Newly Inspired

SO I know it's be a really long time since I did anything on here and probably no one even remembers that I have a blog, but...I do. I'll do the best I can, but without ol' Hudman by my side, it's difficult to make some of the changes I'd like to.

I've been newly inspired to do more creative things lately, or maybe not newly inspired but REinspired! :) One thing I have managed to do is to paint Hubby's Grandmother's bathroom. Goosey's bathroom went from a dull pinkish color to a strange color. I have bought the bucket of paint on clearance at Wallyworld thinking I might use it in my kitchen at home - then it was too blue. The best way to describe the color (without a picture) is Robin Egg Blue...that's green! :) It's been a fun project for me and I'm ALMOST finished. I want to finish as soon as possible so I can move on to Goosey's kitchen! With the help of my Sisters-In-Law and other family members, we're gonna kick this thing!

So...on to my kitchen. I have found a paint color - Pine Needle (an Eddie Bauer color from Lowes) that matches the color I have in my vision. I want to warm things up and shake it up...since it's been 25 years since paint was applied to those walls! LOL! I have wood paneling about 1/2 on the wall, bottom half and I'm considering painting that too, but color is undetermined at this point. Feel free to weigh in on colors. My flooring presently in the kitchen is the peel and stick vinyl (don't recommend that!) and it's a grey color w/brown - kind of a mock stone color. NOT my favorite, but it did what we needed it to do.

I have a love - nay - a PASSION for antiques with meaning. I don't just pick up random things, I like them to have a meaning behind them. Items that got me started on this little treasure hunt were things that my Granny or my great Aunt Esther had in their homes. I love the blue Indiana Carnival glass - grape and vine pattern?? and the forest green glass - but I'm not opposed at all for other patterns or colors. I have several items in clear glass that Hubby found for me in yard sales that I'm having a hard time parting with...and I have odd things that just jumped at me. I love roosters and chickens in my kitchen, and I really lean toward fall colors. I'd love to have more rooms in my home to decorate with all the styles that catch my eye, but alas - God let's me have 3 main rooms and 1 bathroom to play with.

My bathroom changes with the seasons - well with Summer & Fall. Fall brings out the nature girl in me and I decorate my bathroom with bears, deer - nature things! Dark Hunter Green & tans/browns are the primary colors. Summer brings out the palm trees & beach things like my sea shells from my cousin who lived near Galveston, TX at the time of my marriage 25 years ago. Yup, kept them for that long!

My bedroom is a work in progress. I hope to paint both my kitchen and one wall of my bedroom in October when Hubby goes hunting in Colorado. Won't he be surprised when HE COMES HOME?! LOL!
My bed boasts a wonderful yard sale find - a camo comforter thanks to my Seester. I have a beautiful set of furniture that my folks bought for me after she left the nest in 1981. I'm leaning toward more frames painted black or black accessories and some gold tones. I LOVE (even though some think it looks "trashy") the words that you can decorate your rooms with such as "HOPE" - or "LOVE"... and I have 3 pictures that I found at Wallyworld that are one of my walls. I have various other photos of Larry's dad and grandfather on his side...and plan to carry out that idea as well.

I now have an 'office' of sorts. I share this room currently with Hubby's gun safe (which I'm thankful we have...don't get me wrong) and with DT's only storage for his clothes - a 2 door armoire'. All of this room is paneled, but hopefully I can begin painting in there as well so I'm not suffocated in brown all the time! ha Purple is my FAVORITE color so...purple is coming in! :) I also love the flower Iris - so that also will be found in this room.

My living room - well, it's pretty much o.k. except that I need new carpet in a BAD WAY! I WILL have that carpet too, but I need to figure out for sure what I want and how to pay for it. I have a "lodge look" going on in there with the 2 3/4 bear mounts and all the deer heads - Hubby's trophies!!! I get to decorate around all of them - aren't I a lucky woman??

Wish me luck as I go on my quest for decorating perfection!! I'll update my progress as I can...and even post some pictures for those with strong stomachs!!

May God bless you all with health, much love from those YOU love and the joy of making your house a home!
~Traci

God is Good!

It's been a while since I've posted and probably, if you're reading this it's by accident, but to update on what I had posted previously:
Larry is doing very good on his new diet. After several months of dieting faithfully, he's lost over 50 pounds, feels much better and is completely OFF of his blood pressure medicine which is a HUGE PRAISE!! His blood pressure is the best it's been, he's seeing a wonderful doctor and now, will not have to go back for about 6 months!! (Maybe during this time, we can pay off or at least pay down some of the dr. bills!!!)

