Short and Sweet!

I can't believe that Christmas is almost here.

I've been busy, had to take mom to the oncologist

(where Teagan and Locklan entertained everyone in the waiting room).

Mom had been complaining about feeling drained and fuzzy headed.

She chalked it up to being 88.

Her doctor sent her to the hospital for a blood transfusion!

They gave her 2 units of blood and she says she feel like a new, 88 year old, woman!

I still can't get around very well, but it's so much better than if was 4 or 5 months ago.

I downsized my decorating...

Went from 5 trees to two, one inside, one outside...

The inside tree has been decorated, undecorated and redecorated several times...

I let the kids do it!

A couple of years ago, I bought a Tree Dazzler after Christmas for $5

and promptly forgot about it.

I found it this week and got it out for the kids...

They decided it was more fun to decorate themselves...

Kids!

We took the kids to the mall, just to walk by Santa.  

Locklan actually talked to him, from a distance.

Teagan just screamed!

I had some shopping to do, but to leave the mall, we had to walk past Santa.

He saw us and waved and said bye bye.

Teagan waved and said bye to him.

The next day, she pointed to a picture of Santa and said Santa!

I asked her what Santa said.

Her answer:  Bye bye!

I'm done shopping but have not begun to wrap...

I had one snafu...

I bought a gift for Ashley from Amazon...

I checked online and it said it had been delivered to my mailbox!

I sent Mr. K out to retrieve it.

It was not there!

Amazon's web site said to give it 48 hours...

I did, still no gift.

I called Amazon, talked to a robot who authorized a refund on my credit card.

I reordered it.

It came in two days

The original came two days after that, 

The envelope had been torn open, wrapped in packing tape

and held together with a rubber band!

Someone opened it (hopefully by mistake)

and decided I deserved it.

I think I have as many returns as I do gifts!

Tonight we're going to a party at Mark's nephew's house.

I feel so blessed that the family still includes me.

Now I have to find an ugly Christmas sweater!

Wow, guess this isn't all that short.

Hope it was sweet!

Soooo I'm Way too Busy!

'Tis the season!

I've always loved the hustle and bustle of the Season...

This year, it's a little different...

It's taking me ten times longer to get things done...

I have to rely on Andy or even Mr. K to help me do things...

I'm doing much better,

But not 100%

Still, having little kids around makes it all so much fun!

We do Christmassy things,

But we also do 'life' things.

Teagan is at that age where she identifies her dolls as people...

It's so much fun to watch her...

And when I suggested it was nap time,

She thought it was a great idea...

For her kids too!

Yesterday Locklan didn't have school, so he came along to spend the day.

It was cold and ugly out there, so we stayed in and snuggled...

In layers!

Okay, back to work...

I am working on a few 'secret' projects...

I can't say much, but one led me to rediscover things like this...

Yes, that's ME circa 1954!

I'll be back soon...

Feeling Festive!

I found these glasses at the dollar store and thought we could do a photo shoot wearing them...

What I didn't realize was that they were too big for Teagan...

They just wouldn't stay on her head!

Big brother to the rescue!

He's so kind and gentle with her!

He kept adjusting them...

Asking her to stay still!

Adjusting her glasses over and over...

Finally, success!

Ever see a reindeer with attitude?

What fun!

Give Thanks!

From our house to yours...

Decade Challenge

It's all over the Internet...

The decade challenge.

It's simple, so they say,

Just post two photos of you, ten years apart.

So I did...

Me 2009

Me 2019

I know...

down about 120 pounds...

Wow!

Never Too Old

Last January, every household in our township got fancy, wheeled garbage and recycling cans

They were designed to work with their new trucks!

It was so cool! 

An arm came down and grabbed the can and dumped it into a hopper

on the front of the truck.

When that was full, it swings up and emptied into the truck.

Amazing.

Or at least it amazes me!

Every Thursday morning, 

I hear them out there and run to watch my trash being collected!

You would think that at 68, I was a little too old...

You would be wrong.

