Up and running....again!

My wonderful husband installed all new phone lines, outside the house and inside, so my internet connection is once again good and my speed is very good, for dial-up. I was really having some difficulties even staying connected, but no longer, thank goodness!! :-) That is why I have not been blogging much. BUT, here I am now!
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This past weekend, we went to Ed's 50th class reunion on Friday evening. It was in Corning, Ohio at the American Legion Hall. A former classmate of Ed's organized this gathering and we enjoyed a wonderful meal and meeting many of Ed's classmates. Ed had not seen any of them since graduation! It was so funny to see them greet eachother and not recognize each other!

There was a poster of their graduation pictures on the wall and you could see a resemblance in their "then" and "now".

Then, on Saturday evening, we went to the Corning Alumni Banquet where the 50th Class was recognized and honored.
Again, we enjoyed a very nice meal, visiting and all. A ladies' Barbershop singing group "One Voice", sang a selection of older songs and a band was going to play after the banquet and there was going to be dancing for those who wanted to stay and join in.
Below is the sign as we entered Corning and you can tell by the road that it is in the hills! That is the main road into Corning. :-)

This is Corning High School and the banquet was held here in the old gym which is on the far left, but not pictured here. It was decorated so nicely but it was sooo hot inside. Actually, it wasn't too bad when we first arrived but there were over two-hundred in attendance and after the meal it started getting really close and stuffy. I had to step outside a couple of times but it was hot and humid out there, so finding a bit of relief was a little difficult. Inside the gym, there were like three or four regular size oscillating fans running but they could hardly help in such a crowd.
By the time we left, we couldn't wait to get into the car and start the AC! :-)

Next is a picture of Ed standing beside the sign welcoming us to the class reunion! Isn't he a cutie?!?! :-) Everyone kept asking him how he was staying so young-looking and healthy! Can you believe he is 67, soon to be 68? :-)

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Before going to Ed's Alumni Banquet Saturday evening, we stopped by the Bowen House in downtown Logan, to celebrate with Josh Caldwell, who graduated from Ohio Northern University this year!!! Josh was in the youth group when we were the leaders. Josh is a sweetheart, a fine young man and I know he has a wonderful future ahead!


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Now you didn't think I would post without mentioning "the boy", did you?!?!? :-)
Jaylon loves to swing with grandma! :-) In the porch swing, that is! Well, and we do dance once in awhile, too! :-) The swing looks a little worse for wear, but I'm hoping to paint it white in my spare time, sometime. *sigh* :-/

Oh, and he is learning how to climb, too, as evidenced below. :-) Thankfully, grandpa has a safety latch on the gate which is supposed to be child-proof. We'll see.! :-)

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And lastly, below are a few pictures that I took of our yard and plants. Ed has everything looking so nice around here and he's managed to do so midst some rainy, stormy weather. It's so nice to sit out on the front or back porch in the early morning or evening and enjoy the peacefulness and beauty, listening to the birds and sounds of nature around us.






It sounds like you've all enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend last week and here it is the weekend again already!! Take time to just sit and enjoy the beauty around you.

This one's for you, Bethany!! :-)

Okayyyy.....I wasn't going to do this week's Wednesday Random Dozen because I just didn't have the time and when I DID have the time, I was just worn out and uninspired.
BUT....my niece, Bethany, messaged me on Facebook this morning and upbraided me a bit about NOT doing the Random Dozen, because she looks forward to it so much every week! (Beth...we both need to get a life! LOL) Bethany has a darling little baby girl, Haley and cutey pie little boy, Nathen:

So, Bethany, all I can say is....This one's for YOU!! :-)

AND if you are reading this and think it sounds like fun, then NEXT TUESDAY head on over to Linda's blog where she will have posted a preview of next WEDNESDAY'S Random Dozen, and join in the fun!

BUT if, in the meantime, you would like to meet some wonderful ladies and read their Random Dozen from THIS week, then, once again, head on over to 2nd Cup of Coffee, Linda's blog, where you'll find a list of those who posted this week!

*Big Sigh* Okay, now that I have totally confused all of you......below is my terribly LATE random dozen for the week!

**Linda** I will not make a habit of this! Scout's Honor!

1. Would you rather host party or simply attend a party?
I would much rather attend. I'm too tired to host a party. I may never have another party again as long as we both shall live. I'd rather go to a party that someone else has planned, eat their food, enjoy their games, enjoy their entertainment and just watch everyone else from a secluded little place over in the corner, while eating my food and drinking my non-alcoholic beverage.
Be Advised: This could all change after a good night's sleep and a few days of rest and relaxation.

2. Tell us about the most memorable party you've been to.
Welllll.....I guess it would have to be my twin-brother Johnny's and my birthday back when we were kids. I believe we were still in grade school. Anywayyyy....it was our birthday THAT day. We came home from school and went through the normal routine. I don't remember anything out of the ordinary being done for our birthday. Perhaps we had a cake at supper or something.

BUT, after supper was over, and we were doing the dishes, for some wierd reason, my two older sisters kept bugging me about washing my hair and fixing myself up a little. And I kept telling THEM to leave. me. alone! I wasn't going anywhere. What's the big deal? Sheesh. Soooooo, a little while later, our older brother, Bill, asked me and Johnny if we wanted to take a ride into town with him so he could get us something for us for our birthday. Sure, why not? My sisters really kicked it into the big gear about me washing my hair and changing clothes and so on, to which I huffed that I was just going into town with my brothers. Leave. Me. Alone!

