Happy Memorial Day!

This year we spent Memorial Day with our family, a family reunion with folks traveling from all over: Hawaii, South Dakota, Oregon and Las Vegas. What made it especially wonderful is we were able to spend it with a real hero, my father in law, Daniel J Myers Jr. A man who dedicated a great deal of his life to serving this country. After graduating from West Point he entered the military as an officer. He fought in two wars, The Korean War and The Vietnam War and earned many distinctions for bravery and valor. Earning for himself the high military rank of Colonel . I am thankful for his service and that of all who have served in the past and present. Thank you for keeping our country safe and our people free. God Bless You!

Please Vote!

In was fun today because at the polls I ran into so many of my son's friends voting for the very first time. The young men, that I remember crying at the gates as we left them at school for the very first time, casting their votes for this democracy we call America. My son went with me but is still a few months shy of eighteen. He said he was looking forward to the next election when he would be able to vote. It is hopeful to see youth out to vote trying to make a difference in their futures and that of their country. It is one of the great privileges of being an American citizen and also one of our best efforts to keep us a free nation for generations to come. So please go out and vote!!!

Mermaid ATC's Postal!!!

I want to thank all the participants in this wonderful swap! The artistry and attention to detail was fabulous! I mailed a group out yesterday , one today and I will send the last out tomorrow. I try to mix and match them the best I can so everyone gets a bit of variety. I hope you enjoy your cards and thanks again for your participation!

Mermaid ATCS Due This Week!

Just a quick reminder that all mermaid atcs should be to me by this week-end. I have received some really amazing cards this year. All are wonderful, some whimsical and others artsy! Even one singing mermaid in a box! Thank you all for the amazing effort and creativity you put into your beautiful cards to share.

A Family Trip to the Coast!

I just got back from a family stay on the California coast. We went to spend Spring break at Seascape Resort in Aptos, California. Only 1 hour and ten minutes from our house but a world away from are usual routine. The weather was beautiful and I was able to really relax. We had a beautiful 3 bedroom villa with a "deluxe" ocean view. I don't really know the difference but they assured us it was even better than a "full" ocean view when we booked it. I guess, as well as seeing the ocean from our balcony, we were able to view it from every room this time. The best part was sharing time with the kids and also being able to relax while they ran around the resort. To the pool, the restaurants, the health club they freely roamed while hubby and I just sat on the deck reading, sleeping, sunning and/or making atc cards ,lol!. Then we all went down to the beach to read, play in the sand and relax. One our last night we enjoyed a campfire down on the beach with all the S'more fixings. A great time was had by all and now we are ready for the final 8 weeks of school before summer and two graduations!!!

Mermaid Swap Due Date Changed!

I have pushed out the due date for the Mermaid swap to April 30th. There are over 35 participants so far. It has been a while since I blogged so let me update you on what I have been up to.

Last month I took several classes from two amazing artists: Kelly Kilmer and Lisa Guerin. Kelly is a collage artist who likes to create and re-purpose books. She takes collage layering to a new level and is quite inspirational in her classes. One of the classes I took with her ( I took two) was called the swatch book. We assembeled stacks of paper from old childrens books then bound them together with a simple pamplet stich. We then collaged on each page with scraps and bits from her wonderful collection. In the same week-end ( you know feast or famine) I was lucky enough to take two classes with paper artist; Lisa Guerin. The first was a gypsy necklace class where we took shrink art to the next level. With clear and white shrink plastic we stamped the afternoon away. It was the second class that rocked my world. I never would never have guessed how much fun I would have making paper dolls. For three hours we created from various stamps. It was great and I learned many new stamping techniques.

Character is What You Do When No One is Watching!

These words have always resonated with me and I have tried to instill them in my children. Always wondering if they get it, well my question was answered by my 9 year old daughter.
She came home upset from school yesterday. She had the second highest grade on the class spelling test. Now she has had top scores and less than top scores but usually has no issues as she believes she studied and did her best. So I asked her to tell me more about it, a possible teachable moment, I wondered? She said that the person who got the highest grade cheated. I told her those were strong words but she said she was angry! Not by the persons score as much as by said person telling others that she cheated and reveling in it to others, who like my daughter, had studied. Yes indeed, a teachable moment! One of the reasons I love being a stay at home mom, lot's of teachable moments before and after school!

I knew the whole (mom) speech of as long as you do your best just wasn't going to cut it this time. So I said that there is a lot of pride to be taken by doing the right thing. So I asked her,"What if you found a bag of money and no one saw you pick it up? What would you do?" She quickly said of course she would take it to the police. Why, if no one saw that you had it or would know you had it? She said because it belongs to someone else, it is not my money to spend. I told her she could buy toys and candy, even things for friends and family. So what did she say (I was so proud) in response?
She said, " She would know in her heart that it would be wrong and anything she bought with the money would not make her heart feel good. She wouldn't be able to enjoy the toys and candy, if she had not earned it or bought it with her own money. So then she turned to me, soft brown eyes looking up, and asked me what I would do? Then she stopped and said, "Mom, I know what you would do, you would give the money to the police too because what you do when no one is watching, is who you really are, in your heart, right?

I had tears in my eyes, motherly mission accomplished. "Yes, sweet child of mine, what you do in any given situation when you can't be caught or seen is called character ( and it counts)! You have to take satisfaction in the fact that sometimes, the only people who will ever know your greatness or good deeds, is you and God!"