So thankful for your thoughts and prayers...

I can't even begin to tell you how much comfort and support we have received from family and friends
in the past three weeks since our beautiful granddaughter Eden Rain was stillborn. All I can say is

you. are. amazing.

God has met financial needs for my son and his family during very difficult time and many of you have also
 sent gifts for them, the girls and myself.

 I can't say

thank you

enough. My son said "wow there are so many people who love and care for us".

Y.E.S.

I received the necklace above from a dear blog friend who lives in New York.
We have never even met face to face, but only have communicated online.

I was so touched when I opened this keepsake that she had made just for me.

I LOVE IT !

and...I cried.
yes, I did...I've been doing a lot of that lately and I am sure I will do more
in the days, months, years ahead.

She also sent gifts for the girls and a financial gift as well.

I have received gifts of money from many of you for my family and we so appreciate it.

You have shown God's love in tangible ways and we say

THANK YOU!

I have written several poems and cried through every single one of them.

It is helping me heal although we will never get over this loss.

We will look for ways to incorporate sweet Edens memory into our everyday lives.

I created a facebook page called

Prayers for the Boothman Family

if you will click on the link above it will take you there.

It includes the poems that I have written to date and I am sure it will
include many more in the years to come.

We so covet your continued thoughts and prayers for our precious family.

May God bless each and every one of you!

Treats for Valentines Day

... and now abideth faith, hope and LOVE, but the greatest of these is

LOVE.

I Corinthians 13:13



Are you ready for Valentines Day?

I think I am.

This year I decided to make cupcakes for our neighbors.

I have never done this before {not for this many at once}  and I decided it was time to

spread the love!

There is so much heartache and brokenness in the world today that a little kindness

goes a long way.

 I have been making cupcakes for the last two days and enjoying every minute of it.

I packaged them up and delivered part of them last night and hubby delivered the rest today.

I always try to keep cupcake boxes on hand. The ones I purchase hold four cupcakes so it is a perfect
gift for two people. 

It is also nice to have these cupcake holders for a single person.

I don't have a specific "recipe" that I use. I just wing it.

SO...

Make your favorite chocolate cupcake and let them cool.

Then make your favorite butter-cream frosting and add in a couple tablespoons of
Smucker's Simply Fruit in seedless Red Raspberry flavor.

It makes it so yummy and  it also gives the frosting a pretty pink hue.

Next, take a chocolate candy bar and use your carrot peeler to make some
sprinkles or curls...Top with a fresh red raspberry and wa la...you are done
and you have a beautiful and delicious gift!

SO YUMMY!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Snail Mail Love ~

I have received a few labors of love in the mail lately that I wanted to share with you.

I won't tell you the names of the people who sent them...they can do that if they want,
but needless to say each one came at just the perfect time when I needed a lift.

God is amazing like that isn't He? He knows just what we need and when.
He LOVES to give us the desires of our heart!

I received two beautiful hearts just this past week. It was a joy to open the package
and see how lovely it was packed and with a beautiful note also.

I also received these beautiful rhinestone embellishments awhile ago. I inquired of a blog friend where
she had purchased them so I could get some and the next thing I know these arrived in the mail!

I love the handmade heart also. 

The timing on each gift was PERFECT.

My wish for you today is peace,  love and all the
 amazing blessings that God sends just when we need them!


Hugs~

A Parisian Birthday...♫♪♫

Happy birthday to me...♪♫♪
Happy birthday to me...♫♪♫
Happy birthday dear meeeeeeeeeee...♪♫♪
Happy birthday to me!! ♪♫♪

It just so happens that I love anything to do with Paris or the French style so it was
a pure delight when my daughter surprised me with a Parisian style birthday party a
couple weeks ago.

{way back on March 8...my birthday is the 10th}

 The lighting wasn't that great for pics , but I did the
best I could and I loved every little detail. 

 She said she googled "Parisian brunch" and found out they have lots of pastries so that
is what the party was all about .

Cream puffs sprinkled with powdered sugar and croissants along with those little pastry sticks.

YUMM!!

She also used small goblets and served me sparkling juice...

and  she filled a second one with fruit and cream.

The main course was quiche and asparagus.

OH MY WORD!!! 

They were just delicious!!!

All made from scratch by her loving hands.

{ I gotta find me some "scratch" }

YES, I ate both pieces because they were two different kinds.

{that is my excuse anyway}

Swiss Chard Quiche

 and Bacon Quiche
{click on them to get the recipes}

She also whipped up some chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling and icing.

The Eiffel tower chocolate...Yep she made that also!

In fact I forgot I have a couple of those!

Wait a minute while I run out to the kitchen and take a bite!!

Okay I am back. tee hee.

Just what I needed tonight.

 Seriously!!

As if that amazing meal wasn't enough, she also gifted me with these two huge mugs and I love them.

