Friday, December 23, 2005

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Well, I can dream ALL I want but there's not white stuff this year. It got up to 50 yesterday and will be in the 40's all weekend. Oh well, most of the world doesn't ever have a white Christmas. I should have a palm tree for a Christmas tree. I'm watching Fox News right now and they just showed the Eifel tower all lit up for Christmas, b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.
I Have soooo much to do before Sunday. Most of my Christmas cards will now be post Christmas cards as I'm still addressing and sending them. Procrastination is my middle name, really, Mom and Dad just wrote Ann on the birth certificate but when I was little it wasn't 'Carrie Ann Hahle' mom yelled when I was in trouble, it was 'Carrie Pro-Cras-tin-Ation Hahle'. Maybe I exagerate a little but I've always put things off till after the last minute, and I usually got lots of grace.
May the Peace of Christ find a place in your hearts.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Fer sure, like, fer sure

I love the muppet show! So when I checked out Rosemary's blog today and she had which muppet she should be I had to try it. Think it pegged me pretty good, except for the stoned part, it's just a natural reaction to my blonde hair that makes me seem that way.

Janice jpeg
You are Janice.
You dig the groove man, nothing can bum you out.
Too bad you're too stoned to notice.

INSTRUMENT:
Like, you know, guitar, fer sure.
LAST BOOK READ:
"Finding Your Past Lives on the Web"

FAVORITE EXPRESSION:
"Fer sure, like, fer sure."

FAVORITE THINGS:
Peace, love and, like, granola, totally.

NEVER LEAVES HOME WITHOUT:
Her inner child.


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Going to get my Christmas cards done today, no matter how late I have to stay up. One less cookie on my plate.

I've also been inspired by my SWS girlfriends to crochet again, gonna go pick up a little yarn today to make a couple of scarves for presents.

The cards are calling so I better get busy. Thanks for checking out my blog.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

No backside shots!

I'll admit it, I'm vain. And I can usually live in the dream world I've created that I have a perfect body and don't need to loose a few pounds. Then reality smacks me in the face. I 'finally' run the thanksgiving pic disk that Marty made for me - that can't be what my butt looks like in my favorite jeans. But(t) the camera doesn't lie, everyone else looks like they do in real life so that must be what I look like from behind. So I'm gonna have to devote myself to getting to the gym AT LEAST 3 times a week. I've been slacking off lately, living in my deceptive la la land has led me to think I don't need to work out. I've got to lay off the hershey kisses (that cute little bowl on my craft table will just have to sit empty. No more 'real' Dr. Pepper. When we have those to die for bread sticks at work I won't be able to dip them in alfredo sauce. I MUST get rid of that guy in the mirrow that says I 'have the perfect body of them all'.
I've picked a wonderful time of the year to 'see' myself. MODERATION must be my word of the month, my montra.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

We were scrooged!

Last night at work I had a table of three that were just a little strange from the get go. You could tell they had been drinking before they came in. One guy was this little short bald dude, not that I have anything against little short bald dudes but he sat down with an 'attitude'. He was upset cause he couldn't smoke (we went to non-smoking last month). Then we didn't have the beer he wanted, and surprise, surprise he didn't really like what he ordered but ate it anyway. The other guy thought he was god's gift. The lady with them wasn't too bad but kept hitting guy # 2 I kept waiting for him to hit her back but he showed some good restraint. When we went to clean the table off we found they had stolen the salt & pepper shakers, the sugar packets, some silverware & the little table top Christmas tree. It still gets me a little hot. But then there was that other table that were so nice and greatful for 'everything', it all balances out in the scale of life right?
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Son #1 will be done with his training on Friday. Wil & I are going to head out Thurs to pick him up after his graduation Fri am. It will be good to have all the chicks back in the same area.
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Christmas is less than two weeks away! ACKKKKKKK!!! I'm not ready, I'm not ready. The next couple of days I need to get the Christmas cards done and sent. I always enjoy making them. It has been nice the last week getting greetings from families and friends. I'm a horrible correspondant (over the years I had a couple of romances go down the tubes cause I hate to
write). I have made it a point then to at least get news out once a year. It's always good to look back and think about the year as I do my 'little' letter. I always wonder if it's worth doing it but I really like getting those 'letters' from everyones else. So I sit down and try to compact a years worth of our life onto a page and make it at least half way interesting.
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Have a Christmas party to go to tonight. It's one of those I could easily just miss but probably need to go so feelings don't get hurt. At least Marty doesn't have to come, he would hate it.
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Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They're never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal.
Lenore Hershey
I've already decided to give Gabby books for gifts, besides the fact that she has tons of toys I want her to have a love for reading as she grows up. That quote I just found kind of firms up my resolve. Okay, if I'm totally honest I'll go to Baby Gap too.

Have a good one!

