Photo of the Week - Week 34 - Hunter Hayes

Week 34 of 52

Location:  Grandville, MI
Subject:  Hunter Hayes

So if you will remember back in July I went with the girlies to a Taylor Swift concert in Grand Rapids.  It really was fun and they had a blast.  Well . . . one of the opening performances was by the young gentleman seen in the photograph above.  Hunter Hayes.  Since that fateful day in July I have heard at least one of his songs on a daily basis and hear a string of facts daily by Miss A.

Then she announced that he was holding his own concert and wanted to go and would spend her babysitting money on tickets.  Tickets were cheap enough and the venue small so, off Rachel and I went with A. and her buddy L.

The concert place was pretty small which was nice because as A. and L. stood in the crowd up front Rachel and I could sit at the tables in the back and still keep an eye on them.  A. made those cute little #1 fingers so we would watch for them to pop up and know exactly where they were.

After the concert Hunter Hayes announced that he would do a meet and greet and stay until everyone in line got to meet him.  Uh Oh!  Yep, we spent more time waiting for the girls to get through the line than we did for the concert itself.  As the girls were waiting in that line, his band members came out and were meeting people on the opposite side of the room.  I did something I have never, ever done before.  I grabbed two of A.'s #1 fingers and took them over for the band members to sign.  I shocked even myself but A. didn't seem too surprised.  They all asked where the #1 fingers came from and seemed impressed that A. had made them.

Then they finally made it up to see Hunter himself and he was equally impressed with the #1 fingers and said they were awesome, which of course only caused more swooning from the girls.  The designated employee snapped the photo above and the girls walked away limp with the biggest smiles.

The only sad part of the night was sitting at the table in the back realizing that I am now an old Mom waiting at the back of the room while my teenager (YIKES!!!!) is up with her friends.  I consoled myself with the fact that at least I am an old mother who takes her daughter to concerts, and the fact that I have an awesome sister who goes and sits with me.

Photo of the Week - Week 33 - Does

This past week we have opened the front door a few days and discovered deer across the road.  They are munching on the fallen apples.  The other day it was a big buck and a lady friend.  This day it was these two sweet little does.

We tried to be as quiet as we could but they hear everything. 

Week 33 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI
Subject:  Apple Munching Does

Friendiversary Gifts - Complete!

Whew, since today was going to be such a busy day, I stayed up late last night and finished up the rings and the pendant.  So now, officially, we are finished with the gift making!

The rings turned out pretty cute.  These flower rings were purchased as separate pieces at Joann's and A. glued them together.

This pendant and rings we selected from my photos and glued them to glass tiles.  One of the girls really likes old cars hence the old truck photo.  And the small one is really hard to photograph because it is so round every angle I tried it at the light hit it too brightly.  Which in retrospect might even make it not such a great option for a ring in the first place.  Oh well, live and learn.

So there they are.  A. is excited for her big day, and was glad to see the rings already completed this morning so less work for her.  Silly girl.

Oh I forgot the other part of their gifts.  Rachel is crotcheting hair flowers for them.  She will have to post pictures on her blog for you to check them out.  They are really, really cute.

Pillow No. 2

Pillow number two is complete.  Turned out pretty cute but I have decided those rolled flowers are a pain in the patoosky!  But we liked how they are neat and pretty but a little rustic too.

Tomorrow is crunch time.  We have rings and pendants to finish and cards to make.  Going to be another busy day.

If we have time tomorrow I will snap some pictures of the rings and pendants for you.  And if A. lets me, I will snap pictures of them opening their gifts.  Oh to be young again and giggling the night away with your best friends. . .

Randomness

So have I mentioned the "Friendiversary" that is taking place?  A and her best bud marked the very first day they met as the day they fell madly in "best friends" with eachother and therefor must celebrate their "friendiversary".  Very cute I must say.  HOWEVER, this event, even though it is officially October 12th has been taking place for well over a month now.  This weekend however is the final hoo-ra and so gift giving shall commence for the final time and we shall declare it OVER!  Whew!

This week we decided to get crafty with some of the gifts so I will be posting those as we get them completed so you all can share in the "Friendiversary".  Recently another one young from the congregation has been added to their little group.  So she is receiving gifts this weekend as well.  Here is what we put together for her new room.  Big Sis how did I do?  I tried thinking like the pro you are as we put this together.

Her new room is going to be purple and lime green.  Since we don't have the luxury of a craft store 10 minutes from the house anymore, we had to use what we had on hand.  Turned out pretty cute.  Now we have to get busy on one for the "bestie".  Stay tuned. . . .

And just because I am so, so happy.  Look what the hubby got me for an extra super early anniversary gift.

Woo Hoo, so excited.  Then Mom happened to go to Aunt Pat's and she was holding a yard sale for her sis-in-law and had another Kitchenaid with extra attachments so I got that one too.  How on earth I go from having none to having two in a matter of weeks is crazy.

Love ya all.  Miss you like nothin' else.

