ORGANIC FREEZING

If there is such a thing as "Organic Freezing" I think the apple

hanging outside our bedroom window qualifies. It has survived several

snow storms and I thought the heavy wind gusts last week would fell it for sure,

but it's still hanging there. It's the first thing I look for when I wake in the morning

A WONDERFUL BUSY MONTH

It's been a crazy, wonderful busy month.

Family Christmas Party and grandkids making Gingerbread Houses (a tradition for just

about 40 years). We started it when our children were small. I cheat a little using

graham crackers but the kids don't mind and there is no way I'm doing real gingerbread.

Grandkids playing with the tree

Digging out Christmas decorations I ran onto the box with my 3 childhood dolls in it.
This is the last doll I received on my 11th Christmas--the year I found out the
dreadful "truth". Sheesh--I was 11!!!!--that's just embarrassing. Ruined my
whole Christmas.


Guess who picked out his very own Teddy Bear. Turned down two others
cold--but loved this one.

We usually have enough food.

Fun gift this year for each family was picture blocks. Lots of fun to make.

6 pictures -- if you turn them just right.

Just straighten' your decorations, Grandma.

JERSEY BOYS---AND GRANDMA'S

One of our adorable grandchildren hung out with Grandpa and Grandma for a couple

of weeks during the day while Mom and Dad worked and I just happened to have

a favorite soundtrack playing in the car on the ride to and from our house. After a couple

of days I failed to have it on as soon as the car started and in about a 2 minutes I heard

little sounds from his car seat. I turned the CD player on and he was quiet immediately. I turned it off again just before we hit the freeway and again- sounds from the carseat. As soon

as I turned it back on--all was well. That was our routine for the rest of the days. He needed

his "Jersey Boys" fix as bad as his Grandma did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-d5wvsN0Lg

WHO AM I

Well this just hurts---because i think it's true.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Bette!

You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Stand up for yourself... and me.
• * Be confident, strong, and direct.
• * Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.
• * Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.
• * Give me space to be alone.
• * Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.
• * I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.
• * When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.

What I Like About Being a Bette

• * being independent and self-reliant
• * being able to take charge and meet challenges head on
• * being courageous, straightforward, and honest
• * getting all the enjoyment I can out of life
• * supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me
• * upholding just causes

What's Hard About Being a Bette

• * overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to
• * being restless and impatient with others' incompetence
• * sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it
• * never forgetting injuries or injustices
• * putting too much pressure on myself
• * getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right

Bettes as Children Often

• * are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit
• * are sometimes loners
• * seize control so they won't be controlled
• * figure out others' weaknesses
• * attack verbally or physically when provoked
• * take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings

Bettes as Parents

• * are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted
• * are sometimes overprotective
• * can be demanding, controlling, and rigid

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at

ME AN' CHRISTIE

Made my Whole Day.

Your result for The What is your REAL age Test.

You are 50 years old!!

I Wish!

http://helloquizzy.com/

NORTH IS UP

DH doesn't complain about much but the fact that my explanations of directions baffles him is an ongoing problem. I grew up in a farm house that faced direct West. Our farm was Up the road. That was self explanatory. To arrive there you would exit our driveway- go Down (west) the hill and turn right/north. Hence, Up was North and Down was West or South- depending. I don't believe in my entire 20 years before I married did I ever use the term "Turn Right" or Turn Left". More extraordinare was the fact that nobody I knew ever used "right" or "left" either. Not just my family, I mean the whole town.

This wasn't a problem in our early years because we didn't have money to go anywhere but when we started traveling one of us had to make some adjustments. He would drive and I would navigate. In my defense, I'm a very good navigator. Once I know which way is North I rarely get turned around. But the "turn up" meaning turn right, and the "turn down" meaning turn left became a problem. We decided that I must get with the program so now when giving driving directions I try really hard to remember "turn left at the second stop sign" and, well you get the picture. Occasionally when I lapse and throw in a left when I mean right he will say "Do you mean the other left".

Image by Google

O.K., SO I CRIED A LITTLE

Forty two years ago while walking down Larimer Street in Denver during the Christmas Season we happened upon a wonderful Christmas Ornament Store. We wanted to start the tradition of buying our children an ornament each year and then give the collection to them the first Christmas they were married so they would have ornaments for their tree. At that time we had two children and ended up having six. We are still giving ornaments and also give to the grandchildren. If possible the ornament commemorates something that happened to them in the past year

This is not the original but identical to the 1st one we bought our daughter that day. I found this one at a garage sale a few years ago and it reminds me each year anew of how a fun tradition started.

Our dog chewed this one.

Love my New York Ornaments
Talked my Mom out of one of the vintage ornaments off her tree. It's over 60 years old

The year we were blessed with Twin Grandchildren

Blown Glass from Venice-- never thought we would travel there.
It's always great to add a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament to the tree.

We will add 2 this year

We have delicate porcelain hand prints of Grandchildren

Favorite Sports Team Ornaments

Special Places

Favorite Movies - look'n a little washed out there Scarlett

Hand painted ones from good friends
But I think my favorites are the ones our children and grandchildren have

made and given to us when they were young.

Our Youngest Son and his Beautiful Bride bought their first Christmas Tree today

and ask if they could come up and get their ornaments.

Theirs was the last box to be given---

We love them all so much,

and Yes, I cried a little.

AUSTERITY SUCKS

O.K.- in an effort to do my part and try to scale down expenses in this dire economy I announced

that we would be 1. dropping premium cable channels. 2. use the cell phone only in an emergency in order to go from 950 minutes to 450 minutes a month. 3. drop the storage unit fee's and put the "junk" in half of the garage. Not my half, mind you, it's not my junk after all. 4. Try to group trips "off the hill" to less than 10 a day. No need to abuse the nice new price of gas.

5. And a personal best for me was - Use the Library- instead of buying books. Now in my defense, I usually only buy used books but that still does not excuse the amount of books that I must own. So the other day when I was in the library picking up a book tape for a short trip I plucked two interesting books off the "New Reads" shelf. Turns out the book below is by an author I haven't read before and I LOVE HER. I'm only about 30 pages in to it and already I know that I must own this book-- not only that, I must own the other 4 she has written-- but I will only buy used copies.

P.S. did I mention that when I do use the Library, the fines I rack up are usually enough to pay for the blooming book.

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE W------

to Great-Grandmothers house we go. Children and grandchildren and great grand-children gathered to clean, rake, mow, prune, work on sprinkler system and patch large soft spot in roof of house. Really appreciate everyone's efforts and it looked so great when we left. Almost ready for winter.

Cute Nephew mowed and mowed and mowed-well you get the picture-- it's a large piece of property.

Our Dad loved this barn

Built in 1949--this was a fun place to grow up.

My sweet and Beautiful Sister-in-Law

This is what a GIANT Band-Aid on a roof looks like


Men and food-- just seems to go together.
It was a good day.

WHAT IF?

THANK YOU

Thank you

Red Poppy by Google Images