Day 7-10

 I had a lazy weekend and did not post, even though I opened presents, then Monday was a Monday so I did not post then either. Trying to get caught up today...

Day 7 was a beautiful paper pad that made me want to make more mini notebook covers. So pretty!

 

Day 8 I opened the prettiest green mug with my initial on it. The picture does not do the color justice. It will be perfect for my peach tea. 

Day 9 was a favorite snack! Even though as Kyleigh would say, "they give you meat breath" I may have immediately enjoyed a couple...okay three lol.

 

And finally to today, day 10. For my brittle and broken winter nails, some sassy nail files that will be put to use as soon as I post this.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all!

I will try and do better about posting everyday but, you know,...life.

With so much love and gratitude,

Mom, MamMaw, Elmo, Jody

Day 6

What a lovely way to end a long week.

Today I opened a beautiful lady bug painting (not signed....), that I can't wait to hang in my office.

A pair of tech touch gloves, so warm and soft, for my cold hands.

And clove gum, which is old fashion like me and a favorite that is hard to find.

With love and gratitude,

Mom, MamMaw, Elmo, Jody

Day 5

 A wide tooth comb, the only kind I use, and hair ties today. About to use them both to put my hair up before I hit the hot tub.

With love and gratitude,

Mom, MamMaw, Elmo, Jody

Day 4

 Today I got to open the sweetest little sea turtle diffuser. I love him so much and he makes my house smell so good. 

Thank you again to all involved, it really is so fun to have a present to open every day.

With love and gratitude,

Mom. MamMaw. Elmo, Jody

Day 3

 I let Poppa pick my present to open today and it is another example of how well these kids know me. I got hand warmers today, cause I'm always cold. 

It was somewhat ironic because today I have been working on bed warmers for some of the kids with cold houses. Now we will all be warm!

With love and gratitude,

Mom / MamMaw / Elmo / Jody

A very special birthday

So yesterday I turned 60! 

It ended up being such a special day with lots of surprises for this Mom / MamMaw / Elmo.

I got to see some of the grands that I haven’t seen in way too long and got to see the cousins, so happy to see each other, laughing and playing together. Seeing all my grown babies enjoying each other, catching up, and reminiscing while they watch their babies play is the best. It brings me such joy and fills my heart to the brim.

The kids came through the door with 60 presents!!! 

 

 

One for each of the next 60 days. What a great way to ease into sixty. 

It all started with this lovely jar filled with messages from all the people I love. They are so sweet and each one brings tears of gratitude to my eyes. It is a jar full of memories and joy. I am such a lucky lady to have such a thoughtful and loving family. To everyone that contributed, thank you so much!!! I love you all so much. ❤️Oh yea, and some eucalyptus bath salts for my hot baths. Soothing my body and soul, I think they knocked it out of the park!

 

I had a request to TikTok my daily gift opening but I thought maybe blogging them would be a little more my speed. It has been a long time, life has been flying by, but what a great reason to post again.

So, that was day 1, lets see what day 2 brings.....

 

They know me so well. 

And after our get together yesterday I needed these!

 

Thank you so much to everyone involved in my special day yesterday and the next 58 to come! I know it took a lot to pull together but I am so grateful you did.

 

I will be back with day 3 tomorrow.

 

With love and so much gratitude,

Mom, MamMaw, Elmo, Jody

I Spy....signs of spring!

It has been beautiful here in Georgia this weekend.
Thankfully reminding me that spring is just around the corner.


I found buds and blooms all over my yard, bursting with optimism that spring is coming.


Reminding me that it is almost time to plant some veggies. Time to plan what to plant where.

Winter winter go away
Spring and I want to play!

Winter and Pictures......not a fan

It has been a long time since I have posted anything to my blog. I have recently been giving some thought to why I went astray. I really think it boils down to two things…okay maybe three, but two main things. I am really not a fan of winter or pictures!

