Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires!!!!!!

As summer continues
 the land
 seems to get dryer and dryer
so please
lets be mindful
that there are many precious
men and women
who are sons and daughters
and nephews
and nieces
and husbands
and fathers
who need our help
to keep
all of us safe!
My nephew Sam
 (I call him Sam I Am)
is on his way to fight a wild fire.
He is the one in the front right.
I am so proud of him!
(And so nervous at the same time!)

My prayers are for all of our firefighters
out there!

This is my little brother Eddie
(We call him Capt. Eddie)
 who has been with the
Los Angeles County Fire Dept.
since right out of highschool.
He hopefully will be retiring soon?
He is catching up with me in age.....just kidding.
He's seven years younger than me.
And I couldn't be any prouder of him!

 

When Someone You Love Dies.....

My heart is broken today as I reflect

 on the caos and emotions that everyone goes through when they lose a loved one.

My prayers are for my families comfort

and peace.

 It doesn't matter who you are

what faith you are

 how old you are

 what gender you are......

we are ALL saddened by the death of a loved one 

and everyone mourns in their own way.

Death is so unnatural.

The Bible speaks of death as an enemy.

And this is why we look forward to the time when Jehovah will do away with this enemy death (1 Corinthians 15: 26)

This week I read a timely article

 in the

 Watchtower magazine

 dealing with the very subject 

of 

"When Someone You Love Dies."

I am so grateful that Jehovah has provided these tools for us to find comfort and that

 I have a hope for my loved ones that have died

 and

 that I know the truth about

my loved ones who have died

and the fact that I know

 how to

USE my Bible

 to find comfort when we are faced with the death of a loved one.

If you have been affected by the death of a loved one

I urge you

 to read this article on the right of this page

and Please

 look up every scripture in your Bible

so that you can be comforted as my family has been.

We look forward to the day when we will see 

Matthew again 

and he will be smiling

and not in pain.

We look forward to seeing him again very soon

along with 

all of our precious family and friends

 who have died

 as 

they await the day that they will be awoken from their sleep in the resurrection (John 5: 28, 29)

This is dedicated to the memory of Matthew Raymond Martinez

who was a very talented and sensitive young man.

Until we meet again..... 

Bathroom Remodel Update.....

So, we've had more than the usual distractions and obstacles that have been keeping us from completing the remodel of our guest bathroom for the past YEAR!!!!

But

We are slowly making progress.....

The biggest obstacle has been money.....

and

TIME!!!!

But it will eventually get done.....

I HOPE!!!!

We started out removing the existing shower/bath combo
 and
 the outdated tile floor.

Then our friend Todd came by and prepared the pipes for the new tub.
(Thank you, Todd!)

We are going to install an old iron claw foot tub in it's place.

Then drywall was completed.

This picture shows the pipes stubbed out for the tub
 and
 the drywall now in place.

The wood also was being installed on the back wall to give it some texture.

After the wood was installed we painted the walls.

This insert had to be put into the wall so that we can accommodate the claw foot tub.

I'm thinking about doing a decorative mosaic

 or some rustic shelves inside of 

the insert

 to hold some bath salts.

A year ago a friend gave us some rock tiles that he had left over from a job

and we didn't have enough to do the whole bathroom

  so.......

You know me, I'll make it work one way or another!!!!!

So what did I do?

I turned to Pinterest of course!!!!!

 So, we got some ideas together and decided to incorporate it

along with tile that has the wood-look.

I love the way the wood-look tile and the rock blend together!

It's slowly coming together......

Thanks to Pinterest!!!!!

I don't know if I'm going to use this mirror yet.....

it's what I have for now,

 but I'm sure I will be replacing it with something a little more bohemian
 or
 I'll have to mosaic it.

I also have no idea what we are going to use for the top of our table that will house our bowl sink.

We thought we were going to have a piece of scrap granite but that didn't work out
but I do have
a wood top in storage from an old roll top desk that I can re-purpose.....
Hmmm....

Kim and I pieced together this stand that we will be using for the bowl sink.