So, we went into town, did what we set out to do, BUTTTTT when we returned home and walked in the back door, SURPRISE!!!! There were some of our school friends and family friends AND a birthday party for me and Johnny! And ME with my unwashed hair and still wearing the clothes I had worn to school that day. Oh well. We still had a great time! :-) Older sisters need to chill. :-) Life goes on. :-)

ANDDD for some reason, I don't remember any present that I received that night but I've always remembered that Johnny got the neatest big red police car from someone. I mean, I don't remember being disappointed about my gifts or envious of his, it's just that I think it is kind of wierd that the only gift I remember from that night is that big red police car. Go figure. :-) Isn't it funny how our memories can be so selective?

3. What is one thing you hope for in the after-life?
Oh, I hope for just being able to sit with Jesus. *tears* I sometimes envision just sitting at his feet with my head resting against his knee, him gently stroking my hair, telling me, "It's alright now....you're home. You've made it. You're safe." And I sometimes wonder....will there be enough of Him to go around because I'm sure that everyone will want to spend that one-on-one time with Him.

4. What do you enjoy most about sunshine?
Oh, I enjoy just sitting in the sun...when it is not too hot....and just feeling the warmth and heat of it soaking into my bones, which have taken to aching more than they used to. :-) It is soooo relaxing.

5. When you attend a bridal/baby shower, do you prefer to bring your own gift or chip in with others to buy a larger gift?
Well, it depends. If I have not procrastinated and waited until the last minute to buy a gift ON MY WAS to the shower, I like to buy and take my own gift.

BUT if I HAVE procrastinated or have not had the time to thoughtfully pick out a gift, I will go in with another friend/friends/family in buying a gift....usually a more expensive one that the person has been wanting.

6. Would you rather have a FREE week of having your house cleaned or all of your meals cooked for you and your family?
Oh, this is easy!! Meals cooked!!! 'Nuff said!!! :-)

7. What song describes your mood today?
"Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon"....only "Sunday" would be replaced by "Friday", of course. :-)





8. What is something you received for your own bridal shower/wedding that you still own or use? (If you are not married, feel free to sub a gift you received a long time ago.)
Would you believe that I STILL have the hand mixer that I received as a shower gift a kazillion years ago? (this was back before my FIRST marriage in my other life) It is 40 years old!! Oh my!! AND it still works AND I still use it!!

9. Your favorite flavor of ice cream is?
Butter Pecan or Maple Nut. No deviations. :-)

10. When was the last time you felt "tested?"
It would have to have been this past Sunday. I am going through a spiritual battle, of sorts, and I am struggling to keep the right attitude and trust that the Lord is still in control and knows what is best. (Like I would presume to know what is best over and above the Lord and His all-knowing sovereignty? Hello.) BUT sometimes, in our "human-ness", we just can't see the big picture, and we DO wonder if He really sees what is going on AND then I THINK I know what would be best AND why doesn't HE just make it happen...like NOW.
But then.....I humble myself once again, kneel at His feet and remember:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

and...."He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

11. "Doritos or Pizza Crossing pizza is a food that once I start eating I find really hard to stop."

12. "Procrastination" is the best motivation.

Okay, I am going to get a post up if it kills me! So hold on! :-)
I've had computer difficulties the last few days AND that does not sit well with me, SOOOO, on top of not being able to post, I cannot visit and read my blog friends' posts, therefore, I get behind on that AND my, but you all have been posting ALOT, which means I will probably NEVER get caught up reading back posts and commenting BECAUSE, remember, I have dial-up down in these hills and valleys.

Okay. I'm done whining.

Look who came to visit Sunday afternoon:



Okay, okay. I know. So what's so new about THAT?! I see him almost everyday of the week anyway.

Well, but you see, each time he comes over to Grandma's, it's like it's the first time all over again!
AND he just gets cuter and cuter and "adorabler and adorabler". :-) It's a grandma thing, I would say.

Jaylon doesn't talk too much yet. Oh, he CAN talk. He just chooses not to most of the time.
Some of the words he says are: cat, dog, Dada, Mama, Papa, cookie, thank you, hi, bye bye, book. Of course, he doesn't say them perfectly but you can tell what he is trying to say. :-)

BUT, occasionally, he'll come out with a word that just amazes us and we clap and laugh and all, only for him to go back into his verbal shell and not say anything again for awhile.

Like yesterday......I was changing his diaper and as I was doing so, I said, "Can you say diaper?" and he said diaper! I mean, almost perfectly! Two syllables!!! Wow!!

But the rest of the time he was here, he hardly said anything but his usual "nye, nye, nye, nye" when he wants something or needs something, which can get just a LITTLE irritating after a long day. :-)

Anywayyyy.....Daniel and Erin had brought him over Sunday afternoon for a visit and to show us and let him play with one of his new water toys. Heidi, their boxer, enjoyed it, too. :-)


Below is a picture of my clematis which FINALLY bloomed!!! I had noticed them in beautiful bloom in other peoples' gardens and yards and wondered if mine ever would.


Hafta go! You-know-who is here!!! :-) It's the boy!!! Have a great day!!!

Wednesday's "ONE-derful" Random Dozen!!

It's that time again! Yes, you guessed it! Wednesday's Random Dozen!! If you would like to join in the fun and meet some wonderful people and hopefully make some new friends, then click on over to Linda's blog, 2nd Cup of Coffee and submit your random dozen!

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?
If it is just for and Ed...well, even if it was for company, I'd probably just fix more!
Chicken, rice, broccoli skillet meal!
I throw place two boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the GF grill, season them well; start chicken rice-a-roni in a skillet, according to package directions; when the rice-a-roni is just about done, I add the chicken which has been cut into small pieces and either frozen or fresh broccoli flowerets, whichever I happen to have. I like to use chicken broth in the rice-a-roni instead of just water, too. Oh, and this is especially delicious if made with the broth and meat of a freshly roasted chicken....oh my!

