My favorite Christmas color - Turquoise

This is the beautiful little turquoise Christmas tree Andres and Heidi gave me for Christmas a few years ago. I found some really neat vintage Christmas ornaments for $1 and here it is.  Ahh.....

Holidays and Cleaning

Okay so I decided to go through some trunks in my basement, you know, really get rid of more stuff.  I found the two flower girl dresses that I wore at my sister's weddings, when I was 3 and 4.  They are taffeta and really coming apart. Time to toss...... but...... let's see what could I make with these for keepsakes......

Last of the Garden Yield

Garden Delights

Well this year I grew two new vegetables I had never tried before. This is my harvest of okra. I tried a recipe Mike found on the internet. It turned out terrible! Maybe I picked the okra too soon. Anyways.... I might try one more. Anybody have any good okra recipes? The other vegetable I have tried this summer is brussel sprouts. I couldn't find the darn things at first and now they are finally getting big growing along the stem. Duh! I was looking in the wrong place. Both veggies are easy to grow. And I know how to fix the BS!

More favorite things....

I got the most wonderful gift from my long time friend Linda. When she recently moved the people left alot of items in the house. She knew I was in love with blue dishes and blue stuff more than anything and she gave me several boxes of blue china. This was probably one of the best gifts I have ever had from a friend. It makes me happy EVERY SINGLE DAY to look at the lovely blue items she gave me. She has been a wonderful friend from the beginning (she got married on my 18th birthday) and threw me a wonderful baby shower for my first kiddo, Nickaila, and has been there through it all. I love you Linda!

More of my favorites!

This is a sweet tomato bowl that my DIL Heidi and Andres brought me from Italy! I love it!

And even more favorite things...

A few years ago my son Salvador ran his first marathon in Miami where he lives. ING took a shot of him crossing the finish line and decided to use it to promote the ING Miami Marathon the following year. This photo was in Runner's World and Running Times in the months preceding the race the next January. It was so fun to get a magazine and see a full page ad with Sal's picture in it. I couldn't be prouder of him for pushing himself to run that distance. After that he started training for triathalons (swimming, biking and then running). He completed the Half Ironman Kansas a couple of springs ago and numerous other tri's since that time. I tell you it wore me out just watching him and all the others completing the Half ironman. Training to compete at this level is unbelieveable and takes commitment of a really special kind. And what is really great is his running inspired his brother and sister to take up running and they have each completed marathons and half marathons since that time. His sister and her boyfriend Brian are now training for a fall marathon at this time. Way to go Salvador!