MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

 My mom is running over to her end table about now, saying" That girl has been into my pictures again!". They are safe in an envelope mom!!!  ... I don't have good pictures... Like These.....

 This is my dad's family camping. The Whitaker's!!!  That is my Grandmother - Dot in the yellow & orange bathing suit. the other lady is her sister... Ummmm Lily? or Helen?  I can never keep them straight. The young girl in the above picture is my aunt Gaynell. Don't you love that old truck? I can just imagine it full and stuff hanging all over it,'s on it way to Whitaker's Lake. They also pulled a boat there. They loved to water ski....They would go and camp for weeks... In Tents!!!  We, as a family started off tent camping. Then my dad bought a VW van.. We camped out of it in the 70's. Can we say HIPPIES!!!   not really..... When Raeanne was little we started out with a couple of different pop-ups. I miss these Weekends

 That is Raeanne when she was 9. Year was 1991 in May. We were at Cheaha State Park. One of our favorite places to camp. This is 1st real camper trailer. My dad bought it in a divorce sale. Cheap....and the guy threw in a Weber grill too.  We laughed about that a lot.... Not much stuff accumulated so far.....

 Trailer #2 was the most fun !! We pulled this thing everywhere. Bigger with bunk beds. This is the final place this trailer was pulled to. Mom & dad rented a lot in a Park. Had a beach, swimming pool, boat launch, store, bath houses, and other places. Our pulling from place to place was over.. Because they got this:

 Yes... Trailer #3... In 1999 , they decided we needed something with more room. Can we say slide out room.  During this time me and hubby decided we wanted to do some pop-up camping again. We purchased a good fixer-upper pop up. Fixed it up and away we went on our first Back To Camping Trip... All I will say is Daughter tried to lean against the walls.. ( which they are tent canvas) many times and almost ripping the walls of canvas out.. Hubby says" did you bring the popcorn?" which I take to mean Microwave popcorn.. That is what we are used to... No microwave-No popcorn.. then there is the absence of the TV... I will not go there.. Yes I will... Dad had a tv in the big trailer.. Raeanne always brought have VCR with her tapes to keep a teenager busy.... Pop up... No TV.  Needless to say... we came home and sold the pop up! Re-fabbed pop up.. used once !! someone got a great deal!!  lol

This is mom with Sadie... As you can see, by 1999 we had accumulated a lot of stuff. Those party lights hanging from the swing are from the 1970's VW days !!! I still have them. That Weber grill, in the background is the only thing left from Camper #1. (divorce camper)  I miss camping on Memorial Day Weekends.. It is so fun. We get together and start talking about camping and the funny things that have happened over the years. We do have some stories...... I could remember and talk all day about them.. Our friends we go to the beach with each year Debra and Wayne. We met them camping at Cheaha, some 20 years ago.  I need to start back camping to show my grandchildren what camping is all about. My mom booked us a cabin at one of our favorite state parks one year when Hannah, ( brother's daughter) was about 4 . She said we were camping!! we laughed at her.. We might be at a state park but we were in a modern cabin.. Hannah will now get to see what camping is about now.. She is 10 years old and her camping raised dad just bought this:

Her Summers of fun are just beginning!!!  Hope she makes as many great memories as we have !!!  Hate to end this camping post... Watch out for the mosquitoes this weekend !!!  I hate the smell of OFF !! BYE...

JCS Magazine Halloween Book !!

NEWS NEWS NEWS !!!
Just Cross Stitch Magazine has a new 100 page Halloween Edition. I guess enough us Halloween Lovers were heard!  Will Release on 9-1-2011.  New design from 50 designers in one issue !! I can't wait!
Here is a link to order - http://www3.mailordercentral.com/hoffmanmedia/prodinfo.asp?number=JCS-HALLOWEEN-11
Or check with your local Needlework shop.  I don't have any local ones. They closed years ago. Thread Bear Shop was the last one that was close by in the Birmingham area.
Just thought ya'll would like a bit of Great News !!!!
Till Later... Sunbathing in the sun trying to work on this WHITE skin before I leave for the Beach Thurdsay!!!

