Stuck at home, sick with the flu.  So I've been reading, of course!  You can check out my updates on the 50 book challenge site.

Michelle and I have another Stampin Up party tomorrow night at a neighbors.  That should be fun.  Close too!  Gotta love that!

The boys are growing like weeds.

Here is babop reading a book to his boys.  I think this might have been taken last Sunday.

And I had a chance to rock the little guy to sleep, while singing some lulabies to him.  Unfortunately, he didn't stay down.  He wants to sleep next to another warm body.  Too bad Barney won't cooperate!

The dratted snow is back.  Still coming down.  We probably have 6 - 8 inches on the ground now.  BLLLSPPPPP!  How do you spell the raspberries?

I hope you're all healthy.  Now that I'm up again, maybe I'll come calling and check!

Oh man.  I can't believe it's been this long since I've posted.  My bad.  I just haven't come by xanga.  Actually, I've tried a time or two and at least one of those times xanga was down. 

I've been hybernating.  What else can you do in snow like this?  And cold?  I'm so happy that February is here and January is OVER!

This week I'm going to host a Stampin Up party for Michelle, who's now a demonstrator.  We're having lots of fun planning our projects!  She's also working at Bed Bath and Beyond, having beaten the odds (700 people interviewed for the new store opening here).  They moved out of one store and into a new location, so it's not like it's really new.  They closed the old location.  So they didn't need an entire new staff.  They did need 30 people to help set up the store - they were guaranteed full-time work for two weeks.  That was hard on all of us, Michelle being gone from her boys that long, one of whom is still nursing!  After the two weeks they kept on 6 of the 30 and Michelle made that cut too!  I'm very proud of her.

I subbed one day last week.  Other than that it's been bible study with Kaden, garden clubs, ladies of notre dame, or just life in general.  I have been keeping busy.  Just haven't been visiting on xanga.  Thanks, gllady, for checking up on me.  I appreciate being missed!

So, pictures.

Dave, Ken and I attended the Hope/Calvin satalyte game in South Bend in January.  Calvin won by a basket.  So sad.

Our little smiler.

And the big brother.

Maybe I'll spend more time here!  Hugs!

Our little Skyler turned 6 months old yesterday!  He continues to make conquests everywhere he goes.  Carol, his babysitter is as smitten as the rest of us.  Michelle is working at Bed, Bath and Beyond, it may be only temporary, or it may turn into part-time work.  She's helping set up the new store - they are moving a mile down the road.  It's a bigger location, but still.  The expense of moving must be enormous!

I guess I'd better take a picture of him the next time he's here - on Sunday.

We now have unlimited text messaging on our five cell phones.  Not that my husband will ever use his.  My mil might use the picture option once we upgrade her phone - then Michelle can send her pictures of the boys via cellphone!  We (read I) did that when my current bill went up $50 in a month due to "data usage".  I did a little research and discovered that Ken, who had a 250 text plan, had used 750 texts, the additional costing $.10 each.  So I unblocked Michelle's texting and just went for it on all phones.  That was actually cheaper than adding it piecemeal.  I only text Ken and now Michelle.  If any of you have cell phones and would like to text me, just let me know!  LOL

I'm trying to catch up on life.  I spent the entire day yesterday scanning recipes for our next creative cooking meeting on Tuesday only to discover that I had used too high of a resolution so none of them would send through the email.  So I had to rescan them all (there were 9) - it went so much faster at a lower setting!  Live and learn.

It's snowing prettily outside.  I can say that since I'm inside with no plans to leave.  I need to clean today.  And reorganize.  My reed difuser spontaniously tipped on my dresser (it's been in the same place for over 6 months with no problems, when all of a sudden it tips over - I wasn't anywhere near it and neither was anyone else) so Ken and I had to sop it all up before it ruined the finish on my dresser.  I had a difficult time falling asleep last night due to the very strong smell.

I must pull myself away from here and DO SOME WORK!

Another wedding.  Those of you who were there can scroll through all the pictures in my photos.  I'll just post a few here.

It was one of the loveliest, well-thought-out, and meaningful weddings I've ever been to.  Ben is planning to be a preacher, so he was very atune to details.  He did a great job in planning the service.