Photo of the Week - Week 32 - Playin' in the Leaves

Week 32 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI

Subject:  Playin' in the Leaves

Beautiful fall is starting to lose her luster.  Rachel decided to try and rake up some of what had fallen from our maple tree.  Z. decided to jump in.  The leaves from this tree are ridiculous!  You will remember this from last year.  So it has begun again.  We have a better plan of attack this year. . . I think.

365 Days Later. . .

One year ago today we arrived in Michigan.  Yep, one year, 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, or 525,600 minutes ago, we officially arrived in our new state of residence.  It is amazing how quickly time passes.  I have had to count that year sometimes in months since it flies by so fast, and sometimes in minutes because it seems to pass so slowly.

It was a very long drive, a very sad goodbye.  Even as I write to you all today I tear up thinking about all those I had to say goodbye to in order to come to this new life.

So in honor of our making it one whole year I decided to dedicate today to listing 52 things I miss about Arizona.  One for every week we have been away.

1. My Sisters  2. Our family  3. Our friends  4. My house  5. Our congregation  6. My sisters  7. Mexican food  8. Grocery stores that have everything I want to buy in them  9. Knowing EXACTLY where everyplace I want to go is  10.  nieces and nephews  11. My Sisters  12. a K12 school that has no limits on enrolled students  13. Those I love even though I didn't know how much until I had to leave them  14. Arizona sunsets  15. Great craft stores five minutes from my house  16. My Sisters  17. Gem Show  18. Camping in the mountains  19. Patagonia  20. Mountains  21.  Knowing north, south, east, west just by looking up  22. My Sisters  23. Friends  24. Discount movie theaters  25. Sitting on a mountain and seeing for miles and miles  26. Great Mexican Food  27. living around the corner from M&M K.  28. night walks around the city block  29. backyards with walls so my pups could run free  30. My sisters  31. fireworks you can actually see from your house  32. Our friends  33. seeing our friends children grow up  34. nieces and nephews  35. second-hand stores  36. circuit assemblies where you know almost everyone there  37. getting to that circuit assembly without the use of a GPS  38. MY SISTERS  39. living so close to California  40. Our house  41. My brother  42. Giant, mysterious saguaro's  43. walks in Sabino Canyon  44. weekends in Florence  45. My Sisters  46. Mexican Food  47. Friends  48. Family  49. Driving home from my Big Sisters and watching the city lights  50. Monsoons  51. Adopted Parents/Grandparents  52. Friends/Family

So there they are, 52 of the things I miss most from Arizona.  And no, I am not crazy (well mostly not), I have some things listed more than once.  But that is because I miss them so much I had to list them more than once!

It has been a hard, busy, crazy, stressful, fun, wonderful year.  We have learned so much, made so many new friends, and are so glad we made that very hard decision.  We miss you all so much and can not wait until we can see your smiling faces again.

Photo of the Week - Week 31

According to our news channel we are "near peak" for color in our county.  So this weekend is going to be a hunting and shooting expedition so we can get some fall color photos up for all you deprived people in Arizona.  So to hold you over, this little guy has been waving at me from the kitchen window almost all week.  I had to go take his picture before he is gone forever.  I am going to miss this little guy.

Week 31 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI
Subject:  Fall Leaf

I have a schedule. . .really I do!

Whew!  September is finally over.  What a crazy month.  First month of homeschooling two, on my own, with no K12 to help me out. (insert pitiful, sad face here)  First month on my goal of six months auxiliary this service year.  Last month of canning every little veggie or fruit that shows up in this house.  Crazy, crazy month!

So I sat down and made a schedule for October.  October was IS going to be an awesome month.  I had my service days scheduled.  I had my Grandma days scheduled.  A. finally got her package from her real school so I am off the hook for her schooling.  And then . . . work day at the hall is this month - boom, one planned service day down.  I had to switch a Grandma day - boom, another planned service day down. And yadda, yadda, yadda.  But it is early and so I shall remain positive!

So today I was productive since I was home and not at Grandma's.  So I made some pumpkin butter (yummo!) and some grape jelly from Reuben and Aubrei's grape vine, scheduled out the week of school work for the little guy.  Cleaned up my big ol' mess in the kitchen, then messed it up again by making dinner.  And then I sat my rump on the couch and promptly fell asleep.  Okay, so I was mostly productive today!

Mom and Dad are leaving in less than a month now so we are scrambling to get everything finished.  It seemed like we had forever and now we are wondering if we have time to get it all finished.

So on to positive things my friends.  The weather here has been gorgeous.  Gorgeous for fall anyway.  Crisp cool weather, foggy mornings, chilly nights.  Sunday afternoon/evening was wonderful.  Cameron built a fire in the fireplace and I sat on the couch reading my book (which was excellent by the way . . . "These is My Words" if you ever run across a copy - READ IT!) while Cameron and the kids watched a football game.  It was one of those great afternoons where everythings feels right in the world.

And because a post isn't a post without a picture.  Z. and I caught this lovely lady on the way to the service.  She was along the road with another who was more skittish than she.  She stayed just long enough for this and then took off.

Love you and miss you all.  I can't believe it's been a year already!