The legs and sides came from an old victorian table that I've had for years
 and
 some re-purposed  two by fours and some decorative wood that I've had hanging around.

Kim is painting it and distressing it for me.

I love how the stand came out!

It will have a bowl sink installed on top of it.

The light fixtures are re-purposed also.....

So.....

Now if we could ever get that bathtub put in place
(It's in the garage and ready to be installed)

 and

 the toilet and sink installed we will be back in business!!!!

That's with having two bathrooms, I mean......

Rainbow Alert!!!!!

I absolutely love rainbows!!!!

I guess it's because of the significance of the rainbow

and the promise Jehovah made to mankind in Genesis 9: 11-13

It's reminds us of how real Jehovah is

 and

 how he is reminding us that he is still there and very much a part our lives.

I love that!!!!

I also have very fond memories of my boys being young and still living at home....

and whenever there was a rainy day

and the sun would peek out from among  the clouds

we would all start looking for the rainbow!

We would call it "Rainbow Alert"

I miss those days!

Is this cool or what!

I even caught the bird in mid flight!!!

This is the other end of the rainbow....just across the street from my house!

Immune Defense.......Fermented Cabbage Juice

 I often make batches of fermented cabbage juice to help boost my immune system

 and give me the needed energy that I need to keep up with my busy life.

I recently ran out and didn't make a fresh batch right away
and I paid for it!

I got sick for three weeks with the flu!!!!

So I won't do that again! 

Ok, so for anyone who is interested in how to make fermented cabbage juice
here are the directions.....

Make sure you use organic cabbage and distilled water.

I just chop it up and blend it in my blender and put the pulp in large pickle jars.

It helps to just put plastic wrap over the jar held in place with rubber bands because
as the cabbage ferments it creates gases that can escape.

Oh, and let me warn you....
I put the jars in my garage because it does wreak!!!!

Ready to sit in the garage for three days!

Our Favorite Thing To Do.....Go Camping...

Well so far 2016

 has proven to be a very busy year for the Horn's.

We have been busy with everyday life 

just like everyone else

that we know.

Sometimes things can overwhelm us

and

sometimes we just need to stop

and regroup.

Our way of decompressing 

is

Camping!

We took a week at Wilderness Lakes here in Menifee

to just relax 

however,

we found ourselves still not relaxing!

We are just too close to home!

We found ourselves still going and doing the samethings that

we normally do....

Doctors, meetings, studies, grocery shopping, etc....

So we landed up taking ANOTHER week!

And we really did try to relax

but

We really didn't just sit and relax until

the last day!

Oh well!

But the highlight of our camping trip is that we 

had our Cae Cae for two nights!

She is my true camper!!!!

We got our bikes out 

and 

we bought Cae Cae a bike with training wheels.

This was so fun!!!

We met four beautiful families at the campground

that are full-time RVing 

along with their children!

What an adventure!

These families have taught us so much about the

 in's and out's 

of 

Full-time RVing.

And we made new friends that we can't wait to see again!

I was terrified that Cae Cae was going to fall so I was running along side her
until she got the hang of it.
As you can see she is doing just fine!
As you can see all of her new friends were showing her the ropes......

Papi was so proud of his Cae Cae!
Emma rode along side her too.....

We kept on trying to get Cae Cae
 to focus on not turning in front of anyone and cutting them off.

There were a few close calls and a few falls but she finally got the hang of it!

In the evening time we all loved to sit by the campfire.

The kids were having a blast roasting marshmellows.......

So much fun!

We also loved having coffee time each  morning with our new friends
while we talked about things
and planned our days.

So I am very grateful that we were able to take this much needed time off
to reflect on the things we need to do
and to recharge.

We were also blessed to meet some wonderful people along the way.....

Until we meet again.......

Homemade Gift Giving......

I think that the most precious gifts that I have been given are those that are homemade....

So this year for Korey and Summuer's 10th Anniversary

(Can you believe 10 years have gone by already!)

I decided to make them something that came from my heart.

