yellow grandma, the champ

My grandma, Shirley, is really, really sick.

She is my champ, a trooper, the strongest person I know, hilarious, so giving, pretty much the best person on the planet, and my favorite person ever.

I have cried the past two days straight because she is just so darn sick and we don't know what is going to happen.

But I do know one thing - I lucked out in the grandma department!

Please, please pray for her. This tough lady got through cancer and although she has some sort of lung infection, the lung infection doesn't have her! She will win!

P.S. Her favorite color is yellow and she loves Sour Patch Kids, jelly bellies, saltwater taffy, and m & m's. Please say lots of prayers, wear yellow, eat some of those treats and think of her!

You are the bravest person I know, Shirley Page!

the fame game

Last year, Beth & I started making this really awesome quilt called "sexy hexy". We finished our quilt tops last summer and they resided in a closet until now (I'm ashamed to say). But we have ambition in full force to cross that finish line. And honestly, the quilts are ADORABLE and we can't wait to use them out & about this summer at various activities.

Well, we are going to try to do the actual quilting ourselves, so the other day we started a google search to look for tips. Not long into browsing pictures, Beth said, "hey wait, go back!" And then we saw it - this total gem of a picture.

I know it's kind of hard to see, but if you go down to the second row, third image in from the left, you'll see us.

There we are: me, gram & Beth in all our glory.

We could not stop laughing!

Who knew that being google famous could be so fun.

thrifty thursday + see ya later, alligator

I found this yellow Tupperware mug at the DI this week (sorry for the poor picture quality - I stopped the dishwasher mid-cycle, and what resulted is a steamy, blurry image). The yellow mug is fitting because I am hopping on a plane tomorrow morning to see my yellow gram! Woot woot! She is feeling so much better and has more energy, so I know we will have lots of fun!

I made her this cute & super simple plastic Easter egg garland.

I got her a bright pink shirt just in time for spring. Giving gram paper napkins has been my new thing lately. I am bringing along some Easter themed napkins, and my favorite, hip hooray! napkins. I just about peed my pants when I found these. They are so perfect. Gram just finished her last radiation treatment yesterday, and all I can say is, hip hooray x one million!

I think these paper plates are so silly and I just had to get them. I can't wait to see the look on gram's face when I serve her lunch on one of these ocean critters.

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

thrifty thursday

I am feeling like a little sickie today. Bad cold, sore throat, throbbing headache, achy body. Things have been a little stressful around here lately, and I am feeling worried about family members and sorry for myself again (just losing hope). Am I lame or what.

My gram got wonderful news this week. The cancer is gone from her stomach and lung, but the mass is still isolated in her groin, yet it is smaller. This means she just has to have radiation. No more chemo! (see you later chemo, we will NOT miss you!). I am so excited and hope the cancer will hurry up and leave altogether so she can come back out here.

My other grammie had a brain aneurysm on Sunday night and will be in the hospital for 2-3 weeks. It has been sad to deal with this in the wake of happy news with my other gram. All I can do is pray for everyone and have faith that things will work out the way they are meant to.

I stopped at the DI on the way home from visiting my grammie, and I found a few good things. I have ventured into the clothing section lately at the DI and have found some real gems.

This skirt is from Ann Taylor and had the original tag on it. I only paid $6.00 for it. Not bad for something that has never been worn.

While I was trying on the skirt, I had a feeling I should go look at the dresses. Sometimes I bypass them because I get tired of sifting through shoulder pads & really unfortunate prints, but I got so lucky with this little number! Too bad it is sleeveless, but I can just wear something underneath.

Or on top, like the cute jacket it came with! I think this dress is so fun, and just in time for spring. It was only $8.00 for both pieces.

thrifty thursday

My dad took me to the DI over the weekend and look what he found during our excursion. Tupperware!

I have been diligently searching for these classic Tupperware canisters for weeks. I'm sure you've seen them before. Most people think they are atrocious, but I love them. I really hope I find some more.

My parents have them in avocado green. This color was popular during its time. Can you believe my mom wrote on them with a Sharpie? I am horrified! Ha ha.

Remember how I cut out all those felt hearts for my gram? Well, this is what I made.

A felt heart garland.

Easy peasy, and super cute, I think. Too bad my gram spent Valentine's in the ICU needing a bunch of blood products. She is doing a little better now, so hopefully she will continue to be on the mend.

G baby was a great sewing helper. I am his favorite aunt (note the shirt - my aunt rocks). Good thing I didn't go without a handsome valentine this year : g baby was mine!

Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's!

go team, go

My gram Shirley is a true & loyal Packers fan. She has tons of Packers paraphernalia (see the bear's helmet?) & hoots and hollers during the games. Last time she was in the hospital, I called 57,000 times with no answer, so I finally called her nurse and asked her to go into gram's room and hand her the phone so we could talk. I figured she just couldn't reach the phone, but it turns out she was watching the Packers play and wouldn't even talk to me!!

She also has some Packers clothing & sent one of her shirts home with my mom to give to me. I will always love it.

So today I'm wearing it and saying,

Go Packers! Go Shirley! You kick that cancer where it counts! I love you.

big day

Tomorrow is an important day for my gram. It will pretty much be decided how the rest of her treatment will go. Something that starts with a c and ends with an hemo has been wiping her out so my gram & the family needs to decide what's best from this point on. If everyone will keep her in your thoughts and prayers, that would be great! Whatever is decided, I just know deep down that she will come back to Utah and I'll have more good years with her. I really won't be able to handle it any other way, so I need to have faith in that feeling.

I have been cutting out these felt hearts one by one to make a fun valentine thing for her. (I'll post a final pic before I mail it off).

Here's the last "sneak" picture I was able to get while back in Vermont. I love it so much - gram looks so cute in her sassy zebra pants. I have it as the background on my phone and every time I see it, I am beyond grateful it was taken. (Even though looking at it makes me cry half the time, too).

She is just my favorite.

frown

Only a few more days left here in Vermont :(

Gram had a harder day today. She was more tired and more cranky. I think she is sick of having all of us boss her around instructing her to take her meds, let us take her temperature, and to eat, eat, eat. Sometimes she is a really difficult patient. Can you blame the poor girl? After all, she has all sorts of foreign chemicals in her body and annoying cancer to boot.

Today she let me lay by her after one of her naps (I have been begging for this so it was a real treat!), she is super cooperative about getting her Lovenox shot (I've been giving it to her twice a day and she just whips up her shirt for me to inject), and we got some fabric cut out for her to fringe napkins because she said she is so bored when she is awake. I personally don't know how she can possibly be bored when she has me sitting next to her blabbing away! (The napkins must be for when I'm gone).

I've been writing messages on her fridge. Earlier it said, "you're a brave girl", but then when she woke up from her nap and told me she was going to be a basket case from being so tired, I changed it to this.



I saw her crack a smile. Cancer is just about as lame as it gets, but I have never seen anyone more determined than gram!

i already failed

I made it to Vermont and it was such a relief to see my gram!

She is doing alright since she is fresh out of her latest chemo infusion (she'll probably feel yucky next week). She is still really tired but she hasn't lost her pep or her love of insulting me (she is so hilarious - for example, if I ask if she needs anything else, she'll say "just for you to get out of here." I am so glad her sense of humor is intact!).

Gram has never been one for cooperating in pictures, but she especially doesn't want to be in any now since she isn't happy with the way she looks. I don't always listen to what she says (oops), and I want to have pictures to remember all the times with her, so I have resorted to sneaking each and every one.

Want to know my secret weapon? My cell phone. I just hold it up and pretend like I'm looking at something and silently celebrate my photo victory as I take a picture. I don't know why I didn't discover this trick years ago.

Here we are at an appointment today (my mom is in on my secret and snapped this pic). Isn't she cute? She really is being so brave and I am proud of her. On the other hand, I have already failed. I cried in the car on the way home from the airport, I cried in my room, and the worst of all - I cried at her appointment. It was just the two of us chatting with her nurse and I couldn't help but get all teared up watching gram sit in the chemo chair and wishing we were shopping for fabric instead of getting a Neulasta injection (this is a shot that will help her produce white blood cells and hopefully prevent her from another hospital stay).

I don't think she saw me, which I'm glad about. Her nurse started passing me the box of Kleenex, and gram said, "oh, is my nose dripping again?" Phew! Thank heavens, I was saved and she didn't notice.

here i come, gram

Remember my post about Christmas wishes?

Two people who are near & dear to me knew how very much I wanted (and still want!) my gram to come back to SLC. They also knew how that wasn't even close to an option right now, so they brought part of my gram to me.

My cousin Annie painted gram's portrait, and I love it. I totally cried when I opened it. I feel so lucky to have an original piece of artwork and I know that Annie put a lot of time and effort into making it. She even painted the frame gram's favorite color, yellow. It is truly such a treasured piece.