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Oh the weather outside is frightful

BRRRRRR!!!!! Our high today is a whopping 2 degrees. With the 'wind-chill-factor' it's like -11. We have the wood stove stoked up to the gills and the space heater in the living room so I can be warm doing book work. Marty is home today since it's too cold to do much work, so that means I'm getting half the amount of work done that I need to. We're going to visit our accountant tomorrow to talk finances for the business so I have balance sheets, financial statments and income and expense reports in my immediate future. Decided I needed a blog break.
My shopping expedition on Friday was a success. Got Wil's Bday presents and a couple of Chrismas presents along with a scrapping mag (Scrapbook Answers my new fav) 3 pieces of paper and some honking huge brads. I was very proud of my self restraint at the LSS. I did break down and by some whitening strips for my teeth, they are getting very coffee stained. They're gross but I guess that's the price you pay for vanity.
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I tried uploading some pics of the bookmarks I made but so far I'm not seeing them. Anyhoo I traded them in for credit at The Book Clinic and got Gabby a couple of fun baby books. I decided I'm gonna be her book sugar g-momma. So if you see an empty little box on the blog click it and you may see some book marks, they're cool and funky if I do say so myself.
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I NEED to do some excercising, haven't been to the wellness center for a month, good money down the drain. I'm starting to feel jiggly, like jello. Now it's a good thing for Jello to be jiggly but not my tummy and thighs. EWWWWWWWW.
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We've informed the kids that they'll have to lower their Christmas expectations some this year. At first Pat and Wil were a little gripy, but then seemed to take it in stride and started revamping their lists. It's not such a big thing with Ben and Tom. Guess I'll have to work on making it more memorable and meaningful than packageful (I know that's not a word but it fits my thought train).

I hear the balance sheet calling my name
Debits and credits are pulling at my brain
Income and expenses can kinda get me down.
I guess tomorrow we gotta go to town.

Okay I won't quit my night job to write song lyrics.

Friday, December 02, 2005

Starting my Christmas shopping


Okay, I'm not one of those people that has all her shopping done by now, nope I'm a dedicated procrastinator. Not only in this area but in all of my life, drives Marty crazy. He's a planner and gets stuff done ASAP. Opposites do attract. Back to shopping. So today is the day I begin. I drive 45 min. to get to my major shopping centers so it's a big thing for me. I'm planning the initial attack by making my list, deciding where to go first and then sticking to it. It's always hard to bypass ALLLLL those other stores I want to go to...Linen & Things, Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Nobel. I do get to go to the scrapbook store cause I'm getting something for Jamie (I still sigh when thinking of having a daughter in law who loves to scrapbook) but I have to practice great inner strength and not buy for myself....can I do it? Time will tell.
Wil's birthday is tomorrow, yes my baby is gonna be 14, so I have his list for that too.
So I'm off, here's to some self restraint and finding good bargains

Monday, November 28, 2005

Taking a big breath

What a hectic couple of weeks I've had. I've become one of those people that I gripe about 'i can't believe they haven't posted on their blog for so loooong'. I should know by now that you NEVER get down on anyone for anything cause it will ALWAYS come back to bite you on the butt. So tonight I'm spending some quality time with all my rowdy friends. Okay, it's just me but I'm watching Monday Night Football with millions of my closest football loving friends (again I ask myself, how do I end up with a house full of men and not ONE likes to watch football?). Payton Manning is such a little cutie.
So what have been doing for the last 20 days?
*The weekend of the 12th I took Pat out to my folks so he could do a little deer hunting, yes we have some venison in our freezer.
*The ladies barbershop chorus I sing with (The Belles A'Peelin) had our 2nd annual show on Saturday the 19th so the week before that was spent practicing and decorating. I also had my carpets cleaned that week so I had to do some cleaning before they were cleaned, never made much sense to me but my good buddy Steve the carpet cleaner insists I vacume BEFORE he cleans the carpets.
*Then last week was spent cooking and cleaning (some more) and getting ready for Thanksgiving. My family came for a few days and a good time was had by all.
*Yesterday - Sunday - I literally crashed, did nothing whatsoever allllll day.
*Today I spent some quality time in my craft room. Started working on some Chrismas presents. I also sell bookmarks that I make to our local book store and started making some more to drop off this week. If you're ever in Nebraska City you MUST drop in and visit the ladies at The Book Clinic, one of the most wonderful little book stores you'll ever run across.
*I've given myself permission to put off my Christmas decorating till this weekend. Usually have it done by this time but I NEEDED to take a BIG BREATH after the last couple of weeks.
*Haven't shared any words of wisdom from Mr. Clemons lately so I thought I'd close with this....Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

I was a busy beaver last weekend


I decided to take our extra bedroom and make it into a spare room and new studio. I was just going to move everything up there but got to looking at the walls and decided it needed a new paint job. Pat had built himself a little L shaped work bench out of junk wood so I just used that and painted it and a small bookcase too. I've got most everything moved up there but am still finding homes for some supplies. Here's a pic of my table. The big draw of this room was the natural light. I had no light in my scrapping closet and this definately makes a difference. I started working on a project last night so my table is no longer this clean.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

November already?

I think I totally missed October, it was in and out soooo fast. Went to Ben's graduation from boot camp last week. It was VERY, that's the only word I can come up with to describe it. Very moving, Very impressive, Very scarry (yes reservests do go to war). He has matured. When I was trying to describe how he's changed one of my friends asked if he had developed an edge and that's how I would describe it, an edge whatever that entails that's the word for Ben now. Not edgy though (HA).
I'm having to fight to not let the total seriousness of life drag me down. Life is serious but we also need to enjoy it. Lighten up Carrie, gotta keep telling myself that all the time. After all life is short. Yup that's it life is short, enjoy it. God gave us joy for a reason dag nab it!!!! I feel better now.
Jamie and her sister brought Gabby and her cousins to the restraunt on Monday night so I could see their costumes. Gabby was a daisy, tooo cute. One of the customers put money in their bags instead of candy and Jamie's niece and nephew thought that was sooooooo much better than candy, I'm agreeing. Better stock up on quarters next year.
I'm gonna be moving my studio upstairs in Pat's old room. Will also have a spare bed in there for visitors. I'm looking forward to having natural light to work in and more space. I would love to have one of those rooms with built ins that match and nice counters. For now it will hold cobbled together tables, bookcases, dressers and carts. "But the light master the light" will be grand. We'll move most of the office into my old room so Marty will have all that counter space to work with, no more receipts spread out over the floor when he's billing out jobs. Then I'll have his old desk for my office stuff.
Life is good, God it good.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

