2009's last Random Dozen!!!

Linda, at 2nd Cup of Coffee, hosts a Random Dozen every Wednesday and this is the last one for 2009! If you'd like to join in, just hop on over to her blog and do it!!!



1. Do you find it gross to share drinks with family? Friends?
With Ed, my husband or Daniel, my son, no. Anyone else? Yes.

2. What have you learned this year? (You didn’t see a question of that weight coming, did you? At least not for #2.)
I've learned how absolutely wonderful it is being a grandma! I could never understand what these grandparents were going on and on about, loving these little munchkins so much. NOW I know! There are no words to describe it. You have to experience it...at least I have had to..... to really know and understand what it is to have grandchildren.
Here's the thing: My sisters could be on their last leg but let one of the grandchildren want to come over or spend the night and they just about NEVER say no. I couldn't understand where they got this sudden infusion of energy or whatever it is. But now? Jaylon can be gone for an hour.....I'm serious......and Daniel and Erin can call and say, "Hey, would you all mind watching Jaylon while we go in town for a little while?" And, even though I may be tired or he's given me a run for my money that day, I'm just as excited to see him when they bring him over as I was that morning. *shaking my head* I don't understand it but I love it!!! :-)

3. When do you dismantle the Christmas decorations?
The inside decorations come down shortly after Christmas Day. This year, they are down already. The outside decorations stay up until New Year's Day when we burn the lights all day long, as do our neighbors who have decorations still up. It has become a sort of tradition up and down our little country road and I love it!!

4. Something you wish to accomplish before the end of 2009 is:
Reading my Bible through! And I am going to do it!!! Yayyyyy!!!

5. How do you feel about winter (after Christmas)?
Well, it can be a pretty difficult time after awhile, especially if the weather is gloomy and miserable BUT one thing that has helped me to kind of come to terms with winter weather is something my boss at the library told me a few years ago. I had asked him if he found winter difficult because he is an outside kind of guy. He told me that he looks at winter as a time of rest, repose and reflection. He expounded on it a bit more and I really thought about what he said, took it to heart and have since learned to appreciate these few months of winter more.
Still, that being said, the dreariness and starkness can get to me at times. Hey, I'm human! :-)
Oh, and having snow on the ground and sunshine once in a while helps tremendously!!! :-)

6. Have you participated in after-Christmas sales?
Would you believe for the first time in our married life (almost 23 years) that we did???? We just went to Wally World and it wasn't very crowded. We needed new garland for our front porch and we got the last four bundles of deluxe pine garland at half price!!! And we bought two storage bins! So it was really worth the trip!!

7. Do you have plans for New Year’s Eve?
No. I used to feel that we had to be doing SOMETHING, going SOMEWHERE, being with SOMEONE but as I've gotten older, I've discovered that it is just as wonderful to just be home with my husband, snuggled in bed, reading a good book and wishing eachother a Happy New Year before we go to sleep, which is almost ALWAYS before midnight! :-)

8. Is there anything special awaiting you in January?
Hmmmm.....not that I can think of. Daniel will be 23 on Jan. 3. My baby!!!! LOL That's all that I can think of!!

9. If your life this year was a movie, what category or genre would it be? (Romance, Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Suspense, Farcical, etc.)
Well, my life might very well have contained a little of each, more of some, less of others. So, that's my final answer!! :-)

10. How much time per day do you spend blogging? Please do not lie. I will know.
I'm thinking two hours, three at the most, when I am on the computer. Some days I don't even turn the computer on. Or some days, I just check email or read blogs. I just don't have the time to be on the computer, like I used to, now that we're taking care of little Jaylon. I do want to do better at posting on my blog because I think of it as my journal of sorts. That's my first resolution!!!

11. Who runs your household?
Well, Ed and I both have things that we do, so I would have to say that we both run our household. It is such a partnership and through the years, we've eased into a pattern of doing things and taking care of responsibilities that just works wonderfully for us!! :-)

12. Share one hope/dream for 2010.
Okay, off the top of my head, I'm wanting to say: "World Peace." You know, like Miss America or Miss Universe! LOL
BUT, on the serious side, I want to be anchored to the Lord as never before and grounded in His word. I want to be a light in this world of His grace and mercy for He is coming soon and I have so many loved ones and friends who need to be saved!

We have begun!

Hi everyone! Well, Christmas DAY is over but the Spirit of Christmas should last all year! Because He is the same yesterday, today and forever!!!

We started yesterday in cleaning out our big walk-in closet/pantry which used to be Daniel's closet. We are almost finished in there.

After doing that, we moved out to the big storage room which is attached to the garage. We call it the "pool room" because Ed built it specifically for Daniel AND it did have a pool table in it at one time! BUT after Daniel got married we moved the pool table out to the youth activities room at church and started using the room for additional storage.

My, but we did have some wonderful family times in that pool room. *sigh* And while I do treasure the memories so, I do miss those days and times.

Anywayyyy......during the years, which amounted to 5 or 6, in which I was unable to get around very well, things just got shoved and thrown into this storage room. We keep our recycle bins in there. When Daniel and Erin moved here beside of us, they put alot of their things in there. Ed has kind of tossed things in there helter/skelter over the years, so you can imagine the disarray.

Well, amazingly, I started in the corner just inside the door to the left and began sorting and uncluttering and sweeping as I went. In about an hour and a half, I had made ALOT of progress. Now we just have to contact our neighbor who runs a trash/refuse business and have him come by Tuesday to get all of the junk we no longer need or want. And I have to have Erin come over and tell me what to do with some of their stuff.

What an accomplishment it is to have that room finally decluttered and organized! Yayyyy!!!

The next area to be organized and decluttered is my hall closet! AND I am showing no mercy!!! :-)

Daniel, Erin, and little Jaylon came over Christmas Eve and we exchanged gifts and spent some precious time together. Here is Jaylon with one of his books that we got him and a little bead/maze toy.

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Ed and I spent a rather quiet Christmas Day together. Of course, in the morning, as usual, I talked to each of my siblings on the phone. :-) I just love them all so much! My oldest brother and his family went to Myrtle Beach for the holidays! It sounded like they were having great time and he said everyone, if they are able to, should do Christmas at Myrtle Beach or somewhere simlar at least once! I dropped a heavy hint to Ed!! :-)

I fixed a delicious breakfast casserole for us in the morning and later that day put a roast in the crockpot.

We went to see my sister Debbie later in the day where we had a wonderful. Though my siblings and I don't exchange gifts, I've always given Debbie a gift of some sort at Christmas. It is almost always something that she has told me that she needs. This year it was a duster. Actually, two dusters. You know....the kind that you wear around the house. A lightweight, usually cotton, housecoat.

Well, Ed started teasing her and telling her things like: "I can't believe you spent good money on those things just to dust the furniture with them!" or "How do you dust the furniture with those?" I egged Debbie on and told her to come up with a good comeback for him because he teases her unmercifully! To which she replied, "I just put one on, spin like a top, and go through this place like a white tornado!" That was pretttyyyy good!

