Grandma

My grandma is 96 this year. Until recently, she'd been living on her own and doing really well. This fall, she had some heart trouble and had to have a pace maker. Since that ordeal, she's been living with my parents. She seems to be doing ok there, but her memory is a little cloudy. It is hard to see her fading, physically and mentally. She's been such a sweet constant presence in my life, and is one of my favorite people in the world. I love you, Grandma.

She was a good sport with our silly photos with "the head" my uncle got me for Christmas a couple years ago:

Me, mom, grandma, & Rachel:

We were trying to gather up the great-grand kids for a photo, and Emmett wasn't cooperating! I love how she's laughing in the background in this picture!
Grandma and my cousin Jenny's little boy, Sidney:
The whole family:

ice bucket

I've been wanting an ice bucket to use in our new house, but haven't wanted to pay for one. It is on the "list" of things we want to get eventually...just not one of the top priorities. I was browsing around the Goodwill thrift store recently, and found this lovely thing for 99 cents. I wasn't crazy about the colors. For less than a dollar, though, I thought it would serve the purpose just fine.

When I got it home, I thought I'd try to cover it with something. The bucket has an inside removable layer, so I hot-glued some fabric around it. I like this much better!

It still looks a little funny inside, but overall, I was really happy with the result!