Mickey..the watchdog

Our puppy Mickey is sure a funny little guy!! Last night he found his reflection in the full-length mirror in the girls' bedroom. He stands up like a little meerkat and growls and barks at himself!! It is just hilarious!! What a watchdog..he even protects us from himself :) The other cute pic is of what he looks like when we have one of his toys and he's waiting for us to throw it!!

(And yes, the girls' room is pink like pepto-bismol) We've not finished painting everything here yet...lots of trims and doors we've still got to paint. It's just going to take a while. Sam is really sensitive to the sealant and paint. Our home is VERY old. They dated it back to late 1800's -1900. Have a Happy Saturday!!

Love, Jerelene

My Friday.....

Today has been a LONG day. We left early this morning on a 2 hr. drive to take Sam to see the pediatric neurologist. It went pretty well as I expected. He just told us he had a pretty severe case of Tourettes and suggested another medicine to try. Please keep our family in your prayers as we make the major decision of trying or not trying this medicine. The more meds they try, the worse the side effects get...This one carries a risk of heart troubles....which weighs heavily on mind and heart. With each medicine, I have literally prayed over it for days before trying it. I woke up this morning sick with a summer cold. My head feels like it is in vice grip...literally. It's amazing how a person can be so stuffed up that they can't breathe, and yet their nose can be running non-stop :( When we came in this afternoon, I went in my room and tried to lay down and rest. It helped a little...but now my head is throbbing as I type.....right behind my eyes..

I do want to mention sweet Diana @ Welcome to my World. She lost her sweet cat today..I feel so badly for her!! Diana I am keeping you in my prayers!!!

Eileen was so kind as to pass another award my way..The Warm Hearts Blog Award. It sure is a BEAUTIFUL award!!

Sandy @ beachgirl77 created this beautiful award in memory of her son Jonny. It is a tribute to all the wonderful characteristics that Jonny portrayed. This award should be passed on to 3 amazing followers. All of my followers are amazing!! So..I just feel that it should be passed on to all of you who follow along with me on my journey here in bloggyland :)

The award is given to those who are kind, comforting and benevolent...

God bless ALL of you..please pass on to those deserving........(And Thank You Eileen!)

The Warm Hearts Bog Award
I didn't get to do my Friday Favorites earlier...so I'm going to try now...These beautiful cross-stitched pictures were done by my Aunt Audrey. She is sure gifted!! Her home is full of these beautiful handmade pictures. The 2 cow one is a gift given to me several years ago from her as a just because present...(just because she's so sweet!!) It is actually one of a pair..The other says..STOCK PILE..it has cows all stacked up one on another..The second one didn't load and I'm too tired tonight to mess with it.. These hang in my kitchen along with the rest of my cows... And the one with the blue birds..was a wedding gift...It hangs in my bedroom...

I'll leave you with a silly picture of Sam..The night before last we went out to eat Chinese food. The local restraunt is run by a really sweet lady and her husband. She is extremely nice to me and my family..Sam and Elizabeth decided to take a couple of silly pics of Sam. (I mean no disrespect to anyone who is Buddhist..really I don't,) but this was kind of funny to us..Sam put his hand up and acted like the Buddha had bit him (don't hate me :) Well, I'm off to bed to rest my aching sick head...(Hey!! that rhymed!!) and I wasn't even trying!! Love, Jerelene

Teach us to delight in

simple things,

And mirth that has no

bitter springs;

Forgiveness free of evil

done,

And love to all men

'neath the sun!

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

Wordful Wednesday

FOR SAM

I love you more

than the big blue sky.

To say that I don't,

would be a big lie.

Your sweet pale skin

as soft as cotton,

your big blue eyes

could never, ever be forgotten.

Your cute little freckles

that go for a mile,

seem to me

to decorate, your lovely smile.

My sweet little boy

the tics make you shy,

others can't get past that,

and I can't understand why?

I love you so much

you will always be mine,

your loving, kind nature

through "Jesus" will shine.

In my heart, I know..

that someday they'll see,

what a wonderful "present"

that God gave to me.

