I love Instagram

Tuesday 14 July 2015

Easy pom pom trim scarf. DIY

http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


The arctic blast has hit the east & southern coast of Australia! So it is time to break out the scarves. This is a quick & easy scarf to make. You could make this out of a remnant that you have in your fabric stash. Or even a vintage scarf from an op shop. Because pom pom trims make everything cool again! This scarf is best made with a fabric that has a bit of drape/fluidity to it. It's light weight & great if you feel a bit claustrophobic with a big bulky scarf. I know I do!


All you need is......

http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


You don't even need to overlock or edge the fabric if you don't want to. But if you do, that's fine by me. You simply just sew the pom pom trim to the edge of your square.


http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


See, I told you, EASY!!
That's all there is to it.




http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


Then just fold your scarf in half to make a triangle. On the long edge, tie a knot. 


http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


Throw it over your head & you have a new super cool scarf!


http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


From Jos with love. xx


Monday 13 July 2015

Hello Monday. 13th of July 2015


Hello Monday! 

Hello quiet house! The kids are back at school. Hip hip hooray! Now my house will stay clean longer than 10 minutes. 

Hello arctic blast. We are having a real winter today. It's windy, it's cold and I have socks on! About 4 hours drive from here it is snowing. I have never ever seen snow in real life. Nor do I really want to. I am someone who likes it hot, hotter & even hotter. My husband on the other hand was born in NSW & grew up having snow every winter. He keeps telling me that he wants to take me back to his home town while it's snowing. I told him to have a nice time while he is there. I am not going! 

Wednesday 8 July 2015

Taking stock.



Making : A crochet blanket for my niece. She will be turning 8 in a few months so I thought it was best to make  a start now. 

Cooking : A lot of hearty meals. I love winter 
cooking! Stew, soups, lamb shanks....you know, all the good stuff!

Drinking : Lots of cups of tea & a little too much pepsi max. Not drinking them both at the same time though!

Reading: Blogs. I am reading a LOT of blogs. Trying to learn a little more from people who know a lot.

Wanting: Time with the girls. I am not happy that the school holidays are almost over. The eldest now only has 1 & 1/2 years left at high school and that makes me sad. 

Looking: At my garden out the front & seeing how neglected it has become. It must be envious of all the time that I spend out the back in the veggie patch.

Monday 6 July 2015

Hello Monday. 6th of July 2015

Hello Monday.


Hello royal christening! I woke up this morning to find my news feed full of gorgeous photos of Baby Princess Charlotte. And Prince George, seriously, is he not the cutest little dude? I think that I could imagine the whole family moving in next door and afternoons spent at each others house having BBQ's & a sneaky beer. They just give off that down to earth vibe. I could even see Will out in the street with all the kids & Dads playing a game of cricket on a Sunday arvo. While the Mums and Kate would lounge back on the lawn chairs having a sneaky vodka. I can totally see it. 

Hello second week of the holidays. This week sees a job interview for the eldest teen who is so driven that she wants a second part time job. It is apparent that my job is to drive her to all of these jobs. But that's OK because I am actually the passenger now that she has her learners licence. It also sees us making plans to go shopping for new school shoes for both girls. One teens feet have shrunk & the others have grown another 2 sizes!

Sunday 5 July 2015

Hello Sunday. 5th of July 2015

Hello Sunday. We, along with 74000 others, headed in to town to celebrate The Story Bridges 75th birthday. It was a beautiful winters day in Brisbane.



We caught the train in. It was the first time in over 10 years that I have caught  train. Not a lot had changed except for the scenery. Funny how when you look for landmarks that you remember as a kid that it a wave of nostalgia sweeps over you when they are still there. A short walk through Fortitude Valley & we hit a wall of people. I could not believe the crowds! OK, so I thought that it might be busy & a little crowded but it was a whole lot more than that! After a 30 minute wait in a sardine packed line, we made it onto the bridge. It would have been no longer than 2 minutes and we turned around and walked back off. The crowd was just too much. If they ever do something like this again, maybe they should open the bridge to foot traffic & have the food trucks in the surrounding streets. 

Friday 3 July 2015

Family fun and fitness challenge time! It's easy, fun and free!