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)
My glasses. I am blind without them. When I still worked at the library, I was on my way to work one morning and I kept thinking that everything looked a bit muddled, only to arrive at the library and realize that I didn't have my glasses on! Egads! So, I called my dear husband and he brought them to me. :-)

3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?
The LIBRARY!! I can spend literally hours in the library when I am by myself. I read the newspapers. Then I move onto the magazines. I usually gather up a few and sit at one of the reading tables while I leaf through them. Next, I'll get on one of the next-to-the-speed-of-light web-surfing computers. Then I may browse the bookshelves for awhile. It's like a mini-vacation for me. Now, if they would just let me have a nice hot cup of coffee or ice cold Diet Pepsi to sip on while I do all of this. :-)

4. Share one factoid of your family's history.
My dad was in the 101st Airborne Division in WWII. When I see all of the films and so on of WWII and read about all of the lives that were lost, I realize what a miracle it is that he survived, especially in light of the fact that he also was awarded the Purple Heart. Total U.S. casualties: 500,000. Total international casualties: 52,199,262
I also had a brother and two brothers-in-law who served in Vietnam and survived. Total U.S. casualities: 58,178


5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."
....actually taught two one-hour aerobics classes, back to back, on Monday evenings at church and, more recently, I used to walk 4-5 miles a day, every day. I was so healthy and fit. *sigh*

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?
I asked the hubs what he would choose and his answer was the same as mine....Gas. The kind you put in your car, that is. :-)

7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."
I like for my house to be in order. I mean, I like to "live" in my house, but I can't truly relax if it is a mess. (This is what my DH said was "quirky" about me.)
What I think is quirky about me is that even though I am a very outgoing sociable person, there are times when I am quiet and can even be a little bit shy. Yes, I can be. It is true. Though it doesn't happen very often.

8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?
A cold diet Pepsi! Oh yes....so refreshing, especially on ice!

9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."
.....my dear husband. I'm serious! No matter how badly I may be feeling, he always manages to make me laugh. I am so thankful for him! I am truly blessed to have him by my side. :-)

10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?
Stop eating? :-) Okay, I'll be realistic: Stop procrastinating!! Just do it!!!

11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?
Send them a card of encouragement and pray earnestly for them.

12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?
Ed's 50 year class reunion and my 40 year class reunion. :-)

All around the Cavinee house

Jaylon is playing quietly, so I thought I would begin composing a post, which I may not post until later. Usually I sit down and try to do one complete post all at once and by the time I upload pictures (dial-up..grrrrrrr) and compose my post, it has taken me forever, it seems!!

Sooooo, I'm going to try a new tactic: I'm going to do a post in small bits and pieces and just post it when I get finished.

AND I want to apologize for not commenting on your blogs lately but I just haven't had the time. I do still come by and visit/read and I want so much to leave a comment but sometimes my internet is sooooo sluggish, I get frustrated, and I just can't leave a comment, but do know that I love coming by to read what you have to say!!

Many days, you ARE my social life!!!! :-) Seriously!!!
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Hey! I'm back! I typed the above on Thursday and it is now Saturday! See what I mean? Argh! But I am going to finish this post and POST it before I get up from this chair! Well, unless some unforseen emergency prevents it! :-)

I have been getting some long-put-off-tasks done of late! Yay for me! AND I've been doing them on the Fridays and Saturdays when I don't have little Jaylon here.

For example: Underneath my kitchen sink! Finally. It is clean and organized.


And the cupboard where I keep dishes and containers and so on. Clean and organized. At last.


Here's a picture of our bedroom, which I mentioned in a Wednesday's Random Dozen a couple of weeks ago, as being my favorite room in the house. *sigh* Yes, it is. :-)

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Daniel, Erin, some other young people and I practiced music Thursday night in preparation for a youth rally, which was held at our church last night.

Here is Jaylon playing drums with his daddy. :-)


AND Jaylon and I went with Ed to get a load of wood for this coming winter. As you can see in the picture below, Jaylon loves helping Grandpa get wood! :-)


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We girls went out to dinner to celebrate Cheryl's (my twin brother, Johnny's wife) birthday! We enjoyed a delicious meal at Millstone BBQ here in Logan. We shared such a wonderful time of good food, conversation and just catching up on one another's lives and families. Two of our nieces and great-nieces joined us, too. And we carry on the traditional. :-)

That's an older picture of us girls, taken back in November when we celebrated my birthday, but we haven't changed much. :-)
And, lastly, the newest addition to the Peters' family.....little Hayley, who eventually was lulled to sleep by our conversation as we enjoyed our dinner....AND after she was passed from one to another like a little sack of 'tatas. :-)

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I pray you are having a wonderful weekend and that the sun is shining where you are but if it is not, that you still have the light of Jesus illuminating the moments of your life. ((HUGS))

Wednesday's REALLY Randon Dozen!! :-)

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee has once again come up with 12 REALLY random questions! I don't know how she does it but I'm glad that she does! :-) So if you would like to join in the fun just go to her blog and join in the fun!

1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!

It was a day I will never forget! :-) You see, I got married to my high school sweetheart on the afternoon of my graduation day. We got married at my parents' home at 2:30 that afternoon. Graduation was at eight o'clock that night and we went home to our new apartment that night after graduation. Though I thought it was pretty exciting at the time, looking back, I realize it was pretty crazy to do all of that in one day!! BUT that is still pretty typical of me....trying to do too much in one day! :-) Yes, that has not changed alot. :-)

2. What is one "emergency use" item you keep in your vehicle at all times?

Jumper Cables, a good spare tire, tire tool and jack, and a blanket. Oh, and does a stroller count? :-)

3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar?

