I love rag mops

Yes I have always loved rag mops but Kinley takes rag mops to a new level.
But for a boy, Hunter has the cut I LOVE!

A few of my favorite things about Christmas

I love decorating the house and always having new tree decorations.
I loved going to Colby and Heather's for Christmas Eve. Colby is a great cook and Heather keeps a beautiful home. It was 2 hours of family, food and fun.
I love going to Matt, Marianne and Lily's for Christmas morning. They have a beautiful home, good food and Lily has a million things to show and do with us.
I love going to my dad and moms for Christmas lunch. There is A LOT of us but there is so much history and traditon there.
I love having our family here at Christmas, it is kind of like old times but we have gotten older.
This year we watched old Christmas videos and it was so fun.
I love Christmas cookies and decorating them.
I like that Rob and I do not spend timing with old fashion gift giving to each other but spend time together instead.
Today I love the snow and the fact that I do not need to go anywhere for any reason all day long!

Why April is not my friend any more

April and I started at Questionmark together and work well. She is younger than I and we do not much in common but get along well and have a fun time. However, I have asked and asked her to help me out and she has agreed to help out only to let me down.
I have asked her to remind me to take off my slippers before I head home but I keep finding myself in the car or wanting to go to into the store in slipper and my shoes are at work.
She is also responsible to make sure my shirt is not on backwards or inside out but it happens again and again. She thinks it is a new fashion statment and is leary to bring it to my attention. But it is not. I have come to work with my shirt backwards and/or inside out and left with it in the same condition.
She is suppose to make sure I leave the office with my cell phone and car keys but I am still struggling to make a call without a telephone and trying to open the car without keys!
Lately she was put in charge of checking that I had 2 earrings and that one was not missing. Most of the time I can solve this myself as the earrings fall into my bra but with cowlneck shirts, I am losing my matching earrings left and right.
But yesterday was the straw that broke the camels back. After Rob and I returned home from dinner and I was in changing, Rob asked " did you wear your pants inside out all day long?" Well of course I did! No one told me different!
Now I ask you, who needs a friend like that.
FYI _ this is a JOKE that was approved ny April,who is my very good friend!

Sizzler dinner on a stormy night

I called Rob last night and asked about dinner as I was trying to get home and of course, there is nothing in the frig that he wanted to eat so we decided to eat out. The storm is so bad that we decide it has to be close to home so we head to Sizzlers. We have not been there for a while and noticed a new menu, who knew they have lobster and ribs? Rob say he is not hungry and opts for the salad bar then heads to the restroom. I am cruising the menu and spy the section for seniors. Seniors get a free drink and the salad bar is 1/2 off. Now that is a great deal! So I ask the waitress, "if my husband is 60 but I am not, can we both get a seniors meal?" She says they cannot ask our age. Great, we will take 2 senior dinners. The service was great, the food was great and all under $20.00. Not bad for old folks.

Christmas night

Christmas

Christmas at the Craners

Christmas Breakfast at Matt and Marianne's

Matt made a yummy quiche and sweet rolls. We go to see all of the presents and then Ian and Ella came over. It was a great way to start Christmas day!

Christmas Eve at Colby and Heather

Colby and Heather made the best seafood dinner. Had gift bags full of toys for the kids and we played a fun game. It just all ended too soon as Santa was on his way!

Christmas Cookies

Kylers Pirate Party at Grandma's

Happy birthday !!!!!

December is birthday month for our family. I do not even know all of them but here are a few to celebrate!
Dec 3 Ayla
Dec 4 Ryan
Dec 8 Rob
Dec 10 Nellie
Dec 14 Grandma Red , Angie
Dec 15 Rick, Kyler
Dec 17 Kendal and Marianne
Dec 28 Earth

I am not sure of the dates but know that Gary, Steve have birthdays this month too.
Sorry I do not have a birthday cake picture but this is one cool transformer
The family went out to sushi dinner for Rob's birthday.
We celebrated several at the family Christmas party.
Sunday I am having a pirate party for Kyler at the house
hoping we can get together with all the rest!

Now that is just mean!

