A pictoral catch up

Attention yarny craft friends: I hope you will join me in participating in KNITTING & CROCHET BLOG WEEK 2012. I participated last year and loved it. I hope you will join in for at least a day of it.

DD & my mom at American Girl Place - we had a GREAT time!

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For my birthday, we went hiking - it was a very enjoyable day!

DD thought this was a "huge waterfall"

Spring reflected in the lake

We spent a day of DD's spring break in Springfield.

Here are my two "weenies" at Cozy Dog Diner (birthplace of the corndog) - I do have to say, it was a GREAT corndog!!!!!

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My 52 photos in 52 weeks project continues:

WEEK 9 - work

WEEK 10 - down

WEEK 11 - sign

WEEK 12 - door

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I'm hoping my Cubbies will come around here - it's been a rough 4 games so far. Good thing it's a long season!

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I will try to get some book reviews up soon. I know I'm WAY behind on those....

Also, I will get the doll clothes I've sewn posted soon too.

Wow!

It's April! March literally flew by. Thanks to the anonymous "fan" who requested a new post and got me going again...

I had a nice day in Chicago with my mom and daughter last week. We went to American Girl Place as DD's Christmas/birthday gift from my mom & dad. I'm not sure if DD or mom had more fun! :) She got another doll and picked out a couple little things.

We had a nice day last Saturday. We went hiking at two of the state parks (2 of the 3 for my 2012 goal...). It was a cloudy, chilly morning. With the unseasonably warm weather, the nature was out and there were quite a few people on the trails. We had a picnic lunch in the van then the sun came out for our afternoon hike. (I'll post pictures soon!)

I've been busy sewing the past few weeks - lots of doll clothes to make... I've enjoyed it for the most part (don't get me started on the doll dress I'm working on now...) I'll try to get some pictures of the clothes up soon.

I'm still working through my 52 photos in 52 weeks project for this year. The Knit & Crochet Blog Week is coming up at the end of the month - so I plan to participate in that also.

I'll close for now and try to get pictures up soon!

Have a Happy Passover and/or Easter!

Serenity

I may have found my zen.

Baseball!

Laugh if you want, but I find it relaxing. I know there are those who say, it's a boring sport; it's so slow. Hence, why I find it relaxing.
I came home for a bad afternoon at work, hubby had the Cubs spring training came on. There were Len & Bob calling the game with the crowd noise in the background, the crack of the bat hitting the ball. Ahhhh... I felt much better after a few minutes.
Do I get excited and wound up about a game? Yes. But I still find it soothing.

Play ball!!!!!
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PS: The London Olympics are 126 days away! We are all looking forward to them at our house.

Wisdom

The older I get, I find that pieces of wisdom and insight come from many unexpected places, things and moments. Yesterday, I experienced a moment of wisdom from our daughter (who is sometimes wise beyond her years...).

We went to the zoo yesterday (it was a PERFECT day! - sunny, slight breeze, almost 80) and the animals were all outside and the plants are budding and blooming. More than once, our daughter said a couple of times, "Do you hear all those birds?" I think there are still sounds that amaze her.

Since she got her hearing aids two years ago, the birds are something she can hear now (a sound that she never heard for almost 6 years!). It's one of those things we took for granted. I will never forget the first time she heard them, she got to call me from school to tell me she could hear birds tweeting. I cried and laughed when she told me, then told my co-worker who did the same thing. It's amazing the little things we sometimes take for granted!

As we were walking around the zoo yesterday, she was armed with her camera, she said to me at one point - "I am glad that I can see. If I can't hear everything, that's ok, but I would have to be able to see everything." The wisdom of an 8 year-old, and I think I agree with her. It amazes me how sometimes a small comment can get me choked up.


Disclaimer: I don't share these stories for reasons of sympathy or pity - I'm not sorry she has a profound hearing loss (anymore than a parent feels for their child who isn't "normal"). I share these stories because they are part of our lives and I find that sometimes when something is 'new' to her, it reminds me to step back from my crazy/busy life and take in the 'new' and 'small' things that are around me everyday and appreciate that I can enjoy them. I hope you will, too!

This guy...

Believe it or not.... was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society a couple of weeks ago.
We are very proud of him!

23 days

until the Chicago Cubs opening day!!!!

Here's to a decent season...

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On another note...

You know it's going to be a good day when you leave the house with your slippers on and you don't realize it until your hubby yells out the door "You have your slippers on!"

