Posting update, pics added

I've not had time to get pics uploaded which is one of the reasons I've not posted lately even though there is much going on right now. After being berated by Holly about no new posts, I'd thought I would go ahead and get one up here even without a photo, which I may try to add later.(ok, I've added a couple of Maggie so you can see her)

Holly and Chris are now in Waco, Texas. I helped them get packed up Wednesday,13th, along with my 2 nephews, and Emily's hubby, Craig. Holly and Chris left out early Thursday morning with one of the twins, Tad. Kerry was not able to get away from the farm until Thursday evening due to water leaks, etc, etc. which put us on the road ALL NIGHT, not arriving in Waco until 7 am on Friday morning. My other nephew, Ty, came along with Kerry and me to also help. We took a short nap and then were up to get their stuff unloaded. Don't know what we all would have done without the help of Ty and Tad(and my son-in-law, Craig, in getting the van loaded). We were fortunate as well that Chris has a cousin who will be living a couple of miles from them and he brought his foster sons over Friday afternoon to assist in unloading the Uhaul. We woke up Saturday to a day of rain, so if the truck had not already been unloaded it would have been a mess. So thanks go out to several young men!

Holly and Chris were allowed to repaint. They decided to do so and also to strip wallpaper from the 2 bathrooms which were sadly dated(we are talking faded blue and mauve floral print). Of course, this had to be done before stuff could be moved in. They stayed up most of the night Thursday after they got there and then we all worked together Friday and Saturday to get everything done and most of their stuff unpacked. Sunday we finished the unpacking and then got pictures hung and knick-knacks out. It was a marathon of DIY, unpacking, and decorating. We fell into bed exhausted Sunday evening and then got up Monday morning for a tearful goodbye to head back to Alabama. We drove to Tuscaloosa to leave the boys at their apartment and to pick up our doggies, Max and Maggie, from Emily's house.

Emily and Craig were really glad to see us! Maggie and their dog, Coal, had bonded and being very active dogs had played themselves silly. Poor Max thought they were fighting, so he kept trying to intervene and would try to get between Maggie and Coal creating a 3 ring circus, lol!

Still need to get some pics up here of Maggie. She is a mess! Sweet, but into everything! It's like having a manic 2 year old in the house. I found a chewed plug end the other day and have yet to figure out what it went to. Hopefully nothing vital. I've lost several house shoes, multiple pens, some book covers, magazines, etc. She will even chew on aluminum cans!

I've been having to hold back on some news on the art front for some time. I was involved in an art project that was submitted for publication in LK Ludwig's newest book, Collaborative Art Journals and Shared Visions in Mixed Media. This was months ago and while we had been told the project was included in the book, I wasn't sure if my part would be. The book is now out and evidently my work is mentioned. I'll be posting more about this later on. I've ordered the book from Amazon and will be able to tell you more for sure after I receive it. I do have scans of the art I made for this that I did before I sent them off but, of course, couldn't share them until the book was published. For now you can read what Deb Lewis, the group coordinator has posted about on her blog, Vintage Moon Studio.

This is the first time anything I've done has been published, so I'm excited to say the least. I've been too cowardly to submit anything or just not taken the time to do so. Deb was very instrumental in getting the group to get their projects ready for submission, so really I've her to thank for this.

Other things I've not really blogged about include gifts for Mother's Day from the girls which were a painting done by Holly and some pretty potted flowers from Emily and graduation pics from 2 weeks ago. Will try to get some of these posted soon. Also, I've not forgotten that I promised to do a one year anniversary giveaway, I just keep putting it on the back burner. I'll have to come up with another name for it when I do get around to doing it.