And, amazingly, our group closed down the hall!  We were talking so much that I was totally shocked when I looked around and found - no one else was there!  LOL.  The old fogies outlasted all the young kids!

The cake.

The grooms parents (with the brides father in the background - I thought I edited him out, but aparently not) - Doesn't Sue look stunning?

Our gang.  Again, I lightened this.  Argg.  I wonder where those photos go?

The bride and groom.  Belamie.  Think Bradula.

This is better.

With our spouses.

I cried.  I think we all did.  We could all remember Ben as a baby and also his growing up years.  There's still a few more weddings with all the kids represented here!  Three of us are grandparents with four grandchildren between us.  The rest just have to catch up!

What a nice time was had by all.  God will surely shine upon their union.  May they be blessed with many long and happy years together!

 

This is our day of normalcy in between two weddings.  Yesterday my niece Ruth got married.  It was a lovely wedding and reception.  I just uploaded 2 videos which won't be of any interest to anyone except for junglewife, Ruth's sister, who wasn't able to attend since she and her husband are missionaries in Indonesia. 

Tomorrow we are attending the wedding of Ben, son of coolmom56.  Ben is one of Ken's oldest friends so he's looking forward to it too.

Mom and dad left this morning so they can get warm again.  She left her boots behind for Michelle, who is thrilled.

Some pictures, since I'm behind with that.

My birthday cake, courtesy of Michelle.

Isn't it neat?  She's so creative.  It was a double-decker, 2 sheet panas so it was huge!  We couldn't eat it all, although we tried.

Barney is watching Kaden's train wizz by.

I think mom and dad had a good time.  We enjoyed having them.   Good memories shared by all.

Mom's new boyfriend.  She was head-over-heals for Skyler!

Kaden is now vocal enough to trade barbs with great-grandpa.  They both enjoyed bantering back and forth about "Joe from Kokomo".  Kaden was still saying it today. along with how silly great-grandpa is.  Which is true.

I hope your second day of 2009 is going well!  I spent part of my Hobby Lobby gift cards on wrapping paper and half-off stamps!  That was very fun.

Oh yeah.  I also learned from my dr cousin that we are among the fortunate 1% who take statin drugs and who also need to take coenzime Q10 so that our hands don't keep going numb at night.  Apparently doctors should know about this problem but they don't think about that reaction because it's so uncommon.  Lucky us.  I've been suffering from numb hands at night for years.  Quitodoc happened to say something about losing sleep last night because of his not taking a vitamin becuase of a drug interaction, and so that's how I found out what it was.  It's been happening to me for so long that I forget about it during the day.  I think I thought there was nothing that could be done and that it was normal for me.  I am hoping this makes my sleep last longer!  It's all in the genes!

Did you know that those of us who are born in December have three different birthstones to choose from?  Blue topaz, turquoise, and tanzanite.

I had picked out the blue topaz as my personal choice a few years back.  My parents got me a lovely pair of blue topaz earrings when I turned 50.  Dave got me a blue topaz pendant for our anniversary and this year he got me the last piece, a birthstone ring.  I had to have it resized, but I picked it up today.

It's tear-shaped.  It fits snugly inbetween my fingers so I can't even feel it when I wear it.  Which I plan to do all the time.

Up until now I've only worn my wedding set.  Now I'll wear my birthstone too.

I'm not really into fine jewelry, but this I like.

Finally, the third shot got us all smiling.  Aren't we cute triplets?  I wonder when my daughter and my mom got to be the same height?

Mom and dad took off for Cleveland for a few days.  Nice for them.  They'll be able to visit a few friends while there.  My hubby has spent the entire day sick in bed, poor baby.  This is very unusual for him.  Hopefully he'll snap out of this by tomorrow, otherwise I'll start to worry.

Michelle and her family went to an indoor pool today and had a blast!  Kaden even went down a water slide!  Guess he didn't like that his first time down, but then it was fun.  Skyler just kept smiling!

Ken and I are really enjoying the wii fit.  I'm doing 1/2 hour a day and he's doing an hour.  It's really good exercise!

