Aloha! a year and about 30 days or so, i retired from the school district. what a happy day that was, and i am still happy. a little glitch is that my husband retired the end of this school year too, so i have major attitude and space adjustments to make. i am sorry to say i deeply regret these feelings, but nevertheless, i have them so why not confess them as well. the plus' for my husband (and me) is his ability to de-stress (lifesaver for both of us), work around the home 24/7 (drives me nuts), go when and where he pleases (no longer based on how he feels, and so much more. for 18 years his schedule was up at 4:45 am, at work by 6 or 6:15, drive all day and home around 5 or 5:30, winter, spring, summer and fall. might not be a big deal for some men, but we both grew up in Hawaii and learning to live and function in seasons was difficult, then became better, slowly into tolerable and finally unbearable. so, since retirement, the stress of functioning in all seasons is greatly relieved.
it dawned on me recently that when i follow along with blog hops and enter my comments, a great many of my comments are attached to my google blogspot. i don't think anyone actually comes to my blog, after all, it isn't very good. but what if i finally bit the bullet and learned how to upload projects (scrapbooking and cardmaking) and at least followed what i mentioned in my headline? worth the effort.
i have been so happy being a grandparent. my grandkids call me TuTu, Hawaiian term for grandma, pop pop is what they call grandpa. i have 3 grandsons, 2 granddaughters, and one in the oven. my two sons are married, the oldest, Simon n Mindy, have 3 boys and precious Ruby Lynn Kuulei (2.5 years) and my other son Ben n Heidi have beautiful and adorable Gretchen Leilani, (2.7 years) and 10 weeks into baby #2. how blessed am i! my daughter is 22, hasn't dated anyone because she says the men she's met are immature. i just tell her that God is still working on you both and you will meet in His timing. i am blessed that she is content and smart about who she meets and who she wants to invest her life with.
my dear friend Lynette, in Hawaii, keeps trying to get me to come to our high school reunion. every 5 years she really pushes in the sweetest way. uh, maybe not often as every 5 years, my memory is not soo good. but she has been the best friend one could ever pray for. last june she and long time boyfriend (26 years i think) Bill were married. about time, right!
so, later, i'll try the whole upload thing. i am going to wait for my daughter to come and teach me the whats and whatnots. so far i know how to download pictures to Costco to be developed.
Aloha
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Monday, May 13, 2013
may 13, 2013! my sister nani is celebrating birthday 60-something. how about that, i don't remember which birthday number she hits this year. the years don't matter, it's what we do with them that matters. i have 4 sisters total, but nani and i are the closest, both geographically and everything else. our dad lives with nani, they built onto the house that my mom and dad had built back in the early 70's. wish i could be there! i am retiring at the end of this school year, june 12th to be exact. oh yes, i am very excited! i can go visit my pops and sister and nieces anytime i want, providing the weather allows. but it is going to be summer sooner or later here in central oregon, and that means i won't be freezing and miserable for about 45 days. summer doesn't last long, but it is so beautiful. i love each day, like it was my last-----because before i know it, winter has returned.
i have been making cards for most of the winter, but several weeks ago we had a 3-day crop. i armed myseld with tons of photos printed from costco. chose an outrageous amount of patterned papers and plain card stock, die cutting machine, bling, adhesives, paints, sewing machine, embellies, and the list goes on and on. i always haul way too much to a crop, but i go there with a clean slate, i never pre-plan my scrapbooking. i begin with the photo(s) or which group of papers i want to use. no 2 pages are ever alike, and that's how i like it. making my own embellishments, alphas, using paints, stamps, ink, and an endless amount of other tools, i sit and create each page. i am most relaxed at home when i am creating but going to crops puts me in touch with my friends i have made over the years who share the same passion about paper crafting. i've never submitted any of my creations to magazines or other blogs, i have never had the desire to do such. perhaps i'm afraid of something or another, but i doubt it. i don't have the desire to spend time on the computer. i love my macbook air, but its just a tool, not a way of life. i get sucked into it many times, but not so much as to concern me. i like things just the way they are.
