Tuesday Tidbits

Rain, rain....GO AWAY!  You're better than snow, but still.  Yesterday was such a lovely SUNNY day.  We could do with much more of that here in drab, gray, Pennsylvania.  I am getting to the point in winter when I begin to crave sunlight.

Which brings up a question?  Has the weather in your part of the country changed since you were a kid?  I'm curious because I don't remember it being so continually cloudy here, even in the summer.  The last I had heard, we have more cloudy days than Seattle.  Boo!

We had a very nice weekend here.  I can't say I got any of the chores I needed to accomplish done, but I got to spend loads and loads of time with our newest grandson (and our daughter!).  He and his mama came here right after I got home from work on Friday and hung out until 9:00.

Saturday I picked them up and we went shopping at Target, Burlington, and Sam's Club.  I was on the hunt for a Pack & Play to keep here.  I did eventually find a nice one that didn't break the bank.  I also bought Mommy a few things and a few cute things for Colton besides groceries and such we needed here. We even had lunch at TGIFriday's and he was such a good boy, sleeping through most of it.

And Sunday they were here most of the day so Daddy could get some much needed sleep (he is a midnight shift man).  They came around noon and stayed until close to 8:00!  My little man got to watch some of his first Super Bowl with me.

Hubby worked a little bit on the bathroom.  Can we say this has been a slow process?  He tore the old tub out in October and then the hours he works and sickness have kept it from progressing at anything faster than a snail's pace.

Hubby is having to custom build the shower as our bathroom turned out to be an odd size and we couldn't just pop over to Lowe's and buy one.  Sigh.  It's going to be lovely, though, when it's done.

We are covering the floors and walls of the entire bathroom with tile that looks like wood.  There will be a band of river pebbles on the walls to break it up a bit. the floor of the shower is going to be flat slices of river rock and there is a built in seat and shelf for shampoos and such.  We have to move the toilet over a little so a new one is in order and a new sink and vanity are going in, too.  It's all going to have a sort of rustic, spa look.

It looks like I'm getting or already have another "bug."  The cough returned at the end of last week, but really picked up yesterday.  I started to feel chilled and a little achy yesterday, too.  Then during the night I think I must have spiked a fever...woke up freezing, shivering so bad my teeth were chattering.  I got up took some ibuprofen, fired up the pellet stove, and threw a heavy afghan on the bed.

When the alarm went off this morning I was drenched with sweat, but feeling better.  I thought maybe that meant I was off the hook, but the cough is hanging on and I've felt chilled and a little achy since mid-morning.

Sigh.

That's all for today.  I have to head back to work in just a few minutes and the dogs must go out before I do....it's going to take some convincing to get them out in the rain.

See you tomorrow for the Wednesday Hodgepodge!

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and time to get listing all those blessings again.  This really is my favorite post each week.  If you'd like to participate or just read more lists, please visit Rebecca Jo @ Knit By God's Hand.

This week I am thankful...

* my husband is finally on the mend after being diagnosed with acute bronchitis and possibly pneumonia on Saturday.  They put him on a powerful antibiotic, an inhaler, and gave him two different meds for the horrible cough...one for daytime and one with codeine that allowed him to sleep.  He's not quite back to normal, but the cough is nearly gone and he's no longer having pains in his lungs.

* that my mom's case of bronchitis was caught early and has responded quickly to antibiotics.

* that my stepdad is doing well following the surgery to repair a detached retina. He goes for a one week follow up tomorrow.

* my daughter's illness turned out to be related to fluctuating hormones following pregnancy than to the dreaded "bug."

* for all this mild weather!  I should be driving the bus up and down the mountain on snow and ice at this time of the year.

* that a friend, who had major open heart surgery a month ago, came through

his latest "hiccup" without too much trouble.  His appointment last week showed fluid in one of his lungs.  They removed it on Tuesday...nearly 2 liters!

* that while the fatty tumors plaguing my old hound dog continue to grow...and while one of them has caused him to start limping...he doesn't seem to be in pain, just stiff, and he can still jump up on the sofa and still goes out to potty. As long as all that stays okay we don't have to think about making the hard decisions just yet.

