My current RANT

Time, I do not have enough of it.

Peace, I do not have enough of it.

Money, I do not save enough  of it, I have plenty for my needs.

It has really struck me in the face lately on how much stuff I have, how much I shop (and I really and not a shopper), how little I save, how little I know about money, how tired I am or working so hard and do not have all that much to show for it.

I realized how many times a day someone tries to sell me something I do not need, I get TONS of emails everyday, from on line quilting shops, clothing shops, insurance, car sales, etc!
Enough!!! If I get an email for now on of someone trying to sell me something I am going to "unfollow" that company, delete it, trash it, junk mail it!!

I realized even though I do not spend all that much money shopping I still shop, I go to the dollar store, I go to yard sales, I go to thrift shops, I go to fabric stores - I buy way to much at all of these places, sometimes I do buys things I need - and that is OK. But many times I buy things I do NOT need - and I am done with that!

My husband asked me "what are we doing tonight?", my answer today was "we are going to save money, either you can BBQ or I can fix dinner, after that we can go for a walk or watch a movie (I even said we could rent one off of the TV)"
Why do we feel we need to go "out", is it a better meal at taco bell or Carls Jr? NOOOO!! it is not, and we pay way too much for it.
Tom was out of town for 3 days this week, and ate out a few times (packed some sandwich stuff also), he is NOT deprived in any way if we do not run out and get some fast food tonight.
It is not just him, it is me too - I like a night off from cooking, I like a "date", but it can be a date from home sometimes also.

Maybe it is not the new year, but I think I am making a mid year resolution to work on saving some money and making more peace in my life. Wish me luck!!

Wass Girl Cousin Gathering (the story)

As most of you know (who would read my blog) my Dad came from a really big family, and I have a lot of first, and second (and third, etc) cousins on my Dad's side of the family, the Wass side. Most of us grew up in the central cali, Mariposa is close to the center of the state, many did not travel far or moved back when they could, most of us love it here even though we are currently seeing hard things in this state, the drought and politics especially. I have thought of leaving and knew I would miss my wonderful family too much.

This past Easter Party (every Saturday before Easter we have a large family reunion - usually at the fish and game building) some of the girl cousins were getting our picture taken and a few commented that we really do not get together, it is true, it is sad. We all have busy lives, most of us work outside the home, or run day cares out of our homes, or manage their home/family (and we all know that is the hardest work of all!)

So I volunteered to host a gathering, picked a Saturday in July (I liked the ring of 7-11), and sent out the word through the mail, and Facebook (a great tool to get the family together and to gather addresses)

Not sure how many showed up, at least 25, we had a blast!! Everyone was so happy to get to know each other a little better, to show love to each other, to talk, and to laugh and eat of course. I enjoyed it so much I did not take pictures, I knew there were enough phones and cameras around I would just "borrow" others pictures.

We have all vowed to take turns hosting the annual event, but I would host again in a heartbeat! Love you all, thanks for a very special day!

Wass Girl Cousin Gathering

At the last family reunion a few of us cousins had this thought that we do not get together (at all or enough) so I volunteered to host a gathering, got the word out, gathered the ladies, and here are a few pictures to share (I did not take any of them, I was busy enjoying the day)

Tom, thanks for all your hard work getting the place together, and for taking some pictures too!

 Ronda, Amy, and Cathy

 A couch full!! Ronda, Tanya, me and Marie!

 Missy, Tanya, Ronda, me, Patty and Marie

 me and Tanya!

Debbie and Shelly

 Amy and Missy (sure look like sisters)

Cheryl, Terri and Aunt Rena (also my neighbor) 

Visiting Jack and fmaily

Have not had a chance to see my son Ryan and his family since they moved to Washington, got to go last weekend, had a sweet visit, hope to go again soon.

Day one of our visit, Jack going crazy with some sugar (from Grandma)

Ryan fixing some dinner, taught that boy right!

Danielle, Jack and Ryan - Jack not so happy about Mother's day Photos

Gma and Jack - Jack not loving the photo op

Gma, Jack and Papa, life if better when Papa holds you.....

This was a BBQ at the farmers market made from a horse trainer, cool

Papa at the air museum 

Jack - ready to fly!!