My friend Wrandi is the absolute sweetest. She found this antique cabinet that holds spools of thread. She had her dad help her restore and varnish it, and then she contacted my mom to have her send pictures of me with my gram. Talk about another labor of love. I was so overwhelmed with how thoughtful it was.

I am so thankful for such wonderful friends and family who know just how to lift my spirits during hard times. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Guess what?? I get to see my gram today! Hip, hip hooray! I am so ready to get on that plane and head east to see her. I know this visit will be a little different because gram isn't feeling up for much of anything but sleeping, and that is just fine with me. I don't care what we do as long as I'm in the same room as her. I just have to put on a braver than brave face. Yesterday I drove from Salt Lake to Provo to almost Layton and back by myself, so I had a lot of time to reflect on gram and let myself cry. I definitely cannot let the tears flow when I'm with her. Maybe I should just stay dehydrated all week. (jk).

I never wanted to be a cheerleader in high school, but I am happily going to assume that role this week. Positive is my new middle name.

See you soon, gram!

Thrifty Thursday is taking a vacation with me and will be back next week.

broadbent's

My gram told me all about a store that was retro and full of fun things. She was sure I would love it, and she was right! We went to this great place a few times while she was here this past year. If you make your way down to Lehi, you will find a gem of a place called Broadbent's. It's a mercantile store and it is as charming as they come.

Now really, just take a look at the facade. The colors, the writing, the windows. My oh my, I love it all! Inside is full of great gifts, candy, retro toys, and a quilt shop. You must go and enjoy this part of yesteryear. I am telling you, it is a real treat.

Today I stopped by to pick up a present and I actually had a really hard time there. I know I sound like a broken record talking about my gram so much, but I will never stop worrying about her, crying because she isn't here, wishing that cancer doesn't exist, praying for a speedy recovery & skilled caregivers, and hoping with all my heart that she is in Utah before I know it.

I just about lost it in every part of the store, feeling sad that my gram wasn't right by my side to enjoy all the fun things with me. I was pretty proud of myself because I didn't let the tears roll until I got in the car. Then I'll Be Home for Christmas came on the radio. Gee, thanks. Go ahead and throw a heaping bucket of salt on the wound.

But I was able to pick up one of our favorite Broadbent's treats - candy canes! And they are amazing. I'll be taking these with me to Vermont in January.

Can't wait to eat them with you, gram!

what a bummer

Well you can see that my presents made it out to gram. They just didn't go to the place I wanted them to.

Fletcher Allen hospital has a new patient. That dang chemo is not on my friends list right now. Gram has a fever, a weakened immune system, and has needed IV antibiotics & now a blood transfusion.

I knew hospital stays would probably become part of this temporary cancer routine, but I was just always hoping I would be wrong.

I feel really blessed because I haven't had many hard trials in my life so far, but I have to say that this is definitely one of them. I just miss my gram so much. I have never felt so completely helpless. Today I sat at the computer with my elbows on the table and cried into my hands. Something about the fact that she's sick in Vermont and I'm not there gets me every time.

Please keep the prayers coming. We all need her to get better!

merry christmas, gram

I finished my gram's Christmas presents and sent them off this weekend. Since starting chemo, she has been really tired and is spending more & more time in her room taking naps and resting. I wanted to make things that would bring cheer to her room and brighten it up.

I had so much fun cross stitching this pillow. So fun, in fact, I need to find another pattern quick because now I don't want to stop. I took this baby with me everywhere for a week and worked on it as I was out and about. I even brought it along to my mom's colonoscopy appointment (that was an adventure that deserves a post of its own!). I sat there in the waiting room with my embroidery hoop and cross stitched away. I've never had such a good time waiting for someone!

Pennant banners have been pretty popular and I wanted to give one a try. This picture is really quite dark and the patterns are much more vibrant in person. I made this to hang on my gram's wall so she can remember how much I love her. (We have a long standing joke that she loves me the most out of all the grandkids. I always sign my cards as love, the forever favorite).

My sister suggested to use a solid backing so the patterns wouldn't look all wonky when the sunlight shines through. (Brilliant!) I used this white polka dot backing on all the pennants and I love the subtle print.

Merry Christmas, gram! Next year we will celebrate Christmas together - I just know it!

thrifty thursday

Sometimes I feel really silly doing this regular Thrifty Thursday post because there are honestly way more important things to write about. But I do love traditions, and I do love being thrifty, so onward we go!

I went to the DI today and just about found nothing, except for one little treasure.

Once Upon a Potty.

image via babyproofingplus.com

Do you remember this book?

