HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHYLLY and Another Blouse

Yes, today is Phylly's birthday.

She is younger than I am, but not by much.

She took 3 days off for a little vacation with her daughter, Heather.  They had a totally terrific time.  I asked Phylly to please send me a picture of Heather WITHOUT cutting her head off.  It took two tries, but she did it!

Can you believe how those two tiny people EAT!?

Phylly is starting the Herbalife diet with me.  Margaret is doing it too.  I told Margaret we should have a contest.  She said she loses weight very slow.  Evidently, I do too.  I'm still at 148.  I'm going to have to quit adding that 1/3 banana to my shakes.

I dearly love the days I spend with my daughter, Tammy, so I know how much fun Phylly had.  Heather has a hubby and two sons somewhere, lol.  Work and school I suppose.

And I did finish what I call my "Welt Blouse".  I am taking a Craftsy class about fashion details in sewing.  I have never put a welt in anything before, so I thought I would try it in this blouse.  This is Peggy's Sonya blouse that I have also made with my Sure-fit Designs dress kit.

I LOVE the style, and I've made it about six times.

And, OF COURSE, I made bracelet and earrings to match.

Need to check on Jerry and the dogs.  The weather is VERY COLD.  The dogs seem to love it outside, but I don't know how.  This was Jackie when she came in yesterday.

I'm sure they look like this again as they have been out in the snow for hours.

Have a LOVELY weekend my friends, and HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY EVER my friend, Phylly!  Your gift should be on your desk when you get to work on Monday.

Hugs, Joy

Mission Dress Tutorial

Several of you nice ladies have asked me to demo HOW to make the little dresses Terry and I are making for the Mission in Nicaragua.

If you are interested in making some for the Mission, please email me at joymb@sbcglobal.net, and I will give your email to Terry so she can contact you.

Here is the video I made for you today:

I hope it is clear.

The missionary lady supplies us with seconds tank tops.  The last box we got contained tank tops that ALL had holes in them.  I think the missionaries could do better with the money given to them, but Terry hasn't given me her permission to set them straight yet.

If you need any more information, just let me know.

Hugs, Joy

Demons and Diets (Video)

That is a strange title, isn't it?

My day started out with John Hagee's final sermon on The Three Heavens.  Today, he talked about Demons.  It was enough to make you want to pull up the carpet and crawl under it IF you didn't know the power you have over demons.  Please listen to it if you are at all curious about demons in America today.  Of course, you can go to www.getv.org and find the sermon for 2-22-15.  It will keep you on the edge of your seat!

So after church and after I cut out several more little girl dresses, it was time to make our noon time shake/smoothie.  Several of you have asked me about them, so I made you a video.

Check it out:

As soon as I receive the packet I was required to buy, I will have more knowledge about this stuff.  I will, of course, keep you posted on my progress.  Jerry wants me to lose more weight even if I have to buy a whole new wardrobe.  Maybe.  It might not make me look that skinny if I get back into Size 12 jeans instead of Size 14.  Depends on how many wrinkles form on my face and neck!

For people who HAVE to cook supper for their family, it would be very easy to do a shake for breakfast and one for lunch.  You can have snacks in between.  So far, my snack is always crackers and cheese or nuts.

That is it for today.  The dogs are in the kitchen due to the rain and mud outside.  I must make sure Josie hasn't shredded all the wallpaper or eaten the baseboards!

Hugs, Joy

Big and Little Had a Race

It was a surprisingly warm day today.  I decided after my shake for lunch and several hours of jewelry-making that I should take a walk.  I went into Jerry's office and asked him if he wanted to take a walk with me.  He mumbled something, but I could see he was busy.  He is working on the yearly list of every single item in our stores for property taxes.  I don't know how he stands all the reports he has to do!

I went outside and headed up the rocky road that is a steep incline and is our long driveway in the woods.  One way down the road is DOWNhill, and you have to run to keep from falling forward onto your face.  The other way down the road is UPhill, and it is steep.  I certainly don't want to walk it more than once.