It's been awhile

okay, it's been a little crazy. I usually get to post here on Sunday's but pulled a double shift at work and I'm apparently a whimp cause I was toast after that. Baby sat Gabby yesterday and had to get ready for a Pampered Chef party last night. So decided I needed to catch a few minutes here today. There's something about just recording my thoughts about what's going in life that helps me to keep centered a little.
Jamies sister usually watches Gabby when she goes to work, but Shannon is almost ready to have her own baby and is having some contractions so I get to pinch hit until she has hers. Pat and Wil like to help so i have it pretty easy. It is soooo fun. She's such an adorable bundle.

Ben graduates from boot camp on Friday morning so we're heading down tomorrow. Tom and Jamie are going too so the whole family will be there. Everyone is looking forward to seeing Ben. He sounds like he's changed alot. More mature and self assured. He say's he's bulked up. I can hardly wait......I'm hoping to get a good family pic.

Monday, October 17, 2005

I hate mornings!!!

I'm not a morning person. Never have been, never will be. I've accepted this about myself but it doesn't make mornings any easier. I used to feel guilty about not being fully functional in the am. But I heard a sermon once about how people are created soooo differently and one of the ways that comes out is that people are productive at different times of the day. It was a defining moment of my life, I didn't have to be pleasant right the moment I wake up? It's okay that I don't get much done in the morning? When 2 pm hits and I kick in I need to take advantage of it. I can get more done in and hour in the afternoon than the whole morning. This is why I like to work at the restraunt more during the night shift than over the lunch hour (thank goodness I don't have to do that too often). When Marty is ready to go to bed at 9:30 and I'm wide awake, that's okay! When he's out of bed at 6am and out the door 20 minutes later, that's okay, I don't have to make him breakfast (he's a smart man, he figured out early on that it's much better if he doesn't try to have a serious conversation right when I wake up, I either don't respond well or don't respond at all). So after hearing that sermon I felt FREE. Thanks Pastor Norm!!!!!
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Marty and the boys moved our pond last week. It used to be up in the train layout but we never were very happy with where it was. It wasn't in a place where you could just sit and enjoy it. After visiting some friends last summer who had their pond just out their back door off their deck we decided to move ours closer to the house and right off the patio. it's so wonderful to walk out and hear the water flowing over the fall and see the fish swimming around. I need to get on Marty's computer and get a couple of pics to post have to work on making the patio a little bigger. It entails digging and setting down bricks so that may take a little while, don't know if I'll get it done before the first snow. Marty said that's my project as he thinks the patio is just fine as it is.
I haven't had any gazeboo time lately, hopefully this evening I can go up and sit for a little bit, if I'm up there everyone else usually ends up there too. It's the whole 'where's mom and why would she want to enjoy some 'quiet' philosophy. I watch as one by one they come out the door look around and spot me. It's the same as my phone magnet philosophy, if I was on the phone all the boys were irresistably drawn to me. I could move from room to room and they would just follow me around the house and bicker. And it's not just the boys. Every once in awhile I'll decide to veg out in my room, I'm not hiding but it's upstairs and quiet. It's really quite sweet but they all have this compulsion to 'check' up on me. Marty is usually the first one and unless I'm pms'ing and really nasty he'll come up every once in awhile to see if I need anything. If I'm nasty they flee in fear. Smart men.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Another Sunday

Time for my Sunday update. Good news. Tom asked Jamie to marry him this week and she said yes! She's sporting a beautiful rock that I'm totally jealous of. I love this pic of the three of them. They plan on getting married in June of 07' so lots of time to plan. So I have two girls joining the family!!!!! Some day there may be enough to outnumber the men, sweet justice. (BWA-HAA-HAA)
We're busy making plans for Ben's graduation from Basic Training. The whole family is going down for two nights. Pat started working as a bus boy at the Embers. He brought home a good little wad of money after he got tipped out. We always tip the bussers 10% so as he was the only one today and they were busy he did pretty well. Wil is still pretty nervous about holding Gabby. She's starting to hold her head up so I think he'll start getting comfortable. Life just keeps marching on, everyday has some new and exciting thing to look forward to. God is VERY good!

Thursday, October 13, 2005

Blah, blah,blah,blah, BLAH

I've been in a funk since Sunday. BLAH. I finally FEEL like I want to accomplish something. I've been getting stuff done but d-r-a-g-g-i-n-g. For some reason when i woke up this morning something was different. Who knows what but my attitude was magically changed, I care what I look like, I've done a couple loads of laundry, I'm unpacking my supplies from scrapping on Saturday, I'm writing a letter to Ben, I don't want to tell everyone to just go away.....magic. Part of it may be that I'm not working tonight and I'll be able to watch Alias (shallow, but true). I'm going to be home to make supper and eat it with my family (a noble endeavor).
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I started an album about me, have been thinking of it for awhile and came across these photos of me laughting as a lil one. Seems that remembering to laugh has been on my mind a lot lately, I haven't been doing it enough. I started a thread on one of the on line communities I belong to listing 5 things that make you laugh. Seems that I'm not the only one that needed to think about it. so that's how this page was born. I'm working in 8x8 which makes it soooo much simpler. I'm gonna title the album "Things that make me". I get to make an album all about meeeeeee. In some ways it seems a little self centered (I need to get over that, I know). Reflecting on my life is a good thing to do, get a little perspective on who I've become, what is important to me, what has shaped me. So here's to ME!

