Living Well Wednesdays

Time to refocus.

Family Reunion

Some notes of interest as we headed north, Sat., on 152~ how incredibly low San Luis Reservoir is. I don't ever remember seeing it that low, even as a young child.

The overpass and interchange on 152 is almost complete, which will greatly reduce the bottleneck and traffic hang ups when heading towards Monterey or Gilroy ~ or the reverse.

Shortly after arriving at Vasona it poured for several minutes. After that (and more family arrived) the rest of the day was fairly nice and a great time was had by all visiting and catching up on 'family.' This is an annual event that has been going on all my life and this is a first, rain.
Of course I had to take pictures of the little ones climbing trees, and remembering when mine (their mom & siblings) were little ones climbing the trees.

All my kids! To make a long story short it was a lot of fun and so what if we got a little wet, it was well worth it.

I pray for small miracles as loose ends need to be tied up for the wedding. I ran into a friend of mine, whom I hadn't seen for quite sometime, yesterday at the teacher center. Just talking about things (you know) and the wedding. She asked if we had outdoor heaters, so I did mention that Elizabeth had been looking at some. She offered to let us borrow their 2 for the wedding. We went over today for some other business and while there we looked at them. They will be great for the reception. I will call tomorrow and firm the deal, we'll pick them up a few days before, when we set up the tents outside. I told her I had been praying for small miracles and she was an answer to prayer.

My cake

I finished the fondant and gum paste class. This is the first flower, right after I put shimmer dust on it. In total, I made 7 of the carnations.
The cake we chose to decorate has 7 carnations on it, but it was OK to just put on 4 and save the rest (for the bridal shower cake). Here are the 4 on top of the cake, 3 with the pink shimmer dust and 1 with the gold. I will make more for the other cake for a total of 4 pink and 3 gold.

A long shot of the cake, not to bad for a novice. However, it is a little lopsided. The little blue box is a favor box made out of fondant. I may glue one of the daisies I made on top of it and use it as added decor for the shower.
The cake I decorated is going with us on Saturday to a family reunion. The cake is a cinnamon vanilla wedding cake recipe with butter cream frosting (under the fondant). I did enjoy the class and learned how to use fondant and made some flowers and other decorations, not shown. I got a certificate of completion also.

When it is time to eat I will peel the fondant off, it really isn't very tasty mainly just sugar. It makes for great decorations and great looks on cakes. The gum paste is used for the flowers and finer decorations. It doesn't stretch as much and dries hard.

It is suppose to rain this weekend, and we really need the rain. I am hoping is will just be a few showers here and where we are going Sat. as to not spoil the family reunion to much. I am hoping that the rain will stay towards the mountains/sierras and that it will put out the fire in Kings Canyon, which is not aggressively being fought at this time as no people, dwellings, etc. are being threatened. It is being treated as a control burn, I think that is what I heard. However the smoke does blow this way into the valley, and for those with asthma it is bad. For those who don't know the San Joaquin valley is one of the top 3 areas in the U.S. for bad air quality and has an extremely high populous with asthma and other respiratory problems, nothing to brag about. The rain does clear the air and makes life a little easier when you can breath better.

Living Well Wednesdays

I totally forgot to check in last week. I was busy doing something everyday and it didn't hit me until late in the afternoon that it was LWW . That was probably the day I was at the resource center doing stuff for my class. I will say that my weight loss is ok. I haven't focused to much on it as a whole, but do think about it as I eat and I haven't lost or gained for 2 weeks. I have found that thing's I have craved just aren't as appealing lately. I think part of that is how I fix food, and I find as I change that so does my taste (somewhat).

So much to do, so little time.

It's been a busy week

I have had very little time to blog this week. It has been an interesting week. On Monday we had a Mary Kay rep here. Seems Elizabeth won a facial for her and her bridesmaids at the last Bridal show we went to and a supposed gift certificate. To say the least, it was an interesting event. The facial went OK, but when the rep quoted prices for the packages she was trying to sell you could hear everyone gasp $199.00 and $299.00 ~ yes you read those numbers correctly, the decimal point is not misplaced. She offered a make up holder, a bag you hang up and can use to travel and a make up compact that were under $100. I was a little interested in the foundation, I liked the color, but she really didn't seem interested in a small purchase so I told her I'd wait. When no one wanted to buy she packed up in a whirl wind manner and she left. She wants Elizabeth to set up an appointment for her 'color match' for her wedding day make up. She also said she'll hold on to the gift certificate until E. comes to her office. That isn't likely to happen. No one here really cared for her mannerism. Besides I know several people who sell Mary Kay if we want to buy. It is hard for me to believe that she is as successful as she is, but I guess that is part of her being pushy. I have been to several Mary Kay facial parties, and have purchased some of the products so I am not new to MK products.

Tuesday we had an appointment with a florist, and we did order the wedding flowers. With that done we headed to Michael's to pick up some flowers for Ryans mom, who is doing the decorations for the church and reception.

Thursday was my fondant and gum paste class. (after having a staff meeting) This week we made flowers out of gum paste, here are some snapshots.

Leaves, daisies, and a carnation.

The pink flower is a fantasy flower made out of 4 large heart cut outs, and 4 small heart cut out, with the edges thinned.

The white one is a carnation, that is a total of seven ruffled circles put together. The ones I will make for my final project will have some gold and pink dusting powder on them. Not really hard, now that I know what I am doing. And no, I am not making the wedding cake, that is already ordered. I am making the cake for the Bridal shower, and she is choosing the one she wants me to do.