Family fun & fitness, sound like something you want/need/are ready to do? I am!! We are!! Does something that is completely budget friendly (it is FREE!) and fun sound like it could be exactly what you need? It's what I need! I am going to be straight forward and say, I am not a fitness expert nor do I have any formal qualifications. I am just a woman who has tried everything, spent way too much on gym memberships over the years & I now know what is the only thing that motivates me. Fun. If it's not fun then I don't stick to it. I NEED it to be fun. So I am going to set myself daily challenges that are fun, pretty easy & things that the whole family can do. I know that many times over the years, it has been hard to find time that is just for me. So exercise was an afterthought. I have come up with a way to get the whole family involved so you don't need to find babysitters, or get up before the kids get up  & you don't even have to wait for the weekend. Some of these things may sound a little too easy but trust me, if you put 100% effort into it, they will work. Now I am not talking about losing 20 kgs in a week. I am talking about getting moving & feeling more confidant. I think that these simple activities will do that & will also give you more time with your family. Want to know what I am talking about? Here it is!

Wednesday 1 July 2015

DIY clay bells. Easy project



School holidays are happening! So I thought that I might share a craft that kids of all ages (& parents too!) can do. It's pretty cheap, very easy & you will be happy to show it off in your home. It is also the very first time that I have done a video tutorial. One that does not feature my head! Thanks to Miss Gracie dog who bumped the camera!! So you will just have to imagine that my head is there. You will even see Miss Gracie make an appearance! And please tell me, does anyone else say completely random things while recording themselves??? Apparently I do! OK, so now onto the project!!

D.I.Y. Hanging clay bells. 

What you will need:

Tuesday 30 June 2015

The A-Z of me. The right now edition.

Yesterday, while I was working out on the airofit (think Kath & Kel from Kath & Kim) , I came across an A-Z of me list that a friend of mine had posted. I thought I would share my answers here on the blog. So here is a here & now edition of A-Z of me. (as of 10:06 am yesterday morning)



A- Age: 35.

B- Biggest Fear: Cockroaches & not being in control are equal fears in my life.
C- Current Time: 10:06 am

D- Drink you last had: Cup of tea. White with no sugar & a dash of milk

E- Easiest Person To Talk to: My daughters

F- Favorite Song: I don't like it, I love it. By Flo Rida & Robin Thicke. Every single time I hear this song at the moment I crank up the volume & sing it like no ones listening!

Monday 29 June 2015

Hello Monday. 29th of June 2015



Hello school holidays!! 

After a stress filled term, we are ALL breathing a sigh of relief that the alarm clock didn't go off at 6 am this morning. We all slept in till after 8 am! Oh it was glorious to wake up in my own time. And to look out the window to see that it was raining & know that I can stay in my PJ's all day.........so comforting! 

Friday 26 June 2015

Do what makes you happy. Who makes the rules anyway?

F#ck the rules, do what makes you happy. 

If we all lived like a 4 year old who doesn't care what anyone thinks, oh how happy we would all be! My daughter used to dress as a fairy with gumboots every single day for about 6 months & she was awesome! She even wore that outfit to my Grandmothers funeral. It made everyone smile. Every person who ever stopped & commented only said positive things. Like "She is rocking that fairy outfit" or "That kid has got style" or "I love that she doesn't care what anyone thinks". She was happy. I was happy that she was happy. Can't we all be just as happy & confidant as a 4 year old in a fairy outfit & tutu??


If you want to wear mixed prints, do it.
If you want to dye your hair blue, do it.

Thursday 25 June 2015

3 things that are really freaking awesome!

Today I am joining in with Carly who writes the awesome blog Smaggle (that could possibly make 4 really freaking awesome things then). She has revived a blog post series where you share 3 really freaking awesome things from the month. 3? I have a habit of using awesome to describe at least 10 things a day so it may be hard to cut it back to just 3. But here goes........

Wednesday 24 June 2015

Down in the veggie patch. My secret weapon to growing the best veggies ever.




Down in the veggie patch, things are really booming! I have a secret weapon that I will tell you about. But first let me show you what has been growing. Potatoes! I have grown my first lot of kipfler potatoes! They are only tiny but I don't care! I grew them! I got so excited that I may have picked them a week or 2 too early. There is still some more buried under the soil.

Tuesday 23 June 2015

Send help! I am lost on Pinterest!! So I decluttered the boards while I was there.

