About Me

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I love to spend time with my hubby and exploring the sights and sounds of our new environment in AZ. I like to encourage my friends and be available when they need me. I love the Lord and serving in any way I can. I am a romantic at heart. In my spare time, I enjoy all types of paper crafts, stamping, scrapping, etc. (Please leave a comment so that I know you have visited my site). Thanks!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Hi there everyone, I know it's been awhile!

Hope things are going well for everyone! We have been very busy lately and it looks like I have not been here in a while. Please check out my site on the right hand side: Lynn's Crafts and you will see more of what I have been up to. I am doing a craft show next weekend Nov. 1-2 and then a flea market on Nov. 15th so I have been trying to keep up making product and stuff so that I am organized a bit. The house is coming along fabulously. All the ceiling fans are now in and we have just ordered some bedroom furniture that should be here before the holidays, or so they tell us! Mike went to Phoenix for a few days for some brother time with Gregg, and so I had some downtime to create and work on my show stuff. I want to have a little variety for everyone and so that is the hard part, trying to create enough of a mixture of product.

On another note, does anyone know where I can get some pixie stix(?) they cannot be found ANYWHERE either here or in Tuscon or so it seems. If you can get me some and ship em to me I will gladly pay you for your time and effort. I would like a bunch of em, maybe like 25 or so for a project! Thanks for your help.


Otherwise, not much else is new. We start our training this coming week for the Witness Victim Program and so that will be three days a week for the next three weeks. I am excited to see what that is all about. Either we will work as a team (Mike and I) or I will work with another person if he doesn't want to do it. We shall see if we even pass the course, interview, background check, etc. I think I even get to drive a squad car and practice on a practice track (sounds like fun to me).

Did I tell you . . . Mike's niece, Lisa, has a part in the show Cold Case which is being filmed as we speak. (Kudos to you Lisa) . . . I don't know when the show will air or anything, but she plays a 1960 stewardess. That sounds so exciting and we are all very proud of her. I'll let you know when the show is on!

So, back to crafting I go. Have a blessed day and I'll try to keep in touch sooner rather than later.



Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Hello, Hello, I'm back . . .


Hi there everyone, sorry I have been MIA for awhile! My goodness, time flies when you are having fun! Yeah, right if you call unloading junk in the garage and selling stuff on Craigslist fun, well then I guess I'm all over it! We finally have the garage organized, yeah Mike! We can actually put a car in it nevertheless. What an awesome feat that was for us . . .

I attended a stamping party with my pals in Milwaukee via the webcam this past Saturday and I was able to join in the fun and make a few cards with them. Technology is grand and I am glad that I was included. It was almost like old times, except I couldn't borrow any of their goods because they didn't fit in the camera. lol.

I have been trying to connect with some churches in the area to see if they have rummage/craft tables available for an upcoming show but they don't really seem to do that kind of thing here. I also hooked up with a small craft store and they said they will try to get me in to do some classes in the near future, that would be awesome! I have lots of ideas, now if I could just market them. If anyone need any gifts for family or friends, I probably have something you could use!

I taught my first Bible Study group this past Monday and it was awesome. The ladies were very receptive and I was blessed to have an opportunity to facilitate this group. Maybe I will be asked to facilitate the group again. I will gladly go wherever the Lord leads me!

We are loving the weather here now in AZ. Any humidity they had is mostly gone. The days are still in the 90s but it is comfortable and easy to work in. I have lost like 30-pounds probably from sweating to death (literally) and feel good. I am riding my bike almost every evening and the nights are really pleasant in like 60-70's. I told Mike if I lose any more weight (only 50-pounds to go), that he will have to get me a new wardrobe, as my clothes are starting to get too big for me. Yeah . . . I will shop for sure.

So otherwise, nothing else too new. We are still getting settled and acclimated to the weather and climate. Mike and his sister went to shoot their pistols in the desert today and they actually got kicked out by some security personnel. Apparently, Mike is going to have to do some investigating on where there is legal shooting places in the desert, or else he may end up in the big House!

Next week, we go for our first orientation class for the Victim Witness Protection Program that we are checking out in Sahuarita. This should be interesting. I'll have to keep you all posted. I'll be back soon!

Love and hugs,

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Wow it has been awhile since I blogged last!

Paper Bag Album (cute, eh?)
Burst Photo Album (neat, eh?)

I can't believe it has been a whole week since I last worked on my blog! Well do you think I have maybe been busy with setting up the house???? Well, let's see. Actually, I have been working at 'my store' a.k.a. Criag's List where I have been busy listing and selling items that we no longer have room for or need here in sunny, Sahuarita, AZ. People have been placing inquiries on e-mail and then I make arrangements for them to cash and carry the item outta here! I love all the scammers and people who just want me to give the stuff to them, geez then I may as well have a rummage!!!!!

