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I'm an accountant by day and crafter at night. I love a decorating challenge, floral arrangements are probably my favorite part when decorating a wedding/party. I'm an independent Longaberger consultant and avid collector (check out my Longaberger website).


My favorite hobby is scrapbooking! Of course scrapping got me into photography, digital photography to be exact. I quickly discovered that I LOVE taking pictures! I just got the Nikon D300....words don't measure up to this camera - well worth the $$. I crochet while I watch tv and mess around on the computer whenever I get a few moments.
If you need to contact me pfphotography@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Taking a stroll down memory lane

They say a dog doesn't have the ability to distinguish time. Which is why they're always happy to see you even if you just walk into the house and then back out again - they can't quantify the passing of time.

I was at work at 6:15 this evening when I got a call that Dad had fallen down the steps at the side of the house (these would be the same steps Mom fell down this winter, remember the post Here Kitty, Kitty). I immediately shut down my computer and headed home since Johnathon was there by himself. Upon arriving home I learned that Johnathon and Dad had been searching for Gator most of the day. Having visited all the neighbors with no luck, they were pumped when the vet called early this evening telling them someone had found Gator.

In the excitement of finding a lost dog, Dad lost his footing going down the steps and landed on the very expensive knee that was replaced about a year ago and hit his shoulder pretty hard on the pavement. So Mom took Dad to the ER to make sure everything was still as it should be.

When I listened to the vets message on the answering machine after being prompted by Johnathon as to what had happened, I called the # of the person reported to have Gator and asked if I could come pick him up. She said 'of course, anytime' and explained to me where she lived. I guess Gator decided to go looking for Aunt Pat this morning. Unable to find her he walked his old path to Grandma's house. He was a block south of Grandma's when a Valier resident spotted this large dog walking very slowly down the road and enticed him into their yard.

They fed and watered him. Determined to not call the pound, they found the tag on his collar and called the vet (who later figured out to call us....Gator's still listed with Aunt Pat as the contact - grateful for a small town today and the fact that they knew who to call). The couple whom Gator spent the day with was very nice and treated him well, but he was super excited to see Johnathon and I and almost knocked me over to get into the truck.

I don't think Gator was running away, he was just taking a stroll down memory lane - searching for ghosts. They say a dog can't quantify time.......he may have thought when he left this morning for Valier that he'd find a couple old friends.
Dad's shoulder is sprained and bruised but nothing appears to be broken and the knee still works. My parents decided on the way home from the ER that hand rails on the side steps needs to go on the top of the 'To Do' list. Gator's home safe and sound, I don't think he found what he was looking for.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Fifty seven cents

Johnathon's science fair project was selected with several other projects from Sesser to compete at the regional level today at SIU. He was going to be gone from approximately 7am this morning until 7pm tonight so we sent $40 with him. Money for meals, snacks, bowling, etc....

At around 1 Johnathon called dad and asked if he could buy a video game, they were at the mall and according to him he had enough money. Well, dad told him no which I doubt made him very happy. I mean he's such a deprived child and has hardly any video games (lol!).

While he received a "GOLD" placing on his project today it wasn't selected to compete at the state level in Champaign. Congrats and Good Luck to the few Sesser students who were selected to compete at state!

When Johnathon came home I asked if he spent all his money today. He took something out of his pocket laid it on the table and said "No, I brought home change". He ate an entire plate of lasagna with half a container of cottage cheese and then had one of the cherry turnovers that I made followed by an apple - he acted as though he was starving to death. I thought maybe he hadn't bought much to eat.

When I was getting ready to head to bed I happened to look at the "change" on the table. Now mind you, he is a twelve year old boy and if you give him $40 for a day away from home.......he comes back with 57 cents which I'm assuming wasn't spent to say he brought home change, that or there wasn't anything he could find to buy for only 57 cents!

Boys will be boys!