my two grand-daughters that were born in winter 2011 and 2012 have grown up way too fast. little gretchen leilani will be 18 months at the end of may, and miss ruby lynn kuulei will have just turned 16 months. little grand daughters are so much fun. now my grand sons' are growing waaaaay too fast. sam will be 9 on the 29th of this month, pete will be 6 in september, and andy will be 3 in july! whooooo, that was too fast. i'm falling asleep just looking at my computer, so i'm just going to end this conversation right here.
may Our Dear Lord bless you each and every day of your life. if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please do. it will reserve your home in eternity with God. the alternative is burning in hell with satan. God Bless you all!
aloha, jo ann
i have been making cards for most of the winter, but several weeks ago we had a 3-day crop. i armed myseld with tons of photos printed from costco. chose an outrageous amount of patterned papers and plain card stock, die cutting machine, bling, adhesives, paints, sewing machine, embellies, and the list goes on and on. i always haul way too much to a crop, but i go there with a clean slate, i never pre-plan my scrapbooking. i begin with the photo(s) or which group of papers i want to use. no 2 pages are ever alike, and that's how i like it. making my own embellishments, alphas, using paints, stamps, ink, and an endless amount of other tools, i sit and create each page. i am most relaxed at home when i am creating but going to crops puts me in touch with my friends i have made over the years who share the same passion about paper crafting. i've never submitted any of my creations to magazines or other blogs, i have never had the desire to do such. perhaps i'm afraid of something or another, but i doubt it. i don't have the desire to spend time on the computer. i love my macbook air, but its just a tool, not a way of life. i get sucked into it many times, but not so much as to concern me. i like things just the way they are.
my two grand-daughters that were born in winter 2011 and 2012 have grown up way too fast. little gretchen leilani will be 18 months at the end of may, and miss ruby lynn kuulei will have just turned 16 months. little grand daughters are so much fun. now my grand sons' are growing waaaaay too fast. sam will be 9 on the 29th of this month, pete will be 6 in september, and andy will be 3 in july! whooooo, that was too fast. i'm falling asleep just looking at my computer, so i'm just going to end this conversation right here.
may Our Dear Lord bless you each and every day of your life. if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please do. it will reserve your home in eternity with God. the alternative is burning in hell with satan. God Bless you all!
aloha, jo ann
Sunday, November 20, 2011
I love Thanksgiving
this is the time of year i enjoy the most. i have several good reasons, and several selfish reasons, so i'll start with the good reasons. i am thankful every day i wake up and can get out of bed. i thank God for this and i also thanks Him for so many, many other things as well. my selfish reasons began about 10 years ago when my oldest son's beautiful wife Mindy started a new Thanksgiving tradition of hosting this wonderful day and feast. my son, Simon, cooks the turkey in the deep fryer and also a traditional turkey in the oven. mindy bakes pies, makes the favorite sweet potatoes with marshmellows, green beans, lattes..................oh the list goes on. i bring the cornbread stuffing and cranberries (so easy). did i mention that they do all this with three growing boys, the oldest being 7, that is Sam, next comes Pete, at 5, and not last but next is Andy, at 16 months. in January, 2012, miss Ruby Lynn Kuulei Delery will be introduced to the world, what joy and excitement. so, don't you think they do a tremendous amount of work for Thanksgiving?!! Mindy is 37, i had my second son when i was 37. she will be close to turning 38 when miss ruby arrives. i, on the other hand was 43 when i had my daughter, rebekah. my middle son married a year and a half ago to beautiful Heidi Lynn and they are expecting their first child just after Thanksgiving, around the 28th. so, you see, i am so blessed, and so thankful, because i serve an awesome God who loves me unconditionally; who sent His Son to earth as a newborn child, to save us from our sins by sacrificing His life for ours, thereby taking our sin burden upon His sinless life. all we do is ask Him into our lives, confess our sins, which are forgiven forever, and with the help of the Holy Spirit lead a life that is pleasing to God and brings Him Glory. now, while that may all sound so simple, it isn't. but He, God, left us His Word, the Bible, and what a manual it is. read it sometime, then read it all the time. Let God be Himself in your lives, He will change you from the inside out. it's eternity with Him or eternity with the devil. it's not a difficult choice at all!
