Meet Regan from A Day In The Life!

Happy Wednesday everyone! Today I am grateful to introduce you all to Regan from the blog A Day In The Life. She has so thoughtfully wrote my this weeks Blogazine for all us to enjoy.

Thank you, Maggie, for asking me to write a post for your Blogazine. I am truly honored to do so, as I adore your blog and you too!


I started my blog,  A Day In The Life (mamacancraft.blogspot.com) in August of 2009. It's main focus is on crafting, the family unit, antiques and other personal interests.

It was not an easy decision to start blogging. I'm not a shy person by any means- but I have always been on the reserved side, and this was totally out of my comfort zone. However, while absorbing all the wonderful talent and fascinating stories that a lot of blogs share, I decided it was time to try it for myself. So I held my breath and published my first post. I never knew how rewarding blogging could be- I have never in my life have met so many positive, charming, talented 'everyday' people! I feel like I have made a hundred friends or more! I giggle now as I say, I am not totally transformed... I still don't understand Twitter, and I'll be the first to admit I don't get the whole fascination with Facebook. Maybe one day... Baby steps, right??

A little more about me-

My name is Regan. I am 27. I have an amazing husband and a beautiful girl. I also have two furry boys, my two labs. I try very hard to maintain a sense of tranquility in our home, whether its through decorating, making home cooked meals, or just loving my family through words and actions. In our home, hugs and kisses never run out.

I met my husband in Maryland while working at a bar. I was a cocktail waitress, he was a bouncer. He was currently stationed on base in town serving our country through the Marine Corp. I knew as soon as I met him, that he would be my best friend. Have you ever had that feeling? I wouldn't say I fell in love with him 'at first site', but I had a rock-solid feeling he was my soul mate. It's funny, because he must have had the exact same feeling. To this day, he can recall exactly what I said to him, where we were, and what I was wearing. Although we didn't start dating until much later, we were friends right away. 'Joined at the hip' you might say. He left for Iraq about 8 months after we met. I worried about him all the time, and prayed I would see my best friend again soon.

My prayers were answered one day when he 'borrowed' a cell phone and told me when he would be returning to the States. I was so excited! When he came back, he was relocated to California. Again, it felt like we were worlds away from each other, but we talked on the phone every day. On Christmas of 2003, he told me he loved me. I was choked up with tears when I told him I loved him too. A month later, I bought a one way ticket to fly out to California. He was honorably discharged, and we drove all the way home together. We stopped anywhere that interested us, and to this day that is still the best vacation I have ever had.

Indiana became our home state. My husband is originally from Indiana, so it was a smooth transition. A year later, we bought a house. Two years after that, we got married. As we approached each milestone, time seemed to go on and on. Six months after we married, I learned I was pregnant. From that moment on, time has seemed to fly by for both of us! Maybe it's because each day we created a new memory with our daughter. Maybe it's because our priories have changed. I still can't believe our daughter is almost two. I can't believe our 'puppies' are four & nine already. I wonder what our next milestone will be?

As I write about crafts and antiques, dogs and family... I can't help but to feel blessed. Blessed to live the life I do, with wonderful people around me to share it with. I hope to have many more posts to publish, and I can't wait to 'meet' more great people through blogging.

Thanks again, Maggie for the opportunity to introduce myself and to give everyone an idea of who I am. I look forward to reading about more people through your Blogazine.

XoXo,

Regan

XoXo to you to Regan....thank you so much for being our Blogazine guest. I know everyone will enjoy visiting your site and getting to know you as I have been lucky enough to do.

Tomorrow at midnight I can find out who the winner is for the Paula Deen set. No don't call me at midnight I will call you....lol
If you all could see me now you would just die. Between mowing on the big tractor and walking the fields of Warrenton I am bent over and walking looking straight down at the floor. I kid you guys not....I mowed all last summer on this durn big tractor and this never happened but I woke up yesterday and again today and can not stand up straight. It is the most uncomfortable way to walk. I pray to sweet Jesus that this is only temporary because I am already short but now I am barely 4ft tall. How can I go back to the Sheriff's Dept bent over. The only thing I would be good for there bent over like this is checking the air of the tires in the partrol cars. Can you see me now trying handcuff somebody without seeing who they are...hahahaha
 Oh and Sharon finally sent me a picture of me at Warrenton when I was taking a break on a bench....

Have you ever seen me happier than this!!!

Sweet Dreams
Maggie

Temptation Mondays

Hey everyone I hope your Monday has been a good one. I am behind on my post of Temptation Mondays so will try to do better in the weeks ahead. Today was beautiful and since I was off from the Sheriffs Office I mowed most of the afternoon.  I did drive out to Warrenton first thing this morning to see if I could find Anne's booth from Fiona and Twig,  but no luck. I will have to go to her site tonight and reread her post about where she is located out there.

Today I wanted to show you what LuLu from Coastal Sisters sent me for Temptation Mondays. They are a set of three French crystal chandelier pendants. I just love how pretty these are and so unique.  Click on this link here to read about them and here you will find other pretty items that might just tempt you.....
http://www.lollishops.com/node/49071#1\

While your there check this out too! Isn't it just adorable.

LuLu always has such beautiful one of a kind items and keeps on creating more and more! What a blessing to be this creative,,,,,,click on Coastal Sisters and be surprised at all that you find!

