Merry Christmas....

Wishing my family and friends a very Blessed and Merry Christmas! May the Peace of the Lord Be With You Today and Always!!!

I love you Chris, Steven, Matthew, Trish, Hayden, Mom, and Dad!

Merry Christmas to my little Angels in Heaven - I love you and miss you with all my heart!

My Precious Grandson

Just got word from my son. Hayden went to Children's in DC today for his IV dose of IGg. They did blood work and found that he is not making any red or white blood cells. They were told his body could shut down any time. He now has a respiratory disease (Small Airway disease) and calling in a lung specialist for him. Monday he has to go back to Children's Hospital for them to take a sample of bone marrow to test for possible infection in his bone marrow. Please keep Hayden Parsons, and his Mom and Dad (Chris and Trish) in your prayers.

These are recent pictures taken at Chris and Trish's home. The top picture is me with my oldest son, Chris. The other pictures are my youngest son, Matthew, and his girlfriend and myself playing in Hayden's room. I love getting on the floor and playing cars with him! Hayden was having fun pushing the vacuum around the kitchen and living room. He is so full of energy and smiles so much. So hard to look at him and see that he is so sick.

I'm looking for a miracle this Christmas - for Hayden to pull thru all of this so we can watch him grow up to become a fine young man!

Nana loves you so much Hayden!

Big Hit at Craft Show!!!

I did a craft show Saturday...and these Cupcake Purses was my biggest seller! I sold out! (These are just a chosen few I took a picture of!) Have had alot of people talking about them and asking for orders. So I wrote up a short note and sent an email out to family and friends to take orders. Since I am still job hunting, no job yet, I thought I could use my God given talent to try to make a few extra dollars to give my family Christmas this year! If you know anyone that would be interested in placing an order for these Cupcake Purses, please let me know!

They can be made in chocolate or vanilla base with any color for the icing and either color beads or white beads. I even have a purse with glow in the dark beads! Just too cute! They are $4.00 each. Asking for $1-2 for postage to mail them out. To place an order, just send me an email to etdprincess@cs.com with Cupcake Purse Order in the subject line. :)

Snowman Wish...

Special Holiday Message

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Wishing all my family and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. If you are traveling, stay safe! I pray you have a very Blessed day with family and friends! I'm very thankful and blessed to have such wonderful family and friends!

Crochet to Share

These are some items I have been working on lately. A friend of mine let me borrow her doily and I worked up the doily from hers. I was so excited to make it, I forgot to write down the directions when I was working on it! It turned out so pretty!

I made the sweater sets in the past two days. Keeps my mind busy at night. Seems to be the hardest time lately. And the weekends.

I have been looking for a baby earflap hat and can't find any! So I just made up my own! I'll post the pattern once I get it typed up. It was fun to make too!

The blue sweater set and earflap hat is going to my son's friends who had a baby just a couple weeks ago!

In Memory of My Uncle Raymond

I was driving to MD to pick up the last of my things and I got a phone call. My Uncle Raymond passed away. He has been battling brain cancer for some time now. My Aunt Norma and Uncle Raymond live in Pueblo West, Co. Not far from my Dad. I wish I was there to help my family. My Aunt told me the above picture will be there with them all since I can't be there in person.

The above picture was taken several years ago when Chuck and I drove to Colorado to spend time with my Dad. We stopped on the way at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast one day. We had to get the "sleeping puppy". We played a joke on the family and everyone had a great laugh about it! Even my Aunt and Uncle's dogs had to see if it was real or not! It was so funny! So wonderful to see my family laugh. It had been MANY years since I was last out there to see them.

When I was little, my cousins and I used to roll tires down a hill...that is all I will say! :) Anyway, we got busted by my Aunt and Uncle. On my last visit, my Aunt Norma asked me if I wanted to roll some tires? After all those years, I was surprised she remembered! We got another good laugh!

I will miss my Uncle Raymond. I was happy that I was able to crochet him the lapghan to use while he was sick. (See Feb. 2009 for picture) I love you Uncle Raymond. Stay strong Aunt Norma, I love you and miss you alot!

Happy Halloween!

I dressed up as Raggedy Ann today and drove to WV see the kids. When Hayden came into the house, he didn't know who I was! Even my voice - he didn't know Nana! Once he figured it was Nana, he kept telling me to take my wig off! So funny! We had a great time playing. Went to K-Mart and Wal-Mart with the kids and everyone got a kick out of seeing Raggedy Ann! It was a really fun time! I needed to smile! And I got alot of hugs too!