Yes, we do. So far, I have one open house to attend on the 29th of this month!
Oh, but let me tell ya.....the weddings are mounting up! Wow!

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood.
I still believe that it is somewhat under-appreciated in our country. By that I mean that many still feel that if a woman isn't working outside of the home, she isn't really working and contributing to the family and household.

There isn't a more important job in the world!

5. What was the last thing you broke?

A coffee cup. It slipped from my hands into the sink and the handle broke off into several pieces. It was one of my favorite cups, too, as my pastor's wife had given it to me.

6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily?

Hmmm.....I would say at least two or three, now that the elections are over, that is. :-)

7. Do you like to shop by catalog?

I LOOOOVE to shop by catalog. Well, let me restate that. I LOOOOVE to look through catalogs. I just love to sit at my kitchen table and browse through catalogs, though I don't order very often because I like to try clothes on before I buy them. I only get two or three catalogs but my friend gets several and shares them with me and then I recycle them.

8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a "his job," a "her job" or "his/her job" or "that's why we have teenagers" job?

Well, it used to be "his/her". Then when Daniel got old enough to help, it became a "her/teenager" job. THEN I became unable to work outside and Daniel married and moved away, so it became a "his" job.

Now that I watch the grandbaby, it is still mostly a "his" job, though I do love working out in the yard and so on. Mostly now, I just do the flowers for the porches, which I love!! AND I have to get to that still this spring!!

9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home?

The living room, though I don't have any idea of when we might get around to doing it.

10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line?

I read most of my news online, though I do stop by the library about once a week and read through the week's worth of our local newspaper. Trust me....it doesn't take that long. :-)

11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Not exactly.

You see.....let's say someone is texting while driving, has an accident and is killed. I don't believe that that was "supposed" to happen because of a divine plan in place for that person's life. I DO believe that God can use this terrible situation for good, though. As in "....all things work together for good to them...." Philippians 4:8.

My dad passed away because of a ruptured aneurysm. He had had back pain for weeks. The doctor told us that had dad come in for an exam and the aneurysm been discovered, he could have had surgery and lived. But dad chose to doctor himself for kidney infection, using OTC medicine and so on and he died a premature death.

BUT through my dad's death, my brother Bill and his wife came to the Lord. So once again, the Lord used a situation that could have possibly been prevented, for good.

12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?

Hmmm.......well, for one thing....I am not a perfectionist, so something I do may not suit everyone but I will do a good job of it, to suit me or to the satisfaction of the person I might be doing said task for. :-)

That being said, I do believe that as a christian, I am to do the right things according to His word, always striving, with the help of His strength and grace.

Mothers Day 2010

I was minding my own business Friday morning, getting myself ready for the day, when Ed arrives back home, comes in the house and tells me that I have a package on the front porch.

Hmmm....I didn't order anything from anywhere....for once. *grin*

So, I go outside and there is a big green Pro Flowers box and immediately tears come to my eyes.

Daniel.

I bring the box in and begin opening it and inside are beautiful flowers in a vase, a box of chocolates and a set of bath and body lotions, gels, etc. accompanied by a lovely card. (Those people at Pro Flowers know how to do it right. *smile*)



What made this really special for me was the fact that I had talked with my sister Debbie earlier in the week and told her that Erin had gotten me three new lotions from Bath and Body Works, which I love. She had given them to me Tuesday evening and told me Happy Mothers Day and so I brought my lotions home and really didn't expect anything else come Mothers Day, as Daniel has always been a bit "touch and go" with my special days, though it seems he always remembers his dad's special days. :-)

Well, the boy proved me wrong this time, hm? :-) PLUS, I had watched some Mothers Day special segments on TV that morning and was teary-eyed to begin with, so when Daniel's flowers arrived, I was ready for a full-blown cry fest. LOL

He came in later that morning, before going golfing, and saw that I had gotten my flowers and, again, I had "leaky" eyes. He wrapped those big ole biceps around me and said, "Aw, Mom...don't cry...I love you, Mom." And planted a kiss on my forehead. *sigh*
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AND as an added blessing, Daniel, Erin, and little Jaylon surprised us by coming to church at our church last night!!!! Yayyy!! It was sooooo wonderful to be in service with them AND little Jaylon, to worship together and Daniel accompanied me on the drums. Oh my. I never cease to be amazed at how gifted he is and how much he adds to my playing with HIS playing.
Daniel and Erin also sang a special duet in service. It was absolutely beautiful.
Their voices blend so well together. It is so wonderful to worship the Lord together with our children and grandson.
Later, we went to KFC for a bite to eat before coming home on a lovely Sunday evening. *sigh*

And that was my Mothers Day! It was great! :-)
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I want to finish this post by remembering my precious, little Mama.

She may have been small in stature but she was a loving, strong, and determined little giant in my eyes.

How I miss her and the joy she brought to my life. BUT, as long as my sister Debbie is living, Mom will be among us. :-)

But I do see little things in me that are like Mom and sometimes I "hear" Mom in the things that I say. :-)

Below is my favorite picture of Mom.



I hope all of you ladies had a wonderful Mothers Day!!

Is it Wednesday already? My Random-mess!

Hey, by now you know the drill! :-) Head on over to Linda's blog and join us if you like, meet some great people and have fun getting to know one another through the Random Dozen!!

