IT'S FINALLY FRIDAY!!!

Maddysen's lump is still there...BUT...her fever has subsided...and the medication is working...(severe glandular infection) THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR POWERFUL PRAYERS!!! She is back to SASSY! and that is a GREAT SIGN!!! Uncle Richie bought her a panda bear from build a bear and she named her LUMPY! He also bought the panda a HANNAH MONTANA OUTFIT!!! He sure knows how to spoil a girl! He is such a sweetie! (big live tatooed teddy bear!!!)



in this next picture you can see the lump on the side of her neck...
(click on the picture and it is much clearer)



it's still painful to the touch but not as bad as it was...

David still has not been approved for his unemployment..."there is a discrepancy in the filing"...which was "discussed" per a phone conversation and has to go thru the system...how long that will be who knows...

...so we hang...

I listed a bunch of things on ebay tonite...junque jewelry, funky vintage flower pins, vintage rosary/medal parts, vintage BARBIE goodies, mohair teddy bears, doll heads for ART DOLLS...direct link to my ebay is to the right at the top of the column...have a peek if you'd like!

...with much more to come...

i applied a couple places to work..but to no avail...thinking they want the young'uns and not the seasoned ones with baggage...(or is that experience?)

So I'm hitting ebay hard and heavy this next week +...so keep watch as you will never know what will turn up...(I can't post Robbie anymore...cuz he's working now...lol...)

and just in case...2 more posts and i'll be at 200 posts...guess it may be time for another GIVEAWAY!!!

big hugz my sweet angels!

¿ʇǝʎ ƃuıuɹoɯ ʇı sı

it's wednesday today..."all day"...(as my mom used to respond when i'd ask what day it was...)
ǝʌɐɥ
ɹǝʌo pǝddılɟ ǝq uɐɔ ǝɟıl s,ǝuo ǝʞıl ʇlǝɟ ɹǝʌǝ noʎ
ǝlqɯɐɹɔs noʎ op˙˙˙ǝɔıʇou sʇuǝɯoɯ ɐ ʇɐ
ʇǝʞɔod ɹnoʎ uı ƃuıʞɹnl ǝq ʎɐɯ ɹǝʌǝʇɐɥʍ ɹoɟ
¿ʇɔɐɹʇxǝ oʇ ʇoƃɹoɟ ǝuıɥɔɐɯ ƃuıɥsɐʍ ǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʇ

what the heck ...how many of you have felt like that?...i can't even do a cartwheel..lol...and I get all queasy...and avoid the upside down rides...



˙˙˙˙ɹǝʇɐl noʎ ʇɐ ʇnoɥs ll,ı llǝʍ

BIG HUGZ and THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRAYERS AND WELL WISHES!

tuesday....

and it continues....

david called for unemployment this morning..and they said he had to talk to the unemployment lawyers..so what is that all about? will delay payment..."possibly"...so what is that about?

more importantly...

Maddy went to the dr. this morning..she couldn't sleep during the night and this morning she woke up and she had a big lump on the side of her neck...that was very painful to the touch...(like a diameter of a golf ball! but not as pronounced)...they did a blood test and they are treating her with antibotics..now this dr. is asking all kinds of questions..that totally scared the sh*t out of us..."was she with anyone with cats that could have scratched her"..."was she near anyone with tuberculosis"..."we use the term malignancy because children this age do not understand the term"

wait back up the truck.............

..MALIGNANCY!!!!...???????????????????????????????????????????????????????

'but it probably is just a glandular infection..."...we are just not doing well at all and are waiting on results....and then we have to wait 10 days to see what this lump will do....she has no other illness related symptoms...no sore throat, ear aches etc...nothing... just can't turn her head..or lay on that side etc...we went to the parade yesterday for memorial day and she didn't complain about anything...but looking at some of the pictures...yep...there it is!

each year we take family pictures on memorial day since the kids were little and on...by the same city sign...etc...last year kevin was in iraq so he couldn't be part of the picture except in our hearts...



if you look to the left side of her neck...you can see the lump...yesterday she didn't complain about it at all...



dr. checked and didn't see a stinger or bug bite...dr. said she'd call back asap this afternoon...

what a day...makes our other problems trivial...

big hugz and love...

monday

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! Remember those who have fought!