I went up and around and back down and around and by then, I was huffing and puffing.  I figured that was a good enough walk.  I came back into the house and Jerry was standing in the kitchen wanting to know if I was ready to go on a walk!  What?  I was so thrilled he wanted to go -- and I KNOW that Jerry's walks are really slooooooooooooow strolls while looking at everything we come upon.

We headed down our hilly lawn over to the small pond Jerry built.  The dogs could see us from the gated back yard and they started barking and running around like crazy.  Jerry said, "Let's take them with us."

We had never done that before.  I didn't want to put leashes on them, or we would have been PULLED through our walk in a very herky-jerky fashion.  I opened the gate and let them out.  They both ran as fast as they could all over the place, and then they chased  POOR Bootsy, one of our cats, up a tree!  He was up there for hours.  The other cat, Barney, acts like he doesn't even notice the dogs.

Jackie and Josie ran around and around and around in giant circles, but they finally came to where we were and SORT OF walked with us.  I should have put some treats in my pocket.

Off we went on our slooooow walk as the dogs ran way ahead -- came back -- ran ahead -- came back.  We ended up over at the big pond where BOTH dogs decided they wanted to run into the water.  They ran in splashing about, and then they must have realized the water was FREEZING because they both got back out real quick.

Here they are on the dock.  Jerry and I thought they would dive into the pond, but they didn't.  You can see how wet they are from running into the water from the bank.

It was fun, and I enjoyed the walk very much.  The dogs came back home with us.  They KNOW the word treat, so I coaxed them back into the gated yard with bacon-wrapped sweet potatoes I got at Atwoods.  They almost look good enough for me to eat!

And I almost forgot!  I took pictures of the jewelry I made today.  I had purchased hearts to make Valentine jewelry for my friends, but I was so depressed over losing one, that I just put it all in a baggy and put it away.  Now that Valentine's is way past, I decided to make something for myself.  It was fun to make jewelry again after sewing Mission dresses.

These earrings are just earrings.  They don't go with the necklace because the hearts don't match.

I made this necklace to use the larger heart pendant, and then made heartless earrings to go with it.  I really like it.  I think I'll try to find something pink/fuchia to wear with it tomorrow.

Time for our dinner shake.

Have a blessed Sunday.  I always LOVE Sunday morning church from Cornerstone in San Antonio.

Hugs, Joy

Look at Me NOW!

I am being totally giddy today.

Watch my video, and you will see why.

I have to go back downstairs.  I have been up here for over two hours becoming an Herbalife salesperson so I can sell Herbalife to my friend, Margaret.  She was having a hard time getting it.  I can order it for myself now too.  Much easier!

Anyway, when I got home about noon today, Jackie and Josie DASHED into their back yard at the speed of lightning.  I have not given them any food yet.  There was some out there, but it is a week old.  Of course, they eat mud and trees and turtles.  What DIFFERENCE does it make if the food is a week old???

I'll be back soon.

Maybe I'll share a shake with you after while.  Jerry is going to drink them with me.

They are REALLY good although a bit gritty.

Everyone needs some grit these days, although I can't say how "true" it is.

I think maybe it is the same thing as "True Fiber"!






Hugs, Joy

Laughter Needed!

I almost didn't post today because I have been so blue all day long.  Reminds me of the days long ago when I used to sit on the living room floor all alone in the dark listening to Charlie Rich sing sad country tunes.

I'm hoping for a much better day tomorrow.

I did have a few fun moments this afternoon, thank goodness.  It was just yesterday I listened to Joel Osteen talk about how healing LAUGHTER is for your body and your soul, and isn't it the truth!

Usually, I am laughing all the time.  This day just caught me off guard or something.  I start to think about my past friendship, and down I go!

I am a fixer, by nature, and this isn't something I can fix.  That is the worst part about it.  I can't say more because of those who may read this, but I am praying for a miracle.  God knows, and the Bible says that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think.  I shall rest in that tonight.

