Where does the time go?

Several have mentioned to me lately that they have missed my blogs. It is hard for me to remember that anyone really reads them...I do this for selfish reasons. I am not good at keeping a diary or journal (like my friend Karen!) so this is kind of my stab at keeping up with "life events" or thoughts. I would like to think if I had more time on my hands, that I would be much better at journaling but the truth of the matter is there is a long list of things I wish I had time to do. Play with my grandkids more, craft, sew, dig in my flower beds, go camping, start writing my life story, etc. But somehow, life just seems to be so busy right now! I am thankful to God that he has brought many new opportunities to the Zach and Larry Knight families. At the same time, things are a bit crazy...a good crazy but crazy nonetheless! But having said that, I don't want to forget to write about all the fun times we have snuggled into our daily schedule lately...so I will try my best to let the pictures talk for me!
In the past few weeks, this is what has brought me the greatest joys..

Emma enjoying some backyard time

Having a little "weee" time as she calls it!

Sweet times...Bud and Emma checking out the front yard

Emma taking a bath in the kitchen sink...don't you love the "do" I gave her!

Emma giving Honey some snuggles

Honey and all her grands..Emma, Will, Owen & Clay

Love how Clay and Emma are holding hands and looking at each other!

Emma playing with her "new" doll at Honey's house-we had to get a few girl toys!!!

Sweet picture of Emma and her mommy!

Emma being silly! Such a cutie with a fun little personality blooming!

If only she could talk...

My Singer that is. Actually, my Mom's Singer. As long as I can remember, this was the machine my Mother used. Dad bought her another Singer once, and as she said, it was a lemon! She would get so frustrated with it, then I would see her back to sewing on her tried and true first Singer. She really tried her hardest to teach me how to sew. I was a hard case! I wanted to learn, but I was so impatient. I wanted to be good from the start. Mom tried. Then I took sewing in High School. What a disaster. If my Mom was ever unhappy with one of my teachers, she never let on. She never talked badly about them. But my Home Ec. teacher let us go to Cloth World and pick out whatever fabric and pattern we wanted for our sewing project...no limits! I came home with a pattern that was super complicated. So complicated, my Mom said she would have NEVER selected it and she knew how to sew! Mom was not happy. Probably because she was so hopeful my sewing teacher would be able to teach me to sew and to love it! Well, as you can imagine, my time in class was miserable. I tore out seams so many times that I wore out the fabric! I really don't know how I even finished it. All I can remember was it had many ruffles, puffy sleeves, french cuffs, a zipper, buttons, etc. Not really a good first clothing item! I should have made elastic waist pajama pants, that is challenging enough for me! At the end of the semester, we had a fashion show and we wore our garments. I remember I could not breathe! The bodice on my dress was so tight that I thought I would pass out before I got across the stage. I am sure my Mom was a nervous wreck that her daughter would pop all the buttons and zipper before I finished modeling. It was one of those experiences that more or less scars you for life. The thing that makes me so sad, is I WANT to sew so badly! There is really no telling what this little sewing machine would tell us, if it could talk! She has been there through my whole growing up years...the years when I would sit by my Mom and watch her sew me clothes, make my babies and my Barbies clothes, make curtains for my bedroom and that was just when I lived at home! Then after I married, mother made curtians for our first home, then dust ruffles, etc. for a nursery and the list goes on and on. I don't know how many times, I have wished I could rewind the clock and take those lessons again. I am trying to teach myself. I am not a good student, I am sure my Mom is nodding her head right now! I don't want to make all my own clothes! I would love to be able to sew for my granddaughter. I would love to be able to make a simple quilt for all my grand kids. It is more the "crafty" home decor sewing I aspire to do. I am determined to take baby steps. Today, I pieced together a table runner. I finished the top and it was actually a lot of fun. I didn't have to rip out one thing! Yahoo. Of course, it isn't finished but I went as far as I could today. Now I must find time to go back to Cabbage Rose and find some fabric for the back and binding. As I was sewing today, as that Singer was making those little stitches, I got to thinking about my Mom. She sat at that machine so many hours, creating things for her family and for her home. I may not have taken after her in that area but she would be thrilled to know that someone has...Ashley. Ashley isn't afraid of trying. She thankfully doesn't have a scar from a bad experience lurking over her! I didn't teach her to sew, but she is learning on her own and she is doing a great job! Mom would be so proud! I know I am!

