So many changes

It been over three years since I wrote on this blog. There have been so many changes in my life since then.
I have quit my job and am a stay at home mom again. Who knows how much longer that will last. But I have become an almost full time crafter! Now that is a job to LOVE!
I also am grandma 2 more times and with another one due in June. The biggest change in my life was when my 16 year old daughter, Emma, got pregnant. I already had 7 grand chchildren,  so why would one more effect me so much?  First of all, with his momma only being 17 when he was born, they lived with us. Second, I fell head-over-heals in love with him. Daren became part of my everyday life. I knew he was not my own child, but I loved him like he was. His momma went to work and I stayed home with him. The more time I spent with him, the deeper he snuggled into my heart. It was very natural for me to love him.
Then one day, his momma got married. They moved just down the street. It was very hard for me to let him go, but it was only a mile and I still saw him everyday. Emma didn't drive or even have a car, so I drove her everywhere she needed to go. Then she got pregnant again, she relied on me even more. I didnt mind at all. Many people in our family, especially my husband, said she was taking advantage of me, but I never felt that way. It is what moms do! I got to see Daren everyday, that was always the payoff for me! Soon James was born all seemed perfect!  With most of my grandchildren living in other states, I was so happy to have these 2 boys living just down the street. I was loving this grandma thing!
 But all good things must come to an end. Four months ago, August 12, 2014 they told us that they were thinking about moving. MOVING. 300 miles away moving. Just thinking.... only if the job comes through... praying... On August 27th they were all packed and we said our goodbyes and they were gone.
My life shattered. Changed forever. GONE. Just like that they were gone.

The Last Day

  Today is the last day of school for my kids, this is a wonderful day! I am glad to not have to get them up early and run kids to school everyday. But that also means the end of my days home in peace and quiet! This is Erin's last day of Elementary, next year she will be in Middle School... YIKES!!! just saying it scares me. She will be 13 just days before school starts and she is growing up so fast. She has made some really good friends and is loving school finally. I think Ronnie is pretty nervous about having to be in Elementary by himself, but he will adjust! He did really good this year and ended with all A's and 1 B on his final report card. Erin decided to stay to enjoy every last minute of her Elementary experience with her friends so I haven't seen her report card yet, but I know that she has done very well. Ronnie chose to just go and get his report card and come home. I am very proud of the way that they both adjusted to school and of the friends that they have found. I hope they continue their journey through their education on a positive note and continue to make us all proud!

Time Sure Flies!

  Well I can't really say that I have been having so much fun, but time sure has flown by! I have continued knitting my fingers to the bone! and LOVING every minute of it! Everyone says that knitting is a great stress reliever, and it is, I just wish I could knit and not have stress in my life!!! I will be putting up some pics of the sweater that I just finished for Kati, or I guess I should say, for baby Kathryn. I also finished another baby snuggle wrap for her too and a white poncho.
  Last weekend was great, Jake and Mahlon spent the night Friday night and were here all day Saturday. We did have a great lot of fun with them. They really are the joy of our lives. Not that we wouldn't enjoy the rest of our grandbabies, if we actually got to see them. My dream is and will remain to be, to have a Christmas with all of my kids and grandkids all together just one time before I go to eternity! Of course that dream will become more and more difficult the more my kids marry and move away and the more grandbabies that come along.... but I will continue to dream it anyway :)
  God is so good to us. My hubby just started a great new job, and I am hoping that it will mean that I can soon quit my job so that I can stay home and knit and bake "tookies" with Jake!

DONE!!

I got it done!

I got it done! It only took me 3 cups of coffee and 1 no-bake cookie, Now I need a nap!