i'm going to be doing a stampin up workshop on the 2nd of December. my first in about 4 years. i have so many ideas in my head, tomorrow i will start designing a few of those ideas. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob become your God also. it's never too soon, none of us are guaranteed a long life. tell your loved ones too!
i'm going to be doing a stampin up workshop on the 2nd of December. my first in about 4 years. i have so many ideas in my head, tomorrow i will start designing a few of those ideas. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob become your God also. it's never too soon, none of us are guaranteed a long life. tell your loved ones too!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
my hawaiian sista has found me!
i received the happiest email of my life a few days ago (or maybe just yesterday) from my hawaiian sista linnie. we were school mates, kailua high school, class of 1968!! hi linnie!!!!! you better not get married and not invite me, even if you just go to the court house (a friend of mine, her daughter and new hubbie did this). i need to be there. you were there for me, oh so many years ago. this is a personal blog, i guess, since i am aiming right at you my friend.
bekah and i are doing good. she has two part time jobs and is always on the go. not forgetting to have fun in the between times. she makes me so happy, she'll never know just how much. she lovingly called me her senior citizen mom once and i liked it so i keep reminding her that i can't keep up! ben and heidi celebrated their 1 year anniversary on march 5th and a couple of weeks later announced that heidi is pregnant. yipee!!!!!!!!!!!! that will make me tutu to #4! my 3 grandsons from simon and mindy are so wonderful. we play, talk, go on walks, i feed andy when i'm there. he's crawling now. just started a few nights ago!! he's 8 months now. sam is 6, 7 on 5/29 (oh gosh, too fast to grow up my keiki) and pete is 4. they are all doing good. these are wild times we live in. have you ever read the book of Revelation. it is the last book in the Bible. well, it describes what we're experiencing so much of now, or as stated in other parts of the gospels, it is like experiencing birth pangs (without the reward of a sweet child, but the blessed hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ and Almighty God)! ok, another time............
i love my scrapbooking! i have been to 1 retreat, and three 12 hour crops (saturday's) so far this year. next 12 hr. crop is 4/16. it is a great time to catch up on what's been going on with my friends since i don't normally see these ladies except during scrapping times. we share our lives, family news, recipes, scrappy ideas, supplies, food, on and on we go. we decided to meet once a month to make cards (the 6 of us that always share the same table), since we like to make cards as well. we turned 60 last year didn't we linnie! i am puzzled by my mixed emotions, i can't put a finger on it yet, so i make notes here and there about how i'm feeling. it's a new era, a time in my life that i did not spend much time thinking about, it just arrived. i feel the same, look the same, act the same. but i get the feeling i should be on the "lookout" for things to come. crazy, i'll talk more when i can put a name to it.
do you remember the time you and chrislynn came to babysit simon and newborn ben so that steve and i could go out for our anniversary dinner? we honestly did not rush (i sure didn't) but we returned before ben even woke up. maybe you should have spent the night that time, because he did wake up!! now he's 26 and expecting his first child (thanksgiving time), in the process of buying their first home, good job, awesome german shepard, Atia is her name, and Jorge Michael the cat (heidi named the cat). he has this receding hair line, affectionately called his 'nerd' head. ah, i miss you linnie, i really really do. we need to talk story! and have tea! and go shopping, walk on the beach, remember stuff. give your mom a big hug for me. i hope her health improves; i hope you finish that condo before bill gets home (and rented too!). let me know how chrislynn is doing and all your beautiful grand-babies (not babies anymore huh?)! did windward side have to evacuate for the tidal wave from japan earthquake? so sad...............i heard a news report that the japanese people are so cultured, there was no looting, no rioting, no crazies! much sorrow though, huh?!
