Thursday, November 7, 2013

How Time Flies!

I just rediscovered my blog.  OK I know that sounds crazy.  But it has been an absolutely wild year around here!  Yes I promised pictures of the duke costume from last year.  Do I have any pictures to show from it?  Hmmmm that's a loaded question.  I'm sure I took them--after all, it was my son-in-law I made the costume for.  Do I know where the pictures are?  Now that's a totally different story.
Yes, those are real shells that have been painted, glittered and hand stitched to the "tunic" (or as we teased him, his dress).  There were over 50 shells on it.  Between the multiple layers of fabric, the two bolts of sequins, and the shells that were on this, I'm REALLY glad I'm not the none that had to wear it!  It was HEAVY!


Austin just loved it when Uncle Mike tried on his costume.  He was totally enthralled with it.

They represented the god Poseidon and goddess Athena.

All in all, they turned out GREAT!
 
This year, my hubby and I have been elected King and Queen of this Mardi Gras krewe.  We have been working what feels like non stop to  make not only our trains, collars, and costumes.  We have also been working on the costumes, capes, collars and headpieces of our court members.  Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until after Mardi Gras to see any of it--as we're not revealing what they'll look like until then.  If you're lucky though, I'll remember to come back and show you! 
I really am not the best blogger!  I get side tracked too easily and just don't remember to come back to it.  And because I don't log into my Google account very often, I don't even see the blog to remind me.  I just seem to have too many distractions in my life.
 
Of course 2 of those distractions are my beautiful grandsons that live with us.  Watching them grow and develop is such a joy.  They are joined by 5 other distractions--their cousins and the remaining grandchildren.  We recently were told that there will be an 8th distraction added to the family.  I haven't been told of when the proposed due date will be, but maybe we'll have more of an idea by Christmas when grandbaby number 8 will make its presence known.
 
Speaking of Christmas, can you believe that it will be upon us so soon?  It is so hard to believe that stores are already fully stocked with Christmas decorations and some are even playing Christmas carols already.  Really???? Whatever happened to November?  Thanksgiving?  Are people really no longer thankful for what they have?  It's a shame that people just take everything they have for granted.  Although, I have to add myself to that mix.  I get so involved with activities or just the daily run of the mill things we all do, that I forget to be thankful.
 
The roof over our head, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, we just take for granted that they'll be there.  We all tend to forget or turn a blind eye to the fact that people around us do not have homes, do not have food to eat, do not have new (or sometimes even clean) clothes to wear.  Our subconscious mind tends to hide that fact from us on a daily basis.  If we don't see it, then it doesn't exist.  But it DOES exist and people all around us are not blessed with the comforts we're all comfortable with.  I'm not just talking about those in third world countries or in foreign lands, I'm talking about the people that walk the same streets, go to the same schools or businesses, live near us.  There is a bridge that is less than 1/2 a mile from my house that is known to "house" people.  Some of them are quite content to live there and chose a life without all the personal comforts that a materialistic society brings upon itself.  But most that come and go from under the bridge are those that were forced out of their homes for one reason or another.  WE, as a society need to learn not to turn a blind eye towards them; to be thankful for what we have; to not take for granted that we'll always live in a house that is furnished with comfortable furniture; we may not always have the ability to have electricity, water, and gas for our comfort; we may not always have a loving friend, spouse, family member who will help us and love us unconditionally that will stand by you no matter what.  Wow, there are so many things that we can be and SHOULD be thankful for.  We just don't think of all that we have that we could lose in an instant.  Someone on facebook started the 30 days of thanks--that each day during the month of November, you write what you're thankful for.  We should be thankful EVERYDAY of the year.  We should remember to not just ask God to help with everything, but to THANK HIM for all that he's given us.