Happy Birthday, Sandy . . . and I don't mean my kitty! :o)

Please stop by and wish Sandy a Happy 40th birthday! If you're 40 or over, let her know it's not that bad! Also, check out her sweet sister's blog about Sandy. I have been so blessed by these two wonderful Christian ladies and am so thankful to have them in my life.

Happy Birthday, sweet friend, and welcome to the "club"! Love ya ~ Kim

Happy 23rd Birthday to my Precious Angel, Stephanie!

If you have more than one child I'm sure you've probably told someone how different they are. Our three children are no exception. They all have their strengths and weaknesses but they are all loving, kind, responsible, generous, respectful, passionate, caring and spiritual. They are also good friends who support each other and will drop everything to go to the aid of the other. I am so proud, as is their Dad, of the adults our children have become.

Today, I want to tell you about our Stephanie. She turned 23 today. If you've ever met Steph you know that she has a contagious smile and laugh. She, along with our other children are a joy. I'd like to share a few pictures that I happened to have scanned for Wayne's 50th b-day album.

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Stephanie LOVED powder. She often got in trouble for playing in the powder. So, when I went to check on her because she had been way too quiet she said, "I not playin' in the powder, Mommy!" I had to contain my laughter long enough to run and get the camera because she was COVERED in powder!

Stephanie also LOVED to pose for the camera. She always had the cutest expressions and biggest dimples.

Steph LOVES her immediate family as well as her extended family. Here is Steph with Ashley, her baby sister, Grandpa Joe whom we miss dearly and "us" with my Mom and Grandmother.

Steph played clarinet in middle school and continiued in the marching band at her high school. She wasn't sure she wanted to be in the marching band but I asked her to give it a try and it became her passion! After her first year in marching band she knew she wanted to be drum major and lead the band. She tried out 2 years in a row and was not chosen either time. She showed great character by accepting it and just trying harder her 3rd and final try for her senior year. I can still remember getting the phone call from her letting me know she made drum major and me screaming and responding, "We made it!" She was an awesome DM and set a wonderful example. Ashley joined the marching band as a 9th grader playing the alto sax and it was a real joy watching Stephanie lead the band and her little sister following in her steps.

Steph is also an incredible friend. She is the one everyone calls when they need someone or just want to go have a good time. We've always said if the wheels are rolling, Steph wants to be there.

As I'm sure you konw, just about everyone calls me Mimi. Wayne calls Steph, Mimi-Jr. We are very much alike and often finish each other's sentences. We like a lot of the same things and have so much fun together. We can talk each other into the craziest projects but ALWAYS have a good time doing them. Steph is not only my daughter but my treasured friend. Having 3 wonderful children is yet another example of my "blessed life" and moments spent with them, their significant others and close friends (whom I also include as our children) are more often than not, "breathless".

Hope you had a wonderful day, my precious angel! Love you, Mimi XXOO

So, let me tell you about my wonderful painting teacher...

I know, most of you have heard me sing her praises before, but let me tell you about Sandy's latest act of kindness.

In celebration of her 1 year anniversary teaching the One Stroke Painting method at Hobby Lobby, Sandy decided to give each one of her students a little hand painted gift each time they took a class.

Well, I was lucky enough to take 7 classes, thanks to my family and friends who paid for all of my classes for my birthday last month.

So, here are the 7 gifts I received from my painting teacher, and more importantly, my friend, Sandy McTier, OSCI...

I've been fortunate enough to take 48 classes with Sandy in the last year and have LOVED every minute of it. I tell my husband that it's cheaper and more effective than therapy!

I want to thank you, Sandy, for sharing your passion and inspiring me as well as others to catch that passion for painting.

There is so much more I could say to show my gratitude, but let me just say, I am so thankful to my wonderful God for bringing you into my life.

Love, Kim

Happy (belated) 87th Birthday, Memomer!

As usual, I'm running a little behind in my posting. A VERY SPECIAL person in my life celebrated her 87th birthday on Friday, 10/26. Happy Birthday to my maternal Grandmother whom I, as the first grandchild, lovingly named, "Memomer". Now the story goes that I named her that because I couldn't say "Grandmother". I'm not sure "Memomer" is any easier to say than "Grandmother" but that's what they say.

I took this picture of us at Thanksgiving 2003 when she came to visit.

Let me see if I can name 10 things about her.

1. She LOVES HER FAMILY
2. Loves to read
3. Made the best Homemade Apple Pie and Mashed Potatoes that I ever ate!
4. Wonderful Seamstress and very creative
5. Member of the Red Hat Society
6. Married my grandfather in 1938. They were married for 57 years (I think) before he passed away.
7. Provided a loving, stable environment, with my grandfather, for their children
8. She, like me, was an only child and we both had 3 children
9. She HATES to have her picture taken, but loves to look at pictures of her family!
10. When her health was better she would come stay with us for 2-3 weeks at a time and we would have a wonderful time together going to the kid's activities, playing games like "Chicken Foot" and "Mexican Train", going to eat out and just talking and enjoying each other's company. I miss having her here with us. We keep her "chair" ready for her in case she can come see us again. It has a bright light for her to read. It will always be "Memomer's Chair"!

