29 years of marriage!

Sunday was our 29th wedding anniversary. I thought it might be fun to share a picture from our wedding. Wayne was 20 and I was 19! My baby is 19 and can't imagine her getting married! The little boy and girl on either side of us are my cousins who are now in their mid thirties! We don't usually do much in the way of exchanging gifts for our anniversary but this year he wanted tickets for us to attend the Freedom Concert in Atlanta next month. Wayne is a huge fan of the Sean Hannity radio show and the proceeds benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund . After we told Bryant about it he wanted to go. So, of course, we purchased an additional ticket for him. He'll LOVE it! I got a $50 Hobby Lobby gift certificate. He really doesn't like to give gift certificates because he thinks they are impersonal but I LOVE them...especially HL! I was THRILLED!!!

I had my first (of 2 in June) class on Saturday and we painted a birdhouse on canvas. This is what it looked like when I left. (No, I didn't cut my hair...it was over 100 degrees here this weekend so it's just pulled back!) I didn't have time to put a butterfly or bird on it so when I got home I started messing with it adding some red flowers, 2 hummingbirds and a butterfly. I made it WAY too busy but I had fun doing it. Here is what it looked like when I was finished.

I KNOW...HUGE Butterfly. I was trying a new type of butterfly that I saw in a book and got carried away! Here's my big FAT hummingbird! Isn't this the cutest little hummingbird? He is so tiny and perfect! I couldn't really get a good shot of this one because the metallic paint reflected so much. It is wisteria and a hummingbird. It is really pretty. Here are some welcome signs we painted and are ready for personalization at our show this weekend. We have a lot more painting to do before the show but it's more for fun than anything else. Steph painted the background of this sign with pink passion and the outer ridge with berry wine. She couldn't decide what to paint on it and was busy painting her lighthouse canvas so I painted the butterfly bushes and butterfly. I put some lighter colors on the outer ridge to tone it down a bit. Not crazy about this one. The hibiscus on the right came out okay but I struggled with the other one. Oh well. That's the way it goes sometimes.

Steph painted the remaining 3 signs. She did a great job!

Steph's sunflower - It's beautiful!

I think this is my favorite! It looks so fresh and bright!

Remember the vase my friend and coworker purchased for her Mom from a previous post? Here it is with the flowers she gave to her Mom. She said her Mom loved it! I'm so glad!

As I came in from the pool with my camera I decided to take a shot of General Lee. When I get him out of the cage and put him on top he likes to walk over and give me a kiss. I think he was more intrigued with my camera than giving me a kiss...see the next picture!

Be sure to check out Stephanie's blog to see her seascape.

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Went back to Weight Watchers on Thursday. I've done really well and feel better. My BP was up last week so after going on another med I've gotten more motivation! I'm a lifetime member but the first time I joined, after child # 2 was born, I only had 13 lbs to lose and thought I was a cow. Oh well, sometimes we have to go through the struggle to really appreciate what is on the other side.

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Keep checking back for updates on our painting. I'll be posting the progression of our 9 trees being removed when (if) they ever get finished. It's been pretty amazing! Hope you have a great week and I'll post more later...stay tuned! Hugs ~ Kim

Father's Day Celebration 2007...

Here is the second post for the day...

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Let me add here that our upstairs air conditioner went out of Thursday night. We were able to get the repair company out here on Friday afternoon, however it was the compressor and it didn't get fixed until TODAY! Yes, that is 5.5 days and 5 nights without air in Georgia in June! Monday it was 97 degrees and nearly that inside as well. It has been miserable. I guess we are just spoiled!

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I'd like to wish all of the Daddies out there a belated but heartfelt Happy Father's Day. We had a great day here, although, as I said in an earlier post, we missed Wayne's Dad and Brother. We started the day off in the most wonderful way imaginable ~ we worshipped! Oh boy did we worship!!!! Stephanie & Brian and Rob & Heather joined Wayne and I at church. :o) Ashley had to work :o( and we'll just say that Brandon didn't make it. ;o) It was the most awesome message. I wish all of our children, family and friends could have been there. The message revolved around Psalm 139:1-18. Brother Joe reminded us that we are each a special, unique creation by God. He reminded us that when we want to be an inch taller or have blue eyes instead of brown we diminish the value of God's creation. He made us the way we are for a reason and we should glorify Him by loving ourselves as He made us. He brought to light that God knows our thoughts before we speak them therefore He knows our prayers before we pray them. He challenged us to make quiet time to pray each day and instead of talking to God, listen to Him. He already knows what we are going to pray so just be still, and listen to God. He added that of course we need to continue to pray but not to forget to listen to God also. At the end of the service Gwen handed out the printed scripture verses on colored card stock paper. Wayne asked me to put ribbon on his so he can hang it from the rear-view mirror in his truck. I thought it was such a good idea that I did it to all of the copies we received for each family member. I bet I've heard Wayne explain the message to others about 5-6 times since Sunday.