1. What was the last thing about which you procrastinated?
Let me see.....I'm so tired.....I can't seem to remember.....I need to go bed......need sleep....rest......oh yes, it must have been taking myself off to bed 'cause of trying to catch up on my internetty stuff when Fingers McGerk little Jaylon isn't here because when he naps during the day, I have to take a breather in order to last him out provide him with the best care possible for the remainder of the day. *yawwwnnnnn*

2. How long does it take you to fall asleep, and do you sleep through the night?
Mere minutes, sometimes seconds. Yes, I sleep soundly until the alarm goes off at 5:30am. Well, that is, if I have not overindulged in too much liquid refreshment too close to bedtime. ;-0

3. Which decade would you choose to exemplify your favorite fashion styles?
Wellllll....I don't know that I have a favorite decade of style because I like classic clothing that never goes out of style. Clean lines. Nothing fru-fru.

4. What is your personal best dish to feed a crowd?
Well, according to all of my family, when we are having a Thanksgiving family get-together, they always want me to fix homemade noodles, rolls, and dressing/stuffing.
If it is a summertime cookout, they all ask me to bring my baked beans and this sinfully delicious chocolate trifle I make.
My sister Debbie's children like the pizza casserole that I make.
A family friend, Tony, thinks I make the best Tuna Noodle Casserole.
For funerals, I almost always make Smoked Sausage with Creole Vegetables.
Soooooo, I guess you could say that the best dish would depend on the crowd. :-)

5. Are you an impulse shopper? What was the last thing you bought on impulse?
Oh, I remember this one! Ed, me, Daniel and Erin and little Jaylon spent the weekend in Dayton some months ago. We visited the Air Force museum and had a wonderful weekend. We stopped at Jeffersonville Outlet Mall and I went into the Dress Barn, I believe it was. Immediately upon entering, my eyes settled upon this animal print overblouse with subtle gold metallic threads running through it. Oh my! I am so partial to animal print!
Now being an outlet store, I thought, "Okay, how much can it be?". It was $42!!! I thought that was a tad high but, oooohhhh, I loved this blouse! AND as I did have some extra money with me, I bought it!!!! I can't tell you the last time I spent THAT MUCH on a piece of clothing! BUT I have enjoyed wearing it numerous times since then without a speck of guilt! Thank. you. very. much! LOL

6. What is one wish you have for your own funeral?
That at least a few people show up. :-/
Honestly, I asked Ed one time, "Do you ever wonder if there will be very many people at your funeral, should you die before the Lord comes?"
To which he replied, as he was falling asleep, "No....I figure I won't know what's going on anyway."
You know, that just kind of settled it for me. :-)


7. If it's true that joy is in found in the simple things in life, what does your joy look like today?
My side of the bed, the covers turned back, beckoning me to come...."sleep, my child, you need sleep"......

8. What is your favorite type of bread?
Generously buttered.

9. What trait do you fear developing the most? (Laziness, greediness, grumpiness, etc.)
At this point in my life, I believe I am what I am and whatever traits I have developed through the years are the ones I'm gonna be taking to my grave or to heaven with me.
That's not to say that there isn't room for improvement because there is, but, with the help of the Lord, I've endeavored and continue to endeavor to be the best me I can be.

10. What trait would you like most to develop?
Well, being the procrastinator that I am, I suppose my lack of punctuality could use some work. :-/

11. Which room in your house best reflects your personality? Why?
Hmmm.....I think it would be my bedroom. It's my favorite room. It's so quiet and peaceful and neat. It's so welcoming. I can truly rest there. It feels like my refuge and it is my refuge.
It reflects my personality because, even though I am an outgoing person and love people, I need a quiet place that is orderly, quiet, and beautiful where I can recharge.

12. How do you maintain balance in your life regarding, work, family, church, other organizations and activities, and blogging?
Balance? Do I HAVE balance in all of those things? LOL
All I can say is.....I try to be organized here at home, where it all begins. All of the rest seems to naturally fall into place if home is running smoothly. The Lord, family and home are the first priorities in my life. They are what really matter.

Nice Move, Debbie!! :-)

My sister, Debbie....my OLDER sister, Debbie :-)...she is two years older than me.....now lives in Lancaster, Ohio, which is about 30 miles north of where I live.

This is so major because Debbie has never lived outside of Hocking County! She is now a resident of Fairfield County! Wow. I mean, Debbie is 60 and has never lived outside of Hocking County. Well, neither have I for that matter, so you see how major this is!!! :-)

She had been living in the high-rise in Logan where elderly and disabled people live. (I know....that, in itself, sounds depressing, hm?) She had moved there from Enterprise where she rented a small house, which just became too expensive for her, plus keeping someone to mow her grass and so on.

She was just never truly happy in the high-rise. For one thing, she was on the 5th floor, which is the top floor. If she wanted to go outside, she had to go all the way downstairs, then outside, either to the front where there are benches provided or out back where there was a fenced-in patio and small garden area for the residents, but there was always someone out there and sometimes she just wanted her privacy.

That was her biggest issue with living in the high-rise, I believe. Her privacy. Every time she stepped out her door there was someone in the hallway or there would be people in the lobby or sitting outside.

And her little apartment was just that....little. tiny. small. And the entire place was painted the most drabby yellowish/tannish/beigeish color ever created and you weren't allowed to paint your walls the color you wanted either.

There were indeed many advantages to living in the high-rise for Debbie especially as she is disabled. They also had regularly scheduled activities for those who wished to participate, so she did have social activities she could participate in if she chose to and she didn't even have to leave the building! :-)

But, because of her continued unhappiness with living there, her daughter suggested that she consider moving to Lancaster where she and her family live. Our older sister, Bev, and her family lives in Lancaster, too.