My April Fools Giveaway is almost to an end. I don't think I will ever have one that last this long again. It is just to long a wait to see who the winner will be...I get to excited....so next giveaway will end a lot quicker. lol

Anyway if you have not entered please do. It is listed on the my sidebar...the  Paul Dean set of pans.  Also  when you visit LuLu's site she is having a giveaway for a beautiful ring.

I have another blogazine guest just waiting to tell her story so watch for it soon. You will not be disappointed it is a great story. If you want to be on Temptation Mondays just email me at grandmayellowhair@gmail.com .

To be a guest on the Blogazine please send your fab story to grandmayellowhairsblogazine@gmail.com.

I dearly enjoy all your sites and am behind visiting them also. To tell you the truth this mowing just never ends. lol 

Sweet Dreams

Maggie

YES Warrenton Again!

This is Warrenton! I took this off of the highway to show you how these tents stretch for twenty miles down this road. OH Yes on both sides too!

THIS is my sweet friend Sharon! She loves painted furniture and can even do it herself! Very talented lady and beautiful too. In my earlier post some of you have mistaken Sharon for me which is okay by me since she is very pretty! We are asked all the time are we sisters! I say yes sometimes because no one believes us when we tell the truth...lol She took pictures of me and I took them of her so when I get my pictures from her I will share them with you.

Actually this guy selling flowers used my camera to take a picture of us together and it did not take on mine but it did on Sharons... She bought several and their in my sunny hallway as I type this. Sharon wants me to take care of them for a while. OH Dear!!!

Enlarge this picture and look at the lamp! As you noticed I don't take pictures of just one item in a booth because I have found that some vendors frown on picture taking...so I try to be nice and step back out of the tent and snap!

There's nothing you can not find out here! Even ole women on their bikes!

Sharon and her daughter Misti who met us out there about 5pm....we were already worn out by then!

Yes there were butts hanging around too! Sorry could not resist this picture!

Junk and more Junk....wish you all here with me! I told Sharon she and I may have to do a booth next year because its getting harder and harder to walk these fields.....
Hope you enjoyed my day at Warrenton with Sharon!

MORE OF WARRENTON SHOW

Sharon and I were the luckest two ladies in the world today. We got to go back to Warrenton and it was a beautiful sunny day. I am dog tired but wanted to share a few of my pictures with all of you.

You can find anything out here even beds of flowers!

We both wore pink today and it happens to us a lot!

Not the pink but having the same color clothes on when we go out here....we need to talk to each other first I guess before we get dressed!

Our first stop and would you believe they had to make us leave because we spent hours here.

I want this bird but left him for someone else!

Rows and rows of vendors and this was just one field!

Will post more tomorrow!

Wish you all were here to go with us!

Love to all

Maggie

WARRENTON/ROUND TOP SHOW

Warrenton is here again!

 Naturally the first day out was ugly cold and raining! Always happens during the show!

I seriously needed this diversion today after dealing with a guy coming off PCP for two straight days. He drove me almost to the point of handing him the key and telling him to run Forrest Run! But he was so freaking crazy I thought I had better leave him where he was but Geezzzzz Marie that was a mistake too… I paid dearly for two straight days.

My girlfriend, Sharon and I thought we would chance the weather but sadly it was just too miserable for us to stay very long. In our younger days, I would have had to hog tie Sharon to the back of the car to drive off from there but she was as miserable as myself.

Sharon and I have been friends so long people think we are sisters! Always whereever we go they ask us that. I think today was the first time but we were only out there maybe two hours..at the most...she loves pink and one day I will do a post about her.

I wanted to get some one to take our picture and never did ask so next time out I will have to remember…..but I did manage to get two of Sharon…one of her hiding behind a hippo and the other of her foot…



We ate a chicken salad sandwich that was ok nothing to write home to momma about but it was in a dry halfway warm building with lots of other friendly shoppers. Of course, we had to try their chocolate cake but it was store bought and I finishing it off for my supper now..... My camera kept going on and off so not many pictures to share this trip….tomorrow my friend, Alan wants to drive out there but will have to wait and see about the weather..he has a very understanding girlfriend that lets him go to Warrenton with me every year...I guess being a lot younger than me she sees me as no threat...hahahaha....Believe me after dealing with men all day I could be with Clint baby and probably not flirt with him...

I was trying to show you a really bright chandeliar..half my pictures did not take today....must of been the weather  .....not me!

Hope you’re all doing good and are behaving! Did you not love Dan’s story from the previous post! If you missed it be sure and check it out….also I added a Blogazine Guest button under my headboard for access to their stories. Today I heard from a very special popular blogger that we all love who agreed to write a story when she gets caught up so we have that to look forward to. No I can’t tell you what if she never gets caught up…hahaha


Love to all

Maggie

Blogazine Guest Dan from Yesterday Once More!

Hello everyone!
I hope all of you enjoyed Bunny because she is quite the young lady and I love giving her a hard time on my site. Maybe it's the tape on her mouth that makes me do it who knows.
Tonight I was going to bore you guys with another one of my crazy days but instead I received this story a few days ago and  I could not wait any longer to share it. Sometimes you feel like its Christmas and you can not wait to open those gifts thats how I felt about sharing these stories.
Welcome Dan to Blogazine! He has quite the story to tell so enjoy!

