I was just tagged by my niece,   junglewife , to play a came called picture tag.  These are the rules.

Here are the rules:
1. Go to the 4th folder in your computer where you store your pictures.
2. Pick the 4th picture in that folder.
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 people to do the same.

Kaden and his babop are playing their version of ping pong.  More like pong.  But they both enjoy it very much.

Now I'm supposed to tag 4 more.  Fight amongst yourselves!

Speaking of junglewife, I'll post family party picturese once they all leave tonight.  They are coming over in 25 minutes for appitizers and cookies.  I have 3 sushi trays, shrimp, crab cakes, deviled eggs, a vegie tray, lobster spread, hummus, crackers, assorted homemade cookies, candies, punch and Christmas tea.  Wanna join us?

Mom and dad arrived safe and sound this afternoon.  Dad is currently at the dollar store picking up some cheap items they forgot.  I warned him that it's been taking 15 minutes to drive to 5 minute drive from here to the shops.  Our unicorporated township roads don't get plowed.  So then you end up with two tire tracks that you hope fit your car, otherwise you are driving on ice.  Yup.  Fun times in northern Indiana! 

Mom posted too.  So you can check out her site if you are one of her friends too.

Meanwhile, pictures from my birthday dinner at the Japanese Restaurant.

It was one of those grill tables where the chef cooks in front of you.  Kaden told us he was afraid of fire.

Whee!  Baby lifts.

Kaden has a sip of gee gee's soup.

He picked out these earrings for me.

And a gift card from Hobby Lobby from my mil.

Good things come in small packages - from my parents! 

Don't you love this jacket?  I can wear it with any solid color and it goes.  I took it to Maryland and wore it each time we went out.  I know it's not very subdued, but then, neither am I!

I want to thank everyone for all those lovely birthday greetings.  My mom is great, isn't she?  She and my dad are driving toward this wonderful great-lakes weather (we had a combination of ice and snow last night - I just let Barney out and he's walking on top of the snow/ice, not leaving any footsteps at all.  Oh joy.)  So please say a few prayers for them that they arrive here safe and sound.

I'm moving what I had posted early yesterday morning since most of you didn't get to read it because of the great post my guest put up!

Hugs and thanks.

We're back, cold, but happy.  It was a nice trip.  The folks at the University of Maryland were very nice and, while my hubby was spending the day talking about science, I was at our nations capital, taking in the history and the arts at the National Gallery and a few of the Smithsonians.  We did the drive from Maryland to southern Florida in two days (15 hours) and got to enjoy a nice Monday in the 70's until our plane left at 6:15 p.m.

So now we're home.  I wrapped all the Christmas gifts.  They are all hiding in my closet.  Although everyone in my family knows that but no one is into sneaking peaks anymore.  So they're safe.  Kaden spent Tuesday night with us and all day Wednesday.  WEdnesday night my family took me out to a very nice Japanese restaurant to celebrate my 29th birthday, a day early.  Michelle wanted to know if I was 60 yet, so I had to think about that, then told her I was over 60 in base 8.  65 to be exact.  How many of you remember bases and how to figure them out?  I know the schools don't teach that like they did back in the day, which is really strange considering that all computer programming is based on the binary system, base 2.  As my favorite tee shirt says, there are 10 types of people in this world, those that understand binary and those that don't.

I'm up late, don't know why.  I have a few meetings tomorrow, one for garden club ( I have to meet with the treasurer and figure out the new state requirements for income taxes) and the other for ladies of notre dame.  That one is over lunch.   Michelle will probably stop over.  She says she's bringing me a cake.  Yeah!  I love birthday cakes!

I probably ought to go to bed.  I need my beauty sleep, so I'll continue to look this good during my 110101 year (binary).  Hugs.

Turn about is fair play..don't you think?

Since Val took over my site on my birthday...I feel it's only fair to return the favor..

This is Val's mom stealing, hijacking  borrowing her website just to let you know that it is her BIRTHDAY.

 I kind of hate to do it since she just wrote a new entry(you can read that later)

Val will be surprised when she finds she has a new profile picture...

We brought her home Christmas Eve.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT WE EVER RECEIVED.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VALERIE

We'll see you in just a few days.