So, after much prayer and consideration, Debbie took the plunge and April commenced to helping her look for a place to live.

I wasn't too crazy about the idea because I had always liked having Debbie here in Hocking County with me, as did her two sons! BUT Debbie is very independent, even if she is on oxygen, has congestive heart failure, COPD, enphysema just to mention a few of her ailments. But her being independent is a GOOD thing, so she decided to take the plunge and moved! To another county and city!

Wellllll......I am so glad that she did! She has the nicest apartment and it is so much roomier than her little dinky place at the high-rise and it is much more pleasant. AND it has been newly remodeled! I am so happy for her!!! AND she is so happy with it! She has a small enclosed private patio and some beautiful perennials that the previous occupant had planted. Her apartment is in the back of the apartment complex and her backyard is a rather large yard/field that they keep nicely mowed and it has a couple of trees in it. It is almost like living in the country for her!

I've gone up once a week for the last three weeks to visit with her and we have had such a good time. It's like there hasn't been a big adjustment period for her or anything. She has just taken to this move and her new home like a fish to water! I am sooo thankful, because we were all concerned about her making such a big move and change in her life.

Her doctors are all now just a short drive away now and the hospital is just about a mile away. All of her doctors are in Lancaster, so this all works out great and that was one of the main determining factors in her final decision to move to Lancaster, too.

There is a Dollar General just across the street! :-) AND within walking distance there is Pizza Crossing Pizza, Cristy's Pizza, Fat Cat Pizza, and Donato's Pizza!

Hey, I'd make the move just for the pizza!!!! LOL

One thing that has changed majorly is that Debbie cannot call me because it is long distance, so it is up to me to call her and stay in touch, which I don't mind at all. Thankfully, she does have a cellphone with limited minutes on it so if she REALLY needs me she can all me and I just call her back!

And one last thing that is pretty neat: I was hanging pictures for Debbie a couple of weeks ago and hammering some small nails in the wall, when there was a knock at her door. Debbie went to see who it was and it was her neighbor making sure she was alright because he thought perhaps she was pounding on wall for help! I thought that was so nice of him to check on her and he said that's what neighbors are for! I apologized for banging on the wall and he said it was no problem; he was just glad that Debbie was okay.

Sooooo, there you have it. A big change for Debbie and for me but,thankfully, we are both doing well with her move. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for keeping your hand upon my sister Debbie and blessing her with and in her new home.

Wednesday's Random Dozen!

You can link up to the Wednesday Random Dozen at Linda's blog and join the fun!! :-)

1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?

No, I don't believe I ever have been truly lost. Thankfully, I have a very good sense of direction.

2. Have you ever been to an island?

Yes, we've been to Kelly's Island in Lake Erie.

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?

Well, while I tend to be more of a feeler, I do believe that most of the time I am a fairly balanced blend of both.

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?

Mostly black and white. Right or wrong. Yes or no. :-) K.I.S.S. :-)

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)
A compilation book of Countryside magazine which is a "living beyond the sidewalks" publication that I love!!!

6. What are you most afraid of?

Of losing the good health that I have and not be able to live life fully and do the things that I do now.

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?

If I had to choose, it would have to be to not be able to make new memories, though I dread the thought of that, but I have so many wonderful memories. I just couldn't give them up easily. Especially at my age.....58. I find myself so often remembering lessons that I have learned through the years and hoping that I've passed them on sufficiently to Daniel, our son and also to my nieces and nephews and others who might benefit from them.

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?

A picture of me and Ed, a picture of Daniel, Erin and Jaylon and a picture of my siblings because these are the people that I love the most!

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)

I would have had our wedding videotaped! We got married in 1986 and videotaping was just in the beginning stages of being very popular. :-/

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.

Offering true forgiveness to someone is liberating for both parties. Receiving true forgiveness is so humbling. Forgiveness is the most wonderful gift you could ever give or receive.

Thank the Lord that He first brought to us true forgiveness. Oh, what a Saviour!

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?

Browsing through women's magazines, i.e. Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, etc. or just closing my eyes and resting. Once in a great while, I'll strike up a conversation with someone sitting nearby, especially if they are someone I already know and haven't seen in awhile, but most often I like to sit quietly with myself and my thoughts. :-)

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?

I hope they would have my zest for life! :-) And I hope that they would not be a procrastinator!

:-/

"Please don't cut down any more trees!"

I received the above picture in an email and at first, when reading the subject line, thought the government was going to start telling us that we couldn't cut down any more trees. Not so! LOL I thought the picture was sooo funny! :-)
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Below, is a picture of our granddoggy, Heidi! She has on her pink hoodie which says "Good Girl" on it. That is what Jaylon calls Heidi. "Good Girl" Well, actually, that is what he calls every dog now. And sometimes he really gets on a roll and just says "Good Girl" repeatedly. Especially when the dogs are running and playing and he is all excited! :-)

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And below, once again, is some pictures that I took of a little cemetery that is just down the road from us. We were coming home from somewhere last week and as we were driving by this cemetery, it just about took my breath away.....it was soooo beautiful! So, of course, I just had to go back and take some pictures.
Now, there have been a few little flowers growing about in this cemetery in years past in early spring, but never like this!! It was just literally carpeted with these little lilac flowers this year!!