Send help! I am lost on Pinterest!!

https://www.pinterest.com/fromjoswithlove/

Yesterday I somehow managed to lose hours, full complete hours! I was pinning like a crazy woman. I was pinning tattoo ideas.  The sewing ones are completely awesome!!! My poor husband had his phone going nuts as I was sending him links & asking what he thought for my next design.

Monday 22 June 2015

Hello Monday. 22nd June 2015

                                   http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


Hello last week before school holidays start. That means that I have one week of a clean house before the teenagers all arrive at my house everyday. Then it will goodbye clean, hello chaos for 2 weeks.

Friday 19 June 2015

Simple pesto. Recipe


                                    

When the veggie patch gives you an abundance of basil, pick it, put it in a food processor with some toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and a good amount of olive oil then blitz until pesto is made!! Simple!

Thursday 18 June 2015

Breathe. The tattoo with meaning.



Have you ever felt the need to do something that is just completely for you? Something that you have thought about a lot? Something that you have felt that you need to do? I have. For quite sometime I have been thinking about getting a tattoo. I already have one, a mistake. But we won't delve into that too much except to say that I was 16 & going through a rebellious stage. I had been dreaming of a particular tattoo for months. As some of you know, this has been one of the hardest years of my life. Not good when you suffer from anxiety. I often find myself caught in the midst of anxiety & I forget to breathe. I know that to most, breathing is completely natural & you may not understand. Those of you who suffer from anxiety will totally get where I am coming from.

Wednesday 17 June 2015

Going on a craft retreat!!! Booked and deposit paid.

How does 3 days of uninterrupted crafting with all meals cooked & cleaning done for you sound? Ummmm, like heaven!!! I have taken a leap and booked into my very first craft retreat. For once it will be me leaving the family behind to fend for themselves. Mind you, they are teenagers & it is my husbands duty to deal with them. I might tell them that I will have no phone service. Sneaky! So, some of my favourite  bloggers over at And Sew We Craft have organised a 3 day craft retreat for June next year.




Tuesday 16 June 2015

Veggie Dhal recipe. Or is it dahl or darl? Whatever it is, its yummy!

http://fromjoswithlove.blogspot.com.au/


The days are getting cooler & the nights are best spent inside curled up on the lounge under a warm blanket. But nothing warms the belly quite like a hearty meal. A few months back, I stumbled upon a fantastic recipe, Hippie Mumma's easy dhal. It is so good! As I usually do, I started customizing the recipe just a little. I like a lot of veggies. I like them a lot!! So I bulked it up a bit. This recipe is awesome, yes awesome, because its all done in one pot. No cooking ingredients separately. You just throw it all in the pot & watch it simmer.

Monday 15 June 2015

Hello Monday. 15th June 2015



Hello Monday


Hello fabulous blue floral fabric that I hope to make into a retro inspired skirt this week.


Hello grade 11 block exams. This is my first time dealing with the BIG exams as a Mumma. We are making sure that we eat really well with lots of fresh fruit & veg. And there is always a supply of chocolate for a stress snack. Extra pens, rulers, calculators & lots of sleep. It also means that our days are broken into 2 hour blocks. Sometimes she will be at school in the morning, sometimes she won't start till after lunch. There is even a day where she doesn't go to school at all!

Friday 12 June 2015

How do you say sorry when words are not enough?


I just don't even know where to start. There are so many things I want to say yet there is so many things I can't say. A little while back, I made the announcement that I was starting a full time course to help me find my way back into the workforce after being a stay at home Mumma. I started the course & was on my 3rd day when the universe had other plans for me. I had to cancel my enrollment. All I can even say to give some kind of understanding is that I received a phone call from my husband that rocked my Mumma heart to the core. I didn't hesitate for a moment & ran as fast as I could. I had to get out of that building & get in my car. One of my daughters was in an ambulance after an incident at school. Even thinking about that moment in time crushes me all over again. To hear that your baby, no matter how old that baby is, is alone & on their way to hospital, {ugh} it just rips your heart out of your chest. By the time I got to the hospital, I was an emotional wreck. As soon as I looked at my beautiful girl & saw the look that she gave me, I knew that nothing else mattered. I knew right then & there that I had to be there for her for as long as she needed me. There is no greater pain for a mother than seeing your child in pain. Thankfully even though it was serious & she still has injuries to overcome, there should hopefully be no life long physical injuries. Emotionally is a whole different issue.

