~READY FOR FALL & HALLOWEEN~

~~~The SHOP is READY for FALL and HALLOWEEN~~~

If you see anything you are interested in, please let me know as I am busy putting these treasures on the website too!!! I think you can click on each picture and it will enlarge it for you so you can get a good look. Of course there will be better picture at www.FourSistersInACottage.com

Kristi's party was a lot of fun and my back epidural went just fine.....they blew out a vein and I CRIED LIKE A BABY, then guess what, they put the IV in my LEFT INDEX KNUCKLE!!! OUCH!!! Will have picture of the party soon.....The shot in my spinal nerves will take 10 to 14 days to see if they work.

Love and Hugs, Amy

~GRAND OPENING~ WOW WEE!!!!~

WOW WEE!!!! Beyond My Wildest Dreams!!!!

My Grand Opening was a HUGE SUCCESS and I am so thrilled!!!! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE MY DAY SO SPECIAL!!!






A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY HUBBY BOB, KAREN, MOM & AUNT GERTRUDE FOR HELPING MAKE THE DAY WORK LIKE A WELL OILED WHEEL!!!!





I made the sacks myself and my dear sweet friend "colored" them in for me!!!! I made Chocolate Pudding Bundt Cake, Buttercream and Chocolate Cupcakes and Pink Roses Cream Cheese Mints. I had a blast and both Tuesday and Thursday were AWESOME!!!
I am in a bit of a daze and it still seems so surreal. THANK YOU EVERYONE for making my DREAM COME TRUE!!!
I will be busy this weekend re-doing the entire shop for fall and getting ready for Kristi's Goodbye Open House on Sunday. I am also working on the website and will let all of you know when that is ready.
WOW WEE!!! I AM STILL SO EXCITED and in HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY LAND.
(on a footnote, the pain in my back, legs and feet are so bad they had to prescribe a "controlled substance" and I go in on Monday for another epidural spine shot of 2 kinds of steroids. Please pray that this one works, and works for a LONG LONG TIME!!!
Love and Hugs, Amy

~A GOOD LAUGH for Today MY HAIR SO FAR~

JUST THINK.....THIS WAS ME, LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, READY TO GIVE UP on FIGHTING BREAST CANCER!!!!
THIS IS ME TODAY, August 30th, 2008.....The FIRST TIME EVER that I used a BLOW DRYER on my hair since I lost all my hair last year....I am laughing because it is HYSTERICAL and I look like a CLOWN.....I thought you would enjoy the laugh with me!!!! THEN, I decided to try my hand at STRAIGHTENING MY HAIR......LOL.....At first it looked like Tina Turner hair.....but I just wanted to see how long it really was without all those curls....
I think I like the curls better!!!! But HOW FUN to know I can wear it any way I want, last year, it was bandannas and hats!!!!



Oh, and look at those BIG BOOBS, I call them MY GIRLS!!!! ROFLOL!!!! Had to get them in the picture too!!! Cause they weren't there last year at this time either.

Okay, back to work.....I am down to the count down and I have tons to do!!!!

Love and Hugs to all of you.....

Amy

~1st Day of School~ Vera Bradley~Halloween Swap~Happy 17th Birthday Alli~

~HAPPY 1st DAY in 1st GRADE Ms. MADDI~ ~She's a card, in front of the camera.....remind you of someone you know??? Big Sister Kristi and maybe Mom too!!! 1st day of school was great.....and Maddi was happy to see old friends from Kindergarten. She is going to a NEW BIG School this year, 1st thru 5th grade. But she doesn't see the big kids, as they are in another part of the building. WHEW!!!! Those kids are so big compared to our little 1st graders. AND....it's ALLI's 17th BIRTHDAY TODAY....she is sick....darn it, but her party is this Friday, over night....with a bunch of giggly 11th grade girls. And next week is Kristi's going away to boot camp party. NEVER A DULL MOMENT HERE...it's like I am catching up for everything I couldn't do last year with the cancer.

