Cara Box Reveal!! I am a LUCKY Lady!!!!

Can I just tell you how amazing participating in the Cara Box exchange from Kaitlyn from Wiffesionals has been? (Go sign up! Do it!!!)  I have met some truly amazing women who I would not have gotten a chance to meet otherwise!

This month I was paired with Jodi and Stacy and the exchange was so much fun. We got to pick out stuff from our region to send.  I got to send Jodi a little bit of Texas in Boston. Check out Jodi Bean's Blog to see what I sent. Side note here is that Jodi is a big Red Sox fan and she and  my friend Rachel From Randomness with Rachel are real life friends and Rachel is actually going to see Jodi today.  Small World!

My box:
Stacy from Siriusly Craftables  lives in Connecticut and named her blog after her dog Sirius who just happens to be my FAVORITE Harry Potter character! . Actually, she is from Newtown so I have been so honored to get a chance to meet some amazing women from both Boston and Newtown this month!
So let's see what Stacy sent me....I must admit...I am seriously siriusly excited about the amazing stuff which I love!!!! Stacy and I have been exchanging emails for several weeks and she totally nailed it!

I got a bottle of Wine and a bottle of Maple Syrup! Plus some YUMMY soap!! She figured me out!!!

A bottle of BBQ sauce and Oh, my favorite thing...the bracelet

This smells so good and I love the smell of APPLES

This bracelet really touched my heart!

I may have teared up.  I was so touched that she sent me the Sandy Hook Bracelet.

Plus I got a Newtown cookbook.  I don't know why I didn't get a better picture.  The cover is charming!

Sadie got treats

an so did Ries and they must have been amazing because the kids were QUIET!!

I can't say enough about how amazing both Jodi and Stacy are and how much I have loved getting to know them.  Honestly, I wasn't sure when I signed up for the Cara Box exchange originally but the two months I have done it have been absolutely awesome.  Stay tuned and thanks to all the amazing ladies!






Simply,
Laura
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Welcome to my Indiana home and to the Heart of Texa

Rochester, Indiana






I didn't do a very good job on the finishing up the blog challenge but there was one challenge that I really wanted to do.  That was the one that introduced you to my childhood hometown and my current one.  They are very different places.   As you can see, Rochester, Indiana hasn't changed much over the last 100 years.

This is the town I grew up in until I was 10. It is a nice town to grow up in.  Life as a child was so simple.  You mowed the grass, road your bike to the lake or to the city pool and played in the snow.  We built snowmen and made snow angels.  We had friends next door and down the road a half a mile.  Once I was old enough...maybe 8, I would ride to my friends house.  My bike, took me everywhere. 

Every summer we had the glorious Round Barn Festival.  It was a huge event for a small town.  There were games, rides, food, and crafts.  Everything was just amazing.

This is the Round Barn that graces the Round Barn Festival every year. 

  Rochester is the county seat of Fulton County.  I thought about Rochester today and my need to share my amazing hometown because....in April, 1974 as a 3 year old, I lived through the Super Outbreak and there were 6 lives lost in Fulton County to the tornados that struck that area.   It was so loud.  It was a part of life.  We had basements. 


Lewisville, TX




Lewisville is a town north of Dallas and is part of the vast DFW metroplex.   We have parks, a lake, and a huge highway going right up to Denton.   Shopping is amazing and honestly, I love the location.   I can get to the Ballpark in 35 minutes and the AAC where the Stars and Mavs play on the DART rail which is only 10 minutes from my home.  

Lewisville has a festival every fall called Western Days.  (It's hot here in June...way too hot!)
The festival includes:

• Three stages of live music
• Kid Country
• Stick horse rodeo
• Car Show
• Gunfighters
• Western Market
• Culinary Corner
• World Tamale Eating Championship
• Pie Baking contest
• Cowboy Camp
• Tailwaggers Ranch
• Boat Show 

Yes, I took this info from the City website.

I guess there are similarities  I never realized between the two.  There is a small town feel to Lewisville at times although it isn't.  The Festival is fun and definately makes you feel more connected to the community.  Both towns are on a lake and both towns offer some very amazing natural beauty.   Old Town Lewisville looks very much like downtown Rochester.   

I am proud of my Indiana home and I love living Deep in the Heart of Texas.   Both places are incredibly special and both shaped the person I became and I really like the person I am and the place I am in my life right now.  

I hope that we can all take a moment today to stop and appreciate the simple things in our lives.  Naturally, I think of my home today as we live through a week of horrible tornadoes and so much tragedy.  Stay safe, my friends and hug someone you love.

My heart and prayers are with the people of Oklahoma today...as they have been with Texas, Boston, Newtown.




Simply,
Laura

Pray for West

 


 






                              This is what I think of when I think of West, TX




I have been through West a thousand times back and forth from Dallas to Austin or San Antonio. I have stopped in West for Kolaches, of course. It is a small town. It is a friendly place. It is being evacuated as I write this thanks to an explosion at a fertilizer factory. Every indication is this town has suffered incredible loss. Please pray!












For the second time this week I am reminded how fragile life is. For the second time this week I am reminded not to take people I love for granted.












If I love you, you know it. If you know I love you, I know you love me too. It is that simple. Wherever you are. Whatever you are doing. Whatever keeps us apart...time, space, distance or something more, I love you and that will never stop. Be safe. Be happy.












Update:
I woke up this morning and realized tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the burning of the Branch Davidian Complex which was just miles from West. Tomorrow is the 18th anniversary of Oklahoma City. I am sad this morning.
XOXO

Enjoy the Ride!
Simply,

Laura