I stopped at the Post Office to check my mail and a little girl yelled across the street at me "I love your hair!" (I crocheted the wig part and then latch hooked all the yarn tails on it!) Then as I was leaving, an older woman coming into the Post office parking lot, yelled "Love your Costume!". So here I sit at home, all dressed up and no where to go! hahaha But it was a fun, fun day with Hayden. He is dressing up as Woody from Toy Story!

Hayden's Bone Marrow Transplant

Chris called me early this morning to tell me that Hayden goes for his bone marrow transplant in 3 weeks. He was crying when he called. We all knew it was coming in Nov. or Dec. But reality just hit us. So he will be in Children's Hospital (Washington, DC) throughout the holidays and staying at the Ronald McDonald House after his treatment. The Dr's want him close to the hospital. He's in Children's right now getting his IV dose of IGg. Chris, Hayden and I are taking a road trip tomorrow - so happy I get to spend time with my boys!

Thanks to everyone for all your cards, gifts, and prayers for Hayden. Please continue to keep him in your prayers! Thank you again from all of Hayden's family!

A funny to share...

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook, just had to pass it on! So funny...

Happy "would have been" Anniversary

Today "would have been" mine and Chuck's 9th anniversary together. It's been the hardest 10 days without him. 10 days of tears. But I'm ok, as ok can be. I went to the grocery store the other day and a song came on. The words hit me so hard. Trace Adkins - "Help Me Understand". I started crying in the store. I wanted to run out. But I paid for the groceries and left. People looking at me like I was crazy.

On our first date, Chuck took me to the Grottos. Because I love Angels. He said it was a test. That if I loved this place, we would be fine. It was a beautiful place. So peaceful. Our first kiss was by the statue by the entrance. Was so afraid the Nuns would come running after us - so funny! Then he took me to the Elizabeth Ann Seaton Center. Another beautiful place to visit. After our visit there, he took me to my favorite restaurant for dinner - Cracker Barrel!

Only memories now to hold onto now........

I thanked God everyday for the past nine years for bringing Chuck into my life, only to be gone in a heartbeat. I'm going to the Grottos today to visit memories and thank God for letting me have these past nine years with Chuck and pray for peace, healing, and understanding.

My family and friends tell me to let go, there's nothing more I can do. I will always love him. There will be no other. But my heart isn't ready to let go.

Happy "would have been" Anniversary Chuck - I will always love you!

Thru my Heartache, I'm on Cloud Nine!

Tomorrow will be a week since Chuck broke up with me. Nine years gone over another woman on Facebook and those stupid games. It's been a very tough week. I'm trying hard to move on. But memories just eat me up inside. I lost the love of my life. His birthday is next Sunday and I'm already doing the "what if's"...

ANYWAY...

Today I received a letter from Virginia State Senator, Jill Holtzman Vogel, of the 27th District about my charity, HeartFelt Angels. I want to share this with all the members of HeartFelt Angels, friends, families, and hospitals we serve:

Dear Elizabeth:

I wanted to send you a note to commend you for all of efforts to help families that are in need. Also, I wanted to congratulate you on a wonderful article about you in the Northern Virginia Daily. I know that this is my second note to you, but you are a great inspiration and you are very deserving of the continued recognition!

HeartFelt Angels is a great project and I applaud all of the selfless acts you and others who support local families in need of infant clothing.

Congratulations again and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of help in any way.

Sincerely,

Jill H. Vogel

(Side notation) Congrats again!!

*** Can you tell why I'm on cloud nine? This was what I needed to bring a smile to my face and into my heart again. I bounced around the house like a little kid - "Look what I got"!

My charity needs me, my family and friends needs me, and I am appreciated for HeartFelt Angels and the work we do for so many people. So... back to crocheting for the babies!!!

A Beautiful Reminder...

I had some business to do down town. When approaching the front doors to the building, something told me to look down. There at my feet was this tiny, yet beautiful leaf. I looked around and all the leaves close to me were old, crumpled, broken, scattered. I picked it up and carefully carried it with me. I shared it with the clerk and she said "How precious!" I told her I thought the colors were so pretty, I just had to pick it up! She told me "One of those stop and smell the roses moment!"

When I walked back outside, I looked on the ground and all the leaves were the same. Not one leaf had the beautiful colors as the tiny leaf that caught my attention. None of the trees around the property had this leaf either.

The picture doesn't do it justice - the colors are beautiful!