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Of mice and Melanie

OF MELANIE: I'll start with Melanie, my lil sis. She spent the weekend with us. No matter how long she's here it's not long enough. We looooove to play scrabble and had a couple of good games. As in we kinda impressed ourselves with the words we came up with. That's not saying to much as we usually end up with quite a few 3 letter ones.
OF MICE: So I'm trimmin her hair Sat am and we keep hearing this rattling sound. I'm trying to see where it's coming from when I notice my potholders moving in the container on the kitchen counter. Of course I did my 'ewww a mouse' dance. Then we started moving things. The mouse leaps out of the potholders and back behind the stove. So a little later Wil and Mel are sitting at the counter talking and Mel notices a twitchy little nose poking from under the stove. I made Lasagna a little later and haven't heard the mouse since then HMMMMM.
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I went to the saddest funeral yesterday. A girl I used to work with lost two children in a house fire. I've never seen so many grown men cry. Tina and her 3 month old daughter made it out of the house. How do you go on after that????

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

remembering....

I've been scrapping some old family pics I got from my mom and ran across this of my brother Brian and I from about 40 years ago, goodness that makes me seem ancient. It was always hard to get Brain (yeah I called him that, it irritated him and he's also extrememly smart) to stand still long enough to get a shot of him. Back then they just called him 'high strung' today he would have been labeled with ADHD. He had a little bit of a temper (understatement) and I would prod and torment him until he attacked me, he would usually get in trouble as he was the one that caused bodily harm. Little angel me would get away with provoking him. He was and still is a pretty sensative guy, he tries to hide it but those who know him well see it. I know he feels things deeply and intensely.
I'm sure that we really wanted to jump in the water and get all wet but if I remember right (ha, I can't remember what I did yesterday) we couldn't. And it REALLY bugged us.
Today I need to work on the accounting side of the business, oh sooooo fun. And then finish up some ATC's (artist trading cards) I'm doing for a swap. I've been on a little creativity binge and have been getting some layouts done and have actually liked them. Sometimes I'll get done with one, step back and get a good look and not have been really happy. Most times I just shrug the shoulders and say 'oh well' then go on to the next one. Sometmes I'll have to rip it all apart and start over. That seems to mean that it will take awhile for that particular layout to come together, like maybe months.
This is an example of one of 'those' layouts. I got the basics down and then got stuck on the 'sisters' ribbon thingy. I'm still not too sure I like it, it just doesn't seem right. With one of 'these' layouts I'll usually stick it in a page protector then hang it from my shelf so it stays in front of me, just waiting to be completed, for the muse to hit and the perfect element to be found. So I may end up changing this one, maybe add a layer of vellum over the sisters ribbon thingy to soften it up. By jove I think she's got it!!! Wow this bloggy thingy is great. I just talked myself into a solution.
BTW this is my great grandma and her sisters. Gotta love the dresses. "Mom can I have a dress just like Great Gma Katie's?"

Saturday, October 01, 2005

This is how they do it baby





This is how you 'do' a steam up. Get lots of guys with lots of trains each holding a controller for their train and then let them go.



One thing I learned this year is everyone needs to have their controller on a different
frequency.

The date is already set for next year. The plans are already being made.









I got to witness a trainwreck, it had just come out of a tunnel (HA,HA) There weren't too many other wrecks though, a highlight of the weekend for me.









.





Here's to 'old' boys playing with their toys

Sunday, September 25, 2005

Yes, it's over, call it a day

Well the BIG weekend is over. Had a great time talking to LOTS of people. Everyone started showing up Friday afternoon, some stayed all weekend (we need to start reserving a blok of rooms at one of the motels). The guys ran trains till we went to eat at the Depot, local restraunt located in the old depot. On Saturday morning guys started showing up at 7:15 am - they are serious about running trains, the whole purpose for the weekend. We had around 80 people show up throughout the day, some just came to look at the trains. Went out to eat with 20+ Saturday night. Today was a lot lighter, not as many people. We had record breaking heat the last couple of days but I'll take that for sure over rain. The wives always help me so much, they brought lots of food and helped with clean up.
We're already planning for next year. Love the friends this hobby has brought to us.
The boys do all they can to stay out of harms way though. Some of our friends are kinda excentric (we're not of course). Tom escaped to town all weekend. Pat got away Friday night, then he and Wil played video games alot Sat & Sunday. Wil would sneak out and visit for a few minutes here and there and always seemed to be around when it was time to head out to eat.
My camera batteries need charging up so I'll post some photos tomorrow.
I've got more cleaning up to do but think like Scarlet O'hara that I'll think about that tomorrow.

Friday, September 23, 2005

The funny stuff

Okay, I just had to add some more tonight! Being serious is taking it's toll on me, I need to lighten up. I was going to do 10 things I think are funny, but I'm in a hurry so I'll only do 5
1. It makes me laugh when I want to give the boys a hug or a kiss and they RUN!!!!!
2. Marty is just so darn serious, i have to laugh at him sometimes ( maybe at inappropriate times)
3. My boss, he can be a funny guy. Most times when you ask him a question you have a 5 count before he answers (too many drugs for too many years I think)
4. My sister, we have a good time together, quirky sense of humor that most people don't appreciate
5. The Sunday comics, but Marty doesn't get the point (okay that would be thing #6)
I feel better now.

