This was an email I recieved and it cracked me up.




Whew!! My lights are up!
I just finished putting my Christmas lights up.
If you need any help with yours, just call me.

Check me out with my fancy picture postings! These were just too funny not to share. They almost made it on the Christmas card. The kids got these goofy glasses for a fund raising thing at school. Hilarious!

December

So the cards are out! The tree is up! And last night I even wrapped a little! Whoo hoo! And we still have a couple weeks. This is the first year that we have put presents under the tree early. Every year Cash drives us all crazy with wanting to open presents early (as most kids do). Rather than dealing with that chaos, we just avoided the situation and left them hidden until it was time to open them. But then on Christmas morning, I found it too confusing to be like "well that's from us, that's from Santa, blah blah". So this year we are trying something new to us. I wrapped the kids' presents in colored paper that is "their" color, and they won't know "their" color until Christmas. Since there are no names on the packages, I am hoping this will curb their whining, er uh their asking. I will let you know how that goes.

Last week we went on the CDA light cruise. How fun was that?! We have been wanting to go for years. Jake and I had never been, but the kids go annually with Janet and Steve. The kids had been the week before also, so they were sort of ho hum about it. Jake and I were the ones that were like kids. When they lit up the Christmas tree I yelped with joy! How awesome! We sat outside the whole time. It was a perfect night! Plenty cold, but oh so worth it! We have always wanted to go, but always put it off. This year I won tickets, so we had to go! I am so glad we did! If you haven't been... GO! Especially while the kids are young.

I am getting excited for Christmas break from school. I love sleep in days! Yeah! And I actually get to see the kids! It is so hard only seeing J'Lee from 3:30-8:30 on school days. And I work weekends, so I just don't see her much. Atleast Cash is only half day at school. I am going to have a hard time next year when they are both gone all day. (Ok I'll love it - I know - who am I kidding?!)

As I wrote this I was surprised by three of my most favorite people. Jake and the kids came and surprised me with coffee, early birthday cards, and a beautiful african violet. Have I mentioned how happy they make me? What a fun surprise! The kids get so excited for birthdays. They always think that because they have such a big party, that everyone does, of course. They always say " I wonder what's going to be on their cake?!" I can't even remember the last time we had cake for Jake or I's birthday. Clearly we are missing out! It's so sad as you get older that birthday's just aren't what they used to be. I wonder when that happens. "Well, sorry kids, you are just too old to have a party now." Well that doesn't seem right does it? The more birthdays we have - the better! Beats the alternative!!

For my actual birthday I intend on getting a pedicure, maybe seeing a movie? Getting lunch? I don't know, but I know it's going to be fantastic! This week my bunco friends and I are renting a limo and driving around to look at Christmas lights. Isn't that fun? Hopefully by then we will have some of that snow stuff. Normally I don't even like to say that word, but Christmas light displays just aren't the same without it. It will be a busy week, but I am excited!

Tis almost the season

This week I am trying to get into the spirit of the holidays. I am finding it quite difficult this year, beings the weather has been so misleading. November?! Ha! Thanksgiving... Next week? No, that can't be. It was so nice out last week.
So whilst looking for inspiration, last night we went as a family to Halpins, a store that I love -especially at Christmas. They have Christmas trees and ornaments that are just gorgeous. I never buy anything there. I feel as if it is a museum. I love everything there, yet somehow it does not belong in our home. Well some of it does, but it is way too expensive.
Today I have Christmas music playing. Next Monday I really hope we get our tree. Up and everything. (I should be specific in my goals.) Realistically it may just make it from the tree farm to our porch. I hope to get it put up, decorated and all the empty ornament boxes hidden back downstairs. There that is better.
I started to address Christmas cards the other day. There is nothing to put into the envelopes yet, but at least they are addressed. Everything is in stages. We have started to do some shopping too. And when I say we, I mean me.
I want to get all the things that we "have to do" done, so we can sit back and enjoy this time with family. Here is the list I have to do to make it a successful Christmas.(In my deranged mind)

• Get a real tree. Last year we got an artificial one - due to the amazing snowstorm we had and I have yet to hear the last of it from the kids.
• Get Christmas cards sent out
• All shopping and wrapping completed.

I really don't put big expectations on myself. This is a very accomplishable list. There is no mandatory baking or elaborate meals around here. I may make an occasional chocolate covered pretzel stick. Or sometimes I buy the pre-made, pre-cut, pre-baked cookies, and have the kids decorate those. There is no reason we can't get this done so we can appreciate the season.

Tonight we are going to go see Disney on Ice. The kids are excited. As am I. I love to watch them do those amazing things on ice. And to watch the kids' faces light up. It will be a good time.

Rest in Peace Grandpa Harold. Rest in Peace.