 Hi, my name is Dan and I have been blogging since January 16, 2010. The name of my blog is Yesterday Once More. I have really enjoyed blogging and have met a lot of wonderful people. I would like to thank Maggie for asking me to tell all of her readers about myself. When Maggie asked me to write for her blog, my first thought was I don’t really know what to say. So I decided to just tell you about myself.


As Glinda the good witch of the north said, “It is always best to start at the beginning.” I was born in a small town in Southern Illinois on November 2, 1972. I was the second child. I have a brother who is 2 ½ years older than I am. My younger brother appeared on the scene five years later. That makes me the middle child. My dad was and still is a coal miner, and my mom was a stay at home mother. Growing up in Southern Illinois, we spent many summer days at my grandparent’s lake-house swimming and being pulled by my grandpa’s boat on skis, a tube, or a water sled. The rest of the year we went to school, and did all the usual things that kids do. The worst thing that happened to me as a child was breaking my hand in a snow sledding accident. Other than that there wasn’t a lot of excitement, and my childhood was very normal and good.

My dad worked a lot as I was growing up and a lot of times it was just my mom, two brothers, and me. My mom and I have always been close. We share the same interests and love spending time together. My mom has always been interested in antiques. I remember being very young and her taking me to antique shops, and thinking, “This is the most boring place I have ever been in my life.” Little did I know how important antique shops would become to me as I grew older. As a child, I spent a lot of time drawing and coloring. I would also spend time decorating my room, rearranging it often and thinking about different ways to use the space. When we would go to other people’s houses, I would spend my time looking at their children’s bedrooms and getting ideas for my own. My decorating eventually left the boundaries of my room and escaped to other parts of the house. My mom would always say, “My little interior decorator has been at it again.” My mom was constantly redecorating, and I was always by her side painting, wallpapering, and rearranging furniture. I didn’t realize it then, but she was training me to do these things in my own house.

Whenever I would go to Wal-mart or the grocery store, I would spend my time looking at decorating magazines. I remember following my mom around Wal-Mart looking at the latest copy of Country Sampler Magazine and thinking to myself, “One day I am going to have a house nice enough to be in a magazine.”

My parents tried to instill in all three of us to work hard, not judge people by their outward appearance or by what they had, to tell the truth, and always to be there for each other. My mom taught us how to cook, clean, do laundry, and iron. She wanted us to be able to take care of ourselves and to be self-sufficient. Not going to college was never an option. We always knew our parents expected us to go. When I graduated from high school in 1991, I went straight to college majoring in Special Education.

I graduated from college in 1995, got my first teaching job, and my first apartment, and I immediately began decorating. My mom was getting away from the country décor and gave me a lot of her decorations. Some of the items belonged to my great-grandma. I also started going to antique stores. It started out as a cheap way to decorate my apartment and soon turned into a sometimes expensive passion. I couldn’t get enough of the antiques I loved. I was always starting a new collection and always thinking about the future when I would have my own house to decorate.
Better jobs led to better apartments which led to more space for my collections. It seemed just when I filled a place up, I would find a different one with more space to fill.

In 2002, I went back to school to get my Masters in Special Education. One semester I signed up for a secondary education class. I didn’t want to take it, and tried to get out of it to no avail. The night of the first class, I looked down the hall and saw a guy walking down the hall. This guy turned out to be my future partner, Jeff. I always say, “Jeff followed me to my car, and we have been together ever since.” In December of 2006, we adopted our first Miniature Schnauzer. We named her Parker McKenzie. In July of 2009, we adopted our second Miniature Schnauzer. We named him Peyton McEntire. They are the sweetest dogs God ever put on the face of the earth. God certainly knew what He was doing when He created dogs. I often say, “If more humans were like dogs, the world would be a much better place.” Parker and Peyton were made especially for us, and they have made our little family complete.

Two incomes led to my first house which led to another bigger house, and then another even bigger house. Each house presented a blank canvas for more of my growing collections. In 2008, we moved into our current house. When I walked in, I knew this house was meant for us. It was perfect! If I was going to design and build a house, it would have looked just like the one we found. We quickly started repainting and placing all of my collections in the house. It was a lot of work, but the end result was well worth it. I am always tweaking my collections. It is a lot of fun to find new rooms to display them in. I think it gives collections that I have had for years a new life. I guess I inherited my mom’s desire to change things, because I am constantly doing something to the house. Many times before I finish a project, I am thinking about the next project. To me, that is what makes life interesting.

After years of submitting pictures of my house to Country Sampler Magazine, my dream finally came true. In April 2009, I heard from Donna Marcel, the editor of Country Sampler, telling me that they would like to come and photograph my home for an upcoming issue. I can not accurately describe my excitement. This was a dream that was finally being realized. I couldn’t help remembering that young kid looking through Country Sampler Magazine and wishing for the day that he would see his house in the pages of the magazine. In August 2009, photographer Bill Matthews and stylist Gloria Gale from Country Sampler came to our house to take pictures for the magazine. It was a magical day and one that I will never forget. On February 12, 2010, I received my issue of the 2010 Home Tour Edition of Country Sampler. This is the issue with our house in it. When it came, I made Jeff find the article. I refused to look at any of the pictures. I wanted him to read the article to me. As he read, I could not believe my ears. I was actually listening to an article about my house published in Country Sampler. Tears filled my eyes as I once again thought of that young boy following his mom around Wal-Mart carry the latest edition of Country Sampler. My next goal is to see my house in Country Living Magazine. I have contacted them several times, but I have not heard anything from them. I am just going to be persistent and see where this leads me.

