Good morning, nice to come here and find a new post.
How well I remember needing to find time to take online exams at the bank, and then when I'd manage to free up a little time for them, they wouldn't be available or there would be some glitch. So frustrating!
Punk, I'm still learning with the Cricut. I've seen the vinyl letters and decorations on things like water bottles and I even did a few plates (for decorative use only). The "outdoor" vinyl is supposed to be able to be used on car windows, mailboxes, etc. so would work on things that need washed as well--but I wouldn't run them through the dishwasher. There are You tube videos showing how to use the vinyl for a stencil with the etching cream on glass items too. Good for putting monograms on our your name on casserole dishes so you get them back when you take them to pot lucks! We'll have to ask Kim how she did her Frosty words on the plate. Sure turned out cute. I just did "Trick or Treat" and "Candy is Dandy" with the vinyl on some little Dollar Tree candy dishes. You'll see them, hopefully filled with candy, when I do all the Halloween decorating. (If I don't use them as a gift before that!)

I know what you mean about cutting back on the yardwork. I'm actually thinking about having the vines removed off my block walls--but the vines sure look pretty covered in green! LOL

Boy, you don't do anything half heartedly do you? Congrats on clearing out so much unneeded items, you will feel good knowing others can get some use out of them and now you have room to collect more! LOL Just teasing! ;o)

Have a great day--I'll see if I can get some painting started today, wish me luck.

Luvs

Hi, had to laugh at reading (Boy, you don't do anything half heartedly do you?) You nailed that one for sure. I have so much going on that I can't stop in the middle or I would give up and do nothing, more than likely.

Did the kids get home safely??? How's that little GD doing?

I forgot to ask Kim what she used for the Frosty but will do that at some point. Your Halloween decorations are going to be so fun with all your new goodies you've made.

I went out tonight and started 3 sprinklers and within an hour we got such a wonderful rain. Haven't checked the water gauge but the sprinklers are still on so I shouldn't have to water as much after the rain.

Belle, my friend coats her Prime Rib with Kosher salt before cooking. I am going to get brave and try it someday. DS says his Tri tip is almost as good but wouldn't let me in on his secret. He cooks alot and has several chefs as friends. I'll get it out of him one day by tricking him if nothing else.LOL

You have a Tepurpedic Mattress and that's the same as the kids. I just can't imagine paying that much for one. Keep talking and who knows I may decide I can't live w/o one either.haha

Anj, where are you and what are you up to now?

Best say Good Night and get ready to turn in. Take Care My Friends.

Punk

Good morning! I'm happy to say my "kids" made it home safe and sound. Talked to them on the phone yesterday, but haven't had a chance to see them yet--maybe today.

Punk, I saw your cute gingerbread girl tray--I'm not holding up my side of doing projects very well, I need to stop procrastinating and get busy, don't I?

Bet Anj has been busy with school shopping and getting all organized for when the kiddos head back next week I think she said. Hopefully, she will find time to give us a holler soon.

Our weather got a bit hotter this week, upper 90's. Makes me just want to stay inside! Think it will be cooling back down a bit now, love it when it's just in the 80's. Glad you got some much needed rain, Punk. Bet all the critters and plants were glad too. ;o)

Belle, hope you're finished with all that hard stuff in your yard and can just kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I sometimes find it hard to relax in my own yard--always seeing a weed (or several) that need pulled or flowers needing deadheaded or vines needing trimmed, etc. (Big sigh) Funny how those things don't bother me much when in someone else's yard! LOL

Better get moving. I'll catch you all later.

Luvs

Hey ya'll! I have been busy. Had a family campout last weekend then tried to recover from that with all the laundry and putting things away. Different things just keep popping up. I am happy to report that I am painting here and there on a little Halloween project for my SIL. It's a Monika Brint pattern and it has a lot of shading which I'm so not good at so it's taking me some time. I bought a new tiny mop brush which I'm trying to learn how to use and I just love it.
My oldest DS starts Jr High tomorrow and the rest of the kids start on Monday. Oldest is starting High School. Ugh. Where did the time go???
Monday starts my new schedule. I've been really lax with the house these past few months with all the kids in and out it just didn't do any good to clean much. I'll be cleaning carpets and doing a good cleaning before the fall (flylady here I come) and hopefully get my walls painted as well. I cannot handle another winter with this dingy chipped paint. The kids are sure hard on my walls. Anyway as usual...so much to do so little time. Sorry I don't make it here much. I will so try to get organized and try to get here more regularly. Ya'll seem so busy in your yards and things. I barely make a few minutes to pick my garden. Not much coming out except cucumbers which I don't eat so not really thrilling. ha I was hoping for more tomatoes. Our plants are huge, just not many veggies coming off. Think our soil is in need of a boost. Anyway kiddos. Better get going. Oh Luvs...glad your family made it back home safe! Talk to ya'll again soon. ~Anj