* for opportunities that come up on the bus and give me a chance to try and talk to the kids about serious things.  I can't share the gospel, of course, but I can try to talk with them about things like character, integrity, kindness, respect, etc.

* for the guy (or gal) who invented the pooper-scooper!  If you have a dog and have to deal with the yard after the snow melts....you KNOW what I'm talking about!

* for a surprise overnight visit from our daughter and grandson...because their toilet clogged and a plunger just wouldn't fix it.  They couldn't reach the landlord last night but he came right over this morning.  Too bad they had trouble, but hey....extra time with the baby!

* that it's a short week thanks to the MLK holiday this past Monday.

* for a good book I've been enjoying this week.  Nothing heavy, just good fiction.

* as always, for all of YOU!

Monday Might Be the Best Part of the Weekend

This was the weekend that found me doing nothing exciting.  Again.  The good news is that it wasn't me who was sick.  The bad news is that it was the hubby's turn.  He had been playing around with it all week before finally deciding to go to Med-Express Saturday morning.

It turned out I was right (imagine that) and the man should have gone days before he did.  I wish you could have heard his hacking cough on Saturday...well, maybe not.  It was pretty gross.  The doctor said it was, hands down, the worst cough he'd ever heard.

Anyway, my hubby has acute bronchitis and was probably on his way to pneumonia (no fluid in his lungs, but x-rays showed the lower lobes of both lungs as "shadowed.").  They prescribed a really strong antibiotic, cough medicine with codeine so he could sleep, pills for his cough for when he shouldn't sleep (like this week at work...and yes, he went), and an inhaler.  He still isn't feeling the best, but his cough is much, much, MUCH better.

As for me, I got to do fun things like go to Walmart to have his prescriptions filled.  The flu is hitting this area very hard right now so the whole pharmacy section is absolutely insane.  I dropped the scripts off and did a little shopping to kill time waiting for them.

I bought some grocery items we needed, a new dish pan that we definitely needed because the cheap Sterlite ones keep cracking around the rim (does Rubbermaid still make them?), a couple of long-sleeved tees, a couple of magazines and a book, and I found this on clearance sale for Colton.

I got to give it to him right away because his mommy called while I was at Walmart, so after taking Hubby his meds and getting some of them in him I went and babysat all afternoon so Mommy and Daddy could get a few hours of sleep.  It was a tough job.

He's got the cutest smiles when he's sleeping.

Belly's full, diaper's dry and Mommy's holding me...CONTENTMENT.

I don't like this game, Mommy.

No photos, please?

So, that was pretty much it for fun stuff in my weekend.  I spent the rest of the time catching up on laundry, doing some household chores, reading, playing on the computer, and taking care of the Hubs.

On the bright side, there's no school today because of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday so I have today off, too, and I get to meet up with some friends for lunch.  Yay!

Happy Monday!  Here's hoping we all have a blessed week.

With Warm Thanks

It's Thursday again so that means it's time to make a list of all the things I'm thankful for this week....well, maybe not ALL, that would take a really, really, really long time.

If you'd like to join in or check out some of the other lists, pop over and visit Rebecca Jo @ Knit By God's Hand.  She's our hostess with the mostest (and maybe a wee bit of a Beauty and the Beast fixation).

This week I am thankful...

* for 65 degree temperatures in January!  It's not going to last long, but woohoo! while it does.

* for God's faithfulness and protection this week.  Two mornings in a row the buses have been out on the roads in horrible conditions.  Tuesday it was a snow storm that hit just as we were heading out and yesterday it was black ice that caught everyone by surprise because it was so warm out, but the road surface was still cold enough to freeze after the weekend's bitter temps.

* for the very patient and understanding parents on my bus run who don't get mad at me when the weather causes problems.  They are, however, beginning to get a little miffed with the school director who is the one who makes the call about delays and cancellations.  They think she takes too many chances with the kids safety just so we don't have to have a snow day.