HUGZ!

HAPPY BLOGGERVERSARY!!!!

a bowl full of names.....
49 to be exact...
a winner was picked...
and that person is.........


DRUMROLL...................................................



CONGRATS!
GOT A BOX OF GOODIES COMING YOUR WAY!!!

HUGZ AND THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING THIS LAST YEAR SO WONDERFUL!!!!!

it's sunday morning...anyone...

else wish to comment? you have just over an hour after this posting before we draw...

good luck to everyone!

hugz!

when the door is slammed...

...how soon til a window opens? Is today friday? been somewhat of a day...to say the least...had to cancel harold's removal...i think he just wants to stick around a bit longer...went to get my glasses tightened...and they stripped the screw so now the bow doesn't hold on...(getting out that E6000...) then this morning my hubby left for work and not more than 2 hours later...he came home...with the car and in his regular clothes..(this is NOT a good thing..somewhat unusual) work has been slow but he ususally comes home in his work uniform and his work truck...


.....he was let go...after 12 years...with the company...

..he called in to the union and there are 70 guys waiting for jobs...the girl did say that last month the total was 90...so things ARE LOOKING UP...don't know what we will do at this point...so i'm asking for prayers...thank you sweet angels...

big hugz

I am sooo touched!

i received what could be considered the first to receive this award from Nina of luftslottet! She is from norway and even if you cannot read Norwegian...her blog is just beautiful (it is true eyecandy!!!) (but she is so wonderful to translate bits to english too!!!)



according to nina i am to pass this award on to two people! (oh how can i only pice TWO!!!? (i picked a couple extra...)
so without further ado...

patti

karla

jessi

sandee

peggy

there are just soo many that deserve this award! each of you pass this on...to those that you would like to receive it!

remember to be commenting on each blog entry as the drawing is THIS SUNDAY!!! You will be suprized with the goodie box that would be coming your way if your name is chosen!!!

until a bit later...

tuesday

today i ask that you step over to sandee's blog and take a moment to read today's post... Losing a loved one is one of the most devastating things one can experience. I lost a sister and brother within two months of each other ten years ago...(bobby in april and pat in june) both totally unexpected...the pain and void it leaves in your heart is unbearable...time does fill the emptiness but there is still that spot where they lived...

MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU SWEET SANDEE! And as i type this there is a commercial on tv for aids awareness thru unicef! May their be a cure soon...

hugz til later...

addendum to earlier post...

i went to see the surgeon this morning...(it was a meet and greet situation and not the surgery)...surgery will be june 3...he felt Harold and said that "normally" masses aren't that deep...so he wouldn't be able to just give me a "local" to take him out... I THINK NOT! A LOCAL!!!! NOT...he was going to review the ct scan and study harold a bit...(now if i was a dr...i think i would have researched a bit to see what i was dealing with BEFORE my patient came in...dont ya think?

i went into the office and i ALWAYS bring reading material with me...well for some reason today i didn't...go figure...they had TWO BOOKS....one was a 2006 better homes and garden CHRISTMAS MAGAZINE...and the second was Parents magazine...but in SPANISH...

i'm tired now...been a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng day...talk to you all in the morning

big hugz

DUM DEE DUM DUM....

