Christmas Dinner

Even at Christmas I’m not allowed to cook. In trying to give my son and husband suggestions I was banned from the kitchen. So as you can see I spent the day sewing. Notice not only did I recover my chair in apples, but also a tissue box, a flower pot, the keyboard and the printer. If only I had a bit more material...


Christmas dinner the "men" cooked a rabbit outdoors over an open fire. Yes, there is a stove in the warm house, but outdoors over an open fire it was. They did go out to the meat market yesterday and brought this rabbit. All spring and summer I have begged them to do something about those critters in my garden, and nothing was done. But we buy one for Christmas.
It tasted very good, but being a holiday, I felt like I was eating the Easter bunny.
Mark is letting his hair grow. In this picture his hair is wet. When it's dry it becomes curly and noticeably shorter. He thinks someone will want to buy his hair for good money. Let's hope if he ever sells it he doesn't go out and buy another hare.

The Nativity

Was ask to make costumes for G, A, nieces and nephews for a Nativity Play for the family Christmas party. The play was a big hit. The kids were adorable and being the oldest was only 10 years old and 5 of the nine kids were 2 years old and younger, did know what was going to happen, but it was great.


The Shepherd and his sheep.


The 3 Wise men/girls

G was Mary, A was a shepherd too. They were so darn cute!!

Maybe

My neighbor is leaving today to spend Christmas in California. She spoke of sunshine, the ocean, getting a tan, and their dinner cruise. I made her slippers for her trip. Maybe I’m a little jealous.

Candy

We made candy today and now who is going to eat all of this???

It's Santa

Yesterday Santa stopped at Tom's school with gifts for all the students. Family and friends were invited to attend, but Mark and I were the only ones to show.

Doesn't look like Santa is surfing?

This is Jon and he loves me. Smiles the whole time I'm in the classroom with him.

What Santa doing to Rachel. Happy 15th Birthday Rachel!!



Jake wanted to get Santa's beard.

Tom wasn't sure about Santa, but acted the same way with his brother, Mark too.
Thanks Santa for stopping by.

Still looking at photos from the past

So I was a little nerdy in high school. Twirling that flag got you into football games for free.

There Was A Time.....

My husband and I were young and I was thin.





Laura would ask for her hair to be put into lots of ponytails with bows and she loved it.




If you would have told me that one day I'd have a grandson just like my son Mark was, no way would I have ever believed you.

I Miss Them So Much!

T-shirts for Christmas

For the little nieces of the family and Georgia too, I brought them all red T-shirts for Christmas. I was just going to have Mark put their nicknames on them. Mark thought he'd like to put their nicknames up high on the backs of the shirts and then the year they were born in big numbers below, like a football jersey. Georgia Bear 06, Bella 98, Riah 01 etc. Then we realized that the shirts do need something on the front. But what?? If it's a Christmas kind of thing, they won't wear the shirts but at Christmas. So no holidays. After a day of things running through my head, I think I'm going to go with "Girls Rule".

Tom

Took a family trip to Cabela's today. Tom could have had his picture taken with Santa. But someone was awake most of night and never once opened his eyes while we were shopping.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day zoomed past a bit to fast for me. It was morning and I was getting things ready, next thing I knew our guest were leaving and it was getting dark. The day just went past too fast.
Now that all the flowers and plants in the yard has died, you can see clearly in the whole backyard from the driveway. We just had to put a thanksgiving tablecloth on the picnic table with a turkey centerpiece. Everyone that arrived, did question if we were going to be eating outdoors. After reassuring them that we’d be dinning indoors, they would enter the house and not smell anything cooking. Don’t know why but my husband got up early and started the turkey in a roaster in the garage.
Thank goodness our guest arrived wearing old comfortable clothing. Nothing more uncomfortable that tight fitting dress clothes with Don and Mark cooking. They are very good cooks! They made enough food to feed at least another dozen people. Anyone for leftovers? Do you like my fruity turkey?

Holiday Catalog

Should anyone receive the National Geographic Holiday 2008 Catalog
My niece Mariah is on pages 67 and 68.

