Crafty Fun .....

I acquired several bags of metal beer cap tops a few years ago. I recently wondered what I could do with them and after a quick google search, I saw lots of fun crafty ideas. For now, I landed on beer cap bottle cap flowers. We had saved wood when we changed out our privacy fence from wood to metal several years ago, so I had the wood here free to use. Here's a small sampling of the final products. They were fun to make! And I still have more caps to use for future crafting projects. There are more listed in my eBay store - link listed below.

https://www.ebay.com/str/agacthisthatandtheother

Ebay Store .... AGAC This That & The Other .....

What seems like a lifetime ago, I started this blog. I'm not sure where the time has gone since my last post. Lots has happened and lots of things have changed since the last time I was here. I'll save all that for another day. We are having closet and parts of the house clean out and lots of it is hitting eBay. Check it out and let me know if you see something you can't live without. There are deals to be made! Kindness Matters. Gina. #ebay https://www.ebay.com/str/agacthisthatandtheother

Thrifting ...

I can't believe I haven't posted on this blog since 2012. Time flies when you're having fun, I suppose. Lots of things have happened since 2012. I'll save that for another day. What I wanted to write about today is a new hobby I picked up several months ago. I randomly stopped at an Estate Sale while I was out and about on a Saturday. I met the nicest people running this particular sale and since then, I've attended every sale that they have put on! They are over at www.wecantstopcollecting.com. Gina and Helene. They run Estate Sales, have a store in downtown Dacula and are really super nice people. I would highly recommend them if you are in the market for an Estate Sale. Some of the items that I pick up at these sales, I keep for my very own and some of them I share with the world on eBay. I like to dig around in the bottom of boxes and closets where no one else has gone before and I have a blast doing it. May be some therapy happening there. I plan to share some of my future eBay listings through this blog. Might increase the exposure, might not. I thought it would be fun to share some of the more interesting items. I've gotten much better at eBaying because of lots of things I've learned through a FaceBook page - Stay at Home Moms Selling on eBay. It is so informative. I mainly lurk in the shadows and learn from reading different scenarios and situations that people post about their experiences. There are some very seasoned sellers who give advice on the page and it has been a big help to me. Well, there are two plugs that I didn't really come on here to give, but there ya go. I also LOVE (all caps you see) thrifting at GoodWill. And yes, more times than not, I leave with a thing or two for myself. Check the link below to see the items I currently have listed on eBay. Gotta run for now. Have a great evening!

http://www.ebay.com/usr/agacthisthatandtheother

VOTE ....

Election Day (November 6th) will be here before you know it. Since Austin is in school in Marietta, I looked in to the early voting opportunity for him. There is still time for early voting. You can click here to see about early voting in your area. Anyhoo, our original thought was a Saturday, but he is busy on the one Saturday offered, so he came home on Tuesday right after his morning class (and only class that day). We talked about the process and how it would go and what would be on the ballot. I was so excited for him to vote for the very first time ever and on top of that for it to be for the Presidential election!! It wasn't very crowded. Took us maybe 20 minutes total and that includes from arrival to voting process to photo opp (see below) and back in our car headed home again. :-)

I encourage you to VOTE. Andy and I both have many family members who have served our country, some who have given their lives, in order that we may have the freedom to cast our VOTE on election day. Don't let this opportunity slip away.

In closing, I share with you a funny incident from Tuesday's voting experience. There was an elderly couple just ahead of Austin and I. The man could neither hear nor see very well. He announced to the worker that his wife would be helping him cast his vote as he cannot see well. They went to a booth just ahead of us. As we are all standing there casting our votes, he announces to his wife, (rather loudly - remember he doesn't seem to be able to hear very well) ... "for God's sake don't hit the Obama button". That's funny. I don't care who you are.
#vote

She's Sweet and She's Sixteen!!

Chandler turned 16 this past Sunday, September 16th!! We took her for her driver's test on Thursday, September 20th and she passed! She was so excited. I was a nervous wreck all morning, which apparently made everyone else nervous. :-) We all made it through though and we just can't believe that our baby is able to drive on her own. Andy and I watched her drive away this morning. We are both guilty of, in our minds, still having her as our little baby. Give us some time. We will get there. Now that Chandler doesn't need a ride to school or to be picked up after practice, I'm going to have some extra time on my hands. My mom suggested a new puppy. (that made me laugh) How about I get on those scrapbooks that I've been putting off?? Austin is only about 7 in his scrapbook and as bad as I hate to say it, Chandler's is full of blank pages. I think getting on those scrapbooks sounds like a great idea.

Here she is in her early days of "driving"

And here she is driving away for the first time alone...

Happy New Year...

Happy New Year!!! I hope that your Holidays were full of fun and excitement and lots of time with family & friends!!

'Tis that time once again - for New Year's Resolutions. Do you have any? I always think of resolutions for the New Year, and most of the time I blow them within a very short time or don't stick to them at all. So, this year I'm keeping it simple.

1. Be thankful.
2. Exercise.
3. Eat smart.
4. Show my LOVE to my husband, children and family!
5. Have fun and enjoy this life!!

Here's to a happy and prosperous new year to us all!

Independence Day ....

July 1, 2011. The day Austin Bragg spread his wings and flew the coop!! He and his long time friend, Taylor moved into a garage apartment in Gainesville ... on Lake Lanier. What a tough life it must be for these two kids. 10 minutes from school and work and literally steps away from fun in the sun on the lake!

I knew this day would come. It just seems like it arrived much faster than I had expected. He is 19 years old, and 19 years is a rather long time, but it seems like just yesterday that we brought him home and began our parenting journey. You worry so much about them as they are growing up. There are days you're reminded why animals sometimes eat their young. And then there are (mostly) days you beam with pride over this creation you brought into the world. You spend your days teaching them so many things about life and situations and people and you desire that they go into this world empowered to be a positive contributor to society, ready to make good decisions, and able to make it on their own.

The really good news is that I didn't and haven't had a major emotional break-down with Austin moving out. Don't get me wrong ... I miss him like crazy! We all do. At first, I felt like I was missing an arm or leg. It was like something just wasn't quite right, but quickly I noticed my food bill reduced significantly and it's been smooth sailing ever since. :-)

Andy and I are happy and content and mostly have no regrets with what we instilled in him during those first 19 years. It really makes letting go of the reins a lot easier - to feel like he is equipped to go into the world and make good decisions on his own. Of course, he still hears from me via text or phone call .... be careful on the dock ... be careful driving to school ... make sure you're eating healthy. That's what mom's are for - right?

... Austin at his new digs ...