Love me some garbage collection!

Brush Strokes!

Vicky and I have a tradition...

We go to the local paint studio to celebrate her birthday.

Last year we painted a snow scene with the ever popular 

red pickup truck...

The above photo was NOT painted by either one of us, the artist teaching the class did this.

Ours did not look like this.

After trying to paint the fence

(it was trickier than it seemed)

We declared the snow was so deep, it completely covered the fence.

When I get my Christmas things out of the attic, I'll show you.

This year we decided to go festive and simple.

We had a ball!  

The people around us were so much fun!

We drank  diet tonic water out of festive wine glasses...

And got paint all over ourselves.

We always end our evening by going out for a bowl of soup.

Birthday traditions...

What fun!

What Have I Been Doing?

A whole lot of nothing!

One day looks pretty much like the other...

A bunch of housework...

Some cooking...

A hair cut...

And lots of this...

Rocking  our babies...

Taking naps...

Watching Frozen....again...

Reading stories...

And witnessing the return of the pillow monsters!

And practicing tying our shoes...

And the realization that Velcro shoes are a pretty good idea!

~sigh~

It's a good life!

Take it Literally

One day last week

Locklan, who is 4  1/2 said he was opening Locklan's Cafe...

He started working on his menu...

He asked me how to spell the food he was serving...

Later, he handed me this...

See  the first item?

C-H-2E-S-E!

He wrote just what I told him when he asked how to spell cheese!

He takes everything literally.

I love that kid!

You have to see this...

Yesterday the entire family got together to wish Henry a happy birthday.

Both our side of the family and Mindy's was there...

The only person missing was my oldest grandson, JR.

My family hasn't been all together since last Christmas!

We seem to follow the church and do 'small groups.'

I didn't get many photos, but you have to see the one Ashley and Mindy took...

My mom and the little grands.

Yes, it took both Ashley and Mindy to take it!

Precious, isn't it?

~sigh~

Happy Birthday, Henry!

Happy birthday to our newest grandchild...

Henry Oliver!

photo by Alicia Graham Photography

It's so hard to imagine that this smiley, crawly, goofy guy 

came into the world just a year ago,

5 weeks early 

and only 4 pounds, 8 ounces.

I remember sitting in the NICU, 

trying to get him to eat...

Look at him now!

alicia graham photography

Happy birthday, little man...

We love you!

We'll celebrate with you tomorrow

Teagan, make my day!

Not a good day.

Doctor's appointment complete with injections into both knees 

and a chiropractic adjustment.

In between, I got a text telling me that Mark's uncle had died.

I felt like I had been kicked in the gut.

After 2-1/2 hours in the doctor's offices, I headed home...

Only to receive a text that my sister-in-law's (my brother's wife) father had died.

I was feeling sad, down, overwhelmed...

I sat on my sofa, and suddenly heard a text message sound...

Dreading it, I checked...

It was from Andy!

It was a photo!

Apparently, Miss Teagan had done her own makeup!

Just what I needed.

That was hours ago and I'm still laughing!

I can only hope that she used a washable marker!

That's   life...

You go up...

you go down...

and you come up again...

And it snowed today!

And that's a good thing!

Trick or Treating!

 I've never been a fan of Halloween.

Sure, I went Trick or Treating as a kid.

A few years ago, my brother brought his daughter to Mom's house to Trick or Treat...

Since Mom still lives in the house we grew up in,

My brother and I let Mom take Katlyn from house to house.'

Dan and I ran around and knocked on the door of old timers...

When they answered, we gave them candy!

Now, that was fun!

Suddenly, Halloween was a bah-humbug kind of day...

I was content letting Mark, and then Ron, do the Trick or Treat duties...

Until this little guy came along...

Each year it got better...

And better...

Last year was such fun!

This year it was cold, very windy and rainy.

I opted out...

but not these cuties!

 Apparently Tony and Mindy got into the spirit...

Baby Shark!

 Let's just day I'm glad it's over for another year.