Just Another Day

OK, so maybe I was a bit bitchy the other day. I am so sorry you had to see that part of me. Most of the time I am a very caring, loving and respectful person. But there are times I just want to burst. It was another one of those days, you know that kind of a day, like the day that I was outside shoveling all the snow in the driveway during an afternoon snowstorm so the handicapped bus can pull in and drop my son off from school. Pushing a wheelchair in snow is hard and the last thing on earth I would want is an accident in my driveway involving a bus full of handicapped kids in wheelchairs. Husband just had his hip replaced, my other son, Mark was at college, and Tom on the school bus heading for home from school. I am out side working my ass off trying to clear the driveway of snow. The three girls next door are goofing off while also trying to clean their driveway too. It was nice to hear them giggle and wish that I could be so young and carefree. There are three of them and just one of me. They are in no hurry at all and I am trying my best to get it all done in a short amount of time. Like always, and this is the story of my life, a young man show up at the neighbor’s and volunteers to use his truck and clean off the snow in their driveway for free. I’m still working for my husband who can’t help and my son who’s on his way home and not a soul notices the significance of what I am trying to do.

fkgn;li e[bo

Today I was somewhere where Somebody said something so awful that it hurt me to the core of my soul. How Dare YOU!! I wanted to bite your head off but being we were in a public place with many people around us, I kept quiet. You have NO idea what it is like having a handicapped child and not have much money due to medical bills. Go To Hell!! I am so upset that we are related. I hope to NEVER speak to you again.

Thomas

I think some University of Michigan Wolverines attacked my son in school today with tattoos. Is there any hope for the game tomorrow?


Q: How do you get an Ohio State grad off of your front porch?
A: Pay him for the pizza.

Low

Another new low point in my life. This Afternoon I seen and heard the Schwan’s man with his truck pull into our driveway. Not having any extra money and wanting to avoid talking to him, I quickly turned and moved towards another room. I ended up sliding on the kitchen floor and landing hard on my knee. Mark thought it was really funny. He felt so bad for me that he brought me ice cream from the Schwan's man.

Favorite weekend photos

We are home

Picture from this morning. Loaded up and heading for home.

My Camera

I dropped my camera while walking outside with my Grandchildren. Walking over our path again I found my camera. It was buried deep, but it still works. It just has an order about it. Gotta love those pigs.

it's over the river and through the woods...

We are leaving today for Laura and Casey's for a nice long weekend.

Hoping to make it there today in time to see Georgia's last tumbling class. She loves this class and has perfected the somersault.

Austin tries to keep up with his sister. This is his version of a somersault.

Depressing

My father's parents died at ages 54 and 62.
My mother's mother died at age 35 and her dad was 68.

The average age of death for my grandparents is 54.75 years.

That's only a few years away for some of my siblings.
Being I'm 24, I still have a few years to go. Right?

Grandma is coming.....

Georgia and Austin,

Grandma is going to be coming to your house for a visit. She is making you homemade chicken noodle soup, homemade applesauce, some cookies and more. Grandma brought some new jeans for Austin and a fun Sponge Bob hat to wear. The dvd "Mulan" for Georgia with a Mulan dress to wear while we all watch the movie.

Love those Nieces to Pieces.

Manly

Took Thomas to the lab this morning for his usually blood work. The lab tech working there was the hairiest woman I’ve ever seen. Yep, lots of dark facial hair too. Why do super hairy woman usually have dark hair?

Voted

Started in line outside.
Quickly moved indoors.
Took a bit over 45 minutes.
Precinct 9 had no one in line.

Mark want Obama to change his last name to Olee.

Did you know they still make wax lips?

Desperate People Do Desperate Things

Porch light is on, pumpkins are lit, and the candy bowl is filled.
Last year not a single trick or treater showed up at our door.
This year when I happen to see 3 kids in costumes,
I yelled to them to get over here for some candy.
Happy to report that we had 3 kids this year.

Defiantly Not Mary

Mary had a little lamb.
Georgia has a herd of cows
And everywhere that Georgia goes
So do the cows.
I’d like to see them follow her to school one day.
And if she hadn’t learned to walk yet, instead of
Crawling to kindergarten, she could ride one.

Pumpkins

Can you guess what pumpkin mom carved, grandma carved and grandpa carved?

Sorry

It's been crazy here. We tried moving the computer to another room of the house so my FIL could come and stay with us. The computer and my FIL both passed on before we were ready to let them go. New computer was on back order and after funeral for FIL, I needed to go spend time the grand kids. Hopefully I'll be back up to my normal self soon.

Walking Soon

I think our little Gerald will be walking before Christmas. He just learned how to crawl and is already very good at it. Can I keep him?

An Antidepressant

So glad we got a good dose of this cute, sweet antidepressant yesterday. We surely needed it. Thank You!! Nothing better than to see, feel and touch the new wonders of the world. Couldn’t have been better timing too for that evening my FIL left lung collapsed. He is now on a trach and put into a coma state until tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be one of those days…..Prayers are needed for family to handle whatever the outcome may be.
When I find the time, I'll show you a video of a little boy that I believe will be walking before Christmas.