Yard Sale !!!

YARD SALE !   That is what I have been doing the past 3 days. I have a little change jingling in my pocket now...  I spent some on a new printer/scanner, since the one I had would not scan.. print yes... scan no... I am so tired. I can't think... I have been putting things down and I can't remember where I put them.. Does anyone else have that problem of MIND LOSS? I keep wondering, if I have something wrong with me or if I am just to tired to think. We leave out on vacation this week and come back next week. Headed to the beach again with our friends. I am looking forward to just relaxing, talking and having a great time!  Well... till later... I can't think of anything else... lol
Bye :)

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!!

Today would have been my dad's 70th Birthday. I am still in shock at this time. I was thinking 69th. Mom informed me that he would have been 70. I am still in shock. I can not picture my dad at 70. He still looks like this to me..  I had pictures to post but my scanner decided not to work. I then decided to take a picture of a picture.. You can forget that.. I had the shakes so bad... They were all so blurry. I guess that posting pictures was not to be today. I just want to say that I have the best two parents. I have always felt love from them no matter what was handed to me in life. I lost my dad to a heart attack when he was the age of 59 and almost lost my mom to cancer nearly 2 years ago. The Lord has blessed me was wonderful memories and Love. Love from them has made me who I am today. Nothing can ever take that away. I hope that my daughter and grandchildren have warm memories and know that I love them with all my heart, because.. you know that is all we have in life is each other, Family. It doesn't matter if we are rich, poor, have a degree, live in a trailer, live in a fine brick home, or what we wear or how many cars we have..... I will have Nothing when I see my Daddy again... JUST ME....and that is a day I will Rejoice with The LORD.
No one will remember you for how much money you have.. What you have accumulated on this earth. They will remember you for the kindness and love you have shown. I still catch myself saying of someone that has past on.. Oh, they was so kind and sweet. Why? because, they shown me kindness and I felt love coming from them.
Please show some love this week. 
LOVE IS FREE !!   
Till Later.....   LOVE YA'LL

Craft Room Cleanout Sell

I am selling some thing on my selling blog. I have finally got that room cleaned out!!!  You can go through by the button on my sidebar. April Mechelle's Selling Blog. You can just click this :
http://aprilmechelleselling.blogspot.com/2011/05/craft-room-cleanout.html.

If you see anything please just contact me by email. I will never be able to stitch all these great things, with all the New Stitching Stuff coming out everyday. I accept Paypal. My Email is : taylor62@charter.net
Thanks for looking, April

**Tomorrow would have been my Dad's Birthday...so, tomorrow is his day on my blog !!! **

MEMORIES OF YESTERDAYS

I was reading a blog that really touched me today. Kathleen at :  http://eggsinmypocket.blogspot.com/ She was baking an applesauce cake. The smell had her remembering other times when the cake was baked. It triggered some memories for me.  When I was writing in her comment section, I was putting some Avon Vita Moist lotion on my hands. I always keep it around. I have lots of it. It reminds me of my grandmother-Grandma... So today, I lathered up my hands often and smelled Grandma... Thank you Kathleen!

It is funny how smells and sounds trigger memories. I always think of my dad when I smell Aramis Cologne.. or hear Three Dog Night or Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR).  I was cooking a big supper tonight.. Meatloaf, Creamed Potatoes, Fried Green Tomatoes W/Squash, .... Made me think of going in the back door at Aunt Judy's. Her house always smell like she is cooking up all these great vegetables from their garden!  But... Boy, am I tired from all that stove cooking!!!  I have decided that I might share some things in the next couple of post about my great family!!! I know some of them read my blog... So ya'll (family members) don't just scared, nothing bad or SECRETS !!!   Like we have any secrets....  lol Like. I will have to show my brother off.. He has lost a lot of weight. YES I am jealous !!! I will throw in some stitching news and pictures too. I am working on the Heirloom Afghan...

