The weekend that I saw how big my grands are getting....

Back at it... another Monday... here we come...

(insert BIG LOUD DRAMATIC sigh)

Another weekend passed.  This was a nice weekend because we got to see our Nashville gang - always great to see them. Cant believe how big the boys looked to us.

Let me back up... my weekend started Friday, when I got home to get a letter in the mail that let me know that my health insurance, from Anthem Blue Cross, would no longer be offering ANY plan next year for me.  NOTHING.  NADA.

I actually called them to confirm what the letter said... & he told me that I was correct. They would offer NO PLANS next year.  They were very kind though by saying "We're sorry" a dozen times.  Yeah, I can tell you where to stick that 'Sorry' ....

Unbelievable.

Y'all... I dont know what I'm going to do. The ONLY other option in my area is a state run insurance which is SUPER HIGH, & offers hardly any coverage & the kicker, NO DOCTORS take it - like any decent doctor.  NONE of my own doctors take it.  SO basically if I am sick or need help, I have to go to the emergency room.  That helps with the health care system, doesnt it?  I am just numb over all of this.

I literally was just in tears all Friday night in a panic.

Needless to say, I'm on the hunt for a new job that gives health insurance.  25 years in a business counts for nothing when they dont offer you benefits - or I should say, took your benefits away.

Welcome to the United States of America in 2017... where they dont care if you die if you get sick.

What can you do?....

Saturday, I did what I do best to get my mind off things - craft away.  I'm working on a new project that I'm excited about... Hopefully I'll have pictures of it when its complete.

& after a late start, Julie & the boys got up Saturday afternoon.

We headed out to eat & we tried a new place that just opened, Chillburger....

& apparently they werent prepared for like a whole town to come check them out. This is the SMALLEST PLACE EVER.  Why they made it so small, I have no idea.  Luckily, they had outdoor seating & we were able to pull 2 tables together... & even more lucky, it was just a beautiful evening to sit outside & watch the sun set.

& luckily a place that serves burgers, which is a vegetarians nightmare, they at least offered amazing onion rings & I got a grilled cheese off the kids menu. You do what you gotta do.

We got home & tried to watch the new Beauty & the Beast on netflix with the boys - my service kept going out though & I was too lazy to put the disk in, & the boys were busy playing anyways... but we tried.

& I tried to get a good picture of the boys.  Isaac is 10 next week & just a booger about pictures, so his brothers pick up on that so trying to get a picture is like trying to pull teeth....

... but finally got at least ONE... all that counts, right?

... maybe I should just put on some IG filters because this one didnt mine getting his picture taken with this feature...

Sunday, I ended up staying home from church with Julie... it was just a nice relaxing time to just sit & chat & take in some peace & quiet.

Or as much peace & quiet that you can get with a 3 year old....

& Harvey Dent loved having the boys there too - constant attention

When Steve & the 2 older boys got back from church, I had put on Beauty & the Beast - the ORIGINAL... which was a debate because the boys said the new one was the original. The cartoon came on & one of them said, "Oh, is this new?"... How do these boys not remember that I have forced them to watch it every time they're up?... do they block it out of their memory or something?

But they sat through the entire thing & watched it once again....

& then we headed out to grab some lunch.

We walked in & saw some friends of ours, & then one of my youth kiddos & her momma came in as well - it's always great to see familiar faces when you're out.

I had to go over to the coffee shop to meet up with my next bride & groom - CANT WAIT for their wedding.  Such a precious couple, the groom is one of my old youth kiddos & he's just grown into such an amazing man.  Plus, I just ADORE his family - his wedding is just going to be like going to my own family's wedding.  I cant wait.

Julie & the gang had to take off from there so it was good bye for now....

& after our wedding talk, I had to jet off to meet up with my youth kiddos for another week in the bible study.  I couldnt miss this one because first, I missed church that morning & missed my girls... & 2nd, this is the kids last week before a 2 week fall break, & we wont have bible study for 3 weeks so I didnt want to miss out seeing them before this long hiatus.

