Bah! Humbug!

and a Merry Christmas to you...or something like that. I don't know what is wrong with me this year. I haven't shopped yet....I haven't started sewing.....I barely decorated, it's pitiful! Why is it that some years I am totally in the mood and am decorating the day after Thanksgiving, busy sewing....buying presents...planning a menu...looking at new recipes, and this year, well...bah humbug. It could be a shortage of money, but then again, there is always a shortage of that, anyway that's how it seems. So what is it that gives you that Christmas spirit? I think about shopping and it's not really the thought of no money that stops me, it's the people....crowds of people, yuck! I think of baking or cooking and then I think of that diet that I need to go on...stay on...sewing?....well I don't know why I haven't started that...no good excuse for that one. I just seem to be in some kind of grinchy rut, I'm sure I'll snap out of it, but by that time I'll be doing everything at the last minute, out with the bigger crowds scrambling to pull everything together....well for now I sit here with you bloggers and my coffee...grumbling to myself....bah humbug!

Holiday Wish

To those of you that I hold dear...my children...my grandbabies...my parents....my friends and loved ones, I am especially thankful today for all of you, your love, support and friendship. We so often get busy in our lives and take for granted the things that mean the most. I know I don't tell you often enough just what you mean to me and how much I love you all. So today I'm taking the chance to be thankful and count all my many blessings.

May you all have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

A face only a mother could love....

....no Sarah I am not talking about your brother! It's Beatrice....although I think she is beautiful, and tell her that all the time. She was so happy to see me when I returned from Virginia, nobody else spoils her quite like mom. I had a great time visiting the kids and playing with the babies, which aren't very baby like anymore! Boy have they grown! It was great seeing Steven, who I think gets taller every time I see him. Sarah, my comic relief child, has hair to match her personality, it was a shock but I like it. I wonder where she gets that wild gene from?! Robert was even around this trip, who never fails to do or say something to give Sarah and I something to tease him about. This time it was "bread dust", which seems to be quite dangerous as a choking hazard. I went to several places with the kids and had a good time, I got to meet "Capt. Bob" which I was looking forward to until Steven told him that I was anxious to meet him...how embarrassing!!! We did keep "Firecracker Kristina" sitting during dinner instead of up on the table dancing...(sorry Kristina, I have to pick on you too or Robert gets fussy). All in all it was a great trip, I had a wonderful time....thanks to all my kids for the entertainment and company. I love you all!

James Dean Run

Well no he isn't actually running...he is still quite deceased, as you can see. I realize this seems like a morbid start for a post, but only for those of you that aren't familiar with what the "James Dean Run" actually is. Every year in Fairmount, IN the home town of James Dean they hold the annual "James Dean Run". It's a car show open to any type of car 1972 or older. They also let newer cars show that have been tricked out and modified. I did not get to attend, but Todd took his Monte Carlo and headed to Georgetown, IL to meet up with his Uncle Gary and Aunt Cindy.
They headed out early Friday morning for Fairmount to meet up with a few other "Junk Yard Dogs" and enjoy the show. I heard tales of the cool cars with the flame throwers...the poppers....the burnouts....all I know for sure is that when I talked to Todd on the phone there was alot of background noise and it sounded like there was at least all those things going on. They made the trip to see James Dean's headstone and by the looks of things they weren't the first ones there. The picture doesn't show it very well but there were lipstick lip prints all over his headstone. The man did have an air of sexy, I'll give you that, but kissing a rock with his name one it?!......I'll pass! All in all it sounded like they all had a great time, and we have marked it on our calendar of things we are going to do next year. One more picture of Todd's baby.......