The Famous Kettle Farm Set in Hollywood

Till Later.......

THE WINNER IS........

This is the complete winnings for the Birthday & Blog Anniversary Giveaway. And the Winner is:

Joy at: http://countingbitsofjoy.blogspot.com/  Congrats to you Joy !!! Just email me with your address. I forgot that in my email to you!!!  lol

It has been a working weekend again. I have dug holes for post with post hole diggers.. I have made a birdhouse. We went to the same Estate Sale 3 times. Once each day. These place mats below is what I got Friday:

Vera Wang placemats and round napkins to match. $4.00 Still have the tags on them. (new) I also bought a bag full of thread all on wooden spools. (old) Today we went back for 1/2 off day. All the furniture was already gone. I did get 16 of these:

Green glasses!!! All 16 for $14.00. Mom here are your glasses!!! No chips! Like brand new!!  They do look good with my new placemats.....  hmmmm. So that was my weekend !!! How was yours?   till later........

Saturday Addition To Giveaway !!!

This is today's addition to my Birthday and Blog Anniversary Giveaway. 50 Floss Tags that I made. Packet of notecards, and DMC #s 369 - Pastel Green, 3761 - Baby Blue, and 612- Light Tan.
Don't forget to let me know if you want to be entered. I will draw from the names Sunday afternoon and post Sunday night winner.
Hope everyone has a great weekend !!!

Where Did My Thursday Post Go !!

Well it seems that my post a wrote and posted on Thursday has disappeared into space.  I seen it all yesterday and last night. I also tried to comment on my blogging friend's post and it said " Read Only" .. duhhh.  Well, here is the Thursday addition to the giveaway:

 Nail Files and a Fizz Ball. Also DMC #'s 677- yellowish tan, 640- grayish, tan, and 993 - Teal.  Here is Today's addition:

A necklace that I put together with components from Industrial Chic. Also DMC #'s 3806 - Burgandy and 3371 - Dk Brown.
I am still cleaning up the craft room. Hubby has not put the doors up. He has been working out in the heat ( 90's) and I didn't want to ask him again after, I mentioned something about it the other day.  I still have my head, But... Boy did I get a look!!!  lol
So I am putting all the stuff back in the closet.. He will just have to work around it.
If you want to be entered in the Giveaway. Go here to comment: http://aprilmechellesdulllife.blogspot.com/2011/05/birthday-blog-anniversary-giveaway.html
By the way I have been battling a little field mouse.. He must have decided to come live with us here in the big house after we tore down his house... He is smart. Will not get on the glue traps, will not that the bait traps, (the ones where they go in and don't come out), So... I am going back to old school Brain Buster Traps.  I will win !!
Unless he is like this mouse:

Till Tomorrow....

Today's added things are for relaxing and working on your nails. 2 emery boards, a bath ball fizz and 3 colors of DMC. #'s 677 - yellowish beige, 993 -teal, and 640 - grayish brown
Stay tuned in for tomorrow... I have something I made with all the parts from Industrial Chic necklace. Whoops... I think I gave away the surprise...
While I have been doing this giveaway, I have been still cleaning out that craft room. Today I had the grandchildren while their mom went for a MRI. Good times went bad on the porch when Josh decided it would be a fun thing to dump a whole 96oz bottle of bubbles down sister's tike slide and onto the porch. That action called for us all going inside.. Last time that happened... yes, he did it before! He thought he was going to play slip and slide... yes, he had a fall and his clothes were a sudsy...I learned from that experience.

Zoe happened to find, out of all my cabinets, the one that had the glue trap for a little field mouse that I have been doing The Battle Of Whits. I spent a little while cleaning her up. Her fingers kept sticking together. That made me more mad at the mouse. I have one of those Bait boxes, where you don't see what happens to them.. He keeps going around that thing and ate on my loaf of bread last night. Had it on top of the microwave... urgghhhh No more Ms Nice Gal!!! I am going to go buy some Brain Busting Traps tonight. Old fashioned wooden base with great metal bar that gets him in the head!!!  Unless I have a mouse like this one:

Rocky Balboa Mouse clip is so funny !!!  Till Tomorrow....

