Good morning, what's new with you?

I didn't figure anybody was ready for another trip to Texas so soon.  I'm waiting find out if anybody is going to be doing any gtg's I can go to this year.

No, WinStar is tomorrow night.  I'll sleep in the car and drive back in on Christmas Day.  Got my two blankets and my pillow ready!! 

Looks like I might have hit goal at work for December. Let's hope. Those goals have been few and far between the last six months.

I've not shopped for Christmas yet.  Soooo, not in the mood but guess I'll do a little something.  I'm online looking to purchase three tickets to High Tea at the Adolphus Hotel in January.  I'll go, of course, but want my son's gf and my DIL to go. That's my Christmas to them...and I'll get to enjoy it.

Nothing going on in THIS life, it seems. No decorations at the Redhead's house. You can't even tell it's Christmas... but will be less to put up later.

It's well over 70 here today...sorry, folks in the East... and it's gorgeous.  I was sitting on the patio awhile ago at $4 and reading the paper. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold and rainy.  Paybacks are heck, aren't they?

Gotta run.

Janet

What, are you kidding? I was ready to come back to Dallas the very next weekend!

My DIL and I are talking about a girls weekend in the Spring for our combined birthdays. I'll keep you posted. Maybe a lunch or something could be planned?

Hugs and happy day!

Good morning Susan and OFF family,
It's quiet at work here for a change. Hospital census is down, always is at this time of year. I got a primo parking space!! Wwwhhooooo!

Merry Christmas to all.

Today after work it's upstairs working on the weight machines than on to spin class. Then home to clean house because it's our Christmas dinner with the kids and grand kids tomorrow. Changing things a bit this year, oldest daughter just wants pizza and snacky stuff. So that is what will happen. Now you all see why I exercise?? LOL

I'll be off the computer until Monday. Nope, I don't have a computer at home...yet. Maybe one of these days. My ex hubby...well lets just say he replaced me with a computer a long time ago. New hubby doesn't even know how to turn one on!! I love that man. He made a slide off our deck for the grand kids last Sunday. I'm sure Remi and Rozi and I will do some sledding tomorrow.

I'm thinking about getting snow shoes. Any one every try them? I live in the country on 10 acres so I know I will use them.

Last day of school today...I hear beautiful music wafting down the halls here at the High school.  Its the string Orchestra.

In a few minutes I will brave the cold yet again and head to my classes at the middle school..kids have an easy day.  Music concert...15 min. classes..lunch..movie..home.  Wish my day was like that only I would prefer a nap.  Then on to the elementary schools...2 parties.  Wow..what a day.

 Tomorrow my granddaughter is "hanging" with me.  WE're making blueberry something..she loves blueberries.  Then I thought I might take her to see the new Disney movie. 

 Merry Christmas to all...and a Happy New Year!!!!!

 Marcy
(((HUGS))) to those who need them.  All you need is love (THe Beatles)

Good Morning Susan and Friends,

I'm alive but trying to struggle to the surface. We were inundated Friday evening with Erin and her family  plus son Nathan. Our larger than necessary house gets filled up very fast with three adults, twin whirlwinds, and two extra dogs to add to our territorial Yorkie.  Maggie doesn't want to play with her baby Lucie, but doesn't want Bess the other "sister" dog to play with her either. So for the first day we have snarls, growls, interference on Maggie's part. While Bess and Lucie are playing she jumps down, barks, growls, tries to protect Lucie in any way she can.

The twins had some kind of stomach crud which would appear either at dinner time or during the night. Clara the first two nights, then Hannah. Upchucking a lot of half digested stuff. . . Sorry TMI I know. They felt fine, no fever just some kind of bug I guess. Also teething. . . When they weren't upchucking we had a great time. Mike made them little walking sticks with their names and cute little animal stickers. Funny and cute to watch them using them on our walk. I'll try to post a couple of pictures later.

Had hoped to get Erin to help me set up the laptop on my printer but she was also trying to work while she was here so didn't have time. Will try to find a computer guru to help as I have absolutely no idea how to do that.

Kind of nice and quiet here today with just Nathan. His girlfriend arrives Christmas evening then they'll take off on Sunday to visit friends for a day or two before returning to Seattle. Nate's in the middle of working on his teaching National Board Certification which is a lot of intense work on top of his job. He finishes the "work" part in March, takes a big test in June then doesn't find out until November if he passes or not. Means a big yearly pay raise if he jumps through all of the hoops correctly.