This brings me to the creation of my blog. I had thought about having a blog for several months, but never thought anyone would be interested in what I had to say. The name of my blog is Yesterday Once More. The blog address is http://dan-yesterdayoncemore.blogspot.com./ I have been overwhelmed by the positive response my blog has received. I have met so many wonderful people whom I would have never met before. Everyone has been so encouraging and positive. I decided from the beginning that I wanted my blog to be a positive place for people to come. The world is full of so much negativity. It is so easy to get mirered down in the negativity. I want to try to build people up. Give them something to think about, and remind them of the simple things in life. My hope is that each time people visit my blog, they leave feeling better about themselves and the world in which we live. If we strictly go by what the news reports, it seems like this world is a horrible place to live. However, when we look around at the people we come in contact with, it is easy to see that it is not such a bad place after all. I always say, “Life is too short to fight and argue. In the end, it is not the fights and petty disagreements that matter. It is the love we showed to each other, and the love that has been shown to us.” I think if we can remember this, the world will be a much happier place.

I truly can not believe how blessed I have been in my life. I have a wonderful family who loves and accepts me. I have the lights of my life Jeff, Parker, and Peyton, who are always there for me, and have shown me the true definition of unconditional love. I have friends who encourage me. I have a beautiful house, and I job that I love. I do not deserve all of the blessings that I have been given, but I thank God for them everyday.

I, like all of us, do not know what the future holds for me. My hope is to start a decorating business, and to one day open a craft/antique store. I feel like there is a creative side of me that I am not being used to its fullest potential. My hope is to tap into this creative side more than I have in the past, and expand the fullness of my life. It is like Oprah Winfrey said, “Find your passion, and do it.” My hope for all of you is the same. Never forget how special you are. Celebrate your uniqueness. It is what makes life interesting. Never take one day for granted, and always try to find at least one thing to be thankful for each day.

Take Care!

~Dan~

Wow isn't this a great story! Thank you Dan for taking the time to write this for us...I am on my way to bed now with the Country Sampler Magazine...how exciting to post this and then go see his home in a magazine..

I keep forgetting to remind you about the April Fools giveaway of the Paula Dean Set...so if you have not entered please do before by April 1.

Also I am sorry I have not been to a lot of sites lately this Verizon byte thing has me pulling my hair out and thats not good! They say I went over my 5 gigs again and I just do not see how that is possible.  Geezzzz Marie!
Sweet Dreams
Maggie

Blogazine Guest Bunny!

Hope everyone enjoys the Blogazine guest...Yes it's Bunny from I'm Just Sayin'

I know I did not recognize her either without the Tape across the mouth. Looks like she removed it long enough to pose for this picture and to tell us about herself.

If you have a dislike for sarcasm, divert your eyes or better yet, go to your happy place in your head because I'm sure this post will be full of it...sarcasm that is.By the way, Hello, my name is bunny ( not my real name, it's Victoria but that's a whole other story I'm probably gonna blog about) and I'm a serial junk,treasure,vintage and crap collector and proud of it. Born and raised in sunny southern California, the middle child of a Mexican and a Italian  spending days as a youth rearranging my bedroom to perfection and begging my girlfriends mothers if I could do the same to their home. Walked up and down the alley ways looking for treasure and to my families surprise brought it home, spruced it up or refurbished it and incorporated it into our home. Seems like I still do that but now it's fashionable and I take pictures of it and put up on my blog. Maggie, either because she's delusional or just plain good, has asked me to write my story. Don't know why, I'm not a photographer, I don't peddle anything, except my stationary bike when it's not being used as purgatory for laundry, I don't give out tutorials and I haven't invented anything worthwhile...although, I've been thinking about an Ice chest with big monster tires that works with a remote for the beach....but yet, here I am.

Married to a man who makes me laugh and have two daughters 15 years apart and 3 squirrely grandsons that live close by...honestly, sometimes too close. I am entering peri menopause and raising a 16 year old, but luckily for me, she's acts older than me and she operates on auto pilot as my husband says. Growing up I was always an average student getting by with charm and personality except for certain classes...like English and Art. Those two classes were my saving grace as I was a rebellious (surprise!) teen and young adult. I was constantly writing, poetry, short stories, long stories...you name it, I wrote it. To my advantage, my art teachers always let me do what I wanted..Perhaps they saw something that I didn’t even think of. This leads me to my blog

I needed an outlet after semi retiring from the being an Optician and I get bored very easily. Seems like I always have to be doing something…so, why not a blog I thought. Being computer challenged as I am, I asked a friend to help me out and now, there’s no stopping me. Like I said before, I collect treasure which in some people’s eyes is junk…what do they know..they’re the ones who threw it out in the first place. Flea markets, yard sales, estate sales and discarded stuff on the curb and anything else is not safe when I’m around. I enjoy refurbishing, reconstructing and rearranging all in the name of recycling.

Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong era because I love vintage so much…the aesthetics not the morality…lol I’m not much of a religious person but I’m very spiritual and I believe in doing what’s right and helping people and just making life a better place to be…Oh Yeah…and modern pharmaceuticals help too.That's my story and I'm sticking to it...I'm just sayin'.
Thank you Miz Maggie for letting me vent on your blog and introducing myself to your friends…now they’ve been warned…lol Love to Pearl too.
 

