One of those days....

Ever have one of those days?? Well today is it!

Candles

We culminated the weekend with Chem-girl's birthday.
Once again cupcakes were on the menu and they were decorated with tie-dye colored icing. I have no idea where your's truly was but asleep at the camera this weekend missing pictures of food goodies.
I would share the Happy Birthday sing-a-long but with the exception of the DH there's not one good voice among the bunch.





She blew the candles with one blow and I hope she gets her wish.
Notice who wasn't about to miss the celebration (eyeroll)....Mr. B.

There's a post in writing written solely for him and I know his attorney is busy celebrating her birthday today but he's barking loud and clear for representation. He's also sending very loud birthday wishes ;).

Mish mash

Chem girl decided she wanted to be a designer seamstress for a day. A trip to the local fabric store and she came home with fabric ready to cut and design. She doesn't like patterns and prefers to 'wing it' (like her mama ;).

She saw a shirt similar to this in a magazine for $50 and there's no way she was paying that price.

The back had a very wide elastic band on the purchased top. However our local fabric store doesn't carry anything wider than 2" elastic. In spite of that she made it work.

She saw this piece in the remnant stack and fell in love with it. Her finish work is quite impressive. It's a flimsy knit and those of you who sew know exactly what I'm talking about. Very fine sewing machine needle and a fabric that slips all over the place. She did a great job. Think it's time to have her sew for me ;).

*sigh*....while we were gone Mr. Bettis apparently needed to create his own entertainment so he dug out the placemats. They're housed on our baker's rack in the kitchen.

This is the third (or is it the fourth?) time he's dug these out. Guess I need to find another place for the mats. See the flip flops in the left hand corner? I'm shocked he didn't chew those all over the floor. Guess if we were gone just a wee bit longer they would have become this week's trash.
Tomorrow is our eldest daughter's (Vet girl)bridal shower and we're wrapping up the final touches. Sunday is the youngest daughter's (Chem girl) birthday celebration. Pictures and details to come later. It's a busy weekend.

What's on your weekend agenda?

I am the Nation

On July 4th, 1776 the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America was signed by 56 delegates. The famous preamble, includes the ideas and ideals that were principles of the Declaration. It is also an assertion of what is known as the "right of revolution": that is, people have certain rights, and when a government violates these rights, the people have the right to "alter or abolish" that government. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America, and to the republic for which I stand, One Nation Under God, indivisble, with Liberty and Justice for All.
We said that pledge every single day in our schools. On this day I want to say God Bless the USA. May we as American citizens never forget the words of Thomas Jefferson: "A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have...."

Please take a moment and enjoy this video: I am the Nation

Oh Happy Day....

See this couple? It's the hubby and me. This pic was taken a lo-o-ong time ago at a family event. On this day, 27 yrs ago at 4 pm, we were married. I can't believe it's been that long. Like most married couples, we've had our ups and our downs. My sister sent a text this morning with happy wishes, informing that she thought we were carrying the vows '...in sickness'....for poorer' just a wee bit too far. Leave it to my sis to make me chuckle :).

But wait....there's more....




See the kid on the right? That's our eldest daughter and this pic was taken a long time ago too. On this very day 25 yrs ago at 5:52 am, our eldest daughter was born.
She is as fluent in sarcasm as her dear mother and father ;) and she makes me laugh on a daily basis.






This pic is of her and her pal, Robbie. Horse shows were her life for quite a few years. A lot of hard work but many wonderful memories.











Like most sisters, she and her sister can 'scrap' with the best of 'em. The difference is, 20 minutes later they're laughing over something silly and making plans to 'hang-out'.
I'm not certain if she's hugging her little sister here or trying to squeeze her to death.

Happy Birthday kiddo! We Love You in spite of you taking OUR anniversary date for YOUR birthday ;)!

Over the Moon

Life has been a bit over the moon here of late. A lot to absorb and ponder........
2011 is coming in with a bang and the days seem to meld together. I'm on a holiday jet lag and hope this doesn't continue through out the year.










I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day but did take the time to make another batch of gobs with pink frosting. Yummy with a nice cold glass of milk or a cup of hot tea.










