New Look to my blog & moving continues...Spring??

It was time to change up my blog because my page had lost some of it's elements & looked really drab. I will be adding more as time permits, but it was a good start.  I worked on it until close to midnight the other night.  How time flies when you get to working on something!

 

  Just like today...I am STILL working in my craft room packing.  I really want to be finished & it is getting there slowly.  We will be getting a moving truck on Friday to load up with help from friends, then on Saturday morning head over the mountain pass, with my husband driving the U-Haul and me driving his Ranger truck with our daughter,  to unload all the packed boxes & unused furniture into the storage unit.  I will be staying for the week with our son and daughter~in~love, when I am not with my hubby.  It will be good to get away.  I have felt so hemmed in!  It looks like the weather is going to permit, but I will keep praying that it does.

 

 Due to being gone, I probably won't get to blog or check out other blogs.  My laptop died early fall last year & I really miss having it.  But can't even think about getting another one at this point.  It was used & I really used it some more, so I guess it served it's purpose!!  

 

 Well, I see that many other blogs are talking SPRING!  I don't think that is coming anytime soon, but the thought is nice, so I decided to put a few pics of my flowers from last year for some pretty color on this posting...enjoy! 

With spring in my heart,
Blessings,
Cindy

The "Glitter and Roses" giveaway...I WON!

Here is the cookbook I won, plus a sweet note from Ginger and two vintage music pieces.

My favorite part too!!

I want to thank Ginger of "Glitter and Roses" blog so much for having her giveaway and choosing me as the winner of this wonderful, colorful cookbook.  I received it in the mail today and was so excited!  Ginger has a beautiful blog full of inspiring photos and posts, plus an Etsy shop of her creations that are lovely. Check out Ginger's blog at: http://glitterandroses.blogspot.com. 

The cookbook is a treasury of recipes that are beautifully photographed with step by step directions.  The recipes include Macaroni and Cheese, Guacamole, Lasagna, Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, Patsy's Blackberry Cobbler, Chocolate Sheet Cake, and Sangria.  Everything looks scrumptious and I can't wait to try some when I get moved & settled.  All my cooking stuff is packed!!  If you want a delicious recipe book with down home country recipes, check this one out.  You won't be disappointed!!  Ree includes stories about her family farm and a mini biography of her life.  It also has pictures of country people, places, and things (animals).  It is a treat for the eyes, heart, and stomach!!  

Blessings,
Cindy 

The house is officially on the market...Whew!!

We decided on a Realtor yesterday and the pictures of our house are already on the internet.  Tomorrow the sign & lock box will be put up.  What a lot of work it has been to get to this point.  I must admit that when the realty office sent the paperwork to sign in an email, my stomach turned in circles.  It is a weird feeling to know that this house will belong to someone else...sooner rather than later, Please God!  We bought this house just before it was built and I picked the vinyl flooring, carpet, and countertops; all neutral which is a good thing.  My husband loves the uncluttered look.  I kinda agree, but I love my things.  Maybe there will be a happy medium & I can have some rooms clutter free & others with our collectibles!  (BTW~my hubby has a coke collection!)  I had a family room in our previous house, plus the living room so there was more opportunity for that.  Here are a few pics of our home, which is 1360 square feet, all ready for potential buyers...

The livingroom...the front door is behind the reclining chair.

Looking back into living room.  The TV is on an antique sewing cabinet.  I sold the entertainment center.

The dining room...I sold our dining set, so this is temporary.

Obviously the kitchen next to the dining room...Open floor plan.

Master bedroom

Master bedroom looking into master bath...walk in closet is on the left and a full wardrobe closet is just inside door facing bed.

Master bath

Daughter's room

Office.. the cords will be out of sight!  I have a glider rocker & ottoman on the right of the window.

Main bath

 
I only have to pack my craft room now, which isn't going to be too fun.  I had let it go for the past six months, putting all my purchased goodies from garage & estate sales and antique & thrift stores in there, so it is a mess.  I do have a lot already in plastic bins and drawer containers.  It is really cold in my craft room because it is in the garage and the weather has been freezing here.  It got to 50 degrees today, but the garage doesn't warm up very quickly.  So tomorrow I will turn on my heater & wait a few hours before I venture out there.  My daughter will be working out there with me since she has glass bead making things to pack also; her torch, glass rods, and all her tools.  That will make it more fun, for sure!  ;-)  My dream is to have a room in the house that I can decorate & have all my treasures on display.  I want a room that I can enter in the "Where Bloggers Create" magazine!!  We'll see if that happens...gotta sell this house first & see what we have to work with.

I have exciting news to share...I won a giveaway from "Glitter and Roses" blog.  I will receive a wonderful cookbook by Ree Drummond, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks".  Check out Ginger's blog at:  http://glitterandroses.blogspot.com.  She has a wonderful blog full of beautiful things she makes, decorates, and shares.  I will post when I receive my book & share it with you. 

I am exhausted mentally and physically.  I haven't shared about my health, but I have been getting by with the help of a naturopath/chiropractor.  I hurt my back in July & the result is 5 bulging disks, 2 pinching the sciatic nerve causing much pain & difficulty walking, standing, or sitting for long periods.  I was contemplating surgery which I didn't want, then a co-worker of my husbands recommended this doctor.  I have seen him now for 2 months with much relief.  However, as I work hard on packing, my back rebels; thus I continue to have treatments.  Once I am done with packing, I pray that my back can heal totally and that surgery won't be necessary.  I only know that I couldn't have done anything if I'd had surgery; I would have been laid up for 6-8 weeks conservatively.  I am so thankful that I followed through seeing the doctor & didn't back out like I wanted to.  My husband is instrumental in that decision!!  LOL!  But thankfully the house packing and prepping is coming to a close and I can rest more.  But for now we wait.  We wait for clear roads to pack a moving truck & take it over Santiam Pass with all the belongings that are ready to go to storage,...we wait for a family to buy the house...we wait for the final move with the rest of our stuff in another moving truck...we wait for the answer on what we can buy in another home, if at all...we wait to be together again; my hubby & I.  But life is full of anticipation & waiting for something for everyone, isn't it? 

Blessings,

Cindy 

Goodbye Mocha Kitty...

Here's Mocha sleeping at my feet under the computer desk in better days...

The time has come to say goodbye to our kitty, Mocha.  She had a stroke about a month ago and the poor thing had lost so much weight and couldn't groom herself.  She stumbled around when she walked & was blind in one eye, due to the stroke affecting her left side.  She was 17 and it just took too much out of her.  It was such a painful decision, but my hubby & I decided it was time to put her to sleep.  Our two kids that live here came to say goodbye to her yesterday & this morning.  With all our children's blessings, we took her to the Humane Society today.  I held her in my lap as we drove the short distance and cried.  She was such a sweet cat and had a long, good life, our daughter pointed out.  She also said that the move would likely upset her so much that she would die in transit, which is probably true.  It doesn't make it any easier, tho.  She will forever remain in our hearts...Goodbye Mocha...

Heartfelt Blessings,
Cindy