...does that sound OMINOUS? Going to see the surgeon this morning at 10:20...(cue that music again..."da dEE dum dum") hope he giggles at the Harold story..as anyone that is my surgeon MUST have a sense of humor...(wait til i show him that i have three sets of boobs...(well he ain't seeing one set...) but gotta love excess skin that droops into a cascade of ruffles...in tiers..(maija affectionately called it her "sexy dribble"...well my "dribble" DEFINITELY NEEDS A BIB!..lol Got the idea that it looked like i had three sets of boobs when i went for a ekg and they forgot two of the little sticky electrode thingys..and they were appropriately place on one of the tiers and they looked like an extra set of nippies!..then upon showering...full mirror..i had to giggle that it looked like i actually had three sets of boobs....lol..(you don't think the technician actually thought they were boobies (hangin low..) and that's why they left the electrodes in place, do you? (gives new meaning to being a real "swinger" lol)...oh my where has THIS POST GONE!...

well i did get art done this weekend...(some over due...)

for ms. judy..(or rather hazel...) i did her mermaid book...(notice the flaming red hair miss hazel! just for YOU babe!



pages finally done for rachelle!!!

left side....

right side...



for ms. kimberly we were to paint up our face in her faces book...so i painted a background and the superimposed a transperency over the painted background...



left side page for ms. tamara and her home theme..



right side page for ms. tamara



...and of course if i'm doing art and missy maddysen is around..you KNOW she's gotta get in there and "work" too! so she made a page for granny tam too! Okay so first glance i noticed the "royalty" in the attic section...didn't know if they were the king and queen of the castle or if they were spirits in the attic...hey, tamara, heard any "noises" upstairs? ...then i did question the moon shape on the door...as i was thinking..maybe it was a crest like an outhouse door...lol...geez...was i WAY OFF...lol..

"nonnie her last name is C!..." LIKE DUH...i should have KNOWN THAT! hee hee...i no way wanted to ask about the crowned ones lol...like DUH...I SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT... hee hee...



I sketched out rachelles second page and i have jen's angel baby 83% done and on the sewing machine ready to roll...so will be posting those pics a bit later! Remember to leave your comments!!! still jotting down all those names! comment every day for more chances!

Got the mail! oh my goodness! Look who arrived! Ms. Vivian sent me this sweet little bear for my BIRTHDAY!!! I promptly found a place for her to live! (yes she's a girl, viola...in keeping with my touch of lavender wall theme..

can you see her?
she's right there (poking finger at monitor screen) perched right on patti's art and below paula's art!



here let me zoom in a bit...
see right there?



need it a bit closer?



THANK YOU VIVIAN!!!! (and for the extra flowers! felt like i should sprinkle them about someplace to bring a bit of spring!)

and a bit more sweet lavender art is hanging from my cross from ms tamara!



the room is glowing in touches of lavender...and even the air is scented! (got a special candle from yankee LAVENDER LEMON...WOOO HOOOOO DOES IT SMELL WONDERFUL!)
sorry can't do smells thru the computer yet...(or can we...i know i'm not up to speed with all these latest gadgets..lol)


hugz til a bit later! (after the((dum dEE dum dum) surgeon)

happy SUNDAY!!!

I have been involved in a scrapbag purse swap...(one on one) I swapped with a beautiful lady in Florida! Her name is Pat Bretschneider and I received the bag she made for me in the mail Friday! ...(i had to use pat's photos as my camera is in Ohio at a tatoo convention...lol..gotta love the kids and the "opportunities" they bring to my camera..lol) Did i ever tell you about the time one of the kids borrowed my camera (and i told them to take good care of it...) was one of those you gotta get the film developed so you can see what the kids were up to ones? well i go to pick up the pictures...and the girl at the photo counter..just smiled...i opened the envie...and there RIGHT ON TOP is a photo of one of the kids mooning me...gal at the counter said she usually wouldn't print it...but she knew me...and wanted to see my reaction...LOVE THOSE KIDS! LOL AND THIS IS THE REASON I LOVE DIGITAL CAMERAS...LOL

here is the backside of my new bag...(ya know there is something special about the front if i'm showing you the back first... hee hee


Flip it over and look what she added!!!



