On Sat AM, Joan and I got to the club at 9:30 to finish up our preparations for the reception.  The food was all being done by the club, except for the cupcakes!  We chose cupcakes instead of wedding cake!  Because the reception was going to be open house style, with people coming and going, instead of having Betsy and Andrew cut a cake, we decided that cupcakes would be adorable and easy to get with one's food.

Look at these yummy cupcakes!

                                           

                                           

                                           

Joan made up signs to show the 3 different flavors.  And there was one large cupcake at the top -

                                           

The cupcakes were made by this gal - Caitlin - who has her own cupcake business locally,  She is now expanding into cakes and pies.  Her facebook page is O'Sweet! Bakery.  She goes to church with Amanda and Sam, and runs her business from her home.  Here she is with one of her girls -

                                            

Joan and I - and our husbands and other family members - had lots of cupcake tastings before we chose the flavors.  What fun!  Here, Betsy and Andrew are posing behind that delicious cupcake table!

                                             

                                             

After everything was ready, while we waited for people to arrive, I walked around a took a few more pictures.

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

                                            

There was lots of food, but I didn't get a picture of that set up!  Here at the entrance to the room, on the gift table, we put a cross stitch Betsy did of hands, and the date of their wedding - 5 -13-11.  And our cupcake lady did these cute bride and groom cupcakes as an extra treat!

                                             

A friend is making Betsy a quilt - the center is a panel for signatures of everyone who attended - I will try to get a picture of it all signed.

                                             

                                             

It was a wonderful reception, with a slide show projected on the wall of pictures from the wedding.  Sam was our photographer, and he has done a wonderful job taking pictures at both the wedding and this reception.  Several friends came and helped us set up and lent us things, like votive holders, a box for cards, and vases and bowls for decorations.  But I spend my afternoon chatting and visiting with family and friends, and eating, and not taking pictures!

                                             

We had a reception for Betsy and Andrew this past Saturday, to celebrate their wedding, that was in May.  It'll take a few posts to get all these pictures in!  And I don't really have any of the actual party from my own camera, because I was busy enjoying our family and friends who attended!

For months, we have been planning for this party.  Betsy chose a color scheme that matched the idea of the aquarium, where their wedding took place.  We had the reception at the local country club, and the food was all done by them, but the decorations were done by my sister-in-law, Joan, with just a little help from me.  She got lots of ideas from the internet, and spent months putting flower arrangements and centerpieces together.  And here we were, finally, on the day before the party!

The colors were turquoise, lime green, and yellow.  Here are some of the tables, getting their decorations put on -

                                         

                                     

                                     

The table linens were rented from a local company, and we needed to get chair covers, because the ones that the club have are an awful-looking burgandy stripe!

                                      

Here, Joan and Josh are getting stuff out and ready for all this decorating!  Josh was a big help!

                                      

                                      

                                      

The cake table had a lime polka dot cloth, and we put the bouquet from Betsy's actual wedding on there.  She is allergic to most flowers, so she had a silk arrangement made by Michael's craft store!

                                       

Next time - finishing the set- up on Saturday to get ready for guests!

I had just arrived at the location for a quilt day camp that I was involved in, yesterday morning.  It was just about a half hour from my house, and about 19 or 20 of us had started the weekend of spending three days quilting, going home at night.  I no sooner sat down to start sewing when I got an email (on my phone, which I always keep with me) that my Facebook account had been hacked. 

I can't get to much from my phone - I can check email and reply, and I can check Facebook and make comments, and I can do a few online things, but that is about it.  So, I couldn't really tell what had happened, except that I kept getting message after message from friends who had "accepted as a friend" - ME!  But they were already my Facebook friends, except for one person who managed to get through to the real me and ask if they knew me, since I had tried to friend them.