I always wanted a copy of my own when I was little and I remember looking at it all the time when we'd go to the bookstore. I would sit there all wide-eyed just snickering. It is such a classic.

I'm sending it to my gram for part of her Christmas present. I guess you could say that we are continuing with the potty theme (remember I gave her The Gas We Pass?), but I know she will get a kick out of reading about Prudence and her adventures on the potty.

My gram had her first round of chemo today. It went well, but they say she will start to feel yucky in about 8-10 days (boo). I went to an event yesterday where everyone was wearing name tags. A lady whose name is Shirley walked past and I cried when I saw her name tag. (That's my gram's name). Darn all those miles between here and Vermont! I am hoping to go visit gram in January when things are more settled.

I don't think I've been so anxious to get on a plane in all my life. Let the countdown begin!

never has 17 looked better

This weekend was the best. It was so much fun to be with family on Thanksgiving, but I sure as heck missed my gram. I am trying really hard to be brave, but I just can't stop the tears from coming. Tomorrow is the big day when we find out about her course of treatment and what can be expected.

There were two cute young lads who put a big smile on my face, though! I love babies. Ever since I was little, I just can't get enough of them. We played pass the baby during Thanksgiving, but I finally couldn't handle holding just one any longer and tricked my brother into giving me both! He he. Aren't these little guys the cutest? I walked around with one in each arm and am hoping it's foreshadowing for the years to come. Please, oh please, let me have twins!

Another huge highlight was the game! Holy cow, do I love the Utes or what! I knew we would pull off a win. 17-16. Splendid! The rivalry is my favorite, and I am over the moon that I was able to snag a ticket on ksl. I wouldn't have missed this game for the world.

We just about froze our bums off. I am pretty sure I was a lovely shade of blue by the end of the game, but it was worth it a million times over. I can't wait for the bowl game and season tickets next year. I bleed red! Go Utes!

thrifty thursday + happy thanksgiving

Today's feature isn't Pyrex, or retro, for that matter.

But it is delicious. And thrifty ($1.69!). And I'm obsessed.

Behold! The Dan's cake wedge decked out in butter cream frosting & sprinkles.

Have you ever seen anything more mouth watering or delightful? I may or may not have at least one a week. I know it's full of artificial mumbo jumbo, but I can honestly say that I enjoy every bite without regret. You have got to try one.

Let me just tell you a little story about my beloved cake. A few weeks ago I had been dreaming about a cake wedge for a whole day. When I have a craving, it just simply won't go away. (That poor husband of mine better watch out when I'm pregnant!) I had to get some groceries and specifically chose to go to Dan's knowing that I could get my hot little hands on this goody.

So imagine my disappointment when I showed up to the bakery.

cake wedges = gone. julia = devastated.

I took my sad self up to the counter and started talking to the cute lady decorating cakes. I told her of my plight and how I just had to have one of them. She told me to come back in five minutes and she'd have one whipped up especially for me.

What? Are you serious? Heaven help me, it was my lucky day! And get this - she even let me choose the sprinkles! When it comes to frosting & sprinkles, my belief is that there is no such thing as too much. The more, the better!

I am thinking that I need to write a thank you note to the bakery lady who saved me - what a woman for showering me with such kindness!

With Thanksgiving celebrations today, I have really been thinking about how blessed I am. Sometimes instead of being filled with gratitude, I tend to feel sorry for myself. It's a little embarrassing when I think about all that I have. When I first found out about my gram's diagnosis, I was completely crushed. I remember going out and running errands the next day and thinking that my world fell apart the day before and why didn't everyone else's world fall apart with mine? It just wasn't fair.

I remember coming home and sitting at the computer, just feeling so sad. I turned my head and looked out the window to see this gift:

Our tree's leaves changing color. And not just any color. But yellow, my gram's favorite.

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am not alone. I am never alone. Life goes on, and we're all in it together. There is never a shortage of support, prayers, or miracles. People are always so willing to lend a helping hand. That's really what this whole experience is about.

This Thanksgiving I am really grateful for that reminder. I don't think I'll ever look at our tree the same again.

sad & happy

On Saturday we found out my gram's test results, and it wasn't what we wanted. I was really hoping Saturday was opposite day. Gee whiz, wouldn't that have been nice.

Cancer is lame.

The doctors are pretty sure the lymphoma has spread to part of her stomach and lungs. Which likely means that she'll have to go through chemo and the whole shebang. It's so unfair. I just sobbed on Saturday. A lack of tear flow is not one of my shortcomings these days.