Wasting time in the name of Jesus

Nothing like starting the new month and week off on top of my soap box, but alas that is where I find myself. I have been forced here by the pious-cy (my own word) of my co-workers. Let me set the stage for you...we are here, if I am not mistaken, to work, answer the phones, paperwork, word process, data entry, sell scaffold....blah blah, you get the general idea. Now we all know a certain amount of time wasting is done in every profession, water cooler talk, and if your choice is to talk about religion then there is nothing wrong with that. What my complaint is when anything else is being talked about or done then we are wasting company time and money. I choose to talk to my mom or daughter on the phone or chat about something else then invariably one of the "holy" ones will come and stand disapprovingly at my desk and then in my time wasting guilt, I get off of the phone and find out that they really need nothing important at all....what was that you needed?....at stamp....here let me stick that on there for you. Yet, we have hours....add them up...hours of wasted company time talking about all sorts of religious topics. Let me see last week it was the sacrifice being done of chickens. Baptist beliefs vs Church of Christ....the second coming...something in Ezekiel...alot of praise Gods and "I thinks" going on. Change that to alot of "I thinks" going on....each one has their own opinion which has to be heard...it's like they each have to top the other ones belief. For those of us actually trying to work it gets to be quite disturbing. You have a group of 3 or 4 people all congregating in the office area......excuse me, as I make my way to the copier....sorry to disturb your church service, as I get a dirty look for my copier and paper crackling noise...I feel like the naughty kid in church who is going to be led out by her ear for disrupting the service. We are expecting there to be an offering taken up or maybe communion to be started any day. I realize this may be coming off as something a atheist would be complaining about but if you stop to think about the other people you are working around....the others that may not share your beliefs...and the example you are setting for them. I believe some of them aren't even sincere in their beliefs so much as like to get our of working and have found this is a easy and acceptable way of doing it. I am not the only one who has seen this double standard. "Don't waste our company time and money smoking your cigarettes or talking about your weekend or homelife....we hired you to work......but if you would like to join us and talk about what we deem as acceptable then you can waste all the time you like, in Jesus name. They even talk bad about each other, behind the others back of course, when they waste time with their secular talk..."they talk too much...never get their work done.....need to learn time management...blah blah blah. Stay at home on Sunday and rest observe the holy day, play on your computer...enjoy the great outdoors and Monday come to work ready to worship. I was raised to go to church, worship and praise on Sunday and the rest of the week, be a good witness with your actions and deeds. Do a good and honest job whether it be at school or work, do your best. I am finding that here it's okay to not give your best and waste time and not get all your work done...just as long as you do it all in Jesus name.

Okay here goes!!

I can't believe I did it....I posted a picture! Actually it was so easy it's almost embarrassing to admit I hadn't had the nerve to try it before. This is a picture of the ship my son is on....impressive isn't it?! I have it as my screen background at work and I thought I would share it with you. I received a very nice email from him today, it was so good to hear from him! I'm proud of all of our military but especially proud of my boys, (my son-in-law Robert is in the Navy also)! We get Steven back in November and loose Robert in February....but my girls handle it well and take care of their homes and children with remarkable resiliency. I'm proud of all my kids for their service to our country and for loving and supporting their husbands while they are away. I think so many of us take the everyday part of military life for granted, what it is like for the spouse to be away and for the one left behind to try to maintain an air of normalcy for the family that is left behind. The rest of us should be as supportive as we can by keeping in contact with our men and women who are away from home and their loved ones....and by lending a helping hand to those that are alone here at home. It is the very least that we could do! Goodness gracious....my picture posting has turned into a soap box...how did that happen?! I'm climbing down now and getting back to work.

Do we have a new "Pink Princess"?

I was looking at my daughter-in-law's blog and re-reading her blog about my granddaughter being a new little ballerina. She looks so precious in her little pink tutu with that red curly hair...a little angel for sure! I caught myself reminiscing about my own little "pink princess". Well that's the name her grandpa gave her and she lived up to the title. I'm pretty sure for awhile they had her picture in the dictionary beside the word "prissy", and she loved pink. I dressed her in frilly little dresses that I would make and she would call her granny on the phone announcing the arrival of the new creation, and of course that she would be over to model. Then off we would go, (across the street) to granny's house so she could show her granny and grandpa her pretty new dress. They of course would tell her how pretty she was and how she was truely their "pink princess". If only she was as sweet as she appeared....ah she could be sweet, don't get me wrong, but it was when it suited her purposes. I remember a time we went to an auction with my parents and Sarah and Steven were with me. Sarah, who was probably around 7 at the time, had her eye on a box of costume jewelry that she wanted my mom to bid on. My mom was wearing a necklace that was made up of different beads from necklaces of my late grandmothers. Sarah was particularly fond of this necklace with all the beads, and when she asked my mom if she was winning the bid on the box of jewelry and my mom replied she didn't know if she would get it or not Sarah sweetly said "that's okay granny I can just take yours if you don't get that one." My mom still laughs over that...but Sarah got her box of jewelry.
Poor Steven he was always the sweet boy, willing to share, always willing to help. I remember once when we went to the store and they both had gotten some type of candy. Well Sarah wanted some of Steven's, and she said she would give him some of hers in trade. Steven handed her a piece and they both contentedly ate Steven's candy, but when it was gone, of course Steven was ready to share Sarah's. Sarah's reply?......"I'm not ready for mine right now...I'll give you some later". I'm pretty sure "later" happened to be conveniently when Steven wasn't around.
Well our "Pink Princess" has ruled like a true monarch...and has reigned over us all with her quick wit and sharp tongue. We love her and fear her all at the same time...and can't help but laugh even when it's painful. Our "little ballerina" is totally precious and has won our hearts but beware any of you out there that would do her harm....or wound her for she is protected and loved by her aunt...the original and mighty "Pink Princess"....and long may she reign!