She included this sweet note explaining about different fabrics that she used in the creation!

Barb,
The two paisley materials are from skirts I wore in the 70's and the straps and matching squares are from jeans from the 70's (wonder what I was thinking) The pinkish with lavender scrolls is from a bridesmaid's dress I made for my nieces wedding. The rest are scraps from quilt and sewing projects. The button is off a suit my friend wore in the late 50's. The fiber under the butterfly is Angelina from a class I took. Hope y ou enjoy. I am fairly new at bag making but am trying.
Pat

..and she is NEW to handbag making!!!!!! wow! Wow! WOW!!!
THANK YOU PAT!!! I LOVE IT!

Have a wonderful day filled with moments that everyone takes the time to enjoy!

big hugz!

HOT OFF THE PRESSES!

If you remember back a couple of posts when i shared some of my danielle's light show photography...well today she came in with her photos as the artwork...for an entire calendar for 2009!!! how awesome is that!?
It is a freestanding calender that is approximately 9" wide and 5" tall when standing...spiral bound.

Here is the cover...



And here is a sample page!



Danielle did all the photos in the calender and the layouts were done by Katie Baumann.

So as a BONUS, Danielle gave me a copy of her calender that will be part of the goodies that i send out for my BLOGGERVERSARY!!! (she even signed it! hee hee)
With any luck not only will the 25th be my bloggerversary but also my 200th POST!!!

goodness...a girl can only handle sooo many celebrations! NOT!!! PARTY PARTY PARTY!!!


big hugz

it's coming...i't's coming!!!

MY BLOGGERVERSARY!!! WILL BE ONE YEAR ON THE 25TH!!!! (cue confetti and horns!!!) Will be having a give away of bloggerversary proportions! Leave a comment from this post til then and i'll be putting the commentees into a hat and letting one of my babes pull a name! feel free to comment each post to get a better chance! Going to be lots of goodies for this one! You don't want to miss it!!! The prize will be drawn for at 7:13 am (CST) (the precise time i began on this odyssey) on Sunday May 25! Off to rummage today...yesterday the streets were FULL of sweet treasures! But i actually received an "invite" to a rummage today! all antiques and vintage treasures! My hubby couldn't believe people were emailing me to come to their rummage!!!! lol...i just told him it cuts out the rifraf..lol...hee hee...

remember to comment and come back each day from now til the 25th for your chance at goodies!

hugz

IT'S WEDNESDAY...

hello everyone! Hope everyone is doing good...
....i got my results from the catscan...and the dr. has decided it was time for me to birth harold...he has doubled in size and while he truly believes..that he is just a fatty tissue lump...he should be given an eviction notice..so i will be paying a visit to the surgeon next monday...go figure...the weather gets nice and i gotta get a scar where my bikini will show...lol...guess i could ALTER the incision! we had my mil suprize birthday celebration on saturday...the weather cooperated beautifully...here is a pic of all the burkard kids...with mom...



my hubby is in the back row way on the right...and his brother, rik, (next to him) really wasn't there..lol..he lives in albuquerque so i snuck him in...then i realized that i hadn't given him legs..lol..so i had to "borrow" his brothers legs (but i did flip it left to right..lol) guess it gives meaning to that "sisterhood of the traveling pants"..)er ah i mean BROTHERHOOD? LOL...

She was very suprized...didn't suspect a thing...

THEN ON SUNDAY...I WAS GOING TO GO TO THE MOVIES WITH SHANNON...and she called to see if david could come to her house to watch the kids...there...so off we went and when we pulled up i asked..."i wonder if shannon wants ME to drive"..so david said..better go in to find out...so i walked right in.....................
..................................TO A SUPRIZE PARTY FOR ME!!! AND I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS OF YOU THAT ALREADY KNEW THAT! (ya know when a girls heart gets to be 50...SOMEONE could warn her!!!)