Which leads me to ask, "Why do they call them dusters?" Does anyone know?

Yesterday, the day after Christmas, we did something we've never done! We went shopping! Yes, we went to Walmart in the morning, around ten-ish.

I think what prompted us to do this was the fact that my girlfriend Tina stopped by early that morning to give me a Christmas gift as she was on her way into Walmart to it the sales! Soooo, Ed and I thought we would venture out, too!

It wasn't nearly as crowded as we thought it would be and we got the last 4 bundles of deluxe pine garland for half price!!! Yayyyyy!! AND we got two storage bins and a couple of other unnecessary useful items. :-)
We came home and I made two cheeseballs for my girlfriend Pat and her husband. They came down a while later and I did her hair.

After that, we just relaxed until starting on the closet and storage room.

Then we freshened up a little and took off to see the Christmas lights in the area.

All in all, it has been a very relaxing and enjoyable holiday weekend!

And tomorrow, Jaylon will be here bright and early!

Here is another picture of him enjoying his birthday cake!! :-) (The boy loves sweets!)

Jaylon's first birthday!

Bring on the cake! :-)



And so we did! :-)

Good Monday Morning, World!

We have snow! For Christmas! Yayyyy! And we don't have too much.....like so many on the east coast...yet, we have enough to make it feel and look so Christmasy! Above is a picture of our home that I took on Sunday morning, yesterday, as we were going to church!

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It has been a busy weekend and past few days! Wow. Friday evening, we went shopping for our weekly groceries and then came home and waited for the snow! Oh, how I was hoping we would get some, because we were right on the line on "getting or not getting" very much snow.

Happily, we awoke Saturday morning to a covering and it continued to snow throughout the morning. Our Sunday School Christmas Program practice was canceled but our family Christmas gathering later in the day was not, thankfully.

We all gathered at the church in the afternoon and enjoyed a delicious variety of food and a great time of just being together! Only one nephew and his family was unable to be there! And my three nephews, who are truckdrivers, all made it home safely before the snow hit! One of my nephews said he had alot of fellow-drivers who were stuck in the mountains in New York and other points east.

Erin's mother and two friends took The Funbus (a local tour company) on an overnighter to do some Christmas shopping and I still don't know if they've made it home or not. Hopefully, they have!

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Gotta go...the boy is after the kitty!!! He's on the move!!! LOL Be back later hoperfully!

Monday randomness!

Don't you just love the fact that they (whoever "they" is/are *grin*) have made HTML and tweaking your blog soooo much easier??? I am!!!! I had mosied on over to Barbara's blog and saw that she had snow falling! Yes, snow! Wellllll, I wanted some. (said in a whiney little-kid voice.) LOL Soooooo, I googled "how do I put snow on my blog" and, alas and alack! there it was! AND it is so simple! AND now I have snow falling on my blog!!! Yayyyyy!! You can find other neat things at Jill's blog!

(Yessss.....I knowww......it doesn't take much to entertain me!)
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AND if you'd like to see some Redneck Christmas lights, head on over to Sir's blog HERE! :-)

Barbara has some Christmas funnies that I really enjoyed! Thank you, Barbara! AND Ivman has a great post on Christmas decorations HERE!
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Here is a picture of Ellie the cat of the house sitting in the window watching me as I took pictures of our front porch the other night! :-)

Here it is...Sunday already! Yesterday...Saturaday....was truly a day off for me! It has been such a busy week! AND my internet access has been sketchy because our phone line needed repaired outside but Ed got it fixed yesterday morning! In the frigidly cold morning air!!! :-)

Sooo, that is one reason why I have not posted or commented on blogs the last few days!

BUT on the positive side, I sat at my computer last night...Friday night..... and got all of my pictures organized into folders!!! *whew* That WAS an accomplishment!!! AND an enjoyable one, I might add!
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Soooo....to recap my week:

Tuesday evening, my sister Debbie and I went to our church's ladies' Christmas party. I took a delicious Peanut Butter Apple Trifle that I DIDN'T get a picture of!! I wish I could be more like Barbara or Mrs. NurseBoy who always post pictures of everything! (Do you two have your cameras surgically attached to your hands or sumthin'? *smile*)

I had wanted to fix a Christmasy looking trifle but couldn't find the recipe I had wanted to use and couldn't come up with anything off the top of my head BUT wouldn't you know....I found the recipe for the Christmas trifle AFTER I had finished the Peanut Butter Apple one! *sigh*

I also took Potato Soup which was delicious on such a rainy, cold evening. I really just wanted to stay home...inside and warm....but I'm so glad that we went. We had a great time with the ladies.

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Thursday evening, Erin and I joined in with my sisters, nieces, great-nieces, and a few random great-nephews thrown into the mix....*grin*.....for a cookie exchange! We had a ball!!! And did we ever have the cookies!! I brought Ed home a plethora of cookies! (To THAT he would say, "You brought me a bunch of different kinds, too! LOL) You should have seen how his face lit up!!! :-) He loooooves cookies!!

Our sister-in-law Sandy brought a big cooker of homemade vegetable soup and I made sloppyjoes and we had sherbet punch....my fave!!! :-) We had a blessed time but, alas, no pictures! AND I DID have my camera with me! But I was too busy to be taking pictures! You know.....hogging down munching on cookies, slurping up eating vegetable soup, guzzling sipping punch! :-)
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Both nights I was soooooo worn out, aching, back hurting...so much so that I just had to force myself to go but both times I was so glad that I did. I just love being around people and I love this most wonderful time of the year!

This week our Christmas banquet at church is Tuesday evening at Lee's Banquet Haus. And our annual Peters' Family Get-together is Saturday at 3pm at the church in the fellowship hall. I am roasting a turkey and making rolls for our get-together. AND I'm in charge of our annual game of family/Christmas bingo which everyone loves!! :-)
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I finally got to watch the movie "Julie and Julia" last night. We don't watch alot of movies but when we do we have been getting them from the Red Box dispenser at Walmart. Kroger's also has one. It is so nice to be able to pay $1 for a movie for one day. We quit renting them when the video stores started charging for five days. I mean, who wants to watch a movie for five days? Hello. Also, our local library has a great selection of old and new movies and we like to get movies there, too, though they are sometimes hard to get.
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Little Jaylon is growing by leaps and bounds!!! He is just about ready to walk! :-) He will be a year old the 22nd of this month! He calls most everything "Gog" which we thinks means "Dog". Ellie, the cat, will take off through the house and Jaylon will start saying "Gog....Gog...." I told him that Ellie would be so mortified if she knew that she was being called a "Dog". :-)

Here is a picture of the boy with which I will end this post before it gets too terribly long! :-) For some reason, he loves playing with his grandpa's belt! :-)



But WAIT! There's more! (Where have I heard THAT before? LOL) Here's a picture of our front porch decorated for Christmas!

Random Dozen!!

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts a weekly Random Dozen meme at her blog! If you'd like to join us in the fun, just hop on over to her blog and go to it!!! :-)

1. Which physical trait do you now accept--maybe not love, but accept--and no longer feel extremely self-conscious about?