For the love of elliptical?!!!

What makes a person get up at the butt crack of dawn to climb on a machine that clearly was engineered by some madman that hates the human race and has some diabolical plot for us all to fall over in a sweaty heap?! I understand the motivation for the young.....you know to stay young and sexy....and desirable and have that appreciation from the opposite sex, but at my age? Well of course I want to be healthy...and feel good, and ward off muscle loss...and all the other scary things that happen as I get older. But, I'm greedy.....I want to see the same results I saw when I was younger.....if I worked out at this intensity when I was younger holy crap....somebody would've been wanting my autograph I'm pretty sure, at least on the copy of my latest workout video. Now I step off.....or stagger off would probably be more appropriate, the elliptical machine, my t-shirt sticking to me with sweat and all I see in the mirror is a red sweaty face and I swear it's the same body.....every day! Yes I feel better, and yes I have less stress, and yes I can tell in small ways that it is doing some good......but where are the whistles.....the men begging for my time.....the rich man that wants to sweep me off of my feet and buy me all the lovely clothes? Ah well I guess that illusion along with the "little tiny butt" belongs to the young....so for me I guess I'll be content with "hey, she's not bad for and old chick".

To Blog or Not to Blog?...that is the question

Whether or not to blog....hmm... do I have anything to say, well no, but then again, do I ever? This lack of blog worthy news has plagued me before, it is true. It is not that I have no news....I have news...well not news news..you know like earth shattering, share with others news, but I have stuff news...so that will be what I share with you...my stuff news. Let's see we can't go as far back as my last blog, that is just begging for coma status for us all, let's just stroll back as far as the weekend. Saturday...no let's start with Friday, I did get to go out to dinner Friday evening, let's see....we went to some overpriced mexican place......the pressure of remembering the name......ah I have it! Don Pablo's. It was pretty good. We had a nice dinner and then we went to PetsMart and got Beatrice her dog food, and then after a drive we went home. Okay...everyone still with me?!......try to control your excitement as we head right on in to Saturday....now let's see I got up Saturday and Todd was already working on his car....he has the James Dean Run car show coming up in a couple of weeks. I did some research work on the internet and in a Volkswagon book I have because I am determined to try and rebuild the engine in my bug....of course with some instruction from Todd. When my brain was turning to mush from this, I moved on to sewing.....I'm working on Christmas surprises so I can't say too much here about that. Later that afternoon since the weather was really nice I did some yard clean up work, cleaning up a flowerbed etc.
Now comes Sunday and I have been telling myself every week that this is the week that I am going to try out a new church.......but because of my yard work the day before my back was really stiff and I opted to just be lazy...just another excuse, I know, but that was the excuse this week....so it's another week of pep talks about how this next week I'm going to finally do it. Anyway, we took a drive to take a truck that Todd repaired back to it's owner and then a leisurely drive back home.
That brings us to today and work......and what can I say about work?!....gotta love it....hate it....and do it.....so I did it and now I'm here with you.....and you are saying omg is she done yet?!....Yep....so goodnight all and brace yourselves, cause I'll be back :-)

Thanks

Thanks to my daughter for her hospitality when we visited her last week. I know it was crazy and hectic, but as always you were a gracious host....well except for that one fit you threw...(kidding just kidding). My next visit will be by myself so we can have our "girl time". Of course I don't know how we will work that in with the boys, but we will figure something out. Also, thank you so much for the pictures you took of all of us....if anyone out there needs a good photographer, my daughter is great! I appreciated the time that you took and the time you have spent editing. Thank you!