My new "storm door" is blocking the wind and drafts nicely. I think I've finally gotten over my tiff. Mike was ready to go out and buy another door. . . I think not at least for a few years. It was expensive enough to start with and even tho it is upside down it looks fine. In the whole scheme of things it really caused me to get my panties in a wad and compared to what many people are dealing with I was being a whiny little baby. Sorry.

Coffee's ready and I need a cup. Tho I haven't posted much lately I do stop by at least daily to read up on what is going on. You all take care.

 

morning susan and OFF!!!

well i finally called my family dr yesterday and she wants me to go see an ortho dr about my hip and knee pain. she gave me a number to call and i called them and i am going TODAY at 115!!! can't believe i got in so soon!!! sooooo hopefully this is the type of dr i need to see...if not its a rehumatologist (sp) dr i see next. i do have a high tolerance for pain but this is so bad i can't even sleep anymore. will let you all know what i find out today.

last night rick told me his mom and brother ARE coming for Christmas dinner now. ooooooooook...so now we are making plans on what to have besides the ham and scallopped potatoes...lol

got next weeks work schedule and i am scheduled to work new years day....GRRRRRR the one parade i look so forward to seeing is the tournamnet of roses parade and now i will miss it!!! and no we do not have a dvd recorder so i can record it....GRRRRRRRRRRR anyone want to record it for me??? :-) then i get a call from phyllis and she wants to come see us new years eve and day....soooooo maybe i can get my schedule changed?? i doubt it....working the holiday the pay is good...very good....just not sure what to do....my new pay goes into effect on the 27th so this would be a nice check if i do work.....decisions decisions....sighs...

got a call last night from ricks mom...she said ricks daughter was in jail!!! seems she beat up this girl pretty good....guess she got a STD from her boyfriend that slept with this girl and so she beat her up for it...not sure what is going to happen now. nobody has money to bail her out and was told she would be there over Christmas....waiting to hear more....sighs....

was again woke up at 7 am from neighbors dog barking constantly!!! this is getting pretty old fast!!! complaining to the management isn't doing anything about it....maybe i should leave a Christmas card on her door and tell her about her dog barking non stop....seems with all this barking and howling this dog should have lost its voice by now!!!!!

need to call mom tonight and see how her dr appointment went yesterday...also aske about my sisters surgery on her arm. i am thinking its the port in her arm needed adjustment or something??? maybe i will call my sister insead and get the full story on that. my older brother is doing pretty good so that is a good thing!!! my younger brother is working his tail off and i am sure he is about worn out by now....working 12 hours shifts 7 days a week....glad he can handle all those hours....but then his pay checks are huge so i guess thats what keeps him going!!!

well best get off here and get cleaned up and do some things around here before i have to go to dr. know i AM thinking of you all and just incase i miss you i want to wish you and yours a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love hugs and prayers...and a smile!! ;-)

Good Morning !

 I am going to clean up the house so it can be sparkiling clean for Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  I am going to make a cheeseball this afternoon also.

My husband bought an attatchment for our lawn mower (riding one)  So he can shovel snow this year without breaking his back.  He had a hard time last year.  We have a long driveway so I hope it works ok.

We will be celebrating Christmas Eve later this year.  My daughter Kelly has to wor****il 8 and my son, Steven is going to his girlfriends house for awhile.   We live in a rural part of Ohio and the little church is holding a Christmas eve mass at 5:30 pm so my husband and I will go to that. 

Everything is wrapped so I am glad that chore is done.  So much preparation for one day and then it is over so fast!

For all those going away, have a safe trip.  Can't wait to hear of all of your fun!

for people who are sick, under the weather or just plain tired.  Prayers to all of you. 

Have a good day and don't forget to smile today!

Mary

Hi everyone.
   A cold zero degrees when I got up this morning.  I don't know if my digital thermometer goes below zero or not.  Let the dogs out this morning and they were hopping around holding up their paws.  Too cold for them too.  All three are curled up on the afghan on the couch right now sleeping.  Wish I could go back to sleep once I'm awake. 
Hubby has not been sleeping well the last week or so.  This morning he was up at 3:45 and stayed up.  Of course since I was awake I stayed awake, but stayed in bed under my down comforter, snug as a bug in a rug.  Then Gary came back to bed and snuggled his cold body up to mine to warm up.  Ugh.
I've got to balance my checkbook today and make a deposit into the bank.  Got two checks to deposit, one for $.30 and one for $4.71.  I wonder why they don't just send stamps or something if a check is under $1.00.  Costs more in postage and administration fees than the check is worth!
I'm going to cook the sauerkraut today so we just have to warm it up for Christmas.  I'll also brown the kielbasa, but won't add it to the kraut until I put it in the oven to warm up.  I hate mushy sausage, and the vinegar in the kraut makes it mushy if it cooks in there too long.  Voice of experience.
Can't wait to get my hands on Josh again tomorrow.  Jay sent me a text and asked if he and Jessica could go to the movies tomorrow.  No problem with me, I'll have Josh all to myself...oh wait, I'll have to share him with Gary, but not too much!
Don't know if I'll be on-line again before Christmas.  If not, I hope everyone has a happy, holy, and Blessed Christmas.  Tis the season.  Be kind.
Jan

