May Life, Lemon Coconut Igloo Cake

Hello Friends,

I'm feeling much better these past few months about everything in life. It was a difficult time earlier this year, it was not off to a good start that is for sure.

I have settled in with the way my life is and I except it for what it is. Somedays is a real struggle others it's not so bad.

We went on our first camping trip for the year, it may be the last, who knows. It's not easy to get up and go camping with mom in the condition she is in. There is no one to stay with her.

What we did this time is put her in a hotel right across the street from a camping ground in Lake Tahoe. What a great idea this was. 

We went out each day and went hiking and met up with my mom for dinner each evening. I would cook at the trailer or we would go somewhere to eat in Lake Tahoe. One place that is my favorite it eating at the top of Harrah's, the buffet there is awesome.

One day we took her on a boat that went around half the lake, MS Dixie II. It was a lot of fun for her, but very pricey at $85.00 per ticket.

It was worth it for us because it was something nice for us to take her to do that she could actually do and see Gods Beautiful Creation. The Mountains had snowcaps and it was so clear and stunning. We had cups of hot cocoa on the boat which has three levels, the top level is outside and was so windy and cold. BRR. My mom could not walk up the stairs there, so we went up to the top Steve and I without her for a top view and then would go back down to be with her. Steve and I kept getting up and down to take photos.

On another day Steve and I took a hike to see the Vikingholm Mansion

Then we continued on to the waterfall walking up rock steps. I did not like walking down or up the rock steps, especially down.

We enjoyed the hike in and out but it was a lot of work! the falls we hiked to was Eagle Falls. Sometimes in the summer it dries up, so I am glad we went to see it before that happened, but it was full as the water was flowing good because of the recent rains.

So that was a great outing and we enjoyed our trip very much. I hope to go again camping at least one more time this year, and then in the fall we are going on a cruise. So excited about that, and something easy to take mom on.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter, ours was great, we went on a picnic to Coloma with the family. It was a beautiful day, which I was worried if the weather would be good on that day because it had been raining so much! But the sun shined that day and the kids had fun.

Rylan was digging in the dirt and found an Easter Egg with prices in it. The park had buried some eggs for the kids.

Lake Tahoe is my favorite place in the world, it's just so stunning. More photos of our Lake Tahoe Trip can be found at this link here and here and here

If you click on the top photo it opens up larger and you can see them. Mom getting ready to go on the boat, she is excited.

I finished quilting the top of this quilt I started the day after Christmas yesterday. Better late than never. 

A photo below of two other quilts I made this year. The one over the couch I made is our Anniversary Quilt, we will be married 30 years this year. The pattern and Design is by SweetWater Project Red, Follow Your Heart

Okay well it's time to post the recipe Lemon Coconut Igloo Cake. I've posted it before via a PDF file, but when I moved my Krystalkats domain I could not transfer any of my files because I am using Wix now.

The original link I posted for this recipe can be found at the link below.

http://www.shinymoonbeams.com/search?q=igloo+cake

This is a lot to read, so if you made it to the bottom of this email, congratulations! 

You can find me at my Instagram where I post nearly daily or weekly. Shinymoonbeams

Until Next Time Enjoy Life!

Oops It's March

Hello All,

Mom fell again on the 6th day of January. She fractured her pelvis. Last year she fell in May and broke her hip and elbow. She was in a care home three weeks this time and last year six weeks. This all has really taken a toll on moms physical being. She is frail and I am now her full time caregiver. Let me tell you it is a lot of work. Very stressful at times. I have had many friends say to me I wish my mom was alive, and believe me I am happy my mom is alive, but when people say that after I say it is a lot of work I don't think they understand the stress this can put on one person. Thanks be to God for my wonderful husband! he never complains about the fact we cannot go anywhere or do much until we can figure out how to deal with this all.

On March 9th my step father passed away he was in a care home. It all happened so fast. He passed away at the age 83. We had the funeral within 4 days. I had already been with mom just at the beginning of the year to the Cemetery to have her chose her end of life plans for burial and such. I can't believe what a great decision that was on my part. After Christmas I had the week of mom where I got all things done to make sure if something  happened to her or Dave that everything would be taken care of legally and otherwise. Now that my step dad has passed away I have more things to do! but we are getting them done quickly and I think one more thing to do and then move on and try to enjoy the rest of the year.

It has been such a difficult year. Now that we are passed all these unpleasant situations Steve and I would like to go camping and enjoy some life, but what to do with mom? My brothers won't help and take her in so even though it's our 30th anniversary year, we are trying to be imaginative how we can still do things and take care of mom. She cannot stay home alone for days upon a time. I am not comfortable having strangers in our house sleeping in our bed, perhaps rambling through our private life and who knows what else. My kids work so that is out as well.
I have 2 brothers one lives in Washington and Utah. I thought the one in Utah would take mom for a week because he retired last year, but he won't do it.

My back has literally been killing me these past weeks. I feel so miserable and at times very depressed. 

It's going to be my birthday on the 9th of April, I can't believe that the year is suddenly going by so fast. 

Next week on Easter my family and I are getting together and going to Coloma for a picnic. It's been raining so much I hope the sun will shine that day so we can all get out of the house. After all these depressing things I really want to be in nature and outdoors. There are trails to walk and the American River is known for the discovery of Gold at Coloma in 1848 and started the Gold Rush. It is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Today the river has high quality water and is the main source of drinking water for the Sacramento Valley. The American River watershed supports Mediterranean, temperate, and montane ecosystems, and it is the home of a diverse array of fish and wildlife.

I can't tell you how frustrating it is to be living in a Sanctuary state that feels like a third would country in many ways with all the homelessness, drug addicts everywhere, illegals. Everywhere I go people don't speak English! Steve and I can't wait to move but we will be here at least 3 more years if we can hang on even that long, but we have no choice because of his retirement won't be until 2020 or 2021.

Some valentine's I made for Valentine's day. Instead of cards I gave mom and Steve some valentine's that will last. Steve uses his as a mug rug. I will be posting a little tutorial on that I hope soon. I want to blog a bit more than I do right now. 
I have a trip to add into my blog we took in the fall and get up to date on my quilting and crafts. I like to put everything like that into my blog so I can remember it all.

I hope everyone has a Beautiful Blessed Sunday!

I post mostly to my Instagram these days it is so fast and easy. Click here to visit me there and see what I have been up to.

click here to visit my online shop for Crystal Suncatchers

Or my Etsy Shop. I am still making my jewelry and suncatchers!