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Jaylon loooooves grandma's spaghetti and meatballs, as evidenced in these pictures! AND he is learning to feed himself, too, as is very evident, also! Egads! I hope I am up for this! LOL


And below are two pictures of Jaylon sleeping. In the first one, he is sleeping with grandpa on the sofa. In the second one, he is sleeping in the position that his daddy loved to sleep in when he was a baby. :-)

Wednesday's Random Dozen! :-)

It's that most wonderful time of the week again! Time for Wednesday's Random Dozen hosted by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee! Just click on Linda's blog back there to join in the fun!!!
1. Ever had any run-ins with the "library police?"
Noooooo. :-) I used to BE the "library police"! And, now that I am no longer the "library police", I am in good with the staff and they cut me some breaks if I have overdue books (egads!) or movie fines (horror of horrors!). Hey, it happens to the best of us, but, thankfully, because of my connections good standing as a library patron, those awful things....fines....are taken care of.
I do try my best not to take advantage of these special privileges, though.....just so you know!!!
:-)

2. Do you have a special organizational plan and place for wrapping paper, gift bags, etc., or do you just purchase whatever you need as you give gifts?
I didn't know there was a "special organizational plan and place for wrapping paper", etc. LOL
Okay, does a huge "already been used" gift bag, sitting on the shelf in my closet, that contains all of the gift bags that I've gotten things in and then folded and stuffed into this huge bag, count as a "special organizational plan and place"?
I haven't purchased wrapping paper for years! I would love to shake the hand of and offer my appreciation to the wonderful person that came up with the idea of gift bags!! I love them!!!! AND I love that you can get gorgeous ones at Dollar Tree for a DOLLAR!!!! :-)

3. Have you ever been in (first-hand witness) a natural disaster?
The closest I (we) ever came to being in or witnessing a natural disaster was one time when it rained, I mean POURED rain for an hour or more. We had had flooding in the lower part of our back yard before but this was different. It was unrelenting rain. The creek, which is fairly wide, overflowed its banks but soon we heard a roar coming down through the valley and out of nowwhere came this huge torrent of raging, muddy water down through the valley, flattening small trees and brush. I had never seen anything like it!
I had heard about flash floods but this was the first time I had seen anything close to one!
Thankfully, we live on a slope and we were up high enough so that our home was not damaged but many who lived up our road were.
Soon after the water tore through the valley, the rain subsided and it was amazing how quickly the water receded, leaving a muddy trail of debri in its path.

4. What's your favorite Barry Manilow song?
The only Barry Manilow song that I can remember is "Mandy" and, indeed, I DID looooove that song!!! *sighhhhh*

5. What's the best costume you've ever worn?
Good heavens! Let me see......*thinking* thinking* I would have to say a clown costume that I made and wore for our outreach program when I went to church in Lancaster.
I had gone to the church early that morning, gotten all dressed and applied my makeup. We then proceeded to get on the church bus and do outreach the entire day. I remember it as being so hot that day.
Well, when we got back to the church, I discovered that I hadn't brought anything to remove the makeup with and I was so bone tired, that I just decided to drive home.....about a 25 mile trip down Rt. 33........in my clown getup, makeup and all.
Welllllll, not long after I left the church, I heard cars honking. Remember I am boned tired, but I've got this smile and surprised look painted on my face. :-)
People are driving by me honking and waving and laughing, expecting me to respond in kind and so I did! It was just the best trip home ever! And it re-energized me so!
I was just amazed at the grown-ups who still acted like little kids when seeing a clown...ME....driving along in the car. They just waved and waved and were so excited when I responded back!
It was an awesome experience, because, you know.....clowns are never off-duty. :-) And, wow, to think that I brought so much happiness to so many people on that drive home. Talk about a ministry?!

6. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?
The dictionary, though by dictionary I mean http://www.m-w.com/ :-)

7. What's your favorite breakfast food?
Bacon!!!! Bacon!!!! Bacon!!!! LOL

8. Have you ever purchased anything from an infomercial?
Yes! We purchased a set of the Dean Martin DVD's. We purchased the first five, I believe. (I'd look but I'm at the library.) Of course, they tried to get us to buy more but we were just a tad disappointed in the ones that we purchased, as they didn't have alot of the scenes that they showed on the commercial....of course!!! I'm sure that was a ploy to get us to buy the other ones, but we didn't!

9. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Oh yes! Do you want the gory details??
I was home alone. It was in the morning after Daniel had gone to school and Ed had gone to work. I had on my robe and I had hot sticks in my hair. While waiting for the hot sticks to curl my hair, I went outside to feed the dog and so on. (We live in the country. I can get away with this.) BUT just as the door clicked shut, it occurred to me that I might be locked out. I was!!!! Thankfully, the bathroom window was open BUT it was way up high and it is a slender......and that is the OPERATIVE word here....SLENDER window. Hello. Sooooo, I got the ladder from the garage, steadied it as much as possible, removed the screen and somehow managed to wrangle myself through that window without doing any lasting damage to myself or the window.
*WHEW*

10. Do you believe in love at first sight?
No. I believe you are attracted to someone. You respect them. You love them to a degree. But, in all honesty.....you LEARN to love someone. Love is such a process. Real, true love, that is. My dear dad always explained this to us as we were growing up and maturing and I can say that I've come to really believe it.
"Love doesn't come and go,
When it takes a notion,
Is not only concerned with itself.
Is not given to impulse,
Or emotional swings,
Never takes away,
More than it brings,
Love accepts responsibility,
Love gives a guarantee,
The reason that love is the way it is,
Love gave its life on Calvary."

