Hey Y'all!

I'm so excited! I finally heard from my Auntie Myrtle (she moved and forgot to send me her new info)! Aunt Myrtle is my Mom's sister-in-law, she was married to Momma's brother Vernon (he passed 15 years ago). Ever since I was born they have lived in Florida so we haven't seen that much of each other over the years but whenever we do it's like we just spoke yesterday! She's a peach . . . a Carolina Peach! Several years back I went to see her at her 'summer' home in Asheville, NC and we had a ball tooling around the town and checking out cemeteries looking for our long lost kin! It was just the two of us and we got along like sisters the entire time! So you can see why I'm excited to have finally heard from her. I want her to visit my blog but she won't go near a computer, so . . . I found out my cousin's email address and sent him the link so he can show it to her when she goes to his house. I know this isn't very interesting to y'all but I'm so happy to have a reason to smile. Here are some photos from the 1950s!




Ray is Aunt Myrtle's son and he is now retired after a distinguished career in the Armed Forces. Oh, I forgot to tell you that my sweet Auntie is 81 years young! I don't think she retired for good until about six years ago. That's me in the bottom right corner of the photo above---even then I was a smarty pants and always cutting up!

On another note: I took the meals I had prepared to Kim and her family this morning. Poor thing, she cannot have solid food now and we aren't positive but think that's what's going to be the norm from now on. She's so skinny that she and her 17 year old cat, Murphy, now look alike. Please don't take her off your prayer lists just yet, okay?

I had lunch out with the 'girls' today. It was really nice to see them and get my mind on something other than Kim's illness. All the people I hang out with are sooo much younger than me; most of them are my daughter's ages! Don't know why they like to include me but I really enjoy them, I always say it's because they can use my senior discount!

Well, enough for now. Take care. Hope to be back soon with good news or at least a mini-kit to offer you.

Hugs,
Liv

Kimberli Update

Hello friends and family,

Just wanted to give you an update on Kim's condition. She had surgery on Wednesday to keep the connection between her stomach and intestines open. The doctors are hoping that gravity will assist in emptying her stomach. She has lost over 45 pounds in the last couple of months due to excessive and almost non-stop vomiting which is a complication of the gasteoparesis which, of course, is a complication of her type of diabetes. Last night they had to give her two pints of whole blood because she has lost so much from labs! I have never heard of this before but it's very possible since they are constantly monitoring her counts and such. After doing x-rays this evening to make sure that she doesn't have pneumonia (she's got a virus), they released her. She isn't suppose to do anything for a while so that the stomach has a chance to heal; she isn't to lift anything heavier than a spoon. Of course she will still be going to the hospital every day that she is out for IV fluids to keep her hydrated. I am trying to help out so I won't be around much for a while.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. We really appreciate all of you!

Hugs,
Liv

A Layout!

Hey Y'all!
Can't believe I finally did a new layout. This one is of Kim and Bart getting married in October 1998.

Fall Wedding

Kimberli and Bart on their wedding day.
Scraplift of Beauty by Jeanet: http://www.digishoptalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=433644&cat=fav
All elements and papers by CL Graphics

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. I've had some bad luck following me around but I'm working on being happy!
Tootles,
Liv

Ginni's Gift

Looking for the Fall Splendor Freebie? It's here!

As promised, here are the photos of my fab new Liz Claiborne purse that Ginni gave me for my b'day! Thanks Ginni, you're a doll!



Have to go and get ready for Joshua's 9th Birthday!
Hugs,
Liv

It's Here! Fall Splendor! New Link

It's here y'all! You can now download my part of the Fall Splendor Mega Party Kit. After doing so be sure and go to the Fall Splendor MegaSite to continue your journey through cyberspace to collect all the parts of the kit. Most of the designers will have their blog links active no later than Midnight Tonight! I hope you have loads of space on your hard drive (tee hee)! My kit is over 60MB and I'm sure there are others who have put a lot into their kits too!

Download Link Here

The link for the MegaSite is on the side bar. I am posting this ahead of time so it will auto load on Tuesday night and I cannot pre-check the links for myself. Let me know if the links or the download have problems and I'll get right on it!

Hope you have loads of fun! Be sure and leave some Luv for all the designers having gifts for you; me too!

Hugs,
Liv

Hey there you digi-scrappers!

Don't forget that the Ginormous Fall Splendor Freebie Kit blog hop begins at 12:01AM October 1! I have mine set for 10:30PM tonight and the Fall Splendor Guru (Kristine Pocock-WenchdGrafix) might even start up the party a little prior to Midnight! After downloading mine go to the Fall Splendor Blog Party site to hook up with the rest of the designers. You can link at the logo on the side bar or the link in the previous sentence. Be sure to have a lot of space cleared and ready for those downloads.

