~* GrEEtiNgs FrOm The SuNsHiNe StAte! *~

Greetings from FLorida!!!

This week I am vacationing on the

white sandy shores

of Florida's Gulf Coast.

I will be posting pictures

and more Blog Posts soon!

So stay tuned....

Until then... I wish you

Blessings!

*

Katie

~*JuLy 4th * FaMiLy ReUniOn 09*~

Niece Sadie
Nephew Duren

Nieces Sadie, Courtney, McCormack, and Nephew Chet

SIL Jeanne has a handful with 4 kiddos

but she does a beautiful job of mult-tasking.

Sweet SIL Bobbi and BIL Robt

Our family's "Grand Pooba" and wife ~

Ed and Marianne

Sam and Ivana's roses

A Great idea ~ all of the family's hand prints

on a canvas to remember this 2009 reunion.

Tomorrow we'll add our signatures

Me and Mark

My shirt says Full House

but it should say ~ Full Heart!

Wherever you find yourself this Holiday Weekend,

May YoU be BleSSed beyond measure!

Katie

~* Wishes for a Happy 4th!

*

*

*

*~*Happy Birthday America!*~

Dear Friends ~

This week I am grateful for our Country!

and I am showing my gratitude by paying

tribute to those bloggers in my life who

share the joys and the spirit

of American life!

Jan from Summer Sundays has been a

real inspiration to me with her blog

about her love of her family,

her store ~ Leolas

where you can purchase to own

a little piece of America's past.

(Leola was her mother's name and her

wonderful sisters are a part of it too!)

Sometimes Jan's family

invites us to share in and

be a part of her family.

And we'll claim hers as part of ours any day!

Mrs. E. from Easy Street blog

is one of my newest friends in blogland.

She and her blogs have captured my heart

as she skillfully writes about

her small town life,

in a town that is rebuilding itself

after a devastating disaster.

(that shows the American spirit in action)

Jerusalem from my little life blog

One of my first ever blog friends

writes about her family life,

feathering her nest, and building

a design business with American ingenuity.

*

*

May your Holiday week be blessed

with every joy!

Katie

*~Unexpected * Pleasures~*

*

Dear Friends,

Last week I was close to downtown Commercial Street

and decided to visit it and see how the renovations

were coming along for this part of our city.

This is what I discovered...

The bridge my father walked over many times in his youth.

I stopped at this wonderful french country antique/flea Mkt.

store and spent awhile talking to the owners Tom and Gary.

Two of the nicest people on Commercial St.

Red Velvet Art had some funky

and whimsical music & art items.

The Pizza House, a nostalgic eatery, recently

moved here. The waitress gave me a Dr. Pepper

and would not let me pay full price because it

was too hot of a day.

I purposely did not share the insides of the

stores this time. Will save for a later post.

Today

I had a wonderful package arrive in the mail...

It was my celebrate summer bracelet from Jodi

from

Everything Vintage

I won it on her give away and it is loaded with

pearls and shells and tiny charms.

I adore it.... there is only one problem....

Sophie saw it and now..

she wants one too!

Summer Blessings,

Katie

~**Fanning Flames**~

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.

It is then burst into flame by an encounter

with another human being.

We should all be thankful for those people

who rekindle the inner spirit.

~Albert Schweitzer

*~Dear Friends ~*

Since I began blogging 2 years ago

I have met the most incredible, kind, and

generous people who have often

rekindled my inner spirit.

I am so blessed to call them friends.

Most have came into my blog life

and fanned my low flickering flame

at times when I have needed an extra spark!

So with a grateful heart

I would like to devote this post to some of them~

I hope my readers will visit them

and discover for yourself

how wonderful they truely are ~

*

Anna, Linda, and Nathalie

(the sisterhood of the traveling altered book)

have offered advice, encouragement, and

kinship from the very start!

*
The adorable, talented, and sweet Jodi

who was my swap partner in one of the

sweet repeater's swaps,

who has been an incredible resource,

inspiration, and blog friend to me!

*

And Patti ~ always inspiring me

with her poetry and words describing

life all around us and stirring up and giving

life to our deeply rooted emotions.

To all of you I say Thank You

for feeding my soul and

fanning my

light!

*

Love and Blessings,

Katie

It is my hope that each Wed. I am going to post my gratitude

to my wonderful blog friends!

*~I am a Living Legacy ~**

To The Leader Of The Band

Lessons my father taught me ~

A hard day of work never killed anyone,

tell good stories often

pretty is as pretty does,

laugh everyday,

cherish your spouse,

tell the truth,

sing often, be positive,

harmless practical jokes are OK

and make life fun,

enjoy the outdoors everyday,

everyone needs a good dog friend,

don't hurt anyone ever,

use stepping stones to cross high creeks,

a good tickle breaks the tension,

dance even if you think you look silly,

swing as high as you can,

if you need help, I'll give you a push,

don't ever cheat, go the extra mile,

leave things better than you found them,

treat authority & elders with respect,

always put a little back

for rainy days,

a smile is cheaper than a face lift,

don't wear loafers to a dance,

(and my favorites)

take care of the "under dogs"

and

we're all an under dog at some time,

Your faith in God

is the most important thing

in your whole life.

The latter is one of the last things he ever said to me.

Even though his body was growing weaker

his faith remained

strong.

Johnie Wayne Donald
Happy Father's Day Dad!

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers this weekend!

Blessings,

Katie

The song, The Leader Of The Band, by Dan Fogelberg has always been

my favorite song for my dad. My mother says that even tho my brother

looks the most like dad that I am the most like him.

He would rather be doing it than merely talking about it!

He was a free spirit both to the delight and impatience of my mother.

I adored him ~ he was my hero!