Lucy

We put our Lucy to sleep last Tuesday night. It was a difficult decision to make, but in the end we knew that she was no longer in pain and running free, tongue wagging, ears flapping in doggie heaven. She has been mine for almost 12 years. Many non-dog people don't understand, but she was our fury kid, I loved her more than anything!

Lucy was the best dog. I bought her in 2001 from an Idaho pet shop when she was about 6 weeks old. She was the cutest puppy and loved all the snow that first Winter!

As a walker hound/lab, she had many lab traits, but was more hound. She loved to bay, chase animals, and run in the country.
When we moved back home to Kansas she met other dogs, first Bella, then Auggie, Harry and Moogie. I know she preferred being an only dog and just tolerated all the other dogs. But she did love to chase and play tug of war!

Lucy loved to be outside...playing, sunning in the grass or out for walks! I am sure she preferred to be off her leash, but she never learned to obey or come when called. Casey called her Lucifer! As you can tell, she had a mind of her own, was very stubborn, but we loved her all the same!

Since she was a puppy, Lucy never liked storms or fireworks. She usually hid under my legs or in the bath tub....it's like she knew we were in Kansas and that is where you were suppose to go!

In May, we noticed a mass on her front leg. After taking her to the Emporia vet and K-State for more tests, we learned she had osteosarcoma....a common bone cancer for dogs. We opted not to amputate her front leg and knew we wouldn't have much more time with her. The cancer spread and she went downhill fast over the summer. We knew it was time, but I wasn't prepared for her to go so soon.

I loved her dark brown eyes, soft brown ears, funny black spots, snake licking tongue, sharp claws, and wet nose. She loved to sleep in late with me and snuggle on the couch. She was one of a kind and I will always love my Lucylu!!

Painted Chair

Studio 11 held their second class this week....painted chairs. They had a stash of old chairs and we got to choose one to recover and paint. By the end of the evening, we had a new fun and funky chair to take home with us!

My chair...before....I love the detail on the back.

Recovering the seat was simple. The Studio 11 girls had taken the seats off already and all we had to do was staple gun on new fabric. I chose a piece of burlap to recover the seat.

After using a dust cloth on the chair, I was ready to paint. The paint is the same type we used last time...a milk paint. It is powder that you add water to and tadah! We created a color and it turned into a salmony pink. I put two coats on the chair, letting it dry in between coats. Then sanded it down until I achieved the look I wanted. Then you coat the chair with a wax polish, buff and you're done!

My completed chair! It is hard to see all the details from the sanding. I really like how it turned out and plan to put it in my craft room. I also want to try adding fabric cut outs or stencils to the seat for something fun!

After working with wood and paint for the first two classes, I have all sorts of crafty ideas pinging around in my head! I brought home scrap wood from work and I am going to have Dad help me cut it down to workable pieces to make signs. I bought red milk paint this weekend and more supplies to start my Christmas projects! Plus other goodies for a few Pinterest ideas!

Evening Ride

Tonight, I went on a bike ride after work. I rode to the zoo and with the setting sun and trees turning, it was a beautiful ride. I took a few pictures and wanted to share!



The Cottonwood River from Soden's Grove Bridge.

Harry was jealous that I went out without him. So, when I got home, we played in the backyard. He is not very good at playing...he takes the toy and doesn't give it back. Although he really wants to play fetch, it turns into something more like tug of war!

FALL has arrived!

I love FALL! There is something about the cooler weather, trees changing colors, rainy days, apple cider and chili...it is all very comforting and makes me want to stay home and cozy up by a fire! I have put out the Fall candles and decorations, opened up the house to enjoy the crisp air, and bought a mum and several pumpkins last week.

Here is the link on our crafty blog all about my new Halloween wreath! http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7565023634897105096#editor/target=post;postID=281455482422347462

Today is cool and rainy so what better weather for soup, apple cider and Halloween snacks! I wanted to share a couple recipes and pictures of our beautiful mum!

This snack mix is one my mom makes each Fall. The best part is you can add what candies and nuts you like best. I mixed peanuts, candy corn and Reese pieces (my husband's favorite) to make this simple and yummy snack. It is the perfect blend of sweet and salty with a little chocolate!

Taco Soup is one of our go to soups (2nd only to chili)! It also is very easy! All you need is 1lb. of hamburger, 1 can of corn, 1 can of kidney beans, 1 can of black beans, 1 can of chili beans, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 packet of dry ranch seasoning, and 1 packet of taco seasoning.

Brown the hamburger, then in a stock pot or crock pot dump all the other ingredients (juice and all, no draining). Once the hamburger is browned and drained, add to the pot and simmer until ready to eat! We like ours topped with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips!! 