There has been a celebration. My grandmother turned 91 yrs old over the weekend. Three of our 4 children, spouses and our granddaughter arrived for the event. The 4th is in exam week at college but did make a birthday call in between hitting the books.
She had a wonderful time and enjoyed the visit with everyone. My grandmother is a strong woman with a wonderful sense of humor. She's a no nonsense person and tells 'it like it is' (mmm....kind of like 'yours' truly...lol)
She made us laugh more than once on this special day and I'm so glad she had a great celebration.
Happy Birthday Mom-mom.

Eye Candy Treats

Halloween came and went and somewhere along the line I missed it. Of course about the only thing we really miss are the kids' treat bags filled with candy so we can get drunk on chocolate :).


I'm late posting this new arrival of eye candy. The wind was blowing hard last week and look what blew into my mailbox, a lovely birthday gift from Jessi. Two skeins of her beautiful dyed yarn and as soon as I decide on a pattern it will be cast on. Also included, a cute set of knitted notions and labels for my handknits. There were two pencils but one is sharpened and already in use.






Forgive the glare, I just couldn't get a decent picture without it.

Also included were these adorable handmade stitch markers. Aren't they cute? I have a standing order if she ever re-opens her shop.

Thank you so much Jessi.

Apples to apples

I received a few things on Saturday but the hubby confiscated them until yesterday so I could open them on my birthday.
First up this hilarious card from G. Oh my gosh, I laughed out loud when I pulled the card from the envelope.

Thank you Gaylen for the hearty laugh and birthday wishes :D.











Next up was a thoughtful and delightful gift from Grace. A comical book of knitting that is sure to bring a smile and another good laugh.
And look at the little gnome. I've wanted to knit one of these for awhile but I've never gotten around to getting one finished.
I've dubbed him, Mr. Apple due to his clothing choice and the apples that accompanied him. Thank you Grace. He is perched on the antique cookstove keeping watch.

Let Me Eat Cake

It's my birthday :D.
My eldest daughter gave this gift to me, a trifle dish and the ingredients to make my own birthday dessert.
I've wanted an excuse to make this dessert for a long time so here it is....









Mocha Tiramisu. It's resting in the fridge right now.
Thank you DD, Love ya!

Kaput

It's a beautiful fall day today and I had every intention on enjoying it. However Mr. Murphy (as in Murphy's Law) had another idea.



DH threw a load in the washer, left only to return to the clothes soaking wet. What?? So he tried the spin cycle again. Nothing. Next thing I knew there was smoke. "Houston? We have a problem. Shut down."

So here it is, a wet load of laundry and I'm debating on wringing it by hand as my ancestors did or slamming the lid and saying the heck with it all. I'm opting for the LOUD SLAM! hrmph!

Not to say too much here but due to the last 2 yrs of a dying economy the money pig residing at this house starved to death so there's no crystal ball sighting of a new washer. Add in the ongoing medical saga...*sigh* and Life just continues to spiral downward.

A definite bright spot is a 'kid' who remembers my birthday, snags a card from the card drawer before she leaves for college and sends it well in advance of the actual birthday.

The college DD wrote a beautiful message and included a 'coupon' for a homemade meal and handmade ring markers when she gets home. I can't wait :D. Thank you DD, love ya!

Let the Party Begin

My birthday hasn't arrived yet however that hasn't stopped friends and family from sending packages and cards :D. Unlike me who's still playing catch-up with the Post Office.

I'll begin with Chan's package that arrived today. Mr. Bettis was sniffing the box before I had it opened. How did he know there was something for him?






Sure enough there was something, scrumptous cookies just for the gang. They were begging and if I could've juggled the camera and the treats there would've been pics.















I gave them the treats so I could open the rest of the package in peace (just like kids you know). A beautiful...correction...drop-dead gorgeous skein of Creatively Dyed yarn named for my hometown. Red, purple, blue and of course PANK, how perfect is that? This is begging to be cast on and I'm concerned I won't allow it time to ferment with the rest of the stash...LOL

A bag of Lindnor Truffles Halloween treats was included although Mr. Bettis thought they also belonged to him. See his nose? I had a tough time getting him away from the candy so I could take the picture.
Lindnor Truffles are my favorite candy ever!!


About the card; I was on the phone with my mother (a Basset Hound care-taker) and when I opened the card I laughed so hard I was crying.