Little Jed is still undergoing chemo treatment but he's doing good. There are SO many people who are supporting his family and lifting him and his family. He's about 1/2 way through the treatments. This past weekend, his immunity levels were up and he was able to come visit his Goosey's house (Great-Great grandmother) where his cousins, Aunt and Uncle and other Great grandparents live. We had a wonderful time playing with him, even if he is ALL BOY! :)

My mother-in-law, Mary Nell is doing great. The doctors have declared her to be in remission which is just wonderful news to us. They're gradually taking her down on her meds and she hopes they'll take completely off some of them. Please continue to pray for her - she's just doing wonderful and we Praise God for that!

My family and I were able to go to New Mexico the last part of May which was a great trip! We went out for my Dad's side - mini family reunion. So many didn't get to come due to illness or work but the ones who came and participated are just precious precious people! I got to "meet' a cousin that I haven't seen since she was a baby. Amy is now a mom and just a great Christian lady and I'm proud to have been able to spend a few days with her and her family. Jay, her husband, is a hoot! We got to see a Memorial Day parade in which my cousin Daneigh rode her horse in - and that was a treat. Many cuddos to my Aunt and Uncle who opened their house and pool for us all, and who cooked so much for us!! It was a very memorable time - especially in taking Mandy with us, Danton's girlfriend. She just fit right in!! :))

Summer in Arkansas is always hot, no doubt about it. This year is no different but the A/C in my Tahoe is out and that is NOT fun. Good thing I have a short hair doo or I'd be upset in trying to keep the mane contained! HA I'm hoping to get that taken care of shortly. Even in the heat, I was able to FINISH (yeah, only took me how many months???) painting my bathroom. Hopefully I'll get some before and after pix up soon.

Enjoy the summer, stay in the cool air and love your family! :)

A Praying Family

With my precious neices at my side, I have just read and been "updated" on my Great Nephew Jedidiah Harper's condition - he was diagnosed not too long ago with a hugely long name... but basically it's cancer. He has had 2 surgeries so far and has had great test outcomes. They are no longer finding any cancerous cells, but nonetheless, he is going through 24 weeks of chemo treatment. His Mom has a blog... http://www.harperhouse4.blogspot.com/ if you'd like to follow along with us as Jed and his family go through one of life's unpleasant adventures.

If this has done nothing but to make us all so very thankful for healthy children - it has made us much more of a praying family. Prayers to our Lord and Savior will result in miracles!!! We've seen this too many times and without a shadow of a doubt, I believe God is healing Jed!!

Not only have we dealt with Jed's disease, my mother-in-law Mary Nell has recently been diagnosed with Microscopic PolyAngilitis - a vascular disease that can affect almost everything in your body. Thankfully, she is also on a treatment plan and is feeling pretty good. There is no cure, but we believe that she has the BEST care from great doctors and is also in the care of the Great Physician, God. One more diagnosis that took me off guard, but has made me more of a prayer warrior - is that of my husband Larry. He was diagnosed with adult onset Type 2 Diabetes. It is controlled with diet and excersice and he's going very good with it.

If you are NOT a part of a praying family, I urge you to become a prayer warrior for my family! We desperately need prayer and I so appreciate all the prayers from all over the world going up for my family. Praise God we have this direct line to Him and thank you all for ringing His phone on our behalf!!

February - Getting Older & lots more stuff!

Well, as I sit and contemplate what to write, the first thing I think of is how very blessed I am with another year of life! Just a few weeks ago, the good Lord allowed me to turn 43 - and I had a wonderful birthday... week! :) For the 2nd year in a row, I got to spend my birthday with my oldest sister and helped her celebrate her 50th birthday earlier in the month as well. Miki, my other sister, got to spend some of that time with us in celebration-which was great - all 3 of us together! These days, even though we're closer in distance - it's somewhat of a chore for us all to get together for one reason or another.

It's also the month of love - and so to the one I love and have given my whole heart to - Larry, I love you more than you could know! I cherish the years we have together, look forward to the ones we will have together and covet your time and attention! :) To my Sons, Danton and Hudson - you make me want to be a better person so that I can be the example I need to be in front of you. You two make my life complete - and completely insane as well! LOL I am loving these times when Danton comes home and I hear laughter in my house again. I'm so glad God gave you 2 to me and your Dad!!!