Korey loves bicycle riding in his spare time

so I asked him for some old bike sprockets that he was going to throw away.

Here is the result of his discarded sprokets......

I also made a miniature photo album for them...
What was special about this?
Well it was handmade from sheets of pretty paper and the sheets were hand sewn together to form the book. Then I covered the book in satin from my wedding dress!
Also, the lace and pearls are from the train of my wedding dress.
Each pearl from my dress was hand-sewn by my grandmother.
The front of this photo album has a shadow box that I made that enclosed Korey & Summuers
wedding day picture and a few objects that were special.
Buttons from my grandma who was a seamstress all of her life, a key that was Uncle Duckies and an earing of mine.

Inside this photo album
 is
 many pictures of the 10 years that
 Korey & Summuer have spent together.
There are also blank pages for them to continue
their journey of adventures....

This is an anniversary gift I made for Kim one year.

I made this mosaic table for Liz and Hiram for their anniversary this past July.
So if your anniversary is coming up......
You never know....
You just might get something special from me.....
That is if you are one of those special people in my life.......

A Day In The Life of Me..........

Is it me? 

Or am I the only one feeling like there is not enough time in a day to do all that I need to do?

 or

 even want to do?

Life is so busy!!!!

The priorities in our lives have definitely changed!

So What have I been doing with my time?

Well....

Besides my regular service in the ministry and meetings.....

Two days a week I have been doing public witnessing 

with this cart.

On one day, I help at the College in the afternoon and 

then on Wednesday

my mom and I do the cart at the 99 cents store.

Carts like this one are being used all over the world now by Jehovah's Witnesses.

All of the literature is FREE to anyone who is interested

and we have been

very successful in answering

Bible Questions.

I had someone ask for a bible study last week

from the cart display and we have placed a lot of literature with interested people!  

As we are "keeping watch" 

on the closeness

of the end of this wicked world

as we know it 

(2 Peter 3:11-13 ; 2 Timothy 3: 1-5), 

we spend many days

 warning people

just as Noah did in his day (Matthew 24: 37-39).

Do we get discouraged?

Yes.

Especially, because many people do not take this seriously.

But, they did the same thing in Noah's day.

In fact,

 he was laughed at by his friends and neighbors also,

 because 

they had never seen water fall from the sky back then!

The Bible tells us that there will be those that will ridicule us for our warning work!

(2 Peter 3:3,4)

But we love our friends and our family and our neighbors

and we would want to help 

them to be saved from ANY impending danger despite the ridicule.

So.....

I continue doing just what Jehovah tells me to do.....

(Matthew 6:33; Mark 13:10; Luke 21:34, 35; Jude 20, 21)

Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses is 

the best way of life!

I have been one of Jehovah's Witnesses 

for 42 years now

and I am so thankful to Jehovah for finding me and teaching 

me the truth about the Bible!

I am very busy, but it is a "good busy"!

Only because of the urgency of the times that we live in! (2 Tim.3:1-5)

But I am no different from anyone else,

 I also have a home and family responsibilities to take care of.....

I clean house,

 do laundry,

 pay my bills,

 run errands,

cook,

go to doctor's appointments

and

 help out friends and family as needed

and anything else that might come across our busy life.......

Which is why....

every once in awhile....

 it's nice to enjoy a hobby or craft project or spend some time

with good friends and family

and enjoy some good music.......

Did I mention......ONLY ONCE IN AWHILE.......

A rare moment of "me" time.....
with
Family and Friends enjoying a night
of Great music!

Mom and Me enjoying some great music
 (listening to my honey Kim)
 and relaxing!

I LOVE THIS MAN!

I don't say it enough but I DO!

Here we went to a jazz concert with friends
at the Rose Bowl.
What a nice day!
Great music, great company,
and great food!

But of course.....
There is never a dull moment in our lives!

This is one of our dear friends home!

A car went right through her dining room
into her kitchen
pinning her up against the stove just as she walked into the kitchen!

Miraculously, she didn't have a scratch on her!

