I'm Alive and Well!! WARNING: PICTURE HEAVY POST!

Hi ALL!  Yes, I am ALIVE and WELL!  You were probably wondering.  I have missed reading all your blog posts and viewing your amazing projects, but I've had some really FABULOUS times here at the homestead.  It is sooooooooo WONDERFUL having my son home and we had my WHOLE family here all of last week and let me tell you it was PURE HEAVEN!  This week I've been just cleaning up from last week and I had a dinner for 60 people that I was in charge of last night that I was working on as well.  Now that all of that is behind me I am ever so ready to get caught up with all of you.  One of the things we did last week while the whole family was here was get a family photograph made.  We have never had one professionally done before and I am so thankful we took this opportunity while we were together to get it done now.  It just makes me sooo HAPPY looking at these photos.  I thought I would share a few with you all...well, quite a few:

I can't wait to go visit all your blogs now!  Hope you are having a FANTABULOUS day!!!  HUGS, Cheryl

HOME SWEET HOME!!! + A WINNER!!!!

Hi all!!  This is going to be super brief.  Sorry I was not able to post every day like I wanted to last week.  My computer crashed for a little bit and then my oldest daughter and her family arrived and then it was just a whirlwind in a very good kind of way.  I can't even begin to describe how wonderful it is to have my son home and the joy it is to have my WHOLE FAMILY under the same roof and laughing and loving and overall just being together.  I will be pretty occupied until next week...so I apologize for not being an active blogger, but well...I just need to SAVOR this time with my family.  I did want to announce the winner of my GIVE AWAY!  Thank you ALL for sharing in my JOY and that is what I feel...ABSOLUTE JOY!  The winner is..............................................................................................................................................................
Linda B.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Linda if you will email me your address to cheryljunegirl@hotmail.com I will get your prize package out to you!!!  **Sorry if you all received an email from me with no subject line...hackers...ugh!  Just as a precaution remember not to open any emails without a subject.  I will never send you an email without one.
Here is a one more quote for you all:
 "This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."
Hope you all are feeling JOY today, too!  HUGS, Cheryl

Things In My Heart **CCCB**! SIX DAYS....GIVE AWAY!

Hi ALL! I'm doubly excited today...I get to share a new City Crafter Challenge Blog Challenge and ONLY SIX MORE DAYS until my son is home!!!! This week's challenge brought to us by Kirsty could not me more perfect for me. The theme is "Things In My Heart" and the challenge is to create a project that focus on the things in your heart right now, for example, you are missing your child/children, grandchild/grandchildren, you can make a layout with their photos, or a mini album. Or if you are into mixed media art, you can showcase your art, or you are so into gardening for Spring, you can do a Spring inspired project etc, so it is pretty much what you are in love with right now, we do want you to write a few sentences on your post to tell a little about the things in your heart. I'm guessing you know what is in MY HEART right now!! I made a Welcome Home banner for my son. I'm sorry it is such a horrible photo. It is a lot cuter in person. The way my house is laid out...there is not a lot of wall space to hang a banner. This will actually hang over a large picture window, but it was impossible to get a good photo of it there. It is hanging here in an archway with a sheet behind it but I had to photograph it at a weird angle on my stairway. Oh well. I hope you can still see the LOVE and HAPPINESS that is in it.

I can't wait to see what you all create and what is in YOUR HEART this week. Make sure you go check out what is in the hearts of our Guest Designer, Sabrina, and ALL our DT members right HERE at CCCB! Our winner will get a chance to be a Guest Designer themselves! Yeah! So come share what is in your heart. Remember that every day that you leave a comment on my blog until my son comes home...your name goes into the hat for a prize package. The winner will be announced on March 20th.

Here is a little quote I want to leave with you today:
“Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth." Sarah Ban Breathnach
May you experience heaven on earth today! HUGS, Cheryl

One Week!!!! Start of Give Away!!!!!

Let the party start!!! One week from today and my son will be HOME!! Come join my give away party...it is easy...just leave a comment and your name goes into the drawing for the prize. I will pick a winner on Tuesday, March 20th. I will share an inspirational quote each day. I was hoping to have some projects to share with you, but I am having a hard time getting everything done. No matter...we will party anyway! So let's start with the quote for today:

I found this on Pinterest and LOVE it. It says...
"Don't give up.
Don't you quit.
You keep walking.
You keep trying.
There is help and happiness ahead...
You keep your chin up.
It will be alright in the end.
Trust in God and believe in good things to come."
Elder Holland

GOOD THINGS are coming for YOU!!! Hugs, Cheryl

**for an extra name in the give away drawing see the post below if you haven't already.

Single Digits!!!

Hi all!! We are down to single digits here until my son comes home...NINE days! Woohoo!! I will get the GIVE AWAY party started on Monday when we will be down to one week. I'm not gonna lie...I'm going a little crazy now to try to get everything ready. So I'm sorry if I don't get to your posts right away...but I will get to them.
Now...I also have a little favor to ask of you. My youngest daughter has entered a "Girl Next Door" photo of yourself contest on Facebook sponsored by Shannon Kaeding Photography. The prize package includes a makeover...PHOTO SESSION...outfit of choice and jewelry. Now you might remember that this child LOVES the camera. Actually all my girls do...but this one takes the prize. She LOVES both sides of the camera...both to be behind it taking pictures and editing them and to be in front of it. Soooo...the photo session part of the prize is like a dream come true for her. To help her out simply go HERE to the Shannon Kaeding Photography Facebook page and click on LIKE on this page and then go HERE to the contest page and click on Alena's picture and LIKE that as well. *and if you have anyone else at home with a Facebook account maybe you could spread the word to them, too.

The person with the most likes wins the prize. The contest runs until March 19th (same day as when my SON COMES HOME!!) Thanks ALL! You ALL are the BEST! Have a FANTABULOUS weekend!!! *Remember the GIVE AWAY party starts on Monday! ***
WELL...why not start the PARTY early...you will get your name in the drawing an EXTRA time if you have were able to go help my daughter with the contest...just leave me a comment here that you did. Hugs, Cheryl

Seeing Double *CCCB*

Hi ALL! Yippee...it is Tuesday and that means there is a new challenge at City Crafter Challenge Blog!! It's Ros turn as our hostess this week with a brand new challenge... Are you ready to get out your punches and Dies? I hope so because this week the Challenge she has set for you is to use both the Positive and Negative of a Die or Punch. In case you are wondering ... The Positive is the shape you cut out with the Die or Punch...The Negative is the shaped "hole" it leaves in your paper or card stock. I'm looking forward to seeing where your creativity takes you ... Just play and have fun! For a little inspiration just take a ramble over to City Crafter Challenge Blog and see the MARVELOUS creations whipped up by our GD, Linda Eterno, and ALL our DT members! Our prize this week is a sweet one...a chance to be the GD yourself at CCCB! Hope you play along! Have a FAB week! HUGS, Cheryl