A foreign language

The Captain of my son's ship....well it's not my son's ship, it's the ship he's on.....you know what I mean......anyway, this Captain sends emails of updates on what they are doing while on deployment and things that the Family Support Group is doing etc. I have noticed that the military is run speaking a foreign language. Everything is abreviated (sp?) they exist in a world of letters that to them mean something. I'm pretty sure they could run a whole conversation and you wouldn't have any idea what they are talking about. For example I got an email today and the title was "BZ's". Now I am assuming by the tone of this email that this "BZ" is a good thing. There was another one that called the "BZ", "Bravo Zulu"....maybe another hint this is something good is the "Bravo" part. So my son received "BZ's" today for something that he did. If this is indeed a good thing, "I'm really proud of you honey, you are such a good boy!!"....and if not...."what were you thinking...you weren't raised to act like that, and you have some explaining to do when you get home".

More on a serious side....what is wrong with the mail service for things that we send to our boys that are away in the military?! I sent a package at least a month ago, and he hasn't received it yet. Now you know that those cookies are going to be able to be used for a weapon by the time he gets the box, if he ever does. I would think that they would have a more expedited system for getting things to our kids. He requested popcorn, because the popcorn they had was expired....well it's not wonder, mine will be when it finally gets there. Pitiful!!

Parental Pride

You know how every parent talks about their child, right from the first they are saying how pretty or handsome their child is. You, being polite, agree that the baby is cute...blah, blah, blah..whether it is true or not. Nine times out of ten it isn't true, you are just being polite, and usually will comment to someone else about how that baby is so homely, ugly or just weird looking. Stop acting appalled, you know it's true! Parents are just blind to the faults of their children, they actually don't see that their child looks like a good case for evolution. I was thinking about this, after listening to a friend go on and on about their child, and I got to wondering....what if people actually said that about my children....and maybe still say it after one of my brag sessions?! So I looked at pictures of them, with a open mind and saw them as strangers...scrutinized their features. I took in a wide variety of evidence, checking them at different ages and then looking at more recent pictures, seeing how they have aged. I found after much investigation and soul searching that it is true..............my children are perfectly beautiful beings.

Moon Pie Festival

Yes you read correctly.....Moon Pie Festival. This is a annual event held in Bell Buckle, TN. Technically it is the RC Cola, Moon Pie Festival. We got up bright and early Saturday morning and loaded up for the trip to Bell Buckle...granted this is only a few miles so it wasn't much of a trek. When we got there the 10 mile run was nearing it's end and the vendors were set up and ready to sell their wares. We watched the runners for a short time...each one that came in still running caused me to repeat..."I don't know how they could run for 10 miles!". I was starting to feel ashamed of myself so I set off to the food vendors. Actually we walked through some of the craft area first then ended up where they had a stage set up and a wood floor, this was for clogging, as we soon found out. Now what would any Tennessee festival be without having some cloggers, clogging to Rocky Top?! I wasn't so much interested in the clogging except for one lady that I was pretty sure was going to pass out before the song was over. Her face was so red, I was really starting to get nervous but, morbid curiosity made me continue watching. She made it and believe it or not danced to another tune...truely remarkable. Then we did eventually wander over to the food area and we each separated to get the food of our choice...I personally went for the roasted corn...very yummy and almost worth the $4 that it cost me, never mind I could have bought 16 ears at the grocery store for the same price....hey it's roasted....ah never mind, I enjoyed it anyway. Todd opted for some sausage, pepper and onion concoction, Miranda got a lemonade and some curly potato thing, and now that I think about it Kaci didn't get anything. For activities they had "watermelon seed spitting contest", "hog calling contest", and synchronized wadding. This is a highly technical process consisting of dressing up like a fool....ie a moon pie, and getting in a child's wadding pool with your partners and doing some synchronized movements. I use the word synchronized loosely! Anyway it seemed that everyone has a good laugh and that is the purpose. No festival would be complete without a parade...full of a little bit of everything....people walking their dog...people riding horses...old tractors....fire engine, etc. All in all a good day of excitement....okay well maybe if not excitement, good for a laugh. We didn't stay for all the festivities but we did get a moon pie and a RC before making our way home.

A day without blogging.

Before I started this blogsite I was pretty sure I would have something to blog about everyday....maybe have to skip a day because I was so busy I just couldn't find time to blog. I'm finding that I don't really have that many noteworthy things to blog about. This brings up disturbing questions.

1. Is my life so uninteresting?

2. Is the imagination that I thought I had just a figment of my imagination?

3. Why are the clever things that I have in my head absent when I am blogging?

So I have decided that even if I have to make something up I will have something to blog about at least every day....maybe every other day. So I'm going home now to think about what I'm making up for tomorrow.