well my dearest friend, my hands hurt from pulling out those nasty little studs from my tires so i don't get fined $100 starting tomorrow. they extended the time to have studded tires off cars till 4/4 due to some bad storm heading our way over the weekend. never showed up. sunshine, but not too warm. probably will snow tonight and tomorrow tho'! ha!!! i sound like an old pessimist. but i'm not, i'm still the optimist, thankful for each new day that i can crawl outta bed HAHAHA!
Aloha my friend, until next time,
jo
bekah and i are doing good. she has two part time jobs and is always on the go. not forgetting to have fun in the between times. she makes me so happy, she'll never know just how much. she lovingly called me her senior citizen mom once and i liked it so i keep reminding her that i can't keep up! ben and heidi celebrated their 1 year anniversary on march 5th and a couple of weeks later announced that heidi is pregnant. yipee!!!!!!!!!!!! that will make me tutu to #4! my 3 grandsons from simon and mindy are so wonderful. we play, talk, go on walks, i feed andy when i'm there. he's crawling now. just started a few nights ago!! he's 8 months now. sam is 6, 7 on 5/29 (oh gosh, too fast to grow up my keiki) and pete is 4. they are all doing good. these are wild times we live in. have you ever read the book of Revelation. it is the last book in the Bible. well, it describes what we're experiencing so much of now, or as stated in other parts of the gospels, it is like experiencing birth pangs (without the reward of a sweet child, but the blessed hope of eternal life with Jesus Christ and Almighty God)! ok, another time............
i love my scrapbooking! i have been to 1 retreat, and three 12 hour crops (saturday's) so far this year. next 12 hr. crop is 4/16. it is a great time to catch up on what's been going on with my friends since i don't normally see these ladies except during scrapping times. we share our lives, family news, recipes, scrappy ideas, supplies, food, on and on we go. we decided to meet once a month to make cards (the 6 of us that always share the same table), since we like to make cards as well. we turned 60 last year didn't we linnie! i am puzzled by my mixed emotions, i can't put a finger on it yet, so i make notes here and there about how i'm feeling. it's a new era, a time in my life that i did not spend much time thinking about, it just arrived. i feel the same, look the same, act the same. but i get the feeling i should be on the "lookout" for things to come. crazy, i'll talk more when i can put a name to it.
do you remember the time you and chrislynn came to babysit simon and newborn ben so that steve and i could go out for our anniversary dinner? we honestly did not rush (i sure didn't) but we returned before ben even woke up. maybe you should have spent the night that time, because he did wake up!! now he's 26 and expecting his first child (thanksgiving time), in the process of buying their first home, good job, awesome german shepard, Atia is her name, and Jorge Michael the cat (heidi named the cat). he has this receding hair line, affectionately called his 'nerd' head. ah, i miss you linnie, i really really do. we need to talk story! and have tea! and go shopping, walk on the beach, remember stuff. give your mom a big hug for me. i hope her health improves; i hope you finish that condo before bill gets home (and rented too!). let me know how chrislynn is doing and all your beautiful grand-babies (not babies anymore huh?)! did windward side have to evacuate for the tidal wave from japan earthquake? so sad...............i heard a news report that the japanese people are so cultured, there was no looting, no rioting, no crazies! much sorrow though, huh?!
well my dearest friend, my hands hurt from pulling out those nasty little studs from my tires so i don't get fined $100 starting tomorrow. they extended the time to have studded tires off cars till 4/4 due to some bad storm heading our way over the weekend. never showed up. sunshine, but not too warm. probably will snow tonight and tomorrow tho'! ha!!! i sound like an old pessimist. but i'm not, i'm still the optimist, thankful for each new day that i can crawl outta bed HAHAHA!
