Janet's Birthday

Ken and I are out at my mom's for a visit.  I have left a considerable amount of money at a couple of fabric shops to help the Arizona economy.  We have seen some of my mom's friends and some of the changes since we were here last.  We have already been out to try some new restaurants and a movie.  Mom and I have had pedicures and our eyebrows waxed.  We have even spent one afternoon car shopping and test driving new vehicles.  I am enjoying the time with my mom and her partner Bob.

Mom & Bob  12/29/11

I am thinking ahead to organizing my sewing room.  I am researching all kinds of ways to organize the things in my sewing/scrapbooking/painting room.  I am thinking about boxes, clear shoe boxes, and hanging hoops and other things.  Especially the new picture Kayla got me for my sewing room.  I want to get some letters for the wall and I have a vinyl sign to hang.  I am also thinking I need another piece of furniture to hold my growing yarn collection. I see some painting, sorting, moving around, hanging, and decisions in my future.
Today is my baby sister's birthday.  I wish I were with her to tell her how much she is loved, respected, and just how awesome she is!  Happy Birthday Janet!

Lotion

I am sure Ken would tell you he told me, but I didn't remember that he is off today.  How nice it was to wake when we wanted to.  (Which translates to when Rusty, the big red dog, wanted to go out.)  I laid there trying to go back to sleep after he came and whined and stared at me, but I just wasn't successful and he wasn't bothering Ken, so I just got up with him.  I put on my big thick terry robe and slippers and went downstairs.  He went out and I started puttering around.  Bryn and Vicki were heading out to her Mom's.  Ken came down to see them off.  We decided we had a lot to do.  First stop doughnuts!  Yummy!

I used two of each and some peppermint oil

It makes all these half pint jars.

After several stops we were back home to get things finished up for the people Ken works with.  He got to work putting together a gift while I did some mixing and ironing.  I hope all the maintenance guys and cleaning people enjoy the lotion we put together.  I mixed it up with the hand mixer.  Then I put it in a gallon back and piped it into the jars.
Ken is delivering the goodies and spreading cheer.  Then he is off to shop for me.  I really have no wants, because I am very happy.  He has given me the best gift of support since I first met him when he rushed over to get the mouse and through all the medical issues we have faced.  He couldn't give me anything that compares to that.  It took some time, but I am finally where I should be and who I should be with.  The Lord has blessed us in so many ways.  We both have a relationship with the Lord, the best relationship with each other, 8 children we are extremely proud of, 9 grandchildren we love dearly, a rotten big red dog, and friends we enjoy.  Life is grand!
While Ken is out, I think I will get into the chair (it often holds me captive, but I will enjoy it today), start a new hat, enjoy a DC, and watch a Christmas movie! Woo hoo!

Cupcake Pincushion

I got good news on my bone scan.  It turned up negative.  Nothing has metastasized.  I was very relieved.

I have finished the wrapping and about finished up the projects for Christmas.  Kayla wanted a pin cushion for her new sewing room.  I couldn't find one I liked, but I found several styles.  I didn't feel like I could make a choice that she would be happy with, because I would want to make my own choice too.  So I waited until we went to Texas and we went shopping together.  She picked out her material and I think she will be very happy with it.
I have also finished a hat for Bryn.  He wanted one out of green with beige stripes.  The green he picked is beautiful.  The hat pattern was not hard, but I didn't end up liking it.  Since he is bald he needs something to keep his head warm.
We are having a lazy day around here.  I have a little baking to do.  We will need to clear out this afternoon, because the cleaning woman is coming.
I have to think about dinner tonight because it is Old Man Night.
   

Sleeping Late

What a wonderful morning.  Ken was so kind this morning.  The tv is our alarm and when it came on he turned it off quickly, got up, got ready, and left without any noise.  So I heard the tv, but went right on sleeping for another 55 minutes and Ken was gone when I awoke. So my first day of Christmas break and I slept in!  It was 6:55 when I got up.  I had my shower and visited with Bryn, our youngest son, and his wife Vicki who are in from Georgia.  They have now left and I am planning my day.  I am kicked back in my chair with a fire in the fireplace, thanks to Bryn, and I am deciding what to do.  I have plenty of possibilities and some have to dos.  Hmm!  A lot of possibilities and so little time.  I think I will start with the have to dos.  Not much fun, but necessary.  The kitchen cupboards are pretty bare.  I think I will find some crock pot recipes, so they are easy, and get the shopping and as a by product the cooking taken care of for the week.  Not my favorite thing to take care of at all.  So take the medicine first.

Then I need to finish wrapping and assess the whole gift situation and get it under control.  Then I will feel like I can move on to something really fun like the sewing room.
I am very cozy now with the fireplace roaring, the house quiet, the cat warming my lap, and a drizzly dreary day out.  Hmm!  Why would I want to move.
I had a bone scan on Friday because I have been having unexplained pain in my upper right arm.  I went to the cancer center at 8:15 and got an injection of something that had to be guarded in a metal sheath and had a time sensitive life span on it.  That is pretty scary.  Then I went to school for three hours.  Then I went to the cancer center and laid on a 12" wide table.  Have you ever seen me?  My back side was off way more than it was on! I guess that was a good place to cut corners and save a bit of money!  I got to lay there for about an hour and 20 minutes.  The first hour wasn't to bad, but after that I got to move over so my arm was more on the table, which meant most of me wasn't.  I will say I have pretty good balance (I didn't fall off).  Then I got to put my arm up over my head for more scanning.  Today I get the results.  When I think of it I just try to start making my mind get around the fact that it could be bad news.  Which is negative in a way, but I am afraid I will need a lot of time to process this new development, and this just gives me a headstart.  Then if it isn't bad news I will be relieved for the time being, but I still won't know why I am having pain.