Random Thoughts

  I think all of my not sleeping is catching up with me! For the past 2 weeks I have only slept for a few hours each night, 6 at the very most! Now I have a sore throat and a cough, and I feel sick! I just dont have time to be sick. My entire house needs to be cleaned, Kati and Kevin are here (from Oklahoma) for a visit and she will be over here later with Daniel to see us, Jake may be coming here later so Miranda can take Mahlon to the Dr for her cough. Later is the Mother/Son Picnic for Ronnie's school. I have a sweater to finish for a baby shower, and another baby shower gift to wrap up for a shower at church tomorrow afternoon. I'm tired. I have the next 2 days off from work, then I have to work at 6-3 (yes 6AM!) on Monday. I really dont like those long days!
  So I am sitting here knitting, typing, and sipping on hot coffee and thinking that I just need to go tackle the dinningroom! But the hot coffee feels so good on my throat, and I really need to finish this sweater. All I have left is this sleeve :) I knit a row, take a sip of coffee, then type something; sip, knit, sip type, sip, sip, gulp, chug... I need more coffee! I am seriously fighting the urge to go back upstairs and crawl back into my nice warm bed, next to my nice warm husband! CANT DO IT!!! I just have to much to do... shoot, now my nice warm husbsnd is up... guess I better just keep knitting!  COFFEE... I need more coffee.
 I really need to get started on this house! The only kids here are Erin and her friend. Karlie is at Miranda's, Emma is at Nicole's, Eli is at Cory's and Ronnie is next door at Tyler's sleeping in a tent in the back yard. But Erin and Devyn are sleeping on the couch in the livingroom. Its hard to start cleaning in a room where people are sleeping! KNIT... just knit. If I at least finish this sweater I will have accomplished something today!
  Why am I eating a no-bake cookie for breakfast? chocolate covered oatmeal... OATMEAL!! that is good for you, right!?!? no wonder people that are sleep deprived cant lose weight, they are to tired to be logical.  JUST KEEP KNITTING!!!!!!!!!!

BUMMER!!

   Sometimes I just get in too much of a hurry! and sometimes I just try to do to much at once, then I end up ruining something, like today. Jake and Mahlon are here and of course Jake wanted to make cookies. I have been wanting some homemade granola bars so I decided we could make them. When we got them into the oven Jake was still asking to make cookies, to him granola bars are not cookies! I said ok we can whip up some no-bake cookies while the granola bars bake. In the meantime, I was in the process of trying to up-load some pictures onto a knitting website... Long story short, I burnt the granola bars! :(  I had even set the timer, and it went off right after I got the no-bakes done, but I shut it off and set back down at the computer and forgot to take them out of the oven!!! GGGGRRRRRR!!!!!  I hate it when I do stupid things like that! I was trying so hard to figure out how to do that crazy picture that I lost track of what I was doing.
 I will go ahead and share the AWSOME granola bar recipe anyway!!

Cinnamon Granola Bars (I usually double this)

 1/4 c. butter (softened)
 1 c. brown sugar
 1 egg
 2 Tbs ground flaxseed
 2 Tbs Wheat Bran
 2 Tbs Wheat Germ
 2 Tbs honey
 2 c old fashioned rolled oats
 1 c. whole wheat flour
 1/2 c all-purpose flour
 1 tsp cinnamon
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 1/2 c chocolate chips or raisins
 
 Mix well as you do cookies... spray a cake pan and bake at 350 for 18-20 mins.
 Just remember to take them out of the oven when the timer goes off!!!

More Bad Storms!

  Wow! This sure has been a stormy spring!!! We have lived here for seven years now and this has been the worst storms we have ever had to endure. The ones that went through last night were not nearly as bad as the tornadoes that we had 2 weeks ago, but it sure made for a short night of sleep.
 At least I got plenty of knitting done. I finished the hoodie for our pastor's new grandson's baby shower that is on Sunday. Now I need to get started on the one for the baby shower at work on Saturday. I still need to finish a few more bunnies too!
  Our daughter, Kati, will be on her way here soon. They live in Oklahoma City so they will not be here untill tomorrow night, but it will be so good to see them. Her baby is due in August so I want to be able to send some baby gifts home with her, as we will not be seeing her again before the baby is born. My plan is to knit a baby sweater, poncho, and snuggle wrap for her. I better get to the needles...
   Hope your day is blessed!