Recap of 2014

We had lots of fun and excitement packed into 2014 ~

Greg, Amy and I journeyed to Honduras for a week long mission trip.  Very hot, lots of fun, friendships forged and strengthened, and sharing Christ and His love with some awesome children & their parents.

Feb. brought us a new grandson ~ Thomas Jonathan Jackson Cutler!  He joined his big brother Robert and doubled our grandsons!  He is a laid back, easy going baby boy with beautiful smiles!  Its fun to watch him and Robert together.  He just started taking some steps this week.

We participated in several fundraisers to help with our church's week long mission trip to Haiti.  Will went this year for the first time and loved it. 

Greg & Amy went to New York for the 2nd year to serve with a mission team.  They had a great time.  I had to miss this trip because of James jaw infection and surgery.  I was the "babysitter".

We started working at a ceramics shop, first as a volunteer position and it turned into a part time job.

Amy went to Memphis for Street Reach again this year ~ 3rd year I believe.  She loves doing the mission projects and vbs for the inner city children in their neighborhood.

In August we spent time in Roanoke at Gregs folks home.  Amy got her boaters license and learned how to drive a jetski.

Just a couple of days after the middle of the month,  grandson #3 made his world debute!  Aiden Scott McDaniel ~ he is such a tiny little guy.  He surprised us all with his tiny size 5 1/2 pounds ~ a big surprise since his daddy weighed 9 pounds at birth.  At 4 months, he is a bundle of energy and has just about tripled in size.  Its a lot of fun to watch my son with his son!

We spent my birthday at Disney World.  Greg, Mom, Amy, Will and I had a blast.  Its as much fun to go with big kids as it is little kids!  But I am looking forward to taking grandchildren in the future!

We had several fun visits with Andy and AmyKate.  They were a great help when James was in the hospital.  AmyKate started doing ceramics projects with us! 

Thanksgiving was at Moms with all 3 grandsons together for the first time!  Oh, what fun.  3 little buddies ages 2 and under! 

December was our Christmas music at our church and the following week at another church.  Lots of laughter and praise in our little group.

All of our children turned a year older ~ James 31, Rob & Andy 27, Allen 25, Katie 21, Will 20 and Amy 18. 

We are looking forward to 2015 ~~~~~

a new grandbaby is coming in August!
Mission trips to Honduras, Haiti, and Memphis!
Our 10th anniversary!  We are planning an RV trip to Florida for our celebration!
Greg is eligible to retire in April ~ we don't know what this will bring yet!

We are so thankful for the blessings and opportunities the Lord has allowed us to enjoy.

Frugal Centerpeice

I gathered some Dollar Tree treasures to make our holiday centerpiece ~

My nephew brought me these placemats from Uganda!

Essential Oils

For several years, I have been wanting to try essential oils for various things ~ health reasons, for natural cleaners, and because most of them smell amazing! 

There are so many different avenues of education out there about this subject.  I do know enough to realize that they have to be 100% pure and therapeutic grade, if you are going to ingest them.

I have found several recipes (on Pinterest) on how to make your own oils to use in cleaners.  Which would be budget friendly.

Right now I am looking at the benefits of lavender, lemon, orange, frankincense, peppermint, and grapefruit.  There are probably a couple of more that I have forgotten. 

Amazon Prime has some great books you can check out for free (well, the service is $10 a month, so its not totally free).

Here are some cool charts I found on pinterest explaining different things ~~~~~ (I have no idea where or who I am going to get these from ~ some of these link to different companies, none of which I am endorsing at this time.)  I am thankful for the huge amount of information to be found so easily!

Videonystagmography (VNG)

I had the test done on Tuesday.  I was a good girl and followed all the directions ~ telling someone with vertigo to NOT take their medication for 48 hours preceding the test was just a bit cruel....just saying. 

I read up on the test on Web MD ~ and thought, this shouldn't be too bad.  Usually Web MD gives you intimate details you wish you didn't know.  The person who wrote the report, never had any experience with this test.

Lets just say ~ I found a new torture.  To purposefully make someone dizzy, really dizzy is just plain rude.  I felt like I was falling and I was laying down ~ very weird.  Then there was the part where the goggles you have to wear are closed, and you have to keep your eyes open ~ I never knew that darkness could spin, it does! (Remember on the old cartoons when someone got conked on their head and their eyes would spin?  That's what it felt like.)

You have to keep your eyes open because one side of the goggles is a camera.  This camera tracks your eye movements while the torture test is going on. 

I sincerely hope this "fun" is never repeated.  I should find out the results sometime today.

The results of the test are still lingering because now I have an ear ache ~ yes Mom, I called the dr.  Had to leave a message.

But, progress has been made ~ I am less dizzy than 2 /2 weeks ago.  Its more of an unsteady feeling.  Walls are still my friends.

I am putting this in the Thankfulness category because I am thankful this test is over with.

Birthday Week

Birthday week has begun ~

31 years ago, I started on a fantastic journey ~ at 8:54pm my first child was born ~ James Steven!  Its been exciting, nerve wracking, hyper, prayer filled, loving, adventurous, never dull & AWESOME!

AND

Happy Birthday to our sweet Jennifer, Allens wife, Aidens Mommy.  You, bonus daughter, have brought much joy to my Allen and are a fantastic mommy!  Wish we lived closer to celebrate together! 

My original 3 ~ James, Amy & Allen

James & nephew Robert, reading "The Little Engine that Could"

Aiden Scott & mommy Jennifer

Allen, Aiden & Jennifer

Lessons with Vertigo

Some things I've learned in the last 2 weeks ~

sitting while the rest of the choir stands is ok

don't make sudden movements

not a good idea to swirl paint on the inside of a ceramic piece and then dump it out ~~~ landed in my lap!

walking close to the wall, chairs, etc. is helpful

holding onto a shopping cart is somewhat dizzying

riding in a wheelchair is even worse (tried that at Belks)

sitting is awesome

Medication is really helpful

I haven't driven in 2 weeks but I don't anticipate that driving would be a good thing.

Having a well stocked freezer and pantry &/or children/husband that can run errands is a huge blessing.

I have been to the dr., they are doing additional testing tomorrow.  Hopefully, we can find out what is going on, what caused this, and take care of it. 

Homemakers Creed