The BIG weekend

Well we're getting ready for the BIG weekend. Marty's 2nd annual Steam up. All sorts of people are gonna start showing up late this afternoon. We're cleaning and mowing and cooking and......you get the picture.
It will be fun, but watching hurrican Rita make it's way towards land in the gulf coast casts a pall over everything. All the loss that is about to happen. I've been praying that it will just miraculously fall apart before landfall, so far no go it just keeps steadily moving closer and closer.

In our pride as man we tend to think we can control so many things, this past year I've seen that isn't true, there are so many things we can't control. I guess we can only control how we respond. This blonde is feeling pretty small in the scheme of things, am I having more fun? No, but I'm really working on having the kind of heart that our Father would wish. More peace, more love, more patience.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Oh my, I'm 45!!!!

Yesterday was my 45th birthday. It just seems kind of old when I type it out! The boys all got me nice cards, Marty took me out to eat for lunch and I took a nice l-o-n-g bath last night (was pretty pruny when I got out). The boys always get the day off from school when their bday falls on a week day. I told Pat that I thought I should have the day off and he said I gotta teach I'm an adult and adults don't take their bday off. HMMMM
It was another good day.
This is my potting shed, all the guys did some work on it as an early birthday present. The good thing about it was they didn't have to spend anything on it, all it took as lots of elbow grease. I took this pic right after it was done, so I do have some things in it now. I have to get some shelves and hooks up and get a couple of big containers for potting soil and mulch. Marty & I visited some friends in AK back in June and Reba had a potting shed that I just ooo-ed and ah-ed over so this is what I got! Very cool!! Marty has a clematis that he wants to get out of his GRR so I think I'll have him move it over to my shed.
We're watching as hurricane Rita is moving towards Texas. Two big ones in a month. I'm just praying that it dies down some before it makes land fall. We may be struggling to make it but at least we're not looking at everything we own being blown away or flooded.
I'm off to enter all sort of contests, BHG, DIY, HGTV they're all giving money, homes and cool stuff away. Maybe we'll win something.
TTFN

Monday, September 19, 2005

It was a good day, a very good day

After we got done with school I headed to Lincoln (NE) to do some shopping. Marty need some picture frames for some photos he'd had matted so I got to go to one of my favorite places, Hobby Lobby since they (the frames) were 1/2 off this week. Believe it or not I only got the frames and a candle for Jamie's (son Tom's girlfriend) house warming gift. I had to drive right by Scrap Your Heart Out, one of my other favorite places to go and spent less than $20. I actually knew what I needed and pretty much stuck with that. On to Circuit City, yes another wonderful land for me to visit. I had to pick up a pre order for a friend so just walked in the door to customer service and right back out. Next stopped at Office Depot to get a chair mat for under the computer desk. Did a whole tour of the store and got ONLY THE MAT. I'm starting to think that migraine yesterday did some damage to the shopping lobe of my brain (It's true there's a special lobe set aside for just that), I was being soooo good. Then on to my next favorite place to go - that makes 4 favorite places right? I can't put them in any order, love them all - where was I, next favorite place, Barnes & Noble. I was by myself and not on any time crunch so I spend almost 2 hours wandering and touching and turning pages and sniffing. I LOVE BOOK STORES. I wasn't so good there. But one of the books I bought was for history so that was a 'needed' expenditure. The two Star Warsbooks and light romance I really could have lived without, but tomorrow is my birthday so I splurged. picked up a Legacy magazine too.
I'm actually excited about the history book. It's called American Courage, Remarkable True Stories Exhibiting the Bravery That Has Made Our Country Great edited by Herbert W. Warden III. What a mouthful. I'm concentrating on American History this year and think this will be a good postive book. I'll let you know. I've always made history a group subject, so we've always done alot of out loud reading.
Also stopped at Wally World (walmart for those who use their higher brain functions). I was v-e-r-y good there, exept for the outfit for Gabby, I couldn't resist, it was cute and purple and soft and had some very understated frills. Other than that I just bought necessities.
Haven't heard from Ben since last Thursday. He wrote a really nice letter to Marty. He's supposed to be going out in the field this week and doing some camping. He's said that being in the army is taking some getting used to and mentioned that he'll NEVER complain about working out in the heat again.
Here's hoping I get a good nights sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open so I better hit the sack before I catch my second wind, then I'm away till 2 am.
TTFN & God Bless

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Of Migraines and MoJo

OF MIGRAINES: Woke up this morning with a nifty little migraine. When I couldn't sleep at all last night I should have known one was coming on. It's been quite a while since I had one. Marty and I were supposed to go to a garden rr club meeting today and I decided that 4 hours in a car and 2 hours out in the sun would be a little much so he headed out on his own. The upside is that EVERYONE is gone today so I have the house to myself, I consider this an early birthday gift even though it's unintentional. I'm also looking a little rough around the edges, not a pretty sight so I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me. If anyone comes to the door I'll just hide.
Since I'm home I did get this shot of Doobers sleeping on the clean clothes in the dryer. Marty grabbed a clean pair of whitie tighties and must have left the door open.