This month is also the month that I have been dreading - the month I find out whether or not I have new health insurance and *drum roll please* I DO!!! The only problem is that they have put a 20 % increase on the monthly premium because I'm "overweight." Define "overweight! Yeah yeah I know, I can stand to be more mobile and less chair-bound! I know, I can stand to eat less speghetti and more salads.... I know, I know, I KNOW! Geesh~ but when you're surrounded by all the Valentine chocolates - this is a difficult thing for a woman in her 40's who CRAVES chocolate and has determined in her mind that chocolate MAKES ME MORE LOVABLE~ or at least makes some of those I am in contact with more bareable! LOL OH and it helps even more so that I'm helping plan a school reunion that will span 2 DECADES for cryin' out loud~ coming up in August! SO.... I go on the diet - but which one? My vote is for that ever impossible diet of eating what you want - with some excersize incorperated - and the pounds just shed off! *BY THE WAY... why do all the diet pill commercials on television have models who have NEVER weighed more than a slab of ribs on them???*

February has also opened my eyes to some possible home improvements needed in my humble abode. I've become mesmerized by the shows on DIY "Sweat Equity" and basically ANY home improvement shows. Watch out Larry, you may be waiting for turkey season, but I bet I can keep you busy until you go out huntin' for ol' TOM!! :)

Thus, begins March - I will march my way to a smaller me, march my way to a healthier me, and march my way into some fun home improvements that hopefully will make my stay on this planet and in my little house, a little more enjoyable - at least until I get my mansion... in Heaven! :)

Season's Greetings

Merry Christmas To All!

I hope this letter finds you all doing well and happy! 2009 has slipped right through our fingers and within a blink of an eye will be gone. It’s been a good year filled with many blessings for the Robertson household. I hope you can say the same.

Larry continues to work on the mail route that he’s been on since before we married. He’s so thankful to have a good substitute carrier so that he can take off to hunt… and take off he has! He enjoyed a 10 day hunting trip to the Gunnison National Forest near Hotchkiss, Colorado and was partially successful. He brought home some mule deer meat, but was unable to get an Elk, much to my disappointment. He really enjoyed the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the people he sees while he’s there and of course, the hunt. Larry traveled to and from Colorado with a childhood friend – I think it’s really a neat thing that he is still friends with Tim and that they share the love of the outdoors much like they did when they were young. Larry loves to hunt on the lease close to home and got a very small 6 point, but it is meat nonetheless! I’m glad it’s not Harvey Wall-hanger!

Danton is in his 2^nd year at Henderson University in Arkadelphia, AR and is still pursuing his degree to be a high school history teacher. I have to brag a little, he’s really doing well (close to – if not a 4.0!) even with all of his duties being a resident advisor. As an R.A., he lives in a nice dorm room and is the over-seer of his floor. He shares duties with other R.A.’s watching the front door, monitoring the hall and presenting “programs” or meetings with the students. Danton was very blessed when the “powers that be” gave him permission to do a monthly Bible study as one of his programs! God has really shown His love for Danton this year – the beginning of the semester was very difficult to say the least, but with many prayers – he was given much peace and confirmation that he’s in the place God wants him to be. He continues to date the lovely Mandy (whom he graduated high school with) and it is so much fun to see their love blossom. During the summer, Danton worked with kids from the area at the local Boys and Girls Club and hopes to do that again next summer.

Hudson celebrated #14 this year and is just a man-child! He has boomed to be a 6 ft. tall young man with an amazing bass voice! God has blessed him with the ability to sight read notes- something his teacher assures me is NOT the norm for boys his age. He placed 3^rd in the Southwest Area All-Region Choir this Fall and continues to love singing and acting in school plays. He is enjoying a very successful 8^th grade and has been on the A/B honor roll and for the first time in a couple of years, will NOT be taking semester tests! YEA!!! He has a wonderful Algebra 1 teacher that has brought back his natural math abilities and we’re looking forward to him earning high school credit for that class a year early. He’s old enough to drive, but I’m leaving this to Larry – this time it’s not so easy for me to be in the passenger’s seat.

We added a new member to our pet family – Kitty the cat! She is the sweetest cat we’ve had in a long time and is so satisfied to let the boys love on her, drag her around and have fun with her. You can see, she has quite the personality! We were without our little Sugar dog for a couple of months, but with one of my friends’ help, we found her and brought her home again. HA! Rounding out the family is Hank, a registered Mountain Kerr dog- a fancy name for the dog who does nothing but what he wants to do. Hopefully, we’ll be raising puppies before too long.

I’m in my 9^th year, working as a helper in the school district’s technical department and love it. I teach 2 classes daily to 7^th and 8^th graders and have more duties that I care to mention. I got to hunt several days this season, but didn’t get a deer. Good thing I only spent money on the little license!

I stand amazed at our Lord’s mercy and grace. I hope I’ve been the messenger I’m supposed to be by telling of His love and protection! Larry and I attended too many funerals this year (But Praise the Lord many of them just went HOME!), but we also witnessed so many answered prayers. We’re reminded of God’s infinite wisdom for our lives and how compassionate He is towards our family. We’re reminded that when we are still and have an open “ear”, He speaks sometimes in the simplest ways – such as through the songs of others. It is our prayer that you allow God to direct your lives and speak to you. Please remember our family in your prayers and know that we’re thinking of all of you and wishing you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sisters

Some of you may already know that I actually have 2 older sisters. One of them I was raised with and am fully "kin" to and the other - we were not raised with her and we share a Dad. Miki is 4 years older than me and JoDet is 7 years older - and for the first time EVER, we all 3 live in the same state!!