I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

She is an amazing woman who is loved, admired and adored by MANY!

Her mind is as sharp as a tack! She had planned to visit on Thanksgiving with my Mom and Ralph but the doctor said it isn't a good idea so they will not be able to join us for our celebration this year. :o(

I hope you birthday was as wonderful as you are!!!!!! XXOO - Kimmie

Still playing catch-up!

I'm trying to remember all that's happened in the last month. Let's see...we all (family) went to the Braves game on September 22nd and had a great time.

I decorated for fall...

I don't really do Halloween decorating, although we do love to have all of the neighborhood kids come over for candy.

Jody and I attended our nephew's wedding in N.C. earlier this month.

Aren't the falls beautiful!

Sheri & Logan

My MIL & SIL (mother of the groom) by the falls.

Yes, Jody did attend. She stayed in the car but she did go to the wedding and reception and everywhere else we went. She was a GREAT doggie!

I just had to take a picture of the One Stroke mailbox by the chapel. After the reception, my MIL, Jody and I went to Black Mountain Veteran Cemetery to visit my FIL's grave. Is that an incredible view or what????? The leaves were just starting to change when we were there.

I bet it is absolutely gorgeous now! Look what I found when I went into my MIL's bathroom. She has a Dewberry Designs One Stroke shower curtain and didn't even know it!!! :o) Yes, I guess I've got the fever.

I was tagged by Sandy several weeks ago to post 7 things that you might not know about me and I'm FINALLY getting around to it. Here goes...

1) I LOVE ANIMALS...okay, okay, EVERYONE knows that one...I grew up in Miami and my Mom worked for the Miami Dolphin franchise so we had season tickets during the 1972 super season of the Dolphins! (I'm not really a big football fan so I didn't appreciate it back then.)

2) I used to decorate cakes as a side business. I took classes when Wayne was in boot camp in 1977 and made cakes off and on until the mid-1990s when I got completely sick of it!

3) I was the only grandchild on my Dad's side of the family until I was 6 and on my Mom's side of the family until I was 12 years old!

4) Wayne and I went to Europe with a church group about a year before we were married. We bicycled over 500 miles through 5 different countries in 3 weeks! What wonderful memories!

5) My Mom and I saw Tom Jones in concert in the late sixties. We tried to get tickets to see Elvis but they were sold out. I have to say Tom was pretty dang cute himself!

6) Thanksgiving is one of my very FAVORITE holidays and I like LOTS of family and friends to share our HUGE homemade dinner. If you don't have a place to go for Thanksgiving, come on over . . . the more the merrier.

7) I always include "XXOO" when I sign my e-mails and letters to my family.

I'll use my next update to show you all of the beautiful things I've been painting!

Hugs ~ Kim

Wow! Has it really been a month since my last post?!?

I have a lot to post but am too tired to get completely caught up. However, I just can't let another day go by without thanking my wonderful friend, Sandy for my b-day present! I LOVE it, LOVE it, LOVE it! She knows that Pansies are my favorite! Did you know that most flowers have a meaning and the Pansy means,

"I'm thinking about you!"

I also purchased a beautiful table and 4 matching chairs from a friend. They wanted to get rid of it quickly because they were getting new furniture so they sold it to me for $100! Isn't it gorgeous????? It is the perfect place for my message tile from Sandy! :o)

How cute is this welcome sign we painted in class a few weeks ago? I just LOVE it! It was one of my favorite projects out of the 40 or so classes I've taken from Sandy! She actually cut the letters out on her new Cricut machine. However, I spray everything with acrylic sealer and the letters didn't like it at all. They curled up and flipped like a bug just been hit by insecticide! So, I peeled them all off then painted where the letters were.

I've also done quite a bit of fall decorating so I'll try to update with pics soon. Leave me comments so I know you forgive me for being gone so long!!!! Hugs ~ Kim

Weight Watchers...

Okay, confession time, though it's not a BIG secret. I've just not been very "good" since I went on vacation to Tennessee the first of August. I haven't gained but I haven't lost either. I need to do some weight-related-soul-searching and get back on track. I need to be more regular about my exercise AND keep my food journal. It seems like there have been so many things going on with home and work that I get stressed and EAT! However, I know it's just an excuse! I need to break the cycle and "fix" it for good. So, I'm not giving up, but I'm going to take a couple of weeks and try to get myself back on track. I'll get there but just not a quickly as I started out! I have more to post, painting and such but no time right now. Hugs ~ Kim