Oh and on the comment sheet from the judges, the only negative comment they made was on one of the charts that I did........so of course the reason he's not going to state is obviously all MY fault.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Wedding flowers

This is what I've been up to the past couple of nights and most the this afternoon.
You can see the rest HERE! I'm delivering them to the bride tomorrow afternoon.
Waiting on my parents to get home with Chinese takeout and the two movies I asked them to buy for me while they were at Walmart 1) New Moon (I know most of you probably already have it but I've been sick for two weeks and could have cared less about a move) and 2) The Blind Side. Can't wait to eat some sushi, egg rolls and maybe a little glass of red wine and watch some movies. Pretty lame for a Saturday night, but hey it is what it is.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Free Range No More!

Well as most of you know my father has chickens. For some time now we've talked about increasing the height of the fence on the coop. The chickens fly out, wondered around the yard (pooping all over the place) and yesterday morning ate the freshly planted lettuce seeds out of the garden. This last act was the end of the line - you don't mess with Pappa Deaner's garden and since it was a warm day, well we tackled the CHICKEN COOP!
In addition to the chickens making a mess of everything outside their coop, dad's only been getting 1-2 eggs a day from all those chickens. I kept suggesting that the chickens were laying elsewhere.....well, we found out one spot yesterday - under the blackberry bush! All kinds of eggs under that thorny, monstrous sized blackberry bush in the back yard. Of course we can't eat the eggs now, but how in the world do we get them out of there so they don't stink to high heaven when the weather warms up a bit? ugggghh
In the beginning......the pen was surround by a once white picket fence. Unfortunately this fence wasn't exactly tall enough to keep the chickens cooped up (as you can see a few escaped ladies).

A few essential tools required for any 'fix it' job.


The building of the door frame.....


Johnathon helping Pappa Deaner set the post, hard work for Johnathon as you can tell!

Johnathon learned how to set a fence post and he so loved helping. He did a great job on the fence posts. Pappa Deaner and I liked not having set them all ourselves. Plus he made a good gofer, well we'll work on the gofer part - has a hard time 'finding' the items he was going for so then I'd have to go show him what we were talking about that was usually right in front of him and exactly where we'd said it was. He'll learn, there are a few more "home improvement" projects scheduled for this spring that he'll get to help with.

In process.....where we were when we took our lunch break
The new door is hung, now we can get into the pen (not sure why anyone would want to be in there, but should you so desire you can get in there easily now).

The new fence/pen is DONE!! And the best part is that this morning there were NOOOOOO chickens in the yard or garden or flower beds or field. All chickens were accounted for inside the coop. WoooooHooooo
....and where we/dad pulled up the old fence that had sunk into the ground and unearthed many a ground worm I learned that chickens LOVE worms. They were quite happy with the freshly tilled dirt and had a heyday with all those worms. The little black and white chicken has hawk eyes, spotting a worm from across the pen and running to retrieve it - somewhat comical to watch.

.....and the chickens! There are yellow, brown (I know these are New Hamp Red's), black, black & white (2 different kinds) and the turkey that showed up one day. No kidding, my parents came home and this turkey was walking around the coop. Dad opened the door, he jumped in and made himself at home. It's not a wild turkey but we're not sure where he came from???
Well, I have a full day so I'd better get to it. Roast is in the oven and is smelling wonderful, need to peel some tators and get them boiling....take a shower....edit a few pictures....arrange some silk flowers for a May wedding....bridal consult at 2pm and finish a baby afghan. I really excited about my to do list, today is the first day in a week that I've felt like well, felt like even getting out of bed. Only made it to work ONE day this week due to a respiratory/sinus/ear infection that settled in last weekend and just wouldn't leave!

Monday, March 8, 2010

I think it's a trick....


Matthew called me tonight to let me know he "lost his tooth". His dad wanted to see how loose it was but told Matthew that he didn't think he was going to get able to pull it.

Of course when Matt relaxed thinking the tooth was going to stay in another day......his father pulled it.

He did say it didn't even really hurt.
His mother sent me a phone pic to prove it's gone.

I hope the tooth fairy doesn't forget to stop by Matt's room tonight!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Calling the Tooth Fairy

It hasn't exactly fallen out yet, nor will he pull it. The one in front hanging at an angle isn't going to be there much longer though........so tooth fairy best get ready and be sure to check under Matt's pillow for the next few nights!