Forutnately I didn't have to murder anyone this morning or spike my coffee with vodka. My builder took one look at the crown molding that was delivered and agreed wholeheartedly that the supplier screwed up. The supplier showed up about 15 minutes later and took the blame like a big boy and owned up to not matching the sample of the crown I provided with what was delivered to their warehouse - they just brought it out ASSumming it was the same profile. Minor blip but frustrating when the trim crew was supposed to be finishing up today! My builder really is pretty awesome - when the framer charged us a higher per sq. foot rate than we were led to believe he was charging, my GC stepped up and ate the difference of about $3,000. We didn't even get a chance to ask or complain - Mo just said that the framer charged us more per sq/ft than we had budgeted and he thought it was only fair that he cover that difference since I had been asking for clarification on the costs from the start. He ate the cost of our roof repair where the masons put holes all around the chimney to the tune of about $1000 without us asking, too.

My Mom was the greatest person, mother, wife in earth. She was the most spiritual, humble, compassionate, beautiful person I¡¦ve ever known. She was my rock, my faith, my comfort and my guidance, I feel as if I am lost in limbo without her. She had such a story, she was the oldest girl of 13 Children, and she raised her brothers and sisters while her parents ran the bar they owned across from Leavenworth Prison. When she wasn¡¦t doing that she was working in the bar. It made her who she was; she never drank, smoked or swore. She gave my Dad 40 years of her life. She lost her first born child when she was only 23. My brother Todd died of cancer when he was only 2, but yet she had the strength and courage to have 2 more children. I had told her so many times that I did not know how she could overcome that. With him being my only child at the time, I think I would have had to lie down and die beside him. She went head to head with a few Demons¡Kreal ones¡Kand a couple of my boyfriends, and let me tell you she was not afraid to tell them where to go. º My heart has been broken ever since January 5, 2005 when she was diagnosed she was given 6 months to 1 year, but she fought like hell for 1 year AND 6 six months. I am so grateful for all of the extra time that we were given. When she was told of this horrible news, she refused it, would not accept it. As did my Dad, my Sister and I. How could someone so full of life, someone whose eyes sparkled so bright be given this terrible burden? It wasn¡¦t fair, but even then she was teaching us something. She was so brave and never once did she let her faith fall. I spent every moment I could with her, every lunch hour, anytime Dad needed a break, to cook, didn¡¦t matter what I was there! I just wanted to soak her all in, time was running out. Mom grew weaker, the pain intensified, and she had so much confusion from all the meds and so came the need for her to have someone by her side 24/7. I basically moved back ¡§home¡¨ for the last month to help Dad. My sister was called and was also told to come ¡§home¡¨, time was running short. It was not until this time that she actually gave up, ¡§I want you to know that I can¡¦t fight this anymore, I am tired and I have decided to give up. I want you to know that you girls are the light of my life and I love you¡¨. And I told her that we understood, we would be ok and there was a little boy waiting for her and now it is his turn, we had kept her long enough. I thanked her for showing me the kind of person I wanted to grow to be and let her know how much I loved her And a few days later she was gone, I was there with her and holding her hand at that very moment. She was only 59¡Kand I am 29¡KI still need my mom. She once was the greatest person, Wife and Mother on earth and now she is the most beautiful of all the Angels in heaven. My Sister will be here for the Thanksgiving holiday and we have decided that it is time to start going through her things. Deciding how we are going to divide her art, and all her possessions that meant so much to her. What to do with her clothes, her shoes, her books. Call me crazy but I always hope that something from her will show up somewhere, she was the type to tuck little notes away that you would end up finding. I look for her all the time in my dreams; I could sit in pure silence for hours waiting to her voice. I miss her so much; I thought this was to get easier as time passes? Just when I feel that I am up on my feet, they get knocked out from underneath me. How do I deal? What about this hole I feel in my chest? I too hate the cemetery, to see her and my brothers granite stones laying side by side just rips me apart, I never go and I do feel guilty about that, but I don¡¦t feel that is where is ¡§she¡¨ is. June was the month we lost her, to be precise¡KJune 29th, 2006 11:13 am. I hate this month¡Kand I hate that day even worse.

Thanks for sharing your techniques. I saw a peek-a-boo in F&P (I think) and I have been wanting to make one. They are cute. Rosa

Glad this might be helpful...no the styrofoam was a large chunk about 1 1/2 - 2" thick but you might only need a small piece for your circles. The thickness helps to hold the pins straight up and down. For stack n'wack, my piece is about 14" wide by 18" long by 2" thick and I use the flower head pins. After we have stabbed the design matches down, we start pulling up pins and pin without taking it out of any of the layers. This keeps the patterns real nice. I saw your hexegones and they are real cute and I like the three different layout you used. Jean