Beatrice

My Boxer, Beatrice, has been sick...well not really sick but I could tell that her ears were bothering her. Since she was also due for her shots, I made an appointment with the vet. I was trying a new vet since I had recently moved. My daughter had used Banfield, which is connected to PetsMart. I decided to give them a try. Beatrice it seems has allergies and now we are trying to find out just what she is allergic to. We left the vet with doggie insurance...which I figured would come in handy with an ongoing allergy problem...special shampoo...two kinds of ear drops....pills, and an appointment for a follow up in two weeks. When telling this story at work, people keep reminding me that this is just a dog. I am well aware that Beatrice is a dog, but a very smart dog, who loves me unconditionally and gives me constant companionship and entertainment. I think she has earned her spot as rating a little higher than "just a dog". But, they say, look at the money you are spending...yes, it's true I have spend a fair amount on her, but look at it this way, I don't have to buy her designer clothes...the latest shoes...CD's....DVD's...iPod...or the various other things that kids always want. Just dog food and an occasional toy or bone. All in all she more than repays me for what I spend on her...now I just wonder how her "brother and sister" are going to feel about her being included in the family pictures?

Inspiration

I was wandering through some other blogs...reading about people that I don't know, and I had an inspiration for a blog. This is my list of.....I would.....I never.....I won't.

I would like to ride in a hot air balloon.
I would like to spend the weekend in a lighthouse B & B.
I would like to go to Montana.
I would like to have a mule....goats...another dog...ducks....okay getting carried away.
I would like to own my own book store/coffee shop
I would like to win the lottery.
I would like to be on Survivor

I've never been out of the US
I've never climbed a mountain
I've never rode a motorcycle...by myself
I've never willingly gone to a scary movie
I've never celebrated an anniversary past 10 years
I've never dyed my hair black

I won't touch a snake
I won't skydive
I won't eat liver
I won't wear a bikini
I won't ever like Opera
I won't ever grow up

Of course these lists could be modified without notice because I am, after all, a female and changing our mind is our right.

You have to look

So far today there hasn't been anything exciting enough to blog about, but you have to take a look at my daughter's blog www.saraheberle.blogspot.com and check out little Tanner. Everytime I hear his voice or see his little face he just wraps Nana a little tighter around his finger. Note to self: Plan trip to Virginia.....soon!

What have I done?

Sometimes I feel old and I look back on my life so far and wonder "what have I done with my life?". I start to feel like a pretty big waste, thinking about all the potential things I could have done or should have done and really feel pretty worthless. Then I'll get a call from my daughter and I'll listen to her chat about her day, and I can hear my grandbabies in the background, or I'll get an e-mail from my son telling me about his promotion to FC2 and I am filled with a overwhelming sense of pride and joy. Now granted I can't take all the credit for how they turned out, but I like to think that I may have had a small part in making them who they are today. Okay maybe they learned what not to do by watching their mom, but still they learned and look at them now. They have given me more than I could ever ask for, and I thank God that he gave them to me.

The "need" for shoes

Why can't men understand a woman's need for shoes? If they would only see the potential points to be gained by giving in to our obsession. Surely there is something that they can relate it to...car parts....video games...something. I don't know about you, but I can go into a shoe store and browse the racks and there is nothing that can bother me. Who would have guessed that walking around, one shoe off and one shoe on, trying on shoes could bring such bliss?! Then trying to decide which shoe fits our current need...the running shoe...the heels?...decisions decisions, ah why not both?! Then the pleased feeling sets in as you carry your new babies up to the counter to make them your very own....and you have a bonus coupon, can it get any better?! The euphoria lasts all the way home right up until you take them in to put in your closet and realize you have nothing to wear!

On the way to work

Welcome to my first post..I will warn you that my purpose for this blog is not so much to stay in touch with loved ones but to have an outlet for my ramblings. Speaking of ramblings, on my way to work today I happened to look in my rear view mirror and there was a man behind me and he was playing a harmonica. Yes, you read correctly, he was playing a harmonica. I may be mistaken but couldn't this be as distracting to your driving as say...putting on makeup?! If that wasn't enough not a block down the street while driving through a school zone, which means slowly, I passed a woman with a Kleenex stuck in her nose. Not just up to her nose but shoved in her nose. At least she had both hands on the wheel, Mr. Harmonica had no hands on the wheel. Another concern that has plagued me is the fact that I can be driving and get to my destination and not have any recollection of how I got there...I mean I know I drove I just don't remember the drive. I was thinking that maybe some type of head scan might be advisable but then thought of Mr. Harmonica and Ms. Kleenex and decided...nah.

Until next time....take care and play nice