11. How man pairs of jeans do you own?
WE own one pair and they belong to my husband and let me just say that he looks REALLY good in them!!! ;-) Oh yes he does!!! ;-)
I wear only skirts and dresses. :-)

12. If someone were going to bake a cake to honor/represent you, what would it be? (Think creatively, like Duff and Crew on "Ace of Cakes.")
Hmmmm......it would have to be something musically oriented, I believe. A black baby grand piano accessorized with musical notes and sheet music, possibly.

Pictures of this and that and you-know-who!!! :-)

Last Friday I drove into Logan and on my way took some random pictures of things that caught my eye!
The first picture below is of the Fox farm. They have sheep-like animals on the hillside in front of their beautiful home and I just had to take a picture!!! :-)

The one below is of a beautiful little tree that I thought was so pretty! Soooo, I stopped and took its picture!

Next! Little Jaylon playing hide and seek underneath his high chair!!! Adorable little guy!! :-)


AND lastly, but certainly not leastly, is Ellie, the kitty of the house! She is adorable, too!!! :-)

Wednesday's Random Dozen!!! Yay!!!

It's that most wonderful time of the week once again! Wednesday's Random Dozen time!!! Linda at 2nd Cup Of Coffee hosts this fun meme, so if you would like to join the fun and meet some really wonderful women, click on Linda's blog up there and random right along with the rest of us!!! Happy Wednesday!!!

1. How do you feel about "Gladiator" sandals, also called "Roman" or "Jesus" sandals? A fashion yea or nay?
Well, seeing as how I don't really keep up with fashion...... it would be a fashion nay for me. AND I just can't stand to have anything even remotely snug around my ankles. No, these sandals would never do. :-) The only sandals I have is a pair of black Birkenstocks and I love them!! Talk about comfortable!! They were worth the money, wear like iron, and I could walk MORE than a mile in them! :-)

2. What is your favorite pizza?
Oh, this one is easy! Pizza Crossing All-the-way large pizza!!!! Oh my word!!! It is THE best pizza ever!!!

3. There are plans in the works to sell roughly 1,000 items from Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. This means you could buy Picard's chair for your family room. If not a Star Trek item, what prop, background, set, etc. from what TV or movie would you buy if you could?
[Ex: Hurley's "I Love my Shih tzu" shirt from LOST, the plantation home "Tara" from Gone With the Wind, or Tracy's tambourine from the Partridge Family.]
Hmmmm.......I am coming up with a mind blank here. But as I think about my favorite movies, the newer version of "Little Women" comes to mind and I believe I would like to have one of
Jo's (played by Winona Ryder) writing instruments that she used to write Little Women with.
Little Women is such a great movie!

4. Name a local food or restaurant that your area is famous for.
It would have to be The Old Dutch Restaurant, though I don't care for it much. In the summer, busloads of people come to this restaurant to eat and shop. There is also an antique mall next door, a craft mall beside the antique mall, a glassware outlet, canoe livery....Hey! you can check it all out HERE! :-) The restaurant's atmosphere is great! The gift shop is very nice. They have wonderful banquet facilities but the food just isn't as good as you might expect it to be. That is my own humble personal opinion.

5. What is your current favorite snack?
Wheat Thins! Oh yum! :-)

6. Hypothetical: You are required to be a reality show contestant. Which show would you choose based on your probability of success? (You cannot choose "none.")

A. Dancing with the Stars
B. Biggest Loser
C. Survivor

It would have to be "B", the Biggest Loser. I've lost 50lbs. so many times in my lifetime AND gained it back....a fact that I am not bragging about, in the least. But I would be good at losing weight. It is the keeping it off that I have a leeeeetle trouble with. :-)

7. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being uninhabitable and 10 being cleanliness that meets the standards of OCD, how clean is your vehicle's interior?

I would have to say a "7". I just don't like for the inside of my car to be messy.

8. It doesn't feel like Spring until _________.
Until the big daffodil cross that is planted on a nearby hillside comes out each spring! When I see the green stalks and stems from afar, I know spring is close at hand!!! :-) I am so thankful that someone took the time and put forth the effort to plant this flower cross for all of us to enjoy each spring!

9. Something that made you laugh really hard recently is ____.
Okay, I had a Just My Size catalog laying on the kitchen table. I had been looking through several small catalogs that a friend had given me. I loooove looking through catalogs.
Anywayyyy.....a couple of days ago, Ed picked up the JMS catalog.....which had a young buxom woman on the cover......pointed to the young buxom woman.....and said, "Will you order me one of these?"
It just struck me as sooooo funny!!! We both laughed until we cried!!!! :-) It was just one of those crazy funny moments that a husband and wife share from time to time. :-)


10. Tell me about a goal you're working toward.
Well, one goal I am working toward it finishing an afghan that I started some time ago for a young lady that I love dearly. I was her caregiver when she was a little girl. Then she started going to church with us, was in our youth group, and is now married and living in Bossier City, La., where her husband is stationed in the Air Force. Her favorite colors are hot pink and black, so this is going to be a pretty hot looking afghan! :-)

11. Share a thought-provoking or inspiring quote this week.
"......that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." I Timothy 2:2
"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;..." I Thess. 4:11
"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." I Peter 3:4

12. Name one thing that you do as a parent that you absolutely know will make your kids happy. If you're not a parent, feel free to substitute "friend" or nomenclature that works for you.
One thing that I know for sure that makes Daniel happy is when he walks in the door in the evening to get little Jaylon and I have something good to eat simmering on the stove! AND especially if I have enough for him to take home for his and Erin's supper!! :-) That is one thing less that they have to do when they get home after a long day at work and a tiring commute home. Daniel LOOOOOVES good food! (He is his mother's son!) I mean, we get emotional about food!!! We are food junkies and I love that about us!!! LOL