My poor little 'Raggedy'

Today is Teddy Bear Picnic Day. Did you have a favorite childhood stuffed animal? Describe it.

I really wanted to find a photo of me with my favorite doll, but I just couldn't get the time today. My dolly was a beautiful little Raggedy Ann doll (referred to just as 'Raggedy') made for me by my Aunt Nancy. I loved that doll through at least two sets of sewn-on eyes and several dresses. She has bright red yarn hair and a little heart sewn onto her chest. She's in the hope chest in my basement and I haven't laid eyes on her for years, but I can still feel that soft cotton doll against my cheek. And correct me if I'm wrong, Dad, but I think I remember you wandering around the neighborhood in a downpour searching for her once because I couldn't sleep without my Raggedy. We found her safe and dry inside, although my Daddy was not :)

Thanks for the great memory to end the week on.

Happy Independence Day!

Take time today to visit The National Archives and familiarize yourself with what is arguably one of the most important documents ever written, the Declaration of Independence. As we celebrate the freedom that was the result of those moving words, let us not forget that independence was not a decision made lightly. Our founding fathers argued and debated for years before writing this document and much blood was shed on its account.

We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage and I, for one, will try not to take that sacrifice for granted.

Have a safe and fun Independence Day...LET FREEDOM RING!

"Now where did I put that?"

Blog Prompt: Today is "I Forgot" day. What is something you forgot and how did you solve the problem.

I forget a lot of things. I'm constantly looking for my coffee cup, my keys, my sunglasses--you name it. I'm usually pretty good about turning off the stove or the oven, and I've never forgotten to turn off the iron or something before going on a trip, but we did head down to Denver once and leave the front door open. Came back after the weekend and there it was, wide open. Nothing missing, so I'm pleased to report that Rapid City is a great place in which to live.

**If you like my new blog look, the kit I used was 'Americana' by Scrapper Girl Designs. It will be coming to Inspiration Lane this Saturday, so go grab it for all your fireworks and Independence Day photos!

Super Saver Weekend Sale June 27-28

A great sale over at Inspiration-Lane for all you digi-types. Here's what Scrapper Girl Designs has to offer:



Also check out the great deals on items by Kiki Halbert Designs and Sharia Braxton. Happy Scrappin'!

Maybe someday....

What’s going to be in the book you are going to write?

No matter what the subject, or whether it is fiction or non-fiction, or how long the piece is, my writing must always contain an element of hope. Even if the subject matter is grim or depressing, the reader must always come away feeling the hope and redemption of God.

I have no idea what my book will be about --- I have a couple of ideas rattling around in my head --- but I pray that the characters will be people you'd love to have a cup of coffee with, a story line that keeps you reading and an ending that will make you smile.

Ahh. Maybe someday.

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My entry for the ScrapOrchard CT contest. Using the Starry Night kit.

Older than the hills...

Blog prompt: Name five (5) things that have been in your refrigerator for more than a week.

1. Salad dressings of various flavors
2. Large (I'm talking Sam's Club large) jar of dill pickle chips
3. Yogurt
4. Sour cream (our favorite addition to nearly every meal)
5. Wheat germ

I hope that list is no more bizarre than anyone else's :)

An exercise in creative writing

From creative writing prompts. Using one of the sets below, use all the words in your chosen set to write a mini story of 300 words or less.

Set 1: paper clips, principal, lunchbox, swing, girl with a pink ribbon
Set 2: biology, class card, foreign student, leaf, blood sample
Set 3: typewriter, filing cabinet, puncher, clerk, carbon paper, janitor


I fiddled nervously with the paper clips that were on my desk. My desk. Yeah! I had a desk. I opened the bottom drawer on the left side, reassuring myself that my lunch box hadn’t walked away. I had my own desk, with my own paper clips and my own lunch box.

The shrill bell rang, knocking me back to the present. The doors to my classroom exploded inward with the force of twenty little bodies coming full speed. I couldn’t help but smile at the bundles of energy that would be in my charge for the next six hours. I breathed a quick prayer and took a deep breath. How much fun we would have!

That was 7:55am. Now it was 12:45p and although I had started out with high hopes, my day had by now devolved into a disaster film. Two children had hidden in the corner to eat paste, while I was distracted with the budding engineer who had created a swing out of a sheet from the puppet stage and a couple of yardsticks. I’d already sent a little girl to the nurse’s office. She now had a purple shiner that would compliment her pretty pink hair ribbon.
Finally, mercifully, the bell rang. The door closed behind the last angelic child and I laid my head on my desk. My ears were ringing, my body ached and I didn’t even look up when the principal walked into my office. I just raised my hand in a gesture of surrender.

I could hear him chuckle a little bit. “I’ll have to tell you about my first day sometime. Mine was a doozy too!”