I was getting NO sewing done, and I was getting more upset by the minute.  I texted my children to tell them about it so that they wouldn't friend the new me.  And I kept trying to tell people who messaged or texted me, not to friend that new me, to change their FB password, that I would try to fix it when I got back to my computer - which I knew wasn't suppose to be until nighttime.   My phone was beeping faster than I could reply to people.  I could not get any sewing done, and wondered if I should go home and get to my lap top and see what I could do.  Some computer savvy friends knew what I should do, so that would help, if I was only home!!

Finally, in the mid-afternoon, after I tried hard to push it out of my mind - it was Facebook, after all, not the end of the world - I was still getting message after message after message - one friend at quilt camp with me said, "Sam (my son-in-law) is at your house working; why don't you see what he can do?"  At first I thought it was silly to bother him, but then - I knew that was the answer!  Sam has been able to set up most everything I do on the computer!  He knows my passwords, or at least where to find them, he can get into my accounts, and he was right there at my house!  Well, in just a little while, Sam had everything fixed for me.  Changed my passwords on everything, reported the problem to the powers that be at Facebook, and still managed to get my new oven, microwave, and refrigerator installed in my kitchen!

It is my understanding that someone didn't hack me so much as create a Facebook account similar enough to mine to fool people.  He (she?) didn't have my passwords, or even all my info, but did have access to my friends and my interests, etc.  And I had my picture on my profile, so that would convince people.  So, he sent out requests to have people win money (as if from me) by contacting a person.  This same thing has happened to others I know, so it probably happens more often than we think.

It took me a good 24 + hours to let people know that the new "me" wasn't me.  I still don't know what I could have done with my FB account to prevent it.

And I had a wonderful time today at this quilt day camp!  But I didn't take any pictures, and I won't, not for awhile.  For one thing, I lost so much sewing time yesterday that I just wanted to sew today.  For another, I don't want my pictures out there for awhile.  The whole thing was distressing.

Here are some things I learned, though, that I thought I would share:

Be very careful - I already knew this, but want to tell the world - about what you click on, on Facebook.  I never click on unknown things and I VERY RARELY even watch the videos that anyone sends, even if I know them, unless I know for absolute certain who sent it and what it is.  I don't watch any of the cute or interesting videos that people send of their children, or whatever.  There is no need to risk having a virus getting into your computer. 

If you know you are already someone's friend on Facebook, DON'T accept a friend request from them again, even if it looks legit.  Check it out first!

A person's Facebook account is never "unable" to be hacked or used in a scam.  I am one of the most careful people I know, and it happened to me.  It is not the fault of the Facebook account holder.

Once your Facebook account has a problem, it is not always possible to fix it instantly!  Sometimes one has other things to do that day, and some of the responsibility has to be on the readers and friends to realize that a scam is happening and not allow themselves to be scammed.

Thank you to everyone who reads this who is also my FB friend who made every attempt to help me yesterday, to let me know what happened, and to even lighten my mood with funny comments.

This person knew things about me, like my interests, as in sewing, quilting; my involvement in the Deaf community; and apparently even that I am a Christian.  Very, very unsettling.  I won't be posting on FB for awhile, and I won't be posting pictures here quite yet - not that I really think it is all a problem, but just that I was really shaken up about it all.

Tomorrow is the last day of quilt day camp!!!  I am going to church first, however, and getting to our sewing location after that.  And I am working on the CUTEST little cupcake-pattern quilt for Megan!

Most of the countertops we put in are laminate.  We really loved the color we chose.  And we found a granite that we loved for the island and the piece we are calling a buffet - and it was installed today!

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                        

Looks different in different light!  But it is all the same.  And, doesn't the kitchen look pretty with just the under-cabinet lights on?

                                         

We are still in construction mode, and I get to run away for a few days - just during the day - to a quilt "day camp!"

                                        

Our grill died yesterday morning!   I hope that is not the first of three appliances, because most of my appliances are still sitting in their boxes in the middle of the kitchen!  The very old toaster oven, now I suppose that wouldn't be too expensive an appliance to replace. . .

