We Got Them Going!

Back in July I got a kick ass deal on digital photo frames...

So I got everyone one, even me!

During the holiday season, they were the farthest from our minds...

But Mindy being Mindy, she's always busy, as soon as her tree came down 

(Mine is still up), she started loading photos into hers.

Henry LOVES photos, especially of him, but he loves Teagan and Locklan too.

So it was a huge hit with him...

He even talks to it!!

I got a text from Ashley...

Her kids were fascinated as well!

Of course, I had to set mine up too...

Now last year I bought my mom one but since she didn't have internet access, you had to load the photos into hers...

Ours has wifi...we can send pictures to each other's frame.

Oh what fun!  Mindy got to see Tony's second grade picture!

Simple pleasures...

 

Good Riddance, 2020!

On New Year's Eve, 
Ashley sent me these pictures...

The kids were painting their 'balls' for the countdown!

Every hour they would lower their balls on this display

until it reached 9:PM, New Years, or so it seemed to two kids who get to bedbefore 8 every night!

When the clock struck 9, Ashley gave the kids each 

1/4 can of ginger ale in these fancy glasses.

They never get sugary treats.

Andy said that even though it was an hour and a half after bedtime,

Locklan had what we called the zoomies.

Grandma? Not so much.  I think I was asleep before they were.

All's well that ends well...

Happy New Year!

 

I'm Really Trying

 I've been trying to get back to blogging, I really have.

The hard part is that I like to talk about my day, what I have been doing...

These days are filled with my mom.

Her estate, bills, insurance, condolences and questions...

Last week I spent three hours with our attorney, who also was a high school classmate.

I spent one whole day tracking down papers and records.

I spent one whole day with my brother, packing up the kitchen.

I used to call my mother every evening, chatting for an hour...

It was easy, this is not.

Moving on...if you have been here for any length of time, you know...

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year!

I love Christmas so much that I offered to send my kids to their respective in-laws

for all other holidays just so I could have my entire family together for Christmas eve.

It's been a tradition in my mom's family as long as I can remember.

We cleaned and mom and my aunts baked.  We decorated and planned...

We sang, oh did we ever sing!  We waited for the nightly news and 

the announcement that Santa was in the area!

This year, this might be the first time we won't be doing this...

So many things standing in the way...

Hit me like a ton of bricks...

I can't wrap my head around adapting...

My gifts are bought, not wrapped.

My decorations are finally down from the attic but not unpacked...

Teagan and Locklan came yesterday and decorated the tree,

Oh my, what a mess that is!

It's in the middle of the living room floor.

Only one tree...

Only ONE tree!

One tree must mean it's almost Christmas...

If you have read this far, here's a reminder that even though we're all nuts, Jesus is the reason for the season!

Back soon.

40 Pounds of Flesh

On Wednesday, Ashley called me.

Last week we went together and bought 20 pounds of ground beef from a farmer.

It was amazing!

Well, as amazing as ground beef can be.

This time, a local poultry farmer was offering 40 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for only $65.

She had ordered 40 pounds and was picking it up on Thursday.

Did I want her to add 40 for me to the order?

Since our freezer needs stocked, I said yes.

She called later to tell me that it was too late to add onto her order for this sale 

but she would split her order with me.

Okey dokey.

On Thursday, we headed to the farm where she had the guy load the chicken in her trunk.

Then we headed to camp for lunch!

I had this fleeting thought as I watched her wrestle the box of chicken into the fridge at camp to keep it cool.

Seemed like a lot of chicken.

Yesterday, Ashley and kids came over.  Ashley was going to cut the chicken into equal pieces and bag it with my food saver.

I have trouble walking but standing still is horrible for me, my knee locks and I can't move!

So while I played with the kids (yes, I play), Mr. K went to get us a pizza and Ashley opened the box.

Ugh.  Within minutes, my kitchen reeked of raw chicken!

At times, we were gagging.

She did a bang up job, bagging them in meal size portions...

It took hours and hours!

All we could say is that it is done...

Forty pounds is a LOT of chicken...

And most of all, thank goodness we didn't get 80 pounds!

We're still pretty much staying home...

Limiting trips in public...

Wearing masks in public...

Washing the skin off of our hands!

Staying healthy...