For anyone that would be reading and doesn't know..my youngest son Sam suffers from pretty severe Tourettes syndrome. He goes to see a new pediatric neurologist on friday. His tics have been very severe the last month or so..so it seemed yesterday that was all I could think of when trying to write.

With Love, Jerelene

Sweet Presents...

We recieved 2 lovely boxes from the mailman today...presents from Eileen!! This sweet angel really outdid herself. She not only sent me presents from her celebrating her 100th post..she sent Sam and my girls presents too!! Then she really outdid herself...and sent me another award!! You are just an angel Eileen :)
I don't know which present I loved the most!! Sam and I set on my bed and opened them. Sam went first....Eileen...this kid was speechless..which doesn't happen very often!! Then came the oohs and aaahs...he loved, loved, loved..the box with his name and postcards inside. The toys..well he hasn't come off the bed for the last 45 minutes. He's been in there hard at play :)
Then, I opened my box. Now..I didn't expect you to send me all those pretties!! I have never said oh my!...so many times..Everything was beautiful, sweet, heartfelt and so very thoughtful..wrapped up in beautiful ribbons...I would normally say you made my day..but I think you made my month or maybe even the year!! I am so, so appreciative of such kindness being sent my way!! What an angel YOU truly are!!! Here's a couple of pics to share of all the sweetness that Eileen sent our way!

And for the award
The Bella Sinclair Award was created by Ces in honor of her dear friend Bella..to celebrate art, inspiration, friendship, sisterhood, sharing and caring...Thank you so much Eileen for bestowing this beautiful award to me..To me it celebrates the new friendships that I've made through meeting all of YOU..in bloggy land. Your friendships, prayers, and kindness mean the world to me and so does this award!! Thank You, Thank You!! I would like to pass it on to these sweet bloggy friends..

Marcy at Blessings Each Day

Lori at Morning Glories and Moonflowers

Rebecca at Renaissance

Beth at Brew Crew Adventure

Please keep my Mother in your prayers..she fell the night before last and landed face down on her walker...her nose is broken and she is pretty banged up everywhere..she is in the hospital. So, I may not be able to visit everyone like I wanted to today...Love, Jerelene

Happy 4th of July!!

Hello! After my little tumble last night..I didn't sleep well. Actually, at all. I did manage to take Sam to the library where they made paper flowers today! He did a good job and had a wonderful time playing with his friend Gunner. Gunner has known Sam since pre-school and he is a cancer survivor..he got cancer when Sam was in preschool with him. They kind of relate well to each other in some sort of unspoken way. Sam gave him a gift of a little stuffed dog when we found out he had cancer. It is the same one Sam has. Gunner still has it and it sits on the shelf of his headboard. His mother told me that he has always remembered that it came from Sam and is very protective of it STILL...Sam still has his too. He doesn't cuddle it..but it sleeps near his head on the nightstand. I love watching them play with each other. Gunner it seems is almost protective of Sam...it's very sweet...and I am SO grateful. Most kids don't even give Sam a chance..at all....I thank God for Gunner. He is an answered prayer!! Here's a couple pics of the beautiful paper flowers that were made today. I told them they should do a woman's class...because I think all the boys and girls Moms were having just as much (if not more) fun than the kids.

Since I've posted so much in the last couple of weeks on patriotism..I'm just going to say to all my sweet friends......Have a Happy and SAFE 4th of July!!!! I probably won't be doing any blogging this evening or weekend...I'll come around and visit everyone next week. I'm going to rest this evening and just spend some time with my family this weekend. Have a Blessed Holiday!!!

With Love, Jerelene

Some pics of our day yesterday..

Yesterday afternoon was a busy zuchinni day for me..blanching and then freezing zuchinni. (I'm having the yellow squash for supper tonight!)
Sarah's new pink zebra nails!

Some Mickey moments!! With Sam...

With Sarah...

I took a nice tumble and landed really hard on my right leg on concrete this afternoon..I'm ok, but sore....I'll be taking it easy this evening and resting...It sures hurts when you fall!! Especially all your weight on one leg...(I'm not small :) So..I'm thinking of that saying...the bigger you are the harder you fall?......OK..I'm off to ice my leg and take some advil. I kind of ache all over. I guess from trying to catch myself.

