Isn't it great to create-

I was lucky enough to win over at my BBF (best blog friend) Sue's blog. I won a PERFECT for me necklace...

and the way I wear it:

AND WAIT THERE"S MORE... I won a copy of her beautiful book.  Just this little picture and size does not due it justice.  It is an inspiring book of her poetry with interesting and artistic photos of 'real' people. 

I am totally in love with both prizes, Thank you Sue...
and since I am inspired to create,This is the project I am currently working on.  Nana's Quiet Book.  YEARS ago (like maybe 2004? 2003?) my friend and I were visiting the Sunset Ward in San Francisco (visiting the Young Women..) and the women in Relief Society were taking orders for a unique quiet book.  One of the ladies had designed this, she then had it printed on big sheets of felt AND THEN had put kits together of all the misc things (snaps, zippers, ribbons).  They were gracious enough to let us in on the deal... I knew that someday my girls would be grown and have babies... and I would be a Nana, how fun it would be to have a Special Nana Quiet book: 
Velcro skyline & Snap on Seals
 Shopping, nuff said
 Chocolate bar&snap on grapes
 button flowers and ferry ride
 lace upskates & cable car zipper
 velcro CLOUDS and finger dragon
fuzzy bear and magnetic fish
 racing boats

April showers

 you know, I'm all for a good rain... but....

 day after day after day after day after day after day      even my plants are having a hard time opening up!

and on another note, GRANDMA KATHERINE...
we went down to see her (two hour drive, did not rain at all... but it was raining here in Sequim when we returned 10 hours later!!!)
Katherine is still making a good comeback.  eating.  making faces.  taking long naps.  Here she is with her kids (except Nancy, missed you!)

I figured it out

I figured out why I'm fat! The shampoo I use in the shower that runs down my body says "For extra volume and body". Im going to start using "Dawn" dish soap. It says, Dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove".

and here are a couple of contest I've entered this week, just cuz I'm feeling lucky:(do YOU feel lucky too??)

I just entered to win a cute laptop bag giveaway on the nobiggieblog.

which btw is a great blog for lots of interesting creative items.
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  and then there is the give away for THIS wonderfully photo-terific book

 over at EXTREMELY talented Anne's blog  fione and twig

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Food Fun Friday - Pizza

ok, I'll bet you are saying... what????? you can't have pizza dough on South Beach/Atkins...
no you can't... but these little babies were really good and filling (along with a side of steamed broccoli or asparagus).  They were relatively easy too! 
They cured the pizza cravings we were having.
The secret:  Portobello mushrooms! 

Portobello Mushroom 'Pizza'
1 portobello mushroom (about 3oz) stem removed, wiped clean with a damp paper towel
1 TBL EVOO
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 TBL no added sugar tomato sauce
2 TBL shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat oven 425 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
In a small saute pan, heat olive oil until fragrant and shimmering, add garlic, lower heat and cook, stirring until golden, being careful not to burn. 
Place mushroom on lined baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil.  Bake 30 minutes, or until fork tender, turning after 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and raise heat to broil.
Top concave side of mushroom with tomato sauce, cheese and garlic.  Place under broiler for 1 minute or until cheese melts and bubbles.

Worth the effort. no April fools here!

Bloggville- Wedding idea blogs/sites

As most of you know (since I talk about it frequently here) we have a wedding in the family coming up in Sept.  I have found many sites that I peruse and get ideas from.  I thought I'd pass the sites/ideas along to you, my friends.  These are sites that I love looking at. (and some of my friends are in the same situation..weddings coming up, hi Sheriee)
so many ideas
Here they are in no particular order... but they are all together in one area that I (and you) can go back to time after time to check out the GREAT WEDDING ideas there are out there in bloggville!

Amor-ology

The Wedding Chicks
huge HUGE beautiful site with tons and tons of photos, and downloads etc and photos. and tons of photographers to look at THEIR pictures

The  Perfect Palette

The Broke-Ass Bride

  no picture here.. not as many pictures on wedding bee either, but lots of 'real' people submitting ideas
Weddingbee

ruffled blog-real wedding

Kara's party ideas

Utterly Engaged

Ever Ours

ok I think that's enough for now!

Wednesday Wisdom

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Little Thoughts for Life

These are amazing little thoughts that are worth repeating.  And worth reading over and over, and putting into practice...am I getting old that I'm starting to say... ahh if only I would have done that...
nope, I'm printing this out because I believe that I will: 

breathe... save... stay in touch... burn the candle... and give time time.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland,

Ohio.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
3. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.
4. Pay off your credit cards every month.
5. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
6. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
7. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
8. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
9. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
10. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey
is all about.
11. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
12. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God
never blinks.
13. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
14. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
15. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
16. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't
save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
17. The most important sex organ is the brain.
18. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
19. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will
this matter?'
20. What other people think of you is none of your business.
21. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
22. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
23. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
24. Believe in miracles.
25. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did
or didn't do.
26. Your children get only one childhood.
27. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
28. The best is yet to come.
29. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
30. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."