I soon began thinking that all the leaves I saw on the ground, each one held a different problem I am going through right now. In the center, was this beautiful leaf. A simple, yet beautiful reminder from God: that throughout all troubles, hope remains, and He is always with me!

Spaghetti Heart

A while back - I was fixing spaghetti for dinner. I went to try a piece of pasta to see if it was done and hot water splashed up on my hand. I flung the pasta and it landed onto my counter top as pictured! I wasn't burned, but really surprised me to see the heart shape on the counter! The kids swore I put it that way - I didn't! I just had to take a picture.

MD Lighthouse Challenge - Completed!

It was a beautiful weekend for the Challenge! Couldn't have asked for better weather! Our first stop was Turkey Point Lighthouse. After a bus ride to the park, you had a 0.8 mile hike to the lighthouse. Glad we got that one out of the way first! It had wooden steps and a wonderful view at the top!

#2 Concord Point Lighthouse: We didn't walk to the top of that one. Took pictures and enjoyed the view!

#3 Chesapeake Lightship in the Inner Harbor: After some confusion, we got a ticket and walked thru the lightship. Really interesting! Couldn't believe the tiny sleeping quarters they had!

#4 Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse: It's on the Inner Harbor also. They had the top of the lighthouse closed off.

#5 Hooper Strait Lighthouse: It's like Drum Point Lighthouse.

#6 Sandy Point Lighthouse: This was a BONUS lighthouse! Sits out in the water by the Bay Bridge at Sandy Point State Park.

These are the lighthouses we completed on Saturday! Then on Sunday....

#7 Drum Point Lighthouse: This was dubbed "Party Central" for the challenge!This picture was taken back in March when we visited.

#8 Cove Point Lighthouse: Another bus ride to the lighthouse!

#9 Point Lookout Lighthouse: This lighthouse grabbed my heart and my interest! It has GHOSTS!!!!

#10 Piney Point Lighthouse: This lighthouse had the best view and most interesting information! The pipes off to the side of it carries oil and asphalt. There are tanks that you pass before you arrive at the lighthouse that house the oil and asphalt. On one of the tanks, has a HUG smiley face painted on top of it. It is in the Guinness Book of Records and the astronauts use it as a guide where they are!

#11 Fort Washington: Upon our arrival and completing our Challenge, they volunteers greeted us with bells, whistles, and clapping! It was so neat! We even grabbed a couple cookies! We finished the Challenge at 2:00pm on Sunday!

#12 Blackistone Lighthouse: This was another BONUS lighthouse! At the museum, you had to get tickets to take a boat ride over to the island to visit the lighthouse. What an awesome visit! It is a replica, but so beautiful. I even found a few shells on the shore. Wished I had more time to pick up more shells! :)

At each lighthouse, we received a baseball like card with a picture of each lighthouse and its time line on the back. On our 3rd lighthouse, we received a plastic card case to place them in.

When Chuck and I arrived at Drum Point, we saw a lady that we've talked to somewhere before. We got our Challenge t-shirts, changed in the bathroom. While waiting on Chuck, I mentioned to the lady that this was "party central" and she was so excited over my saying that! I was given a box of lighthouse tissues! She took the picture of Chuck and I holding my tissues, lighthouse candy, and the party bunny! She was the raffle - so pretty! When we took the bus ride to Cove Point, we saw her twin! It still puzzled us where we spoke to them before and decided it had to be Bodie Lighthouse in NC. Chuck walked over to ask the other twin and we were right! We couldn't believe they would drive to MD to volunteer for the Challenge - only to find out that they live in MD and volunteers in NC! So when we arrived back at Drum Point, I just had to tell the lady about our mystery we solved and had to get my picture with her. Such wonderful ladies!

So as you can tell - we had a great weekend! For more pictures, check them out in my Picasa Album! (Link is on the side bar to the right!)

P.S. While Chuck drove, I got 6 dishcloths done! :)

Maryland Lighthouse Challenge!!!

2009 Maryland Lighthouse Challenge - Celebrating Maryland's 375th Birthday!

Celebrate Maryland's 375th Birthday and visit some of the most picturesque spots in the state during the 2009 Maryland Lighthouse Challenge September 19 and 20, 2009.

Challenge Lights: The Chesapeake Lightship, Concord Point, Cove Point, Drum Point, Fort Washington, Hooper Strait, Piney Point, Point Lookout, Seven Foot Knoll and Turkey Point.

