Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Seeing hearts

It's hard to believe it's been nearly a week since I've posted. We share one computer around here when my older boys aren't home with their laptops. I need one of my own! This past week I picked up a new version of an old computer game, one my older kids played when they were young. It's called The Oregon Trail... and I've been fighting for computer time ever since. It's a great learning game, and my twins like it because they get to hunt. I've been seeing hearts everywhere. It's that time of year. I've always loved them, so I'm starting to get them out around here too. This heart is from Michaels. I bought it last year, but I've noticed they have them again this year.
The other side of the little heart pictured at the top of the post. I stitched it up this week. I've seen lots of beautiful hearts out there, and they've been inspiring me to get busy sewing.Here's a pillow that was a gift from my friend Angela. It's not a heart, but it does speak of something close to mine :-)I have a small collection of old Valentines. Here's a little one I think is cute. Feel free to copy it and use it. I'll share a few more over the next few weeks.We've had rainy weather on and off since Sunday. This afternoon it turned to snow. My parents live 12 miles away and didn't get any. That's the desert for you. We didn't get alot, and it was quite wet because of all of the rain, but it was pretty! Here's the little bench outside my front door.Have a wonderful day!
Blessings,
Marcia

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Stuffed Animal Organizing the "Simple Home" Way

My children have always loved stuffed animals. The twins still do. They haven't decided they've outgrown playing with them, but I don't want them all over their room, so my solution was a bin in the garage. They keep a few in their room and when they want different ones to play with they "exchange" them with some out in the bin. Yes, that's it. We're not real fancy on the organizing skills around here. Here's a photo of the bin.Oh wait...one of those stuffed animals is moving. We find this kitty in the most interesting places. Here's an earlier post showing another place I found her.

Here's just a tidbit of info about life in the high desert. We don't have fleas. The don't survive here. In fact if you bring an animal with fleas to the high desert, they're going to die quickly. Not the animal, the fleas.
I thought this was something to be proud of until a friend on the east coast told me she'd be a little concerned about living in a place where fleas can't survive. Good point.

It's still nice not getting bit, and those stuffed animals aren't getting infested...with fleas that is. I'm not sure about ants, we have lots of those :-)
Blessings,
Marcia

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Life Without Limbs

Russ and I were at a Bible study about 6 months ago and the leader brought a video of this incredible young man, Nick Vujicic. He was born without arms and legs, and travels all over the world sharing his wonderful testimony, and his love for Christ. You can read about his life here. He is incredibly inspiring.

As we watched the video, I realized that his last name was the same as a friend I'd gone to high school with. It's not a common name, but he's from Australia, not Southern California. My friend and I don't see each other often, but we have kept in touch, so when I went home I sent her an email and asked her if by chance, she knew of him?

Not only did she know him, he's her nephew, and her husband is on the board of directors of this ministry. What are the odds? We talked on the phone later that week and she told me so many wonderful stories about this young man.


If he's in your area, take the time to go see him, you will be inspired.

I also want to say thank you to Judy at Benmakesten for this sweet blog award. Thanks Judy! You're supposed to pass it along to someone who has been with you from the beginning of your blog. I haven't been blogging long, but Jill at Bailiwick Designs and
Beverly at My Sew Sweet Studio have both been a wonderful support since I started, so I'm passing it on to them. Blessings,
Marcia



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

"Almost" Elvis Story

School has started back up at our house and now I'm playing catch-up on reading everyone's blogs. My older two boys have gone back to college and we're getting back on our regular schedule. It's hard to believe it's 2010!I come from a family of storytellers, and I seem to be carrying on the tradition. My kids have heard all of my stories. “Over and over” they would say. Here are a few of them…I’ve been held up…I’ve worked for spies (unknowingly)…I’ve worked for an actress and met a long list of celebrities…I’ve been on a date with Eddie Munster (well, that’s not his real name but now you know who I‘m talking about, and this one is a bit embarrassing anyway)…
I’ve walked in on a robbery in progress and didn’t even know it, and left while it was still going on…I’m a descendant of a man who ran for president twice (and lost both times!). These are just a few, and they’re all true. My life before becoming a blessed mom and wife.
Now you must be wondering why I have photos of Elvis on the post? Well, January 8th is his birthday. If he was still alive, he would be turning 75. I was a big fan of Elvis during a time when most of my friends were fans of Rod Stewart and Elton John, etc., etc. My 8th grade teacher was giving away his old 45’s to his students and he knew I liked Elvis so he gave me this.I still have it. Maybe it's worth something now.

I had one friend that liked Elvis too, and the year before he died, when I was 16 years old, we went to see him in concert. We were in the nosebleed section but we didn’t care, it was wonderful.
He died 2 days after my 17th birthday. Yes, I'm 49. I was heartbroken, just like many others all over the world. I took art classes in school, so I drew a picture of him. Not the best, but I thought it looked kind of like him. My art teacher put it in an art show in the mall, and this is what happened to it.
Yep, somebody came up and kissed my picture. Boy was I mad! A few years later I met an artist who told me that he’d been commissioned to paint a picture of Elvis and he’d put lips on the cheeks that showed a “kiss” just like this. He even sent me a photo of the painting. I wish I still had it. I'd show it to you now. It did make me feel a little better.

Anyway, when I was 22, I was working for an actress and sometimes I took acting classes with her. My acting partner was a guy named Michael Edwards. I bet you don’t recognize that name, do you? He was Priscilla Presley’s boyfriend.
He later wrote a tell all book about his years with Priscilla Presley. One day she came to class to watch our scene and I got to meet her. All my life I wanted to meet Elvis, and now I was meeting his ex-wife. I wanted to ask her so many questions about him, but what can you say? I was standing there with her boyfriend, so I couldn’t very well ask about her ex-husband. I just said “hello”, we made a little small talk, and that was it. Gone was any opportunity to find out about him from someone who knew him best.

I still have the record though :-)
Blessings,
Marcia