Friday we went back to the florist to order a couple more things, then the bakery to give them the flavors of the cake and the ribbon for the cake. We then went back to Michael's and found some more flowers on sale (then E. returned the more expensive ones). We then picked out the pattern for the flower girls dresses. I'd start them next week but I need to finish some pj's for the grandbabies. So I will start the dresses the following week.

So the saying goes that summer is over? So I hear, but it has been in the high 90's all week. Nice cool mornings, but not days.

Keith is holding the ski flag up in what looks like an "I surrender". He is positioning the ski rope.
We took the boat out for on last go around to day.
Elizabeth singled and knee boarded.
Here she is turning around, she did it about 7 times.
This is Keith, he didn't ski, just knee boarded......completely out of the water.

It was a fun day and it started out with Keith and Dan leaving early for some fishing, or should I say some practice, the fish weren't going for it. Then Elizabeth and I took out lunch and met them.

Prayer request.

Please pray for Sherry and her husband and her girls (both young women now). I am not at liberty to say here why, but prayers are desperatly needed for her.

Living Well Wednesdays

I found this hymn and it relates to some of my struggles to lose weight. It is like a blessing.

God bless and have a great day~ I will post more later.

Day by day, and with each passing moment,Strength I find to meet my trials here;Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,Gives unto each day what He deems best,Lovingly is part of pain and pleasure,Mingling toil with peace and rest.



--Lina Sandell, Swedish

Photo shoot

There has been a fire burning in Kings Canyon since July, due to lightening strikes. Tonight the moon is red because of the smoke. We are approximately 80 miles away. Saturdays yard sale was very good. A couple stopped by to browse, and bought so much it was incredible. They were both truckers, and they lived in their semi, which was parked in front of the house. Elizabeth had cleaned out her closet, cloths she has had for years and some that were newer and hardly worn. At .50 cents a piece she bought $21.00 worth, that is 42 pieces of clothing. He bought one Play Station game. Wednesday the Rescue Mission will stop by and pick up what is left (I already called), so I will be going through some more closets. They will put the items in their thrift store and the proceeds will go to the homeless shelters.

I was sitting outside playing with the cat and my camera. I heard a humming bird and looked up in time to capture some pictures. If you look close, or click on the picture you can see it in motion.

We went to another Bridal show this afternoon. It wasn't as impressive as the one we went to last month. However, I will say the fashion show was better.

TGIF

It is Friday, yeah. But it is going to be a busy weekend! Yesterday we went down to my mom's storage, been awhile since I've been there. It was horribly dusty and dirty. Anyway, we went through several boxes of stuff and will put most of it in the yard sale tomorrow. Some I will keep, like my grandma's punch bowl, some depression glass and a few other odds and ends. I did find her collection of carousel horses, which I will dispurse among my siblings and her grandchildren. They are from the Lenox collection and she purchased them sometime ago, the entire set. They really are beautiful. I have no picture as I didn't want to open the boxes, I'll do that later. This evening I will go back outside and go through the shed. I am still putting out cloths, she loved to buy cloths and little knick knacks. She was a collector.

Elizabeth and I did some wedding shopping today, so all is getting done a little at a time, but within time. She sold her car to her brother, so now she will borrow ours when she needs one. Monday I will go down to the insurance off and take care of the name changes on the policy. That gives her some money for some of the things she needs to do. Right now I am just relaxing, knowing I will need to think of dinner soon. But no one is home right now and the time is mine, and that is pretty rare anymore.

Living Well Wednesdays

________________________________________________________________While sorting the other day, I came across a CD by Cristy Lane, that I had purchashed I don't know how many years ago. There were about 3 songs on it that I really like. One being "One Day at a Time". I have been playing that like a prayer lately. Especially the part that goes something like this "Lord help me today, show me the way one day at a time. Give me the strength to do everyday what I need to do" It's not the wedding that has me down, just that I seem to be the one that does anything around here anymore. My weight loss is slow, but it is off. I am surprised I haven't lost more with all the running around I do and honestly I really have no room to complain. God is good and God is faithful.

A few minutes

I just have a few minutes before I head out the door to work. With the wedding I am so glad I only work part time, though I still have stuff to do on my own time for work.
Things are moving along, and in the end all will work out and memories will be wonderful.

I started cleaning out a shed in my yard, full of some of my mom's things ~ and she has been gone for over 2 1/2 years now. Also many of Elizabeth's cloths from Jr. high and high school. We are having a yard sale Sat. morning, then what is left will go to the Mission which sales them at their thrift store and the proceeds go to a homless shelter.
So much dust and much to go through. Plus it has been hot, so time outside is limited. It was around 103 the last 3 days and suppose to be again today. At least my class is in the morning so the temperature doesn't affect the fact that I can take my class outside.
Have a great day

God Bless

Birds

I received a humming bird feeder 1 1/2 years ago, and I finally put it up earlier this summer. I have tried all summer to get pictures of the humming birds. Finally, I did! But as I was trying to get the lighting right, I also saw this. 2 doves sitting in the tree watching me. Probably waiting for me to leave so they could go down to the bird feeder and eat.

I was taking the picture into the sun, so the lighting isn't good.

I was hiding and didn't focus properly before snapping the shutter, but I did get some pictures of the little birds. Then sadly I scared them all away. I went outside a little later and saw the neighbors black cat sneaking up on the doves, they were on the ground by then. Fortunately they saw the cat and flew away. They'll be back as the blue jays and little finches scatter the seed on the ground. My latest count is: 5 humming birds, 6 doves, 2 blue jays and 5 finches.