LOVE

MOM

Note: for tons more pictures all about Val's birthday through the years visit josaju

Just checking in from my hotel room in Elyria, OH.  Dave and I are on a whirlwind trip to the University of Maryland where he is giving a seminar tomorrow (friday), then on Saturday we are driving south to Florida.  We are taking my mil's car to her.  She left our house on Dec 3, so she's been relying on friends and family to get her places.  Then we fly home on Monday, 12/15.  Whew!

The good news is my Christmas letters are written and sent and all my gifts are purchased, if not wrapped, except for my difficult father.  I wish I could give my mom a healed hip, but she's going to have to wait for the new year for a hip replacement.  So, my first thought is what do I have to do to make sure my hip doesn't give out now that both of my parents have failed hips?  Any ideas?

Gotta run.  Or sit, as the case is.  I'm the navigator and this time it's easy since we got a GPS system.  I'll check in as I can.

Book recommendation:  People of the Book by Gwendaline Brooks.  We just discussed that in book club.  Interesting.

I hope this copied OK.

Just wanting to wish all of you God's continued blessings on this day where we all give Thanks for all He has done.

Hugs.

This is what it looks like outside my door today.

It looks like January, not November.

Yuck.

Kaden may come over this afternoon to make a snowman.

Or play ping-pong.  Except babop won't be here.

Last night I went to a red hat dinner at a local Italian restaurant.

We had fun and the food was yummy!

Hope all is well with you.  I will get aroung to my rounds, hopefully later today.

Yes, I did fall off the face of the earth

I've got this xanga allergy, bad!

Actually I've had a cold and haven't felt much like doing anything.  Michelle thinks I'm anti-social because I just want to be left alone. 

I'm going to force myself out of the house today and head to an art fair in another town with some other women.  It should be fun and good for me!

Someday I promise to come calling again.  Just don't hold your breathe.  I need to download some pictures of Dave and Kaden playing ping-pong.  Too cute. 

Maybe I'll do that when I get home.

Halloween is over.  Which means the holiday season is fast approaching.  But it also means I have pictures!

Two lil punkins.  The one on the right was for a garden club contest.  Michelle drew the face, I dressed him.  We won.

First prize.  It was really yummy too.  Chocolate and banana nut.  I sent most of it home with Michelle.

First we trick-or-treated at Toys-R-Us and got to see Uncle Ken at work.

Then we hit the immediate neighbors with Skyler.  No, we didn't actually hit the neighbors with Skyler.  We trick-or-treated with him at their houses.

Mavis the dog had to greet Skyler.

Then, when Dave and Sam got home, they all took Kaden and I stayed home with Skyler and handed out treats when the doorbell rang.  What's with kids not saying trick-or-treat?  I won't give the candy until they say it.  I know.  I'm mean.

Kaden and Dave.

This is how warm it was.  Shirt sleeve weather.

The boys.

Kaden's getting tired.

It was a fun night.  Barney's pissed because he's in the garage tonight.  We won't let him out of the house on Halloween and he's just mad.  It's safer that way.  I don't want my cat being a Halloween statistic.

Hope you had a fun Halloween too.

I think I have a temporary allergy to xanga.  I was in a book club back in Illinois and one of my co-readers used to say she had a book-allergy when she'd go through periods when she didn't read.  That's about how I feel about xanga.  It makes me tired.  I'm sure I'll recover.

I saw the dr today, 4 weeks after surgery.  He said everything looks good.  The stitches are still there, but should dissolve within 2 weeks.  I can now lift Skyler, but not Kaden.  He upped my weight limit to 20 pounds.  And I can rake leaves.  Our lawn is buried under fallen leaves.  I like to rake when my favorite helpers, Barney and Kaden, are there to "help" me.   If that happens, I'll take pictures.

Michelle and her mil Katie co-hosted a stampin up party on Monday.  I helped out too, but they invited their friends.  It was held in Amishland and the only non-Amish there were Me, Michelle and the demonstrator, who experience cultural growth.  I saw her the next day at our regular monthly workshop and she kept talking about her night!

We're planning to visit my mil this weekend.  She just had a cancerous growth removed from her nose and had some pretty major reconstructive surgery involving the skin from all over her face.  Dave's cousin sent us pictures.  She kept saying she looked like Frankenstein and know we know why.  Poor thing.  They had to go in three times until all the margins were clear of cancer.  Skin cancer can be bad.

I may get around and visit, but I'm not sure I'll leave many comments.