Love, Jerelene

Wordful Wednesday

Ok...here goes ladies...you asked for it...don't blame me or hate me..we'll try it this one time and see what happens!

Out in our garden,
the veggies are growing.
All of hubbies hard work..
is definately showing!

All the veggies are budding
at an awesome rate..
All the salsa & relishes..
Yummy, I can't wait!

Weeding and hoeing
and tilling with care,
In hopes of a harvest
with plenty to share.

Our prayers for a garden
blessed from above..
Have been answered,
fruitfully,with God's Faithful Love!
Ok...don't throw tomatoes at me!! and...on to other business!
Eileen at Umma's World has been so kind as to bestow yet ANOTHER award to me!! This award is the Charming Blog Award..Now this award is an (invisible award.) You just know and LOVE that you recieved it from one of your sweet bloggy (angel) friends!! Oh..then you must pass it on to 8 other charming blogs...Now (Marcy..please don't come after me!! ;) I can't just pick 8...you are ALL so charming that I just HAVE to pass this on to ALL my bloggy friends...I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! Now...the sad part....I must bore you with yet 7 more random things about myself.....I may be running out?
I don't think I've had to think this hard since college...good grief :)

1. I started dating my hubby Mark..my junior yr. in high school. I met him the night before Easter..He took me to both my jr. and sr. proms. He lived in the town where we live now. I lived in a town about 14 miles away. We met at a local strip where the kids cruised around in their cars and tried to look cool playing 80's music blaring from the stereos. Ahhh...memories :) I was standing out in the Mc Donalds parking lot near the road where they drove by. He drove by in his huge Bronco and I waved and tried to look pretty..He was very handsome!! Tall, tanned and muscular. He was at the time..a hod carrier, learning the brick mason trade. (That's what he is now.) I remember everyone always thought he was a policemen...he really looked like one! Anyway, he stopped and picked me up and we cruised around. The rest is history..We married 2 yrs. later...the following spring after I graduated..on the night before Easter. He can be a buster bear sometimes...but I can't imagine my life without him...I love this Man!!
2. All of my children were born on Tuesday afternoon. (If I've already posted some of these..I apologize...I think I'm running out of randomness!)
3.I used to sing for weddings...I actually sang for my cousin's wedding a few years ago..
4. I played my violin and sang for one of my family's closest friend's funeral when she passed away from cancer. She was from Jamaica and was one of the loveliest women I've ever met. I played my violin and sang..."When the Storm Passes Over." It's very hard not to cry when you are standing over someone that you cared about and have to sing and play, while they are there..below you in the casket...
I did it though...I held it together somehow..I wanted to honor her and I prayed that God would honor her through me...He did just that!! Of all the places I've played...that was the most memorable and meaningful.
5. I grew up pretty much alone. My half sister and brother were 8 and 10 yrs. older than me. My sister left home when she was 16..so I was by myself from then on. I relied on the neighbor sisters to become my adopted sisters. Their family was so good to me!! I always felt like I had two homes!! I love them all dearly...My life would have been miserable had it not been for them!!! ( LOVE YOU GUYS!! )
6. When I was a child..I collected Teddy Bears...I had gobs of them. At night, when I would get scared...I lined them up all around me like a Teddy Bear Army!! :)
7. I have absolutely the largest sweet tooth ever!! And, it shows..I've always teased everyone that I have to work hard at keeping MY figure!! (Eating lots of goodies!) I do actually eat the stuff that's (GOOD) for me first..before indulging myself. Well...if the saying "You are what you eat," is actually true..then I must be pretty sweet :) I hope so..I try hard!!
Well, that was my 7...
I must now get off here and do something productive...like the dishes in the sink (ouch!) And I have a HUGE pile of zuchinni that I absolutely must tend to..so off I go. I'd much rather be outside. It is 75 degrees and absolutely gorgeous!! (Diana...I hope it's this nice at your house :)
And so..I get to be stuck in the house! YUCK!! Since it's so nice..I'm thinking of maybe taking Sam and the girls to putt-putt golf this evening, if it doesn't rain. Have a Wonderful and Blessing Filled Day!! Love you all!!
Jerelene