& it didnt disappoint. The girls were full of great questions, ideas, discussion.... Those 2 hours went by in a blur... we didnt want it to end.

But it was time to get home & feed the dogs & do my own bible study for the day... & time to hit the sack...

weekends are fast, & exhausting... that's for sure.

How was your weekend?

Friday Favorites 09.21.17

Favorite Pumpkin



OHHHH...makes me want to paint a pretty pumpkin!!!

Favorite Planner Cover



I love that Erin Condren added in a scripture cover.
I had to order it because they just had a buy one / get one sale
so I got this one (& changed the colors to grey & pink) & also got the Breast Cancer awareness one too. Win win!

Favorite Jacket



Perfect for Fall!!!

Favorite Beauty & the Beast


... this journal is EVERYTHING!!!!

Favorite Mind Blown Thought

Kinda crazy, huh?
... but I say the same thing with knitting... its all basically 2 stitches, a knit or purl stitch,
 in different combos

Favorite Crafty Art

This looks pretty simple...
but who am I kidding. I'd put in nails & it would come out NOTHING like a cup of coffee.

Favorite Peencha

Favorite Funnies

....getting through the work week




... whenever I go to camp with middle school kids




... when I stumbled across any part of the Emmy's #whocares?




... me at 4:00pm

Happy Weekend Y'all!!!

Protein, backpacks & I'm basically a basketball coach.... {Thankful Thursday #143}

This week I am Thankful For:

{Numbers go with my One Thousand Gifts - just ignore}

614 / Sitting & knitting.
I had just a busy, lousy day at work the other day & just wanted to come home & sit & do nothing... & that's exactly what I did. Sat on the couch & knit the entire evening. Therapy for the soul.

615 / SUNSHINE
We went through a few rainy, gloomy, cloudy days last week & when the sun finally came back out, I felt like life has been renewed. I NEED my sunshine!!!!

616 / Clearance backpack.
I wanted a backpack to take to camp with me instead of taking a purse so I could carry my bible & journal & pens... & also knitting, because yeah, knitting goes everywhere. I found the CUTEST back pack on clearance at Target for only $14.00.... I just love it. It carries everything - has great compartments, even one for my tablet, which I put my Kindle in.  & as soon as the MSM girls saw it, they instantly said, "THAT IS SO CUTE"... total teen approved.  They actually all wanted to take turns carrying it.

One of the girls carrying it for me

617 / Starbucks for dinner
I was so hungry heading up to camp & knew I wouldnt have time to eat anything (but totally had time to grab an iced coffee) #priorities... anyways, I was so happy with this little protein pack they had.  I'll remember they have this in emergency situations.

23 grams of protein!!!!

618 / What a welcome
OK - so my heart totally swelled.  When I got to camp, the kids were already there & had eaten dinner & I walked in with my luggage & tried to find my girls... when all of a sudden, I hear, "REBECCAAAAAAAA" & here comes about 10 girls running up to me & surrounding me & hugging me.  The best welcome ever!... it was funny because later that night in our leader room, one of the ladies I got to meet said, 'So I guess you are a little loved. I've never seen the kids do that for anyone"... I love my girls.

619 / Encouragement encouraged.
We were doing all of these different challenges & we had 5 minutes at each location... well some of them, our group was just nothing but a hot mess.  But I kept making sure to encourage the kids & even when we got timed out, I told them how proud I was of them & they tried & tried to find qualities in each person that did the challenge & tell them how amazing they did.  At the end of the whole event, we were walking to lunch & one of the middle school boys came up to me... he's a more quiet guy & has never really said a whole lot to me.  He said, "I have something to tell you & I dont want you to get offended"... uh oh.... & then he said, "You are like my basketball coach". I was like, "Oh really? why?" & he said, "You never stopped encouraging us & pushing us even when we mess up"... Y'all - I almost cried.  He blessed me & encouraged me just by speaking encouragement back into my life. It's a full circle thing!