Good Morning, Susan and OFF'ers!!

It's Christmas Eve- Eve!!!  And I haven't finished shopping yet!!!  I did start ..... yesterday.  So lots of gift cards for those on my list and some cute little wooden ornaments I picked up in Belize last week.

I think I brought back the crud from the cruise......I see a very lazy day all day Saturday in my future!!

Prayers for all that need 'em and here is hoping Santa makes all of your wishes come true!!!

Morning to you, Susan. It was so nice to see you start us off this morning. I miss you when you aren't here. I love reading all about what is going on with you and your family. A happy hello to all who have come before me and those that come later on. Morning is now complete since I have been with my OFF family.

Here it is Christmas Eve Eve. I just find it so hard to realize that this year is almost gone now and yet another one is soon starting. I can't fathom how fast time is moving now. It seems faster than the speed of light if you ask me. Now I know just what my Mom and Grandma meant when they use to talk about how fast time goes. I guess that means that I am aging now...unlike when I was a kid.

I baked the cookies last night. I should say that afternoon and night. It took me almost 6 hours of constant baking to get them done. I thought that I was going to found dead of old age with my head in the cookie dough. I ended up making about 21 dozen cookies. No....I cheated and made it all with pre made dough. I hate making cookie dough anymore. I use to love to make them all from scratch but not now. I do most everything the easier softer way now! I know...nothing tastes as good as homemade but at least they look it since the chocolate chip ones are uneven in appearance. ha ha  I got Christmas containers to put them in and made some up for my neighbor, Shawn and Kayden, my sister and my niece and her daughter. I even got some paper to put the containers in and gathered it up and put ribbons around it and then curled the ribbon. They look so nice. I am glad that I did it. But...I am SO glad that it is done!!!

Today is the day that the gifts get wrapped. We are doing them together and that will make it go faster too. There isn't as many gifts as there usually is on Christmas but the money here isn't the same either. ha ha  I know that the spirit of Christmas isn't what is under the tree. It is the Holiness of the season and the fact that we are together with loved ones...and a new special one has been added and that makes this Christmas so very special this year. I am truly blessed with so much. There are two gifts under the tree and they are for me from my other half. I have to get one more thing for DS and then I am done with he shopping. It is a little one but he needs something to open along with the gift card that we got him. Of course Kayden is the one that is receiving the most gifts. I am so looking forward to seeing what he does. We got him a little rocking horse for a little one and I can't wait to see what he does with this. Oh...I have to get a battery for him so he will sing. I got him on clearance for half price and the battery in him is dead.

Misty just keeps getting under the tree and either playing with the ornaments or she tries to eat the tree. We are forever chasing her out from under it. I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that she is under the tree and not in it! I know some have kitties that get in the tree. Since I wrote the last sentence I have had to chase her out from under the tree two times. I should  maybe put her in the box the tree comes in and keep the tree up all year. Hmmm...that is a thought!

We are going to get rain and sleet today. I know that they are saying the roads are going to be really bad. We need to get the last gift before that crap starts. DS is going to Illinois tomorrow (a 6 hour trip each way) to get my sweetheart. Mom wanted him both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but DS told her no that he wanted to see him on his first Christmas too. I am glad that he stood up to her about that. I hope that by the time he leaves tomorrow the roads are alright. I don't like the idea of him going so far but then again someone has to get the baby. I would have hoped that they would have met DS half way through but they won't. Unless they change their mind and do that. It would be the nice thing to do.

I guess I should get going. I have to check my mail and I am sure that there is a mess of that. I hate doing that...can you tell? I am sending love and hugs to all and prayers are being said for everyone too. Have a great Christmas Eve Eve and know that Santa is getting ready...he is packing his sleigh and I can't wait!!!!!