Kimberli hasn't been doing too good today. She was vomiting again this morning while sitting at the hospital waiting on the nurse to start the IV! I went out with my friend Ginni to lunch to celebrate my birthday. We usually have a group of about nine of us but so many were sick today that we had to cancel (and Kim couldn't come either). Guess what Ginni gave me!?! A Liz Claiborne purse! It's beautiful and I'll take a photo and post it tomorrow for you to see. I'm hoping to get my hard drive in order soon so I can make a few layouts; I haven't made one since the last day of August!

Gotta go and work on the hard drive! Tootles!

Hugs,
Liv

Kimberli

Hey Y'all,
Kim had breakfast this morning and it stayed down! Yah!!!!! Thanks for the prayers!
Love,
Liv

Kimberli

Kim's been hospitalized since Tuesday (she was there Monday also but I brought her home in the afternoon). She hasn't had anything to eat since last Saturday at lunch. She has now lost down to less than 115 pounds. The stomach doctor is talking 'tube feeding' and Botox shots. Prayers are requested.
Love,
Liv

New Blinkie

Blinkie is clickable if you want a close up!

Mega Freebie Update!

Hey Y'all!

According to 'sources' who know: There are now 67 designers signed up for the Mega Monster Fall Splendor Kit! Twice the number we had to start with. Be sure and check back on the first: 12:01AM EST, October 1.

Joshua's soccer team won their game this morning 3-2 and he scored one of the goals! Kim and Joshua live about 45 minutes North of me and I had to wear a jacket to keep warm while watching the game! Unbelievable! But it has something to do with their proximity to the mountains (it also snows there almost every winter). I prepared my camera but forgot it as usual ;( After the game, we went to lunch together then Joshua and Kim were going to come down here but she isn't feeling too good so I don't think they will make it.

Did you notice my new logo on yesterday's post? What do you think? I want it to be more classy than the other one. I need to make a new blinkie too.
Hope y'all are having a great weekend!

Hugs, Liv

Sneak Peek Freebie!

Hey Y'all!

I did it, whew . . . finally finished the preview for your sneak peek freebie and uploaded the frames to 4shared. I wasn't sure I would be able to get it done today since I went out to lunch with a bunch of the 'girls' in my neighborhood. It was a beautiful day here, the temperature did not get to 90! WoooHooo!

Thanks to all of you for your kind words about the International Scrapbook LOTD honor!

Here's the preview to the 'sneak peek' and the link to get it.

Go Here

Don't forget that on October 1, there will be a 'Blog Hop' to get an entire coordinated Fall Splendor Mega Kit from 25 designers! It promises to be a 'whoop tee do' time! So don't forget to come by here (on the first) so you can get the info to link up to the rest of the designers and their portion of the kit. I know that the majority of you folks do strictly paper scrapping but digital elements can be printed out and used on your layouts or you can design greeting cards with them and print those out or have Costco or Office Depot do that for you. You can make place cards, gift tags, note paper, lunch bag note and decorations, you can even print out your own wrapping paper for those special small gifts! Don't miss out!

Hope you all are having a wonderful beginning to a lovely weekend.

Love,
Liv

It was 'Monkey in the Middle'

Hey Y'all!

Well, my layout 'Monkey in the Middle' was the layout that was chosen for Layout of the Day for yesterday. And, of course, things don't seem to ever go smoothly so the layout was plastered all over the site-on every page that was pulled up-but in the forum a lady named Nancy was given the LOTD credit! I have to say that my name was under the layout everywhere it was displayed and did this old gal good to feel important for a few minutes. If you don't remember which one it was go HERE.

I'm almost finished with the Fall Splendor Kit and I think I'm going to release a bonus/preview of it a little early to 'whet your whistles!' If after I get back from doing groceries tomorrow I have time to zip and label and upload I'll post it then-if not then on Friday. So check back in ;)

Kim had a good day today. She didn't have to check-in at the hospital today but she did go in and get a liter of fluid this morning. We are hoping and praying that this helps her have more of a life. I've offered to do her groceries for her but she insist that she can handle it-we'll see. The children have soccer this weekend and I pray she doesn't go and get overheated again-I'm going so I'll be sure and bring an umbrella to shade her with. Suzy has her first 'Cross Country' meet tomorrow afternoon! Kim and Bart are going and I hope they get some good photos so I can share with you!

Here's an orchid that my sweet neighbors have been growing for a couple of years! They take it in the house in the winter months. This is just one small branch of the blooms; the entire plant is taller than I am!

Hugs!
Liv

LOTD!

