Sunflowers!!

I was the lucky winner of these wonderful sunflowers from Vicky of Vicky's Art Blog giveaway!

They are fabulous and so well made.  I love sunflowers and these will fit in great for this summer season and decorating.

She also sent a sweet little bottle of lotion and for us here in the desert we go through quite a bit of lotion!

Thank you so much Vicky!

Please visit her here!!

http://vicky-myart.blogspot.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintspotsnSplinters

I was finally able to finish these sunflowers in the mist of our remodeling job.  It was good to have a theraputic moment during all this choas.  It just is not summer without sunflowers around. 

When we were driving through Kansas once I remember seeing fields of sunflowers and just thinking how wondeful and bright they were.  Since then I have loved these beautiful flowers.

Now back to the remodeling...Enjoy your day!

Barb

What a Mess but some Great Results!!

This last weekend we were able to take out the windows in the front of the house and replace them.

Sounds easy right?  No...in the front room, because the roof was sagging on the window, we got to use a 5, 4 and 3 ton jack to raise the roof!

That was a new experience to me!  So we replaced the one window with three windows using two columns to support the new windows.  I think it looks good so far and the popping and cracking in the house has diminished!

 In the mist of all this there is a fire about 20 mile south of us and the wind was blowing at a pretty good clip towards the north.  Lots of ash and smoke in the air.  FUN!!

We were able to change the other two windows the next day and it went pretty smooth after the front room windows.
 Our daughter's old window was put in with three nails and had not adhered to the wall so there was a mold problem.  Yes, even here in the desert.

Our son's room was the reason we were changing the windows.  His had completely cracked due to the pressure of the window being to tight in the opening.

So now we have all new front windows, Yea!

Next the siding.

While we were out working on the windows a huge white lab came into our yard and fell into the window well.

I had gone into the house to get a glass of water when this all happened and my kids were all worried about the dog in the window well.  It was something to see, a huge dog in the small window well!
Luckily my husband was able to help him out. Poor thing was old and blind. It looked like he had serious cataracts.  I hope he made it home OK.  He took off like a rocket from our property after that!

I will be having a nap today because we are tearing down more siding tonight!
Enjoy your day!
Barb

So how is your summer going....

Apparently the first day of summer was yesterday and what was I doing...

Because my living room is under construction (we have to put in new windows, siding and now apparently a new wall)

I am now destined for yard work.

The kids and I have been weeding the flower beds, the garden, doing the mowing, watering the yard, and harvesting peas, beets and lettuce.

Did I say I was not made for yard work.  I love the look of a beautiful yard but my "black thumb" tends to kill off anything of beautiful.  Why does it not work on weeds!?!
My husband is more of the "yard man" but he is a bit busy.

So if we are not working on the house or in the yard I am taking my daughter out on the road.

She is learning to drive...did you notice the passenger in the car-that is me with my white hair!!

She is doing fairly well for a small kid driving a big mini-van and Ford Truck.

Then this is also the summer for working on Merit Badges.  My son has about 8 in the works at present.  Some of these take up to 3-4 months to complete so we are trying to be organized and stay on top of these to get them done.
He earned 9 at the last Court of Honor.  I am happy to see he is excited about Scouting!
Both of us are learning allot through the requirements for the Merit Badges.
I guess you are never to old to learn as I am still trying to reach the top of my ever growing learning curve!
I hope you all are enjoying your summer!
Barb

The Winner is....

Cyn of Cynzplace Blog!

A new follower!!  Got to love the old and new!

Thank you for all that entered my giveaway.  You know it goes without saying I would love to give one to everyone that took the time to enter and post on their side bar.

So with that being said I decide to have a second winner...

Carol Stuck of www.buttermilkcreekfarm.blogspot.com.

You will be receiving a set of magnets and a hanger that I have been working on.

Please send your addresses to me at Barbsheartstroke@gmail.com and I will get these prizes in the mail to you ASAP!

Thank you to all that participated!

Enjoy your weekend.

Barb



Giveaway Reminder

Just a quick reminder if you have not had a chance to sign up for my giveaway click HERE!

Now what am I doing on my Birthday you ask?

Jazz at 5am-class manager

laundry

helping hubby and son pack for camping tonight

painting siding for the front of the house

mopping the floor

cleaning the bathrooms

harvesting the peas

receiving calls from my parents and seven siblings

hopefully painting sunflowers to list on Etsy soon

and

maybe going out to eat with my daughter!

I guess when you hit this age it is just another day your glad to be breathing!

Enjoy your day!