Need To Shop!

Wow! My kiddos are really eager for Christmas break.  They are loving the special days we have planned. Monday was wear your Christmas shirt, today we wore reindeer antlers, tomorrow is wear Christmas socks, Thursday is wear a Santa hat, and Friday is wear your pajamas while we read & watch the Polar Express then do a compare and contrast.  We are basically doing mainly crafts this week.  Lots of glue and glitter!  

I have talked to Kayla and my mom tonight.  Thanks for the ideas Kayla.  I thought I had been doing a good job on the shopping this year, but I found out different when I started pulling things out to wrap.  I have done a pretty good job with the kids, but not the grand kids.  Hmm!  I need to get on the ball.

I love this new site called pinterest.  If you don't pin you should!  So many cool things out there that you get a chance to see easily.

On Thursday, I will go to the sorority Christmas party where we will reveal who our secret sister is.  I am so excited.  I have absolutely no clue who my secret sister is.  I hope my secret sister likes the things I have given her this year.  I can't do the things that I do best like anything sewn, painted, or scrapbooked because that would give me away.  We will reveal who our secret sisters are and pick new secret sisters for the coming year.

The fire is in the fireplace and it is nice and cozy.  I baked a cheeseburger pie for dinner, because Ken was working on a rent house.  Ken's dad and I had a drink and then enjoyed dinner.  Since I don't cook often the drink makes it taste better!   Ken is home and he ate dinner without the benefit of a drink.

Chocolate Croissants

Friday is here!  And it has been a great day!  Oh! I must tell you about Tuesday.  I went out Tuesday morning and noticed that the sliding door on the driver's side was open.  Hmm!  That was curious.  No one seemed to be in the van and nothing seemed to be missing.  So I got in and it was a little slow, but it did.  The frost was heavy.  I started scraping and it wouldn't clear.  That is when I realized that the frost was also on the inside.  Agh!
With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays I am trying to finish up projects, checking my lists, and hoping I haven't forgotten anything.  Because of all of that the Christmas cards aren't done.  Oh my.  Things are sure better than they were last year at this time.  I am truly thankful for that.  Ken and I were discussing the difference in this year and last.  BIG! HUGE!
I am going to a breakfast in the morning.  My contribution to the breakfast will be chocolate croissants.  They are so good and so easy.  I got the idea from the movie It's Complicated.  I take the croissant and put two squares from a Hershey Bar at the big end of the croissant and roll.  Then bake as usual. Enjoy!  (Now we have tried many other types of chocolate, but the good old fashioned Hershey Bar works best.)

Setting The Table

Yeah! The new computer is here!  Now I am trying to get bookmarks setup and all the new things that come with a new system.  The highlight of my day! 
I got a second letter stating it has been 6 months since I had a mammogram.  I guess I need to make an appointment.  Not one of my most favorite things to do.
I went to my classes Christmas program and Ken was in charge of dinner.  (Not that that was any different from usual, but it sounds good!) When I got home Ken and his dad where finishing up pizza soup.  Oh! It was so yummy on this cold night.  And good for me there was enough left over for me to have lunch this week.  Bonus!
As I continued thinking about the women in my life, next I came to my sister.  What a wonderful person she has grown into.  She has great strength.  She always seems so confident in what she wants and has a clear idea on how to achieve what she wants. She has survived cancer, changed careers, lost the love of her life, and has a strong faith in God.  I am so proud to call her my sister.  I love her of course, but I enjoy her company, we make each other laugh, I really like her, and I know I can count on her.  She is so level headed.  I strive to be like her.
Ken told me tonight that we are going to have a dinner party here on Saturday.  We have the house decorated, but there are quite a few details to be taken care of.  Ken will take care of the menu, but I will have to set the table and and other things.

Two Solid Generations

On my list to get done this weekend.  I wanted to get both quilt tops finished and quilted.  I just finished the second one this evening.  Two presents done, but oh so many more to go!  The quilt of squares was made with fat quarters, thank you Carol.

We have had such an enjoyable weekend.  We celebrated the anniversary of our first date on Saturday.  We went to a movie (Jack and Jill) and out to dinner. Our first movie was Home Alone. It was nice to be together and think back and talk about the details of getting together.  Then we watched the OU/OSU game.  Then after church today we went on the Tour of Homes with the sorority girls.  Beautiful decorations and lots of ideas.  Ken helped us out and took our pictures for our scrapbook..

Well we are still trying to work out the computer problems we are having here at our house.  I found one and Ken ordered it online since we didn't even have DSL for a time period.  There was some glitches with that.  It was to arrive on the 5th, but then we encountered another issue and now it will arrive on the 12th.  I can't wait!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.   All four girls and their families were here.  I so enjoyed having the twins and their families in the house for a short time.  During the days around Thanksgiving I gave a lot of thought to the women who influence my life.  I started with the two generations before me.  Both of my grandmothers were women before their time.  My mother's mom did what she needed to during hard times and took in laundry and later went to work outside the home.  She retired and was always on the go and after she became a widow went back to work as a house mother.  My father's mother was a widow with two children.  She went to work to support her family and always seemed content with life.  Then there is my aunt.  She left home and went to work as a secretary.  I remember thinking how cool and independent she was and still is.  Then  there is my mom.  She has always been so capable.  She handled everything while my dad was away defending our freedoms.  She was always involved in what my sister and I did, but always seemed to balance all the parts of her, wife, mother, daughter, friend, etc. All four of these women were strong, independent, capable, and innovative.  I am thankful I came from them.  What a good start in life.