I should clarify; I love pictures, as long as I am not involved. I don’t like taking pictures or having my picture taken. I am sure I could spend hours on a couch “getting to the bottom of this” but why waste so much time and money……it all boils down to my Dad. Wait…what?!? Clarify again. I had a Great Dad, I loved him dearly, and his “girls” were his pride and joy but…..from as early as I can remember I had the sun and a camera in my face.

My Dad was an amateur photographer my entire life. It was one of his many hobbies. Most of our homes (we traveled quite a bit when I was growing up) had a darkroom. If there was not a dedicated room to develop his pictures in the bathroom would double as a darkroom nights and weekends. He took pictures of anything and everything but especially his three girls. I got to where I hated cameras because it felt like it was always interrupting.

“Wait, let me get a picture”

“Stand closer to your sister”

“After we get this shot, the light is almost gone”

“Smile”

So….I hate pictures that involve me! And we all know a blog really needs pictures.

“Okay, accepting the crazy “I don’t like pictures” thing, kind of, but what does winter have to do with blogging?” you ask. I have a hard time in the winter. I hate to be cold!!!! I am certain that I was a bear in another life and spent the winter hibernating lol. I am sluggish and lose my crafty mojo when winter sets in every year. It has been almost exactly two years since I have posted anything, my last post was February 5, 2010……winter anyone???? Now you are not allowed to laugh at me when I tell you that the winters that do me in are balmy Georgia winters. I can’t help it if 60 degrees is cold to me! I would never leave my covers if I lived any farther north lol.

So in summation, it was a combination of pictures and winter that led me astray. The third thing, that was actually secondary……habit! I am a creature of habit and once I got out of the habit I couldn’t get back in……it was winter. Did I mention I hate winter?!?

So, I am giving it another go, in the middle of winter, no less. I have 7 grand babies now and have made a few things in the past two years that I would love to share with you,....if I can find any pictures lol.

Hoping to “see” you soon,

Jody

From CreativeGenes

A Special Birthday Weekend

I had a wonderful weekend away with my sweetie. We stayed in a cabin in the mountains and it was awesome. Can you say fireplace and hot tub? What a great birthday present. A little extravagant but we don't indulge often.
When a storm came in Saturday, I must admit, I was hoping to get snowed in for an extra day or two. Alas, no such luck. My only consolation was knowing we were having a birthday gathering at the house Sunday afternoon.

This was the view as we were leaving. Completely dry roads, completely iced trees.


The trees were so beautiful.

After we got home and unpacked Justin, Heather, and Alex came by to wish me Happy Birthday.
Justin had to work so they missed the party, but I was so glad I got to see them.

Alex always has fun, he doesn't need a party!

My sister got here first and sent me to my room so she could set up the party. How sweet is that? It was supposed to be a surprise but I have been a mom too long, and it really is hard to get anything past me. After almost thirty years of constant parenting you just know when something is going on, good or bad.
We celebrate birthdays in groups because we have so many birthdays. (The grands get their own, of course.) This one covered mid January to mid February. One name is missing from the cake, DDIL (Dear Daughter in Law) Amy was the first January birthday. Mine was the 30th, then Stephen, Matthew, and last but not least Brodie.
Brodie is having his solo party tomorrow at Chuck E. Cheese. First time for all the grands to visit Chuck E. I can't wait!


Our sweet little Lauryn taste tested the icing and found it delicious. Too cute!


Kyleigh loved her some chips and onion dip.
See those eyes, that's why I call her my little ole livia (Color Purple reference).

Brodie helped his daddy eat his chips and dip.
See any resemblance?.....lol


I got some beautiful handmade cards from my sister and the grands.

Last but not least Kinsley (the oldest of the 7) made me this beautiful "Grand Garden".
I can't tell you how much I love this, the pictures are so....perfect. You can really see each of their personalities. Such a cute, sweet idea.