Mike laughs at me and says I would make a good saleswoman because I have a way with words. I have to ask him to go outside or go in another room while I wheel and deal because he talks too much (lol). But, I am having fun placing ads and stuff. Mike says any $$$ I make is mine so you know I am all over it. lol. I posted a comment on my Facebook account today that maybe I could sell enough junk to buy a plane ticket home to Wisconsin (I don't know if Mike saw the humor in my comment). I know he thinks I would go home in a heartbeat, but we still have some stuff to take care of here so here I will rest until the time is right. I am trying to call this place HOME and not refer to Wisconsin as home all the time . . . but you know where my loyalties are (just a joke). I seriously love it here, especially now that the weather is so beautiful. I have just been told that October and November are awesome months here in AZ.

Anyway, not much else new here. I made some new craft stuff . . . okay, I'll show you some of it . . . because I know you all want to see it.
Some cute little TY note cards and matching envelopes (for teachers, helpers, etc. )
So, I gotta go check my CL and e-mail and work at 'my store' for another hour or two. Love to all . . .

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Today is Wednesday and it has been a long week already!

Well, let's see. We are pretty much done unpacking. Mike is still working in the garage. That is going to take awhile. He has finished hanging all our shutters and they look really nice! Today, the MIL and I went to the fabric store and purchased some fabric for some throw pillows and a floor pillow for Mike to watch TV with. We have to go into Tuscon for any major stores as Sahuarita is a fairly new community and you have to travel a bit to get to the bigger stores. We do have a Walmart Super Store, Walgreen's, bank and various other stores within a mile of our house. Today it rained, which is a rarity in itself. Since we arrived here in June, it has only rained about three times during the day. The storms come and go pretty quickly and then it is sunny again. They say the sun shines for like 360 days here and I guess that is pretty accurate.

I just helped two girlfriends from Milwaukee get set up with their web cams and now we can see and talk with each other. That is really cool and when we are on line, it is almost like I am there with them instead of 2000 miles away! Hopefully, that will save on telephone charges. I also was able to connect with a girlfriend from high school (over 40 yrs ago) and that is really interesting. We will try to correspond and get caught up on old news. How exciting is this here Internet thing.

Well, I guess I will sign off for now. My love to all our friends and family!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

We are finally in our new home!








Well, we moved in six days ago and are doing great. Almost all of the inside stuff is unpacked and put away. There are some loose ends, no wall decorations or anything like that. But the home is totally functional. I'll post some pics. We are now working on stuff in the garage. We had a full basement and double car garage/workshop in Milwaukee, which now has to be weeded out AGAIN and we will need to find a home for all the stuff we want to keep. Sounds like a job for superman!

My husband has been wonderful . . . he has installed all the shutters in our home with the exception of the front room, which had bad frames, and we are waiting for the corrected product. He has wired all our computer and electronic stuff and put in cable and wireless t/o the house. He is amazing! I did all the unpacking and setting up of the living quarters and he did all the fine tuning for us. We are a great team and really do work well together.

Needless to say, we are a little exhausted and only work half day and rest the remainder of the day because we are getting old (he!he!). So, I best go check on things and see if the man needs any moral support. Will be back later in the week!


Sunday, August 24, 2008

Five Days Until We Move!

Dinner out on the veranda!
Some of the beautiful cactus at the Desert Museum!
Mike, Lynn, Diane & Terry
A view of the kitchen minus the stove?????
A view of the backyard outside the patio door!

Well it has been a few days since I have posted anything. Let's see, we had our walk through on Friday and we are pretty much ready to go. They need to do some touch-up painting and some last minute details, and then we should be able to pick up the keys on the 29th and start the next chapter. This past weekend, my sister and brother-in-law from Texas paid us a visit and we had an awesome weekend enjoying one another's company, etc. So now we have to focus on finishing up all the loose ends on our end like getting the utilities connected, changing our address AGAIN and all those other mundane tasks. Here are some pics of the house and some from our weekend. Enjoy . . . and thanks for looking!



Saturday, August 16, 2008

Twelve Days and Counting!

We are counting the days until moving day . . . the house seems to be coming along nicely. We still have some work to complete before the 29th but hopefully all is in order. Nothing else new on this end. Have a good day!


Friday, August 15, 2008

Yeah, it is Friday the 15th

Back View of the House and Bay Window in Master BR
Front of the House (Garage)
Front Walkway and Den Window

Well, supposedly within two weeks we should be in our new place. I can't believe it . . . but we shall see how next week plays out with the walk through on the 22nd and the signing of all the papers. We are still waiting to hear about the final figures and payout stuff, jeez, they sure do things different out here. Everything is s-l-o-w. Well here are the most recent pics as of about 30 minutes ago. We are pleased with the color and note that there is still a lot to be done before the 22nd so time will tell. Thanks for looking at the updated pics and have an awesome weekend!



Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Construction Update!

Another picture of the beautiful cloud formation!

