Sunday Blessings

Good Morning,

Be right back.

Good Morning Again,

I went to get my coffee refilled, and got sidetracked doing something urgent.

Jeannie, your trip sounds beautiful, but busy.  My dream trip is to Australia.  It's on my dream bucket list.

Didn't go to church today, coz it hurts not to have my foot elevated.  I thought I was never gonna get rid of the pain at the dinner table on Thanksgiving.  We were having a wonderful conversation after dinner, plus going the Black Friday ads.  Trent's Mom needs a new TV, so Trent and I kept on the lookout for that for her.  In spite of her dead TV, I was still able to see part of the Eagles' disgraceful loss.  Trent's Dad hooked up a TV from another room.  Trent was happy to see his Lions win though.

Speaking of football, Lincoln had a great time at the Michigan State/Penn State football game.  It helped that Michigan State crushed Penn State.  Colleen and Trent are happy they won.  Now they go to play Iowa for the Big Ten championship.  If they win that, they go to the Rose Bowl.  

I made applesauce yesterday.  Turns out I put too much cinnamon in it, so I had to ad a jar of store brand applesauce in it to even it out.  I had purchased two bags of apples before my surgery, in the hopes of using both to make applesauce prior to it.  I was only able to get one bag made.  So, yesterday, before the game, I got the other one cored and peeled, and into the crockpot.  It's so easy now.  I just throw them in, turn it on, and walk away.  When they're cooked, I get my hand potato masher, and smash them down.  I like mine lumpy.  So, now I have a few containers in the freezer.

Please pray and keep good thoughts for two of my cousins.  I was closest to them as a kid, because I saw them the most, and we were around the same age.  But, they live back where Mom was living, so after I got married, and moved back to my hometown, we didn't see that much of each other.  Cousin Walter had a heart attack two weeks ago.  Now, he's in the hospital with sepsis, and was just diagnosed with dementia.  He's not even 60 years old.  Then, his sister, Kimmy, who was in an abusive marriage to a drug addict, has most of her adult kids living with her.  Plus, she has custody of her grandchildren, because their Dad is also an addict, and has been in prison.  Well, yesterday, her house burned down.  The grandchildren are pretty young.  Everyone got out safely.  The Red Cross has put them up at a hotel for a few days, coz they lost everything.  I believe they'll help her find a place to house them till she either rebuilds, or who know what.  

Time to scoot.  I'll try to check back later.  I keep meaning to do that, but then I get busy with my crocheting.

Hugs,

Trish

Good afternoon Trish and everyone...

I am just checking in quickly. Nic left about noon to head back to Iowa. I hope he gets there before the snow starts. I miss him already!

I am just exhausted. I have no energy. I am doing okay. I promise I will be back here tomorrow. 

I read all the posts and am sorry I can't answer. I just can't.

I hope you are all having a good day! I think you all so often.

Prayers for our  special OFF family and their families. Special prayers for Vickie, Cindy P, Eileen, Judy 's mother and sister and others.

Loads of love and bushels of hugs to all....connie d

Trish and Ladies,

I hope your day is coming to a restful end. I have been cleaning the kitchen and am exhausted. I guess the horrible virus that I suffered through last week has left me a little on the weak side. 

Trish, your sister sounds like one of my sisters...the queen of passive/aggressive at best and just plain aggressive the rest of the time. You may have to do like I have done and just realize that she is never going to be dependable and she will always put up road blocks.  As soon as I realized that and quit asking Eve, my crazy sister, for small things, the better my life became. Sometimes accepting what you cannot change is the best strategy.  

Judy, I hope your mom gets good treatment.  I cannot imagine what those of you with living parents or a living parent are going through. My mom died when I was a child and my sister who raised me was never a mother replacement. She treated me good, don't get me wrong, but she was my sister.  Now, while all my friends and cousins are saying their final goodbyes to their parents, I am trying to imagine what it would have been like to have had my mom all those years and then having to say goodbye. 

Vic, for a while, my son and his crazy wife lived with us and they had four kids: my sons two boys with the crazy wife and her older daughter from another man and her baby that she conceived when she left my son and their sons.  And she loved when I got home from work so she could say, do you mind watching the kids while I run to the store and five hours later, she would return. On the weekends that I had my daughter's kids too, it was a madhouse and my weekends were always high stress and heavy work, so I finally had to put my foot down.  I know you want to help with your grand babies and I totally get it but at some point you are going to have decide what is too much.  Once the baby comes and you are primarily the caregiver of her and then the boys' mom feels that she needs to get more help too, you will need to learn to say enough.  I've had to tell my daughter that I know that I am off work for the holidays but that doesn't mean I am not going to be doing work from home or that I don't want to rest.  Sometimes, our kids are just not keen on seeing us rest. You will know when you are stretched to the limits.  You are truly an example of the sandwich generation: taking care of mom, taking care of grandkids and sometimes assuming financial responsibility for the kids.  You will need to learn to say no.  

Well, here I am waiting for the dishwasher to finish the last load of china. I decided to run the Christmas stuff through so it will be ready to go. I did give my daughter my large set but I kept a little Santa set for when the kids are here and they are washing now. We are also having tuna salad for dinner and I am about to get the onions, celery, and pickles in the tuna and boiled eggs. 

Have a good night and enjoy your Monday...Peace out ladies. 

Morning Trish and OFF Family to come in yet...

Well my sister called and said mom is back in hospital again with chest pains!!! PRAYERS PLEASE!!! Worried sick....trying to call but she must be having tests or something nurse answered her phone said she is not in her room right now. OK...so looks like I will be going home for Christmas after all...might be mom's last...never know.

