~a slice of heaven~

this is the gorgeous hotel in nashville where we stayed... it is unbelievable how beautiful it really is... when you check in this is the view right by the front desk looking into the complex...

this is the area off to the left of the where the first pic is taken... we ate here the last nite.  the big stones in the water, shoot water from one rock to another... the rooms up above have balconies ~just gorgeous!

this is my favorite spot... the falls! i remember this from the last time i was here... it is soo relaxing. we sat here many times during our stay, from the first nite we arrived, having margaritas, and a couple of other nites. i sat here many times while here, having coffee, reading & just soaking in the beauty! you can see the balconies on the rooms here, also...

i am glad i went,had many good times & lots of fun! a great group of gals, who will be remembered always... i was soo blessed to be able to go & share this wonderful experience. 

my computer has been acting up posting with blogger, so finally got it to mebbe behave for a little while... have many more pics of heart of country & Barbs' gorgeous booth at the show! it was awesome!was soo happy to share the experience. i was soo thrilled for Barb! she is an amazing lady & glad she did so well...

have a wonderful week*end...

Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip & fall.

{Ps.55:22}

A loving spirit is at the same time a caring spirit.

hugs & blessings, humble♥

~♥nashville here we come & darling i'll be home soon♥~

i am soo fortunate for sucha wonderful hubby! each year for valentines' day {& every once in awhile one for 'just because'} i recieve a beautiful red rose! they smell soo good & am happy with just one...you can only enjoy them one at a time anyhow {as i told hubby} even tho i have told him not to buy them, he still does!i take the time to smell the rose & see the beauty & the love it was given to me by my hubby!     ♥LoVe YoU MoRe♥

early monday morning {♥valentines'day♥} we will be leaving for nashville. Barb from simplyiowa.blogspot.com has been asked to come to the heart of country antique show, to exhibit all her wonderful antiques & treasures!  she is an amazing gal,that i am soo happy to call my friend & one of my earth angels! she has some fun, awesome shows at her home a few times a year, that i love to attend & soo enjoy! Barb mentioned going awhile back & i said i would love.to go! but did not commit to it, til a coupla weeks ago, when i saw her at her 'too cool' booth at anamosa.

We are  staying at the Gaylord Opryland. I soo enjoyed it when we went ~ all the plants & trees & waterfalls. it is an amazing place to see {heaven on earth} it is acres & acres under one roof, with rooms & balconies, amazing places to shop, restaurants. gorgeous place! 

Bill & I usually take day trips, so have not really been 'away' in quite some time. we went there {february} when Bill had a conference with work, 8 years ago, almost to the day & the year after my mom died.{february} so it is really ironic happening again almost at the same time. it will be three years since dad died, & the long estate battle with my x-brother,{just over in sept}. a God thing! =) of the timing to be going to the same place, again, about the same time, 8 years later!{february}

Today Bill won tickets to see Lovin' Spoonful... remember them? at first I said I have too much to do, but thought better of it, since I will be gone... We usually do not do very much, so this was kinda fun. They were a bit draggin' in the beginning, but really picked up the pace later. the drum solo was awesome! {wish i could play like that!} played nashville cats & thought that was cool to hear the name nashville what with me going there! so with that i will leave you with the song i loved...

*darling be home soon*

 ♥{next sunday in fact!}♥

*If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ*

       {Heb.3:14}

We must maintain the confident faith we had when we first believed. When we start our new life in Christ,we must finish strong.

hugs & blessings, humble♥

~♥more nesting on a COLD! day~♥~

it was another CoLd! day here. in the single digits & below zero windchills.

LoVe nature inspired, vintage looks...
so thought i would show another project i did awhile back.   i bought some of the textured wallpaper & made a cone shape, filled with paper shreds for the nest & tucked a bird image in it.  LoVe that textured wallpaper!  i even tucked in a coupla 'pistachio' eggs.{pistachio nut shells Owen & i painted, will show pics in another blog post}

it is to be in the single digits again tomorrow with the below zero windchills!  mebbe this will be the last time this winter!?!?  to be mebbe 39 by the week*end! heat wave, i'm sayin'!     the red velvet cupcakes won today!  yummie!  will be making a batch of the white ones for the week*end to see the grands for ♥valentines' day!♥     am anxious to see them!  lotsa kisses & hugs!  they are soo good for g'ma!   keep warm & cozy!  

