Family reunion and swap goodies...

Hello friends. Can you believe that tomorrow is the 4th of July already? It is hard to believe that the summer is going by so fast. It sure feels like summer. It has been very hot and dry for about a week and a half. Yesterday was 99 and tomorrow and Thursday we are suppose to get 100 with even more humidity. I really do not do well in this weather so haven't really been out in it a lot.
On Friday I went to Milwaukee for a family reunion. My two nephews rode with my sister and I and it was a pretty long trip for the 9 year old. He had bought some things at the Dollar Store and one activity that kept him pretty busy was balloon making, here is what he made his brother Ian and I.

We made quite a few stops also and I took these pictures at a rest area, I love flowers.

When we got there we all had a cookout at my Aunt and uncle's house. It was such good food and even better company. We all got caught up and I got some loving from the newest member of the family Liam, my cousin's baby.

On Saturday we were going to go to the zoo but it was too hot so we went to Discovery world, lots of fun there! Saturday night we went to the Brewers game. Actually pretty nice, in the shade and a nice breeze. My BFF Georgie and my nephews by the awesome jellyfish.

 My youngest nephew Ivan talking with his hero my oldest nephew Matthew.

On Sunday we celebrated my uncle's 80th birthday, here is Uncle Al with his beer stein he got.

The four of us who got the "wear black and white" memo, my cousin Heidi Ann, Me My mom and cousin Laura.

The oldest and youngest of the Luddy Buddy cousins, me and Laura.

It was a great weekend being with family. I can't wait until March when we are all together again. 


When I got home Sunday night there was a package waiting on my doorstep. Even though I was pretty tired I tore into it and found so many fun things that Dorothy from Paws for Stitching. I got a watermelon with a cute rusty star on it, love it! I got the neat flower tucks, I got the awesome towel which went in my kitchen right after I took this picture. and a beautiful quilted candle mat. That's not all. I also got the cute wooden Americanna heart and the flag. Thank you so much Dorthy!

Spreading Sunshine....

I love Wednesday's it is the middle of the week, I don't work and I just like them! LOL I am the type of person that loves spreading sunshine. I am always doing RAK's to my friends and family members. I think there is enough stress and bad things that happen in this life that sometimes it is just a nice thing to have a surprise from someone who thinks you deserve it and from someone who loves you and cares for you.
My niece just finished her first year of college, she did a great job! She went home to work at the waitress job she had last summer but she was not getting enough hours so she moved back to where she is going to college and found herself another job. I am so proud of her.
This is the sunshine that is going in the mail for her.

Everything has a yellow sunshiny theme. I even made some suns to go inside of the box. There is goodies and also kleenex, a yellow towel, a frame with a subway summer print and even a yellow sponge. I really hope she likes it and gets a smile out of it. I found the idea on Pinterest, gotta love Pinterest!
Thanks for visiting. Have a great rest of the week!

Friday Finds...

Happy Friday friends!  I hope you are all ready for a fantastic weekend! Today the weather here in Minnesota was PERFECT! The sky was my favorite color of blue and it was dotted with big fluffy cotton candy like white clouds. The sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, the temps were about 80 degrees and the humidity was low. The day was so fantastic that I decided to go for a drive, well the drive took me to thrift stores and a garage sale and I think I found some great things. I collect Boyd's Bears and it was a beary good day for that! At the first store I went to, Salvation Army I found these three cuties for only 5 dollars for one and 3 for the other two. OK one is a moose I know but it is made by Boyd's.

At the Good will store I found this neat distressed  bowl thingie, for the life of me I can't think of the name,(old timers). I am making some rag balls out of homespun to put into it. The bowl was only $2.00!

Then on the way home I stopped at a garage sale and found another Boyd's bear and a Boyd's snowman for $1.00 each. I was so excited. I also bought the little basket for 50 cents.

When I got home I finished the firecrackers I made so I thought I would show you those also, they didn't turn out too bad.

Well there you have my Friday finds. Sometimes you just luck out! Have a great weekend everyone!
Be blessed.

Giveaway Win....