THIS HUGE COLLECTION of RETIRED VERA BRADLEY Totes, Purses and Sting Wallets are on our ebay auctions for just $9.99/No Reserve. Click here to have a look!!!!

I am still working on the swap, Please note, SIGN UP IS CLOSED, I reached the limit, PLUS SOME, and have emailed or left comments to everyone who is in. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE. AND I am still trying to get the shop ready for Tuesday.....if you saw it now....you would say, THERE IS NO WAY she will be ready by then....LOL...I sold the big table and it's gone...so I have a BIG space to fill. FUN FUN FUN!!! Off to mark more pretties, wish you were all here to celebrate with me on Tuesday. I won't be posting again until after the GRAND OPENING.....and will have pictures.
Hugs and Love, Amy

~A GIVEAWAY~

URBAN CHIC BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!!!

QUICK....get over to Pat's, from the URBAN CHIC as she is having a BIRTHDAY Giveaway...HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAT!!!!

Ends Friday.....Hugs and Love, Amy

~Tuesday~

"PEACEMAKERS" "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" Matthew 5:9

This bible verse was sent to me today from a dear friend and when I read it, it gave me chills as it was 1 of 3 verses my Dad had written with his obituary.

We were talking of Kristi and how scared I am for her and how she dropped on me yesterday that she really signed up for 8...YES EIGHT YEARS!!!! Not 6, like she originally told me.

I am hanging in there and I got to thinking in the past few days....a couple things of why I am taking this so hard.....

#1.....I know, from the root of my being, how terrible it feels, and what it does to your heart and mind, to be STUCK, in a place, where you have NO OUT. No, options, feeling cornered, feeling helpless with your situation. I don't ever want her to be in that place and I am concerned about 8 years of a commitment to the military for her.

#2......At least with my cancer, I COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!! With Kristi being 18, not really realizing what she is getting herself into, me being a military wife for 12 years (and being intimidated by the whole thing in the first several years....and I was only the wife...I wasn't even enlisted...LOL), there is nothing I can do, not now, not later, not ever. I just feel so helpless.

Believe it or not, I was able to get 2 coats of RED PAINT on my front door of my shop, yesterday....it's all I got done. My get up and go, has gone up and went with this whole thing.....THIS TOO, SHALL PASS.....and I will accept it alittle more everyday.

By the way, DOES ANYONE LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS????
Kristi will be there for 5 months and I plan on driving down to see her (this will be after basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina). IF SO, I would love to meet for coffee, tea or food!!!!
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY TODAY......the girls will all be here tonight and plan on spending the night....I know we will be up late eating food, laughing and talking...

HUGS and LOVE, AMY

(PS.....I have added the pretty graphics below....please feel free to take them)

~ GOD BLESS OUR TROOP~

~PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM & OUR ENEMIES~

~SUNDAY~

~SUNDAY~
Nothing but a blurb today on my post. I am working on marking everything in the shop in hopes of opening to the public in September. I am having so much fun making each tag and getting ready.

Below is just a sneak peek of what's coming next on the website. This is one of my views from where I sit and talk with all of you. Coming in here makes me HAPPY and I look forward to it changing as the treasures leave and go to their new loving homes.

Uncle Duane's Funeral Service was very nice. I held it together until the 21 gun salute and the lone bugle guard played "TAPS". I lost it as I think everyone else did too.

On a HAPPIER NOTE, Have a great day today, I am going to PAINT my FRONT SHOP DOOR in a PATRIOTIC RED, if the rain holds off today, I would like to get that done too. (in between all the company I have coming today)

Hugs and Love, Amy

~PS~

Today, My Kristi Girl, swears in to join the Army National Guard.

Please, Please say a prayer for her and me. I am heartsick that she decided to not take her 3 year scholarship to AIB to become a Federal Court Reporter and instead joined for 6 years to serve our country. You are probably as surprised as I am.....I don't think she understands the full realm of what she is doing. She has never been away from home and will be gone for 7 months for basic training and then off to AIT.
I looked to the sky and said to God, "Haven't I had enough already?"