It was a great birthday all around.
Lots of love and thanks for all the planning and effort, that made it so special, go out to my sweetie, my sister, and the kiddos!
Love you all a bushel and a peck,
xox

April 17, 1992

"17 years, 9 months, and 6 days" he says with a grin. My sweetie can always tell you how long it has been since our first date. I hear "Happy Anniversary" once a month not once a year. Lucky girl, huh? That date was the beginning of it all. One date, now one family (okay, one HUGE family).
When we went on that date, almost eighteen years ago, we were both single parents with three kids, all under the age of 12! People thought we were crazy and they were right, we were crazy.......about each other. So crazy about each other that we added one more to the mix. Yep...yours, mine, and ours....the Brady Bunch plus one....we've heard them all. And I'll let you in on a little secret, there is a certain feeling of pride when you hear it that I think comes from what you have to go through to blend into such a large family. The youngest LOVES to tell people he is the youngest of seven.
I am posting tonight, technically this morning, because I am busting with gratitude lately. So grateful that we are a family. Each always there for the other, one for all and all for one! There were times I would have said it could never happen, but it did. It was hard work at times for all of us but what we went through together is, I believe, what makes us so close.
Our family of nine has expanded through the years to included 5 spouses, and four (soon to be six) grand babies. They visit each other and the cousins get to play together, too sweet. It tickles me no end when they visit each other. We are a close family.....all of us, and I am grateful for that daily.
It is a wonderful thing to really enjoy spending time with your grown children. Not because they are your children but because you like them. I am proud of each and every one of them. I take great delight in them individually but the crowd of us, all together, is.........glorious chaos! As good as it gets.
I realized as I started this post that I only have one picture of the nine of us. It is 15 years old and not digital so no picture this time but you can be sure, at the next gathering, I will get one of the nine of us and one with all eighteen.

With gratitude for family,
Jody
xox

Christmas craft collaboration

I had so much fun crafting and shopping for the grands this year!
I did a set of felt ornaments from a kit for each of them. Ballerina bears for the girls and a Christmas train for the boys. Very cute but WAY too labor intensive. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started but they were so cute I couldn't put them down.
They each got a few pieces of felt food too, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach when I started and I just did not get finished. Fried eggs, cheese,and bow tie pasta (soooo cute!) will work for a start though.
The favorite, hands down, was Lauryn's present. It was one of those few (for me anyway) things that actually came out better than I imagined, due in no small part to the help from my sweetie. Poppa really kicked it up a notch! I had been waiting, yes and planning, for the day the girls would be big enough for dress up. When I found out that is what Lauryn wanted for Christmas I was so excited!
I started shopping right after Halloween and got some great deals on costumes. I found a fireman, a pirate, a vampire, a witch, a princess, and of course the requisite Disney gals. Got a great deal on some dress up shoes and tiaras after Thanksgiving, throw in a few necklaces and earrings and what little girl would not be thrilled!
But wait......
"how bout a wardrobe packing box to make her a dress up closet?" said MamMaw "I could cut doors to make it a closet."
"I could cover it in fabric if you have a piece" volunteered Poppa. "We could also add a spot for her shoes and a shelf for her jewelry" he said.
"YAY! That's a great idea honey." says MamMaw running for the fabric stash.
Two days, four yards of fabric, a box cutter, antibiotic ointment, band-aids, and three cans of spray adhesive later......
Ta DA!!!!! Lauryn's dress up closet.

And open.....

I can't wait to do one for Kyleigh next year!

I love collaborating with my sweetie,
Jody
xox

New Beginnings in 2010

I know, I know, its been a long time. It had been so long I just stayed away. The last half of 2009 was a bit of a struggle for us on too many fronts and I let it overwhelm me. I've spent the first few weeks of the new year reflecting, re-grouping, and re-organizing. I did not make any resolutions but did decide I need to work on habits. All of the best and worst things about me are habits, good or bad. Need to drop some of the bad ones and develop a few more good ones. We'll see how that works, but I am back and ready for a new year.