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. The other day when I got home from work there was a big box on my stoop, I was so excited to see it was from Denise at Country Creations by Denise. I was the lucky winner of her giveaway. I got a trio of firecrackers to help me decorate for the 4th. They were a lot bigger than I thought they would be and they are so well made. Thank you very much Denise!

Tweaking Wednesday...

Good Wednesday everyone. I am really being a lady of leisure today, not because I want to but because it is necessary. Last night I twisted my knee and so today it is pretty sore. I have been icing it and staying off of it. I have to work tomorrow so I am trying to get it as well as I can. I only have to work a half of a day so that is a blessing.
In between icing and Tylenol I did hobble around and decorated my shelf my brother made for the 4th. Here it is:

My favorite thing is the cute Raggedy doll holding a flag with God Bless America on her apron.

My dad gave me this rocker so I finally decided on one of my bears to sit on it and a cute summer pillow.

I am so excited about Friday night! I will get to see my nephew in his dance recital. I so wanted to go last year and though for sure I would be out of the hospital by the time his recital was but I missed it so I am doubly excited this year. Here he is in one of his costumes. I got to go and watch him practice one dance when I was there while his parents were in Boston.

Well that is about it for now. Thanks for coming. I truly appreciate it!

My historic hometown.

Good Sunday to all of you. It is another hot and humid day here today. temps in the 90s and sticky. After attending an outside wedding in this heat yesterday it feels good to be inside today. We need rain so bad but so far it doesn't look good.

I am very proud of my small town. I live in a little river town named Wabasha and we are one of the earliest settled towns in Minnesota. Some say we are the oldest and some say we are the second oldest, but of course it is just good to know we are old. We are also small, 2500 people call this home. We are few but we are proud. One of the neatest things that I like about my town is how we preserved the old buildings.

I will start with our welcome sign...est 1830, oh yes and the home of Grumpy Old Men. The movies were set in Wabasha, the names and the places were Wabasha but unfortunately non of the scenes were filmed here.

Then I will take you to where I work. This is the Wabasha Pharmacy. The neatest thing is the squirt wall advertising on the side.

Here is a close up of the Squirt sign. It is fading.

These next shots are all from downtown, if you make them bigger most of them have the year on them that they were built. I got these from our website.

Here are some I took. This is the street leading to downtown, Pembroke.

This is the old City hall, then it was the library, the it was an antique place then a clock store and now it is a jewelry store.

  Here is a neat close-up

This is St. Felix Catholic Church with a neat old pick-up in front of it.

This is Grace Memorial Episcopal Church and the iron fence around it.

This is a favorite house of mine, not sure when this was built but it is old.

And there are of course some old favorites that have gotten torn down. this was a one room schoolhouse that sat in the middle of the corn field until they tore it down.

And this is our old jail that they just tore down I think it was the summer before last.

 Then of course we have the new..The National Eagle Center. It is a really neat place and a fun place for visitors to go.

Fountain outside the NEC

Well there you have a little tour of my hometown. If you ever come to visit be sure to look me up!

Swap goodies...

Hello everyone! I cannot believe it is June already. It has been pretty chilly in Minnesota lately so it hardly seems like it is summer. It is getting warmer each day now though so I am a happy girl. I love the sunshine.
I participated in a few more swaps and I received my packages so I wanted to share them with you all.
First of all I was in Tammy's textile swap. Francine from Primitive Stars was my partner and she sent me some beautiful things!

Here is a pillow, a mat and coasters made out of an old quilt. the star says wish upon a star.
Then this thing is AMAZING! It is a stitchery for my kitchen and I just love it!

I just can't believe all of the work she put into it. I love it Francine, I love everything. thank you so very much!

I was also in a swap that Wendy hosted. Lynn, from the Life on the Wiener Ranch. I got so spoiled again and had so much fun opening everything.
Here is everything all together.

A cute bee with rusty tin wings and bells for feet holding a little pot. So sweet.

A bee hive "bee happy" hanging pillow/tuck

A darling lady bug hanging pillow/tuck.

And some darling notepads.

Thank you so much Lynn! I will enjoy everything.

Well that is it for now. Enjoy your Sunday everyone! Be blessed!