Are you sure it's not Monday???? (thank goodness, it's NOT!)

In case you didn't know...

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My "baby" brother and his wife are expecting - 2 days before their 1st anniversary. Exciting!!!!!

The baby gift ideas are running around in my head....

Websites

Check out the websites of 2 of my favorite artists:

Expressions by Emily Rood
Phil Rood Illustration

Not that I'm counting...

but....

123 days til I see my man

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to me from my hubby!

52 in 52

A collage of the first 8 weeks of my 52 in 52 for this year. I am really enjoying this project!

Picture heavy

Happy March!!! Wow this year is flying already....

We took the kids to Disney on Ice for DD's birthday. This is what I get when I ask for a "nice picture" of the two of them.... I guess I have to settle for this as my "nice picture"
Tiana's story (Princess & the Frog)


Cinderella & Prince Charming

Rapunzel & Flynn Rider flying

M & M

Finale - all the Princesses and their Princes

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We all went to our first rodeo. We all had a GREAT time!!!!

She bragged to everyone that she met "real cowboys" (I think she was a little smitten with a couple of them). DH told her that the table better stay between her & the cowboys! :)

And pre-season baseball games start today!!!!! A month until regular season starts...

Feb 29

HAPPY LEAP DAY!!!!!!!!

Chardon Ohio

My heart goes out to you! Praying for the students, teachers and community

Of course...

As March is in sight...a snowstorm is headed our way for tonight. I'm hoping they are predicting wrong because 6" of snow does NOT sound appealing!!!!!

It kind of worries me because the trees are starting to bud and a few perennials starting to peek out.

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I will really try to get some pictures up from Disney on Ice and the rodeo

Tales from the library, part 4

I know the public library is like the community vacuum for every nutter but what happened on Saturday was just weird...

I am working the desk and a gentleman comes up to the desk. (he's in his mid-70s) He points to his ear and says "What do you think?" I look and see he is pointing to his earring. My response after a few seconds of stunned silence was "Uhhhh, it's....nice?" (What was I supposed to say? You look ridiculous!!!!) He proudly smiles and says "I just got it." (And I'm sure you're 22 year old girlfriend told you that was cool....) I really didn't know what else to say to him and I hear him say to his friend as they walk away from the desk. "I told you chicks dig earrings."

OY!!!!!!!

My co-worker looks at me, smiles real big and says "I think you just got hit on." (insert full body shiver here)

The joy of birthday #8

Much the same as teenagers look forward to their 16th birthdays, we have a monumental birthday at our house this weekend - DD's #8!

Do you know what is significant about birthday #8?

In the state of Illinois, at the age of 8 you no longer have to sit in a car seat or booster seat. She is ecstatic!!!!!!

Last weekend

Last weekend was wonderful! The weather was cold but we had a nice weekend.

Friday started it off with hubby & I teaching Ag in the Classroom to 2 3rd grade classes and a 4th grade class. It was a lot of fun and we hope to do it again next year! We had a quick lunch at a newer little dive in town and I had THE BEST basket of loaded fries... I'm pretty sure I closed up a vital artery in eating them but it was SO worth it!

Saturday we literally did NOTHING! However a funny (now) story... the doorknob in our master bath is a little iffy (as in it turns one way MOST of the time!). I get out of the shower and am dressed, reach for the knob and that sucker doesn't move!!!! I jiggle, wiggle and shake - nothing. So I start banging on the door and yelling. Apparently my husband and son were running around trying to figure out where the knocking was coming from. I was finally released from my holding cell. I now carry my cell phone to the bathroom with me!

Sunday we had a restful morning and went to Disney on Ice in the afternoon as our daughter's birthday present (she'll be 8 on Sunday!). She had a GREAT time - her favorite Princesses, Tiana, Cinderella and Rapunzel. We didn't tell her where we were going. We're all of 15 minutes from our destination and she says from the back seat "Is this one of those things where you know where we are going and just won't tell me?" As we walked toward the United Center she stops walking and says "We're going to see Disney on Ice, aren't we?" Darn TV commercials!

It's been a nice week at home, work has been a little hairy. Valentine's Day was quiet for all of us.

Looking forward to a busy weekend this weekend but it should be fun!

Monday gratitudes

Since last week was a little rough around here, I am looking to start the week on a positive note.