Would you believe my hands? Yep. You see, I have fairly big hands. Also, the veins in my hands are huge and "bulgey", a phlebotomist's paradise!!! :-) My nails have not always been very nice either, though now that I take supplements and vitamins for bone and joint health, they are really nice! :-)

But I have learned to love my hands, to appreciate them, for they give out so much love and care to those around me and they help me to care for me. :-) They enable me to play the piano and express myself musically and to be a blessing to others musically.

2. This week Meredith Baxter Birney, best known as the mom on the favorite 80s sitcom "Family Ties" came out of the closet, which led me to formulate this question: Who do you think is/was the best TV mom?

Hmmmm.....I've really had to think about this one and I would have to say Claire Huxtable *sp*. She was/is just so classy AND a good mom!

3. Do you speak any foreign languages? Are there any you'd like to learn?

No, I do not speak any foreign languages, though sometimes my DH husband gives me this puzzled look after I've said something, making me wonder if I did just say something "foreign" sounding. (I think it's a man/woman thing. *grin*) BUT I would love to be able to speak Spanish and French. At this stage of life, though, I have to be honest and say that I just don't believe that I have the dedication that it would take to learn another language. *sigh*

4. Who is your personal hero?

My sister, Debbie. She has been through so much; has lost everything and built her life all over again from nothing; raised three wonderful children almost single-handedly. She is now the best "Nanny" her grandchildren could ask for and "Aunt Debbie" that her nieces and nephews could want! She is simply amazing and she is my hero!

5. What is one holiday food that you find extremely difficult to resist over- indulging in?

Would you believe any kind of meat? Be it ham or turkey or meatballs or the meat on a deli tray. Jody made the most scrumptious meatballs for our ladies' Christmas party at church last night! They were to die for! And our pastor's wife made a dip/spread that was mostly chicken. You put it on crackers. Oh my! I am such a carnivore!!!

6. Tell me about a Christmas decoration that has special meaning or sentimental value.

I don't know that I have just one because, you see, through the years, as Daniel was growing up, we collected ornaments that he made or received at school, from relatives, in our homeschool group and those are very special to me.

7. How do you feel about snow?

I love snow! If we are going to have winter and it is going to be cold and overcast, then let there at least be snow on the ground to make everything look beautiful, pristine and wintery!!!

8. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Not that I'm jealous of any number over three or anything.

In all honesty, I usually get about 7 hours of sleep each night. I just have to and I've learned this the hard way.

Oh, when I was younger....as in my 20's and early 30's....sleep was not important to me and I went around soooo sleep-deprived most of the time.

THEN, after I got married and little Daniel came along, I REALLY learned what it meant to be sleep-deprived! I worked full-time, was very involved at church and had my home, husband and little baby to care for. When I just couldn't push myself anymore, I would sign up for a day's vacation, not tell anyone, get Ed off to work, take Daniel to his Aunt Sandy's (his care-giver) and I would go back home and sleep all day.

9. Tell me about your first crush.

Oh my, do you really want to know?

Okay.....I was in the 7th grade. I lived in the country and our school was in a small village called Union Furnace. There were 21 kids in my class. 10 girls/11boys. Nothing too exciting here.

UNTIL this year. *sigh*

All 21 of us had gone to school together for these 7 years. Oh, maybe an occasional new kid here and there. But, more often than not, it was the same classmates, year after year.

UNTIL this year.

In he walked...and rather noisily, I might add. He had on these shoes with heels. You know, like the Beatles wore. Wow. AND he wore "slacks", not jeans. Wow. And nice shirts. *sigh* He combed his hair straight back and it was a little wavy, not parted on the side or a flat-top or a burr haircut like the rest of the boys in our class. Wow.

He was so cool. He was from the city. His family had moved that summer to SE Ohio. Appalachia. Wow.

AND he was assigned the seat RIGHT BEHIND me! Wow.

I was so totally smitten. I was a goner. Over. Done with.

AND he was so polite. Polite? Wow. He held the door for girls. Let them go first. Was rather soft-spoken. *sighhh*

I'll save you alot of gorey details and just tell you that I did want to be his girlfriend and that didn't work out, BUT we did become really great friends and in my estimation, that was even better. AND I survived that first tumultuous crush without any lasting emotional scars. Thank you, Lord!

10. You're stuck in a room for 2 hours with only a chalkboard and chalk. What will you write/draw?

Hmmmm....... in all honesty? I'd get bored PRETTY quickly and probably just try to relax and catch up on some rest (see # 8 above). :-)

11. Do you dress for the current temp or for the day's forecast?

For the day's forecast! :-)

12. Favorite Christmas movie is?

I have to pick just one??

I would have to say the newer version of "Miracle on 34th Street" with "Elf" running a close 2nd. Then it would have to be the newer version of "Little Women" with Susan Sarandon in it, coming in 3rd. (Yesss....Little Women has a Christmas scene in it!! )

More randomness

Sooooo.....last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, my friend Pam and I went out for lunch at Jack's Steakhouse where every Friday they have a lunch special for $4.95 which consists of a killer fishtail sandwich (it's huge!), steakfries, cole slaw and dessert. Yes, you read that correctly! You get all of that for the amazing price of $4.95! I love it!!
Afterwards, we went to see The Blindside. Well, the theater was a bit drafty so I put my coat down around my legs, kept my gloves on and as the movie started, I dozed off. I must have slept through a little more than half of it. I mean, I had just eaten a nice lunch, I was all cozy and warm and it was bound to happen! Plus, I had had a fairly busy morning, so I was ready for a nap, though the theater might not be the best place to take one though it worked well for me!!! :-)
Anywayyyyy.....the part that I did see was really good!
Soooo.....yesterday, I asked Ed, my DH, if he wanted to go see it as I had missed the first half of it and he did! AND I want you to know that I stayed awake for the entire movie!!!! Yay!!! :-) AND it is indeed a wonderful movie! But you have to be sure and stay for the credits because they show alot of pictures and so on at the very end as people are leaving. We don't go to the movies very often but we had heard that this one was really good and we usually go to the movies at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years as it has become a sort of tradition for us like the Christmas Parade.
Afterwards, we stopped at Speedway and got a hotdog BECAUSE they have the BEST hotdogs and I had a craving for one!!!! AND what IS it about the way they cook them on those roller cooking thingies that makes them sooooooo scrumptious?!?!?!
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AND one last thing! Ed has asked me what I want for Christmas and really? I don't need a thing and can't think of anything that I really want, sooo I told him that I would like to give a good offering to Christmas for Christ which is a program in our organization (UPCI) that supports Home Missionaries and starting new churches. So, we will be doing that.
AND I've always wanted to go to NYC at Christmastime! We are cautiously considering this and looking at our options. I mean, it is, no doubt, going to be very cold in NYC at this time of year and we will be doing alot of walking and will we be able to get a room at a decent price. Oh, and we are planning to drive instead of fly. So, there is alot to consider. I'll keep you posted!!! It's so exciting to think about!!! I loooove NYC....anytime of the year!!!
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Well, I have to go and get ready for church! Have a blessed Sunday, everyone!!
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Oh, and did I mention that it is 15 chilly degrees here in SE Ohio this morning?!?! BRRRRR!!!!!!

