Garden Goodness...

 How was your weekend?

I know I've been neglectful of my blog this week. The weather has improved

and I've been spending my free time out in the garden.

The broccoli and lettuce have been good, the tomatoes are blooming,

and we have so many strawberries!!

They're good in smoothies, on top of shortcake, or dipped in chocolate,

but they're especially tasty right off the plant.

We also have a little garden color right now....

   I hope you were able to spend some time outside this weekend too :-)

Blessings,

Marcia

Sunny Day Favorites....and Wonderful News :-)

 Sunshine, iced tea, and a good book. Just a few of my favorite things :-)

 We have close to 300 sunny days on average here.

Last week, we thought the warm days were here to last 

and summer had actually arrived. It was in the mid 80's.

However, the cold winds blowing this week 

mean I have a fire going in our fireplace tonight!

Who knew we'd be bundling up again?

 I guess we won't be putting these away just yet :-)

I have a wonderful update on my nephew Jordan. 

He will be moving into a house with his wife and son on Wednesday 

& just going to the hospital as an outpatient!

It's been less than 2 months since his terrible injuries, so this is truly amazing.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers!

How's that for Good Life Wednesday news? :-)

Thank you so much to Sarah at A Beach Cottage for 

hosting this wonderful linky party.
Thank you all too, for your sweet birthday wishes for my daughter.

Blessings to All of you,

Marcia

♥ Finding Hearts ♥

  Spring ♥hearts♥ seem to be cropping up everywhere around here.

 Have you found yours?

 I'm joining Tricia for Photo Feature Friday,

 and Joyce for Friday Pretties.

 This one captured my ♥heart♥ 16 years ago :-)

(Her birthday is on Sunday)
Happy Birthday Micaela!!! 

I love you :-)

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.

Sprinkles :-)

 Asking 10 year old boys if they'd "like" to help me bake

is like asking them if they'd "like" to go to the dentist. 

They clear the room in no time flat.

However, when I mention the word *Sprinkles*

 (codeword for *Candy* in their minds) 

suddenly they're more than happy to help.

Since I love cupcakes, that's what we made.....
we'll I made, and they decorated :-)

 I think that more sprinkles may have gone in their tummies than on the cupcakes.

I can't get too mad when they do this though....

So sweet, and yes, their toys are never far away :-)

Oh, and did you know...the little Silver Dragees (beads) that are seen
on cupcakes and wedding cakes all over the world, are illegal here in California?
Only the metallic ones.
Seriously :-)

photo credit Fancy Flours, where you can order yours (if you don't live in California)

See more Friday Pretties here,
 more Photo Feature Friday posts here.
and more Sweet Shot Tuesday posts here.
Have a Wonderful Mother's Day :-)

Blessings,

Marcia 

For anyone who might not know, my nephew Jordan lost both of his legs
after stepping on an I.E.D. in Afghanistan in March.
I'm continuing updates from time to time here on my blog. This one is kind of long.
Jordan has had a rough couple of days.

*Jordan Update* taken from his facebook page, Wednesday.
Jordan is taking a couple of hits this week. First it was unbearable phantom pain. He was taken into the "pain clinic" where they more or less tortured him for 6 hours. They tried electric shock therapy, a Lidocaine (sp?) injection and acupuncture. He came back to his room in horrible pain and having trouble regaining control of it. In comes O.T. with this technique of tricking the brain into feeling someones else's leg and foot. It was incredible! This guy sits so his legs are along side where Jordan's would have been. Jordan then taps up and down this guys leg as if it were his own. The O.T. guy slowly moves his foot up and down, spreads his toes and swings his leg. After 15 minutes of this "treatment" Jordan was able to get on top of his pain. We can try this technique anytime with any leg available. Crazy!
However, on the heels of that success came disappointing news. Jordan will have surgery tomorrow on his elbow. His right elbow was basically shattered and had to be pieced together with screws and plates. It was originally thought that a skin graft would be done, however, the docs were able to pull the skin together and close the wound. The wound pulled a part and exposed an ever so small glimpse of the plate underneath. Tomorrow they will open the seam, pack the wound with antibiotic beads and close it up. Next week they will reopen the wound, flush out the beads and close the wound again. If everything goes well, that will be the end of it. The concern is that the plate has been exposed which compromises the integrity of the plate and wound. If this surgery does not work they will have to undo the whole elbow and replace the plates and screws and create a skin graft to close the wound. 

*Surgery update today*
The surgery on Jordan's elbow went well this A.M. They were able to scrub out the wound, pack it with the antibiotic beads and close it without a wound vac. He will undergo part II of this procedure in about 5-6 weeks. The next few weeks are crucial to how they proceed with permanent closure of the wound. Tomorrow Jordan goes in for another procedure for his pain. It's not technically a surgical procedure but it's handled as such. They would like to try an alternative nerve block procedure for his phantom pain until he can do the electric shock. We'll continue to do the mirror therapy in the mean time.
Thank  you so much for your continued prayers :-)

Simple Good Life :-)

 Growing up at the beach meant you could go here anytime.

Living in the desert doesn't afford us this luxury,
or provide this as an everyday view,

my dear hubby is always happy to teach one of our kids to surf ;-)

 or this, 

 although we can drive there in just a little over an hour.

  However, my newest patio chairs have become a favorite place to sit, 

 and enjoy the simple view I have.

They need to be painted, but I'll get around to that.......one day. 

(I know, famous last words).

 If you're willing to pay a bit of a water bill,

you can even have a green lawn here :-)

  I've been sitting out here a lot lately,
which means my house is not being cleaned like it should be :-)
Pretty soon our days will be too hot for this,
but I'll let you in on a local secret......

the summer evenings in the high desert are just ♥ heavenly ♥.

Visit A Beach Cottage to see other *Good Life* posts. 
I hope you're all enjoying your week too.

Blessings,

Marcia

*Jordan Update* posted yesterday on my brother's facebook page....Great News!!

"Just spoke with Jordan, he seemed in really good spirits. His legs are closed 100% & all skin grafts done & taking well, stitches removed from his right arm that had been broken. All wound vacs have been removed! He is on the mend! We love you Jordan!"
His address:
Naval Medical Center San Diego
34800 Bob Wilson Dr.
Bldg #1, Ward 4 East, Room #406
San Diego, Ca. 92101
Thanks for your continued support & prayers!