Check it out!

Okay, if you are like me, I seldom go to the actual blog on anyone, unless of course, I am leaving a comment! Otherwise, I just use my trusty Google Reader to let me know when someone I "follow" has updated their blog. HOWEVER, I do have to say the one thing I miss about that is you don't get to see everyone's clever and cute blog design! I bring this up because my very precious and talented daughter created a "new look" for my blog and I just love the little header!!! As most of you know, I am Honey to the grandkids (and other sweet little ones in our lives) so it just seemed fitting to have a "Honey Header"!!! Ashley recently gave me a cute little wall hanging that had the same wording so she decided to design me a little updated header! Check it out!

Thank you Ashley for sharing your creative juices and giving me a new look! I love it!!

What the Knights have been doing lately!

As you all know, Larry and Zach run a company call So Simple. It takes care of 4 local churches plus a smaller business maintenance and janitorial needs PLUS they also run a construction company. In April, Hillcrest Church of Christ hired us to remodel their church kitchen. It was a big undertaking. It was taking EVERYTHING out, even the slab in areas to get to some HUGE plumbing issues and then putting it all back together again. I helped a few other ladies organize the move out (boxing up ALL the stuff) and then helped move it back in. One thing that I love to do is organize, I love to figure out where is the best thing place for things, to make the flow of a working space...well work! I also LOVE to decorate. I was able to help in the selection of all the colors and materials used. What fun. It has been a huge project and Larry and Zach did an amazing job but I think it goes without saying...The Knights are very thrilled it is almost finished. We are down to a very small list of "to-dos" before we can hand it over to them. This week, several volunteers at the church helped to put things back in the cabinets then the rest of the week has been spent "tweaking" where things were put and decorating. This is a commercial kitchen so decorations were kept to a few things...but there isn't any reason a commercial kitchen can't have style!! :)
Here is the kitchen before: (sorry I don't have another picture from that exact angle!)

Here is the kitchen now:
This is one of my favorite things...we put up Wall Words on this wall. This is the wall you see when you enter the kitchen from the main hallway of the church! Love it!

The countertops are granite. The lower cabinets are black distressed cabinets. I think the distressed is an EXCELLENT idea when you know the kitchen cabinets will take a "beating" when there are lots of people in their working. If they get a little nick...then just added a little more distressing! :)

I am so proud of Larry and Zach. They have worked long and hard hours but the finished product is simple beautiful! Good job guys!

Two months ago today...

Well...a not so funny thing happened on the way to Sam's two months ago today. Larry and I had made plans to grab a quick bite to eat and then head to Sam's to buy groceries for our Christmas meals, etc. I had a full weekend planned- I was going to finish my Christmas shopping and get lots of my baking done. Less than a block from our house...our plans changed. We were broadsided by a Schwan's Food Delivery Truck. We got a very quick reminder of how fast things can change in your life much less a very sweet reminder of how good our God is! He certainly was watching over us! The Jeep was totaled and I had multiple broken ribs but in the big scheme of things...we were incredibly blessed to have come out so good!

It has been a painful and slow recovery, but I went to the doctor today and he has released me! Yeah! Things are looking good. I am still sore at times, but overall I am very glad to be up and going once again! Larry was thankfully not hurt and he has been my strength these past two months. He has been an incredible "nurse" to me! I sure do love that man!