Like, Major Randomness!!

You have been warned! :-) This will probably be a jumbled up mess of everything from the past two weeks!

If you have stopped by my blog during this past week, you've, no doubt, noticed that I've been playing around with my blog design! How frustrating!!!!

I haven't been able to find a blogheader image that I like and when I did find one that I liked, it wouldn't fit! Grrrrr!! Sooooo, at this point.....I'm leavin' it!!!

I even found a website that gave instructions on how to remove the border from the header but I lost it into cyberspace and haven't been able to find it again!! Soooooo.....what you see? Yeah, that's it. *sigh*

I like pictures. I don't care for what I call "Patchwork" design or "Scrapbook" design. I mean, I love it on other blogs...just not mine. Ladies, you know how we are: We know what we want. :-)

AND, what with having dial-up, it has been supremely frustrating, to say the least!!! It takes forever to do anything like blog design.
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Our Thanksgiving was wonderful!

This year, we bought a fresh turkey. Every time I've said that, I've instantly thought of how people used to say a young person was getting "fresh" when they flirted with you or spoke to you inappropriately. Do any of you remember that terminology? But I couldn't think of anything that a "fresh" turkey might say when looking death in the eye! LOL SIR, I think you, of all people, would be able to come up with something!! :-) Help me out here! Please?!?!
Anywayyyyy.....the turkey was absolutely scrumptious! The best we've ever had! I put it in the oven at about 3am and ohhhhhh, when we woke up later, the house was filled with the blessed aroma of turkey!! Is there any better smell???? *sighhhh*

As the morning progressed, I made light rolls, noodles , dressing AND REAL mashed potatoes made with evaporated milk and real butter. Oh yum! A little while later, I made a peach pie for Ed because that is his favorite and he doesn't really care for pumpkin pie.

Daniel came over at around 10:30 that morning to change the oil in his car, came in the house and immediately grabbed two warm rolls and started eating them! :-) He came in and snatched a couple more before he went home! :-)

We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Erin's family at two that afternoon, but I always make a Thanksgiving meal for Ed and me to enjoy during the weekend.
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My family all gathered in Logan on Saturday afternoon for the annual Christmas parade. I wasn't able to go last year because of my hip surgery, thus I was so excited about going this year! Not all of the family could be there but those of us who were had such a wonderful time. I had called most everyone and reminded them to bring bags for the kids to put their candy in! :-)

Those little ones scrambled to get the candy that was thrown to them like they had never had a piece of candy before in their lives! :-) Go figure!

My twin-brother Johnny won "Best Walking Unit" in the parade! :-) He, his son and daughter-in-law gave out candy and stuffed animals as one of his other workers drove on of the business trucks in the parade!

All-in-all, we had a great time!
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Jaylon loves to bang things together, whether it is blocks or whatever he can get his little hands on, so I got the idea of giving him something cymbal-like to bang together. Alas! Aluminum foil pie pans! He loves them!!! As you can see in this picture!!! :-)

Wednesday's Random Dozen #14

It's time for another Random Dozen! Number 14, to be exactified....that's Tigger-speak for those of you that don't know. :-)

Anyhoooo....if you would like to join in, just link up over at Linda's blog, 2nd Cup of Coffee and have some fun!

1. Which Wizard of Oz character are you most like?

Wellll......some might say the Wicked Witch of the West, but I would have to say the Scarecrow! :-)

2. When you're deciding what you're going to wear each morning, which item do you select first? Why?

My top or blouse because then I build my outfit from the colors that are in it: shoes, skirt, t-shirt, hose or tights.

3. What kind of animal do you think the world could live without?

After watching the Blue Planet series, it would just have to be one of those deep sea critters that lives miles below the surface of the ocean that no one ever sees anyway, even if they are really unique and beautiful when discovered and captured on film by some special camera that cost a kazillion dollars so someone like me could see them and be simply amazed and oooo and ahhhh because I like to watch stuff like that. the end.

4. How many Christmas trees are in your home?

Only one, IF I decide to put it up this year. I will definitely put up lighted garland and such, but I'm undecided about the tree, as of yet. You see, we have this crawling-about-to-walk adorable little boy in our home this year and I'm thinking I don't want to have to tell him "no" constantly or be smacking his little hands.

5. Would you prefer to be emotionless if it mean you didn't have to feel a heartbreak?

Oh, no.....I could not survive without feeling the love and happiness that life can bring. Yes, heartbreak can be debilitating but the Lord is such a comforter and has always been there and seen me through.

6. Do you ever experience holiday let-down or depression?

Yes, some years more than others. Though, as I've gotten older, not so much, thankfully.

7. Do you like Michael Jackson's music?

No, because I've never listened to it. Well, I'm sure that if I listened to some of it, it would be familiar, having randomly heard it, here and there. You know what I mean! :-)

8. Why is it that we never judge people who have their teeth fixed for cosmetic reasons, but every other cosmetic procedure has a stigma?

Well, let me tell ya, I just think some people look ridiculous with these perfectly white, straight, gap-free, HUGE teeth! I mean, come on!!!!

9. Enjoy horseback riding?

Uh, no. I've never had any luck riding a horse. Two of my uncles had horses, so when we went to visit them, we kids always wanted to ride them, of course. Well, at my Uncle Bill's, they helped me up on this horse, who immediately took off in hunt of the horse next door who was, well, "available", for lack of a better word. Right in front of my uncle's house, he stepped out of the front door, having heard my blood-curdling screams, yelled something at the horse and that horse stopped dead in its tracks, catapulting me over its head to the ground! Wow! As you can tell, I've never forgotten THAT experience.

Then, my other aunt and uncle had horses, too. Sooooo, one time when we were there, once again, they helped me up on one of their horses for a leisurely ride around their mobile home. Did I say leisurely? That horse took off around the house where it got too close to the house, which did not have under-pinning and it was way up in the air, and caught my thigh on an undercorner of the house, about ripping my leg off! I survived, but I no longer have a fondness for riding horses. But then, even if I did, this 58-year-old, double-hip-replaced body has no desire to climb up on one. *groan* No, thank you, I'll just pet their soft noses. :-)

10. Shoes--practical or stylish?

Practical because my body won't let me wear stylish. :-)

11. What was the name of your first pet? Feel free to post a pic.

Winky. He was our family's little Pekingnese. He only had one eye, so my dad got him for a really great price from a kennel where he did the plumbing work.

12. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done?

I cannot really say because we don't do alot of shopping and gift-giving at Christmas-time. It is more about getting together with friends and family and celebrating and remembering our Saviour's birth in that way, whether it is at church or parties or banquets! Let the celebrating begin!! :-)

Linda at 2nd Cup Of Coffee hosts a Random Dozen on Wednesdays and here is her Thanksgiving edition and my answers!! If you would like to participate, just click on here!!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?