Just Another Day

Early Monday morning an ambulance takes FIL to the hospital. At 85 yrs. his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is taking its toil on his lungs and he was having rapid irregular heart beats. About 9 yesterday evening he was given a shot to regulate his heart. Soon after the shot his heart rate slowed to a more normal rhythm. He started looking better, the shaking of his hands stopped and he was so much happier. We left the hospital about 10 that evening thinking that he might be coming home today. The hospital called this morning. He had terrible problems with his heart last night and was moved to the cardiac unit.
At the same time Thomas John is sleeping way more than he should be. Put him to bed Sunday night and he would wake up briefly here and there, only to quickly return to sleep again. He slept almost all day yesterday and last night too. This morning I notice that with him sleeping for hours on end, he has developed lots of new bruises all over on his arms and legs over night. Plus his G-tube site is leaking.
The house is a mess, laundry is piled high, and there is a smell coming from inside our refrigerator. I did not sleep well and am not sure on what to do next. So here I sit and complain to you. Aren’t you glad you stopped by?

Paulitics

After hearing the American people are going to lose no matter who gets into office this election and voting third party. I though I would take a closer look at third parties and I am glad I did. (Thanks D) I believe if the American people really want a change, Ron Paul is the man to do it. After listen to a video from 5 years ago where he talked about the banks collapsing and the bailout that just recently happened. The man knows what he’s talking about. The Texas congressman is stating if we keep going the way we are, we’re Not only going to have more government and Less money but things are only going to get worse to come.
Mark is planning on voting for Ron Paul for President and asks me not for vote for him. For I have yet voted for a winner.
Listen...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qLefrvxbq8

Not who but how

Soon the presidential election will be here. From the very first time I voted, whom ever I have voted for has lost the election. Sad but true. From voting for Michigan’s own Gerald Ford who lost to Jimmy Carter, to John Kerry in the last election, I’ve picked the losers. I am thinking of changing my voting ways and vote for who I’d like to lose. Odds are in my favor. I just don’t know how to vote in this year's election.

Superman saves the day

Once upon a time there was this woman who didn’t get much sleep before starting her day. During that day her son stopped at a store and purchased those made up pizza crust and a can of pizza sauce for dinner that night. The old woman when into her garden; picked and cut up spinach, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and more to add to the pizzas. The pizza tasted wonderful. The old woman had her pajama on and in bed asleep by 9 and woke up feeling happy and so much better this morning.
The son also chopped up some left over barbecued baby back ribs to add to his pizza. That tasted absolutely wonderful on his pizza. If I had a pizza shop I'll be selling baby back barbecued pizzas.

Where's the fog when you need it

I was up most of the night, maybe got a total of 2 hours of sleep. While up I prayed for fog so there would be a school delay and I could sleep in. Once again God is laughing at me. When I'm tired like this, I do stupid things. Once a put a pan of bake beans in the dryer instead of the oven. Will you come over and cook supper for me tonight?

Not what it seems

Today is the last day of the goose hunting season. My husband has been out there faithfully hunting away for a goose for our dinner table. Last evening while hubby was out, the phone rings and it’s someone who really good at goose hunting and they would like to help call in some geese for him to shoot tomorrow morning (today). Doesn’t that sound nice and helpful? I thought so.
After the hunt this morning I find out that it was not someone to call in geese for Don but it was a bunch of goose hunters who haven’t yet seen a goose while out hunting at their fancy club. They knew my husband’s hunting ground (a farm field) has had many geese come in and were there often. They didn’t come to call in geese, but they came to hunt in my husband hunting spot before the season ended.

Happy Anniversary

Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary to my favorite SIL and favorite daughter!!
Yes, Case likes to remind me that he is my only SIL and Laura is my only daughter but it's still fun to say.
Can you believe it's been five years?? Five years ago Stephie got me really really drunk, Amanda had a huge belly and there was no Ava, Jori while drunk knew everybody's name and the next day didn't remember meeting anyone. Alanna discovered my husband wasn't black. The Easter bunny stopped for a drink. The church was packed, I cried, everyone was so beautiful! The food was delicious. We had to keep going out for more Captain Morgan's, my sibling and their spouse tried to keep up in drinking with the Tech crowd.
Five years later we have our Georgia and Austin. The joy in my heart!! We are truly blessed.

Need Sleep

How can I get Thomas to sleep through the night? He has never slept in a set pattern but lately has been sleeping more during the day and awake at night. I get up and check on him often to make sure he is not hungry, wet, uncomfortable or too hot or too cold. Every morning I ask myself, why am I sending him to school? Just so he can sleep? The real reason I send him to school is so I can nap. The couch at 20 minute little intervals does wonders. Don’t I sound old!! I bet I’m starting to smell funny too.

What a pain in the Ash

What a pain in the Ash.