I want to thank my sweet family for ALL the ways you have showered me with blessings these past 8 weeks. You have not only encouraged me with your sweet words and caring ways but have reminded me of how very blessed I am to have such loving and supportive children, spouse and grandkids! Thank you for all the ways you have helped out!

So, on this Valentine's day, I send my love and thanks to each of you for blessing my life with your love!

In the beginning...

Hello! Well, it seems I have been drawn into the blogger world. I love reading others blogs and so I decided to start my own. With Ashley's help, we set up my blog and now it has hit me...what will I say???

Maybe I too shall start at the beginning of "my" story, though I think I will need to make it somewhat short and sweet...because I fear it will be quite boring!

My life begin October 16th, in San Angelo, Texas at Shannon Memorial Hospital. From what I have been told, I was fortunate to be born in the hospital. It seems my sweet Mom had gone to the hospital on several occasions only to be sent home...false labor. So, she resolved she wouldn't go back until it was the "real thing". She was having pretty solid labor pains but decided instead of going to the hospital, she would instead go have her hair done...I mean after all...she wanted to look good! Well, I believe she had everyone in the salon in a panic before they got her hair fixed and delivered her to the hospital! Good to know she had her priorities in place! Ha! No fear...she had it under control! She had a good looking hair style and then had a BIG baby girl with quite a unruly hair style of her own!

Though I lived in San Angelo and Odessa as a baby girl, my first memories take place in the same town as I live in now...Abilene. My growing up years were fun and carefree for the most part. I was blessed to have two loving parents, a great older brother and lots of precious family and friends. We attended Woodlawn Church of Christ and it was there I made life-long friends and wonderful memories...and it was there I met my sweet husband, Larry. His family also attended Woodlawn, so though I knew him from a young age, it was my sophomore year in high school when I "really" noticed him. We dated through high school and were married a year after I graduated.

We bought our first home, a few months before we married on a "sweat equity" loan...and boy did we sweat! That house went from a slum to a very cute starter home. We lived there for a little over a year, sold it and built a house in the big town of Hawley! Two years later, God blessed us with our first child, Zachary Austin and though we both wanted children...I truly don't think either of us realized how much fun being parents would be nor the blessings God had in store for us! Three years later, we again were showered with God's love as we welcome our second child, Ashley Jo. Our little family was complete! We lived in Hawley, until the summer before Zach was to begin kindergarten at which time we desired for our children to attend schools in Abilene. We sold the house and moved into a duplex days before school started. A year later we bought the house that we still lovingly refer to as home! It has been a house filled with love, laughter and many coats of paint! I quickly realized how much fun it was to fix up and change things and luckily I have a husband who is not only a very talented carpenter but sweetly goes along with my decorating whims!

I remember so many older women telling me "enjoy your kids...they grow up way to quickly" and I am here today to say...they weren't lying! It seems like we blinked our eyes and they were graduating from high school and headed out to make their own path in life! We prayed from the time we held them in our arms, that God would raise up spouses for them that would love them, help them in their walk with God and that "fit" into our family...and He answered that prayer twice...in much larger ways than either Larry or I could even imagine. Zach's wife Meg and Ashley's husband David are not only an answer to prayers but just go to show us that God had it planned out and set things into motion in His own perfect timing for both Zach and Ashley. We could not be more blessed!

Then came another huge blessing! GRANDKIDS! Well, once again we have been blown away by God and the way He lavishes blessings on this family. We currently have two precious grandsons, Owen and Clay and Meg and Zach have another child in the oven! "Sweet Bun" will join our family later in the year. The little guys have not only stolen our hearts but bring an incredible joy to our day to day life! We are so very blessed to have our "grands" only minutes away from us!

Well, there is a quick (though probably not quickly enough!)glimpse of my life! Now, I can either add blogs of current news or recall sweet memories and get them in print. Both will be recorded here...hopefully it will be a good place for me to write down memories I want to pass down to my family. I have wanted to write a book for a very long time...so maybe this is the first attempt at a chapter! Until later.