The biggest news since I've been away.........
Grand #6
Tristan and Jason are expecting!
We are all so excited! It is a little girl and they have picked a name that I love. Miss Stella Laine is due April 19 and we can't wait to meet her.
She will be our second grand daughter born this year. We found out that Daniel and Alicia are also having a girl! Miss Katherin is due March 17.
Blessings abound!
Random Odd Thought.... our seven were two girls then the five boys, grands are two boys then four girls. We need one more girl huh?
We had a very nice low key Christmas. Focus was on the babies. I did a good bit of crafting and was happy with most everything, and thrilled with a few things. Michael and I collaborated on one project that I will share as soon as I dig up some pictures. The favorite gift this year for MamMaw and Poppa was a picture of all four grands! The moms (thank you girls I know that wasn't easy) all met up and had a portrait made. Priceless! We just love it.
I have been working on a few UFOs lately and finished several projects that were hanging over my head. Needed to clear my to do list as much as I needed to clear my head. Both are still pretty cluttered but.....
To New Beginnings!
Jody

Jones Creek Pt.1 The early years

I have been going to Jones Creek since I was a very little girl. It is a big part of the flavor and texture of my childhood. We spent a lot of time camping in those woods. I am now, and always have been, perfectly at peace when I am there. Playing in the creek, learning to clean the rainbow trout my father caught......such pride when I could do it myself, roasting endless pounds of marshmallows, learning to peel a potato "the navy way" from my "Uncle" Tommy ("Uncle" because I am from the south and all close family friends were ...actually still are, "Aunt" & "Uncle" so-n-so), I learned about snakes...it is the north Georgia mountains after all....and how to build a fire, yellow jackets and how to build s'mores....so many memories!
Just turning on the gravel road that leads to this paradise relaxes me. It is remote and what is considered primitive camping (that means no toilets or showers) and I love it.....not the no toilet or showers silly, the remoteness.
I am very lucky that I found a sweetie who loves this kind of camping as well. He was as enchanted as I by Jones Creek and we have been taking our family there since I took him for his first visit. This time we had our grand babies (well, two of them) join us for a few days. I can't explain to you how surreal it was to have my grands in the woods that I grew up in...happy, happy, joy, joy!
Sorry for the brief post but it has been hectic since we got back and...I am off to Alabama for a few days. I need to dust and sweep!
Jones Creek Part 2 Always an adventure! when I get back.
Jody
p.s. I still peel my potatos "the navy way"!

Happy Camper!

We are off to the woods!
A week camping in the north Georgia mountains. YAY!
I will be back middle of next week with lots of pics and campfire stories.
Happy Camping,
Jody

A New Grand!

#5 is on the way!


Just found out last night that Daniel & Alicia are expecting again!

Brodie is going to be a big brother!

So excited,

Jody

Happy, Happy, Happy

It was a weekend full of Happys here.
We got up Saturday and headed to Cleveland, Georgia. Home of Babyland General.

It is also home to my Dear In-Laws. We were there to celebrate all three of our Happys.
First was Happy Birthday to Poppa!
And since they got married on his birthday, Happy Anniversary to Nanna & Poppa.
And...since his Birthday is July 3rd.....Happy Fourth of July......work with me.

Poppa got lots of Birthday love.

Nanna got Anniversary hugs.

We had an even dozen for the cook out celebration. It was another HOT but beautiful summer day in Georgia.

The kids had a go at the sprinkler while they waited for lunch.

Kodi climbed a tree.

Brodie climbed a Kris!

And boys will be boys no matter what their age.......note the horns.

It was a really nice day and the perfect opportunity to snap a four generation picture.

Like I said, Happy, Happy, Happy!

Jody

Found......U.F.O.s

I have spent the last two days on a frantic search for a missing item. I realized on Tuesday "it" was not where I keep "it". I have torn my house apart looking for "it", combed every inch at least 3 times. I cannot stop compulsively searching for "it". IT IS NOT HERE!!!!!! It can't be, there is not a square inch of my house I have not looked in, seriously. This is driving me crazy. I just don't lose things. Anytime something is missing around here I am ALWAYS the one to find it. This, I can not find.

So, what did I find?

Too many Un Finished Objects, that's what. My craft room/office bore the brunt of the search yesterday. I decided if I was going to go through everything in the room I might as well go through everything. You know, re-organize, restore order......it's not that funny.....okay, it kinda is, maybe.... Anyway, this resulted in a shockingly large pile of U.F.O.s.