*Put on your new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous & holy.
                                                                      {Eph.4:24}*
although we can't be entirely pure in this life, we can pursue purity as one of our primary goals.

                                         hugs & blessings, humble♥

~♥ Valentines' day heart shaped red velvet cupcakes♥~

♥Every valentine's day I make heart shaped cupcakes.♥

Most of the time I do vanilla ones with vanilla frosting tinted pink.  These pics are of the ones I made last year.  Red velvet cake mix with white frosting... yum! yum!  Since valentines' day is getting closer, a week from today, I better get busy & get some made for my sweeties! Just will have to decide on red velvet ones again or vanilla ones.  H'mmmmmmmmm...

To be very cold again, in the single digits so cupcake baking may be in order!

Hope you are keeping warm & cozy! ♥Valentines' Day is next monday!♥ Did we not just have Christmas? Time flys! Have a great one!

*In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

                                              {John 1:1}

God always existed; He has no beginning. That is why He is God. Eternity preceded the beginning of time & succeeds the end of time.

hugs & blessings, humble♥

~♥cat scratch fever?♥~

doesn't she look pretty & oh soo innocent in her basket with blankie & sleeping?  this is my phoebe...she was the outcast of the litter of kittens we had when we lived in fort dodge. her brothers & sisters got fed, but she was pushed aside. i fed her & kept her by me in bed at nites since they picked on her. she will be 17!  phoebe still jumps up on the bed at nite, but doesn't stay up there, she has not for years.  she loves her basket & sleeps alot {which cats do anyhow} & really doesn't get around & do much anymore...she has long hair & was getting very matted. so i grabbed the curry comb {the only one that works fast & gets thru her tangles quickly} we were doing fine & was almost done & had hit a knot...well, now i have a swollen knuckle & scratch where she bit me...nailed me good!  she knew she did wrong, have not seen her much today, but now is back in her basket...and i prolly have cat scratch fever!

wow! where did the week go again??? friday tomorrow~have a good one!

anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  the old life is gone;a new life has begun!

{2 Cor.5:17}

our greatest beginning is our new life in Christ;it is the beginning of eternal life.

hugs & blessings, humble♥

~♥end of january nesting♥~

last sunday it was 7 below zero, {but the sun was out...have not seen it much this january!} when we headed to anamosa to an antique show & visited another one of iowas' best shops  ~gatherings~. wanda has great taste in her displays & love. all the prims & antiques she has. it is a wonderful olde store with 3 floors to find alot of treasures in.
the antique show was great, it was good to see people out & about. beautiful antiques & displays!  love. antiques & seeing them!

getting more into the spring mode.  i stuffed this lavendar ladies glove {forming it to look like it is holding the nest} & filled it with the dried spanish moss & put a birdnest on it. gonna put some eggs & mebbe some more nesting things, feathers, etc, in the nest. love finding fun things & trying to do something else with it other than what it was originally used for.

even tho i am in the spring mode the weather is sounding like snow is yet again going to be coming so will mebbe have to find some more projects to nest with!

O Lord, I will honor & praise Your name,for You are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now You have accomplished them.
                       {Isaiah 25:1}
God planned before He accomplished, a good model for us to follow.

keep warm & happy nesting! hugs & blessings, humble♥

*great strength comes from faith in GOD*

i have this framed saying & the star wall arrangement hanging in our house.

sometimes when i am hurting, this is what i need to see.

there are many times that i need to be reminded of this.

when things do not go the way they are planned  {in our way}, i have to be reminded it may not have been the way it was in GOD's plan.. 

i am truly blessed with so much...for which i am so thank*ful. 

           ~*great strength comes from faith in GOD*~
                                                   hugs & blessings, humble♥