Tuesday 26 May 2015

So.....life is about to change!

Yes, life is about to change for myself & my family in a big way! I have been accepted into a 5 week intensive retail course with job placement & fingers crossed......at the end of it, I will have a job!! After 16+ years of raising kids, who are now teenagers, this Mumma is flying the nest! Every day I will get "dressed". No longer will life be just about making sure everyone else is ok. I will have to make sure that I am ok too.  This is going to be a big chance for everyone. It's scary, it's exciting & it's awesome!

Monday 25 May 2015

Better than movie popcorn and George Clooney



Who doesn't love going to the movies? And who doesn't love popcorn? Ok, maybe some people don't but I am not one of those people. I do not like the cost of movie popcorn though. Over $10 for cold popcorn covered in fake butter powder, not my idea of a treat. And judging by some of the comments posted yesterday on a photo that I shared on Instagram, I am not alone. I have something for you to try, if you haven't already. Home cooked popcorn cooked in coconut oil & sprinkled with pink Himalayan pink salt.

Wednesday 20 May 2015

Fashion on a budget.


Fashion does not have to cost a fortune. There, I said it. I know there will be some who think differently but I truly believe you can develop your "own" style without breaking the bank. I have always loved spending my mornings on Instagram for inspiration for something fun & funky to wear that day. That's why I have decided to join in with Styling You for #everydaystyle. I want to show that you do not need to spend the grocery money on clothes. Sure, if you can afford to spend that much & that is your pleasure in life, then do it! I just know that with one income, a mortgage, 2 teenage daughters & everyday expenses, we can not afford to spend too much on clothes. That is why I always start with shopping at the sales & op shopping. Please do not be scared when I say op shopping.

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Taking stock. 19th of May 2015




TAKING STOCK


Joining in with Meet Me at Mike’s

Making : plans. Lots of plans.
Cooking : healthy food. Trying to eat healthier
Drinking : tea. Lots of tea.
Reading: blogs. Trying to get my blogging mojo back
Wanting: one billion dollars (best Dr Evil voice)

Monday 18 May 2015

Taking things slow and simple. Building a veggie garden



After my last post, I thought I should let you know, I am OK. I am dealing with everything that has been thrown at as in the only way I know how. To just keep going. I am a person who likes control, OK maybe I am a control freak. So when there are things going on in my life that I can't control, it sends me into survival mode. Literally. When finances and stability are all of a sudden put into the hands of a complete stranger, I like to make plans on how I can get back some of that control. I decided a few weeks back that I needed to get back to basics. I needed to build a veggie patch again.

Friday 15 May 2015

Life has just sucked.


Well hello stranger! It has been far too long since I sat down to write a post. Life has been a complete roller coaster over the last few months. None of it has been fun at all. From sickness to surgeries, everyone around here has had something wrong. It has all put a bit, ok a lot, of stress on everyone but I am starting to think that we are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I write that with trepidation as I don't want to jinx us. The stress has seen me taking comfort in my old friend, food. I think I may have even reached the heaviest that I have ever been. But I am not game enough to step on the scales. I am trying not to think about it too much but I feel completely uncomfortable in my own skin.

Friday 10 April 2015

Teenage bedroom makeover & dressing table reveal.

This post is long overdue!!  Georgia's 14th birthday was over a month ago & I have only now gotten around to taking photos!! So, here goes.....




It's bright. It's cheerful. It's very Georgia because it also has a little boho thrown it.







A lot of things were handmade by me just for her. The fabric quote hanging above her bed that reads "Be honest. Be silly. Be kind" . She chose the quote & I love it! The macrame pot plant hanger was a surprise for her. The vintage crochet tablecloth that I used for a dreamcatcher was hand dyed using Tumeric for a lovely soft yellow colour. The clay arrow. All made by me just for her. 







Even little clay wall hangings that I made using her favourite purple colours. 




All of the other accessories were chosen by her to add a little fun & colour. 




But by far her favourite thing is the vintage dressing table that she found on gumtree. She picked this gorgeous Aqua colour & I think it suits it perfectly! She sits at it every day to do her hair and makeup. 