I told my mom that all I wanted for Christmas was for my gram to come back and live with us. It wouldn't make the diagnosis better, but it would sure be easier to go through this with her here. I miss that cute lady!

I talked to her on Saturday and she said to me, "they tell me I'm sick but I feel just fine! I'm sewing up a storm today". I was so happy to hear that. I really hope I get to see her soon.

So that was the sad part of my week, but there were some happy parts, too:

-sewing with friends

-working, babysitting, taking care of Margaret

-eating Taco Bell x 2. whoops!

-a "pig out" day with my mom. We ate Tony Burgers and treats & watched Kit Kettredge (it is adorable, one of my new favorites!)

-learning how to drive a manual transmission and laughing my pants off when I stalled in the middle of State Street for what seemed like an eternity

-eating dinner at Cowboy Grub with Margaret and MarRissa

-wandering around Provo and going to the MTC

-the Utes pulling off a win. thank heavens!

-snuggling with a sleeping g baby and watching Hallmark movies with my cousins

-reading a whole bunch

-going to the temple

-MarRissa's farewell. She's leaving on a mission to San Jose in a week and a half. I am so excited for her, but she will surely be missed!

i heart you

You may or may not have noticed that I didn't have a Thrifty Thursday post this week. Missing things like that just about kills me - I am really determined and like maintaining a routine.

But this Thursday I had way more important things to worry about than what I found at the thrift store.

Namely, my gram.

See what I wrote on November 4th? Worst day ever. And it was. After coming home from work, my mom called and I knew immediately it wasn't good news. We've all been worrying about my gram and her latest health issues (an annoying blood clot and an undiagnosed mass in her groin).

It turns out that lousy mass is cancer.

I crumbled like a bad cookie when I found out. All I could do was sob and state over and over that it wasn't fair & it wasn't what I wanted.

I was so looking forward to her coming home and picking up right where we left off. With sewing lessons, errands around town, chit chats, and me walking into the bathroom to see her in her tighty whiteys in the morning (am I terrible or what, but she is just so darn cute - I have to soak up every opportunity!)

We just don't have time for bothersome things like cancer.

I've had a lot of really big cries over the past few days. And I've felt really sorry for my gram and bummed over the situation. But my family keeps telling me we have to stay positive so that gram can be positive, too.

I decided the best way I could help myself feel distracted was to put together a little care package for her. I knew it had to include a treat, a silly book, and something I made.

My sister and I had been talking about sock monkeys and I thought that would be just the thing gram needed. I had a total ball making this little guy. What a classic, fun & cheerful toy. His name is Spunk, because my gram has a lot of it.

See the heart button? That's where the mass is - in her left groin. We'll just send the mass packing and replace it with a heart band-aid.

I petitioned my Facebook friends to share the funniest children's book they knew of. I got so many good suggestions, but after searching online for a little while, I found one that couldn't have been more perfect. If there ever was a book written just for gram, this is the one.

So imagine my delight when I found The Gas We Pass. It is downright hilarious. (I always tease gram about how she passes gas, and it increases exponentially when she is around fabric because she gets so excited). I called every bookstore in the city and no one had any in stock. I found a copy at the library and basically told them that I was going to "lose" the book and pay the fine. But luckily I stumbled upon the only copy available for purchase in Salt Lake City. It was a win-win because now the library kids won't miss out on this gem and my gram will get a good laugh.

Gram is only 85 and her blood runs thick with German strength. She has way too much life left and I have a list that will take us at least 20 years to get through, so we're set that way. I am looking forward to all the fun memories coming our way - passing gas and all.

gram

My cute gram is under the weather, and I am just so sad about it. She has a blood clot and some other undiagnosed issues.

She is basically tired and not herself. And I am a mess because of it.

You see, gram is more than just a grandma. She's one of my very best friends. Because she has lived with us for half the year almost my entire life, we have a unique relationship. She is supposed to come back on December 6.

I don't know what I'm going to do if she isn't on a plane making her way back to Salt Lake in a month.

I need her to be here for fabric shopping, quilt shows, Jamba Juice, and Jeopardy. She's my best car passenger, my going-out-to-lunch buddy, and my favorite person in the world.

I know she has it in her to make a speedy recovery. But I would really appreciate it if you could say two, or three, or a thousand extra prayers for her. I know it would help her spirits and bring her comfort.

Get feeling better, gram! I am anxiously waiting to see you real soon!

vermont, part one

I went to Vermont this past week with my mom and we had such a great time. We flew out together and came home separately so she could stay a bit longer and I could go back to work. So not to worry, there will be even more pictures to post when I have her camera.