We will be having the traditional foods which include turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, noodles, rolls, green beans, salad. And I can hardly wait! :-)

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

My computer! It helps me with so many things. Typing letters to friends. Making posters/signs for church, etc., looking up info on the internet, listening to music, keeping in touch with old friends and making new friends, journaling on my blog, and I could go on and on. I don't know what I would do without it, though now that Jaylon is here I don't have very much time to be on here. He is napping at the moment! :-)

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

I am thankful for the love that the Lord has for me. It is never-changing. Sometimes that is so hard for me to comprehend, but I know it is true and real! He's has proven His love for me time and again!

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

Well, one year, many, many years ago, Cool Whip made an accordion-type container/dispenser for their Cool Whip. In the afternoon, after dinner had been over for awhile, I jumped up from where we had all been watching TV, ran into the kitchen and got out the Cool Whip, put it to my mouth and started to squeeze a little taste into my mouth when all of a sudden someone reached around me and squeezed that thing for all it was worth and I about choked and died as my mouth and cheeks filled to overflowing with Cool Whip!!!! It was my brother-in-law Bud! We all about died laughing after I got done choking!!!

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?
I will be taking a nap in the afternoon after dinner. This is a given!

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

Yes, we give our dog Rocky, who is an outside dog, the turkey carcass. Now, I know alot of people say that you shouldn't do this but we figure that he eats dead animals (we know he does) and the good Lord only knows what else, so why not let him have a treat aka the turkey carcass?!

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

Ed always prays...spontaneously...and we always hold hands. Except on Father's Day and his birthday; then, I pray. :-)

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

No, we will be napping or watching a movie or reading a book. Or I will be playing games with Erin's family at her aunt's house!

9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

Welllll.......seeing as how I looooove oyster dressing, I will be making a dish of oyster dressing and one regular dressing. I can hardly wait!!!

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

Yes, I think it is so important that we know why we celebrate Thanksgiving and the other holidays!

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

Peach, because it is Ed's favorite and I'm not a big dessert fan! Give me noodles! dressing! potatoes! gravy! rolls! He can have the pie! :-)

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

No, my sorrow doth lift on Turkey day! :-)

Monday's Random Musings!

Mrs. Nurse Boy at Poop On Jelly hosts a Monday Random Musings at her blog and here are my few musings!!

Little Jaylon is home with his Mommy today as he has been running a fever since yesterday morning. We aren't sure if it is because he is cutting more teeth or what but I will let you know when we find out anything. I can't wait to hear how he is doing this morning. Here is a picture of the little guy that I took last Friday!

That's a picture of him taking a bath in grandma's sink! :-) He loves splashing all around so I had to let some of the water out! :-)
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Ed and I have all of our outside Christmas decorations up!!! They look sooooo pretty!! We had so much fun doing this together! Used to, I did all of the outside decorating myself because he just wasn't into it but as the years have passed he has begun helping, especially as I got to the place where I couldn't any longer.

Last year, we didn't even put up as much as a single red bow or light because I was recovering from my hip surgeries but this year!!!! Woweeeee!!!! We've got it ALL gussied up!!!!!! *smile* Especially because of little Jaylon and it being his first Christmas!!

And I've always felt that having some outside decorations up is my way of saying Merry Christmas to those driving by and to our neighbors. I'll post some pictures later!

I haven't seen little Jaylon since last Friday and I am missing him. *sigh* Hopefully, I will get to see him today and cuddle him a little.
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I am taking my sister Debbie to pick up her food from the monthly give-a-way at Smith Chapel. She is doing remarkably well in her recovering. She still isn't smoking and has no desire to! Thank you, Jesus!
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The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Michigan!!!!! Yayyyyy!!!! It was a good game, though we could have played better but a win is a win, especially over Michigan!!
Too bad the Bengals lost! :-( and they were on such a good streak!
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My oldest nephew, Brian, turns 40 today!!! I have a nephew that is 40!!!! Wow.....it doesn't seem possible! But it is and he is a great guy. He has been through some really difficult times the past two or three years, but God has been faithful and Brian is still standing! Here he is with his three precious sons!


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And here is Jaylon and Mommy have a cute moment at Olive Garden last week when they took me out for my birthday! :-)

I looove this week!

BECAUSE Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! No gifts required. Just the presence of friends and family and lots of delicious food. Waking up to the smell of turkey roasting in the oven. (I put my turkey in the oven during the night.) A relaxing morning at home, making noodles and rolls and all of the other luscious food that comes only at Thanksgiving. :-) The afternoon spent relaxing and visiting, playing games, watching football, taking a leisurely after-dinner stroll, sharing leftovers. Yep, it's my favorite time of the year!

When I was a little girl, I was always the first one of us five kids up in the morning. I would mosey into the kitchen and there would be dad, rolling out noodles for dinner. He was always so cheerful in the morning! He would be wearing his usual gray work pants, white t-shirt and houseslippers, his hair freshly combed, bent over the table rolling out the dough, humming all the while.

He would tell me to go wash my hands and face and then I could help him. He had one particular knife that he cut the noodles with and I still have it today!

He would roll the dough up, slice it into these little rolls and then I would shake out the noodles. Then he would lay them out to dry on newspaper placed on top of the washer and dryer.

Then he would get the roll dough that had been raising and, with a grand flourish, punch it down!!! I was always amazed at how it deflated! Next, dad would commence to greasing pans and then yanking off a piece of the dough, shaping it and slapping it into the pan with a swoosh of his arm! He always made everything so much fun!! :-)

My Random Dozen!!!

Linda, at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts a Random Dozen every Wednesday! Here are mine! If you would like to participate, just click on the icon above!

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be?
For some reason that even I can't explain, I've always had somewhat of a desire to be really good at basketball. Go figure. :-)

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision?
A bit of both, actually. As far as the research part goes, I don't go overboard or fret over it. I do a reasonable amount of research, then go with my gut! :-)

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name?
Belle Plymouth? Good heavens! :-/

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food?
Favorite music because I can always sing. Well, if I'm still allowed to sing, that is.

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference?
My preference is somewhere in between those two! :-)

6. Your favorite tree is?
Ohh, definitely a weeping willow tree! They are so beautiful and graceful and I don't have one in my yard...*sigh*.

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you?
6

8. Has H1N1 touched your family?
My niece and great niece and another great niece and nephew have had the H1N1.

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing?
I am somewhat analytical, especially about emotional/psychological things.

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala?
My DH husband says I am more like a cat because I can sleep anywhere/anytime! Ha.Ha. :-)

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago?
Yes, I do. They are one of the most precious things in life that I have!

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why?
Well, I would probably observe for a minute or so and see just how fast the express lane is moving and if it isn't, I might very well take the regular checkout lane.

Unbelieveable!!!

