Full tummies in Afghanistan:)

Well Good Morning everyone!  I didn't have much to talk about this morning until MY SISTER called to say that SHE received a phone call from JUSTIN in Afghanistan!  He had FINALLY received his Thanksgiving packages:)  He said they ate SO much that they were all sick!  Full tummy kinda sick:)  I wish I could have seen those Marines sitting around eating all of that food that we sent!  Does an OLD lady's heart good!  The days are clicking away!  Stay safe PRECIOUS NEPHEW!  I LOVE YOU!

The only thing I have to report for my Tuesday was HEAT issues!  We thought it was the thermostat, called the repairman, got it replaced and it still didn't work!  After several trips up to the attic, it was diagnosed as the gas valve on the furnace!  $487 later, the heat is humming!  The good news is that he left the new thermostat on and didn't charge the $157 for that:)  I am thankful that we are warm!

More decorating got completed and some wrapping... a little at a time:)

Have a blessed day my friends, BIG HUGS!

Wrapping...

I wrapped lots of gifts yesterday!  In fact I wrapped 48 of these little boxes for the Christmas Eve Family Kids:)  I bought this container at TJMaxx last week and decided to fill it with these little gifts!  It took HOURS to wrap these but now it is done!  That is my plan... do a little each day:)

It was a rainy Monday and I stayed in all day!  I wrapped gifts, cooked dinner and watched Football!  It was a good day!  I pray that you all had a good Monday!

Love you Justin, stay safe... I am praying for you my precious Nephew!

It's beginning to look...

A little like Christmas:) 

I went up to the attic and brought down SOME of the decorations, put the tree in the poolhouse and got my mantel decorated! 

I decided to do a little, put the tubs away and do a little more!  This is my mantel angel!  I LOVE her:) 

The tree will possibly go up today or tomorrow and gifts will get wrapped!  Can't have a tree without gifts:)  My Nutcrackers are lining up waiting to come down the stairs:)  They are excited and so am I! 

This snowman was a gift from my Boss and Friend MANY years ago!  Still one of my favorites! 

I bought this little Nativity Scene at an Estate Sale and I love it!

The pictures are a little dark, but I was taking them with the lights out:)  This is one of my favorite Christmas fellas!  HO HO HO!

I feel a bit better about my day since I didn't do much sitting!  Hope you had a great Sunday!  BIG HUGS and much LOVE!

Stay safe Justin, I am praying, I am praying, I am praying!

Yawn!

Lazy, lazy, lazy...

Oh my goodness.... LAZY Saturday!  I sat and did pretty much nothing ALL day!  Can't say that I felt good about it either:)  I watched football game after football game after football game ALL day... yep until I went to bed!  I didn't accomplish a single thing! 

Well, that day is done and today is a new day:)  There is one place you will not find me today.... SITTING!  Too much to get done around the house!  Hope you all are having a wonderful Sunday morning!

Stay safe dear Justin!  I love you and pray for you always!

Thank you Tammy!

Can you believe that I WON this from Tammy at The Stitching Coop?  I had to pinch myself!  It is always fun to win something BUT... this is handmade, gorgeous and each block is unique!

I was just TOO excited to receive this gorgeous quilt at my front door!

The pictures don't do it justice!  Thank you Tammy for this gorgeous GIFT!  I will cherish it forever!

I am SO blessed for so many reasons!  I cherish each Day, each FRIEND, Each FAMILY MEMBER, So many blessings!

Have a blessed day my friends, BIG HUGS!

Love you Justin, stay safe!  We are ALL praying for you!

Great day, great day!

I made BJ's Pnut Butter cookies and they just disappeared:)  EASY and SOOOOO delicious!  Thanks BJ for sharing your recipe with me!  My husband loved them and I brought home two cookies... he had them for a bedtime snack!  I will make these again and again!

I also made Steph's Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls but forgot to take a picture!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner!  Loads of food, lots of great conversation, smiles and hugs!

We have our get-togethers in the Church Fellowship Hall!  It has big round tables and lots of room for our huge Family!

Sweet Family!  I am thankful for each and every one of them!

Can't escape the pictures by hanging out in the kitchen:)  Brother-in-law Jeff and Niece Regina's Husband Chris!

My Brother Marshall and ME!  If he is in the room... I am listening to him talk and enjoying his wisdom and humor:)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Now we can start thinking about Christmas!  HO HO HO:)

Big hugs and lots of LOVE!  Praying for you Justin!  I Love you!

Counting my blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Counting my Blessings!

Tracy and Family invited us over for a Thanksgiving Eve Meal!  It was yummilicious!  Thanks Tracy for the delicious dinner, wonderful time around the table in the "diamond room":) and dancing in the basement!  We will miss you all today but we are thankful for our Thanksgiving "together time" last night!  GREAT JOB on dinner!  Love you!