AND COMING OFF OF MISS MADDYSEN'S RECITAL LAST WEEK...

IT WAS......


LITERALLY!!!! she did three dances...one for tap, one for jazz and then they incorporated some ballet into the father daughter dance!





this years father daughter dance was GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME! and here they are in costume! Kevin didn't get to participate in last years recital due to something about him being in Iraq...and next year he will be heading back in January 2009 to Iraq once again...so he will miss next years...so this year was ever so important!



So now all of you get YOUR head in the game and go meander over to ms maija's blog as she is having a cool amundo GIVEAWAY!!!!

I had a wonderful week! I am ever so grateful for each and every one of YOU!!!!

HUGZ

shhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

the day began shrouded in a bit of mystery...whispers here and there..
EVEN IN THE GARDEN!!!

as we age, changes begin to affect us...
even the babies know...
NONNIE, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?


NONNIE, CAN YOU SEE ME TOO?


I want to thank each and every one of you...(so wish i could plop down a map and step across it to each of your doors) and deliver special smooches and love and hugz to each one of you...

MY BIRTHDAY WAS OVERWHELMINGLY AMAZING!

At lunch Kaleigh and Richie brought me this beautiful bouquet of flowers!





the mail delivered a magnificient package from sweet Heather! Cards and more gifts from Jen, Peggy, Sandee, Beth (who now has a blog that I can link her name too!) and Heather!!! OH OH MY MY!!!

and i also got an AARP MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION! (SHANNON HAS THE PICTURES OF THIS EVENTFUL MOMENT) (how do they know this...?)

We ventured to the store in the afternoon...the day was spectacular...70's and bright blue skies filled with sunshine...(did i ever tell you my nickname in high school was SUNSHINE...?)


The mystery grew as the day moved on...kevin called my cell phone and asked for dad...hmmmm
after picking up robbie from work...(be still my heart...i'm still not used to him HAVING A J-O-B) we went past the street to turn to go home...

Ended up at Red Robin...Shannon, Kevin, Maddy, Maxx, David, Robbie, Debbie, Jim, and Jake were all there...
maddy is only tooo happy to pose...!!

and Shannon had this box...(this was a special gift box that i had received special goodies from in a swap) Maddy gushed over it's beauty that i offered it to her to put her special trinkets in.

Hmmm somethings up here people...Shannon was glowing...like la di da I know something you don't know! AND SHE HAD HER VIDEO CAMERA...THIS IS NOT A GOOD SIGN...LOL



So they have me open the box BEFORE WE EAT...and OH MY GOSH

this is where i pause for a GASP.......

MY HEART EXPLODED! I WAS BEWILDERED...I WAS IN AWE... I WAS...WORDS ESCAPED ME..I WAS NUMB! and there was a WHOLE BLOG CREATED TO DOCUMENT THE JOURNEY...
I HAD BEEN RAKED BIG TIME! I AM STILL IN AMAZEMENT...remember i don't video well and i think i was in SHOCK...i came home last nite and had to touch each beautiful work of love...the tears were overwhelming! How can one thank friends that have, over the years, become family...thru genes of love woven across the miles...

THANK YOU...

then this morning...the phone rang at 7:00...was an unknown caller...privacy manager picked it up...david answered and listened to who it was from (never know at this house!) he goes, "who is DAWN GOLD?" oh my GOSH!!! THE DAWN GOLD..THE DAWN GOLD FROM ENGLAND!???? SWEET DAWN CALLED ME WITH BIRTHDAY WISHES!!! HOW SPECIAL DOES THAT MAKE A GIRL FEEL!!!

MY WORDS ESCAPE ME...
thank you one and all...and HUGE HUGZ...
i end this back in the garden....

well it's here....