Barb

Happy Flag Day!!

'Happy Flag Day!!' by barbsheartstrokes

Celebrate Flag Day with the OFG Team.

Primitive Americana Flag Fra... TreasuredPrimi... $18.95	Birdhouse - Americana - Wood... kathleenmelvil... $19.00
Patriotic, Americana Hand St... valleyprimitiv... $9.95	Americana Flag Block PaintspotsnSpl... $6.95
Americana Drum farmersattic $69.99	Uncle Sam Patriotic American... raggedyjan $12.00
Patriotic Star Bowl Fillers QuiltAples $14.95	Prim Uncle Sam w/flag, wall ... loisling $9.50
Primitive Label Americana Fo... TheLilPrimCabi... $9.00	Primitive Grungy Star - Amer... CaneRiverCraft... $8.00
Patriotic Americana Primitiv... WickedlyCreati... $19.00	Primitive Americana Patrioti... MondaysChildPr... $8.00
Prim Flag ornies, bowl fille... ninnasattic $3.50	Liberty Angel Primly Stitche... ButtonsInTheAt... $15.00
Primitive Americana Uncle Sa... ZJJohnson $16.00	Patriotic Guardian Angel Pla... RedBudPrimitiv... $16.75

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Computers!?!

Computers could now be my "four letter" word.  I have had problems off and on with this computer to the point I have thought fondly of throwing it through the window.

My brother talked me out of destroying it and said that when he came to town he would install Window 7 and Office 2010.  We cleaned up the computer and got more memory.

My brother comes to town having bought us the two programs...Thank You, Darr!

Then he gets started on uploading and doing all that he needed to do.

Just putting all of our stuff to an external hard drive took forever so we went out to lunch.

His treat...Thank You, Darr.

After hours of getting things fix and now installed the other programs again it is running better and a bit smoother.

He spent his whole vacation fixing every one's computer...I am the oldest of eight by the way and have parents that needed help too.

After all this he turns to me and says have you thought of getting a newer computer?

So I guess that was a hint about an upgrade.  He said that he loves his laptop.

Now I am thinking that direction and wondering if a laptop would be for me?

Any suggestions?

Now time to learn how to use all the new programing--YIPEE!

Another huge learning curve in progress.

Enjoy your weekend you know where I will be!

Barb

D-Day Remembered

June 6, 1944

I am a reader!  What I read is about WWII.  I am not sure how it all started but I have found that time period fascinating.  I wonder if it has anything to do with living next door to our neighbors who came from Germany.  They told some stories of their survival living under the Nazi Occupation and it was fairly frightening to a pre-teen.

What is it in people that makes them survive? 

 What makes people join in on a fight? 

After reading many books about the war, the strategies, the people involved, the people of the Holocaust, the POW's caught on both sides of the war I just cannot get my mind around the survival instinct.  I can understand the Patriotism but there has to be more....

Would I survive...I highly doubt it.

I do not think I have what it takes.

Would I join in on the fight?

So this is fascinating to me.  

So in honor of all those who have fought the fight and those who have survive I am in awe of you!

With that being said I am having a Patriotic Giveaway!!

This 3-D star is my way of showing my patriotism (and it doesn't hurt nor do I have to survive, except living in my car, and kids who need to be here and there)!

It is a  7 1/4 inch Rusty 3-Dimensional Prim style Puffy Star hand painted in a patriotic theme. It has a rusty wire for hanging. It measures 7 ¼ inches from tip to tip (not including the hanger). Raffia and a bit of cloth is tied on the top.

The Rules:

Be a follower of this blog.

Leave a comment.

That is it!

I will pick the winner on June 15th-my birthday!

I will announce it on the 16th.

Anyone who has served our country is a star and there are many out there. 

(Especially my Husband!) 

I am and will always be in AWE!!

Thank you for helping me remember D-Day!

Enjoy,

Barb



School is out today!?!

YIPEE for the kids!

But I am not sure how I feel!?! 

 I do enjoy the bit of no schedule but that can really throw me off.

Both my kids have a "bucket list" of things to do.

My daughter has places to go, movies to see, learning to drive, flower gardens to build-better her then me, etc.

My son has Merit Badges to earn, creations with Lego's to build, WWII books and Civil War books to read.  The list goes on and on!

Then there are the camps, swimming lessons, ice skating lessons and me sitting in the car.  I will be reading books and probably wishing they were back in school by the end of next week.

I will try to Enjoy and hopefully we can get lots done on their bucket lists!

Do I need wishes of good luck?

Barb