YARN BOMB!

I belong to a crazy group of knitters and crocheters.....we meet each Tuesday night and call ourselves the Fiber Floozies! Here is a little more about us....
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5955882428486970323#editor/target=post;postID=836407778434197900

Have you ever heard of a yarn bomb?! They are fun, silly and very colorful...google yarn bomb and you will see a variety of examples! Locally, there have been yarn bombs in Lawrence and Wichita recently. Tuesday Night Knitters yarned a piano downtown during the summer for Symphony in the Flinthills. During Dirty Kanza, someone yarn bombed a bike downtown.

Many months ago one of our members, Melinda, had a great idea to Yarn Bomb the Central Care Cancer Center (where she works) in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Immediately the Floozies were on board and starting planning. We started making pink pieces to be wrapped around trees, poles, and more. Melinda found body part patterns that we could knit or crochet representing the different types of cancer. All of the planning and knitting came together on Tuesday, October 2nd. In the cover of darkness, dressed in black, we met with our supplies and spent several hours bombing the Cancer Center with pink yarn! It was so fun! We covered the trunks of about ten trees, several poles, a bench, a bike rack, bushes, and Melinda made an educational display inside the Cancer Center.
 

The crazy yarn bombers!



Barb made a wreath with our knitted and crocheted boobies!

  

We hung the boobie wreath and "You Have Been Yarn Bombed" inside. We each signed the sign using a funny yarn pseudonym...like "Happy Hooker" or "Granny Squared"!

  

Up close..we used all types of pink yarn.

  

Several of the body parts in our "Body Part Tree". We made a bone, uterus, brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, eyes, ears, pancreas, testes, lymph nodes, and more!



Three trees right at the entrance of the Medical Arts Center.



I love the contrast of the pink yarn with the green leaves!

 

The Ribbon Tree...there are over 20 different ribbons representing all types of Cancer Awareness.

 

Tree with fringe!



The display inside Melinda made. Each body part we made has information beside it about that type of cancer.



Several Floozies were on KVOE on Wednesday morning. I went over my lunch on Wednesday to take more daytime pictures. You can find a bunch of photos on Facebook under our Tuesday Night Knitting page. We all had a fun time and hope the community enjoyed our little "prank". I had a friend make up t-shirts and we are going to have a few printed. We are hoping to make an annual event out of our yarn bomb!!

Sweet Dreams

The past few weeks, I have listened daily to Godspeed, Sweet Dreams by the Dixie Chicks. The song has always been one of my favorites and I knew it would be a beautiful lullaby to sing to my future children. Now, with new meaning, it brings me comfort and peace.

http://youtu.be/AwfaTcBNtWo

Also this week, I took part in Studio 11's first Pinterest Party! Studio 11 is going to start holding classes in their shop and teach DIY, fun projects inspired by Pintest ideas or things they have seen and tried. Thursday night was their first class and we made recycled, hand painted wooden signs. We made snacks and the Studio 11 girls provided the beverages, space, and all the supplies!

You can see more pictures on Facebook on the Studio 11 page. Here are a few of my pictures...



The recycled pallet board ready to paint. Waiting for inspiration to strike...see the wine!

  

Kari helping me mix paint for the sign. We used a milk paint that they sell in the store. It is powder that you mix with equal parts water.


 

Loni working on the letters for her sign.

 

My sign...after paint.

 

Next step, letters. The sign has dried and I used carbon paper and stencils to trace or paint the letters.

 

Loni and Laura working on their signs, the possibilities are endless!

  

You complete the sign by sanding and adding was. All done...just have to add the ribbon for hanging.


I made it in memory of our baby boy and plan to hang it in our future nursery. It was a good night with friends and I am looking forward to future Pinterst Parties!

In an instant...

It is amazing how quickly your life can change, what a difference five minutes, a day, or a week makes. One minute Casey and I are anxiously awaiting to find out whether our baby is a boy or girl and in the next moment our world has crumbled around us.

Our baby boy died inside me.

Three weeks later and we are trying to find our new normal, taking one day at a time. Thankfully, we have wonderful friends and family who have supported, comforted, listened, loved and cooked for us. We have leaned on each other and have grown closer....I didn't think I could love Casey more, until now. Each day we are a little stronger, but there are bad days too....guilt, sadness, little things sneak in to remind us of our loss.

I am literally taking each day as it comes, no big changes or plans. Knowing my emotions and grief will come and go, I am accepting those feelings for what they are, journaling and working through them the best I can.

Fall is here. The air is chilly and the leaves are turning. It's the time of year for football, apple cider, and pumpkins. The season is changing, the world moves on and so must we. Not forgetting, but cherishing our memories, making peace with the situation and gaining strength to try again.