OF MOJO: I've been purposing to spend more time creating, whether its scrapping, altering or beading. This is my first altered clipboard. I really like it. I painted it gold, placed a layer of dressmaking tissue paper on, put some vaseline over areas i didn't want my next layer of paint to cover, painted it a dark burgandy, removed the vaseline, glued my photo, did some distressing with some sandpaper then added a last layer of watered down black paint. I used Perfect Paper Adhesive (I bought mine at Hobby Lobby) between any layers with paper and then covered the finished product with 3 coats. BTW we're all looking at our dog Angel who's under the 'I'. Used Alchol Inks on the metal, stamps are MM foam stamps. Various acrylic paints. I love the texture the tissue paper gives to the project.
I got some fun stuff (some fibers and a surprise scrappin project) in the mail the other day so hopefully my mojo will be juiced up.
Well, guess it's time to do some other stuff, like clean out my craft room so I can actually craft.


Another bonus of my day at home, I get to watch the Nascar race, it's a wild one, lot's of crashes, helmet throwing, and getting back at each other. I'm also watching some pro football too. A couple of the things I enjoy that none of my guys do. Sometimes one of them will take pity and watch with me for a few minutes, they love me.

Friday, September 16, 2005

Ruby, Ruby, Ruby

Poor, poor Ruby. She loves to sit in the wing back chair, which I sit in every morning while the boys do their school work. Yesterday I got up 3 times and each time I came back she was back in the chair. The last time I went to move her she gave me this dirty cat look (if you have a cat you know the look). She finally settled in on the stool. So this morning I just put her there on my chenile throw right away. You'll notice how much room she left for my feet. Just a little bit ago Wil had an algebra question. I told him to come over by me so I could help - I didn't want to get that 'look' if I had to move Ruby. He said he couldn't cause Doobers was on his lap. We just looked at each other, I told him to skip that problem and we'd go over it later. Who is in charge here????? THE CATS of course.

This weekend is our big Apple Jack celebration in Nebrasksa City. Craft fairs, parade, apple orchards, medival reenactments, art shows, games....you name it, we have it. They figure that around 20,000 people come through over the weekend, alot for our little town of 7,300. It gets kinda wild. I'm working the day shift tomorrow (Sat), did I mention wild? But the tips will be GREAT. Most hometown people if they don't have to work either stay home or leave town. I did mention wild, right?

Get to go out to lunch today with a couple of good friends. The summer has been pretty crazy for all of us so we haven't seen much of each other, so I'm greatly looking forward to it.

Got a COOOOL clipboard to alter, I'm gonna work on it some tonight. I think it will make a cool album, has big rings so the pages will be able to flip.

Life is good, God provides what we need, can't ask for much more. May want more but that's not really the point is it?

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Rainy Days and Tuesdays......

Everyone is home this afternoon. It's raining so Marty & Tom got rained off the job. It's raining so Pat & Wil are done with school and inside. It's raining so I'm.......why am I still here? I could be working out at the Wellness Center. I'll put it off till later, I have to go into town for Belle's (ladies barbershop chorus)pratice so I'll be practical and save on gas.
I made al album for Gabby awhile back, here are a few shots. It's sooo fun making girlie things.
There are times I think I have it all down here, like how to add photo's and get them to go on the page where I want. Then there's today. It looks too messy, but I don't want to spend any more time on it. So what you see is what you get.

I haven't shared any words of wisdome from our dear friend Samual Clemens so here we go...
Time cools, time clarifies; no mood can be maintained quite unaltered through the course of hours.
Mark Twain

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Marty's World

I started this post two days ago and life suddenly got even hectic-ier (know that's not a real word but it does describe what it's like these days). One of the nice results of this is that I got to spend a few hours yesterday scrapping with my friend Michelle and her daughter Mallory. There are usually a few other friends that join us but their lives are in that hectic category right now too. I made a conscious decision last spring that I was going to make going to our second Saturday crops a priority. Everyone in my family has realized this is important to me and has respected that time and encourage me to go.

Saying all that here are some of my husband Marty's toys. He loves to play. He plays well with others. He likes to share too. I say this kiddingly but he is actually VERY good with his toys. He's a Garden Railroader (GRR) and a darn good one. We live on 4 acres and his outdoor railroad takes up around 1/2 an acre. He is dedidcated to promoting this hobby and is actually becoming well known in this great miniature world. I'm proud of what he does. I do not like playing with trains, watching them go round and round and round just makes me dizzy, but I encourage Marty to have fun. We love to have people come visit, and yes Marty lets others play on his layout. In two weeks we'll be having people from seven states and another country coming to play for a whole weekend. It's a strange and wonderful world that Marty sometimes lives in. Did I mention he's famous in this world? He's been published in several magazines and GardenRailRoaders from all over the world honor and respect him. Okay he's been published, and many respect him but I'm not sure about the honoring part.
Did I mention that I'm proud?
My husband, a man who has truly created his own world.

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

The Beatles are going through my head. John, Paul, George & Ringo (he's my personal favorite). Why is it that their songs seem to fit every occasion? I suppose it's because they have a gajillion (yes that's a #)of them.
Life goes on
. Went to the funeral of my sis-in-laws mom today.
Life goes on
. After leaving the funeral went to visit a friend who is slowly dying of Muscular Dystrophy, Craig is a picture of courage.
Life goes on. My children are growin up and I'm untying some of the apron strings.
Life goes on.
I'm going to start to have to wax not only my eyebrows and upper lip but my whole face. Hormones wreak havoc with stray hair growth.
Life goes on. I love my hubby more today than the day we got married.
Life goes on. A co-worker up and quit today. I'll miss her!!!!
LIFE GOES ON!!!! God made it so that we don't really have a choice, life does go on. We can't stop it or slow it down. Going with the flow is just so much easier than trying to fight the current, don't you think? Ooops, my blondeness is showing!
So here's to the idea that life goes on!!!!!!!
I'm sure my friend Mark Twain has some words that go with this thought, I'll have to research that some.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

A day

Today is just 'a day'. Nothing special or exciting. I'm getting caught up on bookwork, which means spending the day with my laptop, filing and paying bills. These can all add up to depression if I let it (especially the bill paying, there never seems to be enough). I found 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' on TV so that has helped, love that movie!!!!
It's a serious day. Life is serious. I think I'll leave it at that for now!