Jim likes to cook himself eggs and bacon or sausage or whatever, on weekend mornings (he always offers me some, but I haven't been able to eat eggs that early in the morning).  So, since our kitchen is being remodeled, he has been using the grill, actually the griddle on the side of the grill, which is only a year old!  Yesterday morning he went out to cook and it didn't work.  He checked all the obvious things, propane in the tank, etc, etc.  This morning he was determined to have his eggs and bacon!  I would have seen that as an opportunity to run by IHOP or somewhere on the way to church, but he got out his camping grill and put it on top of the large grille -

                                        

                                        

There ya go!  I guess he has to figure out how to get that grill fixed!

While I was out there, I took a picture of our deck, being used for construction stuff -

                                        

And our screened-in porch -

                                        

                                        

                                        

But the kitchen cabinets are mostly in, and here are some pictures of that.  This will be my new desk -

                                        

And the cabinets above that counter -

                                         

The center island which will have a granite countertop -

                                         

And my favorite - shelves on the side of the refrigerator for canning jars filled with colorful food!

                                         

                                         

                                          

I went up to Leesburg to see Suzanne yesterday.  My friend, Eileen has children up there too, so we rode up in her car, stayed in a hotel, and she saw her family, and Suzanne and I did a lot of shopping!  We had a great time!

We stopped in some quilt shops - one called Webfabrics in Purcellville, VA -

                                     

And another one called, The Quiltery, in Fairfield, VA -

                                     

                                     

                                     

I had never been to either of them, but Eileen had.

                                     

                                     

And here is Suzanne this morning, as we were off to go shopping before I left to go home -

                                     

Our new cabinets arrived this morning and some of them are installed! 

                                        

The counter has been put in, in some places!

                                        

This is where the oven and microwave will go -

                                        

This is where the island will go, and the gas range/oven -

                                        

More cabinets and drawers, ready and waiting -

                                        

                                        

This will be a larger set of cabinets, that we are calling a buffet, as we will be able to use it for serving food when we have large family dinners and parties -

                                        

Today's cabinet installation was, I think, the loudest day yet!!!  So much noise!!  But I didn't hang around long!  We took the kids to the pool, Amanda, Joan, and I.  We had a great time, but I forgot my camera! 

Sometimes, the events of the past, some of the particularly bad events that happened, come up to the surface of my mind and overwhelm me with sorrow. This morning was one of those mornings. But I am so thankful that God blessed me this morning in our worship service especially through this old hymn, "How Firm a Foundation." The 4th verse of it reminds me of a portion of the book of Isaiah that I claimed those years ago.  Verse 4: When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient shall be your supply; the flame shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine. Isn't God good to give us the portion of Scripture that we need, right when we need it?" 

While I'm at it, the 2nd verse of that hymn is another favorite part of it for me:  Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; for I am your God, and will still give you aid; I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

Here is the verse I clung to for dear life those years ago:  Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; and the flame shall not consume you.

I know that most of you are so tired of seeing my kitchen updates, but a few people have been interested in them.  And my own children who aren't here will at least know what to expect when they come home!  Today, we had the grout put in the tile -

                                      

                                        

                                         

Today I got to stay home!!!  I didn't leave my house the entire day, except for my 30 min walk in my neighborhood early this morning.  I love to stay home, even if home is. . . well. . . not really feeling like it used to.  But it is a new normal, and I have my sewing room all organized!  I spent most of the day sewing, putting the binding on one quilt, getting another ready for binding, and then washing, pressing, and ironing the fabric for Megan's cupcake quilt.  I did a few household chores, cut up fresh zucchini and squash to have with dinner, and told God how thankful I am that one of the bathroom sinks in our house has a tall faucet that swivels, even if the sink is small, to wash dishes in!  Now, I must knit. . . that project, the purple afghan, is not going well, and I had to take it out twice! 

  

This is what my new tile floor looks like!  It took about 3 days for the guys to install it.  I love it!  It is finally starting to look like a kitchen!

                                         

                                         

                                         

Tomorrow, the grout will go in.  Then on Monday, the cabinets are coming!