* for electric service that rarely goes out.  Along with these warm temps we've had some torrential rains and a lot of strong wind.  Our power hasn't so much as flickered.

* for the new cable service on our TV.  They made me an offer I couldn't pass up so we are reconnected and totally amazed by the difference in picture quality.  Comcast's picture is waaaay clearer and brighter than Direct TV's.  We are also having some fun with the new remote.  It's voice controlled....You just tell it what you want.  So cool!

* that the doctors don't seem to think my stepdad's detached retina is all that big of a deal.  He and Mom are on their way to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh for his surgery to have it fixed.  It's outpatient surgery and he could come home tonight, but they got a hotel room in the city for tonight as he has a follow up appointment tomorrow morning at 8:00.  Medical science has really come a long way, huh?

* that I seem to have lost my taste for even diet Coke while I was sick.  I sip at it now and then, but it just isn't appealing to me.  I hope it lasts.  Much easier to eliminate it that way.

* that while my husband has caught "the bug" he didn't get the version of it I had.  He has the one with all the congestion and coughing.  Not fun, either, but still better than the intestinal one.

* that my precious grandson seems to have made his mommy grow up a good bit and stop being so focused on herself....something I think might help her in her struggles with depression.

* for all of you!

A Frozen Weekend and Bullet Journaling

Good morning from the frozen North....unless you happen to be located north of me!  As far as this girl's concerned I may as well live in an igloo inside the Arctic Circle, because as the song says, "Baby, it's COLD outside!"

It's been frigid since Friday so it was a mostly stay inside kind of weekend for me.  I did venture out to the store for a bit on Saturday for some things we needed.  It felt so good to be out and doing something after being sick all last week that I really enjoyed grocery shopping.  Really.

Speaking of enjoyable things, I got to have my favorite pizza Friday night and my stomach was good with it.  I totally pigged out, but after nothing but broth and some mashed potatoes all week, that first bite was absolutely divine...like heaven came down and landed on my tongue!  In fact, I think I might have heard angels singing.

I got to see my grandson on Saturday when I stopped by my daughter's apartment for a visit.  It gave her and Cody a chance to take down the Christmas tree and other decorations while I held the baby.  Yesterday they stopped by for a bit in the evening so I got baby time in again.  Yay!

The other thing I spent some time on this weekend was finishing up my 2017 bullet journal.  I've shared previous ones here on the blog, but I thought I'd share this one, too.  Bullet journals kind of evolve as you figure out what your needs are and what works for you.  I'm very pleased with this one.

I start with a basic black Moleskine notebook with graph pages.  There are prettier colors, but Barnes & Noble didn't have them and I didn't want to have to order one and wait on it.  I like that it has an elastic band to keep it closed. There is also a pocket on the inside of the back cover to store papers, stamps, etc.

The first page is a simple index of what's in the journal...added to each week.

The next two pages are the legend of symbols I use and a page of goals for the year.

Then comes a savings plan and a record of books to read.

Next is a 2-page spread of special days and events...

followed by a 2-page weight loss spread.

Next comes a page for tracking daily Bible study and a page of daily/weekly/monthly/yearly cleaning chores.

Then we finally get into the meat of the bullet journal.  Each month will begin with a 2-page overview.  The first page is a simple list, numbered according to the number of days in the month.  Here I list important events, appointments, or other things I don't want to forget or may need to quickly reference later on.

The second page has space for monthly goals/tasks and for a review.

Lastly is the 2-page spread I allot for each week.  There is plenty of room for several different things besides the days....weather forecast, meal planning, habit tracking, notes.

I won't lie.  It takes a bit of work to set it all up, but I've found this system works better for me than any other planner I've ever tried.  I think that's because other than the basic "bullet" concept it is totally my creation.  I can play around with it, tweak it, or completely change it from week to week and make it exactly what I need it to be.

If you've never tried bullet journaling and are curious, my advice is to head on over to Pinterest do a search for bullet journals.  You will be overwhelmed by the shear volume of posts, but don't let it scare you away.  Browse through them and save a few that you think might work for you and start there.  You can always change it down the road.

