SUPER SWEET SURPRISE!!!

I just LOVE when something happens that makes my heart so happy & content...this is absolutely one of those times...

Lauren & I had been over in Tacoma for a few days and we brought our friend Scotty home with us and to top it all off we surprised my sweet mom!!!

Enjoy this video & you will see for yourself why this is one of those perfect ~ once in a lifetime moments ~

Scotty's mom ~ Terry ~ and my mom ~ JonElla have been best friends for nearly 40 years!!! I was raised with Scotty and spent so much time with him throughout the years. Since moving to Spokane 13 years ago, we haven't seen him very often. Lauren & I went out to dinner with Terry & Scotty last Monday evening and decided to bring him home with us the next day! We were ALL so very EXCITED ~ to say the least!!!

I keep re-watching this video as it just makes me smile and brings tears of joy to my eyes...my girls hear me watching this and they both have said..."Mom, are you watching the SCOTTY/GRAMMY video AGAIN???"... 

Yes, I will be watching it over & over I'm quite sure! To know you are SO LOVED by another is the best feeling in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD and I do believe Scotty knows he is LOVED by...

Mrs. Miller and the whole Craft family!!!

the POWER of WORDS

Words and what we utter from our lips and even sometimes on paper can be so powerful. To some people words and how they are conveyed and expressed are so important. I am one of those people who's "love language" is words of affirmation primarily. {If you have never studied Love Languages I would encourage everyone to do so...it can literally transform a marriage and help in parenting and it just in general to how we relate to family and friends.} One of my mom's primary love languages is also words of affirmation. I was reminded of that this past weekend when we went over to her house...they were notes that each of us had left her taped around her kitchen! It made me smile! That is something I would do! I save notes, letter, voice messages and emails. I re-read and re-listen to them often especially if I need encouragement or am just missing that particular person who left me the messages. It just does my heart good! My mom is one of those rare people who still writes and mails letters and cards and I love that about her. I love when I re-read cards and notes she sent me through the many years. Not long ago I opened my mail box and lo and behold there was a sweet note from my sweet mama...she just said she realized that since she lives in Spokane she had not written me in a long time! I treasure that!

 Thought I would share the notes Jim, Natalie and I left my mom ~ it just brings a smile to my face and heart ~

Just a couple of the love notes taped on my mom's kitchen wall!

First, I left this note and then Jim left

this note! I already had left my mom's so I didn't realize he wrote one too! His made me laugh!

I did stop there Fri night but she changed her mind and made the casserole with these ingredients this week instead so I'm pretty certain a stop at her house on the way to or from my nail appt. tomarrow is in order! Don't you think that's a good idea? It was kind of cute ~ Natalie told me she notices Grammy gets out ingredients for certain meals and they might sit on the counter for a few days until she makes it. I asked Nat what the problem was with that...she said nothing at all she just wondered why she did it. I said I didn't know I just know she's done that my whole life. What confused Nat was the fact that there might be all the ingredients for a meal on the counter but Grammy makes a whole other meal. I asked my mom that night {because then I was curious after all these years} and she said simply she likes to make sure she has everything and then when she's hungry for it she all prepared! Sounds good to me!

Nat lives with my mom {it is going so well for both of them} so she even leaves mom notes! SWEET!

Words you see no matter how simple or elaborate are good for the soul! Take the time to drop a friend or loved one a quick note or send an email. I like reading those too! Even through facebook and texting words can be helpful and needful to someone. You just never know what somebody is going through at that very moment when they read your words of love and encouragement!

A very Craft Christmas Eve

Nat (16) and Lauren (19)

Just love my girls soooo very much!

my GIRLS and their GRAMMY...these 3 are something else!

The CRAFT Family wishing you & yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Me & my SWEETHEART

This mama sure hearts these 2 like crazzzzyyyy!!!

DEVOTED DAD & his 2 DARLING DAUGHTERS

Some more favorite pictures of my PRECIOUS family...

 

We had fun evening just bein' together. Started out Christmas Eve with Jim, my Mom and me going to church at Life Center. It was a wonderful service and great message on NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD! Then back to our home for favorite snacky foods and playin' a game of Farkle before the girls opened a couple gifts.

I sure do LOVE LOVE LOVE having my mom live so close to us now! She spent the night with us for Christmas Eve...her first time to sleep in the PINK room...she loved it!

This sure is a fun game! Shara gave it to our family when she came to visit!

Even tho this picture is blurry...I just love her expression!

Twas the night before Christmas...

Chicken Fettuccine

How do I even begin to describe Jim's famous chicken fettuccine?  I'll start by saying it is the BEST I've ever had and I no longer ever order it if we go out, simply because nobody else's compares to Jim's! He started making it several years ago and has played around with the recipe so now it absolutely PERFECT!!! It is the Craft families top requested meal and many other friends and family also request it for birthday and special occasion dinners! Kinda lets me off the hook for "big" dinners...'cuz well ya know...we all only want his special chicken fettuccine!!! Can you blame us???

This is at my mom's home. Jim said he would make us all dinner after my mom, myself and 2 friends spent the  weekend at the Women of Faith Conference. I've told you before, he spoils me!  It was just too delicious and we enjoyed the dinner so much.

I just don't know how each time it turns out so PERFECT!

YUMMY!!!

Some fun pictures of precious family & friends at dinner that night...

My mom - JonElla and my middle daughter - Lauren

 My Girl

Michele & the Master Chef

How lucky for me to be married to him!!!

Kate & Michele

Kate started the weekend off as my mom's friend however by the end

of the weekend she was also MY FRIEND!

Michele & Judi 

She has such a special place in my heart! Just love her!

JonElla (MY mom), Me & Judi (OUR friend!)

I must admit the leftovers are just as good! I always love it that he makes a double batch!

THANKS again Jim! You're one in a million!!!
 
P.S. Could somebody please have told me I had something in my teeth in the pics that were taken after dinner? I noticed it AFTER I posted the blog the first time...decided Oh Well! They were good pictures and I just needed to get over it! There are worse things in life right??? :)

Flashback Fridays!

Time passes too quickly and so I that's where I came up with the idea of flashback Fridays. No rhyme or reason to a picture maybe just one that's been on my mind recently. People always told me when the kids were little that it goes so fast and that I would forget funny things. At that time, I remember thinking it wasn't possible and surely I would never forget precious funny memories. Sadly, I must admit they were right! Enjoy the moments and be sure to write down stories that someday you may otherwise forget!

These are my precious girls May 4, 1995. Lauren was 3 yrs. old and Natalie was 2 days old and we were going home from the hospital. They were so sweet and I remember Lauren was so excited to be bringing "her baby" home! I also remember most of all how very tired I was! :)

Jump ahead to the year 2001...this is Natalie while we were vacationing in Cannon Beach, Oregon. At this same time she was rather obsessed with all the "Free Willy" movies and the main character Jesse played his harmonica to coax Willy the Whale to come up to him. She was just sure this same tactic would work for her...




One of the most priceless moments was when I  looked out our cabin window and there she sat on the lawnswing playing her harmonica. Patiently waiting for Willy to come or if not him then Nat thought Luna, Willy's sister would surely swim by! She sat out there for hours and would play and wait...play and wait...play and wait...!

Nat, Lauren with Grammy and Tyler - Cannon Beach, Oregon

 

 

- April 2001

Stay tuned for more treasured memories on flashback friday!