On October 24th around 930 am, Harold passed away suddenly. Jake's grandpa. We didn't get to say goodbye. He hadn't been feeling well for quite a while. I am unsure what he officially died of. I have heard heart attack, loss of blood, renal failure, aneurysm in the abdomen. He was not feeling well - that was apparent.


Today was his memorial service. It was really nice. Jake's cousin Erik said a very nice eulogy and put together a great slide show that captured him well. And he had military honors, so two lovely gentleman came and did a flag ceremony and played taps. Oh man that gets me every time.


The last time Jake and I saw him was labor day weekend for his 82nd birthday party. The kids saw him just a couple of weeks ago. Jake was able to talk to him at the party the whole time, which is very comforting to him. Jake said it best today, at the service, when he talked about how the two of them were such good friends growing up and how hard it was for Harold to see Jake grow into an adult and not spend much time with him anymore. Work, family, yard work, and yes laziness - got in between their friendship. Heart breaking really. It happens too often.


Harold helped us so much. Without him we would not live where we do. Without him we would not have most of what we do. He gave so much to us while he was alive. I only pray that we can be and are so generous with our children and grandchildren.


Memories I have of him include: Werthers, Riesens, Hershey's Treasures, and CREAMSAVERS. We would be loaded down with bags of these candies every time we would visit him. He would buy them in bulk and give them to us.


Also he loved and adored our children. He called J'Lee Twinkletoes since she was a teensy thing.


He loved to hold them as babies and rock them and talk to them telling them who knows what. J'Lee went to the funeral today and when given the opportunity to talk she took the mic and said "My great grandpa was the best great grandpa", and then dissolved into tears and sobs. As did the rest of us..


Cash opted not to go. I am not sure what he thought it would be like. I had explained to him what would happen and that there was no body, etc. He was very adamant about going to school. (Which normally, he is trying to get out of...) We knew he did not want to go, and in no way were going to force him. He came to the lunch after, and it was just how it was supposed to be.


He will be missed, but I know he is much much happier now. Free from health problems and free to fish and hunt and be with Carol again. All the while keeping watch on us from above. We will meet again.


Dear Heavenly Father, please take care of Harold now, as he was the only grandpa that I really knew. Please let my children remember him and have stories to tell their children. Thank you for letting us have him on this earth for 82 years. Thank you for all the stories he had to tell and for all the laughs at how we thought it was funny he had a story for EVERYTHING! Thank you for waiting for him to become a believer. Carol had tried for so many years to get him to believe, and only after she passed was he able to come to you. Thank you for letting me see into the future what my handsome husband will look like when he is 82, as he is going to be adorable, just like Harold. It is amazing how much they resemble one another.


In His name,





Amen

This is the picture that I meant to put on the first post. Why it is working today and not the other day? Who knows, but here it is.
I am learning. I was going to call Kristi today and learn about this whole bloggy posty stuff but I had to work on digging out the kitchen that had been much neglected over the weekend. Hopefully tomorrow I will beable to get a tutorial.
Happy Tuesday!

Well I have been wanting to start a blog for quite a while now. I truly enjoy reading others and love to keep up on pictures of kids that I may not see often (Levi and Abby for example) and feel like I am still part of their lives, even though I am far away.

Jake calls me a voyeur, but I tell him if they don't want anyone to read it, they wouldn't put it out there for people to see. He still thinks I am crazy. For lots of reasons, but I won't go into that.

A blog that I found by accident that has inspired me so much , is the NieNie dialogues. Then she was on Oprah not too long ago, and I felt like I was watching my friend on TV! (Don't even get me started on what Jake had to say about that!!) I also love this cooking one called my kitchen cafe and I like the money saving ones that have coupons and deals. I went through a stage going crazy with coupons. Jake knew I had a problem when I would leave the house at 10pm to go to Albertsons because the coupon expired that day. He was very good about standing back and letting me realize that I had a problem. I still clip the coupons and read the sites... just with caution now. I know my limits.
I am excited to learn this new way of journaling, and hope to get J'Lee involved too. She already wants her own email address. I didn't have an email address at 7 1/2. Oh wait there was no such thing. Have I mentioned that I am old?

Tied up with a ribbon and a bow

So, I have this best friend.





Her name is Kristi.





I met her in Kindergarten many,many,many years ago. She moved away to the Seattle area the summer before second grade.





And now, by the grace of God, and because of our parents, thousands of letters, and hundreds of 10 minute long - long distance phone calls... we can still proudly call eachother BFF's.





Today is her birthday. She has wanted me to start a blog now for quite a while...





So, Happy Birthday Kristi! Here it is. You have never gotten a blog before - for your birthday have you? =)


I love you so much!





Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!


Happy Birthday dear Kristi... Happy Birthday to you - Cha Cha Cha!


(that's how J'Lee sings it.)