The weather, that is!!! It is warm and sunshiney today in SE Ohio!! I believe it is in the 70's, though I haven't had time to look at the thermometer.
Ed and I are going to put up Christmas decorations tomorrow. Yayyyy!! I know it is a tad early but we want to do it while the weather is nice.
Last year we did not put one decoration outside because I was still recovering from my surgeries and we just didn't feel like it BUT this year! We.have.the.boy!!!!! :-)
I don't know that I am going to put up a tree in the house this year though I will put up lights, garland and other decorations that he won't be able to reach easily. I just don't feel like struggling with keeping him away from a tree, lights, and ornaments. We'll see.
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My sister Debbie is going home to her home today!! Isn't that just wonderful?!??! God is soooo good! She is doing so well! We've taken to calling eachother every morning like we used to before she had her surgery. I love her so much!!
Her youngest son, Shawn, lost his job as a truck driving-in-training because when her surgery was rescheduled they would not allow him to take the time off, so he quit. BUT, another trucking firm hired him and is going to finish training him! God is so awesome! Shawn had to quit a job that he had worked at for years because of some health problems but was eventually able to go to truck-driving school. Even in a bad economy and job market, our God is able!!
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Our local football team, the Logan Chieftains, are playing their second play-off game tonight against Brookhaven from Columbus. We are undefeated while Brookhaven has a 9-2 record. Brookhaven is a top-notch team but we are looking for a great victory tonight! Daniel and Erin are going to the game with friends and Mawmaw and Pawpaw Dunnells will be taking care of little Jaylon tonight. He will have a ball!!!
AND the Buckeyes play Iowa tomorrow afternoon for the Big Ten title! Go Bucks!!
So it is indeed an exciting weekend of sports around here!!! :-)
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Well, I am going to finish this up and get myself outside to enjoy the beautiful weather!! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!! :-)

Fall Into Flavor!

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee has been hosting Fall Into Flavor over HERE! Here is my recipe for the week and if you would like to join and share, please do!!!

My contribution this week is a recipe that I got from an Amish cookbook a few years ago and it is one of Daniel and Erin's favorites! Every time I ask them what they would like to eat it is always "Dutch Potatoes"!!!

Here's how you fix 'em!!

Dutch Potatoes
Scrub and bake 5-6 nice size potatoes.
Bake them in the microwave until done but not
too soft and mushy.
Remove the skins.
Melt a very liberal amount of butter or margarine
in a big skillet. Slice the potatoes and add
them to the skillet. Salt and pepper liberally.
Brown them thoroughly though don't get them too
crispy. You might need to add more butter/margarine.
Once you have them at the desired brownness,
sprinkle two or three tablespoons of flour
over the potatoes.
Next, pour one to two cups of milk over the potatoes and
slowly turn with a spatuala, mixing the flour and
milk together, which will make a gravy/sauce.
Add milk if you need to, to get the desired
consistency.
Then cover all of this with a 2-cup package of
shredded cheddar cheese or another flavor of
shredded cheese that you like. I also put dots of butter on the

top and let it melt down through the potatoes along with the cheese.

My family prefers cheddar.
These are Daniel and Erin's favorite potatoes!
Enjoy!
Oh, and this is not diet food!
You have been warned!
:-)

Saturday....in the park.....

Wellll....yesterday.....I went to Miller Park in Lancaster to watch my great-niece Chloe cheer with her squad in a cheerleading expo. Chloe is a sweetie! AND a very good cheerleader! I like to think that she inherited her cheerleading abilites from me as I was a cheerleader 7-11 grades!!! Yayyy!! *smile* (Makes me ache just to think about the moves I used to be able make...*groan*)


Anywayyyy......moving right along.....afterwards, I went to April's house to see my sister Debbie who is doing maaahhhvelously after her surgery!! She is planning to return home on the 20th!


At three o'clock, Debbie and I headed back to Miller Park to watch her grandson-my great-nephew, Cade play in his championship football game.

We sat UP on the sidewalk and watched the game which was DOWN a short ways in this little valley-like park but it was close so that we didn't have any difficulty seeing the game or players. Our spot was great for watching the game but there was a stiff, cold wind blowing right at us! That wind had my hair blowing straight back! I could have won a Don King impersonation contest!!! My forehead hasn't had that much exposure in years!!! Egads!!!

And have I ever told you that you could show home movies on my forehead? It's just that white AND high! AND my forehead actually got cold! I was freezing and it isn't used to being exposed to the elements like that!

BUT, in spite of the wind and all, we had a great time even though Cade's team lost.

Chloe is a cheerleader for the team that was playing against Cade's so after the game was over, they were all in the middle of field for trophy presentations so Debbie asked me if I would take her back to April's. Of course, I said yes because I wanted to get home before it was dark.

Sooooo, we pull into April's and Debbie just remembers that she doesn't have a key but maybe they left a door unlocked.

Soooooo, I checked the front door....locked. I checked the back door.....locked. So, I walked ALLLL the way back around the house to the car. Debbie says, "Did you check the garage door?" Nooooooo. Soooo, I walk ALLLLL the way back around the house to check the garage door. It was unlocked!!!! BUT...the house door was locked! Rats!

Sooooo, I just go back to the car and we decide to wait for someone to come and let us in. I mean, what choice do we have, right? I didn't have my cellphone.
We're listening to the Ohio State game when Debbie tells me that she has her cellphone but she thinks it is almost dead. I try to call April but she doesn't answer, which I should have known she wouldn't because she's involved in the trophy presentation back at the park. So, I get the idea of calling her daughter, Kaitlin, because teenagers always have their cellphones at the ready, BUT just as I'm dialing, the phones dies!!!!! Argh!

Once again, we just decide to wait for someone to come home. I put first dibs on the bathroom when we DO get in the house!

We waited for almost an hour but we did enjoy listening to the game and just relaxing. I finally arrived home at about 6:30pm.

Debbie and I always manage to have an adventure! :-)

An overdue picture!

I haven't posted any pictures of my favorite little baby boy lately, so here are some of the latest:

We were all loaded up and on our way to visit with my sister-in-law Sandy! This was last Thursday! Jaylon is such a pleasant little traveller!

And THIS is where I found him the other day:

"Wheeee....this is fun!"

Repenting? *smile*

"Maybe I can sneak out...."

Random Dozen #10

Linda at 2nd Cup Of Coffee hosts a Wednesday Random Dozen! Here is my random twelve for you viewing pleasure! Join in if you'd like and link up at Linda's!

1. It's early morning, about 2:00AM, and you're driving home. You come to a red light and sit there. There is no one in sight for miles around. Do you wait it out or run the light?
I would wait it out for a reasonable amount of time. Five minutes? I’m going through!

2. If you had the chance to re-do the last 24 hours, would you change anything?
No, I don’t believe so.

3. When you reply to someone's comment on your blog, do you reply in your comments or go to her blog and comment? (Or email her)
Well, I endeavor to reply in MY comments, but sometimes I am not able to, meaning: I don’t have the time available at the moment!

