I haven't blogged in a really, really long time.

So here are a few of the pictures and news from the last 6 months.

The biggest news is we moved back to Asheville, NC.

I missed the mountains.

and the people.

2 in particular I missed are these 2:

my grandkids.

But I am so excited to be back close to nearly all of my family.

And speaking of family.

In March, we celebrated my parents

50th Wedding Anniversary

my sisters-in-law did the decorating and flowers:

I love the big "50" with pictures on it.

(See my brother in the background)

and here is the whole family.

I recently visited my daughter, Katie and her husband and she has done so many great things at her house.

Here is her cute front door wreath she made:

 She also repurposed Starbucks jars, painted chalkboard paint on them so we could write our names on them and always find our own jar. (You do have to be careful washing them.) And I don't know how I ended up with the big one. mooo

 Katie has become a serious knitter and look at this adorable old bucket she is storing her yarn in.

We did a little craft project with washers and scrapbook paper.  

We made necklaces. They are adjustable.

 Here is Katie's:

I'm feeling much more inspired lately, so hopefully I will be back to my old bloggy self soon.

Ice Sculptures at Opryland Hotel

We went to visit Katie and stopped by Opryland Hotel's ICE display.

It was pretty cool (pun intended).

This is the 20 foot slide.

and Anna coming down:

the theme was "Merry Madagascar"

40 artisans from China came and carved 2 million pounds of ice for the display.

It is really, really cold in there.  So cold they give you these stylish parkas to wear.

And so cold that my camera battery ran out of juice.

But after we got out of the cold, the battery let me take a few more pictures of the Opryland Hotel.

  

 This place is amazing: over 3000 rooms and 9 acres of indoor gardens and waterfalls - and it was still decked out for Christmas.

I loved the lights outside.

and the outdoor nativity was inspiring.

What a great place to end the Christmas Season.

I guess I have to put away my Christmas decorations now. 

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 has come and gone.

I really enjoyed this year, being with friends and family and celebrating the birth of Christ.  Here are a few highlights (in no particular order):

The gift of robes:

Dyson vacuum. I love my Dyson, so I had to give my daughter and my very excited (not) son-in-law one:

Jack would say, "Thank you" even before he started opening his gifts.

Their 1st Christmas together (last year Rob was in Afghanistan.):

The girls made cute, little, delicious acorns with nutter butter minis and kisses:   

Katie knitted blankets and scarves.

(Pretty good for just starting to knit.)

Jack and Conley think the new shopping cart is a stroller for Jack to push Conley around in:

We really enjoyed our Buble Christmas CD.

(especially Jingle Bells, It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas, and Cold December Night) 

I made a few cosmetic bags using this tutorial.

It's true what they say about kids liking the box as much as the gift:

and I was so happy I was able to get a few things on sale after Christmas.

(especially since my wrapping was pretty depleted.)

and lastly, we had a great time with my family at my brother's house.

(I think we are all smiling pretty good considering we are looking at a timer-flashing camera on a tripod.

Happy 2012 to everyone!!

Minnie Mouse Costume and My New Android Phone

Anna was Minnie Mouse for her friend's dress-up party.

 We had fun making her outfit. 

And now about my new Android phone.

  I admit I am very slow to keep up with technology.  very, very slow.

And usually I only make changes when I have to. And in this case, once again, I had to. 

Here is a picture of my phone (which I have had several years)

just look at it.

(bless it's heart)

The poor thing breathed it's last when I left it in some pant's pocket that I washed in the washing machine.

I was so sad...I didn't even realize how much better my phone life was about to become.

and here is my new Android.....tadaaa.

 People, if you don't have something that has these "apps" - run to the store - get it - trust me.

 So even though I am new at the app thing.  Here are some of the free apps (yes - free) I have put on my phone. I apologize for my lack of knowlege/correct lingo on phone stuff - if you want the technical names go to the website - this review could actually be called:

APPS, BY A DUMMIE!

As I said I am new at this so if you have some you recommend, tell us about them in my comments at the bottom of this post  - I'd love to know more good ones!      

Backgrounds - pretty scenes, quotes, flowers, whatever - to make your phone pretty or whatever you want

Bible - Love this, especially the Plans they have that give you a passage to read each day, and a place for bookmarks and notes

Calendar - not only can you put in events, but they (not sure who "they" is - tiny brilliant app chips) send you reminders by text or email.

Games - Gazillions of these - must limit - addictive - not meant for women over 40 or under 35, not to be used for long periods of time, may cause laziness, may cause house work to not get done, may cause carpal tunnel, may cause blindness eventually, may... 

Free Christmas - keeps track of Christmas list and ideas and sizes (with cute pictures)

Flashlight - so smart.  I almost want to drop my keys in the dark so I can use it soon.

Gas Buddy - shows cheapest gas in town

Google Sky Map - tells star names. I haven't used this yet, but may need to some day.

K-Love - my radio station.  Hit play.  Hit stop. Easy. 

Out of Milk - List lover's (like myself) best friend.  Grocery and To Do

The Weather Channel

Trip Advisor

Wallpapers - again with the backgrounds

Words Free - This is Scrabble and as with most the games (I think) you can play with strangers or friends you really know.

So there is my list.

 And one more great thing about my phone: I can speak a message and it gets it (most of the time) - no typing necessary- so smart.

There are probably a lot more wonderful things on my new phone, but these are the ones I have mastered thus far.

Post Script: All this new technology is really great and all, but the old-fashioned side of me sometimes misses the days when our family of six had one phone per floor which NEVER was missplaced,
 we managed to answer before it stopped ringing,
 we could always hear it ringing,
 we never had to worry about overages,
we never accidentally called anyone,
phone calls never just dropped,
 you knew the # of the phone you were calling from-because it was written on it,

BUT most of all,

I miss the fact that we never once accidentally washed our phone in the washing machine.   

  

Apple Pickin'!

I love to go

APPLE PICKIN'!

It is a great way to spend a perfect fall day

and end up with a big bag of fresh apples.

This year I got to go with 2 of my daughters and for the 1st time with my grand kids.

The kids loved it! 

My favorite place to go it Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock, NC - website

Besides the great apple picking and beautiful view, they have animals to see,

pumpkins to buy,

a playhouse and playground 

(and a place to measure your height each year - if your child will actually stand in front of it 

- this is the best shot I could get)

They have homemade doughnuts and apple cider too.

(One note if you go: No credit/debit cards and no real bathroom - just port-a-johns. Go before.)

Jack loved pulling the wagon.

and pickin' of course.

but they both mostly loved 

EATING THE APPLES!

and to end a great day, my daughter, Emily and I made an apple pie.

We used Kristy at Southern Plate's recipe (we both have her book)

It was FANTASTIC. 

Here is a link to her recipe.

I think our pie looks a lot like hers. And considering we finished it close to midnight - we were pleased with ourselves. Of course we had vanilla ice cream with it - it is not an option to omit it with apple pie in my opinion.

at church Sunday, the pastor of my daughter's church preached a wonderful message from Proverbs 7:1-4

and there it was:

"keep my teaching as the APPLE of your eye"

which means when people look at you really closely, they should see a life that is based on the truths in the Bible.

What I great verse.

All I have left to say is:

I love apples. and fall. and my daughters and grand babies. and pie.

alright - I'll stop.