Hi All, so glad the kids are home safe, Luvs. You know you don't have to worry about holding up your end with all of us here. I sure enjoy seeing all your creations though so hope you get to it and STOP procrastinating.

Anj, sounds like you are Busy and yet finding time to do some painting. Yeah!!!

I laughed when reading how your cucumbers are doing better than your tomatoes. Mine is just the opposite. My zucchini is going crazy as is all my squash, pumpkins and gourds. Picked beans, gr peppers, carrots, zucchini and lettuce tonight. I made fried red potatoes, zucchini, gr pepper, onions and keilbasa for dinner tonight and it was good for a change.

What I missed the most out of my garden this year was my strawberries. I plan on saving every runner I can find and taking better care of them next year. I let DH plow all the large bed up this year. Big mistake when I went to buy replacements, I couldn't believe the price they wanted for a dinky little plant. I throw away what they sell.LOL

DF called tonight and wants to go buy a new SS Grill so we will be heading to the city this weekend. I need to get food ready for fair so will pickup a few dinners at Costco and throw them in the freezer. I can only eat so much fair food and then need real food.

The 4Hers put on some good meals but run out before I get there so I'm always prepared. Do all of you like fair food and if so what's your favorite things to eat? Maybe I need to try something new.haha

Hope Belle, PF and others will join us over here soon. PF has been so busy painting and I've enjoyed seeing all her projects she's been posting. I seen her Santa Stocking and silver rose heart she's selling on Etsy that are so pretty too. If you haven't seen them, better go look before she sells them.

Take Care My Friends.

Punk

Hi Anj and Punk and any others who happen by, I'm checking in here while I eat my peach--just got back from taking the two dogs for a walk so needed a little rest.

I will have a project to post later today, just have to seal it and put the little hanger on it. Felt good to sit in there and paint yesterday, and this was a simple project so was able to complete it in one day! Woohoo!

Little GD is coming over today, she's been asking to come play with Grandma and "the dogs". Sometimes I think "the dogs" rank higher in that equation than Grandma does! LOL

Anj, I knew you were busy getting kiddos ready for school. Wow! One in highschool already--you know what that means???? And your littlest starts first grade this year too, your house may feel a little empty next week, good that you have all kinds of things planned to do. I think it was good that you just relaxed a bit about the house while the kids were out of school. When they are all grown up, they won't remember how clean the house was, but they will remember the good times they had there. ;o)

Punk, I know you will have fun at the fair. You are probably smart to take your own healthy food along--fair food is yummy, but not the healthiest! We like the Piggly Wiggly curly fries, the Cinnabons, and ice cream of some kind usually. Haven't tried the fried Twinkies or fried pickles!

Better get the floor cleaned and take out the trash. You all have a good day and I'll check back in later.

Luvs

Hi, Luvs your little sign is darling. You must be painting faster cuz it doesn't look that easy with all the details to me. How was your time with DGD? I loved spending time with mine and can hardly wait to be able to spend more time with her at the fair. I've tried everything except the cinnabons.

I haven't bought any peaches yet but it sounds great. We have to wait for the WA peaches to have real good ones here it seems. Thanks for mentioning that you had one!

We spent the day in the city with friends and went to Famous Dave's for lunch. When we got home I done more organizing in the shop and accomplished quite abit. I moved sleeping bags, suitcases and a few other things from the house out there. I plan to catch up on laundry and get the house work finished tomorrow.

Punk

I have only a very short time, so first of all, everyone stay well and I will miss you. No internet where I am going.