4. Your favorite Disney movie is:
Hmmmm….it’s been awhile since I’ve watched a Disney movie. I do love Cinderella! “Cinderelly….Cinderelly….we will help our Cinderelly….” *smile*

5. Do you recycle?
Yes, we recycle cans, aluminum, and glass. Sometimes we recycle paper and cardboard but most times, we burn it, as we live in the country and can do so.

6. Games of strategy or games of chance?
Games of chance. I just don’t have the patience for games of strategy. I don’t find them fun at all.

7. Do you have any recurring dreams?
No, but I have dreamed dreams that I wished I could close my eyes and take up where they left off!

8. What did you learn from your first real job?
That I never wanted to carhop again as long as I lived!!!! Oh my!!! It was a nightmare!!

9. Do you buy or borrow most books?
I borrow from our wonderful, local library. AND if they don’t have the book I am wanting, they will either buy it or do an inter-library loan! It’s the best library in the world!!!! Once in a great while, I will buy a book if it is one that I want to keep for reference, especially cookbooks!

10. What fashion trend of the past did you say you'd never wear again but did?
Leg warmers. They really do keep your legs warm! I had been looking for a pair at yard sales and the local thrift stores, when my pastor’s mother gave me a pair last winter! *smile* I usually only wear them at home!

11. When do you start Christmas shopping?
Usually in November. I know that I can save money by buying a year before during after Christmas sales and so on, but it just isn’t the same. We don’t do a lot of buying and gift-giving during Christmas and neither of us are fond of shopping, in the first place. BUT, we love to be in the stores the day before Christmas! People are bustling about, the music is playing, and it just FEELS like Christmas! We usually pick up a few last-minute gifts and such that we hadn’t planned to buy. It is always a special time for us! A tradition, if you will! *smile*

12. Have you ever been so happy that you literally jumped up and down for a few seconds? If so, what was the occasion?
When I found out I was pregnant with Daniel! And I was at work!!! I smiled the entire day!!! It was such an unbelievably wonderful feeling!!! My sistger, Bev, who was the office manager for our family doctor, called me at work that morning with the results! I still get excited just remembering it!!!

Late Monday Randomness!

"Late" seems to be the operative word in posting to my blog "lately". Har. har.

Sooooo....here is my random offering from the happenings of the weekend and before.

Oh, and I am posting this in conjunction with a Monday Randomness that Mrs. NB started at her blog over Y'HERE!

This was the breakfast offering for my DH on Saturday morning!

Anytime I ask him what he would like to have to eat, he ALWAYS requests this, whether it is for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Though, in the heat of summer, sometimes he will request a chef salad for lunch or dinner.
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I went to visit my nephew, Troy, on Saturday afternoon. He has been having some health problems and has a doctor's appt. this morning, which we are all fairly anxious about. But we know the Lord is in control and has it all in His hands.

So, here is Troy's big baby......as in dog.....as in big Weimaraner! As you can see, modesty is not one of her virtues! LOL


Here is Troy and his baby (I don't know her name!):

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My sister Debbie is doing so remarkably well! Thank you, precious Lord Jesus! We
had been so concerned about her recovery because of her years of smoking and breathing complications but all is well and I believe she is going to feel better than she has for a long time once she is completely recovered! :-) She has not smoked for a month!!!! Yayyyy! We are so proud of her!!!
Here she is hugging her post-surgery pillow! :-)
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I am soooo thankful for the sunshine this week!! It makes me feel so much better to have the sunlight shining through my windows even if it does show me the dust and dirt that I need to be cleaning! :-)
"The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my "grandbaby" and babies don't keep."
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And speaking of grandbabies, mine is awake from his morning nap and making cute noises, so I'm gonna go, snatch him up and have me some cuddles with him!

Have a blessed Tuesday!!

Fall Into Flavor! :-) A day late! :-/

But it is still a really good AND easy recipe!!! :-)

Ro-tel Chicken


6 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped (I season these with Montreal Steak Seasonings)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can chicken broth
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
12 ounces spaghetti, cooked & drained


In a dutch oven mix and simmer together: soup, broth and tomatoes. Then add the the cheese and stir until melted through. I season and grill boneless chicken breasts on my George Foreman grill. Add the chicken. Mix. Add the spaghetti. Mix. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Put all of this into a 9 X 13 dish and bake at 350 degrees until heated through.
I like my a little more moist than the recipe calls for and sometimes have added a bit of milk to it before baking!
This is very filling and delish! :-)

What to do!?!??!

Okayyyyyy.....if I am to continue this blogging, I figure I am going to have to start getting up at 4am to do it! Because.....once the boy gets here, I'm done for! Especially now that he is crawling! And is he ever a cute crawler!! :-)

I've endeavored to blog while he is napping but by the time HE is napping, I need a nap, too! :-/

Soooooo....I thought.....I'll blog after he goes home. BUT.....by then, I'm too weary to blog.

Orrrrr.....if I do log on to the internet......there's email to check, read, reply, etc. News to catch up on. Blogs to read and respond to. Facebook.

My blog ends up coming in last for some reason, where it used to be my priority. How did everything get so out of whack?

Oh yes.....the grandbaby. And he most certainly IS the priority! He is adorable! Wait until you see him in all of his cute-new-sleeper-adorableness!!! Coming soon to THIS blog and FB!!! :-)

Oh, and let me say....little Jaylon is such a good baby. He is! :-) And I am so thankful to the Lord for it!!! He will sit and play and entertain himself even at his young age! So it isn't that he is being bad that takes all of my time. I think it is just that I'm a TAD bit older and slower and endeavoring to take care of this bundle of lovableness the very best that I can!


My sisters and sisters-in-law took our sister Debbie out for her birthday dinner BEFORE she had her open heart surgery. We went to the local Bob Evans and had a wonderful time! Here is a picture of us afterward! Front row, from left to right: Me, Bev, Debbie Back row: SIL's Sandy and Cheryl


As we came out of the restaurant that evening, we were greeted by a breath-taking evening sky!




AND, speaking of Bob Evans....I had the Heritage Chef Salad and it is to die for!!! You might want to give it a try. After seeing it, the girls all wished they had gotten one, too!
Okay....I need to go do a couple of blog things that I've joined, so I'll post at ya later!!! :-) Have a great Tuesday!!!

Random Dozen #9

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts a Random Dozen on Wednesdays! You can read my weekly offering below! Join us if you like and let us get to know you a little better!



1. Tell me something about your favorite teacher.
Mr. McBroom made Psychology so understandable and enjoyable and he had kind
Of a quirky sense of humor. I just loved him!!! I always felt like I could relax and honestly enjoy learning in his class.

2. Tell me about one pivotal moment in your life.
When we became parents/the day we gave birth to Daniel. I never knew that you could love another human being so all-consumingly. And it was then that I truly understood what other parents feel for their children.
Now that we are grandparents to little Jaylon, I truly understand why grandparents have difficulty in describing the love the have for their grandchildren. It is too awesome for words.
And both of these events caused me to have a new dimension of compassion for others, too.