We went out to surprise my gram, Shirley. And surprised she was! She sort of caught onto the fact that all her kids would be coming, but she had no idea I would be there too (I told her I was the only worthwhile surprise - jk). My aunt and uncle run an inn & restaurant right on Lake Champlain, so my mom and I sat down at a table in the restaurant and waited for Shirley to come in for dinner. She was so happy when it dawned on her we were there!

Unfortunately, this cute lady and arthritis are not the best of friends. Needless to say, she is in lots of pain and is half bionic with all the surgeries she's had. As a result, she hasn't been able to drive for the past four years, which is nice for me because I get to be her personal chauffeur and spend lots of time with her.

But let me tell you, when my gram is in Vermont and not living with us, she has her own golf cart to get around the property with. And boy, can she put the pedal to the metal! She would zoom all around and I sat next to her giggling away. What a treat to be her passenger!

(Gram hates cameras so in the above picture, she was pushing the gas with all her might while I was simultaneously holding down the brake. I'm glad we got a picture of her "Grandma" golf cart though!)

We went back to the house and gram showed me her latest sewing projects. She has made a bunch of baby quilts for future grandkids. I claimed this quilt top as my own. I love the yellow in this for my yellow-loving gram!

The next day was her birthday, and her present was a hit. She loved it.

The pillow found its new home on Shirley's bed. My gram is a total Green Bay Packers fan. Look at the helmet on her teddy bear - so hilarious.

My mom and I swam in Lake Champlain at 6:30 in the morning one day. It was SO frigid. I usually handle cold temperatures with ease, but the freezing water took my breath away and I had to use my inhaler after. But we had a lot of fun and I was reminded of all the times I swam in this lake before. (We've been going to Vermont to visit our family ever since I was really young).

We went to an apple orchard.

I so badly wanted to pick apples from the trees, but they weren't quite ripe yet. I think apple orchards are the prettiest of places. In this pic is my Tennessee uncle, Hazen. He is always goofing off (note the sour apple on his head) and I usually joke around with him speaking in a southern accent.

Ben & Jerry's is my favorite ice cream, which is lucky since the factory is in Vermont. We used to go all the time as kids, but I haven't been in a decade. We planned on making a stop, but our days were just so jam-packed, that the factory didn't make the cut.

There is this small shack on the Lake Champlain islands so we got ice cream from there. This is the same place that a seagull so lovingly plucked the ice cream off my cone as a little girl and made me cry. There were no tears this time around!

Gram and I spent an entire day together going into Burlington. We started out with a doctor's visit. She was so funny telling a whole bunch of stories to the doctor and his resident (I was super impressed that they spent more than 10 seconds with us). She ended the visit by telling the doctor that he picked a good quality shirt because the stripes on his sleeves and the body of the shirt were lined up. Only something a great seamstress like her would notice!

We then went to two fabric stores. Shopping for fabric is her absolute favorite, and I sure love it, too.

We stopped at antique stores and had her hair permed. This is a wishing well I saw at one of the stores. I thought it was so cool. If only I had a place to put it, I have about ten wishes I'd like to cast at the moment.

Hazen and I went kayaking on the lake. I've never been before, but I have to say that I mostly kept up with him, despite our difference in height. I'm vertically challenged next to him, but my jokes and southern accent abilities compensate for it.

Here are some pictures of the property:

Adirondack chairs are a staple there.

Now this little place below is a secret I discovered. It's a little gazebo that's secluded in the corner of the property. How in the heck I have never seen it in the 20 years I've been going to Vermont is beyond me.

Oh my, is it wonderful, though. And look at the killer view! I think it's a prime spot for a proposal or a smooch with a cute boy. Maybe one day I will go back and put it to good use.

I was also spoiled rotten with yummy food. We ate breakfast and dinner at the restaurant every day. My uncle is the bartender, and since I don't drink beer or alcohol, he always makes me a shirley temple. When I was a little girl, I would wear a fancy dress and sit on a bar stool while he made me one. I didn't think life could get any better then, and I still get just as excited now at the age of 23.

He really made me laugh too, because the first night I only got three cherries in my drink, and as the nights went on, the cherries increased. My last shirley temple had five. Like I said - spoiled!

Here is the most gorgeous full moon I have ever seen. This picture displays about 1/8 of how beautiful it really was. Staring at the moon reflecting on the lake with people I love. It just doesn't get much better than that.