Giving thanks

The last few months have been a strange mix of good and bad events in our life. We've suffered our share of losses (as we all do) but we will be fine. We have terrific family and friends who are always there to support us. Of course the holiday season seems to amplify situations and although it will be different for us this year it will always be special.

Hubby is still unemployed but we are lucky to be able to pay our bills and keep a roof over our heads. We don't plan to do much for gift giving but that has never been a big priority for us. We are enjoying the extra time we have together and with the grandkids. Since we aren't in a rush and planning around long work days we get to have the munchkins spend the night more often, enjoy a Grandparents' Day lunch with the kindergarten class, bake cookies and make Christmas ornaments on a lazy afternoon, wander around the children's room at the library... It's all good.

I've been absent here because I've had a stubborn computer virus. I haven't been able to blog but I think we finally have that problem solved. We have plenty of snow and winter weather already. Fortunately I have a cozy fireplace and a big pile of books that's just begging to be read and hopefully reviewed. (I prefer my hammock but that's been stored away until spring.) Although I've been a bit out of touch I hope all is well with you and your families.

May you have many blessings, great books to read and loving people to share them with. I know I do and I have much to be thankful for this year!

Happy Independence Day!

Hope you're all enjoying a long, happy and safe holiday weekend. We have rain and more rain here so the house is very crowded when we're all stuck inside. It's nice to have everyone home though and I will take it (almost) any way I can get it.

Happy 4th of July and thank you to all those who do so much to make our country great!

Happy St. Pat's!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you a special day with a special someone!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas and the happiest, healthiest New Year!

 

 

Thank You To Our Veterans

 

This is a little late but I still wanted to express my extreme gratitude to all who have served our country. Thank you, to you and your families, for protecting us and sacrificing so much of yourselves. Words are not enough.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Saturday Snapshot

 Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home with Books. To participate in this meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
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Halloween was a strange holiday this year. Because of Superstorm Sandy, trick-or-treating in our town was moved to the weekend as a precaution. In the meantime my grandkids visited my grandmother at her assisted living facility and got a ton of candy and oohs and ahhs over how cute they looked. (They love going there and know how to work the crowds already! Grandma likes showing them off too.) There was also a party at Kmart for the kids and my granddaughter got to take her costume to preschool. It was a whole week of Halloween that kept dribbling on. Since they had so many occasions to dress up they wore different costumes. My daughter-in-law is a clever girl who saves old costumes and picks up new ones at terrific sales. They will always have plenty of supplies for playing dress up!

Woody (Toy Story) & Ariel (Little Mermaid) trick-or-treating with their great-great-grandma

Little skeletons trick-or-treating with cousins

Checking out the candy stash. I love how the clothes went flying off first thing!

Happy Halloween!

Independence Day

  

Happy Memorial Day

Thank you to all of the servicemen and women who have 

protected us and fought for our freedom. 

And to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, 

you and your families will never be forgotten.

Saturday Snapshot

 Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home with Books. To participate in this meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
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Yep, late again but we had a busy day baby-sitting the grandson so that was my priority. He was only recently introduced to ice cream and I have made it my mission to enjoy it with him every chance I get! The boy kept us busy but we had so much fun.

Since this is Memorial Day weekend I brought out some photos from a few years ago that feature the flag on our front porch during every season. It was a fun project and I even used these in a collage for the header on this blog. I hope you are also enjoying your long weekend and have a happy holiday.

I

Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Wishing you a...

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Be mine!

Wishing you the happiest New Year!

You know it's not good news when...

...you hear the x-ray technician say 'Oh, that's gonna need work." That's what we were told when my oldest son had to go to the ER after a fall on the ice. He had just arrived at work Tuesday morning, was crossing the parking lot and slipped on a small puddle of ice. The temperature has been so mild here for December that it was probably the first day we even had ice! Since it was a small puddle his foot slipped and then hit the edge of the dirt and stopped instantly. Having no where else to go, his ankle turned under and he folded to the ground. He had a broken fibula (smaller leg bone) so a fiberglass splint was put on in the ER, he was given crutches, pain pills and instructions for calling an orthopedist.

Later than afternoon an orthopedist called us after noticing the x-rays at the hospital. He told us there was  more damage than we knew about and my son needed to have surgery to repair it. The ligaments were torn on both sides of his ankle and that's why there was no support. (Thus, the flop to one side.) So we made the arrangements and he had surgery first thing Thursday morning, spent the day in the hospital and was able to go home after dinner. He's been in a lot of pain and it's hard to get comfortable but the surgery went well and the doctor said that because he's young he has a good chance of healing completely.

So that was our excitement this week. Christmas day was very nice and kind of quiet but it was wonderful to have little children here again. I'd almost forgotten how fun the season is when you have kids around! They are truly a blessing. I hope your Christmas was also filled with many blessings and you will have the happiest New Year.

My favorite gift this year!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Christmas decorations made from (old) books

Repurposing Christmas Book Tree

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(With tutorial)

Christmas wreaths from book pages

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I hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving!

 

Wishing you all blessing for this holiday and every day!

Thank You Veterans

 

Today and every day we honor you, and while it's never enough to repay you for all the sacrifices you and your families have made, we do remember. 

Thank you.