara, Grace & Donna, it was lovely seeing each of you this week (ok, Sara should have been last week, but anyway). I love having time to catch up, visit, laugh together and share concerns together. Ya'll are each so awesome in your own individual ways. <3

Dear Macy, you continue to grow so fast and it sometimes just makes me so sad to see how quickly you change! I pray for you - that you'll be a joy-filled child of God and will follow His plan for you! :) 

Dear Sister, I am so proud of you! Helping you decorate your classroom yesterday, seeing how much thought you put into everything - the order of the posters so they create a timeline, the bulletin boards with artifacts of the first chapter & shout outs to the outstanding students, the books you have for them to read, - you care so much about these students. You are an amazing teacher and these students are so lucky to have you! 

Dear Gabby, YOU GO GIRL! You rocked the Olympics and held your faith high for all the public to see! You are a great inspiration for so many girls and I'm very happy for all your success!

Dear Olympics, I'm ready for you to end. I feel like so many of our sports and athletes aren't featured at all in our media and attention is only given to particular ones (sorry Gabby!).  So please end and let's get back on schedule. Thank you. 

Dear Blog Universe, Friday's Letters readers, random peeps - THANK YOU! I have found the most amazing people out there to follow, from designers, decorators, cooks, creative people, everyday life people, faith-filled people, I LOVE IT! Thanks for dropping by my slice of the world and inviting me to be part of yours! 

Join the fun!

Off the wagon.

I had every intention of being good today. Greek yogurt and wheat English muffin for breakfast. Water. More water. But then lunch came about and I couldn't face another salad. I just couldn't.

So I went to Burger King and splurged on a Whopper Jr. sans cheese combo with Diet Coke. I was pretty excited. Except that once I came back to the office, conversation after conversation after customer etc kept me from eating my splurge while it was warm and yummy. Ice cold splurge = not so tasty. So... that splurge sucked. Goes to show you should stay on the wagon, eh?

Must say hello to my friend, Sara, who had lunch with me on Friday. She should have made it into Friday's Letter, so shame on me for not including that. Bad Bethie! Sara is so totally awesome - an adventure seeker, camper, international traveler, good listener, somewhat shy until you get to know her, super nice, beautiful, kind, - she's got a lot of qualities I wish I had. I live through her travels and adventures across the globe. :) And I envy her tan because she never looks pasty sugar white like I do and that's just not fair. :(


Summer weather is so strange.  Here are three photos from the past week or so.

Foggy morning drive. I love foggy mornings on the road because I usually dip below the fog and then drive back up into it. Kinda neat. 

Do you see the crazy downpour on the right?! One area just got blasted!

My rainy drive into work this morning. Not a fan of rainy days, though we need the rain badly.

Well, tomorrow is a new day and I promise to stick to the plan better.  Tomorrow night is play date with Donna, Sister Beth and Ellie.  They are coming to visit Macy! :) Who can resist her? It's impossible. I'll see you on the couch, watching Olympics tonight! :) 

Touched.

see these rings

Happy Tuesday! Oh my gosh, why can't it be Thursday?! I'm zonked from staying up late to watch the Olympics.  I love the Olympics.  I love the patriotic camaraderie we all seem to have surrounding our team.  We cheer them on from our couches and become experts in every sport every four years. Outside of the Olympics, I would never watch most of this stuff. I'm just not sports oriented.

I will say I'm tired of the bashing NBC has received over delayed viewing. HOWEVER, I will also ask why they only put the gymnastics very last? Let the pool people stay up until midnight, I need my sleep!

Speaking of sleep, guess who visited my house last night. Katie was suffering from a migraine so mom brought Macy to my house while she helped Katie out until Roger got home.  Little Miss wanted to pitch a hissy fit until we went outside on the glider, where she immediately passed out.

Property of Leen Machine

I opened my mail box and found the most wonderful present of all - a letter from my friend, Paulene, written on a card she designed especially for me! Ok, maybe not only for me, but inspired by our friendship, which I cherish greatly.  She is sharing these cards with everyone!

Visit her blog here and download these free printable for you to share with people you love and care about.  You can never tell someone enough time how much they mean to you.  And I believe having it written down is even better because it's something you can tangibly hold on to and read over and over.

I remember when my ex deployed, I carried his letters with me in my purse and would read them over and over. I'd print out emails, too, but seeing his handwriting was so much more special.  Especially when I was missing him so much and he was so far away.  ... *sigh*  So go, NOW, and print these cards out to send to someone you love!

Love... Macy Love. :)  You know you wanted to see more pictures of her. Just admit it.

OK, I think I've bent your ear long enough (or crossed your eyes long enough??) anyway - go enjoy the rest of your day/week. And thanks for visiting my blog today. You've made my day! :)

Muffin Monday

Muffin and I are exhausted after staying up so late to watch the Olympics. She was nice enough to let me sleep until the alarm went off this morning. I don't think she was awake, either.

Have a great week and go Team USA!

posted from Bloggeroid