Our beautiful mature ash tree has been savagely attacked by emerald ash borer beetles. It didn’t take long once we noticed them for the tree to quickly start dying. We cut down the tree to burn it up hopefully stopping the beetles from spreading. So yesterday even though the leave on the tree’s branches were green they still brunt in the fire as fast as I could throw them in. By 4 that evening almost the whole tree was brunt.
During the night, I kept smelling fire. I would check out the window to see if somehow the fire had rekindled. I even walked out there in my pajamas once to check. Around midnight you could hear one fire truck after another driving past. Bedford Hills Golf Club clubhouse was burning down and the winds just happen to be from the right direction.

I'm not sure

Once upon a time, like today, as I walked outdoors. I notice a chipmunk in one of my flower gardens that looked like it was having a seizure. Feeling sorry for the creature, I noted where it was and thought I’d keep an eye on it for a while. With time the poor little small striped squirrel didn’t get any better and I was beginning to wonder about it maybe having rabies. That’s when my husband arrived home and agreed with the thought of rabies and considered it best to end the poor creature’s life and to bury it deep under ground. Mark made a mad dash into the house only to return with his guitar in hand, strumming and singing Amazing Grace while the poor creatures life ended. The song was quickly followed by another made up song about the chipmunk being Hindu and returning to life as a giraffe.

It's Back To School

23 years ago I started the fall mornings by getting someone ready for school. You would think by now it would be easy and almost automatic for me to do. It's not!! I'm not a morning person and this year the school had changed the bus route around. Tom is now one of the first ones on the bus. In other years and during the summer the bus arrived about 8. Now the bus is here before 7. Even with me getting everything set and ready the night before I am not finding getting us both up, ready and out the door by 7 in the morning easy. I am already looking forward to a snow day off of school.

Hurricane Season

During the peak of this hurricane season, Hurricane Gustav is on his way out and is now just a tropical depression. Hurricane Hanna is growing and headed towards the states for next weekend. Ike the tropical storm that will more than likely be a hurricane by Wednesday. Then we have Tropical depression ten that is predicted to be Tropical Storm Josephine by sometime tomorrow. Invest 99 is just off the coast of Africa. If it becomes a storm it’ll be named Kyle.
Next on the list will be the storm Laura. I wonder what kind of hurricane she would likely be.

Garden Party

Tom hosted a Garden party for his classmates from school. Tom giggled and laughed all afternoon. I really think he enjoyed having some classmates over and it was even better that only girls showed up.







Lindsay was a bit uncomfortable being in new surroundings. As mom held her and Mark played his guitar, Lindsay was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Lindsay and Mark both have October birthdays and are only a year apart in age.


Crystal was the youngest of our visitors, she is only 16. She slept the whole time here but her grandma said is woke up for the ride home!




I think everyone enjoyed our little garden party. It was nice to be out of the house and enjoy some good company

Garage Sale

Stopped at a Church Garage Sale today. The money raised is to help Lilly, a two year old, fight leukemia. Searched and searched for I felt like I had to buy something. Then I found the perfect thing for me to buy. A cute little crock with a lid that said Kaukauna Klub across the front. I have the perfect plant to grow in it and it was only 50 cents.

Platelets

We spent the morning in the Hematology department at St. V’s hospital learning about Tom’s newly discovered Platelet Storage Pool Deficiency. Some of what was said was interesting, some not, and some I don’t want to have to deal with….like from now on any new drug Tom need to take will have to go through them first, to make sure that drug doesn’t decrease his platelet functions. I was also given a list of over-the-counter drugs that Tom should not take for that reason and just about every cold medication, antacid, and pain medication was on it. The most important thing the doctor wants us to remember is platelet storage pool deficiency is so rare that more than likely any doctor we come in contact with in an emergency situation will have never heard of it or will know what it is.

Husband's Birthday

Today is my husband's birthday. Guess what he wants for his birthday. This is a quiz just like Alana's.
A. Sex
B. To have his father over for dinner tonight
C. Laura to have another baby
D. A chainsaw
E. All the above.

EvEryonE should bE ablE to figurE out thE answEr.

The Story of Lloyd and Harry

We arrived at the wedding reception finding Dumb and Dumber there fighting with their canes. Someone said the orange one is a stepbrother to the bride. My sister and a niece wanted their pictures taken with them but would not go over to the other side of the hall and ask. So I did. They escorted me across the dance floor with cheers from my family for a photo session with other family members.

Harry and Lloyd

Notice my picture below and where the eyes are focus on in the picture. Now look at this photo with my niece Stephanie. Dumb and Dumber??

An Interesting Wedding

My brother’s son was married yesterday. Here I am at the reception and all I can say is that it was very out of the ordinary.

Mariah

This weeks Me1jer's ad, My niece, Mariah on the top of page 10.