...i'm officially half a century....sounds ANCIENT...LOL...somedays i feel twice that but other days i feel half...so that someplace in the middle is good i guess...

i received my journal from Vanessa...and all i can say is OH OH OH..MY GOODNESS...THIS JOURNAL IS THE MOST EXQUISITE I HAVE EVER SEEN! almost afraid to use it! just look at this beautiful book!





and a trip thru time...

me at 5 months...with my sister, NANCY, on the right and her friend...on the left...
oh how that seat is soooo child safe..lol..(probably got lead paint on it too...the reason for my weird behaviors of today...lol)



Here i am at age two...with my mom in the yard...wish i could crop this and fix the photo as there aren't many of me...


here i am with my baby brother, ron, by our garage door...i'm like 5 ish


here i am with my little white purse with my brother, ron and cousin, doug...(ron's the one packing the pistol...lol


me ron and mom


here we are wearing our sombreros...see i told you i thought CINCO DE MAYO WAS FOR ME!!!


RON AND I on vacation in san antonio, tx



and me today...

if i'm FLOATING...it must be friday!

i'm off to have my catscan. (dr. seems to think that HAROLD my lump in my abdomen is getting bigger...and he wants a peek) (for those that don't know about Harold..he's been with me for a long time...i found him about 7 years ago and i decided that since he's got a "hard head" must be a BOY..and gave him a boy name no significance in the harold name it was just there at the time...)..and having to drink 900ml...of the prep...is not fun...(they did say i could use the bathroom if i had too...like duh...i'll probably have to make a pitstop on the way!!!)... or i'll float away!!!

i made these two sweet little baby bracelets for maddysen's teacher...(her teacher's daughter has been on bedrest since january...she's having TWIN BABY GIRLS!!!



more later...hugz

good morning! happy thursday!!

Oh my it's been awhile hasn't it? Life has been sooo busy...the weather decided to return to winter...and i lost a few plants due to the cold...the tulips are thriving and blooming...factor in a couple of daffodils too!

Next week we have maddysen's recital. Hmmmm and of course Cinco de Mayo is in there too....

Couple of entries ago i posted a heart it forward and had five reponses and i thought that it would be special to just heart it forward to all five sweet angels!
Here are four of the five bracelets that i made for them...I allowed them each to choose style and colors of their bracelets,

for maija....


for patti...


for peggy...


for tamara...


i have vivians almost done and will post that a bit later!

i got to have all the babies over the other day!



what a giggly time...
We were at the mall the other day and let maxx out of his stroller...to walk...he made a beeline for the candy kiosk! it was like watching a puppy pace back and forth behind a glass window...he was just in awe and full of DESIRE...lol...not knowing which he wanted but knowing that HE WANTED SOMETHING...kept yelling, COOKIE, COOKIE...COOKIE...(anything that he thinks is food is a COOKIE...no matter what it is...lol)





He had to just use the machines as EYECANDY and just window shop...as nothing was suitable for him...he did get a cookie from the cookie place...(has the girls in the palm of his hand as he waddles up and orders a "COOKIE") HOW CAN YOU RESIST!!!?




This morning i get to go with Kori and her hubby to the ultrasound of their baby!!! As of right now baby is known as PEANUT...but IF PEANUT COOPERATES...we may get to know if peanut is a he or she!!! woo hooooo!!!! I'll keep you posted!

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

here i am following them in their car (they had another appt. afterwards so i took my own car so i could get home sooner)



PRESENTING...
KORI AND HER HUBBY TONY



AND THEIR NEW BABY
GIRL!!!!!
(SORRY FOR THE BLURRY PIC..BUT IT WAS JUST MY CAMERA PHONE...yeah duh..i left my "camera" on the dock at home SOOOOO NOT LIKE ME!)



I also finished up a mothers day gift for my MIL...i did a transparency of all her kids names and then printed a picture of her when she was a little one holding her favorite dollie, susie, (according to the back of the photo) and sandwiched it all between glass and coppertape sealed it, wrapped it with some copper wire, vintage ribbons and fibers... hmmm hope she likes it...never know!



hugz til later!