Aloha my friend, until next time,
jo
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
i have purposed in my heart to follow my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
it has been way too long. greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. i have been away so long, i don't know what to share. so i'm going to start with my grandchildren. this year marked the 6th birthday for my oldest, Sam, his brother Peter turned 4 in september and just prior to that, on july 20th my 3rd grandson Andrew (affectionately called Andy) arrived. all three boys are my oldest son Simon and Mindy's beautiful children. and what a happy family, full of love, affection, fun and adventure. Peter is a pistol, he leaps without looking. he's so full of life, his smile can't be wiped off his face unless he gets an 'owie'. but soon it returns. he decided one outing with his pop and brothers at the golf course to just leap out of the golf cart before dad stopped and his left foot was run over by the cart. this was just before his 4th birthday. boy did he love telling the story. his little limp went on for about 2 weeks. Sam has always been the calm, sweet and loving child, caring for his brother(s) and comforting Pete in all his boo boos. now he has Andy to watch over too and so far Andy has the same sweet, happy spirit as Sam . he's such a good big brother.
anyway, i missed the last weekend crop (oct. '10) because i was in a funk. spiritually, physically and emotionally. i could not tell you specifics, i just knew i would be dead weight to my friends and i had no desire to mope away such a fun and entertaining and productive time. so, i am going to our next 2-12 hour crops in november and december and our retreat in january 2011!! signed up and paid for! i still don't know how to download pictures from this mac my son gave me 2 years ago and i am at the mercy of my 18 yr old daughter to help me, but she is always on the go. so, no more saying i will post until it actually happens. i will learn somehow, by taking copious notes and practice, practice. i have no school for a week during the thanksgiving break and then two weeks for the holidays of Christmas and new year's. i just put a big post it note on my computer monitor. i am really enjoying the spray mist products, the masking, grungeboard (actually i like everything tim holtz style) and then my usual paints, hand written journaling, making my embellishments, etc.
it's 12:45 am. i don't start my shift at school till 11 am, but i like to get up at 7:45 am and check the emails, facebook, blogs, etc., drink a couple cups of coffee, and go out to my studio to do something or look at what i did the night before. so, i will say aloha for now and with all good intentions, i shall post again soon. Mahalo to anyone who reads this and would like to post some helpful tips on how to get my pics from iphoto (MAC OS X program) to my blog page.
anyway, i missed the last weekend crop (oct. '10) because i was in a funk. spiritually, physically and emotionally. i could not tell you specifics, i just knew i would be dead weight to my friends and i had no desire to mope away such a fun and entertaining and productive time. so, i am going to our next 2-12 hour crops in november and december and our retreat in january 2011!! signed up and paid for! i still don't know how to download pictures from this mac my son gave me 2 years ago and i am at the mercy of my 18 yr old daughter to help me, but she is always on the go. so, no more saying i will post until it actually happens. i will learn somehow, by taking copious notes and practice, practice. i have no school for a week during the thanksgiving break and then two weeks for the holidays of Christmas and new year's. i just put a big post it note on my computer monitor. i am really enjoying the spray mist products, the masking, grungeboard (actually i like everything tim holtz style) and then my usual paints, hand written journaling, making my embellishments, etc.
it's 12:45 am. i don't start my shift at school till 11 am, but i like to get up at 7:45 am and check the emails, facebook, blogs, etc., drink a couple cups of coffee, and go out to my studio to do something or look at what i did the night before. so, i will say aloha for now and with all good intentions, i shall post again soon. Mahalo to anyone who reads this and would like to post some helpful tips on how to get my pics from iphoto (MAC OS X program) to my blog page.
Stamp-n-Design: Just Believe Twisted Pyramid Card
Stamp-n-Design: Just Believe Twisted Pyramid Card
what a beautiful card and technique. i am going to give it a try. thank you!
what a beautiful card and technique. i am going to give it a try. thank you!
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