I am grateful for:
My family
A roof over my head
Food on my table
Some fantastic cyber scrapbook friends
My blog readers
A restful Saturday
My job

I hope you all have a grateful week!

52 in 52, part 2 & a Digi Dare

The next installment of my 52 Photos in 52 Weeks for 2012

Week 5 - Create Week 6 - Soft

Digi Dares #293

WOW!

What a week the last week has been.

Our daughter has been SUPER emotional about our old house. We have explained to her that the important thing is that we are all together and that we have a place to live. I think it only pacifies her for a little while.
Then since school registration is coming up - we were talking about how she will have to go to a different school next year. OH MAN!!!!!! That was another meltdown. But we reminded her this morning that she will know a few of the kids who go there and she seems a little more at ease.
I just pray that she can find some calm and handle all the changes that have come her way the past few months.

Hope you are all having a good week!
HUGS!

Photo post

I posted a photo post on my photo blog: LINCOLN HIGHWAY

Whatever...

"Phil" says 6 more weeks of winter!

If those 6 weeks are going to be what we've had for winter so far - that's fine with me!!!!

As one of our farmers commented the other day...remember 1982? Ahhhh - yeah, thanks for the reminder and I HOPE that DOESN'T happen again!!!!! (for those that don't know/remember...we had a HUGE snowstorm the beginning of April)

Come on spring!

Proud mom!

We found out that DS made the dean's list for last semester
AND
He was invited to join the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

52 in 52

This is my project for the year: 52 Photos in 52 Weeks I like the idea of a photo a day but know that my schedule does not allow for that kind of commitment.

I intend to turn each of these photos into a small scrapbook page.

WEEK 1 - "NEW"

A new friend from build a bear

WEEK 2 - "SHINE"

The main tree in the rotunda of the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago

WEEK 3 - "COMMUNITY"
The main window at our public library
The inscription under the window reads: "Erected for the people and dedicated to the advancement of learning"

WEEK 4 - "REST"
A mouse resting in his little nest in his cage

I will post more photos as I go through the year and try to add the scrapbook pages too.
Thanks for stopping by!

Unbelievable!

It blows my mind the way some people talk about others! I hear lots of little gossipy conversations going on around our office. Then I find out that things are said about me. I thought I worked in a grown up office environment, not a junior high!

I guess if it makes people feel better to talk nasty about others - so be it! Just don't involve me - I don't want to hear it and you better expect me to stand up to you if you question my integrity or you talk about my relatives!

Vent over...

Don't get me wrong, I love my job but sometimes I think working with men only would be a wonderful change!

We are finally on the mend at our house. We've been sick most of this week and I THINK we're all finally getting better.

The best kind of therapy

After a hellish week at work this week and not being able to get myself unwound all week, we went to go see some friends who have a 4 month old. This little girl is SO sweet! I got to hold and snuggle with her for about 2 hours - talk about relaxing!!!! My favorite thing was Baby E sprawled out on my chest sound asleep - ahhh!!!! I'm pretty sure if I'd had a blanket too, I would have slept right with her. I felt so relaxed and had a new outlook on the world when we left.

Thanks, T & M for letting me get my baby fix!!!!

Have a super weekend all!

Darn winter!

Winter found us in northern Illinois. Now I will admit we have been very spoiled this winter (temps in the 40s and no real snow until last week)
Last Thursday we had about 3 inches of blowing snow. It was rough for a few hours but nothing terrible. It has been cold since then...
Today is BRUTALLY cold! And with a nice Canadian wind to go with it - it's wintery refreshing. The forecast for tomorrow calls for single digit temps with 4 - 9 inches of snow, depending on what the temps do and where you are. So we shall see what Mother Nature has in store for us!

Dear Mother Nature,
If you must send the snow, please make it enough for a snow day! This snow that is enough to slow everyone down a little and make it so I have to clean off my car, is annoying. Make it count if we must get it!
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Wishing for a Snow Day

Monday gratitudes

I haven't done one of these posts in a long time.

*My family's health
*A roof over my head and food on my table
*My family & friends
*Having a sense of humor
*A little time to scrapbook this past weekend
*I have a job that I love

Have a blessed week!
HUGS!

check it out!

Reviews on Curling Up with a Good Book

I hope you'll consider joining this reading challenge for 2012.

Happy Friday the 13th!

I hope you all have a good day and a wonderful weekend!

Winter most certainly found us yesterday - brrrrr!!!! (and it's white here now...darn!)