621 / Vertigo hit at home
WHOOOOOOO... I dont know if it was being in that camp air for 2 days, but man, I got home & my sinuses were acting up & I had a vertigo attack that was HORRIBLE. Like, I fell to the ground because I was so dizzy, I couldnt keep my balance. & then I was just so thankful that happened at home & not at camp with the kids, or even driving home from camp.  Vertigo is the WORSTTTTT.

624 / JOY Ice Cream Day
I like to go to lunch, or do something fun when we start a new Bible Study... & with the nice weather, we took this turn to meet up for ice cream at the cutest little place.  I had been by this place so many times & never stopped... I will be back. I ended up getting a drink that had orange sherbert & sprite mixed together... (I'm not a huge ice cream person)... this was so refreshing though.  Cool & fizzy & yummy. I could get one of those every day.

JOYSTERS are the best!

625 / More girls at Teen Study.
We had even MORE girls show up for the teen girls bible study I'm helping with.  It's just amazing to sit in a room & see 15-20 girls in 7th or 8th grade with bibles open & talking about how to be a better face of Jesus to their school.

What are some good things happening in your world this week?

Why hello there Hodgepodge

I havent joined in with Joyce & the awesome link-up gang in awhile.... so time to jump back in & share in some fun questions today.

1. What's something you'd rate a 10/10.  Tell us why.
Having a empty calendar on a weekend.
The rest of my year is basically booked up & I'm already feeling a little panic.... miss those couple of weekends I had not too long ago where I could just stay home & relax.  Those days totally get a 10.


2.  What job would you be terrible at?  What makes you think so?
A truck driver. For sure. 10000%
All that moving on the road would have my car sickness in full tilt.
& traffic?  Oh heck no.
& all that sitting?
& all that eating in unhealthy places or eating on the go?
& sleeping in hotels or in a truck?
I just cant...

3.  When did you last take a fall  What's something you're falling for (in a good way) these days?
I feel like I'm constantly stumbling or tripping ... especially when you live with Harvey Dent who loves to get under your feet.

But something good I've fallen for?... mmm... my new Bible.
I am someone who is a loyal Bible person. I make notes in it, I carry it, its scuffed up & looks a mess & I love it... so when I get a new Bible, it feels like I'm betraying an old friend.  But I had to get a bible with some bigger print. I wasnt sure I could put my old Bible on the shelf (which actually its still in my car because I like having it near)... but I'm getting used to my new Bible now. Using it daily for Bible study has helped. I've already got a lot of it marked up & drawn on.  We're going to be friends.

4. According to the Travel Channel here are some of America's best fall festivals-

National Apple Harvest Festival (near Arendtsville PA, close to Gettysburg), Harvest on the Harbor (Portland Maine), German Village Festival (Columbus Ohio), Wellfleet Oyster Fest (Cape Cod), and Wine and Chile Fiesta (Santa Fe NM)

Have you ever been to any of the festivals listed? Which one appeals to you most? Does your hometown have any sort of fall celebration, and if so will you make it a point to attend?

Been to ZILCH of these... reminder here - I dont travel.
But I do love some fall festivals.  All of our towns festivals kick off the first weekend of October with a huge art festival in Louisville that I love going to - the St. James Art Fair.  I rarely get to make it the past few years, but I always like to try.
& then my town has a Harvest Homecoming that is the week after - that's the biggest fall festival near me.  It's nothing to write home about, but its still fun to walk through.


5. What is your goodbye message to summer?

Dear Summer, 
While I wont miss your humidity, I will miss your days full of sunlight.
You were kind of easy on us this year & I appreciate that.
Don't be a stranger... come back real soon, OK?
PS - tell your cousin Fall to stick around longer than any of your other relatives, OK?
PSS - tell Winter they are the weird relative that not many people really wants around.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I cant believe I woke up this morning to find that someone was upset with Hobby Lobby because they had a floral display with cotton on it & someone found it offensive.  What is WRONG WITH PEOPLE today?  Seriously?  SERIOUSLY?....I just can't anymore with all the offense any more.  When did skin get so thin?  ...& I get when some things are TRULY offensive... but its not like floral displays havent been going on for years & years that had cotton in them.  & then it goes on & I'm like, Cotton is my favorite yarn - is that offensive to someone?  It's just getting a tad out of hand.