This is so perfect from Chan, the Knight and the Girls. Thank you so much for the wonderful gifts. Sending pooch hugs and kisses (and my own hugs) to You and the Crew.



More to come tomorrow.

A Birthday Son

Thirty-seven years ago today, my eldest son was placed into my arms and it was love at first sight. We grew up together through his childhood and somehow we survived the teen years ;).
Football, baseball, swim meets and band occupied our years. The years flew by and now he is a husband and father.
To My Son-You are loved because of the little boy you were, the man you've become and the son you will always be.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON! We Love You.









My son and his daughter last year

P.S. I know you appreciated my attempt to sing the Happy Birthday song early this morning. Hope it stays with you all day ;).

A Wee Birthday

We had a very important event to attend over the weekend, our granddaughter's 1st birthday. The year has flown and we can't believe how much she has grown. I am cautious to show her beautiful smiling face on this public domain but trust me, she's a beauty.

Layers of tulle were measured, cut and made into a tutu for her big day. You can't see it but the onesie has the #1 and her name embrodiered on the front. I made a pair of bloomers and there are bows on the legs and a cupcake embrodiered on the backside. A matching bow completed the ensemble.

I don't think I've ever seen our son and DIL so happy as they were on her birthday. We had a good visit with them and we're looking forward to another visit soon.

I skipped the trip to Costco for birthday supplies and chose to baby-sit instead. Much more fun, you know.

Little MC crawled to the kitchen and this is where I found her.

Since I'm a grandmother I opted for the camera to get some really good shots. Hey! That's what grandmothers are for, camera shots.....LOL

She is a very happy baby and an absolute delight. We love her to pieces.

On another note, Chan's blog has quite a few posts about the Nook. The college DD has been looking to purchase one and now I think I need one. I believe I would read more since getting to the library is a task. Her blog posts have successfully convinced me to plunk pennies into the piggy bank. She's such an enabler but ssshhhh.....don't tell her :).

Party Time

There was a party in the house yesterday. It was our youngest DD's birthday. Our last year with a teen-ager.
She always requests a homemade cake for her birthday and this year she requested a Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese frosting. Putting frosting on a two layer cake has never been something I have accomplished particularly with cream cheese frosting but it was good in spite of the appearance.





A handmade Teddy Bear has been on her want list for quite some time. She's trying to explain the size of the bear she wants.











Born on August 1, 2010 Miss Toffit sized up to 5 1/2 inches and is a fully jointed little bear. She carries her new owner's heart close to her own. The Birthday Girl loved her.










This kid of mine must've come from the 60's era. She's a conservative thinker but a 60's dresser. Peace signs and tie dye everything are favorites. I leave nothing white around the house or it ends up in the dye pot.
A peace sign scarf will be her trademark clothing this year.






She has been begging for spinning supplies.
Her dad made a spindle and I made a spindle bag and carded some batts for her new hobby.
She took to spinning like a duck takes to water and is requesting wool in her college packages. I'm padlocking my wool room....LOL

Her grandparents gave her a DVD set of The Universe and several reading books. It was a lovely birthday celebration and I don't know where the years have gone.
Happy Birthday kiddo! We Love You!

Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

July 4, 1776 - Late in the afternoon, church bells rang out over Philadelphia heralding the final adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Hop over to the link and take a few minutes to read this very important and eloquently written document by Our Founding Fathers .
This country is rich in history and we should never forget or forsake it.

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! - Patrick Henry March 23, 1775

A Big Day....

I have BIG news to post but you must wait until tomorrow to read about it. This day must pass first.
Today is a very important day. There are events to celebrate. Party time :D!
First, (because it is in sequence) HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY HUBBY! It's been 26 years since we tied the knot. We've had trials above and beyond what most couples endure but we've made it.
Most of the trials have been financial and medical. We've endured multiple traumas i.e. broken back, table saw incident, DVT and the list goes on and on.......
We should've seen this coming when the hubby was put in a leg cast 2 weeks before our wedding. He hobbled down the aisle of the church with a lovely blue leg cast. Little did we know.......LOL
Oh and don't forget raising 4 kids!!

Two years after our wedding our firstborn daughter made her entrance to the world. DH begged that I not allow the baby to be born on our anniversary. He wanted the day to be special. (As if I had a say in the matter...eyeroll). I said "no problem as the dear little thing was due on June 13th."