{along with a book and seems like something else, but I forgot what...haha!}

Oh, I forgot to tell you that we were out shopping that day and she said we had to stop at
one more store so she could run in for something. I waited in the car and when she got back
she said she had to dig through tons of these "things" to find the specific one she wanted and
they only had ONE in the print she wanted. I found out later it was the tablecloth with the
 coffee cups on it. She didn't miss one little detail!

Thank you Mandi...I love you!!!

Then on my actual birthday my son and his family brought me dinner and these cupcakes
that granddaughter Annika picked out for me.  I now have FOUR heart shaped rings...
one for two fingers on each hand. :)

They brought chicken, baked beans and coleslaw that was delicious as well.

I LOVE family times!

I was headed for bed that same evening and I received a phone call from my oldest
son Jason. I picked up the receiver and I said, 

"Hello"...

...nothing...

"Hello"...

...all of a sudden four precious voices started singing Happy Birthday to me.
 Mommy,daddy and grandchildren Kanaan and Keira.

 It was the perfect end to a perfect day. ♥

Today, my bff took me out for my birthday lunch and handed me this adorable card!!

{I love stretching my birthday out over several weeks because then it seems like I celebrate me all
 month long. lol}

She also gave me this belt which I absolutely L.O.V.E.

In fact I have it on right now.

Her and I quit exchanging gifts a few years ago and I reminded her of that , but she informed me
that she could get me something if she wanted to. haha!! Love you Peggy!!!

I just love it when my family and friends "get me" and understand what it is that I love.

Now, they may think that I am cracked, but they indulge me and that is fun.
After all, we all are unique creatures and that is what makes the world go round.

55 years old...oh my goodness!!
Where in the world did those years go? Funny thing is that I don't feel that old...at least
not most of the time. ha!!

Here's to another 55 years...bring it on!

Sweet gifts from the postman

Don't you just love it when you receive an

unexpected package

in the mail...and it happens to arrive just

when you need a

pick-me-up?

This happened to me recently. Susie told me

she was going to be sending me a package, but

I forgot all about it. Several days later I drove

into our driveway and saw a pkg. sitting by

the door. I knew I hadn't ordered anything and

whenI saw her return address it hit me...

ahh from Susie.

She packed that box full I tell you. Not much

space left over where there wasn't something

included. These candleholders will fit right in

with my decor.

{I added one of Rosemary's tags}

I was in photo taking mode this day and so I took

all kinds of pictures.

This little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine... This little light of mine... I know I am getting off course here. I get distracted so easily! :)

Susie also included these neat old bottles. Was uber happy when I unwrapped each one of these.

She included many more goodies, but this is all I have pictures of right now.

{A cloche with a white wooden base, a frenchy hanging heart, a friends tag to put on a bottle, cute little chandelier notecards that were hand stamped and a sparkly tablet}

I hope I didn't leave anything out. We wanted to meet up at Tipton French Flea this year , but she had jeep trouble and had to leave before I arrived. Hopefully next time.

Thank you so much Susie for all the goodies that you bestowed upon little ole' me and I pray God's blessings on you each and every day!! Blessings~

Striving this year to be...

...a little more kind,

a little more friendlier, and

a little more loving.

...a little more understanding of others,

a little less judgemental,

and a lot more creative!

Speaking of friendly... Was I ever surprised to open my mailbox last Thursday and find a package for me from my bloggy friend Irene . She made this angel from a beautiful white flower and sent her all the way from Canada to little ole' me here in the frozen tundra of Michigan. Isn't she beautiful?? Thank you so much Irene!! Praying that each and every one of you will have a wonderful new year and that when trials do come {and truthfully we know that they will} that you will always look to the One who sticks closer than a brother.

{ I know I told you there wouldn't be any more tree pictures,

but it was the perfect place for my angel}

Blessings~

Old Doors,Friends and Silverware ~

I picked this wood piece with the handle up a few years ago at a huge antique mall. Love it...paint splatters and all...might have been part of an old door at some point. It is now part of my display in my laundry room ~

There was a parade of garage sales Friday a few miles up the road so I threw hubby in the car and off we went. I do save money when I don't take him along, but I knew he wanted to go so I agreed. LOL

What was my bargain of the day you ask?? So happy to tell you...THREE old white doors for $1.00 each!!! I was in heaven! One of them even has a glass doorknob...LOVE them! Now to figure out what I am going to do with them next~ We actually purchased the doors and went on to other garage sales and then had to schlep back home and get the truck and return to pick up the doors. I really wanted an old white dresser too, but as usual I wait a little too long and it was gone! I told hubby, "oh it was there last year they will still have it...I will get it when we pick up the doors"...NOT! It was gone! So pretty too. Oh well... there are always other sales~

These beautiful silver spoons look kinda beat and battered , but I love the beautiful handles so I picked them up too~ Couldn't pass up this friends frame...now I have to find some friends who want their picture taken with me...that may take some time. I had a photo that I really wanted to put in here of my best friend and I , but it is portrait mode instead of landscape. Maybe my son can fix that for me. Hmmm...

Hope you enjoyed my simple finds today and I wish you a lovely day ~ Blessings~