The Simple Woman's Day Book, Jan. 2017

January is upon us, how can the holidays have gone by so quickly?  My year is not off to the best of starts...I have been home since Monday morning with an intestinal virus.  I do believe that maybe it is finally reaching the end of its stay and that I will be heading back to work tomorrow.  I certainly hope so, at any rate, because I am quite bored of snoozing and watching television.  That's why today I thought I'd give blogging a try and get an entry done for The Simple Woman's Daybook.

January Edition

For today:

Looking out my window...the sun is shining (a rarity in this part of Pennsylvania in January), but the wind is howling, ushering in colder weather and later this week, snow.

I am thinking...how very tired I am of being home with this bug...and also a little bit about how hungry I am.  Surely that means I am recovering!

I am thankful...for our new grandson who entered the world December 13 in the middle of a snow storm.  He was nearly two weeks early, but what a joy it was to have him with us when the family gathered together on Christmas Eve day.

One of my favorite things...the way our sweet old hound dog knows when I need some extra love and does just that in his way..."smiling" up at me with his big brown eyes, wagging his tail, snuggling up beside me, resting his chin on me, and just being there to love back.

I am creating...my 2017 bullet journal.  I'd hoped to have it done by now, but life happens and the best of plans get off track.  I love my bullet journals. Having that daily check list helps me keep my focus.  I may still not get everything done (hey, life happens, remember?) but I don't get as easily distracted and it helps me stay organized.

I am wearing...high fashion, let me tell you.  Being that I am sick and no one other than the dogs and my husband have seen me for three days I am rocking the red plaid flannel-lined leggings, a long-sleeve red shirt, and fuzzy gray socks along with my ratty old slippers.

I am reading...The Seventh Plague by James Rollins.  He is one of my favorite fiction writers.  His stories center on an elite and secret government team of former Special Forces troops turned to scientists.  While the stories are fast paced and a little far fetched, the core idea comes from science so they make you think.  In this one the team is investigating strange events that lead to the question, "Can the plagues of Egypt happen again?"

I am hoping...that things work out with the possibility of a new job for my husband.  His current job seems to be putting us more and more in the hole (long story) and a change to a company closer to home, or that provides a company vehicle or pays more would make a huge difference in our financial situation.

I am learning...to trust God.  I am doing a Bible study by Beth Moore that is teaches me how to have more faith.  It has 5 major points:

1. God is who He says He is.
2. God can do what He says He can.
3. I am who God says I am.
4. I can do all things through Christ.
5. God's Word is living and active in me.

In my kitchen...there isn't much happening...the whole flu thing.  Once I am back on my feet I am really going to tackle some slow cooker recipes.  I have a ton of them pinned and I also pinned a plan to make the meals ahead of time and freeze then all you have to do is toss them in the slow cooker.  If we are going to eat healthy, homemade meals more often than not this is a must do for me.  Otherwise, I am too tired at the end of the day to do more than throw the quickest of things together or call for take-out.

Board room...I made this amazing twice-baked potato casserole as a side dish for Christmas and it met with rave reviews.  It comes from the casserole board of Taste of Home.

Post Script...Here's a link to an article on the Breast Cancer Site that might be helpful to just about everyone.  12 Signs You Need More Magnesium In Your Diet.  I was surprised at some of the things magnesium does for your body...and how many symptoms I have of needing more!

Shared Quote...

A moment from my day...there's that beautiful outfit I mentioned earlier!

My prayer and hope for all of us is this,

that 2017 is a much kinder year

and that we, too, are kinder and gentler

than this past year proved us to be.

One Word 2017

I no longer participate in the official One Word project, but I still choose a word each year to help me focus and keep on track.  This year, as usual, I've tried out several words.  Some were just completely wrong.  Some seemed to fit in most ways, but just didn't "click" with me.

The One word for my year came to me driving to work yesterday.  It is PRESENT.  Present is a word with many meanings.  Among other things, present refers to: a gift (a birthday present), the act of giving or introducing something or someone to another (He was presented to the queen.), and being in the present time or now.  There are plenty of other meanings or variations, but those are the three I'm going to be concentrating on.