I have 2 quilts (one completed top, above.....my first, still not quilted even though I have made 3 since that one that are all quilted and gifted...and a beachy fabric trio bought for a quilt for my BFFs grand daughter), fabric cut for a stuffed jelly fish to go with beachy quilt, two dresses that need hems and buttons, a grocery buggy or two full of felt food cut and ready to sew, 5 Christmas tree skirts cut and ready to quilt, two birthday banners (like the one I made for Brodie pictured below) cut and ready to sew, a fabric "Book of Love" waiting to be assembled, and 4 bleach bottles that want to be Santa.

Ridiculous!

I will not start any more projects until all UFOs are gone!

I will not start anymore projects until all UFOs are gone!

I will try not to start any more projects until all UFOs are gone!

I will not create any more UFOs!

Help me,

Jody

Hey, wait, maybe a UFO abducted "it"!

Yeah...that's it! Cause I DON'T lose things. Really! I don't.

Super Saturday

First things first. Since you waited so patiently......

Project #2 Can Cozy

I was still working on these when the kids got here on Saturday. Just did get them finished in time. The idea for these came because we waste a lot of soda at family gatherings, there are so many of us it's hard to keep track of your soda if you put it down. Solution: I put a muslin square on the front of these can cozies and took some washable markers for personalization. We had cute, cooling , easy-to-find-your-own-drink cozies. You may notice I ended up changing the fabric I used for these. I made a prototype on Friday and they just needed the bright colors. I got 15 of them made before we left.

It was a long, HOT day at the mountain, but boy was it fun! This is the lawn, at the foot of the mountain, where we set up our blankets. We weren't there long before we were all glad for the coloring fans. The kids never stopped long enough to color them but the adults sure did use them.

After getting set up on the lawn we rode the train. It is a nice ride around the mountain and a welcome break from the searing sun lol. I always remember my childhood trips there when I ride the train. They used to do a show on the train ride where robbers would jump on board, it always thrilled and scared me as a child. No more robbers but still a nice ride.

After the train it was time for a blanket break. The little ones had some cousin time over juice and cookies. Too cute for words! This is what it is all about for me, that and the joy I get seeing our kids be aunts & uncles to each others babies.

By now we had some climbing the rock wall, half a dozen went to the 4-D movie, another group hiked to the top of the mountain and back....including two dads with little ones (Daniel & Brodie, Jeremy & Lauryn)....oh to be that young again. Everyone gathered back on the blanket to wait for the laser & fireworks show. Brodie practiced his light saber technique while he waited. He doesn't look tired at all, does he?

The laser & firework show was a perfect finale to a great day!

And a good time was had by all!

...............Or so they told me.......Thanks Kids!
Can't wait for next year.

Double Duty

I have been working on some projects for our family picnic tomorrow. We always find a spot on the laser show lawn and set up our picnic blankets. This is home base for us throughout the day. Everybody goes and does what interests them and we meet back on the blanket. It is also a great place to take a break, rest, grab a snack, or have a cool drink. This first project came to me as I was trying to figure out how to keep the grand babies cool and entertained during blanket breaks. It will be a long hot day for all of us but especially the little ones, so this is what I came up with....

Coloring Fans

Cheap entertainment, my favorite kind, that cools and entertains. Just 2 coloring pages printed on card stock and glued back to back on craft sticks. I will pack these with a travel box of crayons. Most of the grands are too young to really enjoy this but that just means more years to use the idea, right? They really rustle up a nice little breeze. I think we will all love this idea before the day is over.

I have not finished the second project yet, I have been freezing water and packing all day. I only have a little bit of sewing left that I will get to first thing in the morning...don't worry, we aren't leaving until 1:00p. The laser show is not until 9:00p and we don't want to push it with the little ones. Okay...I know...1:00-9:00 is pushing it but we're doing it anyway lol. I will give you a preview of my supplies for project two tonight (you can guess what it is, if ya want...it also does double duty) and finished pics next week, okay?

I'm off to the mountain, have a great weekend!

Jody