Giving Thanks

08May2010...Todd's 40th b-day surprise party...son-in-law Billy  (in the red shirt) died a week later...he was the GRILL MASTER...great memory

i want to give thanks today...before i get caught up in the preparations for the holiday season...first and foremost...i am thankful for the presence of God in my life...a constant that i appreciate daily and can not fully express gratitude for...for my family...my husband and children...our grandkids and parents...my siblings are not only my bane but my best friends...and speaking of best friends...i have one that i have shared my entire life with...shared nap times and tears...advice and hugs...nobody does it like her...my nieces/nephews/cousins/aunts/uncles are all blessings and angels in disguise...i know i can call any of them and receive love and support...

i am grateful for my home...filled with not just the material comforts but the love...squabbles...noise...CHAOS...and sharing...

i am thankful that though there have been great losses this year...there has also been a great outpouring of love and support from people near and far...those known personally and those never met in person...a smile or cyberhug can mean so much...

the life i have since meeting my soul mate is richer than any i could have imagined...he is the best man i have ever known (besides my dad *grin*)...and loves me for who i am and treats me as someone precious to him...i probably fall short on reciprocating...guess i have a goal...but he knows i love and respect him...and that i thank God and the universe for bringing him into my life...

i hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving...that you and your's are safe and well...that you appreciate this time with one another and the comforts you have...give generously of self and time...the rewards are immeasurable...much love to you all...Kari

CAS93 - Card for my hubby

this is the card i decided to do last night for CAS93 on SCS...made it for todd...inside i'll put a pic of Ditz and the sentiment: Cats leave pawprints on our hearts...tfl...be safe/be well

Paper: naturals ivory..basic black
Ink: basic gray
Stamp: C is for Cat
Accessories: 1.75" & 1.5 " circle punches..mini pearl...pawprint twill ribbon

Rainbow Bridge

Ditto

this is going to be a long and sad post...so grab some tissues...

8 years ago today my husband and i adopted our "love child" we named her Ditto...because whenever todd told me he loved me i'd say ditto...just like in the movie Ghost

11/16/2002 we were newlyweds...stationed @ Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota...todd worried i'd be homesick (i was)...and that i'd need company when he was deployed (which was often)

so we went to the humane society of the black hills...and there in the cat/kitten room in the very middle of the floor sat a small puff of fur...looking disdainfully at her surroundings...a little queen...i said "that's the one"...but todd had to look at every other animal in the place...we came back to the room and i didn't see her anywhere...she had hidden...so no one else could pick her...she was waiting for us...the last of her litter that had arrived that morning

a siamese mix...which as most cat appreciators know are very vocal...and i would joke that it would be nice if she'd come with a snooze alarm...she let you know when she was hungry!

this lady had opinions and could be ornery....whenever todd came home from a deployment it took him a day or two to get back in her good graces...but right down the line she's a "daddy's girl"...she groomed him as if he were filthy every chance she could..and me too if he wasn't handy

we added to our family with another cat and a dog...each has their own story

the 3 animigos

a few weeks ago Ditto stopped eating very much...some days she'd be fine others not...she lost weight quickly...we hand fed her and she seemed to improve...but then it seemed she was skin and bones overnight...

metabolic tests showed an extremely high ALT (liver function) and glucose...insulin helped but her poor liver was destroyed...the vet suspects a tumor...malignant of course...in her liver

so today at approximately 10:45 a.m....our baby...sweet "Ditz" crossed the rainbow bridge...to join God and our son-in-law Billy on the other side...she is with family and friends...she will be well loved until we see her again...sleep well my lovely fur baby...momma and daddy love you

Child/Cute Birthday Card Swap

  These are cards i made for a Child/Cute Birthday Card Swap over @ SCS...it is a 5 + 1...the +1 going to RMH Southern Alberta...i need to get these in the mail ASAP...but today is a real crazy Monday!!...couple of sick ones home...cat is very ill too...vet appt this afternoon...but both boys are napping and i have a couple of minutes to post...yay me...

Paper: Night of Navy, Wild Wasabi, plaid dp, Basic Black, Naturals White
Ink: Night of Navy, Navy Printer Ink (the font looks like a road with white lines)
Stamps: Let's Roll car
Accessories: 1.75", 1.50" & 0.5" circle punches, white brads

Car Close-Up

Font Close-Up

Paper: So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Naturals White, flower dp
Ink: So Saffron, Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery
Stamps: It's Your Birthday
Accessories: pink, lavender & teal gems

for the flower card i made 2 cards of each color using Bashful Blue, So Saffron, & Perfect Plum as the card bases...with alternate colors around the sentiment...plum on the saffron cards, saffron on the plum & celery on the blue... 

Cookin' Buddies

i had to do a second post...my hubby is a wonderful & creative cook...our youngest grandson Tayven loves to help out...as he says "i wanna cook wif you grandpa...cuz you're a good cooker"....Tay stands on a step stool just far enough back that he can see but not get hurt or in the way...he hands things to Grandpa and comments on the best way to do things...as well as what to add next...

please scroll down to see my previous post re: jonni's 2nd card

Cards my daughter Jonni made - #2

this is the 2nd card Jonni made for the get well/encouragement swap...she used bright/cheerful colors...the sentiment is a favorite saying of mine...i have it or something similar posted or displayed on various websites and in areas of my home...

Life Moments

flower close-up

Cards my daughter Jonni made - #1

my daughter Jonni made a couple of cards for the swap i hosted over on SCS too...here is her 1st one...i need to take pics of the 2nd one for a later post...we are sure having fun stamping together...christmas cards will be an adventure!

Get Well/Encouragement Swap - Farm Fever

Cards my daughter Myke made

i have 3 daughters ...Jonni is the oldest...the mother of my 3 grandkids...Myke is my baby but...their step-sister Tasha is the youngest...Jonni & Myke live with me...again...and we enjoy making cards together...cooking...and hanging out...they are both in my get well/encouragement swap...these are the cards Myke made for it...her dog looks very much like the one in the stamp...

Card Front

Front Close-up

Inside Card

the next card i was her "guest designer"...she really wanted to use this sentiment stamp...but we don't have any rainbow stamps...and she didn't care for any of the digis...

Rainbow

again, i must apologize re: my photo skills...one of these days...