Well, sorry I have been MIA lately. A lot of stuff in my brain . . . here is the latest on the house situation . . . I peeked in the windows again tonight (the doors are now locked so no access because they are putting stuff inside). They have laid the linoleum in the kitchen, front entrance, and bathrooms. The cabinets are all in and the driveway and walkways have been poured as well as the back wall around the property has been added. Looking good. As best we can tell, they have to put in carpet, rehang the doors and put on the hardware inside and add the appliances. Outside they need to paint the final coat on the house, put up the roof tiles and add the landscaping that they do in front of the house and we are done! That is my best summary of what is happening on the home front. The house is scheduled to be finished and cleaned up by Friday, August 22nd when we do the walk through with the builder/superintendent.

Mike and I are cat sitting this week for the sister and mother-in-law who are both outta town. Yeah, it is party time! Yeah right, we just want to get outta here and start setting up our home, but we need to be patient a little while longer. We ordered the shutters and Mike will be getting them soon and can maybe work on them in the garage for awhile. So we will keep you all posted as things develop.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Hi there friends in Cyberspace!

This is one of my favorite cactus it looks like stick people chasing you
down the street. They are called: Teddy Bear Cholla!

It's been a while and so I thought I better give you all an update on the progress with our abode. Let's see, last night we were able to get in and measure out the windows for our plantation shutters that Mike will be installing for us. (He needed a little project or two and this should keep him busy for awhile as he has to fit em and square them in the frames, etc.) but when they are done, it will greatly help keep the sun out when it is not warranted!

So, once we hear from the financial people about the payout info and stuff, then I will try to set up delivery of the furniture that we purchased and see if that can all be delivered on the 29th before the movers come with the storage stuff on the 30th. So alot of adventures are laying ahead of us.

Also, my sister Di and her hubby, Terry are flying in on the 21st to spend a weekened with us. I wanted them to wait until after we settled in but who cares, we would love the company and fellowship. I'm sure if we don't scare em away we will see them again.

So nothing else new on the agenda. We are still enjoying the beautiful weather and the mountains are definitely my favorite and a reminder of God's awesome beauty, power and majesty. Some more pics from our trek to the desert last week.

Beatiful Wild Flowers!


Here are some Ocotillo Trees!



Friday, August 1, 2008

Tentative Closing Date Set for: 08/29/08

Latest House Pictures!
This is the front of our house "388"
This is the Front RoomAnd another picture of the Front Room

This is the Master Bedroom

This is the Guest Room and You are all Invited!

This is the Den!

Well things are moving along . . . we talked with the builder today and our walk through is set for 08/22/08 and then our closing should be 08/29/08. We will hope to move in on Saturday the 30th, so if you are available (just a joke) We shall see. We were pleasantly surprised when we went to the house and saw the doors were all up and the woodwork/trim was almost all in place. I guess they paint the whole thing, doors and all and then add that stucco look on the top layer. Then the outside is all ready to be painted (the stucco is already there). It is really interesting to see how work progresses around here. Here are some of our latest pictures. Enjoy the show and thanks for looking.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Hi, I'm Back!

Take a look at the Grandeur and Beauty of Sahuarita, AZ





Well, it's been a while but I'm back. Let's see. Well I got a new hair color and cut from my wonderful SIL this week (you can see it on this here blog). Today, very early this morning, Mike and I went for a ride in the desert. We took some great pics and had an awesome time just seeing all the beautiful things surrounding us. It was cool to see the mountains up close and personal. It was so serene and beautiful. I also uploaded two short videos (very amateurish for sure, but they are on my Facebook account if you care to look). Otherwise, nothing else is too new. The house is coming along slowly but surely and I will have to go and take some updated pictures soon. So, just checking in. Take care, God's blessings to you all and keep in touch!


Thursday, July 24, 2008

The Monsoons have Arrived!

Hello family and friends. Well the monsoons have arrived for certain. It rains really hard for awhile and then seems to clear up pretty quickly. The wind kicks up and it cools down really fast too. I have a few pictures for Brian because you asked, although they are not really too clear. These are from yesterday. Today, they finished the stucco on the outside of the house and it is ready for the painting, but I don't think that happens just yet. They still have to do the inside finishing stuff I would guess. So, here you go Brian. Enjoy the show. Once we know what the next step is we will keep you posted.





Tuesday, July 22, 2008

It's Official, We are now Arizona Residents!

Well, we went to the DMV today and made it official. We now have Arizona licenses and registration, and so the transition continues. We are officially members of the Grand Canyon State. They even took our Wisconsin DL's away. They said if was a federal offense to be licensed in two states. I never knew that! So, now we get to continue our saga on changing names and addresses on all our important documents, etc. I will be an expert mover/relocator before we are done!

Mike is brushing up on his firearm skills as you are allowed to carry a gun on your person and in your car as long as it is not concealed. He will actually be taking a course to obtain a concealed weapons certification. It is all Greek to me but it gives him something to work on while we are waiting for the house to be completed.

Otherwise, nothing new on this end. We are waiting for thunderstorms to occur today. Mike and his Ma are taking a siesta and I am taking care of paperwork. Doesn't seem fair at all, but oh well. Will check in later.