Happy Thanksgiving

Life has been a roller coaster (and still moving) this year and yet I'm counting my blessings. I have my little family who make me laugh in spite of it all, my very dear friends (and you know who you are) who are there no matter the 'storm damage,' and I have my Faith. We will celebrate this blessed day with my parents, grandmother, a family friend and our beautiful daughters.


I Wish Everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. ENJOY!

There's no place like home...

Busy is an understatement around here right now but time was on our side for some family time this weekend.
First up was the homecoming football game. Always a great time with friends and family. Chem-girl arrived safe and sound from her second home (college) to attend as an alumni.

Our home school won the game and so the festivities began.




Daughter #1 joined in the fun when work allowed. She's the one wrapped in the afghan because good ole mom wouldn't turn up the heat in order to save money ;).

By the way for the knitters out there, the afghan is the Rambling Rows by Cottage Creations. Excellent pattern and a fun knit (warm too). I can't seem to find the link but for the ravelers out there it's an easy find in the pattern section on Ravelry.
Time was found for a good game of Hands and Foot.


There was some girl knitting time and like a bunch of hens, we chattered and laughed while catching up on the family news. Cooking and baking produced chicken casserole, roast dinner, cookies and potato candy. Yum.

Chem-girl is back at school, DD #1 has a busy week and DH begins another week of work. As for me, it's a time to reflect and catch up on the never ending laundry and cleaning around here as well as some busy time with DD #1. We're looking forward to family time at Thanksgiving. Only 2 + more weeks.
I must also find time for gift knitting....or else put an ad in the paper for some knitting elves ;).

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

Puppy dog tails

Vet Girl and the brood visited over the weekend. They were here on Friday night and then again on Saturday for a BBQ.

Diablo in his finest. He is the sweetest German Shepherd. Full of energy and very curious.

Princess Destiny who truly believes she is the princess of all. She hates getting her picture taken.

This is the newset arrival, Little Vidia.

She and her siblings were found abandoned on a back road. A neighbor was walking her horse when she found them. She gathered them and took them to her horse barn. She said she had a "gut feeling" and went back to the area looking for the possibility of a few more pups. After searching for a while she heard whimpering. Sure enough there was another little boy puppy. He was timid and shy and she took him to be with his siblings. She bathed them, administered medical care/shots, pulled ticks from them and gave them food and water. After a week of care and attention and making sure they were not sick she is giving them up for adoption. She is keeping one and her sister and a friend adopted the other two. Vet Girl was smitten with this little girl and so she has joined the family.

She is a very sweet and adorable puppy. Thankfully this has become a happy ending to an otherwise sad story. These puppies have found loving homes. However so many dogs/puppies and cats/kittens are left to fend for themselves and it breaks my heart to know animals are abandoned to fend for themselves. Nichole & her "kids" have a banner on their blog where you can donate to the ASPCA. Feel free to hop over to her place to place a donation if you wish. The economy is not good but keep in mind that no matter how small the donation, every little bit helps.

Little Vidia sends puppy kisses to all who help stop animal cruelty.

Farewell 2008

This post is a quick synopsis of 2008. It has been a roller coaster ride through the year and yet I wonder why it went so quickly.


I don't recall much about the earlier part of the year. Seems to have become a blur. Easter, school play, concerts, dance recital, it all seems to have blurred with memory.







As I sit here in my winter pj's and I hear the wind and see the snow blowing it's difficult to remember 90 degrees with severe humidity or Mr. Bettis and his morning ritual barking at the visiting squirrel. Oh! That's right, he is still on a morning ritual, barking at.........what? Nothing!

I know the heat will return and I'll have to rely on my imagination and memory of the cold and snow.

The summer holds memories of the plane for the band performance.

School began and it filled our days with activities. We loved every minute of it and I really can't write any more or the tears will flow. The pictures say it all for me. Memories.

2008 has had it's up and downs as every year. While I say I could do without the downs, it is a part of life unless of course that includes the Saw Encounter this time, last year:). I could've done without that incident.

In the end it is my faith and family that holds me together. Next year holds it's own ups and downs, ready and waiting. I don't always embrace change in my life so it could get interesting:).

There's a wedding and two graduations to anticipate and I'm looking forward those events.

I'm not a fan of the New Year festivities.

To all my friends, I send a big thank you hug. We've laughed and we've shed a tear or two along the way. Thank you all so much!

I say adieu to 2008 and I'll hold reserved judgement for 2009.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

p.s. I just recieved a phone call from my mother and she has my dad in the hospital now. And so 2008 ends and 2009 will begin...................

Play Nice or......

Friday night Football again. I certainly don't mean to bore you but it's our life.
We are trying to enjoy this year in spite of adversity and impending medical issues.






Our daughter/Field Captain/Drum Major marching to the beat. The Band was excited and upbeat and ready for a big game. There were predictions we would lose and in spite of losing any game our fans/kids still have fun.






A funny moment with the band director right before she directed the fight song.









Here she is, directing the Alma Mater at the beginning of the game.
Jessi, I promise I will get a video clip and post it but probably not until the Homecoming game when I can get the complete band show in daylight hours.

p.s. This post has been updated due to some not-very-nice comments that have since been deleted. I don't normally respond to nasty comments but I must ask that unless you attended and witnessed the ENTIRE pre-game and the game itself, please reserve judgement.
Hopefully the Truth will prevail and it did. The opposing team was reprimanded for bad behavior.

Giving Thanks

In case you haven't noticed, I changed the blog template. I was bored with the last one and when I figured out how to add the yarn text, it didn't match. So I changed it. I do the same with my living quarters. I buy a tablecloth and the rooms in the house must be changed. All to match the tablecloth.
I am on a cooking marathon up here. Thirteen people are coming for dinner. My 4 kids and "company" (as my friend, katy knits, calls it), my parents and grandmother are coming for dinner. There's a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge. I think I'm gonna need it.

Tradition is: The youngest child breaks the bread for the dressing while we watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. This task now belongs to the Piccolo Pirate. I must see the Rockettes. I was a tap dancer all my life until the accident and I have been to New York with my eldest son to see them in person. I have called him for years to ask if he watched the Rockettes and if he missed it, I tell him about the costumes and the routine. I know it's a strange tradition, but it's mine.

What am I thankful for?
My faith
My family
My friends whether internet or person
Thank you all for being my friend. I have enjoyed the emails, the stories and the friendship that you have given to me. I appreciate it so much.

Now I'm off to do the cooking marathon and hopefully sneak a few rows on a knitted sock.
Have a joyous and Happy Thanksgiving!