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Last year during my mothers move, the genealogy her mother spent years creating along with many many more pages of precious hard work was lost. Thankfully I had made copies of all of this, and have just finished pieceing together pages, pictures and documents to create a finished product she can once again hold and read. All for her upcoming 84th birthday July 10th. Happy Birthday mom!

You will soon be gone, this I know. Let it be known you put on quite a show.

Come again next year, you’re welcome as you can see, there’s plenty of room for you and me!

Shout your colors right out loud, I’ll see to it you’re shown off proud.

Don’t be shy you’re all invited, we’ll see what’s got you so excited!

So goodby glads it been nice once again, we’ll keep your spot my true friend.

I’ve been having such fun at StampinEJ’s classes in Costa Mesa that I just had to take a few more photos to show those who love to stamp the huge selection Eva has in her store within Debra’s cottage. She is always placing new orders, handing out discount bags, having teaching fun classes and making the whole learning process enjoyable that I can’t wait to see what she has lined up for the following week.

In this photo you can see the large area that Eva has devoted to her stamps and all things to do with stamps. The flip side of this wall is also covered with more stamps and goodies. She also has another section where she carries paper, some stickers and a few other fun items. Eva always has a discount bin where she has great prices on stamps, and other stamping or crafting items, so be sure and look for that. So much to do, so little time.

I’ve made a couple of friends who also go to the classes on Thursday. On the left is Linda, on the right Mary. Both ladies are such fun and bring their own personal stamping-crafting tool bags so they can work on their cards with ease. Smart thinking girls!

One of the cards we made this year! Such fun tags and extras. Eva has a blog, and a website so be sure and check it out! I made this cute card below out of a paperdoll stamp that I bought from Eva. I love her products!

1 small seedless watermelon, quartered and cut into 1″ thick wedges
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup tequilla
1/4 cup Triple Sec
2 limes halves or cut into wedges
Flaked sea salt or coarse salt

1. Arrange watermelon in single layer in desired baking dishes or similar storage container. Bring sugar, water, tequila and Triple Sec to a boil in small saucepan. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly. Pour syrup over watermelon wedges, refrigerate for at least 45 mins. The longer the watermelon soaks the more flavorful it becomes!
2. Remove watermelon from syrup and arrange on platter. Squeeze limes over melon, and season with salt.
3. Enjoy responsibly!

I’m remembering my awesome father on this father’s day. He’s been absent from this physical world for over 19 years now and I think of him almost every day. He was such a gentle and loving man and my sister and I were so lucky to have him accept us into his life! I wish I could hug him on this his day, instead I will have to hug my husband who is so much like him and wish him a special fathers day too!

Frank is quiet as he loads your purchases into the bags at the checkout stand in our Foothill Ranch Wal Mart. But if you’ll take the time to look at him or thank him his smile lights up the room.

Ask him about all the pins that he proudly wears on his Wal Mart badge and you may need to slow your pace down a bit because Frank is a man that is proud to have served his country and doesn’t mind talking about it. A few weeks back I overheard Frank talking to a customer ahead of me as he loaded her purchases. He was telling her that there had been an article in the local paper written about him. It had talked about survivors of D-Day. When it came to my turn at the checkout counter I asked Frank which newspaper the article was in. I was so taken by Frank and his enthusiasm that I took a portrait photo of him and one of his pins, and decided I would write my own story about this gentle hero. As soon as I got home I ransacked through the trash for the newspaper article Frank had talked about, yet I never came across it.

I thought about Frank and this article for several days. I scoured the internet trying to find it. Finally I decided to go back to the source. I also needed to take our local hero the portrait photo he had requested. Frank was very happy to receive the pictures. He told me the article that had been written about him was posted on the wall by the employee check in clock and I could go see it there. Off I went. Once I arrived at the destination though I found no photo but a large remembrance wall of the brave men who are serving or have served our country. I thought for a moment that Frank was probably up on that wall but I was still focused on the article. So I head back to Frank, until I saw a couple of Wal Mart bigwigs who also saw me. A few conversations later and I was given permission to go get Frank and have him show me the article which was now in the back room and to show me which of the photos was him on the remembrance wall at our local Foothill Ranch Wal Mart. Once again I walked the long path from the garden section where I had originally talked to Frank, across the whole width of our large store, this time trying to keep in stride with Frank, an 88 year old war veteran who says he walks 2 miles every day in Tustin. He’s also had knee replacement surgery! I comment on the fact that he can walk faster than I and that I am very impressed with him. He replies with “people everywhere are impressed with me!”. No doubt. People at every station in Wal Mart stop and say “Hi Frank”. “You wearing your pins Frank?”

I am taken a secret back way, through the bowels of Wal Mart, where only special VIP people are allowed to go, or so says Frank. I stay close to him, keep my camera turned off and try not to look at my surroundings. Stealth in the bowels of Wal Mart with Frank. Way cool. We finally arrive where the article is posted. Wal Mart has also posted a small portion of the article by the clock, they’re pretty proud of their employee it seems! Frank proudly shows both of them to me. The newspaper story seems like such a small article about such an big hero. Hmmmm….

You can read the article for yourself here. I was told it was published in the OC Saver which is inside the Saddleback Valley Newspaper. Since we don’t get the OC Saver delivered in our Saddleback Valley newspaper I now know why I never saw the article.

Around the corner and through a set of large double wide doors that brings us back to the wall of remembrance. Before I could finish saying “Frank I’m not sure which one is your photo, but I’d like to try and pick it out, he points to it! That’s our proud hero. Frank.

All American, Tech Sergeant, Sharp Shooter, Bronze Star, Department Of Homeland Security, American Paratrooper, D-Day Invasion Survivor. The metals and list goes on and on. What’s not to be proud of about Frank. Our quiet local hero. Thank you Frank. We applaud you and all our men and women who are enlisted to make our country a better place to live in.

It’s hard not to see the joy in our son. Look close and you will see him. He’s there in the lower edge of the silver joy. How fitting! We love you so much Matt.

Jerry and I have long wanted to redo and update our home, me probably more than him. Going back to work was a blessing financially and having a broken sink was the catalyst. Stage 1, tearing out the old flooring in the guest bathroom.
My father George was a construction worker his whole life. He built homes in the bay area where he lived when my sister Dee and I were adopted into the family and then when we moved to Standish he helped build the Susanville prison in northern CA from the ground up. Giving you that information is to show you I know a cheap product when I see one, namely this vanity, in it’s demolished state on our front lawn.
Joe DeCillo Construction Co. is working on our bathrooms, the 1st job being our guest bathroom. Joe is awesome. He’s very friendly, fast and communicative. His crew does a beautiful job and if you’re looking for someone to have work done give him a call. I highly recommend him. His cell is: 949-521-3691. Here you can see the tile being put in. I picked out porcelain tile with the look of travertine and am very pleased with it.With the exception of baseboards, paint, and a few details, the guest bathroom is done, and in record time. Jerry and I are very pleased with the result.

A trip to Lowe’s to pick up more supplies for the next project, our master bathroom which will pretty much have the same products installed: porcelain tile, small sandalwood vanity, and marble sink. The smaller vanity gives us more foot space, which in these smaller bathrooms is so important. Thank you so much Joe and company! We are already thinking about what we want done next, when you have time in between your big remodel jobs!

After seeing this new website I’m thinking maybe I’ll move Tom Cruise back up to the number 1 status of my favorite movie star. That’s my TC baby!