Bunny did not tell us why she wears the duct tape on her blog picture....lol
 
Thanks Bunny for sharing your story with all of us and it was fun getting to know you better. As always I enjoy these stories so very much. Hope all of you do too! Next guest I believe will be a real surprise for all of you so maybe I should not tell! They are even in a really popular magazine we all love...besides the Blogazine Magazine! Can you guess who it is?
 
Hope everyone is having a great weekend. It is very very cold here and raining but other than that I can not complain.  No mowing or inmates today so Life Is Good!
I actually hooked up with an ole girlfriend of mine Sharon and we had dinner together. It was nice visiting and catching up with her She wants to go see the movie with Jennifer Aniston, The Bounty Hunter so we may do that tomorrow if the weather clears up a little....yes we are both wimps when it comes to cold and rainy...lol
 
Sweet Dreams
 
Maggie

WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?

Yep this is going to be one of those long drawn out post about my how stupid my days can be working for the Sheriff’s Dept.

After two days off from there and physically exhausted from mowing and tree removal at the north forty I return back to work in hopes of a boring day as Barney Fife. Shift meeting is over by 5am and I checking my uniform to make sure I had worn nothing extra to work this morning (see several post ago) No pink pj’s so I feel good and ready to rock and roll. Well rock and roll is just what I did for the next 12 hours.
Before 5:30 am a couple is arrested for domestic violence. We separate them as fast as possible because if given the chance they wanted to continue their dance that they had started earlier at home. I have to ask doesn’t anyone sleep anymore…geezzzzz it’s 5 in the morning.

I take the angry female with me and start the booking process. Angry is not quite the descriptive word I looking for but you get the picture. She cooperates fairly well with getting her fingerprints and pictures and I put her in a cell. Five minutes later she is hitting the emergency button telling me that she needed medical attention. I return back to her cell and she is showing me a place on her arm and screams to me that her meat is falling off her arm. Whatever the heck that means. It looked like a small scratch to me but I am no doctor. She’s begging me for to get the sheriff up there to see her arm and to take care of her.
Now we all know that I am not going to wake up the Sheriff and tell him that there is a lady that needs to see him because her meat is falling off her arm. Give me a break! Since when does the Sheriff make rounds in a jail? I guess she was raised watching the Andy Griffith show. Ok Officer Maggie does her best to calm the woman down and I bring her some anti-bacterial spray, gauze and tape to maybe quiet the idiot down.

Well I am proud of me for being the kind Officer to do this and I walk up to her little bean hole and I try to hand her this stuff and she sticks her head in the hole and screams….You want me to use that on my arm….why you stupid white bit-- Dumb---!!!!

Ok! I said, “I beg your pardon what did you call me?” and she said you heard me YOU Stupid White B---- Dumb--!!!!!
If you follow my blog you know without me even telling you who appeared in the next few seconds of this conversation with this woman. Yep Ms Pearl reared her angry head!!!

It was not a pretty site and needless to say I did not leave the bandages for her to use. For the next 11 hours that fool beat and kicked on her cell walls and doors loud and long enough that the Chief made several appearances from the front of the building wanting to know what was going on. Never would I have guessed they could hear all of that going on several floors away but they did.

She not only was banging but she was calling me every name in the book and then some she made up. It took a handful of Officers to put her in a chair to keep her from hurting herself. The whole time she continued to spray my name mixed with obscenities while this was taking place.

We finally get her where she can’t hurt herself or anyone, and I head back toward the front and the men’s holding cell. Before I get there I hear a scream from holding and some nut had just planted his fist into her husband’s eye. He is squealing like Tyson had just hit him and I call for backup to separate them.

After separating them her spouse claims he can’t see out of the eye he was hit in. So guess who gets to take him to the emergency room. Yep and for the next hour or more I had to listen to him. He had already been beaten by my new friend his wife and then his new friend in the holding cell. I was starting to think he was having a worse day than me.
We get back to the jail and she is still screaming but at least the banging had stopped. By this time the Judge get’s there to magistrate them and he and I are going over their paper work and he say’s ….”What kind of person has 10 warrants out for them?” and Ms. Pearl said “A freaking Dumba--!”

Yep Ms. Pearl came out again!  Hope you ladies have a wonderful weekend....I will be mowing the North Forty because it's still not finished. At least there will only be the humming of the tractor for me to listen to. At one time dealing with that crazy woman I thought where is Kate (our professional football player) when I need her. I also have to drive out to Round Top and Warrenton and see if they have set up the tents for the big Antiques Fair...sometimes they come in early. I love that show.

Be sure and check back in for our Blogazine story. Ms Bunny will be our next guest from I'm Just Sayin or something like that....hahahaha

Love to all

Maggie

Blogazine Guest from Kissed By An Angel!

As most of you know I have been having our blogger friends send me a story to share about their lives or about what ever they want to talk about. Today we cross the ocean to visit with  sweet, Janice. who is the lovely person behind  Kissed By An Angel!




First thing’s first I would like to thank Maggie for asking me to share ‘my story’ I truly feel it is an honour to have been asked. So thank you Maggie I hope I don’t disappoint!