Quilts, Quilts, Fabric and Quilts! (and friends)

A few friend and cousin Missy and I went to the Best of the Valley Quilt shop hop a few weeks ago, 9 quilt shops in 2 days - we had enough time in each shop to look around and shop, and buy beautiful, fun fabric. We did not win any of the prizes but had a blast, cannot wait to do it again next year (truly needed a nap the next day after we completed this trip though!

The first day, our selfie in front of Strawberry Patches quilt shop in Bakersfield
Cindy, Anne, Missy and I
We are raring to go, money in our pockets!

at Strawberry Patches

quilt inspiration

Day 2, in the afternoon, me, Anne, Missy, and Cindy - getting down to the last few shops

Cindy drove and did a great job staying focused on the road with all the chatter in the car, we all picked up a piece of Christmas fabric and have promised to each make a different square and meet up in the next few months to swap square and then we will all make our own quilts and compare. I hope we can all get them done before the Mariposa County fair to enter them all. Cindy's 2 daughters did not make the shop hop but are going to also make blocks for this project (we volunteered them)

We truly had a great time, laughed, and ate, and shopped, and visited - it was a great girls weekend! Thanks Ladies!!

Wass Easter Party 2015

Every year my Dad's side of the family "the Wass" side has a family reunion, actually we now have one in October also, but is has stayed smaller (and that is a good thing). My Dad was one of 19 kids, Grandpa and Grandpa Wass actually had 20 children, but the first child died shortly after birth. I did not get pictures of the Aunts and Uncles this time, by the time we took pictures most of them had went home, it is a long day.                                 

 This is a picture of some of the first cousins (in order of age, youngest on the left)

Some of the girl first cousins, youngest to oldest

There were about 5 people taking pictures - so you did not know what way to look

In deep conversation with cousins Greg, Lonnie, and Shelly (they all are Jack's children)

Shelly, Ronda, Marie, Me, Cathy, Tanya, Missy, and Vicky (looks we got out of age order on this one!)

Missy, Ronda, Marie, Greg, Tanya, me, Lonnie, Shelly

OK it may not seem like it, but this is only a small glimpse of the cousins, many were not able to make the reunion, or had already left. There are a lot of Grandkids! Only 10 of the "Kids" left, but most are still going very strong. Especially Uncle Rodney!

PS - all of these cousins pictured live in Mariposa area, or central valley.

Work Stress, hard work (getting on my soapbox)

Well we finally went live with the new computer system at work, things are going OK with that. It is actually easier that we went live, the unknown is no longer in from to me, it is here, and it is not as bad as I thought it would be. We are working through the bumps in the road, pinning down management for processes, and pulling together to get things done.
I have always been a worrier, and also someone who put it on myself to be "responsible" for too many things. Maybe that is why I have struggled with Crohn's disease, and hypertension!
What makes us who we are, is it how we grew up? My Dad had a stroke at age 50, I was in Junior high, life changed a lot after that and it changed my childhood a lot. We no longer had extra money for pretty clothes or dresses for the school dances, Mom worked more, I was Dad's helper more, went up to the high country with him to be his "camp cook",  as soon as I could I got my drivers license and would often do the families grocery shopping, I started working at Miners Inn as a dishwasher at age 15. Worked when I could to have spending money. I was the baby of the family - most babies of the family are not thrown into working and helping as much as I was. By the time I graduated from high school I knew my parents could not afford to help me even go to Junior College, so I joined the Navy.

I am thankful for my ability to work, I am thankful I have had the skills to support myself and my family when I needed to. I do not understand those who are able to work but do not, who use Welfare or disability (great for those who need it!), but too many in our society are able to work. How much less would our taxes be if more people were hard working and self reliant? I believe that is the way our forefathers were, building this country from nothing. I am thankful for parents who taught me to work hard, to grow a garden, canning, cooking, sewing. I am thankful my husband is able to make something out of nothing, to do some plumbing, electrical, fix a car, change my oil, cut wood, build a house, weld, and too many things to list.
I am thankful that my children are hard workers, and I am very proud of them for taking such great care of their families.