The Journey Home...

My mom left for her journey home yesterday morning at 9:17.

 Autumn and I held her hands. As Kevin, Deb and Joe filled in the rest of the circle of love as my mom took her last breath. She was sent on her journey with words of love and many blessings. 

My job as caretaker is now over. It's been the hardest thing I've ever done.

 After sometime of healing I'll be back blogging about homeschool and the family again here at The Purple Squirrel. I'm looking forward to getting my focus back on Noah and the rest of the family soon. 

Thanks for waiting for me... I've always felt your love and care even though I wasn't blogging. Thank you. Blessings to you all and we'll see you soon:)

~Anet

Saying Goodbye...

is never easy.  I'm in a strange place in my life right now. I have to pull back and focus on my family. So my beloved Purple Squirrel will have to lay quietly for awhile. I'll be thinking of you all, wondering what you are all up too, if you are all well.
My mom is failing fast and soon I'll have to decide when to send her to the Hospice House. Our family and the nurse feels that it will be the best for my mom and our family. I'll be spending much of my time there beside my mom, helping her through this final stage of life. She's been the best mom and grandmother ever!  We are so.... blessed to have her. My mom is so awesome, she's handling this with grace and dignity. She is my hero.

Take care everyone... and thanks for always being such good friends to me. Many blessings to you and enjoy your summer!

Love, ~Anet

Honoring Jean...

Who's Jean? I really don't know. What I do know is; she lived on my street, raised in my neighborhood, fell in love with a guy named Wellman in the 50's, married him... lost a child and lived all alone for quiet sometime after she had lost her beloved Wellman. 

Autumn and I went to her estate sale today. Broke my heart that her wedding album and many of her photo albums were for sale for $4 each. No family left to care that these precious memories of this lovely lady were being sold to strangers... I quickly grabbed up her wedding album and her vacation album. Autumn purchased a few others. With taking care of my mom right now this really touched me and felt that I just had to buy these albums.  We love these photos, and somehow feel connected with Jean. I will treasure your memories Jean and honor your life.  Somehow, I hope you'll be happy with Autumn and I as the keeper of your memories.

Wedding snapshots...

She saved Wellman's boutonniere, small snips of her wedding gown fabric and lace, a couple of honeymoon souvenirs and the first mail addressed to her as a married lady. She was happy as could be and madly in love.  

Keepsakes, a written account of how they met and and their courtship.

He had asked her to "go steady" on the Capital lawn.

Wonderful summer vacation photos...

a mousey dish that belonged to Jean.  I also picked up some other goodies.

although summer is not officially here, I decide to decorate the mantle with a summer vacation theme and honor Jean with a garland of my favorite vacation snapshots from her album.



Collecting and a bit of couponing

Hi everyone, first of all I'd like to share that I don't know if it's me, blogger or what, but I've been having the darnedest time trying to leave comments on several blogs lately. Wendy, I've tried a few times at your blog, just wanted to let you know that I'm at least reading your blog if you don't see a comment from me... I'll keep trying.  Adding Goose and Binky blog too... keeps making me sign in and I am already signed in. My post won't go though!!!! grrrr.....

So... for some reason I'm digging old game boards lately. Caleb and I found an old chess and Parcheesi board at an estate sale the other day after his driving test... oh yes! he passed!!!!  (Glad that's over.) Anyways, I love the designs and colors of the boards, they make me happy. I want a whole wall of vintage game boards someday and also I'm loving old paint-by-number paintings too.

Coupon trip today! 

Picked up stuff to stock up on and some things for my mom.  

Some good deals; 

big deodorants...seventy five cents each, the little ones...twenty five cents each.

(okay, it did feel a little weird with that much deodorant in my cart.)

Free candy bars and 4/ twenty five cent toothpaste.

My best deal ever!!!!

The store paid me $3.54 to walk out of the store with these John Frieda products:)

Check coupons, if they don't say "excludes travel and trial sizes" than you can use them and save big money.

I had 4/$5 off coupons; Sale at the store was $4.99 on the big ones and the trial size was only $1.49. I could of bought all trail sizes and walked away with much more money, but I wanted the free product more than the cash.

Around the house...

 Homeschooling, taking care of my mom, finding a momement for myself...

 All because...

Added a little sparkle to the porch...

view from the sidewalk...

garden is growing in spite of me... enjoying the fresh greens.

Cat's trying out the cat tree... it just didn't work out for us, I returned it. I will look for something a little less dangerous! I snapped this cute photo and... 

I did buy them a bag of colorful mice yesterday to make it up to them.

Laundry day and How does your garden grow...

I love, love, love hanging out the laundry to dry in the sun and breeze! I have such fond memories of helping my mom and Aunt Irene with the clothesline... handing up clothespins one at a time. Running in and out of the cool damp sheets... laying in bed at night, smelling the sunshine in my pillowcase. Yep... I love, love, love it!

How does your garden grow?...

(2 weeks ago)

with silver bells and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row.

 That's how my garden grows.

today

We had our first garden salad the other night. 

Are you hanging laundry and/or growing a garden?

Our Reading Nook...

  Our favorite spot to read, in the early afternoon...



Noah just finished

I love this book!

 I'm thinking about trying to build a solar cooker just for fun.

I couldn't put this book down, read it from cover to cover:)  

Very interesting and useful ideas.

Just had to share...

mama nursing her babies.

Bunny Love...

My how bunnies grow in one week's time!

Today the bunnies are wide eyed, furry and cute as heck!

Last Monday they were naked and kind of weird looking.

Rabbit proof garden.

The bunny nest.

We built a shelter over the nest to ward off a stray cat that was trying to get them. But also was very helpful in keeping the bunnies nice and dry this very rainy weekend.