I don't really know where to start, being asked to write ‘my story’ seemed a daunting task ‘what should I write about?’, and ‘I have nothing to say’. When I told my Daughter I had been asked to write my story and voiced my worries to her she laughed and said ‘just write about you!’

Makes sense really, so that is what I’m going to do! A walk down memory lane, and I invite you all to join me.
I think I'll start with writing a bit about my blog though, because without that I'd never have found Maggie and her wonderful words that we all love so much!!!

I called my blog 'Kissed by an Angel', not because I think I am an angel, nor am I particularly religious, but because my life is and has been so blessed!

I have never really suffered terrible hardships, and most things go 'my way'! If sometimes things seem bad I can always see a light at the end of the tunnel and things always seem to end up working themselves out for the best!

Yes I have had sad moments, worries and upsets but I consider myself lucky that I have never suffered like some people in this world. I truly believe I have been blessed!

I was born just outside London in the UK a few years after the Second World War. We didn't have much, but we weren't poor either. We always had plenty of food and a warm home and clothes on our backs (we were far more fortunate than a lot of people at the time, who struggled awfully).

I was an only child until I was seven when my parents presented me with a Sister! My parents bought our first home the year my Sister was born; it was a little cottage between my Grandparents and Great Grandmother's house and, with the rest of our relatives living within a few miles, we were a close knit family.

I attended local schools, and left when I was fifteen. From school I, followed in my Dad’s footsteps and went to work for a large bank.

When I was 16 I met a boy, the boy! His name was Martin and I adored him! He had a scooter and we were Mods (For those of you not familiar with Mod and Rockers this means we dressed smartly, in an Italian/French style, and were well groomed, we worked, and the boys rode scooters) We were very happy!

Then when I was just eighteen (a very young eighteen at that) my Father's company moved to Poole in Dorset and he was offered a wonderful promotion! I was devastated, because I decided not to go, I really wasn't ready to move into a home of my own or on my own, I still wanted my parents but I couldn’t bear the thought of breaking up with Martin. Luckily Lou Lou - my Great Grandmother came to the rescue and said that I could move in with her. It was a good solution for everyone and, although I found it hard sometimes, I lived with Lou Lou for almost four years!!

When I was twenty one Martin and I married at our local church with all our family around us, and moved into our own home!! Our house was a Victorian end of terrace house that needed complete renovation! It was hard work but luckily we had owned it for a year before we married so it was all ready for us when we got back from our honeymoon! This honeymoon was to the Veneto region in Venice, Italy and began a lifelong love (and several holiday homes!) of that area.

We lived in our first home for a couple of years and then we moved to our current home to start our family!

After a year in our new home I gave up work to become a stay at home Mum, and gave birth to a beautiful daughter – Kelly. We were so happy!!

On our sixth wedding anniversary two and a half years after we had Kelly, I gave birth to a tiny son – Lee was 6 weeks early and so small I could hold him with one hand. But again I was blessed and my little boy was strong and overcame his early birth (I can hardly believe how tiny he was when I see the strapping rugby player he has become today!)

We were delighted!!! Just what we wanted - one of each!!!

Unfortunately our happy news was overshadowed when my poor Dad passed away. He had been terminally ill and eventually just 6 weeks after the birth of our son he was released from his suffering. I am ever grateful that my father got to meet my son and treasure the photos I have of my children with him.

18 Years later My Mum went to join my dad, thankfully she didn’t suffer. We were very sad because her passing was so unexpected but took comfort from a letter she had written and left with the solicitor to tell us that she loved us all but we should not be sad because she was back with the love of her life! It truly was a blessing to know she was happy!



Apart from some health glitches with the kids the next eighteen years passed far too quickly, we were happy most of the time and my children, as well as brother and sister are good friends (I couldn’t ask for more!)

Both Kelly and Lee did really well at school (we did wonder at times about Lee, he struggled and just hated school, this worried me and I got him through day by day!).

Kelly got herself a BA Hons (Degree) in English and History (the first member of our family to go to university!) She also studied while working and got an HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering!

Lee finished school with really good exam results and obtained an apprenticeship with London Underground as a Signal Apprentice following in his father’s footsteps! He also studied and got an HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering!!

Kelly joined London Underground too, also in Signalling (the only female at the time!)! They are both now Signalling Managers and their father and I are immensely proud of them



When Lee was Eighteen, I got really bored with doing housework, I'm not a crafter, I love to bake and cook - but we watch our weight! I can knit and, lately, crochet!! But, I couldn't do this all the time!! I went back to work, and where else could I go - that's right London Underground! I was just an administrator but strangely I loved it!! There have been a few changes over the years, but, 13 years later, I still love it and the lifestyle we have achieved as a result of my working.

With the advent of me going back to work, the kids both working and subsequently getting homes of their own, (Kelly’s in the same street and lee just over the road!) Martin and I found a love of travel!!

We have always had, since Kelly was one (and still do have) our family summer holidays to Italy (where we honeymooned all those years ago!) But when Martin was 50 we discovered America!!!! Obviously not literally!!!



We went to Florida - Orlando and loved it so much that within ten minutes of entering our first theme park we decided to bring the kids the following year!! Which we did, and have done every year since - except this year - because of my op (I have had to have a hip replacement and more recently my left knee has been replaced)

For out thirtieth wedding anniversary we decided to go to Key West and Naples!!! Wow, fabulous!! Then Las Vegas, wow, wow!!! Fandabbidosi!!!