Okay, last 24 has been terrible. Kim's back in hospital (seems worse than ever) and I'm having anxiety attacks and horrible headaches. But, got this message from the International Scrapbook Association today:

Congratulations Olivia your layout has been chosen to be featured as "Layout of the Day" on WeScrap for September 16, 2008.

Your layout will be featured on WeScrap as the featured layout for 24 hours.

That bumped me up a notch, but here's the problem: I have no idea which of my layouts was chosen! Searched the site, my gallery, etc. couldn't find out a thing. Guess I have to wait until Tuesday with everyone else!

I see where my friends get published all the time (especially Ms. Vicki C) and wonder how that happens? Do you send your layouts to the respective mags or websites? Or sit around and wait to be recognized? It would be nice for that to happen while I'm still young enough to enjoy it! LOL!

I have been steadily working on the Fall Splendor Kit for the blog hop on October 1. It has grown more than I expected and I can't seem to stop coming up with ideas! This is new to me-my ideas come out so infrequently that it seems I ought to take some 'idea laxative!' I guess I just need to try and NOT focus on the problems in my world and that will let out my muse. I have been continuing to go through my father's photos and papers; I guess his death is still too fresh in my mind for me to be able to enjoy the task. I know it needs to be done but after 20 minutes or so I get so darned depressed that I have to stop. Here is a recent find of him back in 1938 with his grandmother Louisiana Lanetta Nunnally:I hope all my darling blog friends and readers are having a super weekend and if you happened to be in the path of Hurricane Ike I want you to know my prayers have been with you all along!

Hugs,
Liv

I'm Rated!

Hey Y'all,
Got an email today from the folks at Blogged.com. Their editors rated my blog! What fun! I signed in and added some reviews and favorite blogs of mine . . . hope they are picked up and rated by Blogged too!
Kim is back home from her latest stint in the hospital; this time they stabilized her in less than 24 hours! The children are all back in school now and the sports thingy is starting and it always takes up most of their time. Suzy has added Cross Country to her growing list and she is also excited about her Journalism class. Joshua is always up to something in sports so I'll report on him soon. Timothy is in his last year and I'm sure he's happy about that (guys just don't seem to like school). Tabitha hasn't given me a rundown on her new school yet but I'm sure she's going to do great.
I'm still working on the Fall Splendor Kit and trying to scan in more of my Dad's photos. Cousins Kent & Deanie found my Grandfather's Army registration! That was so fun to see. They are working really quickly on a family tree for the Dunaways.
I'll be back as soon as I can get something done.
Hugs,
Liv

An Award and Announcement!

Hey Y’all!

Well, I seem to be getting back into the daily grind of life and thought I would let you know. I still think of Dad (and now Mom) several times a day but it is worse when I go to bed. No, I don’t expect to completely wipe them from my mind, but I’d like to fall asleep with something other than the last time I saw each of them. I have much to do and have been keeping busy and it has helped a lot.

Since the Guest Diva spot on Flergs’ design team has been over, I have been working on the next big project: A Fall Kit that will be revealed on October 1 during the Fall Splendor Blog Hop. So far I have 16 papers and 24 elements and much more on the way. I hope you will all check back to celebrate Fall with us on the 1^st!

Some happy news: The lovely Ms. Rose of Simply Rose has given me a blog award and I must do it justice by nominating others to pass it on to. Since I haven’t been hopping much lately, I haven’t found any new blogs to honor, but my all time favorite is still M. Kate of La Vie Est Belle whose blog is a treasure of photos and information about her side of the world, Malaysia. You can always count on M. Kate to keep your interest even when her photos mount into the teens! She needs to do a travel book and that would certainly make her rich! So here’s to my friend M. Kate of LA VIE EST BELLE: You Rock M. Kate!

Here are the rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on their blog (I did)
2. Link the person you received your award from (yes)
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs (No, not yet)
4. Put links of those blogs on yours. (yes)
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the person you’ve nominated. (I will)

Here are a couple more photos I found in Dad’s stash. I need to get back to scanning and documenting them and I will as soon as I finish the Fall Kit.

That's my Dad during WWII. Wasn't he a hunk! I can definitely see why my Mom followed him to Richmond and didn't let go!

That's me with my next door neighbor at his birthday party around 1950; I believe I was around four. Don't I look like I wish Jerry would stop posing and just cut the blasted cake? Looks like it's taking everything in me not to just take a big bite, LOL!

I'd like to thank my loyal blog fans for sticking with me even though I've been MIA more than being here over the past three months: THANK YOU! I'd also like to thank you for all the prayers and good thoughts you have sent up for me and mine: THANK YOU! YOU MAKE MY DAY!

Hope all of my fellow Americans had a lovely Labor Day, that Gustav (the Hurricane) is kind to all, and all of my friends and fellow bloggers had a lovely weekend. Chat soon!

Love,

Liv