Love you all!  HUGS!

Stay safe Justin, I hope your Thanksgiving was special!  Praying always!

Girls night out...

Seven of us went to see Breaking Dawn last night!  All of them, except me, had read ALL of the books and watched ALL of the movies!  I only saw the first one but really enjoyed it!  Yummy popcorn:)  Lots of Giggles! Loads of Gasps! Three generations sitting in a row at the movies, priceless!

Hope you all are enjoying this day before Thanksgiving!  I have SO much to be THANKFUL for TODAY and EVERYDAY!  BIG HUGS and MANY Blessings to you and your families!

Love you Justin, hope you received your Thanksgiving box!  Stay safe!

ALL STAR!

Austin made All Stars and we spent our Saturday watching TWO awesome games!

The All Stars of Fall 2010

Austin pitched his best game ever!

Austin receiving his medal! 

Great job Austin! 

Two gorgeous fans!  Oh wait... that's the Mama and the Baby Sister:)

The Ballfield Model:)  She is always ready to "strike a pose"!

Hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday, HUGS!

Stay safe Precious Nephew!  Justin, I am praying for you always!

#64 Happy Birthday Pa!

These little children LOVE their Pa and came for a little celebrating!

Pa and his Grandson!  They are probably pinching each other:)

Some gifts with smiles!

And Tracy made some DELICIOUS Birthday desserts!

It was a wonderful day!  Have a blessed Thanksgiving week my friends!  Love you all!

Stay safe Justin, I love you and pray for you ALWAYS!

Thankful!

I am thankful!

  

 This is my sweet Daddy, he went to be with Jesus... FIVE years ago today!  I love him forever and always!  This was his 50th Masonic celebration and when he was HEALTHY!  I am thankful for all the time we had together!  I am thankful that I will see you again some day POP, I love you and Miss you EVERY day!

I am thankful for so much!

I am thankful for my precious husband who turns 64 today! Happy Birthday Marc, I love you!

Have a blessed Sunday everyone!  Love you all!

Stay safe Justin, praying for you ALWAYS!

Friday night in the ER...

Miss Avery got a BOO BOO and it needed attention!  She was playing with a measuring tape with her Sister and it got away from her!  They were just having fun measuring different things with it!  It sliced a gash in her fingertip! 

Mighty young Doctor... oh that is her Big Sister:)  Alex was saying "Shelly Bear, it will be OK"!

AND the result is, no stitches... just tape and glue!  See that Sweet Mommy in Blue, TAKES such good care of her younguns!  See that Big Sister on the right... watching it all and making sure nobody hurts her Sis!

AND Autumn and Derek were at a Ball Tournament, So... Tracy and I headed to The Big City for some extra special care!  All turned out just fine!  Avery was a BRAVE GIRL and will be heading to Target this morning for a reward:)

BIG HUGS and Happy Saturday to all of you!

Stay Safe Justin... Christmas gifts are on the way, three more boxes for you and one for your Buddy!  HUGS and PRAYERS!

Big and little, happy and sad!

The BIG Sister with her trophy...

The Little Sister with her trophy...

The Little Sister with her coaches...

The Little Sister hugging her teammates...

The Big Sister with her teammates...

The recipients of awards...

Seeing these Grandkids competing makes me happy!  Knowing that they grow up so fast makes me sad!  I enjoy all of their activities!  Alex can't wait until Spring so that she can play again!  Autumn's School ball season is over and she has ONE more travel tournament!  She will start back up in January!  Austin made All Stars and after that game on Saturday, he will be done for the Season!  We will enjoy the break and will be ready to get back to the ballfield when they start playing again!  Avery hasn't decided what she wants to do:)  Plenty of time!

Enjoy your day dear friends!

Stay safe Justin Simmons, my precious Nephew!  I love you and I am praying for your safety!

I WON... YIPPPPPEEEEE!

My Sweet and Talented friend Tammy over at The Stitching Coop held a giveaway!  She was giving away one of her gorgeous quilts... I WON!  I am so excited:)  Thank you so much for picking my name, I am gonna sit at the front door until it gets here:)

We had a wonderful lunch for Cindy's Birthday!  I forgot to take the group picture... dangit!  Oh well, I just can't remember everything:(  We had a nice group and ate some delicious food!  Cindy brought two of her Co-workers and they were a joy!

Oh yes, gift card!

Wonder what is in that bag?

Vera Bradley Hipster from Tracy and ME:)  She loved it!

I left lunch and got my mammogram... yeah me:)  Checking things off my list!

I have Justin's Christmas gifts wrapped and two more boxes ready to mail!

Stay safe precious Nephew!  Love you Justin and continue to pray for your safety!