I know He has plans for her, ones I cannot see or know and I need to find some comfort in that. In the meantime, I think it is only human to have a heavy heart when this decision of hers came out of the blue.

When I found out, just 3 weeks ago, I don't know what was worst, watching my Dad die from cancer, getting cancer myself, or watching my baby girl go off into the military.
You see, there is not one Iowa Guard Unit that hasn't gone to Iraq or Afghanistan and that is why my heart is heavy.

Please pray for her, pray for our troops and pray I find something positive in this whole ciaos that I am going through. And please don't blast me for being upset, I am from an Army and Marines Military family and I was an Air Force Wife for 12 years. So I am very pro-military. I am just in shock over the whole thing.

Hugs and Love, Amy

`FUN at FourSistersInACottage.com

Lots of FUN TREASURES still available for sale at www.FourSistersInACottage.com



Have a GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!!
Love and Hugs, Amy

~A NEW BLOG FRIEND~

~A NEW BLOG FRIEND~

I am excited to announce a NEW BLOG FRIEND!!!! Judy, from Denver, CO. SHE IS A HONEY of a GAL!!!

Please click here to check out her blog and say HELLO to her!!!!
Bob and I are going over to see Uncle Duane today and then we have some MUST DO errands to run while the kids are gone. I will be back to finish up the website, hopefully, everything will be ready to go late tonight.....have a look see if you get a chance!!!!

Hugs, Amy

~A MUST HAVE BOOK from a FRIEND & Pics of the GIRLS

I JUST GOT my AUTOGRAPHED COPY of Donna Cardwell's NEW BOOK called Silk Art Embroidery A Woman's History of Ornament & Empowerment

Due to copyright laws I can't put any pictures of the book on my blog....BUT TRUST ME, IT'S WORTH GETTING!!!! Donna has been a long time customer of mine and I had NO IDEA she was writing a book. Imagine my excitement when she told me about it and here's a crazy thing....Her BOOK CAME OUT ONE YEAR to the DATE of my FIRST CHEMOTHERAPY!!!! Those are 2 dates I will never forget.

Just click here to get YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY and PLEASE tell Donna you found out about her from my blog. Nothing in it for me, I would just like her to know I sent you. HAPPY WEEKEND!!!! THINGS are GETTING BETTER HERE, Uncle Duane is in Hospice now and I feel so much pressure off so I have been happily getting things ready for the website and reading Donna's Book, I can't put it down!!!!.....Lots of GOODIES coming SOON!!!!

Hugs and Love, Amy

(Ashley and Kristi stopped by this morning, Saturday July 19th, 2008 and I had to get some pictures of them with Maddi, I cannot believe I have 2 ADULT Girls....Where did the time go????)

~MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY~

2 Years ago today my Dad passed away from cancer.......IT SUCKS and CANCER SUCKS!!!!

I miss him something bad........Love you and miss you so much,

Your Little Girl, Amy

~More Pictures of MY STORE~

Just a quick update on some of the treasures I am getting ready for the STORE and the WEBSITE, it's taken a back seat to family matters, but isn't that what it's all about???? FAMILY MATTERS!!!!
YES, I HAND PAINTED the IMAGINATION SIGN ON THE WALL MYSELF, I HAVE MORE I WANT TO DO AND WILL SHOW THEM TO YOU AS I GET THEM DONE

I have been busy going back and forth from the hospital. Uncle Duane will be going into Hospice within the next few days. Tomorrow will be 2 years ago I lost my Dad to lung cancer. All I have to say about all of this is CANCER SUCKS!!!!
Hug everyone you love.......Amy

(I GOT THIS EMAIL TONIGHT AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU....IT'S PRETTY COOL AND OH SO TRUE....READ IT BELOW)

To: YOU

Date: TODAY

From: GOD

Subject: YOURSELF

Reference: LIFE

This is God. Today I will be handling All of your problems for you. I do NOT need your help. So, have a nice day. I love you.

P.S. And, remember... If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in MY TIME, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.
Now, you have a nice day. God