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!