As of October, JoDet is living in the area and I'm just as pleased as punch! Just the thought of having both of my sisters within driving distance - one of which is within 25 minutes of my house is AMAZING, but what is even more amazing his how God prepared our hearts for the transition. With us not having been raised together or even living in the same state for our 40+ years of life, it would seem a difficult thing for the 3 of us to come together...and probably would have been several years ago, but not now. I'm not sure when it happened or how it happened, but God could see that we would need to become more of a support system for each other and learn to love past our jealousy, our own desires and just love each others as sisters. JoDet comes to us so excited about the possibility of being with us and experiencing Arkansas - despite the situation surrounding her arrival.

JoDet is a very talented lady. She has a passion for cooking and is a certified Chef! WOO HOO!! She has a degree or whatever it is from a culinary school in San Fransico, CA - loves decorating and loves her 3 children and grandson Avey. Although they are in Cali - they remain supportive of their Mom and are making plans to visit. She makes some killer Mexican food, I'm told and I just can't wait to taste some of it - and some other things I know she'll be making for us. After helping her unpack boxes and BOXES of things for just her kitchen, I'm excited!! :) Welcome Home, JoDet!

Miki - ahh me Seester Miki!~ :) She's also a very talented soul and creative! She lives in South Arkansas and has since she married her husband in 1981. She loves to antique shop - and decorates her home beautifully with them! She is G0-Go (Grandmother) to 2 precious little girls, one of whom visits her house often. The other is very close by me, in Bryant and will love to visit Go-Go as she grows up I'm sure! Miki has a zany humor *gee wonder who that sounds like?* and loves life although the health card has delt with her harshly. Despite her infermities (nice way of saying diseases!) she keeps us all on our toes!

I am looking forward to some SISTER bonding time (!!!) and looking forward to making new memories of the 3 sisters together.

The Great White Hunter

Well, the great white hunter, LARRY has returned from a partially successful hunt in Colorado. He was blessed enough to harvest (a nice word for KILL) a 3X3 mule deer - not my favorite kind of meat, but meat nonetheless. He didn't get an opprotunity (that he's telling about anyway) to shoot at an elk. :( He did say that he had a wonderful time visiting with the men that went out there with him as well as making new friends and seeing some ol' buddies from the area. He mentioned several, but since I've never had the pleasure of meeting them - I can't recall their names. I do, however, remember that one of them was a preacher and that they had friends in common - it's a small world!

While Larry was away, I did manage to do a few things. Hudson and I definately enjoyed the quiet evenings and the control of the satallite and the remotes! :) We went twice to the "Mtn. Valley Mall" a.k.a. Teen Challenge of Arkansas' Vintage Mall and found several goodies. I bought 2 very nice picture frames that I will fix up to hold pictures of my handsome sons as well as a ceramic turkey and a nice jar with a rooster on it. My niece-in-law really got the ol' crafting juices flowing, but there just wasn't enough time off or money to do all I wanted to do.
"Thanks, Lori!"

My Mtn. Valley Mall finds - 2 8X10 frames, for my handsome lil' men. OK, what to do with these frames??
Paint them? Leave them??

*Notice, the boys are both in blue, and one is in the barn and the other is in the field...
Grandpa's barn, Grandpa's field! :))) *

Bought just some used wooden 5X7 frames, sprayed them w/a gloss black to give them "PUNCH" on my paneled walls. Added b/w photos of Larry's family - mainly Grandpa Earl Teal. He'd on the tractor mowing hay in our field in the 80's (middle pix) and holding 2 turkeys w/Larry's Dad Jamie who also has 2 turkeys (bottom pix.) The top picture is, we think, Grandma Vicie Teal's grandfather, W.B. Plummer, after a hunting trip.



A lot of things happened while Larry was gone - such as my oldest sister JoDet "moved" to Arkansas. The situation surrounding the move isn't the best, but I do believe that God is allowing her time with her family as well as a much needed time to do some soul searching and some self preservation...otherwise known as finding herself! I'm blessed to have her so close to me for as you see, we were not raised together and didn't have the benefit of knowing each other as sisters until later in life. God knew what was going to happen and brought us so much more together in the past year.... it's a "God" thing!!

I'll post some of Larry's Colorado pictures as well as my thrifty finds. Have a great Fall and remember...the holidays aren't that far away! Give your family and friends the gift of yourself. Find TIME to give them what they most need - YOU!