During my happy moments today, I made a little video to show you what I found that put a smile on my face.

Please don't laugh because I really am going to wear it that way!  Actually, if people laugh at it, maybe it will make me laugh too.

Joel said to watch funny movies.  I can't think of a single movie that I ever saw that was funny.

I know a funny joke though that I heard Joel say:

There was a Russian, an American, and a Blonde.

The Russian said, "We were the first ones to put a rocket in outer space."

The American said, "We were the first ones to put a man on the moon."

The Blonde said, "We are going to be the first ones to put a person on the sun!"

The Russian and the American said, "You can't do that!  You will burn up!!!"

The Blonde said, "We KNOW that!  That's why we are going at night."

I cracked up when I heard it yesterday.

Guess I'll watch my new Craftsy class.  Maybe the teacher will be funny, however, I majorly doubt it.  Most of them put me to sleep.

Be back soon -- happier and skinnier!

Hugs,
Joy

Check THIS Out!

Yesterday, I weighed 150.4.

This morning, I was SHOCKED to see that I now weigh:

I was actually a little nervous that I may be dropping weight TOO FAST!

Remember, I was 154.8 last Friday.  Today, I am 148.  That is over SIX POUNDS!

And for those who asked, I am on Herbalife.  You drink two shakes in place of two meals a day to lose weight.  To maintain your weight, you drink one.  I just drank one today because I thought maybe I was losing too fast.  It tastes SUPER DELICIOUS and I am not hungry.  I am not snacking all day long as I usually did.  I bought a box of Protein Mix and a box of Healthy Meal.  It was $98.  I thought that was a bit much, but it might last a month.  You blend it with frozen fruit and oatmeal.  Tonight, I added 1/2 a banana.  It was the best one yet!

Good heavens!  By this time next week, I may have to go buy new underwear and jeans.  HOW EXCITING!  

No, I really don't want to lose that much.

I have found that being too thin at my age reveals too many wrinkles and sags.  You need SOMETHING to hold your skin out!!!

I took my semi-broken Ellisimo embroidery machine into B-Sew Inn today to be serviced and fixed.  The people there were SO NICE!  I love it when a place of business acts like they are GLAD to have you for a customer.

They don't know me at all in that store.  I haven't been there for 4 years, and the people there are all different.  Nobody made the slightest effort to try to sell me a new machine.  One very nice girl named Kim took me over to a machine LIKE MINE, and she spent 30 minutes showing me all the stuff it does as a regular sewing machine because she heard me mention I had not used it to sew -- just embroider.  She would have showed me much longer, but I had to leave to run more errands.

My machine won't be ready until Friday, so I will have to stay here until then.  Unfortunately, we have problems at our store again, and I have to go back to deal with them -- like it, or not.  It isn't so fun to own a business sometimes.  )-:  I am trying really, really hard to "cast my care on the Lord" as the Bible teaches.  I am getting better at it.  I am trusting that no matter WHAT happens, that something GOOD will come from it, even if it means my returning to work full time. 

It seems I am entering a new season in my life in more ways than just losing my best friend.  I can't imagine many things being harder than that, so hopefully, nothing ahead will be.  

When I look BACK on my life, I remember so many times I was at the very end of my rope, and I didn't think I would EVER be happy again.  Then, out of NOWHERE -- in the most IMPOSSIBLE way -- something or someone WONDERFUL would happen. 

There is NO WAY that Jerry and I would EVER have met!  Our paths would never have crossed except for other people who came into my life.  I know that I know that I know that GOD put us together.  The fact that he did not die from cancer, and he is still here with me, makes all the other issues in my life bearable.    

In ALL things, I will give thanks!  God is good and greatly to be praised!  He has a GOOD plan for my life, and He has a GOOD plan for your life!  I will rest assured of His constant care for me because He said in Hebrews 13:5&6 that HE WILL NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME!  I sure do need to know that through the next chapter of my life.

Hugs, Joy