Apparently she had other plans. I suffered an extra 13 days in EXTREME heat with her. She finally made a grand entrance on our anniversary.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DD #1. You've been a joy (well except for the endless shrieking and yes you could've cracked a glass with the pitch). Saxophone, piano and dance lessons and then of course the switch to percussion lessons in the 9th grade for Band. Your obesession with My Little Pony led to Horse lessons and shows. Correction. Endless horse shows and you loved every minute of it even when you bounced off the back of Smokey 2 days before your State competition.

You've returned to college and you're holding down a full-time job. Stay true to you and you'll go far. We love you, kiddo!

sshhh.....it's Bambi

We are fortunate to have my parents living right across the road from us. My dad said he heard bawling on the wooded area of their property.
He approached with caution and found a doe giving birth. The doe turned her head and looked at my dad as if to say, "ahem, do you mind?"
Having respect for wildlife, dad quietly walked away.

He went back to the area the next day to make sure all was well.




.....and it was :).














I will be quiet now as you admire this little beauty.












Just another reason why I enjoy living in the country.

Week's End

It's another weekend and it looks like rain is in the forecast.

Spring has arrived in all her glory. I'm not a huge fan of spring or summer. Spring is a fickle season. Can't seem to make up her mind if it's going to be warm or cool/rain or sun.

This year, spring has spent a lot of time coming to full bloom therefore insisting on pollen sticking around a bit longer than normal. All well and good until the honeysuckle arrives. I am highly allergic to honeysuckle and it grows wild in our yard. aaahhh-choooo.


For those who inquired about the shawl pattern, it's the Gail (aka Nightsong). This is not a center stitch increase pattern but I added a center stitch in order to keep better track of the pattern repeats.
It's almost finished :).










Here's Mr. Bettis and Miss Gypsy sharing a moment together. As you can see he is on alert. The cat entered the room and of course he thinks it is his duty to monitor her activity.










Ho-hum. She only climbed on a chair and took a nap and it's raining outside. Nothing better to do but take a nap too.

We don't have any specific plans this weekend.
My MIL's birthday is today so we're hoping to catch up with her this weekend to celebrate her special day.

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

Calm before the Storm

This has been a very busy month. I need to do some serious blog reading and farming (Farmville) on facebook ;) but there has been very little time to do anything let alone my poor neglected knitting.
We moved the college DD back to her school last weekend. As you can see, it's cramped quarters. She shares a triple in a very tiny room. Thank goodness she's an organized person (unlike her poor mother).
See the guy in the picture? The one who is watching the college basketball game while the DD and I work? lol
Today is his birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY!!!!!! We don't have any plans today besides preparing for the "next" round here. (explanation later)

Our eldest son, DIL and granddaughter met up with us at the college. They invited us to stay with them for a few days but we were not prepared (no clothes, no one to keep a close vigil on Mr. Bettis etc) Finally we worked it out that I would stay and DH would head home.
We went for a quick shopping trip to gather a few necessities before we headed the short trip to their home.

They're remodeling their home and here's Son #1 preparing dinner the first night. I baked cookies one afternoon and I can't rave enough about their kitchen. I could hang out in that room all day and never tire of it.

I've been hesitant to put my granddaughter's picture on the internet for obvious reasons so when I took this picture I thought it was okay to post. Here's MC. She's a very pleasant and happy baby girl. Mr. Milo watches on. I had a wonderful time with this family and hope we can enjoy more time together in the near future.

About the next round:I've been dealing with a lot of medical testing, doctor visits etc.
I'm having surgery on March 29 and I will be laid up for a while. There's a lot of medical issues to be dealt with concerning this surgery but there's no choice.

In the meantime I will be nagging .....er......keeping the hubby on his toes. I'm not a good patient when I'm down. I can overlook a dust bunny on any given day but let me be incapcitated and that dust bunny can get on my one nerve...LOL
I have my computer and knitting waiting when I'm ready so I'll post when I can. I have my sense of dry (sarcastic, as the family would say) humor. So bear with me as we overcome one more hurdle. There's bound to be something funny through all this mess.

Can I just say something about 2010? Nah....nevermind.....it's not for innocent ears......LOL