For 2017 I plan to be purposely present in the moment.  I tend to be a dreamer so this is a hard one for me.  I have gotten very bad at living in the moment and enjoying life as it happens.

For 2017 I plan to focus on the fact that God is present in my life and in fact, in all things.  I want to be always aware of His presence in my present.

For 2017 I plan to appreciate all the presents God blesses me with...and ask Him for ALL the presents He has for me.

For 2017 I plan to look for opportunities to share the greatest present I have been given...the truth of the gospel.  I want to present the present to as many as I can!

For 2017 I plan to present myself differently.  I tend to be introverted.  There's nothing wrong with that, but born out of an incident back in November I've come to realize the feelings of being invisible that I sometimes deal with are born out of how I act.  There are things that need to change.

I am sure there are many more ways that present can influence my life that I haven't thought of yet.  I'm looking forward to the present year and each present it brings.

Buckle Up and Hold On

I had planned to post my "One" word for the year and what it meant to me, but I'm finding myself with a need to unload a bit...and it's only the second day of the year.  I'm hanging on to my faith that it's going uphill from here.  2017 is going to be a good, do you hear me, GOOD year.

Anyway....

My husband and I went back to work today.  The school district I drive for was the only local one that went back today.  I wasn't thrilled, but hey, I'd have gotten over it.  Then as the morning run went on the worse I felt.  By the time I got home my guts were rumbling and threatening to attack from both ends.  My joints started aching and I had the chills.  By the time I had to head back this afternoon I knew I couldn't do it and called off.  My boss scheduled me off for tomorrow morning, too, because this has been going around and she thinks I will need at least that long.

Hubby called while I was dying on the sofa this morning and told me that another company is interested in interviewing him and his boss is interviewing with them, too.  The company is based locally and provides a company vehicle. We've been discussing the need for him to find something closer because of the wear and tear on his truck, the cost of fuel, and the fact that the company he's with now, while good about never laying off, pays on the really low end of the scale.  We are really praying about it....and I have to admit, I hope it works out.

And for the cherry on top of the day, my husband called again a little while ago. His truck won't start.  I want to cry.  After all we poured into last year!  He doesn't seem to think it's the same thing so I am hopeful it is a cheap, easy fix.

So, that's my brain dump.  It's just been a day of ups and downs.  Kind of like a roller coaster.

What was it Annie said?  The sun'll come out tomorrow.

Saying Goodbye to 2016

Today the thieves celebrate New Year's and wrap up 10 years (!) of thievery!  

Cheers to all of us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: Bud's Last Stand of 2016

1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?

Not a lot, it wasn't the best of years.  I turned 52...hadn't done that before. Watched my daughter get proposed to...also new.  Um....can't think of anything else.  Like I said, it wasn't a great year.

2. Best thing that happened to you was...

It's a toss up between our daughter moving out or the birth of our second grandson.  Normally the grandson should win, but the relationship with our daughter had become one of such discord and stress that the relief was HUGE.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Kind of answered that already, but yes, our daughter gave birth to her first child on Dec. 13 in the middle of a snow storm.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not this year, thank you, Lord.  There have been far too many holiday deaths in the family over the years.

5. What countries did you visit?

This one, but since I live here I guess it really can't be called visiting.

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?

A comfortable financial situation.  I don't care if it comes in the form of more money or less bills.  Either would work just fine.

7. What dates from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

November 9, because I woke up to find that Trump had won the election.  I was not a "fan" of either candidate.  I thought both were absolutely horrible and it is telling that they were the best we could come up with.  

December 13, because of the above mentioned grandson's birth.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Surviving it and also keeping my mouth shut and "playing nice" through the entire election season when pretty much no one else was even attempting to be kind, polite, or anything that didn't make you want to punch their stupid face in.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Any and all attempts at dieting.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing worth mentioning.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Fleece-lined leggings.  Those things are awesome!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

The police officers who kept getting up, putting on their uniforms, and going to work to keep us safe every day.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Pretty much the entire population of the country.  We really showed our ugly underbelly this year...and I'm not just talking about the election.  Just so much hate and violence everywhere you turned.