3. About favorite colors--a lot of people will ask you what it is, but I want to know why it is. What feeling or memory does it evoke?
Red is my favorite color because it evokes feelings of happiness, of love, of passion AND of Christmas, which I love! The memory that it immediately brings to mind if of my precious mother. You see, she always kept her finger and toe nails painted a brilliant red. It was kind of her trademark, if you will. She spent the last week of her life in the hospital, struggling to live, but on Thursday of that week, she bounced back for a few hours, feeling fairly good. One of the first things she requested was to have her nails touched up and repainted. So, my niece went shopping for the brightest red she could find and would you believe she came back with Fire Engine Red nail polish? Mom was so pleased!

4. What's a sure sign that you're getting older?
My body can predict a change in the weather! I’m serious!! LOL AND my “frost and tip” job (gray in my hair) has gone crazy!!!

5. Please don't sermonize, but Halloween--is it a yes or no for you?
When Daniel was little, Yes! With little Jaylon? That’s up to his parents!

6. What's your favorite musical?
Lion King I’ve seen it twice and could see it again and again!

7. Are you more of a city mouse or country mouse?
Definitely a country mouse!

8. Did you know that it is possible, for a small fee, to name a real star after someone? (It's true! Google it!) If someone were to name a star for you, would you appreciate it for its whimsy and romance, or would you say, "Are you kidding me? For $19.95 we could have gone to the movie and actually bought popcorn."
Well, if they went ahead and did it to surprise me, I would try to be excited and show my appreciation. Actually, I would BE excited BUT I would never spend $19.95 on such a thing, though I’m sure that I’ve spent the same amount, many times, on something that would be thought to be frivolous! :-)

This question comes from Paula at His Ways Are Not Our Ways.
9. What's the craziest thing you've ever been doing and texted during it? I only thought of this b/c I was about to try to text during my walking video but I didn't.
I don’t text at all, especially since finding out that it is very likely that a precious, young 19-year-old girl’s death was almost certainly due to the fact that she was texting while driving. I’ve been telling and asking all of my loved ones to please not text while driving and if they cannot do that then to just have the texting option removed from their phone.

10. “It’s not a party unless _______.”
There‘s lots of food, lots of non-alchocolic beverages with lots of ice, and ME!!! LOL Oh and we can’t forget some really great music! AND balloons, streamers and twinkling lights would really add to the festive party mood, too!! I looove a party!! (My birthday is November 8! *hint* *hint*) Oh, and party games would be great, too! With prizes for the person who WINS the game, not the person who the party is being given for, if, in fact, it is being give for someone in particular! :-)

11. When you’re stuck in traffic or a waiting room, what do you do to pass the time? PS: There are no magazines available.
If I were stuck in traffic: Clip and file my nails, listen to and sing along with music, make necessary phone calls, pray, daydream/think, watch the people in the other cars around me or observe my surroundings, or snooze a little if the traffic was REALLY slow.
If I were in a waiting room: Strike up a conversation with a willing participant. :-) Play games on my cellphone, pray silently, daydream/daydream, close my eyes and relax. ( I wouldn’t dare allow myself to fall asleep because I have been known to snore!)

12. If you weren’t yourself, would you be friends with you?
Yes, I believe I would be.

Fall Into Flavor! Two days late!

I'm participating in Fall Into Flavor which is sponsored by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee (which I'm needing right about now!). Below,you will find my quick, easy and delicious contribution for the week.

It seems everyone is baking everything pumpkin!! Daniel came over to borrow a couple of eggs last night because Erin was going to bake pumpkin cookies! It's that time of year! :-)

Cream Cheese Cookies

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 8oz. pkg. of cream cheese

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Soften the cream cheese in the microwave.

Then mix all of the ingredients together.

The dough will be pretty stiff.

Make out into little patties the size of a

fifty-cent piece.

Bake at 350 degrees or until lightly

browned on the bottom!

Monday Randomness!

Mrs. Nurse Boy at Poop On Jelly....you can read about THAT blog title at her blog :-).....hosts a Monday Randomness which I've enjoyed joining! Below, you will find my randomness!
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My nephew, Troy, was dismissed from the hospital this morning after having a reaction to Wellbutrin which compromised his liver big time! He will now have to have a blood test twice weekly for six months to make sure everything is stable.
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My sister, Debbie, Troy's mom, is still in ICU after having heart bypass surgery last Wednesday. They are endeavoring to get her oxygen level where it needs to be. She was a life-long smoker until three weeks ago, so you can imagine what a challenge they are having in getting her saturation regulated and all. I will be going to the hospital this evening after the little powerhouse Jaylon goes home! :-)
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Speaking of "there ain't no place I can't crawl" Jaylon.....*big sighhhhh*....I so love this bundle of joy, let me tell ya! How do you possibly explain a grandmother's love for her grandbaby? I can't find the words. He is such a joy to us.

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AND my niece April's (Debbie's daughter, Troy's sister) husband was taken to Riverside Hospital yesterday where it was discovered he had a collapsed artery. He has heart disease which his father also has and it began with him in his thirties, too. Kevin, April's husband, is the picture of health. You would never know that he has heart disease. He has had so many heart caths and then stents put in. I have not been able to reach anyone to see how he is doing. I've called everyone's cell and home phones, called my siblings and with no results. When Ed gets home I am going to call Riverside directly and see what I can find out. We don't have long distance on our home phone as we use the cell for that.

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As I was on my way to the hospital Friday in the pouring rain here in Ohio, I was simply amazed at the brilliance of the leaves! The hillsides were aflame with color. I took some pictures through the windshield but they just didn't show the colors as beautifully as they really were!

I just can't believe that some people don't even pay attention to the fall colors, as in my husband! *smile*

I asked him if the colors and all were pretty out in the country where he transports a little boy to and from school and he said that he hadn't noticed. HADN'T NOTICED?!?! How could you not notice. It is fall. The leaves have changed. It only happens one time a year. We live in one of the most beautiful, scenic places in Ohio, possibly the country, the world! okay. I might be getting a little carried away. :-/ BUT, I don't understand how you could not just soak in the beauty of your surroundings, even if you are driving. You can drive and look. :-)

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I tried the pumpkin muffins that was posted for the Fall Into Flavor recipe sharing that I'm participating in, and they were delish! The only thing I added was some cream cheese icing on top of those puppies! Yummmm!! Oh myyyyy.......a hot cup of coffee with cream and a cream cheese icing topped pumpkin muffin! It doesn't get much better. *sighhhhh*

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I organized a Pastor Appreciation Day for our pastor and his precious wife, which we celebrated yesterday! AND they were surprised! Yes!! I made a banner to place across the front of the church (I'll post a picture later this week.). We had a special speaker for the morning service. Dinner was provided for them. Then last night we had a shortened service at which one of our lay speakers spoke at. It was a very good message on how, why and when we should show our appreciation to our pastor. He read scripture for each one from different versions of the Bible and it really spoke to my heart about SHOWING my pastor and his wife, even more often, just how much I appreciate all that they do for us! After the evening service, we had food and a time of fellowship and presented them with cards and small gifts.
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I am now going to post my MONDAY randomness on Wednesday!! Argh!