Here's the article right here....

& I think this gets to me because I'm like - Dont mess with my Hobby Lobby.

Be sure to come back tomorrow & LINK UP with me for 

Thankful Thursday!!!

The things you do for your dog.... Bruno Chronicles continues...

My poor little man...

This skin yeast stuff is just ridiculous.

I honestly am so tired of reading over & over again labels on dog foods & trying to find one that doesn't contain yeast.  & by yeast, its anything carbs.

I know people are giving me "Grain-free" dog foods at recommendations, but grain free doesnt mean CARB free.Most grain-free dog foods have potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas (which is a HUGE yeast producer), rice is another big ingredient that is a carb.

It's so frustrating.

I have a friend who is a dog lover on a scale that I feel levels with mine - she even works with animals in all areas of her life - & she gave me a name of a dog food that sells RAW FOOD.  I was so excited & totally willing to pay whatever this was going to cost if it would make my baby boy feel better.

I looked up the site & its basically 75% meat & 25% vegetables.

OK... sounds good...

so I contact them & ask exactly what vegetables they use.

DANNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Number 1 vegetable they use?   Sweet potatoes.

Which is a carb... which is full of sugar... which brings on the yeast.

So the most healthiest of dog foods out there, STILL will ruin Bruno's skin.

Literally what I look like reading the label - hair & all

Why is this so hard?!?!?!?

I feel like I need to go on Shark Tank with some sort of invention of a dog food for dogs with this condition. Bruno CANT be the only one in the world.

My only last resort?  Looks like I'm going to be making my little grumpy old man his own personal food.

I've been scouring Pinterest for ideas & even bought a dog-food cook book on my Kindle... & while most of them involve carbs in them, at least I can attempt to make them adding & taking out things myself.

Clck on this to watch a video of making some homemade dog food

The funny thing, we've bought grilled chicken for Bruno at the store already cooked & have cut it up in small pieces & mixed with vegetables (green beans, carrots, broccoli) & some broth  & given it to him the past few nights.  He's in HEAVEN, literally EATING IT UP!!!.... Poor Harvey & Zoe are giving Bruno side eye for all the attention...

& I know this isnt the best balanced dish but until I can cook up some batches of food for him, I think this is better for him than anything with carbs in it.

The funny thing, since he's eaten it, he's been sleeping so sound too ... not waking up scratching himself at every hour of the night... nor has he had to go out to pee every 2 hours. Hmmm.... interesting.

but Ricky was sure to point out that since I gave up meat, & I wouldnt buy it any more for him, nor would I cook it anymore, but when it comes to my dog, I'll back track on that.

I assured Ricky if it meant his skin was one big scab & infected & stunk, I'd make an exception for him as well... but he's looking might good & healthy so no meat for the hubs.

Unless he sneaks the dog's food.

Fingers crossed this works!!!

The weekend that was full of Jesus...

What a weekend.... Talk about Jesus filled!

Friday kicked off for as running home & packing & running out of the door.

The kids from church had left at 4:30 to head up to camp & I didnt want to miss out on too much but I still wasnt going to get up there till 6:30.  I did make sure to stop & fuel up for the night...

& luckily, they had a vegetarian protein little snack ... this was my dinner for the night.

I did finally make it back up to the camp area & felt like I was just there... I mean, June wasn't too long ago I guess.

This time, our cabin was in the further most point ... that's something to get your steps up.

Friday started off with us picking out our team names - we were divided by cards so whatever card you got, that suit was now your team. So I was in with the Clubs....