Even Miss Gracie gives it her seal of approval! 




There is plenty of room on the walls for her to fill with photos, quotes and little wall hangings. I can see that this room will grow with her. We are still on the lookout for a nice comfy reading chair and a gorgeous rug. But for now, the room is finished! 

Next is the eldest teens room which will have the complete opposite colour scheme!! 

From Jos with love. xx




Friday 3 April 2015

Hang on tight & enjoy the ride!



So, I thought that my eldest turning 16 was a big deal. Don't get me wrong, it was a huge deal! But now I have realised that it is just the start. It was a week of stressful studying for the learners licence! Holy shit! She passed! So now that sweet little baby that I held in my arms just a meer 16 years ago, is now sitting behind the wheel of the family car. How? Why? What am I supposed to do with this? I will teach her, that's what I will do.

Tuesday 31 March 2015

Yellow split pea curry. So damn good!



Finally, the weather has turned autumnal. The nights are getting cooler, if only slightly, so it is time to cook a few more hearty meals. I love to spend time in the kitchen coming up with new recipes and this one is a newby. I have been wanting to have a few meat free dinners each week. This recipe came about by just using what I had on hand and crossing my fingers. It worked! This meal is so damn good! Meat is becoming more and more expensive. But I wanted some recipes that were just as filling and that no one would even notice if there was no meat. It also had to be freezer friendly. I like to have a few frozen dinners on hand. This one fits the bill.

Monday 30 March 2015

Home cooked potato chips. You know, like the ones that come in a foilpacket.



Everything tastes better when it is home cooked. Well, I think so. It think that it is the satisfaction that comes with preparing, cooking and then eating something that you have put your love into. Potato chips are no exception. A few months back, my eldest teen decided that she wanted to make her own after I said that I would no longer be buying packet potato chips. We researched, found recipes then real side that they are one of the simplest things to cook. Both of my girls cook these now. Georgia made these ones on the weekend to have while we were watching movies.

Saturday 28 March 2015

16 sweet years

16 years old today. You are the first person to steal my heart in a way I never thought possible. 




From the moment I found out that I was going to be your Mumma, it felt like it was fate that you chose me. There is a saying, Being a mother is not about what you gave up to have a child, but what you have gained from having one. Oh my sweet girl, I gained the world by having you. I was only 19 when I held you in my arms for that very first time.

Thursday 26 March 2015

Today I.......... {DIY hand painted fabric}

Today I painted some fabric. It's for a very special project for my eldest daughters 16th birthday.




Her bedroom is due for a makeover. Black and white with a sprinkle of silver is her choice of colours. I have already purchased her main sweet sixteen special presents. At the moment, money is tight as this is birthday month in our house.

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Things I wish I knew when my kids were younger.

Oh the list is endless. I am now the mother of 2 teenagers & that brings with it a hindsight that I never saw coming. I am a young mum, only 35, and had you told me 10 years ago that I would be sitting here writing a blog on the things I had learnt about raising kids, I would have laughed in your face. I never wanted to be one of those women who passed on useless info on how you should or shouldn't raise your kids. For fucks sake, I hated those women who tried to warn me. I laughed as they walked away and thought who the hell are you to tell me what my kids will remember about their childhood. Oh how stupid I look now! I wasted so much money & time on things my kids have no idea happened. I am serious. Because I was such a young mum, only 19 years old with my first born, I thought I had to prove myself to be a great mum buy buying. Buying stuff that I thought would change my kids lives for the better. Things that I thought would make my kids think I was the most awesome mum in the world. But now I know, my kids have no recollection of any of it.

Friday 20 March 2015

A love letter to my modest life.



When did it become the norm to live to excess? When did living comfortably and modest become a thing of the past? I do not aspire to have great amounts of money in the bank, rental houses, expensive cars, designer clothes or even overseas holidays. When did it become the norm to spend more time at work than with your family? When did houses become a trophy where the bigger, the better? Somewhere along the line, I must have missed that memo.

Thursday 19 March 2015

I do not have my shit together



Today, I do not have my shit together. There has been a few ups & downs of late in our family. Ok, let's be real. There has been a bucket load of downs and only a cup full of ups. I feel like I am drowning under the down moments. Today it has hit my like a tonne of bricks. I am walking around on the verge of tears & I know once I start, I may not stop. I think I am at the breaking point. Not a lose my mind breaking point but an emotional breaking point. It's a sadness that a lot of women feel. When we just have tried to hold it all together for so long.