Today's Addition To The Giveaway!

I have some more stuff to add today. I will be adding stuff each day till Sunday, when I draw a name. It will be a variety of things. Not just cross stitch. Here is today's things:

It is some cupcake papers and picks for this Memorial Day or 4th Of July!!  I also added some DMC floss, #'s 3842- blue, 304-red and B5200 white. Brightest White. I use this one alot...

These pictures below are the famous craft room... where on MTV Cribs.. They say the Magic Happens!!    Oh... That was to have been a bedroom on MTV Cribs.. Oh well..... My magic happens here!!!  Crafting Magic!!! I am cleaning it out!!  Hubby is coming in today to hang those closet doors.  Woohoo!!! Finally!!!

Can you get this excited about closet doors.  I do !!! I will go tomorrow and look for fabric to make gathered inserts on those doors. I was out and about today, but got tired and came on home.
We started AGAIN... Eating healthy.  I had a salad today for lunch. I don't eat dressing. I guess that is good, because I heard the salad dressing is where all the calories come from..  Tonight we are having vegetables. Fresh Vegetables.. Hubby may have a problem with this. He is a meat and potato guy. 
If you want to enter the Giveaway before Sunday. Just comment at the Post here: http://aprilmechellesdulllife.blogspot.com/2011/05/birthday-blog-anniversary-giveaway.html
Till Tomorrow with More Stuff To Give Away !!!!

Birthday & Blog Anniversary Giveaway

Today is my 46th Birthday and Friday is starting my 3rd year to Blog !! So therefore, I am having a giveaway !  All you have to do is leave a comment that you want to be entered.  Come Sunday Night I will draw a name from the pot and notify the winner.  It is that easy!!  This is just some of the things:

La-D-Da's Sweet By & By,  Blackbird Designs - May Flowers, because it is May. and a 13.5 X 18 piece of 28 count Sandstone Linen.

I am also including these goodies.... 28 count White Evenweave, An American Freebie from Prairie Schooler, and 2 pieces of fabric. One is Republican and the other is Democrat.  Is great for making something for the upcoming Election in 2012.   I will be adding stuff day by day. So keep checking back to see what will go in the winning package. 

Don't forget to just leave a comment.. Anyone can enter!  Just be sure that I have a way through email to contact the winner !!!   GOOD LUCK !!!

A FINISH & BIRTHDAY LUNCH & GIVEAWAY

Here is a finish that I did last week. I forgot about posting it with all the yard work going on. It is the Carriage House Samplings - Phoebe Brown. I painted the little old wooden frame I had and she fit just right.

I went and met with the girls today for Birthdays lunch. There are 3 of us that still hang together from high school. There was a group of us girls, about 7 that were real close.. Well only me, Diana, and Tammy are still close. I guess that happens a lot as you get older. We have children about the same age. Also I guess you change... Three of the old high school group waited till their late 30's to have children, so we have nothing in common with them now.. Us being 46....Diana had a Birthday Friday. My Birthday is tomorrow, so we celebrated at the local Mexican place. Tammy's Birthday is in Sept. We call her the baby of the bunch!!! We had a great time. I went by my old workplace today to see my friend Wendy. She is still working there. Had a great time visiting with her. She is going to start meeting us for lunch once a month. I need to get out more. We gossip of course... Found out all kinds of stuff about our old school buddies. We also cry .. Tammy lives in Tuscaloosa, she lost 1/2 her house.. Sorry we laughed, how do you lose 1/2 a house?.. lol It is a total lose! Her husband's truck is totaled. It had a big tree on the back of it.. She showed us a picture, they had to cut the limbs so the insurance could see the damage.While it sat there with a tree down on the bed on the truck, husband says he wants her to list it on Craig's List as Good Truck Loaded With Firewood... They both have a great sense of humor. She said all that matters is that her family is still alive. We completely understand. They had another house, so they are doing ok. That was my fun filled day. Back at home and ready to clean.... NOT.... Till later.......

