I received the best Mother's Day present ever on Friday!  My daughter and son-in-law gave me a card which started out "Wanted Grandmother"!!  Oh my goodness!!  I couldn't read any farther and just started stuttering and making strange noises!!  I was so excited!!  This is my very first grandchild and we are just over the moon with anticipation and love!!  Baby will be arriving around New Year's.  Today there was snow flurries on Mother's Day and I think it was my Winter Grandbaby saying Happy Mother's Day to his/her Grammie!!!!  The picture above is the card I made for the beautiful mother-to-be.  My heart is overflowing already and I can't wait to hold that precious bundle in my arms.

Hubby and I took a nice drive this morning to enjoy the upstate New York fall foliage.  It was a beautiful sight at Taughannock Falls.

Don't you just love the arrival of autumn?  Our senses enjoy all the changes around us.  The temperatures have cooled down so we pack away the shorts and get out the cozy sweaters.  Canada geese can be heard honking as they fly overhead in their V formations.  Crops are being harvested and we can smell the grapes as we drive by all the wineries and anticipate the delicious wines.  Apples and pumpkins are being picked and sold at roadside stands.  I love the sound of the leaves scrunching when I walk through all those that have tumbled to the ground and their colors are just magnificent.  It's time for the first woodstove fire of the season and the flames warm my soul.  Wherever you are this autumn, I wish you peace and pleasure.  ~~KayStar

Since my summer vacation officially began yesterday, I thought that warranted a new blog!!   Since I do not return to school until September 1st, I have all summer to relax with DH and enjoy peaceful moments in our backyard.   One point of interest is the garden statue of my three little girls which brings back so many wonderful memories of when my three daughters were growing up.   I also get alot of pleasure listening to the water splashing in the lily pond and enjoying the beauty of the lilies.   There's a large family of pollywogs living in the pond and also a couple of Red Hat friends!!   Today a robin amused me when she took a long bath in the birdbath.  I treasure sitting in my backyard chatting with DH, enjoying the beauty of nature, relaxing with a book or magazine, and feeling grateful for the happiness in my life.   I hope you have a wonderful and safe summer.  ~~KayStar

We had a painting lesson at our chapter's get together yesterday and this is what I created!  We had a choice of a blue, light green, or pink metal basket.  We then learned how to paint the leaves and pansies.  All our baskets turned out great and we were very happy with our results!  I'm going to fill mine with grass and Easter eggs for a nice spring addition to my house.  Learning how to paint the pansies yesterday inspired me to paint two spring greeting cards today.

We still have a few weeks left until spring actually arrives, especially here in upstate New York ~~ but it's time for us to start thinking about that lovely season. 

I hope each and every one of you are enjoying the holiday season.  It is such a special time of the year.  I am very fortunate because my three daughters and two son-in-laws will be at home with my husband and I overnight on Christmas Eve.  Opening our gifts together on Christmas morning has always been a very special family time for us.  We are blessed to continue our tradition another year.

Sending star filled wishes that 2009 will be a happy and healthy year for you and all those you hold close to your heart. 

October 18th was a wonderful day for my family.  My daughter, Heather, married her high school sweetheart, Jake, eleven years after falling in love with him.  Her younger sister, Kristen, was her maid of honor and her twin sister, Brooke, was her matron of honor and Jake's sister, Holly, was her bridesmaid.  We decorated with a fall theme and we were very happy with how everything turned out.  Here are a few of the snapshots that I took (look below under "My Photos").  When I receive the photographer's photos, I'll post some of them.

What a spectacular weekend we shared at Hats On In Hamilton!!

We laughed, we walked and walked to Incognito, we ate crabcakes, we smiled, we paraded with parasols, we laughed, we drank, we shopped, we met Scarlett, we bought bling, we wore bling, we had thoughtful conversations, we met Haywood, we discussed books, we giggled, we saw kimonos in the Art Gallery, we wore Hattie, we met the firemen, we laughed, we tried to keep up with Little Lana, we had duck appetizers,  we taught our rookie all about Fun-Ventions, we sang Cole Porter songs, we lost feathers, we spread the word of Red Hat sisterhood to anyone who would listen including some folks from Russia, we drank Tim Horton's coffee, we were gorgeous in red and purple, we shared life stories, we ate candy and cookies and drank wine, we shopped some more, we posed for pictures, we laughed, we ate dessert first, we danced, we sang MoTown,  we kept on dancing, and we cried when we hugged goodbye.

I hope you will visit my "Party Pics" where I've posted some Hamilton pictures.  I'm reminded of the old Girl Scout song ~~ "Make new friends, but keep the old.  One is silver, and the other gold."  Hugs and star filled wishes to all my gold and silver friends.  ~~Kay

The Ladies of the Lakes celebrated the RHS 10th Birthday by attending a weekend Gala in Geneva, NY.  The entertainment for Saturday night was the female rock band, Housewives on Prozac.  During their show we surprised them by inducting them as Honorary Lifetime members of our chapter.  We presented them with their hats, kazoos,  and membership cards.  While they took their vows, all the Red Hatters in the audience renewed theirs.  It was an exciting and fun-filled evening and they finished their show wearing their Red and Pink hats!  Plus, Sweet-P and her friend, Pat, traveled down to the Finger Lakes to celebrate with us and it was wonderful seeing her again!  Check out our newest members' website www.housewivesonprozac.com and I've put more photos in the public gallery.

Happy Easter and Joyous Spring to all my QMB2 friends!!  I hope these flowers brighten your day and bring a smile to your face.  Their scent is delightful ~~ so take a big sniff!!