Thursday, September 01, 2005

A blonde, her dentist and a favorite layout

I know my dentist John is a very nice man. I don't mind meeting him on the street or sharing a meal with him. But once I walk into his office I really don't like him. It's been years since I've sat in that comfy green chair but one of my teeth is falling apart so I went to visit today. It finally dawned on me that about 20 minutes into my nice visit I start to get a little panicky, I had to work at not having a panic attack. So much for my ability to stay cool in crisis situations. It could be because two people have their hands in my mouth, or maybe it goes back to my childhood visits to Dr. Brooks. I can't stand strawberries because of that dear Dr (icky strawberry flavored floride treatments). I know, I know they just want my teeth to be healthy and pain free but I'll put off my next visit as long as I can, will wait till another tooth is falling apart till I visit John and the girls.


Here's one of my favorite layouts that I've done. Everything seemed to click. This pic of my dad when he was younger was out of focus but I really wanted to use it. One of the girls on the Scrapping With Style website used out of focus photos on a LO so I just decided to do the same, going with the idea that as we look back in time our memories can be out of focus.

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Observations

*I am sooo thankful for my home, family, water, electricity! The things we take for granted that those many people in the path of hurricane Katrina and her aftermath don't have any more.
*There's nothing like getting to talk to your son for two minutes!!!!!!!
*Medical science is wonderful but the power of God to heal and protect it even better!
*Flowers are such a pick me up.
*Chocolate is one of the greatest gifts to (wo)mankind.
*Fun is such a subjective word, one persons fun can be another persons terror (I love WILD rides, my men do not, where did I go wrong?). My husbands idea of fun - playing with trains - is really my idea of boredom or WORK. And I'm sure my idea of fun, sitting down with a good book, is his idea of a nightmare.
*little babies are definately one of the greatest gifts of all.
*I'm looking at my rear view mirror of life and seeing the summer fade into the distance. It went by WAAAAAY to fast.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

The question continues

This blonde isn't having that much fun. Nancy my mother-in-law is in the hospital with extrememly high blood pressure, dizzyness and other not good stuff. She'll have an MRI and cat scan done tomorrow and they'll be working to keep that blood pressure down. I guess we just never know what tomorrow or today will bring do we? Life is wild isn't it?
The open house on Sunday went well, it was hot and humid but I think everyone had a good time. I'm hoping to post some pics in the next day or so. Have another one this Sunday then we'll have about a month till the next big event. TTFN

Friday, August 19, 2005

God, widows and sci-fi Friday

My dear friend Margaret is getting ready to head to China to be a full time missionary. Her husband Larry (who was also a dear friend of ours) passed away a year and a half ago. We've seen in her life how God takes care of widows. She's in the process of selling their house and had come up against the buyers wanting her to do more than what they had agreed too. She felt she needed to stand firm on what they had originally agreed to and told her realtor that. The bottom line, both realty companies decided to take 1% off their commissions to pay for this problem (something they should have caught). God is good, he answers prayer and takes care of his widowed daughters.

Thought for today: the essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail
Edwin H Land

Am hoping to finish Gabrielle's scrapbook tonight, it's sci-fi Friday so I need to watch some GOOD tv while I do that.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

What a week

Can't believe how this last week has flown by. Ben left for the army reserves on Monday, it's so quiet without him around. We're getting ready to host our Iowa Garden Railroad club this weekend so lots of cleaning and weeding and sprucing up to do. Next weekend the Kansas group will come up. Had a wild night at work, started out pretty slow and then POW everyone decided to come in and eat at once. That take home cash makes it worthwhile though. I'm hoping to get some good photos of the layout this weekend.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

The quest


My quest is a simple one, learn to take better pictures with our camera.
Here's a blonde moment...practice is a GOOD thing. I've been dragging the camera out more and actually using it. I need to reread the manual too. I'm getting the hang (kindof) of stills, next....moving things.

Talk about a bad day, bet the guy driving the semi that caused this didn't expect it when he ate his cheerios in the morning. My little snafu with the lemonade really doesn't compare.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

A CLEAN kitchen and a CAT

So here's to a clean kitchen, or one that will be completely clean tomorrow. Spent the day doing the upper (all the stuff on top to) and lower cabinets, they gleam my precious. Tomorrow the floor, fridge and woodwork will join the cabinets in their cleanly splendor.
I'm in power cleaning mode this month. Last week it was the basement, this week the main floor and next week......the upper floor....BWAHAHAHAHAHA. I would love to be able to afford to pay someone to do all this. Maybe in my next life.

A CAT, our youngest cat Spike.
He likes to follow us around the yard when we're out and about.
Last night when I was playing with my camera he just 'happened' to be right there.
And he actually looked my way when I wanted him to, I think I felt the earth shift a little.

Saw this site and thought it fits right in with my cat theme. Toooooo funny what we do with our 'family' members.
A good cat quote:
When I play with my cat, who knows if I am not a pastime for her more than she is to me?
- - - Michel deMontaigne

Since being in power clean mode I haven't had the time to create anything. Am going to scrap all day and into the night on Saturday with my "2nd Saturday" scrapping friends. Can't wait!!!!!!!