There are loads more places in the US that I will visit in the future:

Texas

Arizona

Georgia

North and South Carolina

California

And loads more!!



In 2005 we ventured to Australia, which was love at first sight too!! We went back in 2006 and 2009!!! It's so beautiful!! Later this year we are off to Hong Kong and Thailand!!

So you can see how wonderful my life has been, I have a loving husband, wonderful close loving family and a great lifestyle!! I have no complaints!

Thank you Janice for sharing your life with all of us. You really have been Kissed by an Angel... Remember to just email me your story and a picture you want to include with the story to grandmayellowhair@gmail.com..

After yesterday and riding on the Big Yellow Thing for a while and on the tractor the rest of the day...I feel like I played football against  Kate from the blog Auntie Cakes and lost ! This ole grandma can hardly move this morning and the Lord blessed us with rain during the night so it saved me from climbing back on the tractor today and mowing...I actually am feeling my age today!

Love to all

Maggie

OH NO!

This is not how I planned on starting my week off! On my days off I work on the ranch I live on and this morning I guess after all the rains we had a tree just fall over when it I was mowing around it......Geezzzzzzzzzzzzzz Marie I don't have time for this! I could not for the life of me figure out how to teach Dotty Forrest how to take a picture of me removing the tree so I guess these pictures will have to do...hahaha

She is saying "What have you done now!"

Now what do I do with it?

I did find a small sign of Spring!

Hope all of you are not starting your week with tree removal....lol....I am suppose to be mowing but sometimes little things get in our way of getting something done! Lunch break over time to get back to the north forty!  Now where did I put my hat and gloves?

Love

Maggie

TODAYS BLOGAZINE GUEST IS FRENCHY!

It's time again for another story from our friends out here in blogville....today I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have found so many friends through this avenue....The friend I am introducing to you today is someone that brings a lot of herself to her site.  She is worth getting to know and you must click over to enjoy her site as well...... This is Frenchy from   Le Chateau des fleurs...

My story....I was born in Paris, France. Grew up mostly in an apartment. Finished College in France in business but was always attracted to artistic things. I got my first job as a Professional dancer for Disneyland Paris, My first job in the States was a Makeup artist for JC Penney. I married the man of my dreams, who is American. Entrepreneur genius. Founder and inventor of Amber Alert GPS. We have 3 beautiful children, lots of pets.

I am a stay home Mom...I realised that it is very easy to loose yourself when you are dedicated to your husband and kids. I had to ask myself. What do you like? What makes you happy? I find a lot of hobbies and things i was actually good at that in Paris, was not even in my mind. Designing houses, birthday cakes, scrapbooking, pets, hatching chicks, gardening. I do it for fun and not to earn money or compete with others. I do what makes me happy and makes me feel good about myself. I live my life with a "French twist" in the states. My Mo dos are...Follow your dreams, follow your guts ...be yourself and love more than anything.

I believe that life is to be enjoyed. I believe that if you do good, it always comes back to you and a lot of times from strangers. That if you work hard, dreams come true.

Thank you Maggie for being such a great example of love. The first time i find her blog, she was talking about bras and cracked me up! Thank you for being such a fun friend. Gros bisous a tous (big kiss to all) . In France, we don't hugh, we kiss :)

Thank you dear Frenchy for being my guest here today. I feel like Oprah...lol....Be sure and visit her lovely site.

Remember guys and gals if you want to tell your story just sent it to me by email along with a picture and link to your site. Our next guest is our over the high seas blogger Kissed by An Angel.

If you have not entered my giveaway for the Paul Dean set please do so. It ends April Fools Day.....

Hope everyone is having a beautiful weekend.

Love to all or like Frenchy Kisses to all
Maggie







 

APRIL FOOLS GIVEAWAY!

Alright it's time for that special Giveaway I have been talking about! One lucky winner gets this handsome fella to fix them dinner using  their new Paul Dean cookware.....

Meet  Mr. Harry Cheeks!

Believe it or not I had trouble for days trying to choose the right man (opps I mean) gift to have for this giveaway. There were so many nice men that volunteered such as these three but since I may need these guys for my own party I chose Harry for you all!

Also  there are lots affordable items to choose from at CSN which  made my decision difficult. At first I was going to give something from kids bedding section  but after seeing Paul Deans pots in the house ware section I choose these for my gift to you.

All I ask from you all is to leave of course a comment but before you do click on CSN Stores and see all the nice items they have and what made it hard for me to make up my mind.

For 5 extra chances you must post this giveaway on your sidebar and let me know so I can add five to your name which would make you 6 entries…

I hate to ask but you must be a follower to win this because it’s only fair to the sweet smart ones that are already following my site. Lol

Another thing when you win you must have me over for dinner one night……

Good luck to everyone …oh I almost forgot I need to choose a closing date for this giveaway…what better day than April Fools Day at midnight central standard time!

Love to all
Maggie

MY BLOGAZINE GUEST IS DONNA

My guest today is Donna from Brynwood Needleworks. Your going to love her just as I do!

Greetings to all of Maggie’s friends! Don’t you just love this gal? I sure do! Thank you, Maggie, for inviting me to join you in your “blogazine” this week. I consider it quite an honor to be included!

My name is Donna Liljegren and I am Brynwood Needleworks. No employees, no elves,no magic wand. Just me.