My kids just left to go home. Had a great visit with them...poor Austin lost the bet and had to put the Ohio State shirt on...I posted photo on FB LOL. He is MAD!!!!!! LMAOOOOOOOOO

Trish will say prayers...so sad.

Thoughts and Prayers for ALL that need them!!!

HUGSSSSSSSSS

Oh Judy, I'm so sorry that your Mom is back in the hospital, with chest pains no less.  I'm definitely praying for her, and you.  

I understand about the need to go home for Christmas.  Given that Mom seems to be slipping away, at least her mind is, I made a point of asking the kids to be back there this Christmas.  We don't know how many more Christmases she'll be with us.  With my kids living all over, and with the fact that they also need to celebrate the holiday with in-laws who don't live back home, we aren't guaranteed that all of us will be together next year.  As it is, I haven't had all three of them under the same roof, at the same time, since February 2013.  That was the weekend I moved here, and it was not planned.  Chris got snowbound.  Plus, his gorgeous wife wasn't with him, because he was here on a business trip.

Sending hugs and prayers.

Trish

Trish...with me losing so many this year the year of death as I call it...I fear for my mom...she is 94 going on 95 come June...I did talk to her a bit ago and she said they did an ECHO on her and she was waiting for the dr to report how it was...my brother said her BP was sky high. Not good. Going to dig deep to find money for the trip home...she keeps begging me to come home for Christmas...soooooo home we go again. Plus with the way my sister's health is doing who knows how long she will be around also. Prayers for her also!!

Thank you again for the prayers!!!

HUGSSSSSSS

I'm back, again.  Seems that I forgot to post two kids that two of my kids posted yesterday.  Plus, I seriously need to ***** about something.

First the rant.  I've told you all about my sister's refusal to get with technology at home.  Well, about a month or so ago, maybe longer, I decided I wanted to give Mom a CD player, and some Broadway musicals on CD.  I know she has some already, in her car.  Her car is at Eileen's, and I asked Eileen if she would do me the favor of going out to Mom's car to see what was there.  She kept forgetting, and then she told me that I can do it when I come out there for the holidays.  While I wasn't happy about her unwillingness to help me, I figured it wasn't worth getting pissy about it.  Then, I had the foot surgery.  Then, on Thanksgiving, I asked her to make sure she took Mom's iPhone to Kathy's for dinner, so we could FaceTime.  When I was on the phone asking her to do that, Sis sounded annoyed and put-out.  When I called Kathy to arrange the time Colleen would get the kids to talk to Mom, I learned that Eileen forgot it.  Then, last night I sent Mom some pics to her phone, and Eileen made a point of telling me how much Mom enjoys seeing the pictures, and watching the videos I sent her.  Well, today, since I now can't drive, and tomorrow is Cyber Monday, I asked Eileen about finding out what CDs are in Mom's collection, she again told me I can wait till I'm out there.  I told her I wanted to order them tomorrow, coz it's Cyber Monday.  Again, she sounded put out.  So, I sent her a long email, telling her how hurt I am.  Whenever she has called asking me for the kids' snail mail addresses, or their phone numbers, I do it right away.  When she wants to order something online, she calls me, and I order it for her.  I reminded her about agreeing to get Wifi, which I'd have paid for, when I was stuck living with her for six weeks then not getting it for me.  Tomorrow is her last day of working for New Jersey.  After tomorrow, she won't have email.  I'm hurt and angry.  And I told her I'm hurt.

Enough of my rant.  

Here are two pics my kids posted last night.

This is Chris and Casey.  They were at the Bed and Breakfast where they spent their wedding night 8 years ago.  They stayed there last week, in order to spend Thanksgiving with Casey's family.  Through the window you can see the Mississippi River.  Casey is from the St. Louis area.  

This is Lincoln with his friend, Tiger's family.  Lincoln is the handsome boy next to Tiger's Dad.  Colleen said that Lincoln had an awesome time at his first college football game.

Hugs to all.

Trish

Hello sweetest sistas,

I'm just popping on to read and say hi.  I'm am totally exhausted.  I tell y'all, I'm not sure I'm up to doing the tasks that I have set before myself this next year.  Three days babysitting the boys has wiped me out.  What on earth am I going to do when I have all three babies to watch at once?

And I also didn't sleep a wink last night.  I figure it was all the tension from Thanksgiving catching up with me.  I lay awake until nearly 4 a.m.  Then I managed to fall asleep for a few hours, but I had such horrible weird dreams!  It was almost worse than not sleeping at all.  I don't remember too much about them except I know that Daddy and Butch were both in my dreams and they were missing.  Makes sense, since both of them are now missing from my life.  Oh, how I miss my guys.

Well, Carrie is packing up and getting ready to head back to Waco.  I'll be following her tomorrow and we'll have our third childbirth class tomorrow night.  But then it's back here to San Antonio and more babysitting.  At least it will only be in the evenings, and not all day.

As soon as Carrie leaves, I'm getting in the tub and then I'm getting into bed.  I haven't even had a chance to do one bit of shopping all weekend.  Nothing.  And Mom's birthday is on Wednesday and I haven't so much as bought her a birthday card.  I feel totally out of control right now.  I'm rarely this far behind in my holiday preparations.  

Reading all the posts, praying where it's needed, and I love you all!

I'm back from my stitching weekend and from Lake City! It took me five crazy hrs to Drive 238 miles! I must of sat in gridlock traffic for over two hrs of it! I75 is a crazy mess and so are Florida drivers!

Tomorrow is my coffee meet with my stitching group in the afternoon, then I need to start getting my things ready so Ican fly out to Chicago on Thursday.

Tuesday I need added labs so I can have Hernia surgery on the 23rd when I get back.

Time to go soak my achy back in the tub!

Carla