14. Where did most of your money go?

My husband's pickup truck.  Just don't ask any more about it.  Really.  It's a sore, sore, sore point.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

That grandson I mentioned and my daughter moving out.

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?

Can't think of one.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

A.  About the same.  B.  About the same.  C.  Poorer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Pretty much anything.  It was not an exciting year...lack of funds.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Facebook.  Biggest time-sucking black hole in the universe.

20. How will you spend New Year's Eve?

We went to our friends' home.  Nothing exciting...talked, ate really bad for us food, played cards.

21. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Again...nothing.  I really didn't pay a lot of attention to music this year.

22. What was your favorite new TV program?

New?  I guess maybe "The Great Indoors."  I don't watch much television and we recently got rid of cable and/or satellite service and only have Netflix and Hulu.

23. What was the rudest thing someone did to you in 2016?

I invited two friends to go on a one day bus trip.  One of them completely monopolized the other and I was pretty much shut out all day.

24. What was the best book you read?

One of the Janet Evanovich ones.  I read Turbo Twenty-three in the Stephanie Plum series, but also the latest in her two other series.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Home Free

26. What did you want and get?

A Total Gym.

27. What did you want and not get?

The biggest, most powerful Ninja blender.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

We only saw two in the theater...Independence Day: Resurrection and Suicide Squad.  Of those, I really liked Suicide Squad.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I hit the big 5-2 this year.  I didn't do anything to celebrate.

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Hillary lost the election.  Sorry, I know most of you are fans.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

Comfort.

32. What kept you sane?

My faith.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Can't say that there was one.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Uh....the presidential election. D'uh.

35. Who did you miss?

As always, my grandmother.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I didn't exactly just meet him, but I got to know a guy at work a lot better.  He's a retired state trooper and he's full of interesting stories and man, is he funny.


Here's a bonus I promised a couple of the Saturday 9'ers...a few pictures of my Santa collection.

That's all for today.

A New Year's Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Tammy (1957)
In celebration of Debbie Reynolds

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1. In this song,Tammy sings of being able to hear "the breeze from the bayou." What sounds can you hear as you answer these questions? 

Last Man Standing, Tim Allen's latest comedy.  We've been binge watching while we've been on vacation. I also hear the furnace running and my hound dog snoring on the sofa.

2. This week's song was the theme of a popular movie about a girl who grew up on a houseboat in Mississippi. Looking back on 2016, did you spend much time on or around water?

I didn't spend any time on or around water.  We didn't go anywhere this year and we took the pool out so I didn't even have that.

3. In addition to being an Oscar-nominated actress, this week's artist, Debbie Reynolds, was a big movie fan. She amassed an amazing cache of movie memorabilia. Do you collect anything?

Books, cookbooks, Santa figurines, and figural ceramic flower pots.

4. Though she never won a competitive Oscar for acting, Debbie Reynolds was awarded the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award earlier this year for 60 years of charity work. While she supported many causes throughout her life, one she was closest to was The Girl Scouts. She was not only a Scout herself, she was a leader when daughter Carrie was young and a fundraiser throughout her life. Were you ever in Boy or Girl Scouts?

Nope.  I guess it works for some, but I've never been a fan.

6. The New Year's Eve fireworks celebrations in both Disney World in Florida and Sydney, Australia coordinate pyrotechnics and music. Are you expecting either fireworks or live music on your New Year's Eve celebration?

No.  We're going to be with friends at their home.  We'll probably play cards or a game until midnight then yell "Happy New Year!" call our kids and wish them the same, eat something and then come home.

7. According to the National Insurance Bureau, more cars are stolen on New Year's Eve than any other single day. Are you confident your vehicle(s) will be  safe and sound this Saturday night?

Pretty confident.  Our friends live way out in the boonies.

8. Do you have any New Year's Resolutions for 2017? 

Nothing specific, but I have to get serious about my health and weight.

