*grateful

What are you grateful for...

*epic fail

Epic Fail. 
I think those words are sufficient enough.

As you look at these pictures just imagine a black Honda Pilot, pulling away from a particular gas station in a particular city here in North Carolina with rush hour traffic on the streets all around. The traffic, of course was not the cause for our epic fail.  Now, having had this unfortunate experience I cannot imagine how anyone could complete this epic fail without knowing they had done it.

Henry, being the gentleman he is, got out to pump the gas, ran into the store to purchase his beloved gum (that boy loves him some gum) then ran back out and got in the car.  I was on the phone with my m-i-l, so I assumed he was finished with the pumping because he got in the car and closed the door.  So I proceeded to drive away.  Due to the loud noise,  we both thought I had hit something.  To my shock and amazement, the pump and hose looked just like the ones in the pictures.  It had separated and was hanging out of our gas tank opening.  We were just about 10 feet away from the pump, not driving down the road (thank God). I did have my camera in the car but in the excitement of the moment, I forgot to take a picture.

I did go inside to tell the clerk, she told me I was free to go.  Later this evening as I sat down to check out this amazing stunt, I am finding that this has happened to many people around the country.   What I am also finding  is that many had to pay for the pump.  Thus another thing I am praising my Lord for on this day!

*bridging the gap to Russia

 Together we can help bridge the gap to Russia with and for the Scoda family, in order to bring home their two children.  I have been "Quilting the Russian Road" in order that I may offer it up as a fund raiser that will benefit this cause.  This quilt will cover a twin size bed and can also be used as a large lap size quilt for taking naps on the couch!  The quilt is made of high quality quilting cottons with one layer of cotton batting.  It has been pieced by machine and quilted by machine as well.  The estimated value of the quilt is $225.   All products used in making this quilt are high quality and will leave you with years of use and enjoyment.

If you would like to be entered into the drawing for the twin size quilt please click on the donate button to the top right in the side bar.  For every ten dollars you donate your name will be entered in the drawing.  If you would like additional entries you may grab our button (which can also be found in the side bar- cut and paste the html code) and place it on your blog, you may also post a link on your Facebook account linking your friends back to this blog, or you may write about this on your blog for an additional entry.  You will need to send an email to creativequilter1@gmail . com to let me know when and where you have publicized this fundraiser or leave a comment in the comment section below.

The drawing will be closed out in a little over 30 days, so get the word out!!!   Each entry will be logged and assigned a number.  We will be using www.random.org in order to find the winner. The drawing will be held on Valentines 2010!  Last, but not least, you may find out more about the Scoda Familys' adoption journey by visiting their blog, Seemingly Reckless Faith.

OK... The skinny...

• a Fundraiser

• for every $10 you donate you get one entry  (donate $10= one entry, donate $20=2 entries , donate $50 = 5 entries  - you get the idea!)
  

• publicize and email me the info, get another entry (creativequilter1@gmail. com)
  

• Check back on February 14th, to see who the winner is!

• Above all, pray for God's will, provision, and protection in this adoption process. 
  

*treasures

Only have I met these people by way of the recorded image.   While we were in Georgia my mother-in-love and I pulled out the boxes of old pictures.   Her brother had recently sent her large black and white he had made for her that was out waiting to be framed.  This is what started it all.  Don't you just love that you can take old photo's, throw them on the scanner, upload them and then touch them up if you so desire? I do.  Pictures tell stories.  Stories that happened before I was born, or before I was in the family. Stories that may have been going on while I was not able to be there.  I like to hear the stories that make up the lives of those lived that I did not get to know or time that I may have missed for one reason or another.

I did get a little carried away, though I didn't fully give in to every photo I wanted to scan.  I think I took some time out of two different days to scan almost 200 photos. 

Frank White with his lovely wife Laverne White early on in their marriage. My mother-in-love's parents.

 

Again.. not sure of the time of this picture.

 

Don't you love that they had their pictures taken often. There were many more... couldn't scan them all on this last trip. I will get them on the next one!

 

Kathy (my dear mother-in-love), Grandma White, Grandpa White, and Uncle Tim

Oh! And a cat!!!

 

This, if I remember correctly is one of the last pictures of them together before Grandpa White's health failed him.

 

Yep!  This is the one that started it!  I just loved this picture. It spoke to me.  Look at the joy in those faees.  Look at the boots! What about that gun on Grandpa White's hip?  Love it.  (click on any of my pictures to enlarge)

 

While I love all these pictures, these last three were some of my favorites.  If you didn't know any better, you might think that those boots were Uggs.   In fact, if that car didn't date the picture I am sure you all would have been commenting on her Uggs.

 

Kathy (m-i-l) and her brother Tim

 

Love, Love, Love this one...

My m-i-l's father died thirty some odd years ago ( I will have to get that info again and update this) and  her mother, Laverne died 25 years ago.  Both of them suffered from some pretty harsh health issues.  Tim, my mil's brother, lives on the West coast.  

*shave with care

Be careful shaving or this could happen to you!

Yes, I am aware that this picture is pretty gross. Sorry.  Timon is notorious for fighting. I am just glad he is a bit older and a little more wiser.  I think now, perhaps he only fights to defend himself.  Years ago I am sure  he was fighting to boost his ego.   We do love our cats and we do take good care of them.  However, because we have so many by our own choosing, we take care of as much as we can here at home.  In other words, we don't believe in pouring tons of money into our pets. Just our stand.  I was not going to take Timon to the vet, at first, that is.  I figured it would heal nicely - no problem. Been there done this one with him before.   What you see here is the remains of the abscess having had burst.  We did end up at the vets office this week to get antibiotics, a shot, some salve and various other things that Timon would rather I didn't talk about (the Elizabethan Collar for pets). She shaved the area so it would be easier to clean.  Hopefully he will heal quickly without the help of stitches.

*dinner time!!!

Over the years we have trained out cats to come the tune of these melodic words, "Dinnerrrrr Tiiiime!" Our cats mostly get kibbles for their daily meals, and perhaps a slice of turkey or a crumble of bacon on an occasion.  We do not feed them wet food on a regular basis, mostly because I can hardly remember to take my synthroid each morning much less feed six cats wet food each day.  We (that being Eric) do however, on holidays give them wet food. In fact, during a long holiday period like Christmas through New Years Eve or a spring break they may get wet food several days in a row.   This is what that looks like.

All six of them waste no time at all getting to the kitchen.

 

 It almost sounds  like a choral group during these occasions.

 

Munchkin, the black one that is trying to get a closer look, has a hard time controlling himself during these moments. 

Four of the six pictured here, are busy taking care of business. Oh, Precious is already done.  She is simply waiting around to see if any of these might need help cleaning their plates...

Good thing she waited. 

All of our cats are Russian Blues, except for the one black one which we are convinced that he is part dog.  He is one of the best fetchers we have ever seen.  He follows you around like a dog and will even chase after you if you prompt him to do so.  You should see Eric running from room to room with Munchkin running close behind.    Due to the lighting this evening, the pics were best viewed in the sepia finish.