Upon moving into our new home and buying new thick lush carpet, I had to get a super duper vacuum to clean.
Last Saturday I was in the last room for the day vacuuming when it just stopped.
Well I have been decorating all week and there is glitter every where and with parties Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at my house-- I HAVE to vacuum.
So today I ran over to the vacuum store during lunch and pleaded my case. Jerry immediately went to work on the vacuum. I guess when the motor gets hot, it has an auto turn off switch. The motor gets hot when there is a blockage in the tube. He went looking for the blockage. He finds a large obstruction and pulls it out and announces to me that it is a MOUSE!
I have to sit down. I explain there are no signs of mouse in my house. I question him about how long it had been there and demise I pick it up while vacuuming under the bed. He is telling me one mouse vacuum story after another. I am getting sick.
I want to run home and start cleaning as we all know there is no such thing as one mouse. Jerry fixes the vacumm gets a new belt and it is running fine. I cannot get out of the chair as my Christmas is now ruined due to the mouse hunt. Crazy thoughts are going through my mind!
Then Jerry tells me that he is a big tease and it was not a mouse. I make him show me. It is not a mouse. I do not feel much better, I have worked myself up.
I head back to the office but call Rob so he can console me. He listens to the story and says" is that it, casue I am kind of busy here." That did not help at all. So I head to Arctic Circle and get a shake and corn dog. I am feeling better now.
Just so you know there are no hard feelings, ACE Vacuum World, I love my vacuum and think you are the best. Jerry is the Gary Blair of vacuums. I should have seen it coming.

Out Tree sells at Festival

This young couple had come to festival to buy a tree for themselves
But when they saw the TV, umbrella and tree
The wife knew immediately that they needed to buy the tree as a gift
She knows a single mom with a 12 years old boy who has cerebral palsy
He can only move 3 fingers on his left hand and he gets his most enjoyment watching Tv . The TV he presently has is only 14 inches.
She knew he would go crazy over the umbrella and the TV and these gifts would bring so much joy into his life and his mothers.
Our gift, the buyers gift, the gift of love never ends.

Now that is just cute!

I have the kids look through the toy catalog on Sunday and write their names on the toys they wanted. The "parents" say they do not need a thing but after looking at the list, they are WRONG.
Cutest idea goes to Kyler who wants an easy bake oven.
Ambree for wanting all the train your dragon toys
for Kyler putting KK ( for Kinley) on everything pink and princess.
We had all wanted to cut back this year and Amy jumped at my response to only buy the kids 2 gifts each. But Cameron was right, two gifts could be ANYTHING. And I am going to have to be creative to get all this good stuff to them.

Wreaths 2010

We think Kathy would be proud!

The Halloween house moves to Matt

Yes, we passed the guantlet this year
Our 25 years of Halloween have ended here on Jordan Meadows lane and moved to Big Spring. I still got to participant but more important I got to spend Halloween with the grandkids and they were worth it

Exposed

I'm warning you. No, really, I'm just telling you. You are about to be exposed and there's nothing you can do about it. And, I'm going to be the one to expose YOU.

I know a lot more about YOU than you realize. I don't know what the rumors are. I pay no attention to them.

These are facts! And YOU are being EXPOSED!

I know that you've always felt different than other people. You've even felt that you are WAY different than other people.

I know that your ideas and viewpoint are not average. Your mind is working and coming up with things no one has ever
talked about or maybe even thought of.

I know that you feel, down deep in your heart, a passion that you alone possess. Most people would never understand your passion. You've even tried to explain it to a few folks and they still don't get it.

I know that at times, you've felt like the odd one out. That you didn't quite fit in.

I know that when you love someone, even as a friend, it runs deep in your blood, deep in your soul. That's just how it is
with you.

I also know that there are times when you feel misunderstood. And, worst of all, you don't know how to get others to understand you.

I also know that there are times when you feel vulnerable. You feel that you may not want to let others get too close. That you have to protect your own heart.

I also know WHY you feel the way that you do. WHY you feel special and different.

In fact, when you think about it, it all makes sense.

YOU were ONE of tens of millions of seeds that fertilized the egg in your mother's womb. That's right. Had any other of those seeds gotten the job done, YOU wouldn't be here right now.

You see, YOU started out as a miracle. YOUR LIFE is a statistical miracle. I mean really think about it.

How could YOU not feel special?

I'm exposing you. YOU are amazing! The planet is rich, no, wealthy, with YOU here. It is far wealthier with you here than if you'd never shown up.

Carving Pumpkins

Halloween trunk and treat 2010

Even though it rained and we had to have the trunk and treat inside, the food was good, the family was great and treats were the best!