HUGS!

1/12/12

Happy Birthday to my hubby!!!!!!!

#45

The one with...

the jerk at the gym!
A little backstory on this...there's a squirrely guy who is there every morning and he goes full tilt during the whole time I'm there. He's kind of like Jim (see this post) on speed. Anyway...he always gets on a machine next to someone who is already working out, even though there are 6 other empty machines - he's done it to me a few times, I've seen him do it to others too. (I am a "personal space" exerciser, if possible)

So yesterday morning, I'm getting going on the elliptical machine and lo and behold, here comes Meathead (I haven't come up with a good nickname yet...it's a work in progress). He gets on the elliptical right next to mine - there are literally 5 more not being used. He gets on and starts his sprint then leans over and says "Is that all you got?" Excuse me?! It took every ounce of willpower I had not to push him off his machine. If I was paying him to be my personal trainer and be in my face, then fine...but I'm not - so back off buck-o!!!!!!! I was SO mad! I just turned my ipod up and didn't even give him the satisfaction of any reply. Because YEAH - that's all I got!

I laugh about it now. I was telling my co-workers the story when I got to work and they were dying and swear he's hitting on me. One of the guys said I should have said "And if you don't back off, my husband will kick your ass when he gets back from the UFC circuit". I did like the suggestion of making 2 "Out of Order" signs and putting them on the machines on either side of me and then taking them off when I'm done.

Top 50

Our local country radio station has named their Top 50 songs of 2011

1. Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not - Thompson Square
2. Don't You Wanna Stay - Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson
3. Felt Good On My Lips - Tim Mcgraw
4. Let Me Down Easy - Billy Currington
5. Somewhere With You - Kenny Chesney
6. A Little Bit Stronger - Sara Evans
7. Honey Bee - Blake Shelton
8. You Lie - The Band Perry
9. Heart Like Mine - Miranda Lambert
10. Voices - Chris Young
11. This - Darius Rucker
12. Someone Else Calling You Baby - Luke Bryan
13. Tomorrow - Chris Young
14. Dirt Road Anthem - Jason Aldean
15. Barefoot Blue Jean Night - Jake Owen
16. What Do You Want - Jerrod Niemann
17. Who Are You When I'm Not Looking - Blake Shelton
18. Am I The Only One - Dierks Bentley
19. If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away - Justin Moore
20. Knee Deep - Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett
21. My Kinda Party - Jason Aldean
22. Put You In A Song - Keith Urban
23. Country Girl (Shake It For Me) - Luke Bryan
24. Without You - Keith Urban
25. Old Alabama - Brad Paisley featuring Alabama
26. As She's Walking Away - Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
27. Mean - Taylor Swift
28. Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum
29. Crazy Girl - Eli Young Band
30. Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band
31. This Is Country Music - Brad Paisley
32. Take A Back Road - Rodney Atkins
33. I Won't Let Go - Rascal Flatts
34. Live A Little - Kenny Chesney
35. Just Fishin' - Trace Adkins
36. You And Tequila - Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter
37. Remind Me - Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood
38. Made In America - Toby Keith
39. Back To December - Taylor Swift
40. Why Wait - Rascal Flatts
41. Here For A Good Time - George Strait
42. Long Hot Summer - Keith Urban
43. If I Die Young - The Band Perry
44. Mama's Song - Carrie Underwood
45. Turn On The Radio - Reba
46. God Gave Me You - Blake Shelton
47. Country Must Be Country Wide - Brantley Gilbert
48. Farmer's Daughter - Rodney Atkins
49. Stuck Like Glue - Sugarland
50. Anything Like Me - Brad Paisley

It looks like I have a few more songs to add to my ipod...

A wish list item...

So hubby went to Best Buy with our son (who had gift cards to burn) and he brought me the brochure for this...
AWESOME!!!!

I was almost drooling on it. I know it's not a Nikon or Canon but I want to go play with this camera... It's a "little" (ie: a lot) out of our price range right now, but maybe someday.

Maybe if I can get my photography business going here and justify 'upgrading' our camera...

So if you are interested in being a photo subject, let me know!!!

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PS: I have book reviews below...can you believe it? Now to just keep up with those...

2012 Reading Challenge - January, part 1

I have joined this reading challenge for this year... 2012 Cupcake Wars Reading Challenge. January's genre is Young Adult fiction.

Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Books of Wonder) by . Frank Baum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have seen the movie COUNTLESS times and finally read the book. It was wonderful and has a little bit more to explain the movie story.
LOVED it!

(this also helps me with my 'bucket list' - read the 100 greatest books)


Pirates of Savannah: The Hunt for Shamus's Booty by P. Lupo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun read. A little bit of Savannah history, a little treasure hunting and four very different characters that were fun to see work and come together in their treasure hunt.


Both of these were free Kindle downloads

It's coming....

202 days from today!
We are getting excited in our household.

LONDON 2012

Check this out!

We saw this gal get a tattoo on the TV show - NY Ink and as she told her story to the tattoo artist, DH & I got seriously choked up. They showed this clip on the show and we were both sitting there crying.


Unfortunately I have been unable to locate a clip from NY Ink - her story is incredible! And as parents of a child with a severe hearing loss, it hit us pretty hard.

Reading Challenge

I know there are LOTS of reading challenges and reading challenge blogs out there, BUT - I have decided to join this one this year: CURLING UP WITH A GOOD BOOK 2012 CHALLENGE I am hoping it will help me branch into a few other genres. I am also hoping this will blog more about the books I read!

January is Young Adult Fiction

Feel free to join in!!!!

2-0-1-2!

Here's to a better year this year!!!! Wishing you all health, prosperity and a very blessed 2012!

Kenny Chesney has a song called Live a Little that I am going to make my 'anthem' for this year. (Pardon the copyright I am breaking here...) The lyrics I really like are:
...I need to live a little, have some fun
Take some time, waste it on number one...

I have made a few goals for this year...
(we'll see how well they get completed)
* Read 100 books
* Run a 5K
* Finish DS's afghan
* Complete scrapbooks for:
-Vegas
-Disney
-Hawaii
* START covered bridge wall hanging quilt
* Do at least 1 photo shoot each month

I think that will get me going this year.

And that's a wrap...

It is hard to believe that 2011 is almost over! It's been an interesting year for us but survived and are all healthy. Here's hoping 2012 will be a good one.

These were my 2011 'goals'...
*Get myself back into shape (physically) - the goal being to run a 5K this spring. And RUN it not huff and puff my way through it wishing I could die. I started working out in November and there was no 5K this year.
*Read at least 50 books this year - more of them being non-fiction so I feel like I'm working my brain too. COMPLETED - I have read 103 books this year
*On the topic of reading, to get 'caught up' in the ELM CREEK QUILT series. COMPLETED!!!!
*Get DS's scrapbook done BEFORE his graduation in June. COMPLETED!!!!
*Be more consistent in taking pictures this year. I'd like to do more people photo shoots. I think I had 3 or 4 photo shoots this year.
*Make myself a sweater before the end of the year. COMPLETED!!!!

I'm actually quite happy with my progress on this this year. I will get my 2012 goals up shortly!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Whew!

It was a busy holiday weekend but it was VERY nice!!!!

The kids made out like bandits; the weather was wonderful (sunny and in the upper 30s); we got to have lots of family time.

My knitting projects (hat & sweater) got done before Christmas. However, DS's afghan...nowhere NEAR finished! Maybe about July... ;)

(I'll get some pictures up soon!)

Fa la la la la

la la la la!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! (even if it won't be a white Christmas!) Our kids are driving us crazy with their wildness and nit picking at each other. Even with the reminders that Santa Claus is coming to town, it does no good.
(ok - I'll try to stop sliding in song titles now...)

The presents are all wrapped - which is WAY ahead of where we usually are at this time! We took the kids to a drive-thru light display last night. Going during the week has its advantages - there were hardly any other cars so we could stop and look without disrupting traffic too much.

"Shitter's full!"

What we have left on our "to do" this week:
Tomorrow: Work; office Christmas lunch (complete with viewing of Christmas vacation); recital for DD
Friday: 1/2 day of work; office 'beverage stop' after work; Christmas with the in-laws; night two of recital
Saturday: a restful day of just us
Sunday: Christmas with my family


Last night DD was playing on the ipad and she just randomly says:
"Don't shoot any animals. Except the Bumpus' dogs!" then just starts giggling. She has watched A Christmas Story probably 50 times in the last 2 weeks. Wait until it's on for 24 hours... She is looking forward to a discussion with Aunt A on Christmas Day...

Curl this!