9. Looking back on 2016, what surprised you?

I honestly can't think of anything that "surprised" me.  With the exception of our daughter getting engaged, moving out, and having a baby, 2016 was a pretty sucky year....and I say that even though my candidate won.

Here is hoping 2017 is much kinder to all of us....and that we are all much kinder to each other.

Join in the fun with Sam & the gang here.

Friday Fragments

STOP!!!  I can't believe this is Friday.  There are only two days of my Christmas vacation left.  Why does it take so long to get here and then it flies by....even when you spend most of your time sitting around in your pj's?  I have never wanted to go back to work less than I do right now.  Sigh.  It's going to be a long winter.

The house smells awesome today.  I'm using up the last of the Christmas ham and have big pot of ham and bean soup simmering away.  We'll take it up to my mom's for supper.  She and my stepdad like it as much as we do.  The kids....yeah, I failed with them.

I'm working on my 2017 bullet journal today.  I got a bigger notebook and am trying to be a bit more creative and ambitious than I have been.  I'll post pictures once I have it figured out.

It's cold and snowy here.  Boo!  I love snow.  At Christmas.  Otherwise...there is no need for it.  On the bright side, we are holed up and keeping cozy with a fire in the pellet stove and snuggly pups curled up.  

I started reading one of my new Christmas books, James Rollins' The Seventh Plague.  The premise of it is that the biblical plagues were not only real, but can happen again.  Rollins uses real science and then builds incredible stories around them.  In the past he has written about drones, artificial intelligence and human extinction among other things.  Because there is science at the root of his writing it does get you thinking.

I hate to say it, but I've been thinking and I think the Christmas decorations are coming down tomorrow.  I usually take care of that on New Year's Day, but I don't want to spend the last day of my vacation packing up decorations...and if I don't do it before I go back, heaven only knows when it will happen.

My hubby had a good check-up at the doctor's yesterday.  Everything looked good, but he still needs to get the sonogram on his kidneys because the urine test did show some funky cells due to inflammation somewhere in his system. It was all good otherwise.  His cholesterol is down a bit, his BP was excellent, and he even lost a few pounds.

Well, I am off to continue puttering with many things...the book, the bullet journal, the soup....  What can I say?  I'm on vacation.  At least I'm dressed!

Have a great weekend!  I'll see you back

here for the Saturday 9.

Year-end Thankfulness

Good morning and welcome to the last Thankful Thursday of 2016.  Everyone has been grumbling about what an awful year this has been and I'll agree it's had its trials, but taking a look back at Thankful Thursday posts proves there was also a lot that was good.  It's like all those articles and books you see on positive thinking, gratitude, and the like say....When you focus on the negative, you condition your mind to only see the bad, but when you purposely focus on the positive you train your mind to seek the good.  Your outlook is really up to you.

This week I am thankful...

* for this little guy....

for having him living nearby and a part of our lives so often and being able to babysit when we're needed.

*  for the relaxing week my husband and I have been having while he's on vacation.  We haven't done anything huge or exciting, but it's a quiet time we've needed.

*  that expensive as it was, we have the insurance and the funds to cover the cost of hubby's visit to the dentist.  The poor guy has terrible, soft teeth and has needed MAJOR work done for years.  He finally went and in three weeks he will go back to have all of his upper teeth pulled and some of the lower teeth and AT THE SAME TIME (!) receive a full upper plate and a partial lower one.  Sheesh! They told him he will not be able to eat solid food for a couple of weeks, but I am so glad he's getting it done.  I sort of suspect that his teeth have been part of his problem with his health in other areas.

*  that our daughter finally has dental insurance and is going to see our dentist today.  Poor girl has her father's teeth and pregnancy was not good for them. She has battled a toothache the whole way through.

*  for a new pair of Keen hiking shoes.  I was looking for Merrell's but these were on sale and they have amazing arch support that will, hopefully, ease the foot pain I struggle with.  I'm hoping they might even enable me to do some walking.

*  for abundance.  I went from not having a printer at all to getting TWO for Christmas!