& they chose to name the club, "Up in the Club... on a Tuesday"...I officially felt old because I had no idea what that was & they told me it was a song. I went to google it & they were like, "It has bad words in it" & I'm like, 'HOW IS THAT OUR TEAM NAME?"... but knew you pick your battles so I let it go... & every time they'd say it, I'd scream SUNDAY instead of Tuesday. haha

At least our team colors was Pink...

We talked about how to LOOK towards Jesus... such a good message was given...

& then it was time to start LOOKING for the leaders.  OH MY GOSH... so fun. All the leaders had to go hide - & each leader was worth a certain amount of points... I figured since I was the oldest, my point score would be low so I went with a mission to NOT BE FOUND...

& THEY DIDNT FIND ME!! YAHOOO!!!

If you saw any of my IG Stories on Friday, you saw I was hiding in a bathroom.  It was so funny because kids kept running in, but I was behind the door. No one ever looked behind the door. I held my breath every time the door opened but nope, no one looked.  It was so hot in there, at one point, I felt like I was in a sauna with sweat dripping down my back. I kept texting other leaders to find out when this was over... & I made it the full time with no discovery. I felt so accomplished.

We ended the night with worship around the camp fire, which is always my favorite...

& then smores. Cant do camp with our smores.  Except I never want to see another smore in my life.  Me & one other lady was in charge of getting all the smores together after they brought the hot marshmallows to us on the flaming hot sticks.... let's just say I'm glad I walked away with one blister on my hand & one NEARLY poked out eyeball.

Luckily, the girls went down pretty well for the night. That's the advantage of having camp on a school day.

Saturday, I ended up getting up at 6:15 & no one else was up except a few of the boys & the Youth Pastor.  They ended up going for a workout (WHAT?) & I just grabbed my knitting & sat on the front porch knitting watching the sun rise.  It was beautiful... couldnt take a pic because my phone was being charged in someone else's bunk bed & I wasnt about to wake them up getting it.

After everyone was up, we had our quiet time where everyone spread out & focused on the same scriptures... I came prepared with my journal & some pens....

& then we got another message on FOLLOWING Jesus. Another AMAZING lesson....

Then we were headed off to do some competitions.  It was so fun.. & challenging.  Our team had its strengths... & weaknesses...but we also had fun, no doubt.

Then onto a mad crazy game of kickball, that also included not only a kick ball, but also a football  & a frisbee.  It was so fun....

& then it was time to start packing up... except one of the school buses wasn't starting. WHAT?!?!?!?

So we had to load up the bus & keep half the kids at camp until the other bus came back... if that's the worst that happened for the weekend, we'll take it.

It was such a fun & amazing weekend to spend with my girls & to get to know some other kids ... & to get to know some of the other leaders as well. Always a blessing to serve in something like this.

My Girls<3 td="">

I have to say, I never was so excited to come home & get in the shower. All the competition & kick ball in the sun... I was a SWEATY MESS. Whew. Where did those cool fall temps go?

I basically spend the rest of Saturday, what was left, taking a shower & resting up. I didnt realize how sore my feet were from all the walking until I took my shoes off. OUCHHHHH.

Sunday, I ended up sleeping in from church but headed in for MSM.... we only had 2 girls show up, where everyone else must have been tired... but it was a great discussion with the 2 girls. I always say that sometimes, the best small groups are when its the SMALLEST of groups.

I ended up picking up some lunch & heading home to eat with Ricky since I basically saw him ZERO this weekend....

& as soon as we finished eating, I had to drive all the way back down to where I was at... it was time for our JOY bible study to meet up.  We were kicking off a new study so we ended up doing a fun trip to an ice cream place that had a beautiful view....

Isnt that the cutest place?

So excited to see what God is going to do in this study.

& I literally was running to my car from this study to head to another study with some amazing middle school girls....

Whew.. .a busy weekend... I'm exhausted... but wouldn't change one thing about it....

So how was your weekend?

Are you feeling Fall-like or is it still warm for you?