Since Ashley had to work and Brian & Heather needed to visit their Dads too we decided to meet back at our house for a BBQ & family swim late that afternoon. After we ate (great BBQing Wayne!) we had Wayne open his gifts. I gave him a manual "reel mower" that he asked for. Talk about a workout! WOW!

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Bryant and Jessica gave Papa this t-shirt. He LOVED it!!!

Ashley and Brandon gave him this FUNNY Homer Simpson talking figure. My favorite saying on there is,"Red light turn green! Red light turn green! N-n-n-n-n-o-w. (Pause) N-n-n-n-n-o-w. (Pause) N-n-n-n-n-o-w. (Pause) IT WORKED!" They also gave him a gun cleaning kit in a nice wooden box and a slingshot, which he asked for. Rob and Heather gave Wayne this REALLY cute frame with a picture of a VERY young Wayne in his USMC dress uniform with Rob @ 3 weeks old and a beautiful baby blue IZOD polo-style shirt.

Steph and Brian gave Wayne this cute t-shirt and a yellow striped soft polo-style shirt.

It was so-o-o-o-o-o hot in the house we went straight out to the pool after Wayne opened his gifts. We were in there until our skin pruned! Here are some cute shots I took at the pool with the kids. All 6 of the kids with Jasmine in her "boat" in the background!

Rob & Heather

Steph and Brian

Ashley and Brandon

Brandon and Brian hangin' out at the diving board.

The following are shots from the goober Olympics held in our pool each time we get together!

First we have, Brandon the flying squirrel...

Dancing Brandon...

Sitting Rob...

Hangin' Wayne...

Brian also dove off the board a few times. Here he is "saving" Jasmine who had just jumped from her boat in the deep end.

Jody may be an inside dog and a bit of a Diva, but she sure does love to be outside with us at the pool. She doesn't necessarily like to get in further than the top step but loves to be right beside us while we are in there.

Captain Jasmine commanding her ship, I mean float! She is so funny in the pool. She LOVES it!

And then there's Annie...

...and Teddy. They HATE the water. We like to take them in with us to remind them how to get out, at the steps, in case they fall in the pool. However, they are not real happy about it!

Is it obvious?!?! ;o)

And then there is faithful Jack. Wayne fell on Saturday and Jack is licking his wound. He follows Wayne everywhere. I didn't get any shots of Cam this time. I'll have to take double of him next family swim...July 4th!

Well I guess that sums up the day. Take care and I'll post again this weekend or sooner. Hugs to all and try to stay cool in this unbelievable heat! FYI - half of the 9 (added one to the original plan of 8) pine trees have come down. I'm hoping they'll finish by the end of the week. I'll post a before and after picture.

Hugs ~ Kim

Painting Like CRAZY!!!!

I have so much to post. Go get yourself a nice cup of hot coffee if it's morning or a nice cold drink if it's as hot where you are as we are in Georgia and enjoy the pictures and posts. I'm going to break this down into 2 posts. This one will be about painting and the next one will be all about Father's Day!

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Stephanie and I have decided to participate in a charity arts and crafts festival in the parking lot of the Zebulon Rd. Kroger from 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 30th. So, we are painting like crazy to get some things ready. Stephanie signed us up and said the booth (or in this case, parking spaces) rent goes to charity. I believe she said it is for the Children's Miracle Network (I think). I took this first piece to work today to show my coworkers and one of the ladies said she'd love to buy it to give to her Mom (filled with flowers, of course) for her birthday tomorrow. I was thrilled to share my art and know it would go to her Mom.

Here is our favorite thing to paint ~ Welcome signs. We thought we'd personalize these while our customers wait with either their name or house number. Hibiscus is one of my favorite things to paint! This large beautiful vase is not for sale. The glass vase was given to me by our youngest daughter for Mother's Day and was filled with beautiful fresh cut flowers that lasted 2 weeks! I painted these purple flowers on the vase for future bouquets. ;o) Stephie painted this cute casserole dish. It is so-o-o-o pretty! Here is the top of the casserole dish.A friend from work gave me some cute little pots she was going to get rid of and I painted flowers on this little one.

I painted my first Magnolias on this pretty vase. I thought they came out pretty good for my first try.

Steph and I are trying out different backgrounds on our welcome signs. Here are 2 that we've been working on.

Bryant was so cute when he saw this camo sign. He said, "Mimi you did so good! It looks just like Deer Huntin'! Is it for me? Are you gonna paint a deer on it for me?" He said all of that in about 3.4 seconds! It was so cute! Of course now, I have to figure out how to paint a deer for my little dear.

Well, that's all for now. I'll update as I have a chance. Hugs ~ Kim