See the 2 yellow stones to the left - I threw those...
Last Thursday, our office & another office went curling for an afternoon. SO much fun!!!!! My arms hurt from sweeping but it was worth it.

Real quick...

The rest of the week has been uneventful, thus far (see previous two posts)...

Had a great office outing yesterday (post to come). School program tonight. Extra dance practice tomorrow. Work on Sunday.

Stayed tuned - I'll post this weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend!

And the hits keep on coming...

LITERALLY!!!!!

DD versus a pole. DH got a call from school on Monday morning so he went and got her. They kept ice on it off & on for the day and it looked MUCH better by the time I got home from work. It's still sore but it doesn't look bad and so far...no black eyes!

It's been a better week since Monday. Today is Wednesday - hump day - so we're half way through the week. YEA!!!!!

Hope you're all having a good week!

The one with...

the crazy Sunday!

You know the days that you shouldn't get out of bed? Yeah! That was yesterday...

It started when our son woke up with a box of cereal in his bed. Confirming what we have been suspecting for about a year - he's a sleepwalker. He's been in strange places in the house in the morning and he's not sure how he gets there. Our concern is that he might leave the house and not know it... We are trying to figure out what 'safety features' we should put around the house to alert him and us that he's up and about.

So we went along in our morning. I made cookies and burned my hand a little. I knit on a Christmas gift until my hands hurt - but I swear that sucker is going to be done by Christmas!!!!!

We watch the pathetic end to the Bears game. It was agonizing and I'm not even a big football fan.

And the capper on the day? Our refrigerator leaked all over the kitchen. And I mean ALL over the kitchen! I heard a dripping so I went out to see where it was coming from and stepped in a puddle. I yelled for DS to grab some towels and DH came running too. He opened the fridge door and it was like Niagara Falls. We used EVERY towel/washcloth/absorbent thing in the house and wrung them out a couple of times. DH sucked up almost 10 gallons of water with the shop vac and we figured we wrung out probably about 2 gallons more. DH pulled the water filter out of the fridge and it had a HUGE crack in the back of it, culprit found! After over an hour of cleaning up water, wiping down everything in the fridge and watching the fridge with a careful eye - it was time to start washing all the towels we'd used. The positive of this....the fridge and kitchen floor are REALLY clean now and we were home when it happened!

As our son said at the end of the day, "You know it's going to be a bad day when you wake up with a strange box of cereal in your bed."

Oh...DD came home from her weekend at my in-laws and she had lost another tooth. She is really a toothless wonder!!!!!

Looking forward to a better week!

Christmas Tidbits

Christmas is the festival of miracles. There are several facts and strange Christmas customs related to the festival that will make you smile. Here is some of the interesting trivia about Christmas:

Handed down from Druids, burning Yule Log as a good luck charm was part of the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration.

Originated from a Celtic legend about the harvest god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the Earth, Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor, which is now replaced by modern Christmas puddings.

Some people connect modern traditions related to Father Christmas to ancient Celtic or pagan religion. Santa' elves are considered to be the modernization of the Nature folk while reindeers are believed to represent the Horned God, which was one of the Pagan deities.

Towns named on Christmas or related traditions in United States are Santa Claus in Arizona & Indiana, Noel in Missouri and Christmas in Arizona & Florida.


Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

70 years ago today

The Japanese attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor.

God bless all those brave men and women who were lost that day!

FINALLY!!!!!

How many years have I been waiting for this? LOTS!

RON SANTO elected to the BASEBALL HALL OF FAME!

Ronnie waited a long time for the call, I think most Cubs fans waited a long time for the call for Ronnie. Sadly, it came too late for him to receive it. I am thrilled that his plaque will finally get to hang in the Hall but it saddens me to know that he will not be there to make his speech in July.

God bless you, Ron Santo! I miss you lots!

Holiday happenings

Season's Greetings!!!! I hope this finds you & yours preparing cheerfully for the holidays.

If I may make a gift suggestion for those of you who have elementary aged children to buy for....

MOM'S BACKYARD ZOO by Susan Ferris, illustrated by Phil Rood (my brother)


It's a great rhyming poem/story with fun illustrations. I hope you'll buy a copy and spread the word. (artwork from amazon.com)
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Other Christmas/winter activities:

For those of you who may be traveling through the northwestern part of Indiana, and have a little bit of time, stop by the Indiana Visitors Centor in Hammond for: A CHRISTMAS STORY COMES HOME display. I wouldn't go out of my way, but it is fun to stop and see if you are passing through.