*  that my husband's work has mostly left him alone this week and he hasn't been tempted to go check on things.

*  that my husband hasn't been sad in this week in which we remembered the anniversaries of both his mother's and his brother's deaths.

*  that my good friend's husband came home from the hospital yesterday.  He went in for a heart cath before Christmas and ended up having emergency open heart surgery.  The doctor couldn't believe he was alive, saying there was no viable reason for him to be walking around.  (My friends are also people of great faith and a pastor and teacher....they know why he is still walking around.)  There have been a few rough patches and even one touch and go moment, but he came home yesterday.  It will be a long, hard recovery, but it is better than the alternative!

*  for new books!  I got the new Mary Higgins Clark and the new James Rollins for Christmas.

*  for a wonderful day with our family on Christmas Eve.

*  for all of you!

Please visit Rebecca Jo at Knit by God's Hand to join in Thankful Thursday.

Christmas 2016

Good morning!  Are you all starting to wake up from your Christmas ham/turkey/cookie/whatever-your-family-eats induced coma?  We are, but not too much else is happening yet.  The hubby and I have just been chilling and relaxing so far....something we really needed.

Our family got together on Christmas Eve Day for our Christmas.  Mom and I cooked the dinner and we all went to our daughter's home since she is a brand new mom and all.  We thought it would be easier for her and the baby.  It was a great day....as you can see.

Our daughter and her fiancee lucked into an amazing apartment for their first home and to everyone's amazement (she was a total slob at home) she has decorated it beautifully and keeps it very nice.

That's our daughter and her fiancee opening the gifts for our grandson...who slept through most of the day.

Our son and his family enjoyed their gifts and the day, too.  We are blessed that our son was with us and doing well.  He was in an accident in October that fractured his neck.  The neurosurgeon he saw said if he didn't have such strong bones he very likely would have been killed!

My mom and husband hanging out. I think Mom is watching Home Alone.  It was a first for her and my stepdad and they laughed so hard!

Our grandkids had so much fun playing with the doll we got our granddaughter. She's a veterinarian and came with dogs, cats, an x-ray machine, and everything a vet could need!

Our grandson is a MAJOR teller of stories and near the end of the day he had a captive audience in his grandfather and great-grandfather for one of his epic tales.

Of course, there was plenty of baby holding going on....with Nanny leading the pack!

Hubby and I were home alone for the start of Christmas Day....a first for us, but I think I might get used to it.  It was peaceful, though I didn't get to sleep in (thank you, dogs!).

My mom and stepdad came down (we live on the lot behind my mom's house) to exchange our gifts, which we had decided not to take to our daughter's.  That was all they had planned to do, but they ended up staying and we introduced them to another classic Christmas movie, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  It was fun to watch with someone who had never seen it...they laughed soooooo hard!  They stayed to eat some leftover lasagna and visit.

Yesterday I took off for Barnes & Noble and bought a ton of stuff....some new Moleskin bullet journals, the new James Rollins book, a new calendar, a datebook for my husband to use at work, a party game, and the bestest thing....The Big Bang Theory edition of Monopoly!

My husband puttered around here.  He sanded the top of a little writing desk I bought last month at an auction for $7 so it can be refinished.  He pulled a cabinet off the wall in the bathroom that's been in the process of being redone for over 2 months at this point.  That was about it because his stomach started bothering him.  I had to really pick at him to get him to admit it actually hurt...which was what was wrong with him last Christmas when we didn't know what was wrong with him and thought he was dying.  More "pushing" brought out the truth that he hasn't been taking his Zantac or Protonix.  Sigh.

My mom invited us to dinner.  She made prime rib and baked potatoes.  Yum! While we were up there visiting, our daughter and her fiancee showed up with the baby for a visit.  The baby was wide awake for a change and we all ate that up!  He's such a stinkin' little cutie.

Today my hubby's already off to see the dentist and I'm just puttering, but I'm heading to the shower and then it's a full day of laundry and putting things back together ahead.

I hope your Christmas was as filled with blessings as ours was.  Have a great week!