My 83 yr old mom fell Thursday and broke her hip and leg....so we made a mad trip to Eastern WA to be with her and was told that she would NOT be able to live by herself.

That made us all laugh, she owns and run a 12 unit apt building, bistro, laundry mat.... etc, etc. Bottom line, it all has to go and she will be living with my youngest sisters when she is released from the hosp.

The BIG and I mean Really Big surprise....my DM is a horder. Her theater building has 3 1/2 floors plus a basement. Non of us have been in it for about 5 years. It is pact full of "stuff" that she has bought from second hand stores or garage sales. In her apartment building which has 3 floors and only one in use....you guessed it, full of stuff. Evidently she has been buying out stores that were closing. Then came the second, third and fourth shock. He had bought the building on either side of her and the house next door. All full. Now we are left with disposing with all of this, excuse my language, crap! Four of us will start the job in the morning. So in 3 days we will have traveled about 1,200 miles and I am so overwhelmed. Being the eldest I must put on a good face and forge forward as if I know what I am doing. Luckily we kids all get along very well and we talked everything out. So my story is told and I will be gone for a week or more.....:( what am I saying....months and months..... hope we are still talking to each other when this is all over. One good thing is that MDM will not be there to deal with, it is proving hard enough even with her in the hospital. Ever have to tell you Mother she has no say in what is going to happen in her life...enough of this!!!

Think of me now and again and Happy Painting!!!!!!!

Take care!

Belle

Oh my gooness, Belle. I'm so sorry for your Mom's fall--she doesn't sound like the type to be kept down for very long. And doesn't sound like someone who will walk away from her life's "collections" that easily either! Will her hip and leg not heal well enough for her to get around? 83 seems kinda young to have to give up her whole lifestyle unless there's a medical reason she won't be able to take care of things anymore. If she is mentally okay, I don't understand why you would be taking over and disposing of all her property and things. Perhaps there's more to the story than I'm reading here. Anyway it sounds like you have a big challenge ahead of you and I wish you strength and stamina. We will miss you and be anxious to hear more about this "adventure" you are undertaking. Take care.

Punk, we have Famous Dave's here too. Good food and service. This little snowman did paint up pretty fast for me. Lots more things I want to get to work on soon too.

I had to chuckle when I read about you moving suitcases and stuff. We have so many of those and other bags of different shapes and sizes. I have two big shelves full in our little shed. I'd like to donate some of them, but DH always says that might be just the size we need sometime! LOL

You really have been on a roll with the organizing and clearing things out--trying to get it all done while the weather and roads are good so you will be ready for winter? Glad you are making such good progress.

TTYL,

Kay

Hello All, I too am so sorry for your DM, Belle and what you have ahead of you. I'd love to be there from the sounds of what she has.LOL I hope all of you consult DM before you do away with her goodies. She sounds like a whirl wind and I can't imagine this keeping her down to long.

Luvs, I am beginning to like my house again. DS was down and took some of his belongings home. He has a 4 bedroom home with a 3 car garage and still has alot here. What's wrong with this picture? He says he's going to put his home on the market so can't take all his stuff.OK Remind me why we love our kids so much.

I have to take our Escalade ext in tomorrow to have the tailgate repainted. I didn't pull in the garage far enough the other night and opened and closed the door a few times before realizing it wasn't pulled ahead far enough to let it close properly. So the door rubbed the paint off the bumper in a couple of places. Then if that wasn't enough, yesterday we loaded up DF's old BBQ. We hauled it to the dump today and when we was unloading it it scraped off some paint on the top of the tailgate. It was suppose to go in last week to have the bumper painted and I'm so glad this all happened before it was done. I will have to show them the new boo boo so it can be fixed also. I told DH we will be hauling things in his truck from now on.

I have another load ready to go to the TS but don't think I will get it there before the fair. I'm so tickled the way things are coming together out there in the shed. I have shelves for all the different holidays in colored totes and it will be so easy to grab what I want if I keep it organized. I've found things I had forgot I bought so it's like Christmas again at times going through it.

Hope you have time to do more painting. Sounds like you have alot you'd like to paint so hope it happens. Maybe Anj will have time to join us more soon. Belle is going to be busy and I sure hope she doesn't over due. Sounds like her DM has more stuff than I can imagine.

Take Care My Friends.

Punk