Christmas, 2008

Family Christmas 2008 was definatly a white Christmas. It snowed all night Christmas Eve and continued throughout Christmas day. Big white fluffy snowflakes fell all morning adding to the ambiance. Everyone made it ok with only 1 near miss for Maria and Robb. We sat down to a HUGE brunch around 11:00 a.m. We had french toast, breakfast casserole (a Paula Deen recipe), bacon, sausage, "stuff", which is fried potatoes, sausage and eggs cooked together with gravy over the top. We also had a yummy fruit salad, cinnamon rolls, orange juice, apple juice, milk and hot cocoa. We have continued a tradition of having a big breakfast from Grandma Bea. She always had such a nice breakfast for us except we had to be at their house by 8:00 a.m. We decided to switch our time to 10:30-11:00 so that each family can enjoy opening their gifts at home before coming to Grandpa and Grandma's. (This also means that I don't have to be up too early either, which is a good thing).
It was a very relaxed and layed back day for all of us. We played games, watched football (well some of the guys did), visited and played with the kids' toys. I found out what fun putting Legos together is. I have really been missing out all these years. Its like putting together a puzzle-very relaxing for me as I am a jigsaw puzzle fanatic.

Winter Time

Winter hit here in our neck of the woods this morning. Schools were closed for the day and Matthew and Spencer came over to play. We got out the sled that Great Aunt Sharon gave us and they have had a wonderful time playing on it.

Wintry conditions are being called for for at least another 4-5 days. I kind of hope it lasts at least until Christmas. A white Christmas would be a real treat, it makes it so much more authentic especially when you get festive Christmas cards with just that perfect Christmas scene on them.

Bazaar Blitz

Here are pictures of some of our items for the bazaar this week-end. We have about 160 items ready to go. Did I mention that I can't wait for Monday the 24th? That means I can do something else besides bazaar stuff.

Hunting Widow

This week I am an official member of the "Hunting Widows Club". Jim, Rich and Gramps are all at Elk Camp this week and we wives are left home alone,- sigh, sob, moan, ohhhh! Not really, because truth be known we can do what ever we want, cook whatever we want (or not at all), stay in our jammies all day long, have complete control of the remote, have the whole bed to ourselves and so on and so on... Oh no, don't feel too sorry for me, sometimes a break from the same routine can be rejuvenating. The old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" is still true after 35 years of marriage. I think it is healthy to spend some time away from your spouse because it makes you appreciate each other more.

Today I will be making taco soup,(not Jim's favorite at all) and some cinnamon rolls (which are among his favorites) to share with my family who might want to stop by. So may luck be with the "Hunters" and may fair weather be their friend, I will keep the home fires burning.

Sample of Bazaar Items

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Vinyl lettering on tile.





Wood board with tiles
mounted on and vinyl
lettering on tiles.




Little wood block with vinyl
lettering wrapped in rusty
wire with bells.

Sweet Home Bam Arama!

Logan Gardner. What can I say, he is funny, intelligent and hilarious. It seems his favorite song is "Sweet Home Alabama." This happens to be one of my favorite songs as you can see by my playlist. His interpretation is "Sweet Home Bam Arama." When Maria told me about his new favorite I laughed so hard that I started crying.

Logan, I just love you to pieces buddy!!!!

Bazaar progress

Here is one of 105 items that are completed for the upcoming Elma Bazaar. I hope to have another 60-70 items done before going. I am trying to stay ahead of the game by creating new craft items. Each year I introduce something new at the bazaar then another vendor borrows (that is steals) my ideas and she is sure to have the same thing the next year. This year one of my "new" twists on vinyl lettered signs is to add tiles that are glued onto the board with lettering on them. I'll try to post a picture of one of them in the next day or so.

Tasha and I try to work on bazaar crafts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. With her schedule driving school bus and my schedule of college classes these have become "do not touch days", otherwise life would take over and we would never get anything done. What we don't want to have happen is a last minute mad rush and staying up all nights til the wee hours of the morning.

Doing the bazaar is alot of hard work but is very fun and rewarding in the end. Wish me luck in the coming weeks.

Going back to school at 51? Am I crazy?

Ok, so I went and did something crazy. I have decided to go back to school and am currently enrolled in a community college taking Medical Administrative classes. It's hard when your brain has been set on cruise control for the last 20 years. (I took a business math class in 1989). That is as close as I've been to school for a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng time.

The transition to "Student" is challenging at best. Where did all of my good study habits go? I read a chapter, do the homework,(at least attempt) and my brain can't remember what I just read, but I can certainly remember trivial things like my grandmothers phone number from 1967. By the way she hasn't had that phone since about 1977. She's been dead now about 14 years, so why would I still need to know her phone number? I'm sure where she is at now they don't take phone calls. Anyway, I am trying to squeeze college classes in with everything else like cooking, cleaning, laundry, creating craft items for a big bazaar next month, yard work, church responsibilities, grandchildrens soccer games, babysitting, paying bills, and a partridge in a pear tree, oh ya and Christmas bearing down like a runaway locomotive. Ok, take a deep breath and take one day, no 1 hour, no that is 1 minute at a time. The funny thing is, I wouldn't change a thing. I LOVE MY LIFE!

My Priceless grandchildren

The top photo is of our entire family, that is Jim and I and our four children, their spouses and all 6 grandchildren.

The second photo is of the grandchildren, (this was part of Aleana's meltdown). Clockwise from the left is Spencer, Logan, Matthew, Addison, Landon and Aleana.

We've been trying for over a year to get some family pictures but because of everyones schedules it is nearly impossible to get everyone together. Hopefully in the near future we will be able to get everyone together again and get some indoor pictures.

Ryan and Courtney's wedding day

Aleana was such a little sweetheart that day. She did have a bit of a meltdown but a short stay in her crib with her binkie and blankie took the edge off.