Monday, August 08, 2005

Good night Sun


We have the most wonderful sunsets. Tonight's was just kind of mellow not breath takingly beautiful, but wonderous in an understated way.
I'm finally getting to the point where I can catch a decent pic with our Fuji FinePix S7000. I haven't really spent much time getting used to it and thought that after having it for almost a year I needed to work some on it. We bought it so Marty could take some digi photo's of his trains for magazines and calanders (a way to write it off in other words).

I've been checking out Andrea Sher's blog . She takes some wonderful photos, angles and shots that I wouldn't think of and I'm being inspired by her. Maybe I should think about a photography class..hmmm.......I really like this blog world. I'm being encouraged and inspired left and right.

A good garden railroading friend, Richard Jones, passed away from cancer this weekend. He fought a courageous battle. We'll miss his quiet enthusiasm and soft heart. We got to know Richard and his partner Marshal in the last 2 years and enjoyed his friendship. Richard is one of the reasons we enjoy our little garden railroading world, gooooood people.

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Our House Is A Very, Very, Very fine House

We were asked on a board I belong to to describe our dream house. I thought about it and decided that I'm living in my dream house. It fits all the criteria:
  • there's enough room for everyone
  • it's in the country
  • it's ours - or, well it will be in about 15 years (darn mortgage payments)
so here it is our house, no our home.
So the other day I was going to tell about Holly our world travelling missionary friend. She was in Mexico in 1999 and got a nasty parazite that causes degenerative blindness most commonly called River Blindness. She started loosing her eyesight in 2002 and was to the point of going through occupational rehab in 2003 which included having to use a white cane for mobility and a voice accelerated computer program for her work. Through all this she continued with her missions work and was open to the blessings God had for her.
In Dec of 2004 she headed to India for outreach and noticed an improvement in her sight. When she got back in Feb she also noticed there was no further deterioration of sight. Her sight has since improved to the point that she can drive again during the day.
God is still performing miracles and Holly is living, breathing proof!!!!

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Harder than it looks

Well, this blog thing is harder than it looks. I made the mistake of trying to post last night after I got home from work. It was late, I was tired, the back arrow is evil, I'm REALLY blonde.....I lost the post twice trying to add attachments. Think I've figured out what I need to do to hopefully not loose all I've typed. We'll see if it works in the future.
Got and email from my dear 'old' friend Terri (we've known each other for like 41 years, the things we know about each other are scary). She just became a G'ma for the first time a couple weeks ago. It's a strange thing when those in the next generation begin to propogate, especially when they belong to your friends. You know it's supposed to happen, but when it does it almost takes your breath away. Weren't we just at that point yesterday????? Steve Miller had it right when he said that 'time keeps on slippin into the future'.
I've been playing around with my new favorite toy, Adirondak Alchol Inks. I have an unlimited supply of bottle caps at work (the steak house has a lounge) so I pounded, inked and made a tag.
Turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
Think I'll wait to tell about my friend Holly M tomorrow. Be prepared to have your socks blessed off.
Today is 'try to get caught up in the office day'. I have the unenviable job of deciding who gets paid what (we owe the lumber company how much?) and getting the bookwork caught up. Can you tell I'm excited???????

More words of wisdom from Mark Twain
Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Day 2


AAAACK! Just lost all I entered by backing up, oh well here we go again - okay in this instance this blonde is not having more fun -
Had an eventful day. Tom (son #2) spent the night in the hospital with his girlfriend Jamie as she was having a baby. Soap opera plot 'she was already pregnant with another man's child when they began thier relationship' (dramatic organ music in the background). Anyhoo....

So Gabrielle Brianna made her entrance early this morning. She's a cutie pie. She weighed in at 5lb. 4oz and was 18" long. We've (Marty & I) started getting congratulated on being grandparents and then the questioning looks come and then we have had to say we're not really grand parents. I can see it's going to be a little complicated.
At least life isn't boring.

Wil and I spent the afternoon cleaning the basement. It was pretty scarry, lots of dirt and cobwebs, I'm still sneezing truly icky stuff out. Got about 1/2 way done, will hopefully finish up tomorrow. Told Marty he should just pull the trash trailer up to the basement door, lots of crap to throw away.

Ended the day making a visit to the hospital and got to hold a little bundle of joy. What a good end to a nice day.

Have to end with a good blonde joke my dear friend Deb told me.

'A dumb blonde, a smart blonde and Santa Clause all jumped off the empire state building at the same time, who hit the ground first?
I said, Santa Clause..........what do you think?
Answer: the dumb blonde cause the other two aren't even real. HHHAAAA!!!!!!!

God is Truly Good!!!!!

Monday, August 01, 2005

Taking the plunge

Well, I'm taking the plunge, getting brave and diving into the blog world. I've been enjoying other peoples blogs for the past couple of months and decided to try it myself. I can't believe I'm actually nervous about it, my heart rate is up, my palms are sweaty I'm getting a little adrenilin rush. Okay, now, what to type, what to type? I'm at a loss for words, not something I usually suffer from.
So here's to diving into uncharted terrritory, opening up my life for others to see, boldly going where no man has gone.........alright maybe I'm getting carried away a little, it's not a trip on the starship Enterprise just into cyberspace. (chuckle)

I do have one quote to share. Last year about this time I figured out that having a sense of humor is a gift, that life is serious but humor makes it bearable and enjoyable. I love the way Mark Twain saw life and found this quote by him the other day
"Humor is a great thing, a saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place."