I am BACK !!!!!

 Well it has been a long 6 months and we have had many changes in our lives . The biggest change is we packed up our home and moved further south ...... only 1.5 hours away but still further south ! What that means is we have less snow ( but still snow ) , warmer temperatures ( sometimes only a degree or 2 but still warmer ! ) and we get to spend time with DD and her family ! Something we have not been able to do for a very long time . Our boys have both bought their own homes in the last few months and are learning to live without the Parents being just a few minutes away ...... it is working out well for all of us !

 The second huge change in our lives has been DH has retired from his job . He spent 42 accumulative years with the same company and though the last few months were sheer Hell on him ( due to a lot of crap that was going on inter-company ) he stuck it out until the end of the year . They did throw him a very nice retirement party where we even had friends ( with the company ) attend from as far away as Quebec . All our kids and their spouses attended as well . It was a fun evening and the speeches were great ! DH has no regrets about retiring though ..... but will he stay retired is the million dollar question ! He has a few good working years left he says but it was time to start a new venture ! We will see !

 We have managed to get a few things done here since he retired .... boxes are almost all unpacked and the house is almost totally set up now . We have a few things we will have to do in the yard once the snow leaves ( this is the most snow that the town has seen for years and it is only January ! Just our luck ! )

 Christmas was wonderful this year . The oldest and his family came down on December 23 and spent the night with us . They headed back home to spend Christmas in their new home early on the 24th . Then the youngest arrived with his cocker spaniel . We spent the evening at DD's and had lot of fun with her family . Christmas morning we had our presents here then back over to DD's for a gift exchange with them . Christmas is always fun when there is a 5 year old :-) ....... I did Christmas dinner here and discovered my new kitchen works perfect for the group . the youngest and his dog headed home on the 26th and DH & I settled in to figuring out this " retirement " thing !

 I did no crafting for Christmas this year other then a few cards that I had done at a class I attended in Novemeber . This is the first time in years I didn't do at least a dozen cards to send out ! Oh well !!! I did manage to do a couple birthday cards for the family that celebrated one in December .

This was my granddaughter's card I made . I love this Magnolia's Tilda which I colored in Copic markers and then used lots of Stickles on her dress and the tag . I also airbrushed the paper she is on rather then use a patterned paper .

 I am finding time to get back to my room and doing some creating so stay tuned over the next while to see what I have come up with . Still haven't got my room completely unpacked but it is coming .... I could probably get it all unpacked if my COPICS would quit talking to me every time I walk in there ! LOL ! So nice to be able to sit and create again after the madness of the past 6 months !

 And on that note .... Have a great week and happy creating everybody ! Thanks for coming back to visit !!!


And on a footnote .....

 Amongst all the madness of the past 6 months , I actually managed to lose EVERYTHING off my laptop ( a MACBOOK which it turns out is NOT indestructible ! ) ...... so if I haven't visited your blog or sent you an email please send me a note with the a link or your email address ! ) .... and PLEASE make sure you BACKUP your computer !!! I have lost a LOT of photos , links and contacts because I didn't do it ! Just one more lesson learned .........  2012 is behind us and 2013 is going to be so much better !!!! )