***I'm leaving early in the morning to go to the Lighthouse Challenge! I'm so excited! I've been waiting for this for a LONG time!!! Making sure I have new batteries for my camera and space on my picture card! I'll have my crocheting to work on in between lighthouses!!! :)

Scarves, Sweaters, and Afghans - Oh My!

The three scarves are for the challenge I am participating in on Ravelry "60 Scarves in 60 Days". These are going to The Bridge Project. I'm working on the 4th one now. The blue scarf is a pattern I put together myself.

The newborn baby sweaters and hats are what I made and sent to a friend of mine, Danette, for her charity, God's Tiny Angels.

One of my son's co-worker's asked me to make a baby afghan for her friend who recently had a baby boy. So I made this for her. I thought it turned out so pretty!

Other than yarn - I have been fighting a really bad case of poison ivy, it's all over me!!! I had to cancel my charity meeting this month because of it. Finally went to the Dr's yesterday, and I basically have to sweat it out now. They DO NOT believe in giving steroids because of all the side effects with it. So I was given a prescription for another cream to use. I've had this for a week and so miserable. I got it while working in my Mother's yard. I didn't think there was anything in the bush branches I was carrying - boy was I wrong!!!

Happy Birthday to ME! :)

Tomorrow, August 25th, is my 50th Birthday! The day I have really been dreading! Just not ready to be 50! You should see the marks in my yard from my feet, digging into the ground, holding onto 49! LOL

One of my HeartFelt Angels members, Frances - age 92!, made this Birthday Cake for me and another friend picked it up and delivered it to me just an hour ago. What a surprise! It is made from scratch - no box mixes for Frances! It is a beautiful cake! I want to taste it - but hate to cut it! :)

Book Signing Event in PA

Today was the book signing event at Rachel's Country Store in Newburg, PA with Cindy Smallwood. She is the author of "When the Heart Cries", "When the Morning Comes" and "When the Soul Mends". Her newest book just out is "The Hope of Refuge". I'm reading the second book of the series and they are so good! I hate to put them down!

I had the best time meeting Cindy and talking to her. She signed my books, poster, and even got my picture taken with her. Thank you Judy from PA for taking this picture for me!

The heat and humidity was bad, but it was oh so worth it! Miss Rachel was busy helping everyone and every where, and directing traffic! If you are ever in the area, please stop by and check out her store. She has gifts, candles, scrap booking supplies, books, toys, material, and hand made items too! Such a wonderful place to shop and visit! They were selling pies and I got a slice of my very first Shoo Fly Pie - CHOCOLATE! I'm not a pie crust eater, but this crust was delicious!!! So was the rest of the pie!

So this was my Beth Day out for my pre-birthday present to myself! It was the best day! Thank you Cindy Smallwood and Miss Rachel for being a part of it!

Trip to NC

Last Friday, Chuck and I drove to Raleigh, NC to help his son, Chuck, paint his bedroom and bathroom in his first apartment! He is a student at NC State. So NO MORE DORMS for him! Good thing it was a small room! Chuck and I were so sore the next day! Muscles hurt that I didn't know I had! hahaha We stayed at Homewood Suites in Cary. If you ever get to that area, please stay there! It is a WONDERFUL place to stay! I had to get a picture of the duck in the bathroom - so cute! And the covered bridge to the hotel is so magical!

On Saturday, we didn't know just where to go, so he got his GPS out and chose a Casino in SC. Well, when we got there, it was on a RIVER BOAT! We both looked at each other and back to the car we went! So then we decided to go to Myrtle Beach. We never been there. When we got there, we left there too! Couldn't believe the high rises at the beach! We felt like we were in NY! So then we went to Wilmington and no place to stay there, didn't get to see Jeff Gordon :(, so we drove all the way back to Cary, where we stayed the night before. We ended up getting the same room!

It was a nice weekend getaway. Had fun painting and spending time with Chuck. Oh! I got 4 baby sweaters and hats crocheted while I was on the trip too! :)

Hayden's Prayer Bear and Blanket

Elizabeth, at Shenandoah Storage in Winchester, called to tell me she had a prayer bear and blanket for Hayden. Her church prayed over them both. I went to pick them up and got to meet her Pastor. He was in tears. It really touched my heart to meet them and hear they are all praying for Hayden. I took his bear and blankie to him. He really loved them both! It was so cute seeing him try to read the card with it! He wrapped the blanket around him and walked around his house. Then he put his stuffed animals to bed, covered them with his blankie and said "night, night"! So precious. Hard to look at him and see that he is so sick. Thanks to everyone for your prayers!!!