Tuesday 17 March 2015

Why did I stop my old blog and start a new one? Let me tell you why.





I did what you are apparently not supposed to do when you are a blogger. I stopped a successful blog to start a new one. Just when my old blog was closing in on a million unique views, I pulled the plug. Why? Because it had taken on a life of its own and it no longer felt like me. I took quite a few breaks to see if I could reconnect but it just seemed that the further I was away from it, the happier I was. But I didn't want to stop blogging. I missed the sharing, the fabulous ladies who read my old blog for all the right reasons and I missed documenting our life. It really just wasn't me anymore. I felt like I had to watch what I wrote, what topics I wrote about & a lot of the audience didn't seem to connect with me, they connected with the blog had to offer them. They were coming just for the sewing, recipes and what they could get for free. That was not the reason why I started blogging all those years ago. I wanted to just be me. And who is that I hear you say. Let me try and sum up who I am.

Monday 16 March 2015

Reading Between The Wines Bookclub. I made it happen.

On the weekend I put this out on social media.



And guess what happened? I started my own bookclub! Yes I fucking did! Within a couple of days, I now have a bookclub that is currently sitting on 17 members! Yes! How fucking awesome is THAT! Reading Between The Wines has become my own little reality! 17 awesome chicks who love to read, drink and chat! I know that a few may drop out before the first meeting, and that's ok. Because there is still more that will want to join! I thought we might struggle to get 10 but now we have a whole army of women armed with books and wine!

Sunday 15 March 2015

Simple Sunday's are the best Sunday's. Our day in photos.

Sunday's are family days around here. I like to get out of the house as early as possible to make the most of the whole day. Starting with a swim at the beach....




It was a perfect day. The ocean was flat and calm. It was still hot enough to think it was summer even though we are half way through the first month of autumn. There was no crowd at the beach. Perfect. After a swim, the youngest teen and I went for a nice walk. 

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Quick & easy mixed veg quinoa "salad"



I have a confession to make. I have fallen off the 100% healthy food bandwagon. But I am determined to make simple adjustments to my everyday eating. We have all heard about quinoa & it's great nutritional qualities. I love it but I will be honest when I say that hubby & the girls have not warmed to it, yet. So I have been thinking of ways that I can eat it with our normal meal. So when I made a potato salad for everyone else to go with the amazing ribs that I cooked for dinner, I thought it was the perfect time to substitute. I made myself a very simple vegetable quinoa "salad". I wasn't going to share recipes on this blog as it can becoming very time consuming taking photos, editing, writting up the recipe, etc. But this is so easy that it is not really a full blown recipe.

Sunday 8 March 2015

The best weekends only cost a tank of fuel.

This past weekend saw us pack up the car and head south. It is always these times that we love the most. The back of the Navara is packed with eskies, towels, pillows, food & clothes. Swimming togs ready and waiting for a beach, waterfall or creek. It was Georgia's turn to plan the trip as it was her birthday week. We headed straight for Byron Bay. Spent the birthday money on skateboards, shoes, handbag, dress & sunnies. Then headed straight to the beach. It was already quite hot & the beach was bursting with people. The last time we were at Byron, hubby and I spent the day kayaking with dolphins. Today was all about family time so we stayed at the beach.




Friday 6 March 2015

This weeks roundup.




This week we celebrated Georgia's 14th birthday. Yep, no little kids in our family anymore. We are now only 4 years away from being parents to adults only. You have no idea how fast time will fly when they are babies. People tell you to enjoy the time because it will be gone in a heartbeat. They are right. I have spent the week feeling very emotional. I have cried a bucket of tears and more. My heart has been weighed down with nostalgia. It is only 3 weeks till the eldest turns 16 so I don't see this emotional phase leaving me any time soon. I am sitting here right now waiting for my eldest niece to come for a visit. It has been over a year since I have seen her so I am all kinds of excited. She moved out west with her partner and they have really done such a fabulous job in adjusting to a small town, a new life & have done the best they can being so far away from family. I can't wait to wrap my arms around her.