UPDATE - 4:58 Pm - Check back with me tomorrow!! I will post about my Birthday Giveaway and how to enter!!!!

MORE WORK IN THE YARD

Will it ever end ?? I don't know... We loaded a half a dump truck of bark. Guess what I was doing today? You are right.. I was spreading bark everywhere.. This is the Rose Bed finished. Guess What ? We have a little bird that has moved into the house. See the straw hanging out. She has been working all yesterday & today tidying up her new home. I seen her outside this morning gathering up her straw... I was wondering, where is she building? Duhhhh me... I looked over and seen this straw hanging out.

Hubby has started up the bobcat again.. I just that means my break is over... Back to work.. Till Later...

3 MORE FINISHES

I had finished out three more items today. Frog Pillow is a Lizzie Kate chart. The Candy Heart is a chart from the magazine Cross Stitch & Needlecraft's from years back. This was stitched as a Round Robin Project. It went from stitcher to stitcher, they picked out 4 pieces of candy each to stitch. I finished the ones left. The striped Bunny, I can't remember who was the designer. It was a freebie chart. The Ric-Rack was my grandmothers. She added the tatting to it. I do have a picture by Carriage House Samplers I framed today. It is just a little picture. I will show it tomorrow. I had to laugh today when I was stitching the piping around the pillows. I told Raeanne I could not see the thread to tie a knot or thread the needle, and of course, she asked where my glasses were? I said that is not the problem... The thread is invisible -clear thread. Maybe... I need to stick to thread I can see.....That is all today. Till Tomorrow......

Some Finished Stitching

This is some things I had stitched years ago. They had been sitting in a tube. The Rabbit Picture is a Heart In Hand Kit from years ago. The Rabbit In Garden is a Fanci That from years ago. I used to have it framed, but I removed it from the frame and made into a little pillow. The Spring... I can't remember who is the designer. It has been that long ago. You can see it is stitched on Aida... I have a wooden bowl that my mom gave to me. I am trying to get some of my Spring Stitching finished and put in the bowl... Then it is on to the Summer Stitching....

I had a terrible night trying to sleep last night. It had rained all day yesterday and my shoulder was killing me. I was awake till 4:00 am. I love my Kindle.. I just pick it up and turn it on, I will be right were I left off reading. I am reading a book called The Truth About Dating by Julie Christensen. I know I am married!!! But, this is really a funny book. She is in her 40's, never married, and still looking for Mr. Right. The chapters on Internet dating are the funniest! and not to forget about all the men who are in their 40's and 50's looking for Ms. Right in the age group of 18 to 30... lol That is what I was doing last night till this morning.. Reading On The Kindle. I need to get some new books. I downloaded all the Jane Austen Books. I should finish up Dating tonight..

Well Hubby just came in and handed me the bills to pay on-line. Well, I am out of here.. Till Later.....

YARD WORK (Pictures)

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We did yard work this weekend. It sure was hot outside in the sun. This is the flower pole we put up last weekend. We are also putting in a rose bed. Here are some of pictures.

This is what Josh was doing today, while I was working. He loves his 4-wheeler. He uses that rope and pulls his tractor all over the yard.

Poppa & Josh had to put in a new outside water line this weekend. The one we had froze and burst last winter. So now I have an outside hosepipe again. I need it to water all these plants. You also know what this means......

Swimming Pool was brought out today. It is May...
I used the old Witche's Cauldron to plant so flowers in . Hubby cracked it, he was moving it with the bobcat. Looks good on it's side with flowers...
This is the new spigot. I have since cleaned up all the hoses and pipes. This is my ladder yard ornament. Well, Have to go for now. Raeanne has cooked us dinner and I am tired... Till Later....