Her home had to be red tagged
so
 me and some friends from her congregation
went the next day
and
 helped pack her entire house up
and
 the brothers arranged for the items to be put into storage
until
 she can be moved back in.

In the meantime,
a generous sister from the congregation
 has offered her a place to stay.

Jehovah has truly trained us well to take care of each other!

I love these two!

I don't get to see them enough!

Can you believe they just celebrated
their
 10th Wedding Anniversary!

In my very spare time.......

I have been working on some special home-made
gifts to give them for their anniversary.

I can't show you though
because that would ruin the surprise!

I will post the pics as soon as I give them their gifts.......

And amongst this crazy busy life of mine.....

I was introduced to this precious face!

Somehow....
in all the coas of this world....

everything just becomes wonderful
when in the presence of a new life....

It's amazing!

The miracle that Jehovah has created!

Life is so precious!

My new niece, Amaya Rosealinda
is the latest addition to our family.

Love, Love, Love our new baby girl!
She is beautiful!

Congratulations Grandpa Steve & Grandma Kathy

Talk about Love.....

I LOVE THIS KID!

My grandson is growing up!!!!

He is now taller than me
and
in Highschool!

He is such a good young man
and
makes us very proud to be called his grandparents!

It's always good to take a break
and
cuddle our grand kids
while they are still small enough to want to be cuddled!

They grow up too quickly!

Recently, we took a few days to take a break
and go camping.....

We love camping!

But it seems that the last two times we went camping it rained!

AREN'T WE IN A DROUGHT!

I think we figured out how to fix this drought problem.....

WE WILL JUST PLAN A CAMPING TRIP!!!

I had to sport my cowgirl hat since it was raining....

Since I got my hair cut
boy was my hair out of control when the humidity came in!
VERY BIG HAIR!!!

I was making S'more's for lunch.......

YUMM!

NOT WEIGHT WATCHING THIS WEEKEND
FOR SURE!

Where does the time go?

Life is passing by so quickly.......

I have been looking at old photos and came across some that really touched me.....


This picture is of my youngest son Kamron.
He was sporting his "Buckwheat"
shirt that one of his uncles bought him.

I recently found that shirt and thought of this picture....

I think he was two years old here.
I will give this shirt to Kamron when I see him.....

I miss this guy!
Hope he comes to see me soon!!!!

This picture is of my oldest son Korey and his cousin Moriah when they were two.
Korey turns 37 this month!

Where did the time go?

It seems like yesterday that these guys were playing in the yard together
and I was young and cute!

Talk about cute!

This is my grandmother and grandfather on my mom's side of the family.

They were a beautiful couple
and had 10 children.

Unfortunately, I don't remember her because she died on my birthday when I turned two.
January 6, 1959

I look forward to meeting her one day soon 
when she is resurrected
(Isaiah 26:19; John 5:28, 29)
 and
 I can't wait to tell her all about Jehovah
 and
 what his Kingdom has done for mankind
(Matthew 6:10).
 

Just Some Of Our Favorite Things......We Love To Do.......

It's no secret how much this child loves her Papi
and
how she lights up his life.....

This picture speaks for itself!

I love our jacuzzi time with the grand kids......

I love that I FINALLY finished
this table!!!

I had a deadline for Liz and Hiram's anniversary!

Always good to have a deadline.....

You can see all of the detail that went into
this piece.

That's why it took me so long!

All completed with a three dollar garage sale table
lots of scrap glass and tile
and
a lot of patience, time and love for the art
and
the recipients of the table!

There is something about floating on water that is so soothing to me.

The weather was absolutely beautiful this day.

We went to Perris Lake and spent the afternoon just floating
and spending a nice day with our friends.

Marti & Ernie Williams invited us to spend the day with them on their boat.

We had a very relaxing day out on the lake....

For those that know Kim well,

they know that he NEVER gets in the water!

Well that has changed!

He's gotten bolder in his old age!

That's Kim at the end of that rope!

IN THE WATER!

Me and Kim just chillin'

Love this Day!

My mom and me at a cocktail party with friends
here in Sun City.

What a nice relaxing evening we had.