I owned a needlework shop (Stitches) and a design business (the original incarnation of Brynwood Needleworks) in Wisconsin in the 1980's and 1990's. At that time, my husband (Handsome) and I lived in Campbellsport, WI.

We have been living in Florida since 2001, and Brynwood Needleworks has evolved from the cross stitch design business of old into my new creative business and blog. I’m in love with the needlearts in all forms…and I love blogging - usually posting a daily update.

 I’ve been sewing since I was about twelve years old, and I enjoy making quilts,handbags, garments and even christening and wedding gowns. In 2008, I dressed my eldest niece (who is also my goddaughter) and her attendants in their wedding attire. I’m making another wedding gown this month, and can’t wait to reveal wedding photographs of the bride wearing her gown.

 I also knit, crochet, embroider, needlepoint, and occasionally make jewelry. There is no such thing as “bored” in my house!

 When I’m not in the studio, Handsome and I roll out our Harleys and ride. We share our home with my twelve year old yellow Labrador retriever, Kes, who is the last of ourbreeding bloodlines, after nearly thirty years of raising and training hunting retrievers.(Perhaps it’s time to get her a little brother to keep her company?)

My favorite quote is from William Rutherford, “The way to use life is to do something that outlasts it.” I try every day, whether I’m creating, blogging or otherwise living my life, to live up to that quote.

Thanks again, Maggie for inviting me to tell my abridged story over here at Just Between Me and You. Stop in and visit me at http://brynwoodneedleworks.blogspot.com/. There’s always a cup of tea, conversation and some south Florida hospitality waiting for you there.

You are so welcome Donna and thank you for writing this for all of us to enjoy. Ladies I have been following Donna for a while now and for the life of me I just can not picture this beautiful dainty lady on a Harley!  Isn't she lovely and her site is too.

Sorry Donna I just had to borrow this picture off of your site!

My next story comes from another lovely blogger Frenchy and you will love her as well.

Remember to email me if you want to tell me your story!  We all have a story to tell so share yours with us! As you know I am still trying out names for these stories....my magazine....lol....anyway when Donna sent me her story she said this is for your Blogazine so I am trying it out. 

I had to call in sick the last two days and I know they think it was because of the PJ incident..lol....and you guys think its because of Roy....but the real reason is bad headaches....I got hurt at work a while back (another really crazy story) and its the same kind of headaches I had then but it could be from not being use to the tractor and all the bouncing around (on the tractor not with Roy) hahaha  Girl friends if there was a Roy out here that looked like him who would have time to blog!!!!

Send your stories to grandmayellowhair@gmail.com

Love to all
Maggie

TEMPTATION MONDAYS AND A CRAZY STORY

Welcome ladies to another Temptation Mondays post. Meet my new ranch hand Roy! He sure makes mowing a lot more fun. lol  .....Boy o' boy!  Is he a Roy or what!

Geez Marie! Shut the barn door for a minute!

Today I wanted to introduce you to new friend of mine Carol, that is very creative and with the help of her hubby turns out some really great primitive items that I am falling in love with. lol
Her blog is  Fire Cracker Kid  http://firecrackerkid.blogspot.com/ and look at a few of the items Carol wanted to share with us today.

Carol also has a etsy shop so be sure and visit it for other Temptations.   http://www.etsy.com/shop/firecrackerkid

Gina at Cat Nap Inn  

Gina has for you a Crow Calender To add a touch of Prim and Whimsy to your Country/prim home..She machine embroidered each calender month on 100% wool felt. The wood is 18x10 painted black and sanded along with the clothespins..It can hang or lean against something..

How pretty is this!

 Click on these ladies shops for more items!

Remember if you want an item put on my Temptation Mondays just email me with a link to your site and a picture of the items.

ANOTHER CRAZY ME STORY

I will try not to make this too long!  As I have bored you guys before I get up at 3:30 am and put on my uniform. Well most of us are creatures of habit and since I have a very limited amount of time to do everything I usually have a routine and stick as close to it as possible getting out the door.  One of the things I do is (silly I know) I put back on my pajama top over my uniform shirt so when I fix my hair I don't mess up my uniform. Well I had hit the snooze button that morning and that is a NO NO because like I said time is short.  Anyway after I fixed my hair in a hurry.....I grab my sheriffs jacket, lunch bag, cat food, dog food and run out the door.

First thing every morning is our Shift meeting....well I noticed the Sgt looking at me funny but I thought little of it and started my day. About an hour into the shift I run to the little girls room....well I  first take off my jacket and then my Utility belt......and yes there was my pink polka dot pajama top bigger than Dallas still on me! OMG  how could I have drove to work, had a shift meeting and worked for an hour with a pink pj top on and nobody tell me!

What really worries me is HOW did I not notice it!

Well I, of course, take it off and hide it in my locker until I get off. Praying that no one even noticed the darn thing.

No such luck.....when I went back to my locker at 5pm it was hanging on the outside of my locker door!  What a idiot I am for thinking no one noticed!

This reminded me of  me in the 5th grade when I went to school with my pajama bottoms on under my dress.  It was a major thing for a young girl to do and try to hide in the 5th grade. Oh how I remember that day! It has been buried in my brain for a while but never will I forget it!

Please tell me you all have done the very same thing too!

Love to all

Maggie