If you have more time and are in the Cleveland, Ohio area...stop by A CHRISTMAS STORY HOUSE. It has been restored to the way it looked in the movie and is a lot of fun to walk through. There is a fee ($10/adult & $6 for kids 7-12; under 7 are free) to take the tour but for fans, it is worth it!

In the Chicago area, check out WINTER WONDERFEST at Navy Pier. We haven't been for a few years, but it was a lot of fun with lots of activities/rides/skating rink. Again, there is a charge and parking if you drive to the Pier.

WHOA!

2 weeks without a post, shame on me!

I really don't have an excuse. Ok, well, I do - laziness! There I admitted it.

Thanksgiving came & went - we took the kids to the Dells for a couple of nights. They do run some good 'during the week' rates. We left before the weekend craziness began.

We still have no Christmas decorations up, BUT I'm not too concerned about it. It will get done in time. I surrendered on the sweater I was knitting - very frustrating stuff for now. It will 'hybernate' for a while.

Hope you all had a nice holiday and your week is going well.

The one with...

"Jim the Wal Mart cashier"

(I'm sorry I don't have any visual aids for this post)

Jim has become the running joke in our house. We have ended up with "Jim" (at least that's what his name tag says) as our cashier a couple of times and the second time, I almost had to send my son and husband to the car for 'misbehaving'. (How old are you two?!)

A little about Jim...Jim appears to workout - A LOT!!! (I'm pretty sure there aren't a lot of brains in his head though, aka: muscle head) He is obviously too cool to wear his Wal Mart smock/vest and wears his name tag proudly on his Simon Cowell tight t-shirt. Instead of putting our reusable bags on the carousel to load them, as all the rest of the cashiers do, Jim prefers to hold each bag and load them while it dangles on his flexed arm. Now...he loads those bags so stinking heavy that I can barely lift them. Dude, really!!!! I do not go to the gym three times a day to lift.

The joke at our house now is when there's something big or heavy to move or if I need help opening a jar the boys yell "Where's Jim?" The reason that they almost got sent to the car was because they were just about hysterical laughing watching Jim fill our bags, hanging from his arm.

I have a feeling he will be the running joke at our house for a long time!

PS: If you have a chance, ask DS to do his beach muscle head that had Lee & I almost wetting our pants in the Wal Mart parking lot.

A couple of observations

* Dead mice STINK!!!!!

* The gym is a GREAT place to people watch! (and a great distraction to the agony those machines are causing...)

Have a super "hump day"!!!

14 years ago

Our guests braved a foot of snow and winter winds to attend our wedding!

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful hubby! I love you!

Randomness

I realized over the weekend what a bad blogger I've been this month. Sorry for not posting more!

First, you can check out my latest photo shoot here:
The C Family

We won a 3 month gym membership and I finally got signed up. I've been twice and am realizing how out of shape I am! My goal is to get on a 'regular' schedule of going. My first goal is to be able to run Race to Wrigley in April.

I finished Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie this week. This is the 1st Christie mystery I've read. I LOVED it! I give it 5 stars and can't wait to read more by her.

We raked leaves yesterday. It took FOREVER and there were TONS of leaves! The city better come get them or there will be hell to pay! I'm just glad it was a beautiful day yesterday.

This weekend is the 'big move' for my grandparents. After 46ish years in the same house, they are packing up and moving to town. Here's hoping for another nice day!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Thank you to all who serve or have served. We have our freedoms because of you!

A special thank you to my grandfather, brother, father-in-law, uncle and cousin.

Pictures

She had a great time trick or treating. My MIL made her costume.

Pink-tastic!

If you have a little girl (or boy) who likes children's theatre, you need to check out: PINKALICIOUS!

I took DD on opening weekend this past July in Chicago (put on by Emerald City Theatre) at the Broadway Playhouse (right behind Water Tower Place - which is a wonderful theater, small but not too small - I don't think there are 'bad' seats there). We BOTH loved it! The songs are very catchy (ask her about 'Buzz Off" - it still makes her giggle) and it's just a fun play - with an important lesson to be learned.

Pssst - the book is great too! ;)


We both would give it 5 stars (the book AND the show)!

Hello, November!

I hope everyone had a nice, fun and safe Halloween! Ours was nice - no rain or snow. We hit the old 'hood and had a good time catching up with old neighbors.

Pictures to come...