This will be primary a photo blog.  We had a wonderful day.  Lots of fun and love all around.  It was wonderful to have my parents there, as well as all my kids and grandsons.  Everyone spent the night at our house, so we woke up in the morning ready to go.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Presents around the tree.

Kaden had more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

I raised my kids up right - both are Bears fans.

New work gloves for Sam.

Catnip toy for Barney.

One for Wilma too.  She wouldn't come downstairs, so I had to bring hers up to the bedroom.

Michelle's gift to Ken - she tape all the dollar bills together, rolled them up and placed them in a kleenex box.  Ken was equally clever in his gift to her - he gave he a gift card, but wrapped up butter wrappers in the shape of gift cards and so she had three equally sized tissue wrapped cards to open - only one was the real deal.

Hobby Lobby - one of my favs.

Christmas morning disorganisation.

Our gift to each other - the Wii and the Wii fit.

Michelle please both of us with pretty jackets.

Taking a break for brunch, which was the same breakfast casserole that junglewife shared on her site.

Someone really loved his gift!

Lots of new parts to the Brio train.

Shoulder ride with babop.

Christmas dinner.

Skyler and Uncle Ralph.

Aren't they cute?

We all are bushed.  I hope you had a fun day too.

This just came in my email from my wonderful Aunt Em.  It was too funny to not share with all of you!

Merry Christmas To All the wonderful women in my life




If I were ol' Santa, you know what I'd do?
I'd dump all the silly gifts that are given to you
And deliver some things just inside your front door:
Things you have lost, but treasured before. . .
I'd give you back all of your maidenly vigor,And to go along with it - a cute little figure.Then, restore the old color that once graced your hair,Before rinses and bleaches took residence there.


I'd bring back the shape with which once you were gifted,So things now suspended need not be uplifted.I'd draw in your tummy and smooth down your backSo you'd look like a dream in those tight-fitting slacks.
I'd remove creases and wrinkles and leave only one chin,So you need not spend time rubbing creams on your skin.You'd not have hot flashes or queer dizzy spellsAnd you wouldn't hear noises like ringing of bells.

No more sore, aching feet and no corns on your toes;No searching for spectacles when they're right on your nose. Not a shot would you take in your arm, hip or fannyFrom a doctor who thinks you're just an old granny.

You'd never have a headache, so no pills would you takeAnd no heating pad needed since your muscles won't ache. Yes, if I were Santa, you'd always be hot:You'd be a cute little chick with a fabulous bod.

I'd give a lift to your heart when those wolves start to whistleAnd the joys of your heart would be as light as a thistle. But alas! I'm not Santa. . . I'm simply just me:The matronliest matron you ever did see.



I wish I could tell you all the symptoms I've got,
But I'm due at my doctor's for an estrogen shot.
Even though we've grown older, this wish is sincere; Merry Christmas, dear friend, and a Happy New Year!


Merry Christmas to all my fav xangaites.

The party was a lot of fun last night.  Except I forgot about the deviled eggs until I was putting things away at the end of the night and found them in the fridge.  There was plenty of food without them, but now we're going to be eatting a lot of eggs!  Good thing Sam loves them so much and can handle eating a lot of them!

Michelle's camera has all the group shots, only when they downloaded to my picassa site, they were in a very strange format.  So I can't get them here.  I'll have to ask her when she gets here later today.

Marabeth ( my cousin's wife and junglewife's mom), Skyler and Michelle.

Sam and Michelle with Dave and Fran (other cousin's wife) in the background.

Ken and Peter.  Those of you who've read me for awhile remember when Peter lived with us.

The twins.  My dad and Aunt Em.

I have no idea.  I will identify Skyler here.

Nephew Joe, his new wife Rachel, who Kaden adopted for the entire evening.  Apparently my grandson has a thing for pretty young women.

They were enjoying a quiet time reading "The Little Engine that Could" together.

A good time was had by all.  See, I can't even put the picture of most everyone lined up on the couch and chairs in the basement, watching the freezeball game between the Bears and the Packers.  Good thing the Bears won, after than awful call in the first quarter!

Today will be a quiet day.  I have to get my allergy shots, but nothing else is on the schedule.  Yippee!